THE SECRET OF THE OAK PARLOR.

Evening Star, Issue 14963, 24 August 1912, Page 3

THE SECRET OF THE OAK PARLOR.

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By Richard Wyvebn, Author of ' Paying a Debt,' etc., etc. CHAPTER XV. MADAME ULCIVEt's DETERMINATION. Upon entering the room Auftten immediately engaged Lorraine in conversation, while Retlef, with a smile of satisfaction on his lips, turned to Zeno. "You have succeeded?" he said, in a low tone. " Yes," she answered ; " but I do not feel very proud of my work." During the diversion caused by their entrance the actions of Madame Ulcivet passed without observation. That lady cavefullv folded up the sheets of paper upon winch Lorraine had written Stephen Hilsdon's name, then thrust them into a pocket concealed in the folds of her dress. Quickly she replaced the autograph letters in the portfolio, currying it with the pens and ink to ;i side table. Next she rang the bell, and on a servant appearing pointed to the papers which Zeno and Lorraine had been using, saying: "Take those papers away and destroy them," then quitted the room. Lorraine heard her order, saw the servant remove the papers, and, believing those upon which he had written Hikdon's name wore included, the subject passed from his mind. After a little, and without .exchanging any further words with Zeno beyond a simple good-night, Lorraine took his departure. As soon as the secretaiy bad quitted the room Austen said : "I desire to examine the signatures, and so judge if Lorraine's efforts will pass." He turned to Zeno, but while he was speaking that young lady had disappeared. "My "daughter has left the matter in my hands," said Madame Ulcivet, who had again entered. She spoke in her habitually low but distinct voice, at the same time seating herself opposite Mr Retlef, while Austen remained standing, one hand resting on the table between the two. _ The action of Madame Ulcivet surprised both men, a look passing between them. Then Retlef said . " Let me have those sheets of paper which, I presume, Zeno gave into your charge." " She has done so," replied Madame Ulcivet, "and my intention is to retain them. As curiosities, showing how one man may imitate the signature of another, they are interesting." She spoke as one miaVare of the purpose for which Retlef had set Zeno to obtain the forged signature. | The surprise shown by the "dealer in curiosities" quickly gave" place to an-er. " Nonsense, woman! I have another use for them." "Is Mr Lorraine aware of the use to which you intend putting them?" asked Madame Ulcivet. The small eyes of Retlef flashed, and without further parley, and in no very polite manner, he demanded the papers. "On certain conditions," she replied, ) with a glance at the speaker; " those sigI natures of Stephen Hikdon have a price." "You are trilling with me," he said. " It is madness on your part to do so." But Madame Ulcivet remained firm : on her his anger failed to produce any effect. The determined attitude of the old lady disconcerted both men, and Retlef, who was bitterly incensed, broke out: " You shall not leave this house until those papers are handed over to me. I will have them." While Retlef thus Inst control of himself, Austen remained cool, and, with his never-failing tact, said : '• Those proofs of Mr Lorraine's cleverness are of no value to you, madamo." " But to you and Mr Retlef they are," she retorted. "Granted that they may be," returned Austen, "what is your price?" "One hundred pounds for each," she answered. Mr Retlef was furious at being checked so effectively, and, springing to his feet, turned threateningly to Madame Ulcivet. "You dare not refuse to hand them )ver to me," he said. His threat failed to move the old lady in the slightest degree, but Austen put in with insinuating sweetness: " Madame, you put too high a value on the handwriting of JLr Lorraine." •' It is not his handwriting, Mr Austen, bnt his life, which I am bartering, and you know that I speak the truth." But Retlef's anger at being checkmated bv one whom he held, as he believed, in his power had gone beyond control. He looked upon the action of Madame Ulcivet as insubordination, base ingratitude on the part of this woman and* her daughter, who obtained from him the means of living. "Madamo Ulcivet," he said, "your action surprises me. I do not hesitate to recall to your mind what your daughter and yourself might have been now but for my silence. At a critical time in your history you were saved by my forbearance." The circumstances referred to being that in Madame Ulcivet's life were certain incidents, known to Retlef, which placed both her and Zeno in his power. Madame Ulcivet and her daughter were in the habit of visiting amongst the aristocracy, particularly those who had a struggle to maintain the position in the world which their ancestors had held. Through information supplied by the two, many rare and valuable curios had been purchased by Mr Retlef for small sums, being afterwards sold by him to great advantage. Sometimes his agents secured articles by less reputable means than purchase, but all found their way to the "dealer in curiosities." The silence of Retlef had prevented a charge of theft being brought against Madame Ulcivet; thus she and her daughter were in his power. The beauty of Zeno had, in addition,•proved a valuable asset to Retlef, which he compelled her to use when it was necessary for his purpose—as in the case of Lorraine. Thus the refusal of Madame Ulcivet incensed him beyond measure. He would listen to no temporising, but with an oath demanded the papers. Madame Ulcivet pulled out her watch, and, after consulting it, said very calmly : "By this time they are safe." The small eyes of Retlei shot baleful glances at the speaker. " Madame,' he said, " I would have given you credit for more caution. Are you prepared to defy me? What if I were to break my silence and give you over to the law?" But Madame Ulcivet was not to be biowbeaten by the high-sounding fury of his words, and she answered quietly : " I, too, could speak," and her sharp eyes returned the look of Retlef. It was very galling for the "dealer in curiosities" to find one of his hitherto most pliable instruments turning against him, and for the moment he was powerless. But Austen, cool'and suave, seized the opportunity to throw oil on the troubled waters. "Madame," he began, "it cannot-be your intention to break a beneficial connection with Mr Retlef, which has lasted for so many years, over an unimportant trifle such as this ' affair Lorraine.' You name a price. Is it not a little unjust to do so? Would it not be more reasonable to trust the generosity of our mutual friend!" . But Madame Ulcivet remained firm. " I quite understand the force of what you say. I am not exacting. I do not inquire what use you interV to make of the forged signatures; indeed, though I may surmise, I do not desire to know. I have named my price. To-morrow, at 12 o'clock, I will hand over one of the sheets containing Mr Hilsdon's signature on receiving, as I have already said, £100." Austen now led Retlef a little apart, and, after they had exchanged a few sentences, the angry " dealer in curiosities" yielded to the inevitable, while Madame Ulcivet, having gained her point, left the

Next day, at the appointed time, the old lady handed over one of the sheets, and the two men critically examined the signature. Satisfied with the result, Retlef, with ill-concealed temper, flung a canvas bag containing the money across the table, accompanying his action with a fierce scowl. J Madame Ulcivet, fk no way disconcerted, cut the fastenings of the bag, then very diiiiberately counted the sovereigns. That done, she placed the whole in a small leather bag which she carried, and left 'the room. A brief consultation between the two schemers resulted in a bill, purporting to he signed by Stephen ITilsdon, being drafted and cashed without delay. One morning, a few days later, on reaching Cindsea, Lorraine was informed that Mr Retlef was ill, and unable to attend business. This sudden illness upset Mr Rc-tlefs plans, and confined him to bed for several days. Having always enjoyed good health, the forced inactivity worried him greatly. It is probable that lie suffered more in mind than ho did in body, for the reason that he was compelled to ieave his business at the mercy of subordinates, and in this ho knew there was danger. To Lorraine lie entrusted the carrying out of ono or two very peculiar transactions, certain features of which puzzled the secretary. On the fourth day of Mr Retlef's illness Lorraine was summoned to his room. He found his employer in bed, propped up by pillows, looking very frail and weak. The secretary expressed "his sympathy with the sufferer, whose answer conveyed tho assurance that his affliction was borne with Christian resignation. A few preliminary remarks, then Mr Retlef said : " Owing to Mr Felter's absence from Low Wave, I am about to entrust you with an important mission. The pledge of secrecy which you gave has been faithfully kept, and I only refer to it because to-day I am about to put your reticence and confidence in me to the test." Lorraine assured him that he would faithfully keep his pledge, and Mr Retlef continued : " Go to my study, and with this key tinlock the large oak cabinet There. In one of the pigeon holes labelled C you will find a small packet of papers. Bring them to me." Lorraine obeyed. Without difficulty he found the papers, but when abstracting them knocked down a photograph which protruded from the pigeon hole above. As he picked up the card it attracted his attention, and he examined tho portrait closely. It was the photograph which Retlef had received from Newtyle", being the duplicate of the ono Lady Catherine had found among her husband's papers and had lent to A us--1 ten. | Lorraine knew nothing of its history, but as tho outline of tho features reminded him of Zeno he examined it with interest before replacing it in its receptacle. i On returning to Mr Retlef's room that ! gentleman gave him very precise instructions regarding his mission, which proved to be a visit to Low Ware. "There' is no time to lose," he said. " This man, Crastens, who is one of Mr Felter's agents, may be waiting now. You see, but for this confounded cold I would have been there this morning. Drive to Victoria station and take the first train to Wavesborough. Pay Crastens tho money j which I have given you, when he will hand | you certain articles of jewellery cf great historical value." Further and most minute instructions were laid down by Mr Retlef, then his secretary departed. During' the journey in the train Lorraine had time to reflect on what lay before him. One thing puzzled him beyond measure, and it was what Mr Retlef had repeated to him "more than once. "Remember that in this you are representing my friend, Mr Felter, who is abroad at present. My name must not be mentioned." This he had impressed, most emphatically upon his secretary. On reaching Waresborough Lorraine took a cab to Low Ware, and, as instructed, rang the bell at the side door, by which Mr Felter had admitted him and Zeno on the night of his rescue. On this occasion the door was opened by Mrs Goel, who, showing no surprise at this visit from her former guest, snid ; "' He's waiting." "Who?" asked Lorraine. " The man Crastens," she answered, and without further remark Lorraine made his way to the study, which ho well remembered. A glance round showed him it was in tho same condition as when he last saw it. and he had barely seated himself when Mr Crastens entered. In this man Lorraine had no difficulty in recognising the driver of the, trap which he had seen during his stay at Low Ware. Although well dressed, Crastens did not improve on closer examination. " I desired particularly to see Mr Felter," he said. " I am here in his place," replied. Lorraine, but, observing that Mr Crastens hesitated before stating his business, handed over a note which Mr Retlef had give him by way of credentials. The latter read the letter. "Gone for a trip to the Continent. I see % Well, Mr Felter is a jolly good sort. You bet he will be enjoying himself wherever he is. I can see that you are new to tho business." Lorraine answered in the affirmative, and Crastens continued : " You would like to see the curios I have to dispose of," he said, with a laugh. "Well, there is no mistake about them, and here they are." While speaking he took from his coat pocket a small chamois leather bag. From this he pulled out a diamond tiara, which he laid on the table before Lorraine's astonished eyes. Two rings and a. bracelet followed. 'The jewels flashed and glittered 'neath the gleams of the faint December sun shining into the room, while the secretary regarded them as one fascinated. " They are worth a tidy sum," said Crastens. " How much has he sent?" " Forty pounds, which is contained in this canvas bag," replied Lorraine. " Forty devils," cried Crastens. " That's cool, and no mistake," and he poured forth a torrent of words in which risk and trouble mingled with frequent threatening oaths were prominent. Lorraine, who did not understand his allusions and threats, was relieved when Crastens ended his grumbling by thrusting the money into his pocket and departing- . . , Left alone, the secretary again examined the different articles of jewellery with much interest and some misgivings. He could see that the tiara alone was of great value and decidedly modern. The same applied to the rings, which were the most magnificent he had ever seen. It was with a strange dread of coming trouble that Lorraine replaced the various articles i in the chamois leather bag, then thrust them into the inside pocket of his coat. (To be continued.)