The Exchange Will.

Golden Bay Argus, Volume IX, Issue 90, 23 February 1905, Page 3

The Exchange Will.

.( Copyright.)

A DARING DEATH-BED ® ® FRAUD. ® ©

By the Author of "The Secret of the Grace Cup,'*--'Counterfeit .Claimants," Etc. Etc.

PART 9. CHAPTER XXXI. • EARLTE AT BAY—THE NOTE—ROSS AND BEAUCLERC. As Blacksley left the house, Lemuel stalked into the drawing room, satisfied, from what was going on there that Mr. Beauclerc’s disturbed manner was only the result of the terrible strain upon his feelings. "We will see the end of this," breathed Mrs. Ross, turning- her glittering eyes on Dungan, and twisting the serpent coil upon her wrist with quick, nervous hand. “ ’Tis no time for ceremony."

They followed Lemuel, shutting the door just as a terrified cry burst from Carlie.

"To-night—now ! Marry Lemuel Haigh now !" she ejaculated. "To-night—now !’’ echoed Lemuel approaching his light eyes dark and glittering with irrepressible exultation and delight. "Delays are dangerous I think ; and so your father gives you to me at once. He thinks it safer !"

"It shall not be," cried Miss Ingham starting up and tottering to the group. " “Your hold upon Mr. Beauclerc. Lemuel, is ’’

Carlie and Lemuel broke in upon her at the same instant.

The latter burst into a fit of loud mocking laughter, while the fromer cast her arms about her whispering wildly : "Hush ! Hush ! Blacksley said so ! I will pray for time !" Thus reminded of the detective’s warning Miss Ingham sank into a chair to which Carlie had led her, and burst into feeble tears. As she did so Lemuel’s laugh ended and lie cried sneeringly, exultingly : "My hold, Miss Ingham, is strong enough for my purpose. And now, since it is and the wedding guests’’— glancing tauntingly at Dungan and Mrs. Ross—"assembled, we will have the man in who will tie the knot." "Wait !" cried Carlie, feeling the necessity of gaining time at any risk ; "if I am to be married I must make some preparations. I must know something, too, of your plans." She spoke loudly, feverishly, as she moved to the door. r Ho looked back at her with an evil smile, the handle in his hand, saying significantly : "Plans will keep, Carlie, and preparations are of no account at our nuptials. We’ll have the knot tied the first thing." "Till to-morrow !—wait till tomorrow !" pleaded the girl wildly. Lemuel laughed, burst open the door, and nearly overturned Ann, who was coming in with a folded slip of paper. "What’s this ? Who’s it for ?" he cried, suspiciously.

“You,” said the girl, shortly. "A boy just left it." Lemuel glanced at the few pencilled, lines, slammed the door to, and with an oath, dashed across the room, and shook the paper in Mr. Beauclerc’s face. '

“This is your work," he cried a volley of oaths ending the accusation Mr. Beauclerc retreated a step) his face flushing angrily. Lemuel went on following him up; “It was you who bribed him to slip away for an hour. You wanted to 'gain time. You thought I'd give in,| between you and Carlie. He says,, an old friend, passing the cai--riage, recognized him, and .fearing lie could not shake him off, he just offered to set him down at the place to \vhich lie was going. But that’s tool thin. It’s your work, you”

‘|TTold your noise!” cried Mr. Beauclerc sternly. “I know you too well to hope anything from this hour’s delay. ITe has doubtless told you the truth.” Lemuel looked at him a moment, and .then convinced, suddenly rushed from the house.

“Thi_s..is terrible !” exclaimed Mrs. Ross in tones of mingled dignity and sorrow. ‘‘My stepson and I have great cause for complaint against Garlic, but we would be glad to save her from such a fate as this. Is there nothing you can do, Mr. Beaucletc ?”

‘‘Do you suppose I would not do something if I could ? Do you suppose I’d leave yonder unhappy girl to either your devilish schemes or his if I could help it !” ''You forget yourself, I think,” returned Mrs. Ross, checking the fierce outburst. ‘‘T have no schemes.” Mrkßeauclerc laughed scornfully at the quiet, dignified reply and then, with a groan, strode to the other end pf the room, flung himself on a coffch, --.and buried his face in the cushions. The dead silence was broken after a time by Lemuel’s return. 4t his entrance Carlie got up in terror, but he i was alone. •“You can get on your white satin and orange blossoms.” he laughed, angrily, looking at the girl. ‘‘There is some time to wait yet.” After a moment Carlie moved to tlui door. |E can . delay him more easily in my! own room' than here,” she thought. & crash of wheels broke upon the thought, and Lemuel cried sharply, gladly : -fStay ! He’s back.” So saying he rushed to the window to -make sure. But in his haste to drag the curtain aside he missed seeing the man who had sprung from the carriage and up the steps and the next moment, as he turned eagerly to the door, it opened- and Edward Ross entered the room. I A simultaneous oath burst from Dungan and Lemuel.

i'Eow dare .you countenance , this

fellow V" cried Dungan furiously to Miss Ingham, in his blind rage, as Carlie sprang to Edward Ross. Under cover of his loud tone the latter muttered, quickly :

"Hope everything, Carlie ! George Sylvester is at Liverpool, and is coming." Tliere was no time for more, Lemuel seizing the girl’s arm and dragging her violently to Miss Ingham’s side.

"You are as good as my wife, remember," he hissed, and went whirling back under the strong, nervous grasp of Ross’s hand. “Thu is no place for violence," exclaimed Edward, sternly, as Ltemuel half sprang to hurl himself upon him. "But I warn you keep your distance, and, lay not a finger on Miss Beauclerc.”

"Anson Beauclerc !” shrieked Lemuel, choking with rage, "come forward and exert your parental Ha Ha !’’ breaking oil’ with a fierce chuckle as another carriage was heard crashing up to the door —"the right man this time. Come ! come" again addressing Mr. Beauclerc. "You* need not call my father,” said Carlie, stepping forward. "I will not marry you before to-mor-row."

"You dare so much !” roared Lemuel as Blacksley entered quietly, and unnoticed from the hall. "I dare ! No human power shall make me consent to be your wife before this time to-morrow. It is but twenty-four hours !’’ she pleaded

Lemuel t caught the tone and turned malignantly to Mr. Beauclerc. But instead of uttering the words trembling on his lips, he burst out : "What are you glaring at ?”■

Mi-. Beauclerc was standing just where he had started to his feet at the outburst following Edward Ross’s entrance, his gaze rooted upon the young man’s face, and his very breath seemingly stilled. The tone and words called all eyes to Mr. Beauclerc’s face. Edward Ross looking from Miss Ingham and Carlie to whom lie had been quietly speaking. For an instant returned Mr. Beauclerc’s gaze, speechless ; the next he sprang forward, crying, loudly, joyously :

“Sir Allan ! Sir Allan Haywell" * CHAPTER XXXTT. ASTOUNDING DISCLOSURES. “Sir Allan Haywell !”

The name flew from lip to lip, Blacksley standing alone unmoved in the doorway.

The voices roused Lemuel Haigh from the momentary paralysis that had stiffened him from head to foot at Edward Ross's unexpected words. He sprang to the baronet, intercepting him as he started towards Ross.

“You devil," he breathed. “You know him and he knows you ! By Heaven !’’

“Begone with you !” cried Sir Allan, hurling him aside with blazing eyes, and continuing more calmly as he met Ross’s eagerlyoutstretched hand : “Yes, Sir Allan, my young friend.” “And ready," cried Edward Ross., eagerly glancing at Miss Ingham and Carlie, "to swear that I am really and truly Edward Ross, only son of James Ross who introduced me to you at the Liverpool, just at we lifted anchor for India.” "It is"

“A lie !” hissed Lemuel, "at his shoulder. “It is the truth !’’ thundered Sir Allan turning upon him. “Did I not tell you that Edward Ross sh mid never be injured ? Heaven forbid 1 should wrong the noble, young fellow !’’

“Heaven forbid that you sluald swear to such an atroci ms lie !" exclaimed Mrs. Ross.

“By Heaven I’ll do what’s right. 1 " burst out Sir Allan recklessly, as fie turned upon Lemuel. "You villain! your power is at an end. You've gone the length of your tether with me ! I defy you ! I shake off your chains ! I” “Father—father !” wailed Carlie, seizing his arm and gazing in anguished and terrified pleading at Lemuel’s fiendish face.

“ ‘Father! ' " echoed Edward Ross "I am not her father !’’ thundered Sir Allan. Carlie fell back before the startling words. Even Mrs. Ross and Dungan forgot their danger at this incredible declaration.

“I am not her father!” repeated Sir Allan thunderously. “Ah sir”— his eyes falling upon Blacksley—“you have come opportunity as a witness, for now I speak the truth !” “Demon —at jour peril—at your peril !” foamed Lemuel, as Blacksley approached. Heedless of this desperate threat, Sir Allan went on, vehemently as before, crying : "I am Carlie Beauclerc Hay well's uncle—the twin brother of her deceased father, whose sad death made it desirable that his child should be spared all knowledge of the catastrophe. Her dying mother accordingly gave her to the care of the late William Ross, with the entreaty that the child should bear her mother's maiden name —Beauclerc. 1 agreod. I went to India at the time that Edward Ross did, and remained there until a year ago. Some time after my return I fell into the power” Lemuel hissing out an oath made a clutch at his throat.

Blacksley caught the long, lean arm iu an iron grip, saying firmly : “Keep quiet sir, or I'll have some one called who’ll save you the trouble.”

Lemuel’s face grew livid, and as he stood silent Sir Allan continued : “I’ll cut the story short and let him go. Heaven knows I shall bo thankful to see the last of him ! Briefly then, by an unhappy chance, I attracted Haigh's notice in the street by the strong family likeness between Miss Hay well and myself, for my twin brother and I were startlingly alike. From that hour Haigh plotted for my destruction. He got me in his power, and then bent me to a pliant tool. To save myself from exposure I agreed to his terms. He wrote a letter purporting to be from the late Mr. Ross and placed it among the dead man's effects. Upon the strength of that forgery and the unquestionable likeness between my niece and myself, I was introduced at Ross-Laurel as Carlie’s father, and received as such. May Heaven forgive me !” he faltered. “I can never forgive myself. But enough ! Go now !”—turning with sudden passion to Lemuel. “Go now and finish your dastardly work !”

“Ay. and I’U finish it well for

you !" tauntect Benniei, wno had recovered colour and spirit as Sir Allan proceeded without detailing the means by which his (Sir Allan’s) downfall would be accomplished. "I’ve lost my bride, curse you, but I’ve not lost all ! I've not lost you !’’ Blacksley having already released him he started, with somewhat nervous haste to the door.

At the same instant Blacksley whistled sharply. "Is that meant for an insult sir," cried Lemuel wheeling round and facing the detective. He raised his arm in a furious attack.

As he did so both were seized from behind, and fixed there in a pair of handcuffs. With a howl lie turned and found himself in the grip of two policemen .

"Lemuel Haigh, alias Harold Larrington, you are my prisoner !” interposed Blacksley. "Make the most of it for I, Horace Rawlings, tell you it is all over with you !’’ "Barrington !’’ echoed Carlie and Sir Allan.

Lemuel gazed at the detective, speechless. At the name of Larrington lie ceased his struggles, but at the detective’s disclosure of his own idendity his jaw dropped, his limbs relaxed, and for a moment lie seemed on the brink of dissolution. "What does this mean ?”- faltered Sir Allan. "It means," said the detective, "that you arc innocent. ''lnnocent !” The words burst from Carlie’s lips Sir Allan standing half paralysed. "Yes," pursued Rawlings rapidly, "Tho cheque you presented at the bank was no forgery, but Lemuel Haigh’s, drawn by himself for—for his own money. Nothing but your intoxicated -state would have enabled him to deceive you so completely, and afterwards get possession of his money—a sum of one hundred pounds But within the last week he lias forged a cheque on Mr. Sylvester to a large amount. For .that he has now to answer." "Carlie ! Carlie ! can you ever forgive me ?’’ broke in Sir Allan, his voice choked with a rising sob. As the girl flung her arms about his neck in a passion of glad tears. Lemuel’s howling tones silenced her murmured words. He cried frantically : "Undone ! Lost ! Debby Dicksy !’’ The woman who had pressed close to the door in curious observation of the scene within the room shrank back, precipitately at the outcry. Rawlings answered. "You are right," he said. "One of my men carried the note to Debby and the next morning secured her person. At the last moment to save herself from an ignominious exposure she has revealed everything. Your assumption of Larrington’s character, together with her discovery of Sir Allan’s innocence and your late forgery, and also the fact that a hireling of yours has been dogging Edward Ross to his death, night and day for ’’ —

Another scream from Lemuel ended Rawling’s rapid summing tip of tho prisoner’s crimes, and drew all eyes to Dungan and Mrs. Ross in the act of sneaking unnoticed from the room

“Stop them ! Stop them, I say” roared Lemuel with foaming lips. “Do you think that I’ll let you off to hide your shame and defeat ? Ha ha ! not a bit of it ! They’ve heard something about me ; now they shall hear a little story about you ! There ”■—nodding his head at Mrs. Ross, who, pale as death confronted him—"there stands the woman whose unseen hand from behind the bed-curtains, changed the wills just in time to have a fraudulent one signed. She crept up to the deathchamber in the twilight, dressed as my old grandmother, and got safely away without discovery/, save by my grandmother herself.” A smothered ejaculation from Carlie caught his ear, but he went on, rapidly : “Hearing of Mr. Ross’s illness, they summoned me to. a council. I received their bribe, playing for a single stave—the hand of Carlie Haywell ! Accordingly I played the spy, getting the items of the will by listening outside the raised window close to Mr. Ross’s bed. Perched on a branch of an old oak that grew close by, I heard all, and took all down in shorthand, afterwards writing out the will as it was read after the funeral. It was a neat job out and out ! And if it hadn’t been for my cursed folly in forging the cheque I might ” He suddenly broke off and shook his head fiendishly at Miss Ingham. “It’s to you I owe this hour ! Your devilish stratagem has ruined me for ever ! But—but I’ll pay you yet ! I’ll ” The rest was lost in a howl of rage, as, at a sign from Rawlings, the officers rushed him from the room.

Dungan and his mother had already disappeared, slipping out at the moment of Lemuel’s attack upon Miss Ingham, and making good their escape from the house without delay Edward Rcss and Carlie, with the detective saw their stealthy movement, but Edward said quietly, in answer to Rawling’s look : “Let them go. .She is my father’s widow. I have gained my rights and do not wish to blacken my soul with revenge.” The next moment as Lemuel was being forced from the room, a smothered sob caused them to look round. Miss Ingham and Carlie were crying in each other’s arms.

“From what an awful fate you have saved me, Cousin Milly !” cried the girl-. “And I blamed you ! Oh, darling forgive that, and my future life shall be devoted to you ” “With me !” supplemented Edward Ross, in low impassioned tones, as he caught and kissed the girl’s hand “Sir Allan ” —turning to the 'baronet who was now nlone with him, Rawlings having followed the officers to the street— ‘Sir Allan, you say I have been as a son to you in the past ; make me such in the future. Give me Carlie. I have her love—let mo have her —the one possession? I care to claim.”

“Ah, what am I that you should ask me?” faltered Sir Allan in broken accents. “But take her, and Heaven bless you ! And now farewell. I go to hide my disgraced head ”

Carlie’s arms were around him. “Never ! —never shall you leave me dear unclt. *” she cried. “Edward, you would hoi wish it.”

And the readv. tears poured over her cheeks,'

“I shall not permit it," lie laughed joyously. "He is our father." At this Sir Allan bVoke down completely. He sobbed out with lifted, reverent eyes : "Now Heaven being my helper, I swear never again while life lasts, to either drink or gamble !’’

"Amen,” whispered Miss Ingham, and Carlie with streaming eyes.

The arrival at Ross-Laurel was one never to be forgotten. The servants went mad with joy at the news the travellers brought. Shout after shout rent the ojd roof-tree—such shouts as had never before been heard. And Carlie stood in their midst, a beautiful young queen, with shining eyes and tear-wet cheeks, that presently turned rosy red, as Edward Boss, taking her hand, anqounced their engagement.

Again the tumultous shout went up, and then Carlie silencing them, begged tearfully, that they would one and all, guard Nancy Haigh from the knowledge of her idolized grandson’s downfall. One and all they promised ; and scrupulously the promise was kept. But when, the day following Carlie’s glad return to Ross-Laurel, the girl made her comprehend that Mrs. Ross was gone for ever, she burst out wildly with her story.

"Forget it all, dear Nancy," said the girl, kissing her wrinkled cheek.

"You will never see nor hear of her again." Nor did anyone for she soon died in obscurity.

Dungan lived a dissipated life for a few years, and disappeared abroad And Sir Allan Haywell ? Heaven did help him in his earnest efforts to eschew brandy and gambling. To-day he sits a happy and honoured man, at his own fireside and close beside him is gentle "Cousin Milly,” now Lady Haywell. Edward Ross and Carlie are tho happiest of the happy in their closely united lives, and a model pair in the eyes of all who know them. THE END. 926.