Lady Gwendoline’s Secret.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 120, 6 May 1911, Page 2 (Supplement)

Lady Gwendoline’s Secret.

The Story of a Family Secret and a Great Wrong.

BY

AGNES M. & W. J. BOWE,

. . . Authors of . . .

“ The Lady of Kileen,” “ A Shadowed Life.” “ His American Wife,” “ A Heritage of Shame,” etc.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE SECRET MUST BE TOLD

Ladv Givendoline Dsyart sat at the open window of tho artist S‘ cottage, with her gaze fixed far out upon the heaving expanse of water. 3 hero was a frightened, strained look of fear on her beautiful face as with eager eyes she scanned the horizon. “Oh, God! is it safe to keep him longer here? M ould it be wiser to have the yacht in readiness so that we could flv to her at the least sign of alarm. There is danger at hand. I feel sure; qh. heaven' am I never to be free from these awful presentiments of evil, these omens of ill which seem to haunt my ’ife” Can it be true that Stanley Beaumont has discovered our retreat? Is it 7?ossible there is no escaping Ins hated footsteps? Yet who else instigated the theft of those clothes from Mrs. M’eyman? No one but he lias an inteiest in tho matter.-’ A sli'dit movement on the couch close i-v caused her to glance anxiously in that direction. A pained look crossed her face as, moving;, she bent lovingly over the occupant," and covered the sleeping form very gently with the rug. “Poor Maurice my own darling, will you over bo so strong and handsome again? Oh, to think how their cruelty lias robbed those kind eyes of their once happy light, taken the curl from those brown locks, and left those once full checks pale and hollow. Oh, my love, my dear, dear husband.” A tear lingered upon these silken lashes, but she brushed it hastily aside ; then' bending over the sleeping figure, ■aid her hand gentlv upon his brow, and, pushing aside the mass oi long grey hair, revealed a head of. closely cionped brown. As she did so. she started, for her quick ear caught the sound of a soft footfall on the thick carpet. “Lady Gwendoline forgive the intrusion. but I wanted to see you badly; and Ida .1 mean Miss Trevor, directed me here.” With a "lad cry her ladyship held out her hands;, the look of fear had left her face, and-only joy at the new comer’s visit remained as she said the name. “Reginald!” For a moment they stood together witli clasper' hands beside tho invalid’s couch, and it was only as she saw the mystified look upon the other’s face that Lady Gwendoline remembered. Reginald was gazing* in mute amazementAind incredulity upon the face beside him- no longer was it the countenance of an old and aged man, the artist’s beard bad fallen off. revealing a smooth chin and firm, well-cut mouth ; while the thick grey hair which formerly- he had seen hanging over the noble brow and temples was now pushed back, and in its place reigned a profusion of dark brown curls ; while the whole appearance of the face struck the watcher a« being strangely familiar. Her ladyship gave him no further time to think : stooping over the couch . with gentle touch she coolly replaced and arranged the sleeping man’s disguise. then, having accomplished this to her own satisfaction, drew her visitor gently away, and motioning him to seat • himself by the window, took posession of her former chair Tlie twilight shadows were stealing ever 'and an' 1 sc:*., and still the two sat on in silence, a silence broken only bv the heavy breathing of the sleeper or the twittering of the birds as they sang their mates to rest. Yet what were tlm thoughts that passed through their minds in that short period ? Slowly, as if but recovering from a dream, Lady Gwendoline roused herself. “You must take a little refreshment, Reginald . vou will need it after your walk, and as my maid and the men arc out it is all I can offer you. Take it,’ she insisted, when he was gently but firmly declining. “I am glad you have :-ome, dear hoy, I—l want your Imlp now your advice: you promised me that long ago. you .remember. I need a friend’s strong arm now to aid me. Reginald.”

"You. can rely upon mine, dear Lady Gwendoline : or.lv tell me what I can do for you. I shall be too happy.” And the thought that entered his imnd ivns, oven though there is a mystery. some disgrace or shame. I for one will never desert her. for the sin, if there be such, was not bet’s.

“Reginald, vou are willing to promise this, in spite of all vou see around, despite the st-erecy uhich so far enshroud- a:i mv actions, von do not doubt, you trust, me still?”

“Were the whole world to condemn, blame, and criticise your deeds you would still have one partisan. one friend who would lay down his life to serve you.” “Oh. thank you for those words: your friendship sustains me, and shows that cue heart nt Hast feels for my sorrow. But u ill you think as well of me when you know all?”

•‘Vos. oh, please trust me—tell me your trouble : I may bo of help to you in some way, mv ladv.”

Gwendoline placed her hand in that of liei- companion, and the .voting man’s ,-!<w--l eve” it in a warm clasp.

“Ro'dimld. yon must first hear my story before* you can judge. A’ou wonder. p« r'-i'ni wl.at brings me h-re, whilt relation I am to tho man asleep mmn that couch. No one has a hotter light to b> by his side, and I will tell vou why Reginald, that poor wreck of humanity, that prematurely old man, is what his enemies alone have wade him He was onto fine, bandsome. anil strong as Hercules : yet thev> be lies, but a shadow of his former self. T can trust my terrible secret with vou : that man. tlm artist. Is an escaped <-<>nvict. and my husband.”

CHAPTER XXIX. HOW THE ESCAPE WAS ACCOMPLISHED. As the low, ardent words of his companion fell ur on Reginald’s ear lie •it.arted. from bis scat ; his face grew deathly pale, in exclamation of horror burst from his lins. He had pictured all manner of shame and disgrace as being the cause of her b-tlvship’s trouljn; but this, the onen defiance of the- law, that one of her family should b r ' a criminal, was tho Inst thought to have entered his head

“I was not unaided in all this. I had tie of my old nurse, Tvson or Simpcctt, as she was called in that Devonshire village w!iero her son resided, having- been married twice. Tyson, my maid, nas one of two daughters by the second marriage; yet "as t lero were two fine, strapping boys fishermen •*,*-. their father had been beJoro them, who now supported their v mowed mother on the death of the s<x-ond spouse, she was mrtre generally known by the first husband’s name. " I he widow had not always lived at Aewton. but on learning how badly the young master was bearing up she herself suggested what at first seemed an impossible feat to me. Duriim- the earlier part of her., life she had to Jove and trust the young man who was now my husband. Her indignation knew no bounds on learning the torn>le trut.i- she no more believed him guilty than I did, and it was after I bad visited him a few times unknown LTr PCnpl ? , sho P ut forth th® suggestion. I had always made a visit to her my excuse lor leaving home ami as her cottage was not too great a rbstance from Portland, staved there during mv call. ‘ '

Jor some time I was unable to clearly understand my old nurse’s hints about my darling’s possible escape from pt ., le "S’ h shG Put it plainly, bne knew that money was no object to me. having a large fortune of mv own inherited ,iom my dead mother,' irre.pecUyo of what I was entitled to as 1’ p.. vsar t’ s only child. She • list'd also that if money could purvouH tar ! lins Ma ’ l ’ I ' ice ’ s I 'Oil! ii ilhugly surrender every penny Possessed But tins was not money wonk! not restore my husband to hbeity could not buy back m v lost ooweXr or? Ct *'T a gl ’ Gat m,; i • 4. ,Si,n ,’ o,le could assist mii.h m the. scheme she was matnriim to . 5 1 ' t "' 1 ’ ' lare boys " erp devoted -1 m /i 1 "' nly .’"terests, why, then should they not lie made useful 9 It had been known before that convicts f’thev did f r" Por t la ” d ’ °*’- a t Wst it tlm dl l not-succoea in getting c l ear had perished in tho attemnt and n-. 1 C hy r ’°" kl >t hot be then ? n F Wl l u’ 1 ’ n ’ y husband to make a dash for hberty at a certain time her boy Jude w„uM be fishing about,’ and "ho could blame him if he rescued a d owning man from certain death in Cl 'uel waters? 11 thus, as mv faithful friends planned w.v arranged all for me I returned tc London, and took what mv friends thought a new fed. T pnrc i ]ase d twV'7 ■ ’ !lad fltted ont 'vith ah dore I the an d t ] leil 0 ,._ n to td-. P a ' n fi a - man devotpd "mi await trlal tr-.p round the coast a.d await mv arrival at Newton So inr my money w aP nt last proviiio- of some material n<o v„,. ’ ■ or Ucl.. »OU CilTl HH.lo’niP nv suspense and fear, as turner! to mv old life of gaiety" and dn S v'for th a ’t e< | 1 and " atc ’ lGd dav 14 S' I'rfi’iT',?' ‘ Impel was suggested. mange

dep’-irtccF '"n t qT ’’’• vson a ”d myself ■X T’dm ' Jly r tO SW ni V s.ilclv at Sirnn-n+t-’c- i thonrdt nearly desrl C '’? • S ’ “ ~ . T , , cI from fatigue and In-'ve'f °ll n .'.i P< , 510 li, ' l . i 'ticiila'-s of th-' h'bei tc < to°roc 10 l;l< ’ ris bed their own know tb-T +'.'?•' lIV I <"lv means or" oi ht 'v 'to mTa ' >V " S ° ! " C a , i » » ' . HIOKSHf’o „ V a official. They This '"’ mt’ 10 "W fttiile later n f 7 c . v 7 j . , so "hen the "rar ‘ <i-n t e escaped convict C’l' 5,5* '""y c«.rry ..he sick man to the r-nttorm x one of them caught a ‘ gli mpsf> " of

Had he heard aright, were his senses deceiving him, or was it a fact that the woman before him had uttered such words; was she really a convict’s wife? “Is this true; do you mean it?” he gasped at length. “Yes, al' too-terribly true; but though convicted, he. was wrongly so. Reginald, my husband is innocent! innocent! He was condemned for another’s crime: I know this, can prove it; yet who would believe my testimony? Reginald _ there was no other means of saving him, so I helped him to escape, and have hidden him ever since.”

Tho cool, deliberate way in whicn these words were spoken touched the young man strangely: he saw that implicit faith, in her husband’s innocence was one of tho tenets of her life. This, with her confidence in God and her love had nerved the Weak woman to almost superhuman efforts. .She feared nothing; no disgrace for herself; she was but doing her duty, she thought, in assisting him to regain his liberty’ Again Reginald’s hand closed firmly upon those slender fingers. ''lon did this, you personally helped him to escape?” be said, gently. ''There was no other way; what could 1 do. But I will tell you the story, i-nd you can judge for yourself. We were secretly married to begin with; he was my own cousin, Maurice Dyafor s’ear.s shared our home, lihcn this trouble camo upon us my father would not bear his name mentioned ; so each time I visited him in prison only strengthened my resolution. I recognised that but very few years of such an existence would kill my darting; so set about laying my plans. Imagine a wife’s horror and anguish on seeing each visit I made him, my husband, worse; fading before my eyes.

CHAPTER. XXX

face or form that was so covered in blankets. A few days after the rescue 1 arrived, accompanied by my faithful maid I found the doctor had not been called it. tor fear of his discovering the secret ; *-o I myself saw this individual, and enlisted his sympathy in the matter. ■‘Simon learned that they were searching high and low for the fugitive, and that any moment might visit his place and find .something to arouse their suspicion. The first contingent of searchers had been successfully got rid of, ’ho second might not be so easily dealt with It was necessary then, in spite of my darling’s weak state, to remove bum to a place of greater safety.

“Do this I dare not without the doctor’s sanction and help. This he would not give at first, but understanding from my words that much depended on it, a,t last gave the patient seme stimulating medicine, saying ho could do no more than advise against Die move. What I really said to that young physician J do not remember now, but I have a hazy idea that he guessed my secret If so, I can only say God. bless him for his goodness to ns then “In tho darkness and silence of the night we removed my husband to the yacht, which was already prepared and waiting to receive us. Simon and Judo Simpcott accompanied us, and when at last, acting upon the advice of the captain, we rented this cottage, both oF them remained in my service as faithful her.chmen to my poor husband.

"Thank God' under their watchful eyes ho has thri’-on wonderfully, and the only thing lacking now is his memory This. I regret to say. lie lost through, a blow; and the good .doctor at. Newton, though kindness itself, gave little hope of his ever regaining it. He i-* sensible on nil points except tho past, of which he remembers nothing.” Here her ladyship paused, and as if the troubles she had undergone in that time of darkness and pain were still too fresh and vivid for her to contemplate, seemed to forget the other’s presence, and her eyes assumed a far away, sad expression as they gazed upon the distant horizon. Reginald sat. spell-bound; his mind full of admiration at the bravery and endurance displaced bv this woman, who was also so faithful a wife. What would she be as a mother,? The thought raised too groat a happiness, he dare not in lulee in it further.

Suddenly the lady raised her eyes to his face : “Reginald, there is much more of my life’s history for you to learn, but I 'dare not tell it now, much as I desire s'ou to know it. Y’ott shall hear it al! again, but in the meantime I want your advice, you’- help in a most difficult matter. My husband’s enemy is on his t’aclc again: be. the author of the I crime for which Maurice suffered, has discovered our lonely retreat, and like the sneaking scoundrel, the sleuthhound that ho is, is about to betray our whereabouts: deliver up my innocent husband to the hands of the law. Reginald. I want ‘ you to assist us; stand bv us to-night, and help my servants to smuggle Maurice on to the yacht again. You will do this for me?” “As heaven is mv witness. I shall.” answered the young follow, in a choked voice. Then suddenly, ns though a new idea occurred to him, said :

“May yon not be alarming vourself unnecessarily ; are you sure this man is again on your husband's trail, that he is in the neighbourhood ?”

“Sure!” gasped her ladyship, “aye, that I am. Who else but our enemy, the man who stole mv child, who himcejf committed heinous crimes, and to win me la : d them at my husband’s door; who but he, vs ho has an interest in parting me from my husband and ■child, could .haw instigated that imposture. the stealing of your baby clothes from Mrs. Weyinan, your adopted mother? Oh Reginald! liiy boy! my son! are vou still so blind that you cannot recognise a mother’s love? Can you not see through the clouds even yet? The man I ask you to assist me in saving is your father. My son, the villain who parted us all, made such liavoe in our lives, is your enemy as well as mine: he is my cousin, Stanley BeavmontJ”

THE ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION

Julia Tyson was not a woman who feared to r.ct upon her own responsibility. if bv doing so she saw a way of helping her beloved mistress. To go to Lady Gwendoline and tell her all that- had passed het ween her cousin. Stanley Beaumont, and Sarah, would only unnecessarily alarm her and do no good. _ Instead then of adopting this plan, Julia held a quiet conference with her two half-brothers, Simon and Jude.

T he latter were delighted at the prospect of finding their unfortunate sister and rescuing her from the clutches of her treacherous betraver, as well as quite in hones of giving that gentleman a good hiding and frightening him into confessing how be made Maurice Dysart rhe innocent scapegoat and sufferer of his own niis-doings, as well as the true story of what he had don© with Lady Gwendoline’s child. Having made arrangements with her ladyship that she would not return to Sowerby Hal! that night, Julia obtained permission to accompany her brother n to Barrow, so as to make certain all was in readiness for a hasty departure. Lady Gwendoline quite coincided with this arrangement ; under no consideration would slip leave her husband that night, in fact was too nervous about his cafetv to do so. AH the week she had experienced strange presentiments, and she __ had become so accustomed to trouble ijnd sorrow that she invariably c v ncct?d evil rather than good. Her ladyship was engaged with Reginald" as the maid left the house, so o'.ckily did not notice that the person of her domestic was much taller and broader than usual ; while the other figure accompnnving her was the exact counterpart of herself in height and form, even wearing the dark plain cloak and deeply veiled hat which the earl's daughter had assumed as a disguise during these secret visits.

Twilight was fading, and darkness slowly but surely closing over th° earth as the two in silence wended their wav. They had reached the lane, the first om> after leaving tho cottage, and wore sauntering quiotlv along, when there was a Midd'-n riist 1■ ng aiuou >.-1 th” hedges near, and almost on tho iii-t-'.nt two burlv r>iffi:>tis -n-ang out ri<>ht iu their path • anil whil > cm? sc : z->d h.Jd til Iho smaller figure, the other made a cash at Imr -coni pa iron. A woman’s cry for help rang out on the nhdit ai< : anorh -r seroml and s'te would have bean Lurried away by her assailant had not Lev companion, to the no small a-toni-liment and d'smav antagonist, struck out with a pair of strong -losed fists, and to -mb good purpose as t o lav her own opnonent cursing on the ground, then nitiekIv lias-em-1 to tho assistance oi her struv'Tliiig friend A fi<‘vi -o ’'aiid-to-h-'nd fight mv.v ensil'd. and the would-be ahduemrs. realising for the fi-st time that nt b-ast nmol their a 1 viTsarios was no ivoinan. but A man if CHitlini- their sui-erior in

strength and m-i-cle. sent for a peculiar erv or ii hist!'-' On the instant tho floor of a covered brougham •'onceahx! further down the lane opened, and a man ru«he:l to th - Assistance of th' ginsies. .

It minht hive fared badly with those attacked, for there were now three men

(To be Continued.)

against one. but that the signal meant only for their own use had been heard bv others.

Jude Simpcott. stationed as he was between the cottage amt the lane, heard tho crv. and raising an answer’ll" note of warning, which brought Reginald to his side as well as tho sleeping artist, all three dashed forw a rd

Tho Hercules disguised in wontairs. nttire bail certainly taken his opponents by surprise, but though rendering such a good account of himself could not do more than tackle two men at ni.ee. While thus engaged, tho last tomer upon tlx? scene darted upon tho struggling woman, and lifting her in his arms bore her towards the carriage. ''Here. Sarah, I've got her safe; help, quick! other,', are coming.” Evon then though a number of running figures could be seen hurrying down the lane, they might have secured their pi ize and driven off ; but at. that, moment the moon shone forth brightly

Almost at the same instant tho halffainting figure raised her hand and tore the veil from her face. Had a thunderbolt fallen at her feet tho gipsy could not have received a greater shock. Letting go her burden sb? staggered back, while from her pale, lips burst forth, tho cry • — “It’s the wrong woman, Stanley; this is nob Lady Gwendoline, but my sister Julia.” A ctu’sc deep and bitter fell from tho man’s Bps “D— n you for a double-faced traitress ” he cried ; ‘you have sold mo after all.” There was a "lick of a revolver, ajgd the woman fell beside her whom she bad sought to capture, just as one of the rescuing party dashed forward to her assistance ■'Hold I Stanley Beaumont , murderer, forger, we meet at lastl” The other wheeled on the instant, to behold his life-long enemy ; the man whom ho had robbed of more than life itself, facing him. The ligliy of reason, remembrance of his own _wrongs all that the scoundrel' confronting him had deprived him of, eaine back to the artist with, telling iorce. Again, the scene he had witnessed, in the park at Dsyart House, vas being enacted. There stood the carriage awaiting its occupant, then camo a revolver shot that laid a man low; but this time the victim was a woman. All this passed so quickly beforeMaurice Dysart’s eye that he failed to notice, he was alone. Bis friends hart gone in ‘he other direction, and were already dealing with the opponents' of Simon

This fact, however, was not lost upon Beaumont : he knew that the man now standing between him and liberty was but a frail specimen of humanity. He dare not lire again, lest he should attract the others in his direction, but now his enemy was in his power. Tho artist made a motion as though to close with him, but with a muttered '•urso of. -"Take that, you meddling fool, and may it silence .vou for over’’’ Beaumont, summoning all his strength brought the butt-end of the revolver 'own with sickening force upon his as-.-ajlnnt’s temple, felling him like a log. The rop-.rt of the revolver which Beaumont had turned upon the woman whom ho thought had betrayed him brought the others to the spot,’ hut the -’eed was already done; the fugitive had made off under .'-over of tho darkness. Mhilo the other men attended !o tho injured woman, Reginald bent over the motionless figure, of the man whom ho had secretly'learned was hD own father

“My father!” .he murmured, as ho pressed his lips to that cold brow; “oh. God! wl-.v did wo not make sure that you could not follow! Merciful heavens! how mu ] face her now if he is dead? Oh. mother, mother! have von not endured enough without this, pud 1 might have saved him had I but known. Is this how I keep my promise, bow I servo her?”

Gently and with great tenderness the* two ininrod parties were carried back to the cottage. Ladv Gwendoline uttered no cry as they bore her darling’s vnconscioas form into the sitting-room and placed it on the conch whore so lately ho had boon sleeping peacefully. She had somehow been prepared for more trouble, felt that a groat calamity was about to descend nc-ain upon her head, when she reasonecj with her husban<t am! tried to dissuade him from following Reginald • but in spite of her he had goiio forth for what? Was it to moot his ( ’enth? Heaven alone knew ■\xnat was to be tho result of the oncounter

-It is the little things of life that often produeo the greatest results; who knows what this a-eidental mooting with Ins old enemy, this blow whicn ti o poor. lou<i-sufFeriiijr xvife deemert such n terrible disaster, jniiiht mean for him?

'J will make thine enemies thv foot’'bp Lori! has promised Hi* faithful ones; might it not be so in this case: might not. that blow, which was meant to deprive him of life, be-t-bo means of restoring to the artist tirnt faculty of mcinory so long denied : yet for whi-'h he and those he loved prayed for day and night?