Time, The Avenger

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 417, 25 November 1911, Page 2

Time, The Avenger

(All Rights Reserved.)

THE UNRAVELLING OF A STRANGE WILL MYSTERY,

• By HEDLEY RICHARDS, Author of "The Haigbs of Hillcrest," "From Mill to Mansion.." "Diana's Inheritance," Etc., Etc.

T\Y EXTY-S EYEXTH IX STALMEXT

About noon Dr. Bowers returned, and told her that he had telegraphed to several places for a nurse hut he could not get one for a week. You madame, I shall have to beg of you to continue here another week. You won't fail me ? " he said, in an anxious tone.

" I will gladly stay and nurse Mr. Dalrymple," she said, in an earnest tone.

" Thank you, madame. You ought to take up sick-nursing as a profession, instead of making hats and bonnets for a lot of frivolous women It's a waste of talent." " They are good hats and bonnets," she said, with a smile. "So my wife and daughters say. [ heard your praises sounded loudly, and I have no doubt you find it a very lucrative employment," he said, smiling ; " but now I must tell you that I have a telegram from Mr. Gar Hatton. Lady Dalrymple and her daughter are on their way home and expect to be in Wittonbury about half-past seven. They will dine on the way, and I was to tell Miss Holmes her ladyship would only require a cup of tea. Miss Dalrymple is going to Gelder Hall. Miss Hudspith sent a telegram begging her to do so as she would be nearer her father than at Housesteads. Of course Lady Dalrymple will stay here, but there would not be room for both of them. Last cf all, I Insist upon you getting some sleep, or you will not be lit to undertake tonight's work, so J shall be here at three o'clock and remain until Lady Dalrymple arrives. If I tell Miss Holmes to call you at a quarter past seven, you will be able to get a comfortable tea before they arrive." " Thank you, doctor ; but can you spare the time ? " she asked. " I shall spare it;" and with a few words of direction he left the room.

It was quite a quarter past eight when madame saw the Hudspith carriage stop at the gate and Gar Hatton assist Lady Dalrymple, Mona, and Miss Hudspith to alight. Then they came up the little path, and she heard a subdued murmur of voices in the hall. After a few minutes she saw the two girls go down the path and enter the carriage, accompanied by Gar Hatton. Then she heard the room door open, and, looking round saw the doctor, and Lady Dalrymple, who looked white and ill- She went very quietly to the bedside and gazed down at her husband, who just then appeared to be dozing.

Stooping down she kissed his hand, which lay on the quilt, unconscious that madame was trying to still the raging jealousy which possessed her at this quiet taking possession of the man whom she loved better than her life. The sick man stirred uneasily, and murmured " Julie." Lady Dalrymple raised herself and looked at the doctor, as she said : " I thought he would have known me." Dr. Bowers shook his head. "He won't know you at present, and he must be kept very quiet. Had your ladyship not better have a cup of tea and see him presently ? ' " Yes." Then she turned to madame, and clasped her hand. " Dr. Bowers tells me you have been invaluable. I can never thank you enough." " I don't want any thanks. lam *lad to have been of use, and I have had experience," madame returned so quietly that Lady Dalrymple thought her manner cold. " Still, I cannot help being grateful and I should like to help. Dr. Bowers tells me he cannot get a nurse for a week, so you will need assistance."

"I do not easily tire, and I can :lo with very little sleep," said ma3ame.

" I think Lady Dalrymple had better attend to her husband while you sleep in the day time, and you ought to have a. walk every day," said the doctor as he opened the door for her ladyship. Then he turn--5d and gave madame some instructions about her patient, and wishing her good evening left the room.

An hour later Lady Dalrymple entered the room, and remained some tittle time seated quietly by the bedside, while madame withdrew to the other end of the room. Once or twice when he spoke of Julie, a puzzled look came into her ladyship's face, but she did her best to soothe him.

That night ho was strangely restless, and it taxed all madame's strength to prevail on him to lie still ; and he talked incessantly of the past, but in the morning he seemed a little better, and she left him with Lady Dalrymple, while she got a few hours sleep. Day after day passed, and the fever began to abate, but he was still delirious, and one day, when madame was sitting by the bedside, Lady Dalrymple entered the room just as the sick man exclaimed :

" Julie, you mustn't let Mildred

not the slightest notice of hi.-; wr.'.s. " He will be rational ir. a day or two. The doctor says the crisis will be to-morrow," remarked madame. " Yes ; and to-morrow the nurse comes. You will give him into her charge when the real work is done. Madame, I shall always be your debtor. I can see your own health has suffered through the confinement of a sick room. When Mr. Dalrymple is well and we return home, you must come and stay with us and grow strong again," said Lady Dalrymple. Madame smiled half-sadly. She was thinking of the time when she had lived at Housesteads and taught her ladyship's elder sister and brother. She would have liked to visit it again, but she knew it was impossible. But the very thought of the place where she had first met her lover, who was now this other woman's husband raised a flood of recollections, and she felt she must be alone ; so rising, she said : " I think I should like a stroll, Lady Dalrymple. Do you think you can manage without me ? " Yes ; and you ought to go out;" but before her ladyship had finished speaking madame had left the room. Putting on her bonnet and mantle, she went out and walked quickly in the direction of the Gelder Inn, but she had not gone far when she met the stranger who had called at the Hollies to inform Miss Holmes that he had heard two men discussing the lost paper. She was going to bow and pass on, but he paused, saying : " Excuse me, madame ; I want a few words with you." " I am waiting," she said, quietly.

" First of all I must tell you that I know you sent to Mr. Dalrymple that paper which Miss Holmes had lost and that I am aware you are Madame Julie, the lady who was married to the unfortunate Lionel Hudspith ; that you married him believing your first husband to be dead, but that he deceived you, and of course, your second marriage was void." While he was speaking, madame had grown pale as death, but she did not utter a word, and stood quite still, waiting to hear all he had to say.

If the detective had doubted the truth of his surmise before, he knew now that his supposition had been correct.

"If you will tell me that I am right, I can give you some information that I think will be a source of satisfaction to you, "he said after a slight pause. " Who are you ? " she asked. " I am a detective," he said, watching her closely, and he saw a look of satisfaction.

" I am glad to hear that. Yes, you have guessed correctly ; I am that unfortunate woman, but I beg of you not to tell Mr. Dalrymple. It would do him no good, and cause him a great deal of discomfort," she said, pleadingly. " I will keep your secret, madame; and I may tell y««- that the paper you sent him was the key to the mystery surrounding the crime. I canlot tell you more at present, but I am doing my best to elucidate the mystery."

" Did Mr. Dalrymple suspect that I had sent the paper ? " she asked. " No. He was quite at sea as to who had sent it. In fact I never thought of such a thing until I saw you at the Hollies, but when I considered the matter it seemed likely." Madame smiled almost triumphant- ; ly, as she said : " Years ago I vowed I would clear his name, but for a time my hands were tied, and I didn't even know whether he was alive, though I always thought he would be spared to stand before the world an innocent man. Quite by accident I discovered where he lived, and that he was known as Mr. Dalrymple. Then I came to live here, and my landlady being the niece of Miss Holmes, I got to know the old lady. I knew she had been housekeeper at the Hall when the affair took place, so I made friends with her, and from what she told me I believe the late Mr. Hudspith before his death believed in his son's innocence."

" He did, and he wished to prove it before the world," replied the detective. *

"I was sorry to have to rob my friend, but it was necessary," said madame, with a smile. "I'm glad you did. And now, madame, I warn you to look well after Mr. Dalrymple. He was not shot accidentally."

"I suspected as much, but he is safe from harm. X go to-morrow, but a trained nun?- -r.akes my place, and Lady Dalrymp'" 's there. I fancy ie has recognized my voice as he has talked incessantly about Julie. I am afraid Lady Dalrymple will suspect that her husband has loved before he ever saw her. I am glad I am going, .est when consciousness returned he should trace some faint likeness to the Julie he remembers," she said, trying to speak calmly.

"And when his innocence is estab lished, what shall you do ?" he ask;d, regarding her with interest.

" Leave Wittonbury, happy >" knowing that he is in hit; rightful position, and that I have helped to place him there." " Madame, yon are one of the ino:.-t disinterested women 1 liave ever met with. And now, just one more question, and I promise you that what you tell me shall go no further. Were you the woman who was seen to enter the woof 1 «n the night before the man's honv was found in Dead Man's Pool." " I was, and I saw Marcus Hudspith come out of the wood, looking like a ghost."

his brother was flung into the poo! and he can point out the murderei when the time comes. He can alsc swear that Mr. Dalrymple is reallj Lionel Hudspith." " Then No. (M-5 wnR !1<) - drowned ? " she said, in accents of surprise. He laughed. " I see you know more than 1 thought. You would make an admirable detective, madame. And now I will say good evening, as there is someone coming across the field. This has been a good place (or oui chat, as the low walls on either side afford no shelter for eavesdroppers;" and raising his hat, he went toward Wittonbury , while madame walked ir the opposite direction. "By Jove, that's a woman in a thousand to do all that for a man who can never be anything to her ! I wonder if Lady Dalrymple would be capable of it ? She's a good woman from all I hear, but madame's price is above rubies," reflected the detective.

CHAPTER XXIX. MADAME GOES HOME. The new nurse had come, and madame was waiting to say good bye to Lady Dalrymple when the doctor and her ladyship entered the dining room at the Hollies. "He is conscious. He opened his eyes just before the nurse came into the room, and I gave him a soothing draught which has sent him to sleep. I hope he will do now, but there is much to thank you for, madame," said Dr. Bowers. " Did he know you, Lady Dalrymple ? " she asked, ignoring the doctor's words and looking at the sweet, gracious woman whose face showed how much the week had tried her.

" Yes, but he is very weak now the fever has left him, though if he can take nourishment that will alter. But, madame, how am Ito thank you for what you have done ? I may not even reimburse you for the loss your business has sustained through pour absence," said Lady Dalrymple. " Louise has managed very well. A little extra work will have done her no harm. And as for what I have done, it has been a joy to do. When one has suffered it is natural to help others in trouble. You were not here ; I knew what to do and I did it. Why speak of it ? " she said; and her tone and manner were those Df one lady speaking to another. Lady Dalrymple noticed it, but she was not annoyed. She felt sure that madame was a gentlewoman, poor, but w T ell-born. " I will walk with you to the gate," she said, and, passing her arm through madame's they left the house, and walked silently down the little path. At the gate they paused, and Lad} Dalrymple clasped the other woman's hand as she said ' " Madame, if I can ever serve you I will do it. I long to do something to show my gratitude, and I know my husband will feel the same. Before long we shall pay you a visit, then we shall carry you off to Housesteads." Madame shook her head. " I am a business woman, and have little time for visiting. Good Dye, Lady Dalrymple." " Good-bye, and God bless you," said her ladyship, earnestly, as they parted. Madame walked slowly into the town, thinking of the sick man. She had chosen to walk, and her trunk had been sent before her ; but slowly as she walked it was only a quarterpast seven when she reached home. The shop was closed, and Mary informed her that Miss Louise had gone for a walk —a piece of news she was not sorry to hear, as just then she did not feel in the mood to undergo the cros3-q'iestioning through which she knew her daughter would put her, though sne rather wondered where she had gone ; but as Miss Penman had undertaken to keep an eye on Louise, while she was at the Hollies, she concluded she had gone out with that lady. Moreover, she was quite aware that the girl was well able to take care of herself being as worldly-wise as most women double her age ; she madame settled down in her easy-chair, and thought of what the detective had told her. Meanwhile Mr. Dalrymple woke from his sleep and took the food which the nurse gave him, then he looked round in a questioning manner.

" Have you nursed me all the time ? " he asked, in a. feeble tone. " No, sir ; the doctor could only get a local nurse. I came this afternoon. But I must- pay she has done well for you," said the nurse, who evidently thought that a woman trained in London was the best that could he got. He looked dissatisfied, but did not question her further. Presently Lady Dalrymple ear.ie into the room, and the nurse left them together: and as Lady Dalrymple kissed her husband the tears fell on his hands. " Poor Mildred ! " he said, in a whisper ; then, after a minute, he asked in a. low tone : " Has there been any at ran::er here besides the woman who nursed me ? " A pang of jealousy shot tlinaiaii her ladyship's heart. Evidently he thought that Julie of whom lie had spoken had reallv been there ; but she answered, gently : " No, Richard." To be <. unt inued.