A COUNTERFEIT CLAIMANT.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2490, 6 November 1903, Page 3

A COUNTERFEIT CLAIMANT.

H "Romance of a HDonstrous personation f «m&*

i By the Author of " The Hampton Mystery," Ac

SUMMARY of OPENING PARTS

A mysterious woman calls upon Dr F.rht, a famious London physician, at the ghostly hour of midnight, and persuades him, for a consideration, to burn a brand upon her right foot with a particular design. The woman refuses to give any explanation of her strange conduct, but it is evident that she is striving after some great object, and that one, Rachael Rartram is her rival 'or enemy. Rachael Bartram's identity is revealed when the Earl of Elgar, with the shadow of death upon him, confesses to the widowed countess of the previous earl that he had murdered her husband and spirited her daughter, the heiress, away in order to gratify his ambition. In the abduction of the heiress, Rachael Bartram had played a conspicuous part, for she had taken the child and had disappeared. The earl has searched in vain for her, and the only clue he can give the troubled countess is to tell her Rachael Rartram is branded on the sole of the right foot. Leaving the stricken earl, Lady Edgar walked into a small reception-room and there encountered Thella. a very beautiful girl, who described herself as the niece of Dr. Erht. who had been called in to see the earl. Fresh from her terrible interview with the earl, wrought to the highest pitch of excitement by the harrowing thought of her stolen child, the girl's very presence was a shock to Lady Elgar. Meanwhile the earl's confession has proved too great a strain upon him, and total paralysis intervenes. Lady Elgar. confident that there can only be one woman so cruelly marked, prepares to solve the mystery of the woman with the branded foot, and invokes the assistance of Neville, Lord Courtney, to whom, however, she will as yet explain very little of the circumstances N'ext morning an advertisement appears in the "Times." addressed to the woman with the branded foot, and in reply to it' lady Elgar is waited upon by a woman who claims to be Rachael Bnrtraiu, and in proof shows her wounded foot. The woman's real name, however, is Martha Gregory, and the girl whom she subsequently restores as the missing Lady Alice is her daughter Ellen, who 'plays her part to perfection. Established at Lady Elgar's house, as maid to the pseudo heiress. .Martha at once prepares to prosecute the great fraud she has embarked upon, The countess, rejoicing in the recovery of her daughter is unsuspicious. Having made arrangements to equip Ellen for her exalted position. Lady Elgar visits Thella F.rht. and arranges with this lovely girl to become Ellen's music-teacher. She then starts off with the pseudo Rachael Rartram to see the stricken Lord Elgar. The presence of a strange man at the door of Elgar Place fills Martha with fear. However, she passes safely through the ordeal, but receives another shock when she sees Dr. Ehrt in the house. Would her presence stir the depths of his memory ? Meanwhile, Lord Courtney and a strange woman figure in a street accident—she as victim, his lordship as rescuer. This woman in her moanings calls herself Rachel Bartram. Meanwhile, down at Lady Elgar's country seat. Hugh Trafton who would have inherited the Elgar fortune but for the recovery of the missing Lady Alice, encounters the spurious Rachel whom he had known as Matha Gregory in days gone by. He at once sees through her conspiracy, and threatens to expose the fraud. To avert disaster Ellen begs Huge to make her his wife and thus become master of all, for she loves him At first he scorns this idea, then ogrees, for Ellen alone knows where the real Lady Alice is. Martha. while in the shrubbery meets a strange woman whose unexpected appearance causes her much uneasiness. The woman claims to be the real Rachel Bartram and Martha determines to circumvent her. Rachel Bartram seeks an interview with the countess.

PART 11. ELLEN ALARMED. At the moment that Rachel Bartram seized and emptied the wine glass. Lady Elgar laid aside her pen and glanced at her. Warned by a strange sense of heaviness to lose no time. Rachel agitatedly rose the instant Lady Elgnr spoke. Scarcely waiting to hear the gentle words in which the countess announced her readiness to listen to .-.hat she had to say she burst out, xcitedly : •' Sfy lady, for three days and ee nights I have scarcely eaten or • >t. Let me then, say quickly ; nt I have to say for my strength s i uickly going." That abrupt preface delivered, she . ;iried on with breathless impasoned earnestness her faded eyes addenly blazing out in a dull fire. "My lady, thee is under this .oof a woman vro calls herself Rachel Bartram—« woman who laims to have restored the child which the stricken Earl of Elgar placed in my arms sixteen years ago My lady, if that woman tells you the Lady Alice has been in her care since the terrible day you remember, ehe tells you a lie—a thricecursed lie ! My lady lam Rachel 15artram—I and I alnae." Choked hv her ipoewina wriUtlon

she suddenly paused

the girl, softly

In spite of herself Lady Elgar was impressed. Fully prepared as she had been by Ellen's artful communications, the woman's passionate vehemence had its effect.

But Rachel gave her no time to speak.

Catching her breath she hurried on again, her thin lips trembling and her cavernous eyes flaming a tenfold emotion.

" Yes, my lady," she went on steadying herself by the back of the chair—" yes my lady, if she tells you the Lady Alice has been in her care since that dreadful day, your ladyship may know she tells you a thrice-cursed—a' thrice, thrice-cursed lie ! My lady, hear the truth ! My lady, thirteen years ago the little countess wandered from my door, and was lost, irrevocably lost in the streets of London. From that hour to this my eyes have never rested on her. From that hour to this I have never heard whether she lived or died. Oh. my lady, it is a frightful tale to unfold ! Rut better, far better the awful truth than to cherish a serpent "

Lady Elgar broke in—- " Who you are 1 know not. I only know beyond dispute that there is but one Rachel Bartram in the world. 1 "

" But one Rachel Rartram ! " suddenly echoed Rachel, her stern face almost soft in its eager joy.

"Oh I never thought of that. Voi; are right, my lady. There is hut one Rachel Rartram in the world. See, my lady—see ! " She sat down and dragged off bellow shoe and coarse stocking with breathless haste. " See. my lady ! "she repeated. Lady Elgar looked, and the next moment staggered back, and sank white and trembling into a chair. As she did so she all al once started and thin, breathing a short, stifled exclaiination. leaned forward in her chair, and looked more lyThe next instant she drew back in open horror. Then her voice rang out in a low. shocked accusation.

" Woman, you have madly branded yourself ! " she cried. " Before high Heaven. No ! " passionately ejaculated Rachel, rising and lifting her hands in solemn d--claration.

Lady Elgar lifted her own hand in a swift, shocked protest. " Hush, lush ! " she cried. "Do not deny it ! That the wound is a ■recent one is plainly evidenced by the inflamat ion."

" Before high Heaven, No ! " again cried Rachel, a double passion in her voice. " My lady over twenty five vears that mark has been upon

my foot, and for twenty-live years it has constantly shown signs of inflammation—sometimes more sometimes less. It is only the bad state of my blood that nothing will purify." *

As she. spoke she suddenly pressed her hand against her heart, and clutched at the back of her chair. Lady Elgar rose.

" It is useless to prolong this interview," she said gently, but firmly

drawing Ellen who had been with her close to her side. "By what strange means you have informed yourself of the secret of my child's loss and have so accurately copied the brand on Rachel Bartram's foot I cannot "

The woman's voice broke in upon the sentence. With a smothered cry she loosed her grasp on the chairback, and staggered forward a step. " Copied—copied ! " she gasped her eyes wildly questioning Lady Elgar. " Has she a branded foot—a right foot branded like this ? "

With the words she pointed a shaking linger at the bared foot half sunk in the rich pile of the carpet. Lady Elgar answered : " She has a right foot branded like that."

For a moment there was not a sound in the room. Rachel Bartram stood looking at Lady Elgar like one who had received her deathblow. Presently she spoke: " Even the brand—even the brand" she muttered, a slight gesture of

despair giving double force to her words. " Even the brand—is the woman a liend ?

Lady Elgar turned to Ellen. "A pool-, harmless maniac," she ( exclaimed, in subdued pitying tones.

"Who but a maniac would stand self-accused of so monstrous a

crime ? "Who. indeed, mother?" answered

Rachel's cms passed uneasily from one face to the oilier in questioning donbl as to the words that had passed 1) t ween the two.

Lad.v Elgar. turning with the intention of dismissing her, caught the expression. She gently explained.

"Vou have no cause for alarm." she said. "My words were only to the effect that you are not responsible for your actions." Then, with a sudden rush of pity, she added, hastily. "Why, my poor creature, should you accuse yourself of so terrible a crime—a crime which you never committed ? What"

Rachel suddenly and passionately interposed, her hands, and raising her eyes :

" They will madden me In spite of myself." Then turning to Lady Elgar : " You ask me why. my lady?" sh« nnnted In thn lanm ln'crli shrill

(To be continued.)

tones. " Because my lady, I am the guilty woman ! Recaiisc your ladyahip is harbouring an impostor ! Because T. and I only am Rachel Bartram ! That my lady is why. But grant me one kindness more. Let me wait till your ladyship, re"— She suddenly stopped and lifted the hand that instant thrust into her pocket, feebly to her head. With that act she reeled and fell.

The strong will, which had, moment by moment, defied the creeping heaviness and debility was at last conquered. The breathless suspense of Ellen's unceasing watch was at last at an end.

Rachel Bartram was at Martha's mercy.

Ellen breathed a silent ejaculation of Satanic joy. Lady Elgar uttered a scream of alarm, and covered her eyes. Rachel's temple had struck the sharp carved corner of the open desk, and showed a long, deep gash. With the blood flowing from the wound in a red, ghastly stream across her upturned cheek, she lay at their feet, white and insensihle as the dead.

Oh ring—ring, my darling ! " cried Lady Elgar.

" No, no, mother dearest, I will run for Rachel," cried Ellen rushing to the door. '* Remember Melissa's wounded hand. Rachel is as good as a surgeon."

So saying she vanished into the gallery.

Lady Elgar gave the necessary directions and in twenty minutes Rachel Bartram was undressed and comfortably established in one of the vacant rooms in the servants' wing, and Martha Gregory constituted sole nurse.

Once or twice during the disrobing the hollow eyes had opened vacantly I but only to close again almost in- | stantly. Martha got rid of the housemaid ! who had assisted her as quickly as 1 possible. The housemaid gone she was transformed into a different. : woman. It was no longer the calm, efliI cient nurse that gazed down upon i Rachel, but a being changed, as if j by magic, into an exulting demoness " At my mercy ! " she whispered, with a fiendish smile. "At my mercy ! Von will sleep well to-day and to-morrow and" She broke off there with a low | chuckling laugh and walked hastily |to tin* wardrobe in which Rachel's clothing had been deposited.

In a moment the Mack, stuff dress was in her hand, and her hand In its pocket. She drew out a Sealed paper. She looked at it. " As I thought," she chuckled again. "The confession.! Good! To-morrow she will present it. and to-morrow she will find— Rachel Bartram defeated. We have been favoured truly. Never did my pretty powders work prettier effects." For some thirty minutes the silence of the room was broken by the soft, steady rustle of paper. At the end of that time Martha rose. '• Done ! " she exclaimed in low. triumphant tones, a Satanic smile distorting her features and glittering wickedly in her cruel, black eyes, " Done ! "

She turned and looked exultantly towards the curtained bed.

" I am sorry," she breathed " I am sorry I did not end your life when, in my neat disguise, I nursed you back to health, and stole the secrets which the poor, consciencestricken Vinny had made me so familiar with. Yes, I am sorry. It would have been the easier way. But it's too late now, and it does

not matter, for to-morrow will see you vanquished. And to-morrow will see my child safe—for ever safe —in her proud title. Then, sleep on, and sleep well, Rachel Rartram for to-morrow will try you as you have never been tried at Cromlech."

Next morning the countess made the necessary explanations to Lady Beverley and, accompanied by Ellen, went to her boudoir to receive Rachel Bartram who had so far recovered from the effects of the drug Martha had given to her. Five minutes later the door was opened by a footman. Rachel Bartram entered the room.

( Copyright.)