WHOSO FINDETH A WIFE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10416, 14 April 1897, Page 3

WHOSO FINDETH A WIFE.

BY WILLIAM LE QUEUX, Author of "The Great War in England in 1897," "Zoraida," "Stolen Souls," " Guilty Bonds," " A Secret Service," etc., etc. I

[COPYRIGHT. SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS, Chapter I and ll.—Detdes, a confidential clerk in a Government office, receives a despatch from Berlin, and his chief, the Earl of Warnlwm, Her Majesty's Principal Foreign Secretary, directs him to seal it up, He does so, and places it in his pocket. He lunches with Dudley Ogle, an old college chum, and afterwards delivers the despatch to the earl. In tho evening they dine st the Nook with Mrs. Laing, to whose daughter Deedes is engaged. He is somewhat jealous of the attentions of an old man named Andrew Beck. A telegram in cipher alarms Deedes, and he is about to leave for London when he stumbles over the dead body of his friend, Dudley Ogle, lyin : : in the path. Chapters 111 and IV.-f.eavimr the dead body of his friend to await an inquest, Deedes hurries home to learn the startling news that he is accused as a spy by his chief, who informs him that the document entrusted to him has been stolen, the envelope handed back to the earl containing nothing but blank paper. At the same time a telegraphic despatch informs them that llns.iia is on the point of declaring war against England in consequence of the secret despatch being known to the Italian Government. CIItnEUS V and Vl.—Lord Warnham persists in accusing Deedes with bring a spy, and renders him almost speechless by producing tho original of a tuluuram apparently in tales , handwriting which had been handed in at the Strand Post Office, and which contained the full text of the secret document. His lordship also stated that to make the document still safer he removed it to his own house, and afterwards restored it to the safe. Lord Warnham dismisses him from his presence. Deedes afterwards discovers in a conversation with an old gossip in the village of Warnham that Ogle and Miss Laing have been in the neighbourhood meeting each other secretly, and ovidently devising a deep-laid scheme. Deedes is summoned to give evidence at the coroner's inquest, and whilst there, jusi before beinc sworn, he olhcrvei an article on the table which rivets his attention, and he is dumbfounded by an amazing discovery that staggered belief.

CHAPTER VII.-f" Continued.) The foreman of the jury expressed a wish to put a question to Ella, and a few moments later she stood where I had stood, and removing her glove, took the oath with trembling voice.

"Have you any reason to suppose, Miss Laing, that Mr. Ogle's declaration of love to you had aroused the enmity of Mr. Deedes?" asked the man, seriously. "No," she answered in a tone so low thai) I could scarcely distinguish the word. " Mr. Deedes was your lover, wasn't he?" " I am still engaged to him," she replied, tears welling in her eyes. "He tells a falsehood when ho Bays that our lovo is at an end." " Then why did you not tell him of Mr. Ogle's declaration ?" " Becauee they were friends, and I did nob wish to arouse animosity between them." Slighb applause followed this reply, but it was instantly suppressed. The coroner, to bring matters to a conclusion, asKed: "Now, knowing Mr. Ogle as intimatoly as you did, do you suspect thathe might havo been murdered 1" She gasped, swayed slowly forward, and gripped the corner of the baize-covered table to steady herself. " Yes," she answered in a clear bub troinulous voice. "I—l beliove he was murdered." A thrill of excitement and wonder ran through the onlookers. Her handsome face was ashen pale; and her bronst, beneath her blouso of cool-looking print, rose and fell quickly, showing how intense was her agitation. " And what causes you to bolieve this ?" asked tho coroner, raising his brows in interrogation. "I have suspicions," eho answored in a low voice, striving to remain calm, and glancing quickly around tho silent assembly. "You suspect some poreon of having been guilty of murder?" he asked, intorested. "Not exactly that," she said quickly. "That Mr. Oglowns murdored I feel confident, but who committed tho crime I am unaware. It is a mystery. Knowing Mr. Oglosowell as I did ho ontrusted to me knowledge of certain facts that he strenuously kept secret from othors. Yet I cannot conceive who would profit by his death." At this point the inspector of police rose and expressod a desire to know, through tho coroner, whether sho had quarrelled with Mr. Oglo. "The day prior to his death we had a few words," she falton " Upon whabsubjuoij?" askod the coroner. Sho at first refused to reply; but after being prossed said, " We quarrelled about my engagement to Mr. Dooios." So she acknowledged with her own lips that the dead man had been my bittor enemy a9l, too late, had discovered. "He wished you to marry him ?'' suggested the coroner. Sho did not answer, bub burst into a fit of hysterical tears, and n low momonts later was led out of tho court. " I think, gentlcmon," tho coroner obeorved, turning to the jury, " no Olid can be obtained in pursuing this vory painful inquiry further. You have heard theevidence, uiul while on tho one hand the exact cnuso of death has not been established, on tho oLhof we havo Miss Laine declaring that tho unfortunate [jontleman wns murdored. The evidence certainly does nut point to such a conclusion; and there nro two cuurses that may bo pursued : oitliei , to adjourn tho inquiry, or to return an open verdict and leave the elucidation of the mystery in the hands of cho police." The jury, after consulting among thomselves, retired, but only for five minutes, returning into court and returning an open verdict of "Found dead." Then, as the coroner thanked the twolve tradosmen for thoir attendance, I rose and crossed to Bock, aftorwards walking with him to tho Nook.

CHAPTER VIII. " I DARK NOT I" "What do you think of Ella's statement?" Beck asked, as we were crossing Staines Bridge on our way to Mrs. Laing's. " I can't understand it," I replied. " Neither can I," he said. " Girls of her oxcitablo temperament aro apt to make statements of that character utterly without foundation. No doubt Dudley was her intimate friend, and finding him dead, her romantic mind at once conjured up visions of murdor," " Yes. There is a good deal in your argument," I admitted with a touch of sorrow at the remembrance that Ogle had aspired to her hand. " I never spoke to you on the subject, for fear of making mischief, but I have many times been amazed at your blindness when Dudley and Ella used to flirt openly, before your very eyes," he observed, glancing at me. " Ah ! you are right," I cried, angrily. "1 foolishly trusted him, believing implicitly in his honour and in Ella's purity." "Of the latter you surely have no cause for suspicion," he exclaimed, quickly. " I- am not eo certain," I replied, with bitterness. "Themore deeply I attempt to probe this mystery, the more sorrow I heap upon myself. I was happy in the belief that she loved no other man except me, yet apparently she is as tactful as an adventuress, and delights in toying with a man's affections." " Every woman is fickle," my friend remarked, eyutpathetically. "If she is thrown into the society of one man frequently and passes idle hours alone with him, she either ends in loving him or hating him. There is little purely platonic friendship between men and women nowadays." "Yes, alas!" I echoed, as we entered the carriage drive and passed the wellremembered spot where I had discovered the body. " There is very little indeed." A quarter of an hour later I stood alone before the window of the bright morningroom that commanded a beautiful view of the brilliant sunlit Thames and the row of tall, swaying poplars and drooping, windwhitened willows on the opposite shore.I was awaiting Elk, who had, her m»id told me, gone to her room. Presently, pale-faced and trembling, she entered, and, closing the door, moved slowly towards me, stretching forth her bund in silence, her tearful eyes downcast. I grasped the slim white fingers, and found them cold aa marble. "Geoffrey," she exclaimed, low and huskily. "Geoffrey, forgire me." • "Forgive! For what reason!" I inquired, sternly, looking at her in admiration, yet determined to be firm. This wa«, I bad rewired, to be our last interview.

"Because I—l was foolish, and weak, and—" She paused, sighing deeply. " Well ?" I said, cynically. " What other excuse ?" " Ye*, yes," she cried, brokenly. " I know they are mean, paltry excusos, I know I am trying to make you believe it was nod my own fault, yet—" aud pausing again she raised her clear blue eyes to mine with passionate glance, " and yet, Geoffrey, I love you in a manner I have loved no other man before." " You have a strange way of exhibiting this so-called affection," I observed, coldly. " Ycu actually encouraged the advances of the man in whom I reposed foolish and iil, placed confidence." " For a purpose. I never loved him— never," she protested, trembling. " You had a reason ! A strange one I should think," I exclaimed, angrily. " Indeed at this very moment you are mourning the loss of this man." " Dudley Ogle was not your enemy, Geoffrey. He was yout- friend," she answered, with a tremor in her voice. "Some day I will prove this to you, I cannot now. It is impossible." "Why?" " I dare nob!" " Dare not! What do you fear?" I demanded, in surprise, instantly releasing her hand. "The consequences would be fatal to our love," she gasped. Then, after a pause, she clutched my arm, and burying her beautiful face upon my shoulder, sobbed bitterly. " Our love!" I echoed, contemptuously. Notwithstanding the fierceness of my anger Isinoothed her dark pold hair, and presently, when she grew a trifle calmer, endeavoured to discover the meaning of her strange, enigmatical words. " You cannot know—you will never know how dearly I have loved you, Geoffrey," she cried, in answer to my eager questions. " Neither will you ever know how much I have suffered ; how hard I have striven for your pake." " For my sake! Yet you admit having allowed Dudley Ogle to utter words that I nlono had a right to utter!" " Yes, I admit all," she said, with a tragic touch of sorrow in her strained voice. "I deny nothing." " And you come to me asking forgiveness, believing that I can again trust you without hearing any explanation of your recent strange conduct with Beck, as well as with Dudley ! I think you must regard me, Ella, aa a weak, impressionable fool," I added, with bitter sarcasm.

"No, I do not," she cried, quickly. "I appeal to your generosity towards a woman. I have been compelled to act again.*!) my own inclination!!; compelled, in order to outwit my enemies, to act a part despicable and revolting. I can now only ask forgiveness," and throwing herself suddenly upon her knees before me, she cried, " See Geoffrey, I crave one grain of pity from you, my only friond, tlie only man I have loved !" " No, Ella," I answered, quickly withdrawing my hand that sho was pressing to hor hot fevered lipa. " I may pity you, but forgivo you never." " Never!" «he (rasped, clasping her breast with hor hands as if to stay the wild boating of her heart, and struggling unevenly to bur feet. " Why never?" " Because you have decoived mo." " Yos, ye3l" she wailed, "1 admit it, I admit it all, but I swear my actions were imperative. Ah! alas, that you cannot know everything, or you would kiss me as fondly as you used to do. You, Geoffrey, would love me with a love even more tender and passionate than before, if only you were iiware of what I havo suffered for your sake." I turned from her in disgust. Her tragic attitude filled me with loathing and contempt, for I knew she was lying. "Can you never again trust mo?" she asked in a low hoarse voice. " Will you never forgive?" "I can have no further confidence in a woman who has practised such artful deception as you have," I answered, turning again towards her and noticing the look of unutterable sadness in her tearful eyes. " Deception!" she cried, starting. "What do you mean? What have I done " You acknowledge having deceived me wilfully with all the deep cunning of an adventuress, yet you refuse mo one word of explanation, cither in regard to Beck or Dudley." "There is nothing to explain, us far as Mr. Heck is concerned," she answered, demurely. "Hois an old friend, and your suspicions that there was any love between us are absolutely absurd." " Why, then, did you confess in your letter that you were unworthy of my lovo ?" I demanded with warmth, walking towards her. She hung her head. There was a deep silence, broken only by the low ticking of the clock. In a few moments hor hand stole in search of mine, anil engrossed in my own sad thoughts I lot it linger there. "Geoffrey," she said at length, timidly. I gassed out upon the sunlit river watching a boatful of happy holiday folk pass by, and remained stolidly unconscious. " Geoffrey," she repeated. " I tried ever so long to refrain from that confession, yet was unable. But! did not allude to Air. Beck. It was my conduct with Dudley that caused mo to become a consciencesti'ickou wretch. I feared from day to day that you might) discover our many long excursions and the idle afternoons wo spent up the backwaters, he lazy and indolent, I using all my woman's wiles to fascinate him and bring him to my feet. "And you succeeded," I interrupted, huskily. " Yes, I succeeded," sho went on, speaking slowly, almost mechanically. " I had set ray mind upon victory, and I achieved it after weeks and weeks of striving, dreading always that you might discover the truth, and fearing that my conduct would appear in your eyes too serious for forgiveness. Tho blow that I dreaded has now fallen," she cried, with a choking sob. " Dudley is dead, and I, compelled to speak the truth, have publicly acknowledged myself unworthy of your love." "Is ib not best that I should know tho truth?" I asked, seriously. "You render your behaviour the moro unpardonable by the absurd falsehoods you wish me to believe."

" I do not wish you to beliove any falsehoods," she cried, resentfully, her bright oyes flashing as she glanced abmo. " What I have now told you is the truth. I swear it beforo heaven !"

"You deliberately flirted with Dudley with an object in view, Oh, no 1" I laughed with contempt. " That is too lame a tale." "It is the truth," she said, lookin? me straight! in the face, hor norvous hands toying with her rings. "Even though you may believe ill of me, I have lost neither honour nor solf-respeot. I acted under compulsion, to achieve one object." "And I hope you have gained the mysterious end you had in view," I said, with bitter sarcasm. "Yes, I have," she replied, with an intensenoss in her voice that surprised me. " I have gained my object even ali risk of being discarded by you, Geoffrey, and being branded as a base adventures?." " Even at the cost of the life of a man you deceived ?" I hazarded. She started at my words. Her pale lips trembled, and in her eyes was a strange look, as if haunted by some spectral /ear. The effect of this remark was extraordinary, and I at once added: " Remember, you suspect Mint Dudley's death was not due to natural causes." "Suspect?" she cried. "I know he was foully murdered." "By whom?" I inquired, with breathless eagerness. "I have yet to discover that," she answered in a low voice. " Bub I will make the elucidation of the mystery the one object of my life, It is I, alone, who will avenge his murder." " Your very words betray your love for him," I exclaimed, distrusted. " I tell you it is nob because I loved him," sho protested with indignation, " Then why do you seek rovonge ?" I de> manded ruthlessly. " From reasons known to myself; reasons I refuse for the presont to disclose," she replied, regarding me with unwavering glance. "And you expect me to again repose confidence) in you, notwithstanding your steady refusal to explain anything?" I observed with a laugh. " All I have told yon now, Geoffrey, is the troth," she replied, looking earnestly into ray eyesi " Once I deceived you, but I will never do to in future. I promise some day before long'to eiphin ail the facts to you; when Ido «o they will astound you. For the success of my plans 1 am compelled at present to preserve my secret, even from you."

"What are your plans?" " Be patient, and you shall see." " You intend to avenge Dudley's death ?" "I do. And something further," she said. "ODly by the most careful investigation and the strictest secrecy can my plans be successfully carried out. Trust in me, Geoffrey. Tell me that you will reconsider your decision not to forgive me," she whispered, leaning upon my shoulder with one arm entwined affectionately about my neck, as was her habit. " And I will yet prove to you that I am an honest woman who has acted only in your nterests." "In my interests? How?" I asked, amazed. " You shall know all later, when I have ascertained the truth." " Tell me one thing, Ella," I exclaimed, after a pause; " have you any idea whether Dudley had any occupation ?" "Occupation? I always understood he had enough money to be independent." Then, taking from my vest pocket the object I hud picked up from among the contents of the dead man's pockets displayed on the tablo in the coroner's court, I held it up to her, saying seriously : "Now, tell me truthfully, Ella, have you ever seen this in Dudley's possession ?" She glanced ab it for an instant, holding her breath, as across her blanched countenance there passed an expression of bewildered amazement. The object I held beneath her gaze was insignificant in itself, merely a small brass seal, but it bore the Warnham arms in exact imitation of the cut amethyst worn by the earl, It was the seal which bad been used to manufacture the duplicate of the envelope containing England's secret alliance with Uermany. The suddenness with which I had produced it startled and nonplussed her. As I transfixed her blue eyes with my keen suspicious gaze, her white lips moved, bub no sound fell from them. Embarrassment) held her dumb. (To be continued on .Saturday next!