ABOVE ILL THINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12301, 19 June 1903, Page 3

ABOVE ILL THINGS.

BY ADELAIDE STIRLING. Author of " Dark Magdalen," " A Dead Man's Sweetheart," " The Girl of His Heart," . *' The Purple Mask," " Her Evil Genius," " The Wolf's Month," Etc. CHAPTER VI. —(Continued.) Sib Charles eyes flew down the column to see what the girl herself said, and especially about his own share of her evening ; and there was nothing there, absolutely nothing, that related to him! She had left the theatre after Teresa, alone! and Teresa had been angry with her for not waiting for the maid. That was all, except her doings at supper and after, up to her finding Teresa dead. He could not understand it. "At this point," said the paper, "the confidential maid of Madame Teresa got up and screamed accusations at Miss Marchmont, which fell to the ground." And at that, Charles Kilvarnet knew less than ever what he ought to do. What he did was to get to England as fast as possible, to find the inquest over; and had repaired to Theodora. " Why can't you see daylight?" she asked, leaning back in her chair. "Because after the maids idiotic theory that- the adopted daughter did.it fell to bits, they brought it in suicide. And I'm sure it wasn't. They all swore that a.o one came in or out of the house after twelve, and I think someone did. The doctors said Teresa must have died a'l>out one. I thought I saw a man come out of her house about then. I only thought, it, mind! I was at the veryfar end of the street." "You?" Theodora sat up, regardless of grace. " What were you doing there?" " Walking by," imperturbably. Awful visions flew to Theodora's mind. Sir Charles, because a doubtful possession, became a doubly dear one. " Why don't you go to the proper people and say so?" she cried, artlessly. "That poor Teresa ; and they say she was so charming ! You ought to go." " I didn't know hex*. I can't go to anyone with a story like that. I wasn t sure enough, I was too far off. Besides, even if I'd been at the inquest, and said so, it wouldn't have affected the verdict-. The girl said she had seen a man loitering about, and, got pooh-poohed for her pains, because she couldn't swear to it. No more could I. You sec, there was no robbery, so they brought it in suicide. But I don t believe any happy, successful woman evet cut her own throat from ear to ear':" " Oh, don't," said Theodora, faintly, cutting off something he had meant to add. ' If she didn't do it herself, it's too horrible," "Look here," said Kilvarnet, as if he had not heard her; " what would you do if you were in my place! The thing is over, no one's accused of murdering her. and I don't know that anybody did. But I feel as if I ought to go and say I have | a thought, a half-suspicion, that someone j did. And if I tell that I'll smash my whole life to bits perhaps. Do you think, I am obliged to do it?" "Do you mean you will smash your life as regards me?" said Theodora swiftly. She was certain on the instant that he had known the dead Teresa more intimately than he cared to say, and that any inquiry might bring out things that must make her cut the acquaintance of Sir Charles Kilvarnet.. And he "I won't have it— a dead dancer!" she thought contemptuously, as of a dead dog. " People would talk; I'd be a laugh-ing-stock." She looked at Kilvarnet and ! frowned. "You mean if you drag yourself into it I may hear things I would rather not," she said, slowly. Kilvarnet's face was perfectly colourless. He had thought her too childlike to be so quick. " Yes," he admitted, "if I'm right. Remember, if things were not as they are, if the verdict were murder and anyone were accused, I should speak at once; but, as it is, I might make you hate me, for nothing." " Them," said Theodora, softly, " hold your tongue. I see no earthly reason for your speaking. Especially if what you think of telling would. make talk." "Make talk 1 '—it was such a. ludicrous way of putting it that Kilvarnet laughed grimly. It would' certainly make more than talk, and Theodora— " Suppose the man whom I think I saw was someone you know; know well he said. "Would you like me voluntarily to go and drag him into it? Or would you think I was justified in letting my thought of him go as it came?" "Justified?" reflected Theodora, slowly. "More than justified. You are not a detective, what is it to you'- And I —don t want you mixed up in it. Please, Sir Charles, let- the thing alone, hold your tongue, if you want to keep on being a friend of mine.' Unless what you think you know could not affect you, and 'very softly" me." "It would probably affect- us sufficiently for you never to wish to see me again,' shortly. "There you have it;" and Theodora instantly had an excess of distaste for dancers, a point of view which never dawned on him.

"Do please stop talking about it," she said, childishly. " I don't want any friend of mine to be dragged into a scandal from Quixotic, or any other, motives. You've made me feel nervous. I really think I ought to send a notice to Truth that all my jewels are paste." " You really ought to marry," observed Kilvarnet, slowly. " I suppose you wouldn't think of me." '

Theodora did not know if he were in jest or, earnest; either way, it was best to pretend she did not hear; and Fate helped he)'. '"Oh," she cried, "here's someone coming up. And you've made my tea-table so untidy." Kilvarnet swore inwardly.

"If you were really kind to me yon would sometimes say ' riot at home' when I'm here," he said, aloud. "Then I'd be talked about," with frankness. Lady Theodora's frankness! She never meant to be talked about, but neither would she have let one single visitor slip through her fingers for the sake of being tete-a-tete with Kilvarnet. She held up her finger as he would have answered her, and spoke smoothly, in her most natural voice. "Do you know, I really think Ireland did not agree with you? You're absolutely looking pale to-day. Do have some more tea!" She had turned to the opening door, and for one second her face was ugly with nervous surprise. " Oh, Unclc Ravenglass!" she cried. "I —How good of you! I—l didn't know you were in town" (or she would have double-locked her doors, and said she was in the country)-

" I'm not," said Lord Ravenglass, snappishly. " I came up for a meeting last night, and found I couldn't get away. Thos*> confounded papers advertise my every movement." He nodded to Kilvarnet, and sat down. Theodora thought he looked very old, and crosser than ever. " Then you shouldn't be a famous Antarctic explorer," she said sweetly. She was terrified that Kilvamet would leave hei, Ravenglass only visited 'her when he wanted to be unpleasant, and to-day she knew the unpleasantness would be about Sir Charles; but even Ravenglass could not air it before hi? face.. "Of course you're put in the papers when you only returned from the dead last week. " Your photograph is in every windowyou're a novelty." " I've been a month in Vienna."

"Vienna and the South Pole are all the same, if you don't show yourself. I suppose you had an ovation at the meeting'.'" She knew- very well he had not ; there had not been especially pleasant comments on Lord Ravenglass' expedition, and its failure.

■" It wasn't that sort of thing," drily. He was an odd-looking man, rather- tall, but so skinnily thin and holding himself so badly as to look almost small.. He had a wizened face, a wizened moustache, and almost unnoticeable eyes—for the people he did ■ not choose to look, at; and he was looking at neither his , niece nor Kilvarne't now.

But Kilvamet was staring at him, with litter distaste.

" How did you like civilisation the other night?" he asked, involuntarily. "Do they dance like that at the South Pole?"

Lord Ravenglass ate two tea-rakes. "No," he observed, " but they di* like sonietim£6."

And Theodora nearly dropped a cup at the tone. Uncle Raven glass was in a blazing temper. What are you talking about?" she faltered. " That" wretched Teresa? Were you there, uncle? I wish I'd gone; they say she never danced so well." "I didn't stay till she finshed. I'm not an authority on dancers." "Sir Charles is," said Theodora, wildly, to make talk. " Fancy, Uncle Raven glass, lie thinks he saw a man coming out of Teresa's house that night-.: yet they all swore no one had gone in." Sir Charles, for once, would have had her less innocent. He had good nerves, but he gave an angry start. "Unfortunately, I seem to have been mistaken." he said coldly. "You are exciting Lord Ravenglass rather uselessly." But Ravenglass looked the reverse of excited. His ill temper had suddenly left bins, either with tea or conversation. •

" Only thing I care for—butter." said he. " I'll trouble you for another teacake, Theodora. Lost my taste for everything but grease in the Antarctic." " Grease!" she shrieked. My butter comes from Devonshire. You're so material, Uncle Ravenglass. You're not a bit thrilled about that unfortunate Teresa. Now, Sir Charles can't talk of anything else."

Ravenglass' screwed-up eyes darted a sharp glan-ce at Kilvarnet — because he was looking reproach at Theodora. " Sir Charles has doubtless mom reason for interest," he observed, and more opportunity." Sir Charles got up, longing to turn the old wretch out neck and heels, though he was Theodora's uncle.

" Usually wasted," he said. " And you may be right about- the dancing part of it, but I assure you I give way to you about the dying, i'm not experienced in deaths like Teresa's."

" (-food gracious! he can be misty," thought Theodora, and hastily followed up the attack, in the devout hope of routing her only relation. "Now," she said, sweetly, " what did you mean about people dying like that in the Antarctic regions? What sort of people'! 1 I thought nc one lived there."

"They don't," said his lordship, too. affably. But you don't get cherubims on an exploring expedition, and the sort you do get are like the defunct Teresa they die as they've lived. A cut throat and a dead man," genially, "is usually a deal more judicial than a jury and a hanging." "Jf you're qualified to judge," commenter Sir Charles, unpleasantly. " Good-bye, Lady Theodora," regardless of the imploring clutch of her glim fingers. " 'Day, Lord Ravenglass." The door was barely shut on his flat young back when Lord Ravenglass laughed out loud —till the experienced Theodora quivered. She had been rid of her detestable relative for the past three years, and had hoped he was frozen up till the Judgment Day. What on earth did he want? To nag, and order, and harry her, she supposed, and looked as unharried as she could.

But Ravenglass did neither. He stopped laughing as abruptly as he had begun, and engaged in affable conversation in the perfect manner for which he had been renowned—among women who were not his relations. He never even alluded to a certain disagreeable remembrance which had given Theodora many bad hours since she learned he had not frozen to death; he scarcely seemed even in earnest when he touched on the departed visitor. And Theodora had expected anything as to her friendship with Kilvarent rather than sub-acid chaff.

" You've a pretty taste in toys, Theodora. I suppose you don't take him seriously, as a speculation. . Hewell, I suppose he has two cigarettes, six matches, and half a crown in the pockets of his excellent clothes. And he certainly has four walls with no roof, and, doubtfully, three hundred a year in Ireland. But I allow he's a charming toy, after Briggs" —thoughtfully; "even if he were a friend of the late Teresa." Lady Theodora angrily proved he never knew Teresa at all. He was so kind-heart-ed ; things affected him. " I daresay," said Ravenglass, without curiosity'; and it was queer that she suddenly remembered uneasily that she had never found out if Kilvarnet knew the girl for whom he was so sorry. ~ Her easiest way to find out would have been to have followed him, for he went straight to Hamilton Placewith what purpose he best knew. He felt feverishly and senselessly anxious to see the girl who lived there. He wondered just why she had held her tongue about the events of the evening ; and about him. But though lie knocked and rang, hot a sound answered him ; and it was with an eerie feeling that he turned away. Teresa could not be buried ; .the inquest on her had ended only the day before. It made Sir Charles Kilvarnet uncomfortable to think of the dead woman lying alone in an empty house: and that, or something else, made a sudden black misgiving come over him.. He did not like this empty house ; did not. like that silence at the inquest. It was 110 business of his, since he had said he meant to hold his tongue, what a girl he hat? only known for an hour said or did ; and yet — "It can't be that!'' he thought, blankly; " she didn't look like that, nor like a girl who'd desert her post."'

(To be continued daily.)

To-morrow (Saturday), June 20, the opening ckiplers of a new and fascinating story, entitled "LOVE IN THE BALANCES," will appear in these columns. The serial is by that- writer of bright and healthy fiction, Mr. Charles Garvtck. Do not fail to read the opening chapters in. the Hkbat/u of June 20.