A SENSATIONAL CASE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10495, 19 October 1895, Page 3

A SENSATIONAL CASE

Br FLORENCE WARDEN, Actho* op "A Witch op thk Hilt-s," "Ralph Rtdeh of Brest, " "A Passage Through Bohemia," "Thk House on thb Mabsh," &c. '

ALL BIGHTS RESERVED.

CHAPTER XXXV.-COMPLICATIONS.

Ifc was about a week after Netelka's return to " The Fire," when Hugh Thorndyke, who was still staying at his hotel in town, was surprised to receive a message brought by one of the servants to the, effect that Mr Waller was waiting below to see him. Hugh jumped up from the sofa on which he was stretched, threw down bis book, and went out to meet his friend. But the sight of the young fellow's haggard face gave him a shock.

"Hallo!" he exclaimed, as he beckoned Gerard into his sitting-room. " I'm awfully glad to sea yoa about again, old man, but you look, if anything, rather worse than when I last saw. you at *The Firs.' You got my letter?" •

Gerard nodded. "It was sent on to mo. I'm.1 not living at 'The Fir*' now."

"I'm heartily glad to hear it."

"You need not be. Mrs H. told me to clear out on the very night her, husband brought her back, and I've been thinking of nothing but Mrs H. ever since. I can't gat her out of my head; I can't get her out of my mind. IM go.nptho river I see herin every boat that passes; if Igo to the theatre I.see Netelka in' every scene. My head achea with holding always the same image; I want to cot my throat."

He was marching up and down the room, ruffling up bis fail hair with his light hand, and looking " rather mad," as he expressed it, about the eyes.

" Time you did clear out, 1 think," commented Hagh, drily.

Gerard planted himself opposite to his friend. .

" Ob, yon think so, do you 1 Well, you're wrong. Mind, I think of all the infernal scoundrels I've ever met Hilliard is the vilest; but I don't think he'd have had the pluck to try to poison me when his attempt to gat" rid of me in another way bad failed, and my presence really was some sort of safeguard for Netelka."

" Her presence, though, was not much of s safeguard for you," said Hugh, in the same tone as before.

"What do you mean by that J Don't I tell you that it was she who sent me away ? "

" Quite right of her. I applaud her for it; though there's no need to go into ecstacie3 of admiration ovar a mere act of common /sense."

" Well, that will do. Or, if you want to preach any more, let me remind yon that listening is dry work." . _ ;

" Whisky and soda 1" askedHugb, crossing the room to the sideboard.

" Anything, I've got something to show

Hugh watched Gerard's hand as the latter produced an envelope from his pocket. Then, staying the hand before he conld give him the envelope, Hugh said with a smile:

"Yon needn't show it ma. I've got-one

And he took from the mantelpiece a similar envelope addressed to himself, informing him that " Mrs Hilliard "would bo "at home" on Thursday, the 26th, "four to seven." r "Yes," sssd Gerard, "thatfs it. Are yon going?" . "Of course I am. And you Z" Jt-i&fcher." ••i-tou'd better not." -

"I know that, bat still, do yon see, I'm going. I want to soe little Jem. I think, as a punishment to yon for preaching, I shall try to out you out,"

Hugh tamed all sorts of colours, and he answered very shortly.

" That will be easy enough. I'm quite out of the nmniog; Pre called there twice in the last week, and can't get her to see me; fill through humouring a whim of hers I"

And, after a little persuasion, for the whole affair was a sore point with him, Hugh told the story of the engagement and its consequences. It did not restore his wounded cell-conceit to see Gerard roll on the sofa in. Jits of laughter at his expense.

"I've no doubt it seems to you exceedingly funny," said he with coolness. " And I daro Bay. it will add to your enjoyment of the joke to hear that Mrs OoUingham was very cold when I called, thinking I must have done something awful for Jem to refuse to see jns."/ '■-■:/ '■■..■ ■-~.•■-■. i ■.-:'"■"_-"'V-.-1- --. ■.:..'

At this Gerard laughed to much as seriously to : imperil the good accord, which existed between him 'and Hagh. Before, however, Hugh bad made up bis mind whether he should be deeply offended, Gerard perceived the danger and apologised. Then Hagh affected to be entirely indifferent about it.

" :" Ob, F-thought you spoke when I saw you last' as if! you were really hard hit?" said Gerard; trying to speak with great solemnity, , ..•', ■ ,;•-...;. ;.\:-.; -, .

But this Hugh would not acknowledge. "Ob, come now, you are calling in the aid of imagination," answered he, with a forced Laugh. "O£ course, it isn't pleasant for one's vanity, a thing of this kind. Bat I don't trouble myself about the girl except on that account. I have something more important to talk to you about. Have you seen this 5"

Hugh handed him that morning's Daily Newe, pointing out the following paragraph:— . ■'. .-.■■" ./ ->. '

"EXCITING CHASE OF A LTJNATIO,

'rOuY Warchester correspondent telegraphs: This'morning an exciting chase, fortunately ending in the recapture of the fugitive, took place on the outskirts of the town. An elderly gentleman named Bicbard Linley Das, who has been for aome years an inmate of a private lunatic asylum a few, miles from hare, effected bis escape, and after crossing the fields in his dressing-gown and slippers, caused considerable consternation among the inhabitants of a farmhouse, into which he had crept on finding himself pursued. '• Fortunately he was secured without difficulty, but not before he bad attacked one of the farm . servants with.a hatchet, thiß being, I understand, bis fourth attempt at homicide."

"Now, Linley Daz is an uncommon combination," said Hugh, wbsii Gerard had read the paragraph, " and I happen to know that HiHiard's real name is Linley Daz. Now, don't you think it's reasonable to suppose that this lunatic is some relation of his, and that there's insanity in his blood 1"

Gerard, much impressed, conctmed in this View, and they resolved to make some ingtrirlej, starting upon this basis :

" If we could prove Laoley insane, and shut.him up," suggested Hugh, "at anyrate we could save her from the risk of being murdered by a maniac, which, it seems to me, there is a good prospect of Linley'a becoming—if, as I am inclined to suspect, he is not' one already 1"

Gerard looked gloomily at his friend. " Not a very lively prospect, that," said he, "■of being tied for life to a lunatic."

"At anyrate, it's better than being murdered by one," retorted Hugh.

This was. unanswerable, and the subject dropped.

On Thursday, the 26th, when Mrs Hiltiard received her friends, she was looking her very best. Hugh and Gerard, who went down together, were astonished at '. her brilliant appearance. She was alwaya well dressed, being one of thoee women whose natural advantages of figure and carriage, increased by good taste, give a grace to their clothes, instead of being indebted to them.. On this occasion she wore very pale pink silk with a dull ribbed surface, covered with stringcolonred chiffon embroidered in silk of the same colour. Her throat was jost long enough for her to bear's band of black velvet, which she wore studded with diamond daisies. • .

The entertainment was an idea of Linlej's, by which -he proposed to dissipate the air of mystery, and of something. worse, which "The Firs " bad acquired, and to inaugurate a now era of unimpeachable respectability. The choice of guestß was his own, and the gathering was a miscellaneous one.' A selection of the habitues of the place, including Hngb Thorndyke and Gerard Waller; Lady Kenelow and a friend; the patty from "Maisonette "; a few acquaintances of Harrington Moseley'a; and a selection of local people who .came for the first and last time ont of cariosity; these were the component parts of an assemblage which differed from the usual afternoon "at home" in the preponderance of the male sez. The woather being fine, Nefcelka, who had tied herself in her invitations to no particntet form of entertainment, bad made it, on the $gw of $«, moment, a garden pswtjr« 3*e

two lawng were dotted 'with enormous Japanese sunshades, under whioh group} of chairs were placsd invitingly. Netelba affseted to regard the whole affair aa a dreary joka

" i'here are the usual desperately dnli entertainments, a fortune teller who doesn't oven interest yon in what she say*, though she looks very nice; a quartet who sing hor T ribly out of tuna, and who trample down my carnations in their search for a place on the flower bed where they will look picturesque; and there are warm ices and cold tea in that room which opens on to the garden. It is vary good of you to come and be borad."

This was her greeting to Hugh and Gerard, with whom she shook hands in exactly the same manner as she had dona with her other gussts. G-srard was stupefied, chilled. He was shy and reserved with her, and left the talking to Hugh.

" I am sorry to hear," Netelka went on, turning to Hagh, with a mischievous glanco at Mrs Collingham and her step-daughter, who were standing near, " that yoa have in some unknown way, which I cannot discover, deeply offended Jem and her mamma. I thought, as Jem came down to Hastings under your escort that yoa were the best of friends."

Hugh was astonished at the coolness with which she alluded to the Hastings incident. "The charm of your sex," he answered, "is it's unexpectedness. Jem and I were good friends when I saw you last: we are not now. That is all I can tell yon about it; it is aIE I know myself."

It was easy to see that he was not so indifferent as he wished to appear. Netelka smiled archly as she turned to Gerard:

" It's an ill wind that blows nowhere," she said significantly. " Come and take Miss Collingham to have her fortune told,"

Garard hung back a little. " Let Thorndyke take her," murmured he, with a pleading look. :,..-■.

Bat at that moment Mrs Collingbam caught sight of him, and rushed at him with outstretched hands. Before he had recovered breath from her attack, he found himself told off, he hardly knew Uow, with Jem, and they were walking across the lawn in the direction oE the fortune-teller's tent.

"You didn't want to come with me, I know," said Jem, in a tone full of mingled despair and resentment.

"Only because I knew how muoh Thorndyke would have liked it," answered Gerard. " And I'm afraid he'll punch ■my head as we go back to town, juet to restore the balance which Providence has disturbed."

" What do you mean by that V asked Jem, rather crossly.

"It is my elegant and literary way of exprassing the fact that fate has been kinder to me than I deserve in letting me have the pleasure of your society."

" Youneedn't talk like that to me. And don't talk about Mr Thorndyke at all; I hate him!"

Garard stopped short, overcome with surprise.

" You b&te him J You ungrateful girl 1 When the only fault you. havo to find with him is that he has been too submissive to yonr whims 1" ' '~.

The words were ont before Gerard had had timo to consider the enormity of the offence he was committing in bnllyinga lady. Jem smothered a sob. Finding he was "in for it," Gerard threw scruples to the winds, and ballied her still more.'

" I'm going to live in Asia," said he, decidedly. "I'm tired of the airs EaroDean women give themselves. Here, in this "mismanaged hemisphere, we poor men are martyrs to the capricss of girls who don't know their own minds, and don't know how much better off than they deserve they are when a decent man takes a fancy to them 1 Why, if I were a girl, and a, man like Hugh Thorndyke honoured me with his notice, I should go down on my knees and kiss his ieot!" .

Jem raised her bead with a sudden move< ment of indignation and resentment.

"." " Eeally I think the sooner you go to' Asia the better," she said haughtily, "and I hope you'll persuade your friend, Mr Thorndyke, to go with you."

" He is going up to his home in Yorkshire either to-morrow or the day after. And as ha will no doubt speedily choose a wife from among the throng of girls who will be ready and anxious to have him you will find him practically as far away as you could desire." " I'm very glad to hear it," snapped out Jem.

And, having by this time reached the fortune-teller's'tent, they entered in silence, each feeling" a~ little resentment against the other because each would have chosen a different companion. Gerard wanted another conversation, a final adieu, in.fact, with Netelka; while Jem.was conscious, in a dim, vague way, that a tkte-a-tete' with Gsrard was no longer the highest pleasure the world could afford her..

CHAPTER XXXVI.-KNAVES FALL OUT.

Hugh Thorndyka had lost, no time in securing a talk with Lady Kenslow, who, in grey satin with touches of old lacs, looked as charming a picture of graceful middleage as her niece did of brilliant youtb. Hugh found her a seat under a beech tree which spread Ite grateful shade over a corner of,the lawn, from which they could see the tennis with which a few enthusiasts were beguiling the sultry hours. '

• " I have been dying, as they say, for this opportunity," said he, as he handed her the cup of tea she had asked for.

Lady Kenslow knew what wag coming, or at least she knew what the subject wasitbat he7 was going to introdnce. She inclined her head gravely, and he wenton.

" I am going to tell you in as few words as I can the fresh reason I have for asking you to induce Natelka to leave her husband." "I wiH hear you, and I will hear your reasons," answered Lady Kenslow imperturbably. :." But I warn you that I shall not interfere between any wife and her husband. You know my views on that snbject. I think the best woman in the world, married to the worst man, suffers more by separating from her hnsband than by remaining with him. Need I say any more ? Kaowing this, are y6u not wasting ypnr time with me ? " "No. I want to argue the matter with you. Your view might be all very well in the dayß when women were looked upon as mere chattels; but now that they are treated as reasoning beings, with control over their own property, and that they are expected to have minds and ideas of their own, don't you think that they lose their self-respect if they remain tied to a sconndral ? "

. "There may be Borne nek of that. But I maintain that tho wife of a scoundrel who remains with her husband as long as there is a hope that her presence may prove a restraint, or even a comfort to him, is in a better position than the wife of a scoundrel unattached about the'world." :

" Then yon make yonr ccx occupy a very subordinate and degraded position 1" "Subordinate, not necessarily degraded And the «übordinacy is nature's doing not mine."

"Bat do, yon know what this Hilliard or Daz, has been trying to do 1" "I know all that is alleged agatnsf him, bat-nothing seems to. have beon proved Netelka and I had a long talk this morning • slw told me everything, and I heartily applauded her resolution of remaining with him in spite of all:"

" Have yon read this 2" asked Hugh, as he handed to her the paragraph about.tho escape of a lunatic from the morning's paper.

Lady Kenslowread it through with evident interest.

" I should think," said she, as she handed it back to him, "that this is more tban a coincidence. Such—such moral perversity, shall wo say I— as Linley'a has certainly something in common with what we call lunacy."

" And it does not cause you to alter your opinion 1"

" Not in the least. There are more dangers and difficulties for Netelka if she .leaves-bar husband, than if she braves the peril of his becoming a maniac."

And C 9 she spoke, Lady Kenslow ,involantarily glancad towards the spot where Gerard sat beside Jem, with his eyes fixed, not on her, but on tho graceful figure in veiled rose-colour that flitted about among the groups on the lawn. Hngh's eyes followed the direction of hers; and in the aanoy^ce he felt at seeing Gerard and Jem side by Eide, talking in an evidently confidential manner, lie. forgot the subject which had been.occupying his mind in one which interested him still more deeply.

In tbe pause which followea, Lady Kenslow, who had given the entertainment the light of her presence to signify her approval of Kfotelfea's course of action, was seized upon by "liinley, who was very orornl of the honour conferred upon "The piia" by her visit. Hngh, left by himself, found his elbow touched, and turning his head, sdw Harrington Moseley standing by bia side. '• • "'Very nice of her ladyship to come down, wasa'tit?" said the Jew, who was following Molqy wfthglances in which Hugh thought

be detected nominal intensity. "Dona to please Mrs H., of course. Her ladyship wouldn't go out of her way to oblige Linley, Tm thinking 1"

Hugo did not love the Jew, but he was carious to know on what terms he and his partner stood to each other. For there was little appreciation of Linley in Harrington Moaelay'a tone. Bo Hugh said :

" Well, he's only ber relation by marriage. There's no necessity for any great show of affection between them."

"I should like to know who could show great affection for. a fish-blooded creature like Linley.l " cried the Jew, with an appearance of indignation, which Hagh did not at first trust.

"Don't you like him, then ? " asked Hagh, who felt himself invited to ask a question.

The answer came in a tone of convincing sincerity.

"Like him 1 No, I should think not I I tell you what it is," and Harrington Moseioy, much to Hugh's disgust, took him by the batton-ho'.e, lifting up bis head in the endeavour to get nearer the Yorkshireman's level, " I—l'm afraid of him ! I think he's going ofE bis head—l do indeed. He talka to his china 1 I've heard him. Now do you think that's the sort of thing a man would do while he was altogether sane? Do you, I ask 1" " It's eccentric, certainly," assented Hagh. Bat his face changed, for this piece of information about Linley's habits bore to him even a greater significance than it did to Moteley.

In spite of Netelka's depreciation of the entertainment she was offering to her guests, the afternoon was undoubtedly a very bucceEsful one. It may be that the dubious reputation " The Firs " had acquired gavo a pleasant z°st to the commonplaces of a garden party, certainly conversation was livelier, the laughter was more frequent than IB generally the case at these solemn functions. Wben the evening shadows had grown long upon the grass, and the groups upon the lawn had begun to thin, Mrs Collir>gbam, as she shook hands with Netelka and assured her that she had spent soch a delightful afternoon, drew Mrs Hilliard'a attention to the fact that Lioley bad for Borne time been lost sight of. "I couldn't go without seeing dear Mr HUHard and wishing him good-bye," went on Mrs Collingoam, "you know I am quite in love with him; he makes all the other men one kaowa seom so noisy and so coarse 1" " I daresay he has gone into the house with my aunt," said Netelka, looking round, and failing to catoh a glimpse of her husband.

" No, she is with Mr Moseley. Tbe last I saw o£ your husband was when he was introducing Mr Moseloy to Lady. Kanslow; and they walked away together—Mr Mosoley and Lady Kenslow, I mean. Do, dear Mrs Hilliard, try and find your husband for me; I want particularly to ask bitu to come round to our little place to-morrow night." It was rather awkward for Notelka to have to leave the terraoe when her guests had begun to como up to take their leave. But as at that particular moment Bbc was unoccupied, she goodnaturedly stepped into the house, with the intention of sending a servant to look for Linley. As it happened, she did not meet one; but ss she reached tho bottom of ths back staircase, in her search, she heard a slight noiee above her head, and lookiDg up between the winding bannisters she called, thinking she recognised her husband's soft footfall.

" Linloy, Linley, is that you ? " There was no answer, but there was another slight noise, and then some small object roiled down the upper part of the Btaircase. Netelka ran up the stairs to seß what it was, and half-way up the top flight she picked np a massive gold ring eet with a single diamond, which she recognised as Harrington Moselej'a. Now really alarmed, she looked up, and seeing no one, ran quickly to the top of the stain?, and was just in time to sea the shadow of a man who was disappearing into the corridor on the left. She gave ohase at one©, and being fleet of foot overtook the man just as ho was shutting bimeelE in her husband's dressing room; and it was Linley himself.

" I<—L—inley^' she stammered, with blanched cheeks, " look—look at what I've found—on the back staircase 1 You know It: it ia Moseley's.

And she showed him the ring which she had picked up. Linley took it from her, and turned it over; and Netelka watched him, for he was makiog np bis mind what ho should say. , "So it is," he said at last. "Do you know, Netta, I believe that there's been someone in Moseley's rooms, taking advantage of what has been going on ? I heard a noise up here, and fancied I caught sight of somebody—l did indeed. I think we anght to call "him up, and ask him if he misses anything.". He spoke gravely, as the nature of his communication warranted. But he was quite cool and collected, and it was not from bis manner that Netelka received the impression which at once possessed her. They were in the dressing room, the door of which still stood open. For a moment Netelka did not amwer her husband, bur. stared at him with eloquent eyes, full o£ a new fear. Then her glance.fell from his face to his bands, and she saw his right hand move stealthily towards his right side. " liioley. you're a thief!" The words were a moan of despair. As she uttered them the miserable wife tore open her husband's coat, and plunging her fingera into the pocket towards which she had Keen hi« fiogeru wander, she drew out and flung upon the floor, one after another, articles* of jewellery, a handful of bank notes, and a bag of gold. Then, before she had exhausted the hoard, she suddenly drew buck, and bursting into a fit of wild weeping, staggered to the dressing table, and falling on her knees beMdo it,' buried her face in her bands. She was so utterly overcome with grief and despair that she did not rem«k the strange silence with which Linley received her violent action, and her demonstrative outbreak of grief. She did hear the door of the room shut, but it wtu> only with physical hearing. She did not, ask herself whether he had shut himself in or shut himself out; she did not know whether she was alone, or whether her husband was still by her side. . The sound reached her ears, that was all. The shame, the agony of her discovery, the first absolute assurance of her husband's villainy she had bad, the first tangible proof from which she could not escapa, were bo overwhelming that at first her mind could take in no other impression But she had suspected Linlay too long and too deeply not to be able, before many minutes had passed, to take a ciear view of the situation. A ray of light seemed to fall npon her dim sight as she told herself that now screly the climax was come, and the odium of having to share the lifa of this man was at an end.

She sprang to her feet. Bat at that moment she heard behind her a sonod like the growl of an angry dog and at the Bame moment she caagbt sight in the poking glass of a. face which, distorted and Uvld with rage, was hardly recognisable as the calm mask her husband's features usually wore. '

hifh 6 ¥Z m raiSß hig arm#' Bba Baw «>**■ nw hand held a weapon of some kind The floor, felled by a rain of savage blows

(To be continued.)