Time, The Avenger

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXI, Issue 2729, 9 December 1910, Page 4

Time, The Avenger

(All Rights Reserved.)

THE UNRAVELLING OF A STRANGE WILL MYSTERY.

By HEDLEY RICHARDS,

Author of "The Haighs of Hillcrest," "From Mill to Mansion," "Diana's Inheritance," Etc., Etc.

TWENTY-EIGHTH INSTALMENT

She saw a shade cross his face, but he did not speak again, and she did not explain that the woman who had nursed him was not really a nurse. He was weak and tired, and she could explain all about madame's goodness when he was stronger, sh? told herself. Moreover, she could no! help wondering who this Julie was of whom he raved, but she would never ask him. The secret belonged to his past life, and unless he told her of his own free will, it should remain a secret so far as she was concerned. But in spite of this reisoiution Lady Dalrymple often of Julie, and speculated as to when and where her husband had known her.

While her-ladyship was thinking thus and madame was "considering what the detective had told her, Louise and her lover were strolling up and down a lane at some distance from Gelder Hall.

" You go away to-morrow after■'»oon ? " isaid Hugh Hudspith looking lovingly atthe girl by his side.

■ " Y^es : Miss Penman is impatient to depart. She has waited for ma mere's return."

" Do you think your mother is certain to come home ?" he asked, anxiously. . * .. '

"Of one certainty, the box has come, and one little note came with it saying that ma mere would be home about seven ;' so Louise did hasten, and was put before that hour."

" Very well. I shall leave here -the day after to-morrow for London. I shall tell my father I am going to enjoy myself for a week or so ; but I shall only remain a few days and get a special licence, then I shall come down to you at that little wateringplace. There is an hotel there and a day or two after my arrival we will be married quietly; then we will start for home, but we_will time our arrival to take place at noon the next day before letters can reach my father, and you must leave a note telling;. Miss Penman that she will spoil all our chances of happiness if she communicates with your mother before that time." " I will do it unless "— and Louise paused. - " Unless what ? " he asked, anxiously. " Unless Louise should change her mind. What for should I marry, after all, and when votre pere may say, ' Exit, Monsieur and Madame Hugh ; I have nothing to do with you ? " . " Louise, you don't mean it —you •wouldn't throw me" over now ! By ,Jove, if you did I should go mad and do some mischief ! " he said, in a tone that showed something of what he felt. " Say, you don't mean it sweetheart," he said, gripping the girl's hand so tightly that he hurt her. She drew herself up haughtily as she said : " Monsieur. I am not one silly, frightened girl. You may threaten, but that will not win Louise." " Forgive me, darling ; but do not drive me wild by talking of giving me up. The pater won't turn us adrift; and if he did, we have the interest on what my mother left me. Promise Louise that you will stick to me." She looked at him smilingly. " Louise will be your wife, and we will manage on that little money unless votre pere forgives—and he will forgive. Oh, the loving daughter he will have in Madame Hugh ! He will be charmed, and you, poor fellow, frill be jealous." Hugh looked as though he did not tike the prospect as he said : " Louise, you are the most charming girl I ever knew, and I believe you would flirt with Old Nick." " Who is he?" she asked looking up bewitchingly at her lover. " His Satanic Majesty, commonly known as the devil." She laughed, and showed her white teeth ; then, as they reached tlie bottom of the lane, she said : " Adieu. That is your way, this mine ; " and she pointed towards the town. • "Good-bye, darling, and be true to me. Write to me at the Metropole;" and drawing her into his arms, he kissed her passionately. " That' will dor You are one silly boy," she said, withdrawing herself from his. embrace ; and before he realized her intention she was flying Sown the lane towards Wittonbury. " Did ever any man love a girl who is so hard to win? She's as skittish as a young colt, and altogether the most charming girl in the world," Hugh reflected as he turned homewards.

" Mon Dieu, he has danced to a tune ! He would go through fire and water to. marry me, because he thinks I care not one button for him. Oh, the perversity of men ! " and Louise laughed heartily, and when she reached home was so pleas-

ant, and seemed to look forward with

eb much glee to her visit to the sea- . side that her mother was glad she _ha/d consented to let her accompany Miss Penman.

Hugh was late for dinner, and his father looked black as he entered the dining room.

" Don't trouble to apologize." he

said, before his son had time to speak. " All right, pater," Hugh returned in a satisfied tone. During dinner there was very little conversation, but when Nina had gone to the drawing room and the servants departed, leaving the father and son to en?oy their wine, Hugh looked at his father, saying : " I say, pater, what has become of my mother's jewels ? " If a bomb had gone off it could not apparently have startled Mr. Hudspith more as his face became almost livid, and his hand'shook so that a portion of the wine was spilled out of the glass that he was raising to his lips.

" Why do-you ask?" inquired Mr. Hudspith after a moment, but his voice was still unsteady.

" Because I found the key of my mother's jewel-case on the landing that day you went to town, and as I wanted a trifle or two I took the opportunity to help myself, as I thought, but the case was empty. I kept the key expecting you would make inquiries about it, then I thought we could go into the matter. Where are the jewels ? " he repeated.

" What business have you to open the case and help yourself ? " said his father, in a tone of concentrated passion.

" Come, that's rather good. The jewels were left to Nina and me, and they ought to have been handed over before this, jet you ask what business I had to open the case and help myself ! " said Hugh.

For a minute Mr. Hudspith did not speak. He was evidently trying to control himself. When he did answer his tone was quiet and composed.

" Perhaps you had a right, but I was thinking of Nina. You ought to divide them before you appropriate any trifle for your own special use ; and, of course, you know that your mother expected you to keep them intact for your wife," he said.

"It doesn't look like having a chance to keep them as the case is empty. Where have they gone ? " said Hugh. Mr. Hudspith leaned forward and jpoke quietly and impressively. " I don't know. I wish I did." " By Jove, you don't mean to say they were stolen at the same time as Nina's ? " exclaimed Hugh. " No, they were safe then. I sxamined the contents of the case and there wasn't one missing. The fact is I cannot say when they did jo. All I know is that they were there after Nina's had been stolen." Hugh looked amazed. "When did you miss them?" he asked brusquely. He didn't feel very amiable now he heard that they were really lost. He had thought it queer the case should be empty, but he expected his father had got them safe somewhere. Now he blamed tiimself for not having named the matter sooner.

" I missed them the day before I went to town. That was the reason I went and I suppose in my anxiety I was a trifle careless and lost the key. I have hunted for it but wasn't able to find it."

" Have you put the matter in the uands of the police ? " asked Hugh.

" Not of the Wittonbury police. I have placed it in the hands of a private detective, and he is going to try to find Nina's as well. At present tie cannot find a clue, but he says he is sure to discover them in the long :un. I gave him as exact a description as it was possible to give," said Mr. Hudspith.

" That's all very well ; but the jewels are worth forty thousand pounds and half of them belong to me. It's not pleasant to think you nay lose twenty thousand pounds," replied Hugh.

" I shall not let you lose the money. If the jewels cannot be found I shall either replace them or jive you their value in money ; and ;o show I don't intend to act shabbily about it, I will give you a ;heque as some compensation for the annoyance you have experienced. But [ would rather you did not name the matter to Nina."

"I told her the jewels were not in ;he case. You couldn't expect me to seep a piece of news like that to myself," said Hugh.

"What did she say ?" asked his father, sharply.

"She said you had told her they were safe when hers were stolen, and she expected you had taken them to the bank for safe keeping. I told her that was all moonshine, as you wouldn't carry them loose in a bag, and I think she's as much puzzled as E was."

" My advice is, don't worry about it. The jewels v will be found," said Mr. Hudspith, as he rose from the table. "You can come with me to the library, and I will give you that ;heque," he added.

Hugh followed his father from the room, pondering what he had heard, and still not satisfied about the matter.

" What is the name of the detective you have employed ? " he asked, as his father unlocked a drawer and drew out his cheque-book.

Mr. Hudspith did not answer him, but filled in the cheque and handed it to his son.

Hugh's eyes glistened when he saw the amount—five thousand pounds.

" Thanks. You haven't been mean, that's certain ; and if the jewels are not found you'll make them good ?" he said.

"Of course, I shall ; but I don't want you to name the matter to Nina at present. It's no use annoying her, and I'm sure it would annoy her to know her mother's jewels had disappeared." .

" All right; I won't name it. And I think I'll run up to London the day after to-morrow," said Hugh, speaking as though on the spur of the moment.

" Very well. As you and Mona Dalrymple don't seem to be very good friends you may as well have a little

change ; ana of course, I know it's not very lively for a young fellow here. But you won't find any one in town in August." " That won't trouble me. I shall enjoy myself, never fear." " And spend as much of that cheque as you can get rid of," his father thought. "By Jove, there is something shadj' about the disappearance of those jewels ! All the same the cheque is a boon, and if he cuts up rusty after he hears I have married Louise I'll go at him about the jewels. I'll set a good detective to work, and if they are not forthcoming, I'll have their value to the utmost. What the dickens can he have done with them ? He isn't short of money, or I shouldn't have got this cheque," thought Hugh.

CHAPTER XXX. A MAN'S PROMISE. The next afternoon was bright and sunny, and Nina Hudspith had ordered tea to be brought into the garden. She looked worn and sad, except when she smiled, and Lord Ovingham who was seated beside her had been lucky enough to make her forget whatever was troubling her, and smile brightly as she listened to his conversation.

She was dressed in white with black trimmings, and her face was almost as white as her dress. There were lines, too, about her face that had not been there a few months ago and as Lord Ovingham talked he wondered in a vague way what had caused the change and he told himself it had some connection with Mr. Hudspith. He had noticed how she watched her fatherf and he believed she knew some secret about him, which she did not wish the world to know.

"I am glad Mr, Dalrymple is sc much better. Mona and I were at the Hollies this morning, but she has not seen her father. The doctor thinks she had better not. You don't know what a relief it is to know he is out of danger. I think I should never have been happy again if he had died, knowing that my father was the cause of his death, even though it was an accident."

" I know you would have suffered severely," said Lord Ovingham wondering how she would feel if she knew, as he did, that it was no chance shot that had nearly cost Mr. Dalrymple his life.

" I have suffered, but everything is brighter now. Do you know I have great hopes that when Mr. Dalrymple is well and strong, he will consent to Gar and Mona being engaged. You see, Gar was so good. No sod could have been more considerate, and smoothed matters better than he did for Lady Dalrymple. She says she will never forget his kindness ; and Mona—well, I don't know how she will bear it if he still refuses hia consent, "said Nina.

"It is a puzzle why he wants to separate them," replied Lord Ovingham, glancing at the lovjjrs, who were seated near to each other. " They look very happy," he added with a faint smile, quite unconscious that Gar was at that moment, saying : " I believe Ovingham is in love with Miss Hudspith." Mona looked up eagerly. She had been stroking Nina's little terrier. " I hope he is. I am sure she will make him happy." "Do you think she will have him ? " Gar asked, glancing from one to the other. "Mona looked thoughtful. " I don't know. I don't understand her. She seems to have some secret trouble which she wants to hide from everyone. I told her so the other night, and she went pale as death. She tried to laugh the matter off, but I am certain I am right." " But even if you are this trouble need not prevent her loving and marrying," said Gar.

"No ; but I have an impression that it will. Still, if thej love each other it will come right in the end," said Mona.

" And will ours come right in the end, Mona," he said, looking at her with loving eyes.

"I believe so. I wanted to tell you how I feel about it, Gar. You know before I went away I was ill. I missed you, and I had got it into my head that the barrier would never be removed. My father seemed to grow sterner whenever you were named, and I lost heart. I suppose it was partly worry and partly the heat, but I was ill. We went to Brighton, and just before father left us I was alone with him for a few minutes, and he said, ' Mona, you must try to get strong. Don't fret. It may be that you and Gar may be happy yet.' I asked if he was going to consent to our engagement, and he answered, ' I do not know what I may do in the future, but you can pray to God to control all events and perhaps in His wisdom He may give you the happiness you desire.' That was all he said, as mother just then entered the room ; but I thought of it often, and when I heard of his illness I was so glad he had spoken as he had, and since I have come back 1 have had the feeling that something was going to happen which would cause my father to withdrew all his opposition." " Qf course, I do not know why Ik does not approve of me, therefore ] cannot see what would influence him; but I hope you will be a true pro phet, as I've been miserable long enough," said Gar. Mona laughed. " You don't look very miserable," she said. •' Who could look miserable in your company ? " he asked, with ar answering smile. At that moment Hugh joined them and after greeting the two men he aßked Nina to give him a cup of tea. To be Continued.