Chapter XXII.

Otago Witness, Issue 1032, 9 September 1871, Page 18

Chapter XXII.

MR. LONXJOLUSE MAKES AS" ODD CONFIDENCE. David Arden looked at Mr. Longcluse with a sudden glance, that was, for a moment, shrinking and sharp. This confidence connected with such a scene chimed in, with a harmony that was full of pain, with the utterly vague suspicion, that had Bomehow got into his imagination. " Yes, and I have been a little puzzled," continued Lon:;cluse. "They say the man who is his own lawyer has a fool for his client ; but there are other things bosides law to which che spirit of the canon more strongly applies. I think you could give me just the kind of advice I need, if you wero not to think my asking it too great a liberty. I should not dream of doing so if the matter were simply a private one, and began and ended in myself; but you will see in a moment that public interests of some value are involved, and I am a little doubtful whether the course I am taking is in all respects the right ono. I have had two threatening letters ; would you mind glancing at them 1 The moon ia so brilliant, ono has no difficulty in reading. This is the first. And may I ask you, kindly, until I have determined, I hope, with your aid, upon a course, to

treat the matter as quite botween ourselves ? I have mentioned it to but one other person."

" Certainly," said David, you have a right to your own terms.

He took the letter and stopped short where he was, unfolding it. The light was quite sufficient, and he read the odd and menacing letter which Mr. Longcluse had received a few evenings before, aa we know, at. Lady May's. It was to the following effect ; —

" Sir,— The unfortunate situation in which you stand, the proof heiny so, as you must suppose, make* it necessary tor you to net consuldoivily, and no nonsense can be permitted by your well wishers. The poor man has his eon.slieiu'o all one as as the rich, and must be cautious as well as him. I can not put nn.ielf in no dainsjer for you, sir, nor won't hold back the truth, 90 wclp mo. I have hoerd tell of your boot tim took away. I would be hapy to lend an and, sir, Id recover that pioperty. How all will end otherwise I vegrett. Knownij/ well who it will b^ that takes so mulch concern for yoiu 1 safety, you cannot doubt who 1 am, and if you wishes to meat me quiet to consult, you need only t,o name the place and time in the times newspaper, which 1 sees it even day. It ;i!ii-(. be put part in one days times, for the d.ute. saying a friend will show on sieh n night, and in ne\l day*, times for the plane, Rasing the do?a will meet aL sioh and sieh a pheo, and it .-.hall llov the attenshun of your "Fast Fuend." " That's a cool lettar, upon my word," said David Arden. " Have you an idea who wrote it ?" "Yes, a very good guess. I'll toll you all that if you allow me just; now. I should say, indeed, an absolute certainty, for I have had another this afternoon with the name of the writer signed, and he turns out to be the vtry maw whom I suspected. H«re it is." David Arden'a curiosity was piqued. He took the last note and read out as follows :—: — " Sir, — My last Letter must have come to Hand, and you have been in Reseot of it .since the 11th instant, has took no Notice thereof}', I have No wish except for justice, as you may Suppose, and has no Fealing against you Mr. ' L>r.i?oluse Perwinelly and to shew you plainly that Such is the case, I will meet you for an Intervuo if such j is your Wishes in your Own house, if you should .R.ivther than name another place. Ido not objeck To one friend being Present providing such Be not a lawyer. The subjek been Dehc.tt, I will Attend any hour and Place you ajioint. If you should faile I must put my Pi oofs in the hands of the police for, 1 will take it for a sure sine of yuilt if you fail after this to apoint for a meating. "I 1 emain, Sii', Your obedient s^rvent, "Pail. Davies. " Xo. 2, Rosemary Court." "Well, that's pretty frank," said Longcluse, observing that he had read to the end. " Extremely. What do you suppose his object to be — to extort money !"

" Possibly ; but he may have another object. In any case ho wants to make monov by this move."

1 ' Very audacious, then. He must know, if he is fit for his trade, how much risk there ia in it ; and his signing his namo and address to his letter and seeking an interview with a witness by seems to ma utterly infatuate;!," said David Arden, with his eye on Mr. Longcluse. "So it does, except upon one suposition ; I mean that the man believea his story," said Mr. Longcluse, walking beside him, for they had resumed their inarch towards the gate.

" Ileally ? believes that you commited the murder ?" said Uncle David, again coming to a halt and looking full at him. "I can't quite account for it otherwise, said Longcluse ; "and I think the right course is for me to meet him. But I have no intimacies in London, and that is my difficulty." " How ? Why don't you arrest him ?" said David Arden. " Preciaely my own first impulse. But the letters are more cautiously framed than you might at first supple. I should be placed in an awkward position were my prosecution to fail. lam obliged to think of this because, although I am nothing to the public, I am a good deal 10 myself. But I've resolved to take a course not less bold, though less public. 1 am determined to meet him face to face with an unexceptionalbo witness present, and to discover distinctly whether he acts from fraud or delusion, and then to proceed accordingly. I have communicatwith him." " Oh, really !" " Yes, 1 was clear I ought to meet him, but I would consent to nothing with an air 'of concealment." " I think you were right, sir." " He wanted our meeting by ni.:ht on board a Tliames boat ; then in h dilapidated house in Souths ark ; then in a, deserted house that is to be let in Thames Street ; but I then named my own houso in Bolton Street, at half- past twelve tonijilit." " Then you really wish to eco him. I suppose you have th.mi.jht it well over ; but I am alway3 for taking such miscreants promptly by the throat. However, as you say, cases differ, and I dare say you are well advised."

"And now may I venture a request, which, wore it not for two facts wMiin my knowledge, [ should not presume to make? But I venture it to you, who take so special an interest in this case, because you have already taken trouble and, like myself, contributed money co aid the chances of discovery ; and because only this ovening you Baid you would bestow more labour, more time, and more money with pleasure to procure the least chanoa of an additional light upon it : now it strikes me as just possible that the writer of these letters, may be, to some extent, honest. Though utterly mistaken a,hout me, still he may have evidence to give, be it worth much or little ; and so, Mr. Arden, having the pleasure nf being kno\vn to some nvmbera of your famiiy, although till to-night by name only ho you, I beg as a great kindness to a man in a difficulty, and possibly in tho interests of tho public, that you will he so good aa to accompany me, and be present at the interview, that cannot be so well conduced before any other witness whom I can cake with me."

David Arden paused for * moment, but independently quite of hia interest in thy casu ; ho felt a strange curiosity about this pale man, whose eyeo from under thsjir oblique brows gleamed back the cold moonlight ; while a smile, che character of which a little puzzled him, curled his nostril and his thin iip, and showed tho glittering" edge of his teeth. Did it look like treachery ? or was it oefunce, or derision ? It wrb a face, thus seen, so cadaverous and Mophistophelian, that an artist would have given something for a minute to fix a note of it in white and black.

David Arden was not to be disturbed in a practical matter by any pictorial effect, howsver, and in another moment he s-iid —

'' Yes, Mr. Longcluse, aa you desire it I will accompany you, sir, and see this fellow, and hear what he has to say. Certainly " " That's very kind — only what I should have expected, also, from youz* public spirit. I'm extremely obliged."

They resumed their walk towards the gate. " I shall get into my brougham and call at home, to tell them not to expect me for an hour or so. And what is the number of your house !"

He told nim ; and David Arden having offered to takf» him, in his carriage, t» the place where his own awaited him, which however, he declined, they parted for a little time, and Mr. Arden's brougham quickly disappeared under the shadow of the tail trees that lined the curving road.