THE NOVELIST. The Letter in Eypher:

Otago Witness, Issue 1639, 21 April 1883, Page 24

THE NOVELIST. The Letter in Eypher:

A TALE OF A SECRET SOCIETY.

WKITTHN FOR THB OTAGO WITNESS,

Bt Fabian Bell,

Author of "Stella," "the Big Nugget," "St. An

to deceive me on that point, but he made me take a solemn oath not to betray him, and I should not have done so had not it ■eemed to me, that now, it was my higher duty to speak, for if he iB legally my husband," she shuddered at the word," he cannot make any claim upon the unfortunate lady yonder. It is also right that you should know what manner of man he is — this so-called friend of yours." 11 He isno friend of mine," returned the young marquis quickly, "though I must confess that he was once a good deal in my society, bub I never really cared for him ; aud lately F have avoided him as much as 1 could, but I never believed him capable of such villainy, indeed it is difficult to believe it now. Do you t ink that at the time he married you he intended to repudiate his act ?" I cannot tell," said Bessie slowly, as if questioning the past; " I thought then that he loved me and that there was some need for secrecy, and I was carried away by my own. foolish dreams. Now I think that he never really loved mo or intended to marry me, but from the first formed a deliberate plan to ruin me. He often hinted at the unimportance of the marriage tie, and said that the union of loving hearts was the only true marriage, and ■o on ; I did not fully understand his meaning, and I presume that he thought it unwise to ■how himself in his true colours. I am very certain that he never meant to deal honestly by me, but perhaps he did not fully realise the cruelty of his conduct ; I have observed that very selfish people seldom do, they are so occupied with their own pursuits and pleasures that they do not think it worth while to oonßider their effects on others."

11 How bitterly you speak." "Is it strange ? I have often wondered why women are expected to bear these injuries more patiently than men, and to kiss with humility the hand which strikes them. If a man is cursed with a faithless, vicious wife, he hastenß to repudiate and cast her off ; and, v he he-itatea to do so, earns for himself nothing but the scorn of cont mpt of sterner moralists. A woman, on the contrary, must suffer any outrage, and be always ready with a thousand excu&es, and a pardon given 'before it is asked.

t{ That is true enough," said Rex. You wonder, perhaps, to hee me so much moved, continual Bessie; "but it is not really strange. I have suffeicd much, and the suffering has taught me to think. 1 look at the woiid all round me, and everything seems wrong ; my own fate is but onr> among many ; it Bee:ns a monstrous and a dreadful thin«- that ■uch men as Sir Archibald Power should be ftlljwed to Jive unpunished." " How do you know that they are xmpunished?" said Mrs Armstrong, gravely ; "be•ftUje tee do not see it, that is no sufficient f^nwn for believing that they are unjurlged."

dtew's Day, ' &o.

Chapter XVII. The hijjfnul. P a thunderbolt had fallen at their feet, Mrs Armstrong ai d Rex could not have looked more astonished.

"Bessie!" "It is true," she said quietly, " that is the name under which he married me, and I know that it is his own, for I have often seen him with Lord Montferrat at St.

Mildred's, it was impossible for him

" No, perhaps not ; and yet it seems as if wicked people do flourish exceptionably." " And always have done so,, for a time— but remember, we never see the whole of any life, and cannot by any possibility understand its true purport or ending." " I understand what you mean," returned Bessie. " ' Vengeance is mine,' saith the " Yes ; the issues of life are in higher hands than ours. 'We see but dimly through these mists and vapours, amid these earthly damps ' ; and knowing this we should be patient, and abstain from harsh judgments.'' "It is difficult to be patient always," returned Bessie. " I think I have felt more for that poor lady yonder than I over felt for myself. You do not know what a terrible place it is ; it was the very refinement of cruelty to place her there ; if we cannot rescue her she will certainly go mad or die." " But wo must rescue her, that is if we cannot demand her openly." "It would be folly to attempt it ; even if the doctor were willing, I doubt if he would be justified in giving her up unless he had very strong evidence of wrong dealing on the part of those who placed her with him. It would take some time, in the absence of the Count, to obtain that, and during the interval it is impossible to say what might happen to an excitable and highly-strung nature placed in circumstances of B\ich trial. I think myself that her brain would give way, and that her release would come too late." " What, then, do you advise ?" " That we. meet stratagem, by Btratagem, and h>4p her to escape." " Have you formed any plan ?" " I have formed a dozen, but they are all immature. The first thing to be done is to disarm the suspicions of the doctor and the warders, and get upon speaking terms with her again. I must then establish some means nf communication both with you and with her, so as not to lose the favourable moment when it come 3."

" I think you are giving yourself a very difficult task."

" I like c'ifficult'es, and my heart is in this work ; I think we shall succeed. And now I must run away, or my mistress will scold." " Let her scold^," cried Rex. "You forget 1 must try to please her, or I shall fail in the very task that I have undertaken."

'• When shall we see you again ?" " Very soon I hope. Ido not mean to keep my situation more than a week if I can help it. But I may come at any time, and I hope not alone. Good night, dear Mrs Armstrong." " Good night, dear girl. Is there nothing we can do, for I expect that Rex will be here pretty frequently now." " I Bhall come every day." "In that case you may watch the White House. There is one little window visible from here. It is high up in the garret, and, as good fortune would have it, it is the window of my room. If at any time you should see a handkerchief tied to that window you will understand that we hope to escape that day, and you will be on the watch for us."

" 1 will ; and what is more, I will keep somewhere near the gate. I suppose I can't get in." " No; it is always locked, and to pass it will be one of our chief difficulties ; but we must manage it BOinehow, for it would be quite impossible to scale the walls ; they are too high and too much exposed. It is the boast of the White House that no patient has hitherto escaped."

" We will soon prove the fallacy of that statement," returned Rex ; " and now, Bessie, if you must go I will walk with you."

" No, indeed, my lord. Only fancy a housemaid escorted by a marquis. 1 should lose my character and my situation at once. Seriously, I would rather go alone — we cannot be too careful." She laughed, curtesied, and ran away. For two days Rex watched the Whits House in vain. No signal flew from any window, and he became so impatient and restless that on the third day Mrs Armstrong urged him to go for a long ride, and so work off a little of his superfluous energy. During his absence the signal flashed forth unnoticed, fluttered for an hour, and then disappeared.

What had happened was this. Bessie found great difficulty ia re-establish-ing any communication with the Countess Ivanovski. Susan Barton had grown extra cautious aud suspicious. She carried all trays and messages to and fro herself, and did not give the new housemaid an opportunity of assisting her, even when hbb offered to do ho ; but Marie was impatient to see her friend again, and long before t.he was really strong she in*isted on rejoining the other patients at their meals. The doctor was pleased to see her show a renewed interest in life. Only tiuscin was suspicious, without well knowing why, and when her efforts to keep Mario in one room failed, &he subjected hex to a keen surveillance, which the astute Itusbiau porcoived and determined to frustrate. The fact was that never since her imprisonment began had Marie felt so energetic and hopeful as at this time, for just at the moment when she began to despair the light of hope had dawned again. A new friend appeared on the scene, and life began to look attractive once more. The hope of escape seemed to give her new strength, and the excitement of outwitting her captors added not a little to her satisfaction. For a time she felt quite well and strong, but after events showed that the improvement was only illusory. " I am going in to dinner to-day, Susan," she said, and without heeding any remonotranco walked into the hall. Dr Scudamore met her. " I am glad to see you so milch better," he said.

" I "am quite well now," she answered, " Susan wibhttd to keep me a prisoner, but I would not submit to her dictation. I may go to the dining- room, doctor, may 1 not ?"

The Countess had never been so gracious. The doctor was flattered without knowing why. " Certainly, certainly," he said, " I shall be glad to see you there." Susan looked sulky, and muttered some objection. Marie smiled on the doctor, and he felt his pulses beat as they had never done before in all his fifty yeara' experience of life ; for the first time sinca the night of her arrival, he realised how beautiful she was, and detained her for a few minutes in conversation. Then, with a smile and inclination of the head, she passed him and entered the drawing-room.

The patients clustered rouud her— the little woman with the doll-baby told her wonderful stories of the child's progress and ailments, the musician met her with tearful eyes, aud poured forth all her heart in an impiovised song of greeting ; bub others treated her with indifference, aud some even had forgotten her, or looked at her with mill™ eurioMtv, whiuh in a moment had pas-aid away, and place to their usual vacuity ol ixprossiui. Mariu looked round her with great pity. Even her short absence had made these surroundings seem more pitiable than before. Custom had not familiarised them, and now the prospect of

her hoped-for release made her look upon them with a very yearning heart, (rod's children, aa the quaint and beautiful Swiss superstition has called these afflioted ones to whom He has denied the great gifts of reason. Begsie was in tho adjoining room assisting to lay the cloth for dinner. She saw the Countess enter, but made no sign. tiusan camo in and began to throw the spoons about, muttering that " things had cotne to a pretty pass, when patients dared to leave their rooms without her permission; that thedoctor was a fool, but that she thanked the Lord she could see further than some who should be nameless."

At dinner Susan stationed herself beside the Countess, and was particularly attentive to her wants. Marie smiled aud spoke graciously, only she glanced often towards Bessie, who kept at tho other end of the room. At last an opportunity for speaking to her occurred. On leaving the table, Marie dropped her handkerchief ; she returned to pick it up. Bessie anticipated her wish — their hands met, and a tiny piece of paper passed from one to the other.

"Meet me in tke garden at four; the attendants will be at tea."

Bessie crushed up the paper, and then, fearing it might be found, put it into her mouth and chewed ifc to a pulp. At the appointed hour she excused herself from the meal, saying that her head ached, and that she would take a little fresh air.

The Countess awaited her with impatience.

"Well, what have" you done?" she cried. "How much longer am I to bo left in this wretched hole ?"

Bessie told her that she had seen Rex and Mrs Armstrong. " And is lie not coming to claim me ?" " The doctor would not give you up without Sir Archibald's authority. No. We must manage without that. We must escape." " Oh, that will be splendid. What a rage Susan will be in ! I wish L could see her. But I fe.tr ie will be difficult — the walla are high and the gate is locked." " That i 8 our chief difficulty, but I am trying to n.ake friends with the porter. If I can manage to lull his suspicions, and draw him away from his post, you might slip past him, and boldly walk out of the gate." " That sounds easy." "It is the best thing I can think of at present, but something better may come into my head. You, however, must do all you can to lull suspicion. Be as friendly as possible with the doctor and Susan ; do not be seen speaking to me, for Susan is jealous, if not suspicious, and shf v"'" r>n\] our plans if possible. Dont bet cea ■ptaking to me, but_ be ready to follow me a., .n.., time, if I give the signal. And now i had better be off, or some one will see us."

" Wait a moment, Bessie. Has the Count, my husband, returned to England." "I think not — I am sure not. If he had done so the Marquis of Monferrat would have brought him here to claim you." " Oh, yes, of course ; but it seems strange he should leave England at this time." "The Marquis said he went very unwillingly, and only at the Emperor's command. No doubt he will Boon retxirn, and be delighted to see his wife once more. And now I must not stay a second longer. lam going to talk to my friend, the porter."

They parted, not a moment too soon. The doctor came out to look at his patients, and finding Marie walking alone, joined her. He had not forgotten the bright smile which had made his pulses tingle, and longed to feel the strange and pleasant sensation once more. Never until that day had she gieeted him without frowns and indignant protests against her unjust imprisonment. Many a time and oft his conscience had pricked him for detaining her, for he knew in his heart that she was not mad, but he paltered with the truth, pleading to himself the medical certificate, her husband's command, and the mysterious threats of the brotherhood. He was not willing to let her go, for he feared the effects to himself in many ways, but he would have been glad to see her contented and gracious, occupied with the narrow pleasures of her prison life, and ignoring its gloomier features. Above all he liked her to greet him with a smile in place of a frown.

The woman who had ruled as a queen of society found no difficulty in subjugating the country practitioner. He walked with her in the garden until the bell rang for the patients' tea, and then with a curious feeling not unlike the effect of unaccustomed champagne, and like it, accompanied by a certain consciousness of wrongdoing, he went into his study, aud took down a rare book of medicine, and when his housekeeper called him to dinner had not turned over a single page, and when she questioned him of the day's events, he answered her like one in a dieam.

Marie smiled as nho brushed her long hair, and looked at herself in the mirror tor the first time since she came to the White House.

"Men are all alike," she thought; "who would have thought that this withered old Galen had a heart as impressionable aR a boy's? I think i could get out m time without Bessie's help ; but I must not let him got too fond of me or Alexis will bo jealous," she laughed, and then coughed ho violently that she could hardly stand, and the froth which came to her lips was tinged with blood. " Just what I told you," Baid Susan, entering ; " you ought to have been in your bed all day, and notgalavanting half overthe place, and into the garden, too. The doctor ought to have known better. Now you jußt take some of this medicine and get to bed aa quiet as you can, and if you're not a lot worse in the morning. It's just tempting of Providence, that's what I call it."

" Don't scold, Susan, there'B a good soul. I have felt so well all day I could not possibly have remained in bed, and the cough is all gone now."

"For how long? Oh, well, you won't be ruled by me ; it's the first time I have heard of patients taking the law into their own hands. We shall see what comes of it.'

" What do you expect will come of it ?"

" 1 know what I know," was the oracular answer, and for a moment Marie trembled lest her secret had been discovered.

But Susan's meaning went no deeper than her words, and the captive breathed again. Meantime, Bessie had not been idle. She had succeeded, not without difficulty, in making friends with the porter. Tho soft spot in his heart — and every heart has a soft spot, or it would be dour indeed — was a little deformed, sickly child — his only one. Bessie had noticed thiK little girl, sittiDg in the eun beside tho gate, and had paused for a moment to speak to her On the following day she brought her an apple, then a cake, and after a very nhorfc time the lonely mature learned to brighten at the sight, of her now fiiend. Tho father drew near, and entered into conversation on his own account. He talked of the child— told of her symptoms and supposed improvement. The ice was broken. At first Bessie had had no ulterior design in making tins acquaintance, and vvaa moved by no sentiment save that of pure pity for the sick child; but after a time, as the difficulties around her seemed to increase, eho thoti'ght it

might be possible to find an exit through the gate by means of the porter's interest in his child. It was a cruel thought, but Beßsie, absorbed in her plans, scarcely realised this until too late.

" How's Beenie to-day, Mr Jones," nhe said, " I see she is not out."

" No, lass, Bile's but peaky the day ; perhaps you'll gang ben and see her." " Not to-day. I must go back to ray work. I'm too late out already ; bub perhaps tomorrow at this time I may get a few minutes — that is if it will be convenient." ■

"It's always convenient to see you, lassie, and the little one's always rare and pleased to see yor. It's au unked pluce this— no young things for her to play with, and naught but them cranky folk all round. It'a good for her to see a wise-like human critter once in a while."

"It is rather a dreary place. I wonder you stay here." " It's myself that wonders to see the likea of you here," returned the porter. *' It's not the place for a nice pretty girl like you. But it does well enough for me and Beenie ; it's real country air, and that is fine for her, and it'a not every place would suit me, and I wouldn't suit every place. I've been with the doctor nigh three years, and he's good to the little un, so it suits." " But he's so strict."

Jones smiled grimly.

" I reckon he's right. It would not do to let our people wander where they like, and fright the whole countyside ; besides, they might do themselves a mischief. ' Safe bind, safe find' is the best motto in my opinion." "But suppose there should be a patient shut in here by accident— one who was not really mad ?"

The man looked at her with open-eyed wonder.

" That'B the doctor's bnsiness," he said Blowly. " And not for us to interfere V

" Not for me, of a surety. I know too well which side my bread is buttered ; and do you take a word of advice from me. You're new to this sort of work, and don't know the lies and the dodges them patients is up to. Don't you believe a word they says. The doctor knows best ; anyhow, he's responsible, not we. Look you here, if my own mother, or wife, or sweetheart was in here, and tho doctor said ' she's mad, don't let her out,' I wouldn't let her out. There, that's plain English for yer." " Ah, well, I daresay you are right ; but one can't help thinking and fancying all sorts of things." " Best give up thinking about them, it don't do no good." " Very well, I'll take your advice. Dear me, how late it is ; how the time flies when one is speaking with a friend, and especially with a man whe can give one such good advice. Good bye, I'll come and see Beenie to-morrow."

She ran in.

" We must depend on ourselves, and on ourselves only," so ran the few lines which Bessie pressed into her confidant's hand on the following day. "Be in the garden at recreation hour. When you see me, follow, but do not seem to follow — be ready for anything." Marie's heart beat high. Was escape, freedom, so near at hand ? Her heart beat < o wildly tiiat its pulsations were actual pain. As men count time, her life had not been long, but it had been full of changes, trials, dangers, hairbreadth escapes. Yet never had she trembled as she did now.

" Are my nerves really shaken, am I growing a coward ?" she thought, with much self-scorn,as she braced herself for the effort little dreaming that the failure was physical and not moral, and that the superb health which had been such an important feature in her social successes had already given way before the first insidious advances of the fell disease whose withering breath had already blown across her life and marked it for a prey. She saw Bessie cross the recreation ground, speak to one or two of th« patients, and then move onward towardß the porter's lodge.

She followed at a distance.

At a corner of the building, whero they would be screened from observation, Bessie paused, waiting until the Countess should overtake her.

"The moment ia come," she Baid. "My plan is a very simple one, but I hope it may succeed. lam going to see the porter's aick child, and I shall get him to open the gate and carry her for me to the other side of the road. You must watch your opportunity, walk boldly through the gate, take the road to the left, walk quickly on until you see a large holly tree, hide behind it until I join pou. I cannot furnish you with much of a disguise, but in yonder woodhouse is a small bundle — I hid it an hour since— containing a small hat, and thick veil, and shawl such as country women wear. Put them on and push your own hat sb far behind the wood pile as you can. Do this exactly as theclock strikes half-past four. If the gate is open walk boldly through, if it is shut take off your disguise and return at once to your room. I shall have met with some diffioulty, and we must try agaiu to-morrow. Now to disarm suspicion take another turn along the the recreation ground." They parted Bessie went towards the gate, the Countess returned to her companions. As she threaded her way among them, saying a kind word to one and another, she encountered the doctor ; he had not forgotten his pleasant walk of the preceding evening.

She greeted him with a smile, but a deadly terror was at her heart.

Tho large clock in the 6table yard Btruck a quarter past four. '•You are looking pale," said the doctor kindly. "Susan scolded me for letting you out of your room yesterday ; sho said your cough was very bad." " Oh no, it is nothing, I feel quite well, and the fresh air does me so much good. Pray do not order me in. Susan is too exacting." " She is an excellent servant, and very faithful. I hope you find her attentive." " I have no fault to find." " That is well. She also gives a good report of you." "lam much beholden to her."

The doctor looked uncomfortable ; he had meant to say something agreeable, and had failed.

The Countess increased her pace and then suddenly stopped. " How much longer do you mean to keep me here?" sho cried. "I am better, you own. Well, I say how much longer am I to be kept in this prison V" " Hush ! do not talk so loud, the other patients will hear you. We will speak of it to-morrow." " Ah, to-morrow." He passed on. Sho bieathed more freely, and spod like an arrow down the path to the wood-shud. Fora while sho could not find the bundle, a few chips had bwn scattered over ifc for concealment, and in her haste t>he did not observe them. She hunted hither and thither for a few moments, which buemed an hour, then found the parcel almost under her hand. As she pinned the coarse shawl round her throat the clock chimed the half-hour past four.

Half a dozen steps brought, her within aighfc of the gate. It was open. She walked boldly and swiftly forward, treading as on air. Already she felt free. The air without that gate blew with a heaven-sent freshness, suoh as can never blow inside a prison wall. Already she felt it caress her lips and brow, and lift the heavy tresses of her hair. "Oh God ! how Bweet a gift ia freedom," she thought, and the long stretch of dusty road looked fair as the path to Eden. Yet even as she looked out upon it with devouring eyes and sought it with eager steps, a strange and terrible thing happened. Tho gate that had been swinging idly open on its hinges, moved, at first slowly then mora Bwiftly, the two heavy halves approached each other. The broad dusty ioad narrowed, and narrowed, until only the merest strip w»> visible. She strove to move more quickly, bub her limbs refused their office. The gate was closed and locked in her face. She stood still, every limb seemed froeea and lifeless.

(To bt continued.)