OUR STORIES.

Timaru Herald, Volume CIV, Issue 15961, 13 May 1916, Page 4

OUR STORIES.

PIIOUD LADY CLARE.

liY HANNAH 13. MACKENZIE. f; rubor of "Tho V'. cb of bate," •"Twixt, Mum- and Mountain, 1 ' "Alter Touch ot Wedded Hands," etc.

CIIAPTF.It XXV. "A "PLOT TO ItUIN ALL." Manfred Danvers, merchant, residing in London, was tho next important witness called to appear on behalf of tho Claimant. His evidence was clear, concise, but emphatic. Magdalen Da live is was his sister, 'eight years his junior, and ho had not seen her, savo once,, since 1854. m which year sho bad confided her son, Cecil, to his_ guardianship. Mr Danvers was n mild-looking, elderly gentleman, woll-known in tho city and on 'Change a,s a man of honour and of probity; ho had lelt his home at an early age, and, probably feeling that nothing there would do him any credit,, had bad verp little, communication with his people. To Cecil he had acted as a father, and those in Court whoso intorost wan centred ill the young claimant could notice tho exchange ot alloc tionate glances between the two as Man •I'rt'd Danvers took his place in tho witness box. It iviis evident from the first that tho latter had been, and probably still was, as ignorant of the details of his sister's extraordinary story as anyone present could be. "May I a.sk whether you believe, your sister's .statement?" tho .Karl's counsel asked presently. "I do," wa.s tho omphalic reply-

"Oil £t'Omxls?' , that ib explains to Tno the. whole motive, of my sister's conduct, •which would otherwise bo inexplicable, as ifc often appeared to me." "Did ib over strike you at tho timo your sister oonlidcd her son. to ;yout* <rar<>, tliafc sho did nob expect that bis lubber woultl ever, then or afterwards, acknowledge him?" "Xo. On tho contrary, my sister spoke most. indignantly of lior husband's conduct —declaring that tho marriago had been legal in nil point,*, and thero was ih> loophole through which lio could escape." "Slio did not hint .at Jiis position "So, though from her manner I knew she was concealing something." '•You had no children of your own?" "None. I put Cecil in tho p'a.'jci of niy only cliilcf, whom I luul just lost ieforo ray sister requested mo to tako oors into my care." "And did tho young man express no tlesi ro to inquire into his parentages-"'' "Ho know Tory littlp about it, and cured less. At tho timo lie adopted my namo I 1 old liim all liis mother had made, known to mo about his father, find left it in his option to choose what namo ho would. Ho preferred mino. His early lil'o had faded from his memory, mud 1 wa.s tho only rola.tivo be hnenv." "And for twenty years you had 110 communication with your own family Y" ' "With my sister I bad, regarding her son. No other, until I had tho news <>F my father's death from a distant relative, a, fortnight, after tho ! vont." "Ho is dead, then?" ".So J ho/heve." •Magdalen hnrcolF was present as her 'author's evidence was being given. ■She. paled a. littJo a.fc his ta.stislatomonts Tint she did nofc leave her seat until Ihu court was adjourned, and t!;cn she found her way lo Cecil's r-ide. "T uove.r heard of my father's death, until now, Cecil. 1, cannot believe ib to true." "My undo had it on good authority, and wits ifc was copied into the Knglis.U papers. '.At Monaco, on tho 2(3th V.lt., Reginald Danvers, aged seveutyuiglit.' Ifc seems tmo enough." "Wo are iiirrounded by plotter's," film muttered. That man, Do Rulnore, will assuredly do us all the harm that lies in his power." "What lies in his power?" Cecil scornfully demanded. "Truth must always bo triumphant, in the end ; and if in is not, then it cannot be Truth." ' "You are wrong," .slio answered, with th;> cynicism of her nature. "There is no such thing as Ktornal Justieo, Cecil ; and truth and falsehood alike are accidents, and stand or fall according to apy inherent .strength or weakness in themselves." "If I shared, your dreary creed. I should end my lif® without compunction, as tho philosophic inlidels of old used to do," said Cecil, with a hard laugh. His nature was becoming hard and hitter, as light and volatile temperaments aro apt to become, urnler the stress and strain of anxiety, doubt and fear; ho waw conscious of it, and that very consciousness helped - to increase his disorder. Tho days went on wearily, and it, ;-eeiried ii.s if a decision was never to he. arrived at. Nothing ;yeb had transpired •to falsify Magdalen, JJanvors' statement, or (o mullil'y her sou's claims; yet there m;.s an eager waiting, a kind of expectancy in tlio air, a,s if mmi knew a storm was brooding there. The storm burst oil the day when l'.stguard do H.ulnore wa.s brought forward by tho Karl of Pendryn as an important witness on, his .side.

I (is ovidouco wns clear, distinct, brief Mid unwavering. Tlio man's fminteiianee, in iUs devilish malice, gave :i. bad impression to nil unprejudiced onlookers; but ]ut took his oath with, smiling calm. promising to speak "fcho tnitli, the wliolo truth, and nothing hut the truth," wir.li a eoinposm-o which left nothing to be desired. <; Dr> you know the claimant?" was tho first (jliesliou put by the Earl's counsel. * ■ r d o.' 1 "Did voli l-.now his mother also?"' ''l did," acknowledged Kulmiro wiMi a, liow*. ' "-And is il. (.rue. also. Hi,'it -you, being afc that, time f/ord iNlariou Montagnr.'s travelling companion, advised lum h> marry this lady V ' 'To* save hini'-elf from unpleasant consequences. 1 did. T,onl Clarion liad arrived at "t:ll<> verge of ruin through the iwlrimiontality, I regret to sav. of ■Hegma.ld Danvers; his marriage' was the only way of escape offered liiin." ''fjord ."Marion Montague ,-ind jMukdalen Chctwyd Danvers wore. then, legally married —were actually and legally ncm and wife '' ".Actually and legally married—yes; actua.jlv and legally man' and wile---i.o._ There iy, a, dilFeroriro, or, at least, a distinction, smiled the, snav,> KrenchTIM fl. "A. in a rriage, legally contracted in > very oilier respect, may ho rendered null a ud void by :i Conner union, in force." A curious thrill ran through the <'ourt. There were few present wiio tool; in t,he full force, of fhe words,, yet all I el t. that a, crisis bad been reached ;it la.it'. "lie careful what you iS ay, monsieur," said the counsel, whos,, cold eye ;; h:i(l a, gleam of triumph in them. "Remember yon ,'i.re on oath. Of v. hat former union do you speak ?'•' Kvery Jiead was bent forward In catch the answer. When l)i« Hidnoro oki'. the silence ivai so "re t.fc that it. si'cnii-d a. if the la.|fine;of (he proverbial pin Would have startled every one. /'Of tin. union effected in March, l-.1j.'1, I ict wei-n Antonio t'ae'arini. nin«t"i of a. trading vn..n! between Naple.i aiJ the Harbarv c^l.a'e- ami Ah-d-ilen o" Maddalena llaiiien " An e|, t !, r,,,,., ' ' 1 ■ t'ourt I nun <■ ii' I in end and hem

j-eat to seat, would, not have i>rodueed a more visible, efl'eet than JV I!ulnoro's uurd,. ,\o 11111rii111r, jui scnsa.Lion of surprise, testified llio cjl'oot; lint a. look ill lil,'ink amazement 100 great lor expression du-olt. upon every lace. I pou those more immediately eonf:t rued in tho result. of si) extraordinary •'i statement. tlic clfwi was still more apparent .Strangolv enough, Magdalen had been sui/.od with a ssiuldoii attack, ifoin which she often sull'ered, that day, • itnl had been unable, to attend the Court. Hut, the claimant himself, upon whom Mm l»|o\v fell with nil the startling suddenness of an utterly nnoxpev teii one, Lurned white as death; hardly knowing what ho did, ho started to his foot, as if to challenge the hold statement. His counsel, however, who was fitting near, bonding across, whispered a low words in his ear, and Cecil sat down again, still looking da/.ed awl bewildered The Karl's counsel, meanwhile, had resinned his interrogation. "What evidence have you got to substantiate such a. .statement?" Do llulnore produced the two certificates, which both the Karl's counsel and his family lawyers had already soon. "This is (he certificate of tho marriage op Caesarini anrl Magda,!en. I~)aiiverx. The lnpne is entered a,s Maddalona, which is the Italian form of course. I have reason to heliovo there* was mot; another Ma.gdalen Danvers within iho boundaries of tho State in the ymr 1863. There. was another —a relative—hut she died seven years before that date." The last statement was superfluous. Tho Karl's fane, in the shade as ib was, seemed to turn a degree paler as J)c llulnore made, it Ttie certificate was examined by legy,l and lordl.y eyes; hub., is far as ono could understand from the expression of these, no flaw was to bo found in them. The Karl breathed more V"lt is a. most extraordinary complication!" whispered his counsel in Cecil's ear. "There is some villany at tho bottom of it." "It is a, villainous plot." said Cecil. Ho had recovered himself a. little, and sat erect, still pale, but with a, set look upon bis lips which the.o lawyer had never seen, there before. 1 ' 1 might have known it all along. Do "Ruljuut! sworo ho would ruin us yet-" "Can you prove to us two things, M. do Rulnore?" examination was still proceeding. "First-,./that this is a genuine document; and second, that, even if genuine, it affects tho position of tho claimant." "The first can be prove,d by examining tho registers of the Church of San Marco. Tho second I answer with this." Do Bulnore banded over his second document, which purported to bo a letter from tho Governor of Algeria, to the effect that Antonio Caesarini, on information being sent as to where he resided: and a. request that the person, to whom the letter was sent should at once supplv that information. The letter was addressed to Reginald Dan vers, and .signed bv the Governor. The documents had been laid before the Bench. Tho judge, whose sympathies had been with the claimant from tho_ beginning, looked perplexed <ind worried, lie was a quick excitable man, whom even to look at made most witnc-ssos nervous: but when ho now addressed a few Horn questions to I)o Bulnore, the Frenchman lost none of his imperturbability or sang foid. "How ea me you into possession of these papers?" "OP tho first, hy a, private request preferred to tlio present priest of San Marco, my lord; of the second, from .Reginald "Danvers' own bands, about a month before bis death." replied tho witness calmly.

"What reason have you so positively to identity the mother of the claimant with this Maddaloua. Danvers?" "lhe reasons stated before, my lord. First;, that, no other Magdalen 'lj an vers was known in Monaco at that date; | secondly, tlia.t tho letter from Algeria I nas sent to tile father of Caesarini's i presumed wife; thirdly that in February, 186.j, Caesarini, his wife, and child were. Jiving on famille at a very short distance from .Danvers, her .lather." His lordship looked still more worried as ho turned away from tho witness. Cecil's counsel rose to cross-examine him severely, but nothing could shalve his testimony. Tho impression, ho left on every legal mind, unbiassed hy other '."■ sues than that ot mero justice, was that ho spoke the truth, and therefore was sure of his position. As Cecil slowly left the Court wlion tho day was over, someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned and faced — Mark Lawrence I "You here, Lawrence!" ho exclaimed "Why, this is an unexpected pleasure !- and the two men shook hands heartily. "I thought you would bo suprised," said Dr. Mark ; "but tho truth is I —l had a. little business in London, and I thought I would look you up, and seo bow things wcro progressing. I have engaged an .assistant for the summer, so I am nob quite so tied down as formerly." "I am very glad, to seo you," said Cecil, again. "How is" —ho hesitated a moment —"Given?" "Pretty well, thanks; sho is never quite so strong in tho summer; but sho follows your ease with great interest, and is quite certain about your success." Cecil's face darkened, whether because of Mark's words or not would bo difficult to say. "You seo how things stand to-day. It looks tolerably jiko defeat." Mr As'.-ott stood near, ' and Cecil turning to him, said: "Come to my chambers both of you. I. shall send for my mother, and, if sho is able to come, she will explain to us this extraordinary story." Both men consented, and, in less than an hour after, they were joined by Cecil's mother. She bad been scriousl'l i *' s w:ls evidenced by her wan and pallid looks, but hor keen facilities u ere as much alive as ever. Her first glance at nor son's face told her sometning was seriously wrong. "What, is it?" sho asked, quickly. In. brief language Cecil gave, her an account of .Do Rumore's evidence. She listened quietly until the culminating point was reached, when sho sprang to her feet with an expression upon her lace which startled even lior son. "Coward! liar!" elie. exclaimed ill rough her set tect-b. "He spoke of revenge, and he, has taken it cruelly ana completely. Who is this man of whom ho speaks. I never even heard his name!' Her passion was. not so much that of enraged and insulted virtu© as of broken and baffled aims; and for a moment the lawyer sat looking at her iwth suspicion growing slowly in his mind. But he bad not time to speak; it was Cecil who came towards her with a. face from which every spark of colour had fled. "Mother," he said in a suriously low yet distinct voice, that seemed to his hearers to liold something deadly in its tone, "I said to you before, and "I say it again, if you a.rc deceiving mo in any way, toll me now before things go fuitlier: Gu.il you sweur before us now, as in the presenco of the MightyGod, as you did in Court, that vou"are not doing so?" "As God is above me," she said, in slow and solemn tones, her c.ves fixed on her son's face. "I have spoken tho truth. Never was woman more legally the uife of 2)imn than I "\vns of iVlarion, .bar] of Penclryn. and of him only. As for this man, of whom Do Itulnore. my greatest, living enemy, speaks, I do' not even know his name." 'l.ho three men were impressed by the solemnity of her tono, and Cecil himself scorned satisfied. fell me tho name of this man again," she said. "Antonio Caesarini." "The name conies back to mo in a mist," she said, after a pause, durinc: which she sat with shaded ayes, "and it seems as if I had onco hoard my father speak it; yet how or whore I cannot j remember. Ah! if my father were but | a.'ive! It seems as if evil spiiits were , arrayed against u.s. determined to comj pass our downfall." I "Can you not recall of whom your i father spoke when bo used tho name?" ■ said I\lr Ascott. "If we lia-d but sonic ; clue, we might get out of this labyj rinth." " J I "I cannot rein ember,." she said, pressing hor hand to her head. "It comes back to me like the memory of a. past dream, of which I can seize"no tangible idea."' "Can you remember anything that took place, in this year—the year 1863 in which ho says the marriage took place?" asked tho lawyer, after a pause. I "Let me think." Sho rose and paced : tho room, as sho had a habit of doing when ihulking; then paused before them. "1863? It was the year in which n\v lather took his I'oulettct-table a J id, I became bis decoy." She looked at Cecil, who shrank back at the words. .\es, I remember it all. Mo had many visitors, and they used to tell, mo [ was beautiful. I had suitors, though I was young—onlv seventeen; but none among them called Caesarini; and vet : the name, is familiar." "It is strange you, whose memory is so good, cannot remember the circumstances under which you heard the , name," .said the lawyer coldly. Sho looked at him sharply, j _ 'All! you, too, begin to suspect me.! cost hem' oven rats desert:, a. falling bouse. A\ o must only have those who ! trust us oil our side, Mr Ascott." i "lou mistake, madanie. retorted Mr i Ascott. '•[ do not suspect you: but I ! want you to ;«•.>. bow yon really stand." I "You said before we were'bound'to 1 win, Mr Ascott. because we had right 1 on our -sidy; you don t think now wo ! shall fail?" cried Cecil, <.x<:ited'v. 'His i daik eyes, were-blazing, his fac : > flushed his hands trembling; tho strain on, his nerves was becoming more than his highly-strung temperament could bear in calmness. "1 trust we .shall win yet.'" returned the- lawyer; "bub there is little uso in buoying ourselves up with the hope, if j there is none. Let, us feel the ground firm below our feet before we sav wo are safe." I "I hen. le(. us do what we can to I make if firm!" Cecil exclaimed. "Let I no expense be spared—lot- us send detectives abroad to find out tho truth .about this mail. Caesarini: surely ovory--1 thing can be traced to its beginning, and this as well as others." "It, is more dilfieult than you imagine if', f iri d out the particulars of a. marriape which took p.].nce Ihirty years ago," .said Jiie. cautious lawyer. "The worst of it i u . every person connected with ibis affair seems to have joined the majority, and so we liavc practically little to go upon. But we shall do what wo can." Magdalen Danvers. rousing herself from the stupor into which .she seemed to have fallen, suddenly said—'■'T will tell you what to do. Search fo- my father.'' "Your father!" repeated the lawyer in astonishment. "Why. he is dead. 11 is death has been authenticated. "He is not d«id," she answered. "I fool certain he. lives, lie is in Do Rulnor's pay, and i- hidden .somewhere. Such tilings can be done ill Monaco, though they could not bo done in England. .Search for hint : 1 luiou' he is alive.' 1 iT< i lie i-oiitiine'd. i