CLAUDIA'S TRIUMPH.

Thames Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 8325, 16 April 1896, Page 1

CLAUDIA'S TRIUMPH.

CHAPTER 1. (Continued.). Alma went in and joined the company in the drawing-room. Mr Bouverie liked to fill his house with guests, and to see his daughter happy among her visitors. They both had the pleasant gift of making every one fee! at home at Wester park, and consequently every one enjoyed themselves, and it was a very pleasant group that looked up at her entrance • Where is papa, aunty ?' she asked a comely, mati only lady of forty, or thereabouts, Mrs Everafield by name, who, being left a widow with but limited means, was only too happy to take the direction of her brother's household, and supply a mother's place to bis little daughter. , 4 Gone down to the lodge, my dear. He had some directions to give to Hodgson about those horrid poachers. It makes me wish there was &o such thing as game.' The gentlemen uttered a chorus of disapproval, and the ladies laughed at such terrible sentiments, and in the midst of their lively gossip a sharp ring came at the front door. 4 Who can it be V exclaimed Alma •, 4 visitors at this hour!' A very welcome visitor—no less a person than Lieutenant Francis Vavasour—and a bright smile came into her face as she heard his name announced, She sprang out of the room to give him one moment's quiet greeting before heoame upstairs—to nestle in his arms for one brief embrace be fore his society was claimed by all her father's guests. She had expected his visit, but not quite so soon, and his arrival was a surprise to her. 4 Where can papa be ?' she repeated, when, the greetings being over, Frank had established himself on an ottoman by the window, and was chatting in gay sailor fashion to a whole bavy of young girls, who one and all envied Alma her handsome adorer. 'We want him for the charades.'

«He said lie should bo back directly,' said Mrs Evresfield said. *He must have been detained. Hodgson is terribly long-winded-when he gets well into one of his stories The poachers are his pet grievance.' There was a momentary 101 lin the conversation, and suddenly there rang sharp and clear through the evening air tlie report of a gun. It was a still, starless night, and though the noise was a long way off, it tould be distinctly beard. ' Poachers again !' said Lord Nortonshall. ' Those fellows ought all to be hanged. If I had tne making of the law they should.' < You are a strict game preserver, then ray l>rd 7' said Francis Vavasour. 'Mr .Bouverie is rather lax I euspecl,'

• Ab, then ihey take liberties,' his lordship replied. He did notmuchlikeiherattlingyouLg lieutenant. The gossip began general again,though Alraa could not help wondering eveiy now and then where her father was that he did not come back and the caught he thoughts wandering from the brilliant music to which some of her visitors were treating the company and listening for ihe sound of his foot urjbn the stairs. A footstep C4me, but not his; and presently the door opened and a servant put his head in with a look upon his face which sha never forgot. It was the very extreme of terror, and ha eyes wandered round »n<i round the ro *m as i hough uncertain whom to address, till they rested on Mr Water*, Mrßouveri^'s solicitor and man of business. 'What is it, Barton?' askfd^Mrs Everfefi Id puzzled at the man's manner. « Could I speak to Mr Waters, ma'am ]' Mr Waters came forward. ♦ To me, my man !' 'If you please, sir. No sir—that is I don't know—a messenger for- you in the library,' The lawyer turned very white. He had an ailing wife whom he dearly loved and whose nourß in this world \ve re numbered and he fallowed the mnn ru of the r ora without a wordr When the door closfd behind them Barton turned round with a piteous look.

* I bfg your pardon, sir, if I 4 frghteued you, sir, but it was for the Indies* sake—Mrs Eversfi 'Id and poor Miss Alm% There's no message uor nothing £ ( ,i- ym Mr Water?.' ' Then what is it ? Speak out, man.' «It's the master, sir, he's- ' * What! Has he met with any accident? Out with it!' ' He's dead, sir.' ' Dead!' Mr Walters was completely stunned by the shock, and could hardly credit his own ears * Dead,' he repeated. How? When 1 Where ?' * *hot, sir—not half an hoar since ?' 1 Shot! But by whom ?' * "We don't know, sir.' c Where was he ?'

«Down by the pond, sir. Hodgson brought the news, and the gamekeepers are bringing him home.' It was I- o true. Henry Eonverie, Esq., of Westerpark, the owner of

all that wide domain, had done with this world's cares and joys forever, and was being borne at that moment by his servants towards his splendid home, cold and stiff, with a murderer's bullet through his heart.

CHAPTER II

* I WISH YOU SUCCESS.'

It was a difficult task thus laid npon Mr Waters to be the bearer of such terrible information, and for a few moments he could scarcely believe that he was tiot in some horrid dream, from which he should presently awake by his own fieside It. was the truth, however. Each moment was bringing the corp9e of the master of Westerpark nearer to his own now desolate home, and something must be done ere the bearers of that terrible burden arrived.

4 What shall 1 do—oh, what shall I do?' te asked himself; and, as if in avswer to his perplexed question, a sharp ring came to the door. * Goed heavens, they are here !' he exclaimed, 4 Go, Barton, and keep them quiet, for heaven's sake!'

41 don't think it can be them, sir. I bade them come in the back way, so as not to alarm the ladies.'

4 Quite right, quite right, Barton, and very thoughtful of you, I am sure,' said the lawyer. 4 But I wonder who it can be ? Mr Vavasour, I declare!' he continued, as a cheerful, ringing voice' was heard in the hall, and the speaker hurried lightly towards the staircase.

Mr Waters hurried out and laid his hand on the young men's arm. • One moment, Mr Vavasour/ he said. 4I wish to say a few words to you before you go up to Miss Bouverie.'

• I'm perfectly at your service, Mr Waters,' Francis Vavasour replied in a pleasant tone, * but don't keep me too long, for my time is short.' • Very little will suffice,' said the gentleman, gravely, and motioning him to enter the dining-room. Francis obej ed the mute signal with rather a puzzled look, and in a very few word Mr Waters made him acquainted with what had occurred. The young man's handsome face tnrned very white as he listened. He had loved Mr Bouverie as a father, and it was terrible to hear of his sudden and awful death at the moment of entering his house with the anticipation of seeing him alive and well.

1 Alma!' he murmured, * Poor girl!' replied the lawyer; • she knows nothing as yet.' * How b she to be told T ' Cannot you undertake the task ?' ' Not for the world !' exclaimed Francis with a shudder. • And yet it must be done/ Perhnpa she will bear it better from me. Yes, Mr Waters I will doit.' llt must be dene at once, Hark ! what was th-fc V

It was a suppressed cry from (he servants* part of 'h? h>u c— '% stfled cry, which told all too plainly that the nvri had arrived from the park with ih ir ghastly burden. ■

4 Stay about her?, Barton, 1 Mr Waters went en 'and see tint no one goes up to the dr iwing-room. Shall we g • arid see Mr Vavasour 1 f

Frincis nodded without speaking, <nd arm in arm they went to the seivanV hall. They found a mournful grotjj). assembled there —nearly nil serv-nip, four men, Hodgson, thegamekpep-r,»nd laid on one of the long tables \a iheic midst, the corpse of their dead m S'cr. Theie was no awful disfigurement, n> bloodstained features or fractured skull. H> lay there ctlmly and qui«tly *s though in slumber and when Francis Vavasour stepped over him hi could scarcely rea'ize the fact that he wa« gazing on the face of a copse, so lifelike was the peacefully placid expression" of the features which seemed those cf a sleeper. £las 1 it was too tru*. Mr Bouverie ba<J been de*l for Bi»me time as could be plainly perceived by the rigidity of the limbs vvhioh were already cold and stiff.

(To be Continued.)