STRANGE STORY. DR. LANE'S DILEMMA.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 347, 1 August 1885, Page 18

STRANGE STORY. DR. LANE'S DILEMMA.

HOW A FAMILY SCANDAL WAS HUSHED UP.

Dr. Lane, of Bruton street, was one day requested to call at a mansion in one of the neighbouring squares which had been let for the season to a Mr Overton, a wealthy Liverpool merchant. This gentleman, who was a widower with an only daughter, explained to the doctor that, having had occasion to speak sharply to the young lady, she had barricaded herself in her room, and he had seen nothing of her for two days. Her conduct caused him some little uneasiness, as he was haunted with the idea that she might be ill, and he had therefore sent for a doctor in order to ascertain whether there was anything the matter with her. He was careful to add that he had not the slightest desire for a reconciliation, unless his daughter chose to apologise for certain ebullitions of temper which she had exhibited. Dr. Lane was rather amused by this recital, which revealed that a trial of temper and obstinacy was in progress between father and daughter, in which the latter seemed likely to come off victorious. He paid a visit to the rebel in her stronghold, and was by no means favourably impressed by her. She seemed a very commonplace young lady, with awkward manners and afflicted with painful shyness. She answered his questions as briefly as possible, in a decidedly sulky tone, and showed so plainly that she regarded his visit as an intrusion that he bowed himself out with as little delay as possible. 'You need not be alarmed about your daughter,' he said, when he rejoined Mr Overton downstairs ; * there appears to be nothing the matter with her.' 'AH temper, I suppose, then'?' said her father, evidently relieved in his mind. ' Not much else, as far as I can judge,' said the doctor, feeling a little spiteful towards the young lady. 'There are symptoms of nervous excitement, but she will no doubt be all right in a day or two.' ' She can take her own time and keep to her room as long as she likes, for all I care,' said Mr Overton, with the air of a Brutus. Dr Lane did not feel called upon to reply to this observation, and at once took his departure. Being a busy man, not given to think much of other people's affairs, he soon dismissed the Overtons from his mind, and neither saw or heard anything more of them for some time. But towards the close of the season he happened to have looked in for an hour at a crowded reception, when his attention was directed by a lady with whom he was talking to a remarkably pretty girl who had just entered. . 'Is she not charming?' said liis companion. 4 She is a Miss Overton. Her father is a millionaire, they say, and she, being his only child, will therefore be enormously rich.' When the doctor heard the name, he naturally looked at the young lady with interest, the more e&pecially as her appearance was rather striking. He easily recognised her as her father's child from the likeness, but after a brief scrutiny he said to his neighbour : — ' She has a sister, surely ?' ' I believe not \\. in fact I may say I am certain, ' was the reply. ' What makes you think so ?' The doctor returned a cautious answer and gazed at Miss Overton with increased attention, striving in vain to identify her with his dim recollection of the sulky young lady who had given him so cool a reception. He was in the habit of seeing so many different faces day after day that there was nothing singular in his failing to recognise a new patient ; yet there were certain unmistakable signs of character in Miss Overton's features —a resolute chin, a firm mouth, and a defiant expression in the large dark eyes — which he could not understand having overlooked at their first meeting. Later in the evening the young lady, who appeared to recognise him as little as he did her, happened to take a seat quite near to him, and he could not resist going up to her. ' You do not recollect me, Miss Overton,' he said, making his best bow. * I am afraid not,' replied she, looking up at him without the least embarrassment. Her voice and manner seemed entirely •unfamiliar, and for a moment the doctor felt disconcerted. ' I fear I must have mistaken you for your sister,' hazarded he. 'I have no sister,' she answered, raising her pretty eyebrows. 'My name is Dr Lane,' he said, getting desperate. Whereupon Miss Overton gave a palpable start, while a crimson blush suffused her face and neck. She cast a frightened glance at him, and seemed speechless with confusion. To her evident relief her partner for the next dance came up at that moment, and with a slight bow to the doctor she rose at once from her seat and disappeared in the crowd. Dr Lane felt a little offended at this treatment, but the young lady's behaviour set his niind at rest concerning her identity. She evidently remembered him the instant he mentioned his name, and her agitation was no doubt due to the sudden recollection of the circumstances attending their last interview. Having satisfied his curiosity, the doctor became conscious that it was getting late, and

went home to bed, but he could not help marveling at his own dulness at not having recognised so pretty a patient. A day or two afterwards he was considerably surprised at receiving a visit from Miss Overton, who called at his house one morning while he was at breakfast. She looked pale and agitated, and returned his greeting with visible embarrassment;. 'I must apologise, Dr Lane,' she began, nervously, ' for my rudeness to you at Lady Swansdowne's the other night. The truth is that I really did not recognise you, and when you mentioned your name I — I — ' 'No apology is needed, my dear younglady,' interrupted the doctor good-naturedly. ' Pray don't distress yourself on that account. I hope you did not think it necessary to call about such a trifling matter.' ' I certainly considered that I owed you an apology, Dr Lane,' returned Miss Overton, avoiding his gaze. ' However, that was not the chief object of my visit. I called because I wish to ask your friendly assistance about a very unpleasant circumstance.' 'I am at your service, Miss Overton,' said Dr Lane, considerably surprised. ' I am aware that our slight acquaintance hardly justifies me in asking a favour of you,' said the young lady hurriedly. ' But it happens that you can do me a great service, and I am sure you are too good natured to refuse. Would you mind reading this, please ? The young lady then handed him a letter written on a dirty crumpled piece of paper. Dr Lane, more surprised than ever, took the document, and with some difficulty deciphered the crabbed and illiterate handwriting as follows : — '< 'The Red Cow, 1 Ferry Walk, Liverpool. Respected Miss, — I am surprised you did not answer my last. I am a desperit man owing to severe misfortunes and illness, and unless I receive (addressed as above) the twenty pounds (£2O) I mentioned in my last I shall tell your father everything. So you should not make any mistake about what I know. I may remind you lam aware you came to Liverpool on the 15th April and ! stayed the night at Mrs Banton's, and the | next morning you saw Mr M. off on board the steamer unknown to your father. A pretty story to get about of a young lady which you know is quite true, — Yours I respectfully, John Dowxs. ' To Miss Overton." < Bless my soul !' ejaculated the doctor \ ' what is the meaning of this ? Who is the man who writes this letter?' ' He is a butler my father discharged for drunkenness — at least, I suppose that is the man. I know nobody else of the name. But, Dr Lane, please observe the dates he mentions,' said Miss Overton eagerly. 'He says I went to Liverpool oh the loth of April and was there on the morning of the 16th. Now you will remember that it was on the morning of the lCth of April that you paid me a visit in my room.' 'No doubt you are right,' said the doctor, turning over the leaves of his diary. ' Yes ! here is the entry. Thursday, the 16th of April, at 11 a.m. This fact alone, of course, proves the accusation to be groundless. It is evident the man was mistaken.' ' I ignored his first letter altogether,' resumed Miss Overton, apparently relieved by Dr Lane's ready testimony. ' However, he has written again; I wish to take precautions to prevent him worrying papa. I would send the man the money directly, to secure papa from annoyance, only I know that would be a weak thing to do.' 'It would be fatal — it is not to be thought of,' said Dr Lane decidedly. 'I know, but I must do something,' said Miss Overton, with an air of desperation. ' Papa has so much to worry him that I must save him this annoyance at all hazards. I thought, perhaps, you would not mind writing to the man to say you saw me in London on the 16th, and thus put an end to the matter.' ' I am afraid I must decline doing that, ' said Dr Lane, after a pause. ' Not,' he hastened to add, 'from unwillingness to oblige, you, Miss Overton, but because this man must .not be let off so easily. This is an impudent attempt to extort money, and my advice to you is to hand the letter to your father and leave him to deal with the man.' 'Oh, that is out of the question !' exclaimed Miss Overton, with sudden energy. ' You don't know, Dr Lane, how my father lets little things worry him. Such an unpleasant matter would really make him seriously ill.' ' Nonsense, my dear young lady. 'In fact,' said the doctor, rising from his seat and speaking with decision, ' unless you will promise me to hand your father the letter, immediately, I shall feel it my duty to speak to him.' Miss Overton looked disconcerted, and seemed to meditate making an attempt to dissuade him from the purpose. But ap- | parently, upon second thoughts, she changed her intentions, for after a moment's re.fl.ee- J tion, she said rather coldly : — ' You need not trouble to do that Dr Lane. I— l feel your advice is right, and unwilling as I am to cause my father annoyance I will hand the letter over to him. In that case you need not mention to him that I consulted you about the mattes first.' ' Certainly not ; but mind, you promise ?' said Dr Lane playfully, as the young lady i took leave of him. The fa§t was that the doctor's chivalrous feelings were thoroughly aroused hy the discovery that an unscrupulous scoundrel was

seeking to impose upon and intimidate a yound aud innocent girl. The intelligence filled him. with honest indignation, the more especially as Miss Overton seemed disposed to yield to the man's demand. Her eagerness to conceal the matter from her father evidently arose from mingled sensitiveness and reluctance to make a scene, coupled with filial solicitude. But Dr Lane was strongly of I opinion that Mr Overton ought not to be kept in ignorance of the attempted extortion, and he resolved to take an early opportunity of calling upon him to ascertain if the young lady had fulfilled her promise. A week passed before he could find time to carry out his intention, when one evening he received a pressing note from Mr Overton, asking him as a particular favour to step round to his house immediately. He did so, and was conducted by the footman across the hall to the library. Just as he reached the library- door a maidservant came out of the room looking so white and scared that she at once attracted his attention. ' Who are you ?' he inquired almost involuntarily, struck by a sudden recollection of her face. ' I am Miss Overtoil's maid,' she said in a low voice as she hurried past him. Dr Lane stared after her with a puzzled expression, but before he had time to compose his thoughts he was ushered into the library, where he found Mr Overton engaged in an animated and rather angry discussion with a grave elderly gentleman, who was presently introduced to him as Mr Brooks, a solicitor. ' I don't say the servant-girl is not speaking the truth,' the lawyer was saying when he entered. ' Her nervousness and agitation may be quite natural. But it woiild never do to rely on her evidence.' ' "Well, here is Dr Lane,' said Mr Overton, hastily performing the ceremony of introduction. ' You will now hear what he says. You may recollect, Dr Lane, that when you called and saw my daughter a month or two back, I mentioned to you that Aye had had a disagreement.' 'Perfectly,' said the doctor, wondering what was coming. ' It was about a foreign scamp of a singingmaster, whom she fancied herself in love with, and who has since turned out to be a married man with a family,' said Mr Overton, who was evidently labouring under strong excitement. 'He accepted a bribe to leave the country and go to America. I brought my daughter to town this season to get her out of the way till he had started, and the poor girl is now accused of having gone to Liverpool to see the rascal oft.' ' The question under discussion is,' interposed the lawyer, whose cool matter-of-fact tone contrasted strangely with his client's excitement, ' whether it would be expedient to prosecute a man named Downs for attempting to extort money from Miss Overton by threatening to disclose to her father the alleged fact that the young lady was at at Liverpool on the day the singing-master sailed for America.' ' Certainly he shall be prosecuted and punished with the utmost rigour of the law ! ' cried Mr Overton, starting from his seat and striding about the room. ' As I said before, my dear sir,' said MiBrooks testily, ' we must first consider what evidence we have to disprove the man's story. It would be most unwise to prosecute him and create a scandal, unless we can show conclusively that there is no foundation for his allegations. You could get a conviction, no doubt, but that is a very small matter compared with your daughter's reputation. The maid-servant's evidence would be worse than useless.' ' Well, Dr Lane, you can settle the point i at all events ? ' said Mr Overton anxiously. ' You can swear to having seen my daughter in her own room upstairs on the morning of the 16th of April?' Dr Lane did not answer immediately, for it suddenly occurred to him that he was placed in a most awkward dilemma. A few moments ago he could have given an affirmative reply in, perfect good faith, but the appearance, tone, and manner of the servant maid, whom he had met outside the door had so vividly recalled to his mind his first impressions of Miss Overton that his suspicions were aroused. In fact, during the foregoing conversation the conviction had gradually dawned upon him that the lady's-maid had personated her ! young mistress when- he was called in, and when he recollected Miss Overtoil's embarrassment upon his addressing her at Lady Swansdowne's, and her conduct at their subsequent interview, it was impossible for him to doubt that she was guilty of the escapade of which she was accused. . The good doctor was a very truthful, conscientous man, and his natural impulse was to give expression to his real convictions. But he was generous and kind-hearted almost to the point of Weakness, and he shrank from causing pain to a devoted father and from exposing- a young and impetuous girl to the grave consequences of a thoughtless indiscretion. ' I certainly saw Miss Overton in her room that day,' he replied with hesitation. ' Are you certain of her identity ?' suggested the lawyer suspiciously. ' I renewed my acquaintance with the young lady a few nights ago at Lady Swansdowne's,' he replied evasively, turning to Mr Overton. 'To be sure. She told me she met you,' exclaimed her f atber, looking triumphantly at the lawyer. ' What do you say now, Mr Brooks ?'

'Dr Lane's evidence would be most valuable — conclusive, in fact,' said the lawyer dryly. 'At the same time, I would not advise a prosecution. I've seen the man, and he is thoroughly frightened. He will consent to sign a written statement admitting that he was mistaken, and apologising for what he has done. To avoid publicity and annoyance to your daughter. I think you had better leave me to settle the matter on that basis.' 'I think Mr Brooks is right, if he will excuse my saying so,' interposed the doctor eagely. ' A public trial would be a most painful ordeal to the young lady, notwithstanding her innocence.' •—•«, Dr. Lane glanced defiantly at the lawyer as he uttered the last words, though he was conscious of a tell-tale flush upon his cheeks. Mr Brooks gave him a quick look of intelligence and approbation, while Mr Overton, whose wrath was evidently mollified by the doctor's convincing- testimony, said innocently : — ' Very well. Perhaps you are both right. I don't wish to be hard on the man, and therefore, Mr Brooks, I authorise you to settle the matter as you suggest.'