Temptation

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 16096, 20 September 1924, Page 12 (Supplement)

Temptation

THE' STORYTELLER 11 ■

CHAPTER XXHL "For My Bpn's §aK e ." While Glodagh was staring at the news that had been telegraphed to London from the other end of England strange things were happening at Luffe After 'the finding and taking of Faraday's dead "body to Stockly's bungalow Lord Lashmere had taken Penelqpe Wing'baek to the Mount, i. He had practicaljy carried the girl all the way, fqr she was in a state of utter collapse and. delirium, and he left word with 'Edwards, that most capable" and superior of young gamekeepers, that he was to bring the doctor straight on to the Mount after ha had attended to Stockly and the dead convict. The police had come with the doctor from Chagley, and the authorities at Princetown had been notified of the finding of the body, which had been taken back to the prisq'n to be buried after the inquest which was bound to take place, for the doctor declared that the man' had been' deliberately murdered. ... When Lashmere turned his mind to his wife after bringing Penelope back, Mrs Gray met him in the library and, told him that Glodagh -was home and had gone to bed dead tired, but that, she would see him' in. the morning." Now the morning had come, and the Mount was in a state of confusion, for ipenelqpe was dangerously ill with brain' fever, and Lady Lashmere w a3 found, to have left her room after Mrs gray "had said good njght to her. It was Mrs Gray who broke the news to him, and she did so very tactfully. Lashmere was fresh from seeing the police, who were inclined to believe that Stockly had been attacked by Stcohen Faraday before the latter'was shot, but as the artist was still unconscious, they could get no news from him. The pistol with Which Faraday had been killed had not been found yet, though a careful Fear'eh was made for it, and it was upon "Lash'niefp's. shoulders that the weight" of everything fell. He hadtour his" story simply to the police; that, whjle looking for his wife who had gone for a stroll, and did not remember that '•' the fog was gettjng thick'; he'wandered about the mqor vvijjh his dog, and the dog found the dead man," and one of his gamekeepers had discovered the artist almost at the same time and carried him to his bungalow, where he thought the convict must have been hiding for a whila, as the clothes he was wearing belonged, to the artist, who had hidden the tell-tale convict clothes under a mattress., • ' "Youare' a frjend qf Mr Stockly's, I believe," my lore;" the inspector- In charge pf the cage asked. "Yes," Lashmere answered steadily. "He,'is an iart-ist of some note, arid I commissioned him to paint my wife's picture. He stayed with us a lot," he went; on, determined to say nothing that would reveal the real state- of things between himself and Stockly; "but he went, to his bungalow .a couple of weeks in order to hjrve more ttmp tq'palpt." The inspector made rapid notes of what he said, then added politely: "I believ-3 you found near the bungalow a ycung lady whq is staying in your house? my lord?" Lord Lashmefe frowned slightly. "Yes, ' a Miss Wing. She was my wife's secretary, a very nice young girl. I understand that she went to look for my' wife and lost her way. She was very likely frightened by the sound of the' shot that several people heard about ten o'clock," he added. "Quite so," was the answer. "I suppose Mtsi Wins is too ill to be asked a few questions, -my lord?" "I'm afraid so. Doctor Frayne is rather anxious about her condition." "Arcl her ladyship?" the inspector continued. "I suppose it wouldn't be convenient for her to see me in case she may have seen something?" "Lady Lashmere is at present aslcVp," Lashmere' answered coldly. "I am afraid she will know nothing about this affair. She was home before I found Faraday's body." Before the inspector could reply Mrs'Gray came into the room, her face agisted and white. "Oh! Lord Lashmere " she began, but at the sight of the inspector she stopped abruptly. "One moment,: please, Mrs Gray," Lashmere said quietly. "I sh all be disengaged soon." ".: , \yitti a murmured apology for taking'up his lordship's time the man of law "left the room, and Mrs Gray waited till he was out of the house before she spoke. Lashmere in the meantime lit a cigarette and began to smoke it at a sign from her. His weary,, dejected face was perplexed with annoyance at 'the publicity int-n which b 3 w as being drawn, and as she .waited for him to speak Mrs Gray wondered how he would take the news she had fqr him. ""Well," he said abruptly, "I see von are bursting with, excitement, Mbs Gray. Let me know the worst. I hope "Glodagh is not ill, too," he added anxiously. ' "It's about Glodagh," she answered curliv. "She's; npt in her room!" tic" stared at lici- in amazement. "Not in her room! Surely she can't haye gone out. again? 1 thought she was "going "to" let me sec her this morning." /

"I' thought so, too." Mrs Gray went oil' siowly. "But. she has run away because she could not face the truth,. SHo Ipves you, hut her courage wis not up to the pitch, so she has cone 1" Lashmere's face went white with fear and amazement. "Left me! Run away I What on earth do you mean!" "That rather than confss the truth to you she has gone," Mrs Gray repeated quietly; "hut I have no douht that she will come hack when she has thought, things over, and seen the papers." "Seen the papers?" he repeated harshly. "What on earlh will they matter to her? If she has run away then it was an elopement planned between her and Stockly! And you think she will come back because, he cannot join her!" He laughed bitterly. "I wish I had killed the brute when i saw him last night!"

••You arc lalkng sheer nonsense," Mrs Gray answered sternly, her eyes flashing with anger. "Your wife told rnc last night that, she loathed Martin lijtpc'hly—:-l>ljt that ho hnrl her in liis power-—you rcrnemhor you said yoursv'f that you would try to rind out who her blackmailers were,'' she \ycnt on in a low voice. "Well, Stpckjy is <jne— : -or t should say was one; neithcr ho nor anyone else rati blackmail her again. She will Know why >,r>on enough; the papers will maku that clear enough I"

''t'densc explain what all this really means." Lasfpcre saul quietly. "I am tired 5f "-v.yf,i.crics.''

"Clodagb. will seo hi the papers

(€opyrlgrht). PnMtsbed by arrangement -with The Ga'eral Press, Ltd.

By BLANCHE EARDLY Author of "A Bid for a Bride," " Mrs Maxwell's Silence," "In thi Wake of the flound," &o.

that the escaped convict, Stephen Faraday, has been shot through the heart,"' Mrs Gray answered gravely. "He was the 'secret' in the poor girl's life."

Lashmere's face went livid with horror. "Good heavens 1 Glodagh—and the man I defended I It's incredible; impossible!" "Unfortunately I haye her own confession, and surely you must see that all along Clodagh has been different eycr since "the day you defended that wretched man," Mrs'Gray went on. "But I had better tell you the story as' "she told'me last night, or this morning, rather." Then, briefly, but without leaving out a single detail that she had had from' Glodagh, she related the story pf that fateful marriage which had so nearly wrecked a young life." She told it gently, pleading' in her soft tpncs;'fpr paercy and forgiveness, but she realised to her grief that Lashmere's handsome face grew hard and grim as she beared the end.

"Think!" she cried. "With no mother to guide her, no one to tell her terrible . secret cr to help her. and alive to the horror of being claimed "by a -shameless murderer as his 'wife' —then, on the other hand, her growing love for you—-the insistence of your father that she should marry you at once as you were going away. I remember her reluctance," she went on, warming to her vindication of Clodagh, "and how odd I thought it, as I knew how. she loved you! Then this torture of finding that, miserable creature was reprieved when your honeymoon was over! To have the terrible knowledge that she had made herself an unconscious bigamist!" "I understand and sympathise," Lashmere said in a low, hard voice. "I realise her situation, and do not wholly blame poor Glodagh ' for what she difi. After all, she thought she would have been that fellow's widow Six hours before she married me. But our sins have a way of injuring the innocent—and I am thinking of my son I Good Heavens!" he broke out passionately. "He is the chief suf—ferer in this wretched tangle." "For her son's sake can't you forgive.her?" Mrs Gray, said softly.

"For my son's sake I cannot," he returned grimly. "Suppose all this comes out papers will ring with the sordid story. My name will figure on eypry ' common bounder's lips. How "can" I forgive her for not having been frank with me from the first; She" knew what I thought of falsehood and deceit. I trusted my honour to her, and she dragged it through the mud!" "Won't it make a difference now this man is dead?-' Mrs Gray asked timidly. Lashrnere laughed cynically. "We might get married again. Of course, we will do that, but my son can never come after me, never legally use my Then he sprang to his feet with an exclamation of horror. "How do we know that Clodagh knows nothlpg of this mar's death?" he cried in a hoarse voice. "She had the strongest motive In the world! Good Heavens 1 The police will at once think her guilty when this leaks out, as it will, when Stockly recovers consciousness! That man will throw all the mud he can!"

He sank into a chair, and covered his face with his hands, and Mrs Gray had no word that would comfort him. Her face was white with fear and worry,-for she remembered that. Glodagh had returned leng after the revolver shot had been heard, though he had declared she was home early!" Lashmere rose and looked at his watch. His face was like the face of a man who had a shock from which he would never recover; all the youth had gone out of it, it had been extinguished like the light of a lamp. "I am going to London at once," he said. I njay see Clodagh there, she is sure to wait now she has seen the papers, as you said. I \vill get her abroad as soon as possible." He paused abruptly as a servant entered the room with a salver on which lay a solitary letter. "This has come for her ladyship, my lord," he said. "The bearer is waitng for a reply to take back, and I brought it to you as her ladyship is not to be disturbed." Lashmere took the letter and dismissed him. "Tell the bearer to wait," he said as the man was leaving the room. "I will go and give him a verbal message." As soon as they were alone again he opened the dingy-looking communication and read it aloud. "Your ladyship is advised to meet the writer of this at the same place and time as before—the Silver Pools —in order to consult about the payments of the annuity she agreed to last time with G. F. If you fail to keep the appointment it will be dangerous for youl" "One of the blackmailers!" he said grimly. "On second thoughts I will Peters a letter to give the 'bearer,' who is no doubt, a village lad; I can write, a very fair copy of Clodagh's hand." He sat down at the desk and wrote a few words on a scrap of paper which he slipped into an envelope, and sealed with a seal belonging to his wife, then he rang the bell, and When the servant appeared gave the letter to him. "Give that without any further talk, Peters," he said quietly, and as the door shut upon the man he turned to Mrs Gray again. "I have made an appointment here with ("i. F. He will be shown into Clodagh's boudoir at six to-night. You will be there also.. At least we will scotch one of these fine fellows! I shah enjoy a little fight!" "The writer couldn't have known that Faraday is dead," she said slowly.

"That wouldn't affect his blackmail," Lashmere answered. "He will still hold the threat, of exposing her bigamy over her head. J rather fancy wo shall hoist him on his.own petard." he. added grimly.

Mrs Gray left the room and went to see how Penelope was getting on. A nurse had arrived, and she offered to sit with the patient while the nurse had a HI Me rest. When the woman had left, the room she sal down heside the bed and looked thoughtfully at the w'lite. face on the pillows. Like everyone in the house she had grown fond of tho quiet little Quakerish creature, whose devotion to Glpdagh had heen so sweet to see. It was strange that, this girl should also have heen out last night. It was obvious that she had followed her mistress in the hopi of meeting her. Mrs Gray wondered whether Penelope could throw any light on the happenings of that crini nicht. "I'hir. sh>] loved Clndagh." she murmured. "She would help her just

as Martin Stockly would hurt herl If only she could speak I" She looked about the room. It was untidy, with heaps of clothes lying about, and she got up to put it in order. Mrs Gray loved neatness, and soon restored the room to order. The last garment she picked up was Penelope's little dinner dress she had worn the night before, and as she folded it a letter fell out of the lining between the bodice and the muslin which the girl had made a sort of pocket. Mrs Gray picked it up and then started violently. The writing was well-known to her; it was Martin Stockley's. and the letter was addressed to Clodagh. though it began abruptly. As she read the few lines her face went white with apprehension. ". . . . Meet me at nine to-night by Gay Tor. ... That one sentence stood out in letters of fire. Clodagh had met him, she had admitted it, but, it was close to Gay Tor that Faraday's body ha*l been found. Had Glodagh seen the convict husband who had ruined her life? The thought, and what it implied, sent a shiver through Mrs Gray's body. With a nervous gesture she thrust the letter into the fire; That, at least, was one good thing done, and not a moment too soon, for there came a low knock at the door, and Lashmere entered the room his face grey and lined.

"Is Penelope asleep?" he asked in a low voice, casting a glance at the bed where the girl lay muttering and restless. Mrs Gray nodded, and he went on slowly: , „ "I have just heard that the weapon has been found that killed that brute. It was picked up close to Gay Tor. A stone had rolled over it. I have seen it," he went on in a dull, expressionless voice. "I knew it at once." "Well?" she asked with agitation, "was it Martin Stockley's?" "No, it was one I had given to Glodagh some months ago when she had learnt to shoot," he groaned. "It has her initials on it!" Mrs Gray sank into a chair with a low moan, and at the same time there was a movement from the bed. Lashmere turned in time to see Penelope sitting up and staring before her with bright, feverish eyes. "It's true," she muttered hoarsely. "For your sake-— —better so; no one will ever know—secret till I die; not afraid!" .„ As she sank back on the pillows Lashmere at Mrs Gray with startled eyes. "What is she talking about?" he said slowly.

She shook her head. "I don't know," she answered in a low voice. Lashmere turned and left the room, his brain was on Are with anxiety. Now that Clodagh's revolver had been found there w ou] d be endless talk, and perhaps worse. As he thought of the horror of her position if the truth came out that she had been the wife of the escaped convict, Faraday, he felt helpless with rage. She was still the woman he loved. In Ids heart he knew that he had never changed towards her, and this shadow of a deeper trouble helped to tighten the slackening chains of love. As he crossed the hall to go to the library he saw the gamekeeper, Edwards, arguing with the butler at the door.

"What's the matter, Edwards?" he said quickly, remembering that the man had helped him the previous night. "Have you any fresh news?"

The man saluted respectfuU?. "If you please, my lord, I want to see you alone if I may," ne said quietly. Lashmere hesitated a moment then nodded. "Come this way."

He led the way to the library, shut the door, then looked at the young fellow's face suspiciously. "Well, what have you to say to me, Edwards?" "Nothing much, sir," was the reply; "but I have something on me that you ought to have; it belongs to you in a way. Besides, I'm afraid to keep it in case I lose it." He put his hand in the inside pocket of his coat and drew out a paper, which he handed to Lashmere, who took it silently, and opened it. The next moment he gave a cry of amazement. The paper was the copy of a marriage certificate, and the name of the man was "Faraday," but the bride's name was one he had never heard before.

He looked at Edwards sharply. "Where did you got this?" he said sternly.

CHAPTER XXrV. penelops Wing's Confession. "Where did you get this certificate?" Lashmere said again. A fiery blush mantled on the young gamekeeper's boyish face, and he coughed with nervousness as he met his "master's cold, inquiring eyes. "I took it from a safe where it was put by a certain party who was going to destroy it, your lordship," he said at last. "At first I' did it to frighten someone," he went on, blundering in his efforts to be explanatory. "It was out of revenge, too, because they always said I was a fool 1" "They?" Lashmere continued quietly. "Who are 'they,' and what interest can you imagine I should take in this document that you should bring it to me? Speak up," he went on more kindly, as the round blue eyes grew troubled. "I recognise that you are a good fellow, but I want to understand what it all means, Edwards."

"Well, my lord, it's this way," the gamekeeper said hurriedly. "I was a clerk in a lawyer's office before I came to the country, and I was no good at following people, or playin' the spy on them, and I fairly haled the job, so I chucked it, and seeing an advertisement in the papers one day I thought t' dlike to try a country life. I could shoot and I loved an outdoor life better than an office one, so I was glad when I was taken on by your agent, as one of the gamekeepers. I remembered you and her ladyship, though you'd never seen me, my lord," he. went, on nervously. "I would 'ave kept quiet, only now I his man Faraday is dead, it might mean fre.sh bother if. you can't have the pull over the people that want to gel money out of you and her ladyship."

"Who was the lawyer in whose office you were in?" Lashmere asked slowly.

Edwards hesitated. "I don't want anything to happen to him, my lord," him, he mururmed. "You sen, (here's mother; she'd suffer if the other* were to be shown up." "Then you were, in your father's office?" Lash-mere said quickly. "if you are quite frank with me, Edwards, or whatever your name is. I will think over what, you say. Only, please, understand that, having said so much, you must tell me everything.''

"My father and brother were the lawyers who got. you |n defend Stephen Faraday, my lord." Edwards replied promptly. "That's how I got to know you by sight, though I only saw you once."

"Ah, Ezra Foam and Hon!" Lash mere said thoughtfully. "I remem her new. Rut. y >u mentioned he ladyship." he continued. "Did sh ever call at your father's office?"

"Once, your lordship, when she was Miss Vernham, onfy she let my father think she was a poor girl. He wrote to her as 'Miss Revel' to an address Faraday had known years ago; she kept her real circumstances a secret, and I was sent to shadow her to her home, oniy she gave me the slip, and when my father and brother kept nagging at me because I lost sight of her, I gave up the office; but I knew about that certificate," he went on, as Lashmere listened intently. "My brother found it at the flat where the woman, Letty Leicester, had been living. It was in a packet of papers belonging to Faraday; he showed it to my father, and they thought there was money to be made out of it—if they suppressed it!"'

"I see," Lasmere said, v.hen Ids narrative came to an end, "and you confiscated this precious document before you left your father's house. Well, Edwards, or Foam, I am greatly obliged t.o you. I will not forget the service you have done myself and my wife. In the meantime keep a silent tongue in your head. And if you can throw any light on the happenings of last night, do so at the proper time." "Yes, my lord," the young man answered: "hnt there's • one thing more I'd like to tell you, my lord; it's something I did." "What was that?" Lashmere asked quickly.

"I overheard her ladyship refusing to ask you to invite Mr Stockly to the house," was the hesitating reply. "He'd seen Faraday—sheltered him, my lord, and got out his story to use against her ladyship. When she refused to do as he demanded, he threatened to make it hot for her, to denounce her for having married you while Faraday was alive, and when her ladyship left him I took the liberty of giving him that blow on the back of his head with the butt end of my gun, to keep him quiet a bit," he added with a furtive smile.

"You acted very plucMly, Edwards," Lashmere laughed. ""I will keep that part of your information to myself. That scoundrel deserves worse than a blow on the back of his head for his conduct! You may go now," he added, rising from his chair; "but I shall want you this afternoon! Be about the place so that you can be got at quickly."

(To be continued next Saturday.)