A Fatal Vengeance

Waikato Times, Volume 117, Issue 19515, 2 March 1935, Page 21 (Supplement)

A Fatal Vengeance

SYNOPSIS. Dick Ingrain is in love with Esther Deane, but does not propose to her, as his position' docs noi yet warrant him marrying. Trade In Slagborough is very had, and Dick leaves the town to seek other employment. Returning to see Esther, lie finds the house empty, her rather dead, and Esther gone abroad, leaving no address. Squire Tregeiina, of Monkswood Abbey, dies. Dick learns to bis surprise that be is next or kin. lie takes up Ills abode at Monkswood, and makes the acquaintance or Mrs Bellairs and her daughter Adelaide.

Mr Eugene Philllpson, living In a thirdrate lodging house in Soho, learns that he Is a remote connection or the Tregenn'a’s and that hut Tor Dick Ingram lie would be entitled to the property or Monkswood Abbey as next or kin. Ho is visited by Adelaide Bellairs, rrom whom he is demanding money. Seven years previously, when Adelaide was finishing her education In Paris, she had mct_ Eugene Philllpson, and unknown to anyone, married him, only to discover 100 late Ills true ebaracier under Die veneer or a gentleman.' Dick’s grief at Esther’s death In time softens ail'd although lie Will never feel Die same towards Adelaide, he determines to ask her lo bo his wire. Dick is taken seriously 111, and Adelaide finds he is being slowly poisoned to death by her husband, give threatens lo expose him unless he leaves the country. Philllpson goes abroad, and unknown to Adelaide obtains employment al Kins. Airs Bellairs and Adelaide, prior lo the wedding, go abroad for a short holiday. I'hey meet Mrs I'argener, an old friend, and all decide to gu together to Kins. Dick Joins them there.

More Eugene secretly employs a rurilan to lake Dick’s lire, Put. lie Is saved b.V Sirs Parcener’s companion, xvlio, lo Dick's amazement, lie recognises as Esitier. sue and Mrs I'argener had escaped from ilia sinking’ ship, and her name In the paper as one or the doomed was an error. Dick’s joy at rinding Esther alive is damped by the Tact that he has asked Adelaide 10 be his wire, and to cast her oil' so near the wedding would bring dis-’ honour on him and her alike. CHAPTER XXlll.—Continued. Dick was looking at her, unwilling to continue a conversation that threatened to become heated. Adelaide had never spoken in this terse, ungracious lone before, and he had all ■a man’s dislike of a scene. Very probably 'some trifling annoyance, a disappointment of her dressmaker, had vexed her, and the wisest thing for him to do was to hold his peace. She had been sitting alone for the past hour, thinking. Trying to steady her brain, so that her thoughts might at least be coherent, Hie pre-eminent, maddening remembrance that a man who in a short lime was to be her husband, loved another woman, festering in her mind. -She was daring all to win a worthless reward, yet allhough .she recognised this, her resolution was so strong that, if it meant the destruction of her future and Dick’s, she would not shrink from carrying it out; nay, what she had overheard in the hotel sitting-room had mads her determination adamant, Hie agony of her enlightenment crushing every other consideration, except the fierce hatred of Esther. She ’would not draw back—she was within reach of her goal and in the tumult of her thoughts Eugene Phiiiipson was forgotten.

“I suppose you and Airs Bellairs will be in Wakering by this time tomorrow,” said Dick, after a lengthy 1 ause. ‘‘l hope you will have a good time down there. It will he a change from London, and Airs Pargener seems very well .satisfied with her new home.” Adelaide got up impatiently, for his talk was so banal that to answer him needed all her self-command. lie' was only acting a part in coming to Lygon Street, merely fulfilling a duty that was irksome to him, and her hot resentment was becoming contempt for this man so soon to perjure himself at the altar. That she would he committing a crime herself was nothing—nothing to bo remembered nor considered in face of attaining her end, but her hatred of Esther was becoming hatred of Dick, whilst it fanned her passion for him. “Airs Pargener is not a particular friend of mine,” sho replied in a casual tone, "and I am going on this visit io please my mother. You will stay at Alonkwood, I presume, whilst we arc away.” “That's my idea," -answered Dick. ‘‘There is nothing to keep me in London this week. Why do you ask?” “f had no reason. If occurred to me.” The talk was constrained, very different from what usually passed between them, and bolh were conscious of Lhis, finding it difficult lo sustain, and it was a welcome relief when Airs Bellairs joined them, full of chat about their approaching marriage, mingled with misgivings of the weather and her journey to Essex next day. "I daresay Mrs Pargener will do her best lo make our visit pleasant, hut I know nothing of that part of the country, and if the weather is bad we shall .see but little of it. Of course ilie people will have the awning close to the carriages—l am thinking of the wedding, Richard, because you know how tiresome it Is if it rains when wo go to church, and at tills time of the year one can never depend on it.” The inconsequential woman rambled on without Adelaide paying (lie slightest attention io Tier. How could she when her mind was full of the torturing knowledge that Dick's love was given lo Esther Deane, Ihc woman whose existence she had barely acknowledged. ITis treachery, and she had no other name for it, was searing her soul and deadening Iter heart lo any Ihoughl, of relenting from her delei'minalion, for at limes she had listened lo the- voice of conscience, halting between love and better nature, hut now every care and scruple had lteeii cast aside. Yielory should lie hers, even though il held a lul m e of vain remorse “J hope you will have fine weather at W'akcring," Dick turned lo her. “You’re busy, t know, so I won't slop,” and he held out his hand, that sho accepted with almost physical pain, moving away abruptly.

I "1 shall sec you al the slaliou,” he | twirled. marvelling at her coldness, hut she did not reply. j II was said like a fnrmnlily, hred- , h'ssly, Iml could he have foreseen Iho , lime when he was In look upon her I colourless face again, he would have : hern silent. fIIIAPTIvH TvXIV. I A week had gone hy without Dick 1 hearing from I’hillipson and he began wondering al the cause for Iho delay. | There was no reason for ||. sa far as i he knew, and Ihe mailer oughl |o have | heen sli'aighlened out long ago. Phillipson was not one lo neglecl Ihe lillle commission Tie had undertaken and although! il was not of pressing importance, Dick was anvious • lo have it sell-cd. so he paid Smi'i'd a call lo inipiire if he knew anything of I’hilllpson's miivcmenls. "I don't think I should he surprised al anything lie ma> or may md >l■ > lie's an errenlrir fellow and has very proliahly foi'gollen Ids promise. lie has always puzzled me and afler lli.it night when Maddox lost hat. temper, 1

BY John Thanet. A Thrilling Mystery Story.

haven’t seen much of your cousin. AVhy not drop him a line?” “For the simple reason that I don’t know where is lie pulling up.” “I can help you there," replied Smecd, “for I happened to meet him on his way to the railway station, when I lie took the trouble to tell me about | That man who lives in Foulness or i Walla I .sea—the man old Carr on wants ! to prosecute.” J “Old Carron won’t do anything of ! Hie sort.” ! "Well, Phillipson said he was going • to see him on your account, and would ; put up at the ‘Fishers’ Inn’ in Foul- ' ness. I wasn’t interested in hearing i that, and I don’t envy him his trip. I was yachting there two summers ago i and we got wrecked on the AlapHn Sands, so I’ve cause to know Ihc district. It's a risky place. Did Phil--1 lipson go on his own or did he make

( a special journey for you?” I “lie said lie was going down to Essex and 1 Ihoughl, it a good opportunity for gelling some information. ,' That’s how it came about.” | “He’s staying on the island, so if l you write lie will possibly wake up and I recollect bis errand. lie’s not everybody's money. The 'Fishers ’ Inn’ will find him. It’s a comfortable, I ! old-fashioned place where I hey do you well, hut the country is about as desoI laic as a winderness. I)i L Phillipson j say what his own object was in go- j ;jeet was in going there?” i I “No, only that he was going. L! didn’t ask any. That was nothing, to me,” replied Dick. I “He had a reason, you may he cer- j tain," laughed Smeed, and Dick made j a note of the address and on return- j ing to his rooms he wrote io Phillip- | son a rather awakening letter, asking what lie had done and for a prompt reply. 1

Another week was coming to an end and Eugene’s continued silence became stranger .than ever, so Dick came to (he conclusion that for some unknown reason his cousin had probably never gone to Essex. Smeed’s remark that no one ought to he surprised at anything Phillipson did or did not, was recalled and therefore the only thing to be done was to lot the sraall Holder’s case remain In abeyance, which Dick decided lo do J’of’ the present. Phillipson’® nefilcct annoyed him, but he had something a great deal more engrossing to think of when lie went down to Monkswood that had lost its interest to him now.

•Airs Pargener had -written asking him to put in a week-end at Homehurst, for she has had great sympathy with engaged couples, but he had declined the invitation. It would mean meeting Esther if he accepted it, so he excused himself from going to Wakering. Nothing should tempt him to leave home, least of all to go where Esther was, for lie was less brave than she, and that little scene with Adelaide in Lygon Street rankled in his mind.

Ye had tried to fathom the mystery ■of the change in her. 'They had parted at the station with no more, warmth than two friends would have shown, and there had been only the usual attentions he would have given to anyone he was seeing on a journey. Adelaide had taken her seat in the carriage with that set look in her eyes which he had noticed before, and she accepted the illustrated papers he gave her to pass the time with the same coldness sho had exhibited the previous day, and it was only at the last moment that she had offered him her lips. But there were tears dimming her eyes as she did this, her whispered adieu speaking with pasionate love in those hurried words, and something warned him that he was wronging her by his silence-—that It would have been best for both if he told her the truth, but the opportunity had passed for that. Adelaide’s silence, as she and her mother sped towards Essex, was so unusual that Mrs Bellairs could not help remarking on it. They were the only occupants of the carriage so that her tongue had full play, and after some preliminary observations upon the weather, site enquired if Adelaide had any cause for being so absent-minded. “Because you are so very quiet, my dear," she said. “And now that we have got off comfortably I am getting quite excited about meeting Stephana, and seeing the place she calls Homestead, or some such name, for I forget what il is exactly, I doubt if she will ever settle down, and I do wish you would show some interest, Adelaide.” “What possible Interest can Mrs Pargener’s house be lo me?" replied Adelaide. “I am going there to oblige you, and expect to be bored to death."

“My dear, please not to adopt that tone,” pleaded Mrs Bellairs. "I am quite prepared to find Homcoroft — no, that is not the name, but you know ihe place I mean—a quiet house, and Essex is extremely flat, yet it is always well lo look on the bright side.” Her mother’s rambling talk was intolerable, and Adelaide sought refuge from it in ono of the papers Dick had given her, whilst ABs Bellairs tried io doze, as the train rumbled on monotonously towards rHcpnami, who was awaiting their arrival in her neat four-seater car, a new purchase which had carried her from tier house. Esther had rernianed at home, although she had no duties to attend to, Mrs Pargener having engaged a staff of servants as an nil king's widow would do, although lloneuutst was but a small house. It was new, like her car, and very pleasantly situated in a garden that only wanted lime to look like one. The dining-room window gave a view of Wakering and the taking off place for the island of Boldness and the Broom Hoad thither, with brush wood clumps marking the causeway, .over which the North Sea came like a mill rare to submerge il al every tale, Ibo ii-ig '-ut rvi i y sign and bringing death lo any belated traveller on the read who might be caught by the turbulent waters, and the novelty of the scene, pleased Airs Pargener.

She was delighted at ng her x’sitors and as the train slowly drew up, Mrs Bellairs replied lo her salutation by waving from Ihe carriage window, and Adelaide stepped mil to Ihe platform. feeling annoyed by her mollier’s public demonstration. “I'm real pleased," exclaimed .Mrs Pargener, “for I was beginning lo think you'd broken down somewhere, but you’ve gol here, so il doesn’t mailer. Adelaide, you’i'e not lookin' well. What's amiss?” Adelaide moved away quickly, will) an excuse of looking nflcr Ihe luglace, and Mi's Bellairs fanned hersell wild Hie 'Taller'. (To be continued.)