The Mysterious Stranger

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20888, 21 August 1939, Page 11

The Mysterious Stranger

SERIAL STORY

By H. S. SARBERT

SYNOPSIS At thp county ball Eileen Stanhope meets Paul Standish— n -locl-lookim.', mysterious stranger whom no one knows much about. lie tells Eileen that he is the owner of Bei.cvue, an old castle on the wildest part or the coast or Fiance. CHAPTER Xll.—Continued. .Jeanette immedialcly set. about making preparations for her departure, and on the evening of (he second day, arrived in Paris, and was al once driven to the Hotel Supreme. She was met at the door by a solemnlooking butler, who conducted her through several reception-rooms, till they came to a small apartment, all olivc-gTcen and dead-gold, with a lovely painted ceiling and panelled walls. The light was tempered by delicate shades in front of the numerous wax candles, masses of which filled various cups and vases which stood on the tables and brackets. A figure, sunk in the cushions of i a luxurious divan, sprang up at Jeanette's approach. It was Eileen. Flushed with excitement, she threw herself into her godmother’s arms and there was a sob in her voice as she cried. "Oh. my o wn, own .1 oauei.ie ! At. last you have come! Thank Heaven!” She drew Jeanette down beside her on the soft cushions, and held her hand in hers, kissing her, as or:c had been in the habit of doing ever since she was a little child. Jeanette sensed a change in Eileen, although she found it difticTi. to describe exactly in what way, except that she looked lovelier than ever. The pure, delicate colouring, the grave brow, the true eyes, which seemed to have a world of meaning in their deep blue depths—all were the same, and yet how different! "You must be tired,” Eileen said; "You have had such a long journey. It was like my own Jeanette to come to me so quickly.” “My child knew that I would come to her,” said Jeanette, as she gently stroked her soft cheeks. “But what is the reason of your being here, and where is Mr Standish? Is lie here?” “No” —and her face Hushed painfully. “lie is at Bellevue, dearest. He is obliged to remain there; but il is by his wish that 1 am here, and lie will come often to see me. He brought me here, and stayed with me till he found this hotel, which was for sale just as it is, and he bought it for our town residence. He has no thoughl but for me; but, oh, Jeanelte! I can’t bear to think of him being alone at the chateau, to hear all alone, when 1 would so gladly be with him. But he says it is no longer safe. Oh! why will he not trust me entirely?” And then she tlung herself into Jeanette's arms and burst into tears. Jeanette’s First Grandchild 'Her godmother soothed her as best she could, though she was, of course, at a loss to know the cause of her grief; and, in her anxiely to rouse ‘Eileen, she asked for tae ch*id. “To think,” cried the girl, as she wiped away her tears—“to think that I should have forgotten hi.n! Come, we will go to him, and liitn you must come to your rooms, and rest and refresh yourself after your journey. We shall be quite alone Inis evening.” Little Paul was a pretty child with his father's dark eyes and his mother’s sunny hair. Eileen pul him into Jeanette’s arms with a Hush of pride, saying, laughingly: “Your first grandchild, darling!” They sat over the fire in Eileen's bedroom that night. There was so much to be beard, so much to tell. And as they talked over her life, Jeanette asked her the meaning of her words —that Bellevue was no longer safe. “Because of Jules,” Eileen replied. | "You remember I wrote to you about j him—that great big servant that I ! never quite liked! Well, just before I |

came away he had been ill with fever, or something of that sort, Anyway, he became delirious, and in his delirium nearly murdered Paul. It was this that decided him about sending me away. But you may fancy, dear Jeanette, the stale of anxiely in' which 1 always am.” "And how long do you remain here?” Jeanette asked. "I don’t know." Eileen answered, sorrowfully; “but it is sure to bo for the best, since ho wishes it. If all 1 goes well, he will ho here next week, just for a few days.” Jeanette found Mr Standish very . much changed when he arrived. He j appeared unfeignedly glad to sec her, _} and thanked her most warmly for ’ i having come to be with his wife. "I hope,” Jeanette said, “that Jules j is giving no further cause for anxiety?” J I “Jules!” he echoed, turning to her | with rather a puzzled look on his face, “What about Jules?” “Eileen told me of his having at- ■ tacked you,” Jeanette began. “Oh —ah—yes,” and he laughed a , little uneasily. "Oh, he is all right now. He is a faithful servant, Mrs j Pentland, and has done services fc»T me which no money can ever repay. | But now I want lo talk to you about ‘ j Eileen.” ! He then proceeded to tell Jeanette 1 that, by bis express wish, Eileen was !to enter into society. There were , | many of her friends In Paris that . j winter—friends that they had made in Italy during their residence there ; I after their marriage, and, added to these, many English who would only be too glad to avail themselves of her invitations. One evening in the week was to he set apart for her receptions, and she was to have just everything she wanted. “I hope, my dear Mrs Pentland.” said Standish, the day he returned to Bellevue, “that there will be nothing to prevent your coming to our old chateau next summer. The clouds are lifting, and 1 hope there is plenty of sunshine in store for us all. I leave in your charge my two most precious possessions. 'Guard them well, and Heaven bless you for all your goodness to me! It will not be long, I hope, before I can come again just for a few days.” “How strange the house feels without Paul!” sighed Eileen, after he had gone. "-How delightful it will be when we are together again, never, never to be separated!” She used to watch for his letters, and seize them just as if they had been love letters. Every day she seemed to miss him more, and count more upon his return, referring: all decision lo the time "Paul is with us.” In society she was very much liked, and her Thursday evenings were very popular. The Moorfields arrived, and took up their abode in a charming apartment close at hand; and Lord and Lady Dunscombe were also in the gay capital. “Monsieur le Duo” It was at one of Eileen’s receptions some time after Jeanette's arrival, that the latter was struck by the appearance of a gentleman who entered the rooms with a very high born person- | age, who was one of the regular habitues of their receptions. She was standing near Eileen at the time, and was startled by her expression. She turned to her godmother, in her beautiful eyes a scared look, like those of a bird driven right into the fowler's net, or of a hunted deer who was too weak to fly from the pursuing hounds. Her lace, too, became very pale, and her lips trembled. The emotion lasted but for a moment, and, as the personage came forward, saying: “I have ventured, dear madame, to bring with me this evening an old friend, to whom 1 have spoken much of you, and who has only just returned to Paris,” she was able to smile, and with an outstretched hand said, with j apparent warmth: j “A pleasure as welcome as it is unexpected, Monsieur le Due.” I "»I little thought,” said the Due de

"*I little thought,” said the Due de ’a Fontaine, as he bent over her small and, “that la belle Madame Standish .nd the beautiful Miss Stanhope were one and the same person. I look forward to the pleasure of being presented to your husband.” “He is not here this evening,” she answered, and Jeanette observed that she bit her lip nervously as the Due’s companion laughingly cried: "Ha, ha!—always at Bellevue. There must be some wonderful attractions about the place, dear madame.” “At Bellevue?” echoed the Due. "Why, that was the name of the place where I went to ” "Yes, I remember,” said Eileen, and her manner was slightly forced. "I felt very sorry for your disappointment. But now you will allow me to introduce you to my friend and godmother, Mrs Pentland?” “Of whom I have often heard,” said the Due, as he made Jeanette a low bow; and. as he conducted her to a low. seat, he talked in that easy, yet brilliant, style, which made him so popular in society. But, like the icicles in winter, his conversation was very brilliant and pointed, and Jeanette could quit«? understand that it would be more agreeable to have such a man a friend rather than an enemy. He asked her many questions about Eileen, of her marriage, and her home, and his eyes softened when he heard that she had a child. “Mv feelings for her,” he said, “is one of very great affection. Perhaps she told you of her strange resemblance to my daughter—my poor murdered child?” The eyes grew cold and pitiless now, and he seemed to fall into a reverie; but he roused himself, and the talk glided on to other topics. After the guests had gone, Eileen stood for some time gazing intently into the fire, and then she turned upon Jeanette with beautiful wild eyes, in which tears were floating. “You know,” she said, “all about the trouble when the Due went to Bellevue? Oh, Jeanette! the sight of his face has quite upset me. Do you think that anything evil is going to happen to my husband?” “No, of course not,” Jeanette said, gently. “Why, what has Paul to do with that horrible story? You are nervous, my child. The Due has but one feeling for you, and that is affection.” “I believe I am nervous,” she said, with an effort. "Bellevue has had an effect on me which I seem unable to shake off. Why! What is that? Steps—his voice! Oh, Jeanette! it is Paul. Now I feel quite, quite happy! Say nothing to him of my foolishness.” (To be continued)