Serial Story. The Heir of Hampton Wold.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue XXV, 20 December 1902, Page 1544

Serial Story. The Heir of Hampton Wold.

A STORY OF LOVE AND ADVENTURE.

CHAPTER 111. A DREADFUL DIARY. Just three years passed away after that interview between Mary and Harold before Henry Altamont died. The Traffords departed soon after their resolution; but not until several meetings between the lovers had taken place of that bitter-sweet nature compelled by circumstances. Sweet, because they understood each other, and had faith in each other, and would wait for each other; but bitter because they were parting for a time, and there were many obstacles in the way of their complete union. Mary refused to contemplate the possibility of leaving her mother in a distant land, and she would not allow Harold to make any rash vows which implied that he meant to sacrifice Hampton Wold, and share his sweetheart’s lot anywhere—on desert isle, in wilderness —anywhere. “You are the heir of Hampton Wold,” said Dr. Trafford, “and it is not an honour to be lightly esteemed. Do nothing rashly. A thousand things may happen. I hope my dear wife will be able to return in a few years, that is why we are taking Time by the forelock. The longer we stay here, the likelier it becomes that we may be compelled to settle permanently in Queensland; but with good luck we shall come back again in five or six years.” The doctor was informed for the first time of the complete silence which Henry Altamont maintained in reference to the Traffords and their affairs. He was amused, but annoyed. . “Is not your uncle aware that you are intimate with us?” he asked. “No," i eplied Harold. looking rather guilty. “I never cared to tell him.” “It will be awkward for you if he cuts up roughly. He may live for twenty years, or thirty years, and you have no profession. It is a pity you did not go to Edinburgh with Breer.” "That is what I wanted to do, but he would not allow me,” said Harold with a tone of bitterness. But he added, “The world is wide, and there are many things to be done in it. Y'ou must expect to see me at Brisbane or wherever you settle before I am much older.” The Traffords went and Harold told his uncle about his love for Mary. He expected something disagreeable, but he was not prepared for the scene that followed. Henry Altamont acted like a madman. He threatened and he denounced, he besought and he commanded. Harold must promise that he would hold no communication with the Traffords again, he must thrust Mary away from his thoughts, he must marry somebody else. When Harold refused to obey his uncle’s imperious orders he was told to leave the house, and never darken its doors again, and the disquieting hint was given that he must not count his chickens before they were hatched, for after all he might not be his uncle’s heir.

“I have my suspicions,” the angry man said, “and if they prove correct you have not a drop of Altamont blood in your veins; you are a child of the gutter, who has been palmed off by a drunken mother for less than the price of a decent dog.” There was a dangerous look about Harold when he heard these words. “How dare you speak like that about my mother?” he asked.

“Your mother?” was the reply. “Y’ou never knew your mother. Grace Altamont, my brother’s wife,

lost her own child and adopted you. My brother Dick, I am glad to say, was ignorant of the deception, but his wife revealed it on her deathbed.”

Harold was subdued at last. There was a tone of sincerity in what his uncle said. He did not know how Henry had doubted and disbelieved this story, until the present quarrel seemed to scatter all difficulty’, and made it possible to accept what Guy had been telling him for some time. Guy said he had proof, not legal proof perhaps, that Mrs Diek Altamont on her death-bed confessed to a strange piece of deception which she had practised, in order to gratify her husband, who had reason to think Henry would never marry, and would leave no heir to the Wold. Diek Altamont was in the army, and was stationed in India, but his wife was in England when her child was born. “That child,” Guy said, “died soon after its birth, to the poor mother’s grievous disappointment; but she never informed her husband, and when he returned to England, delighted to see his infant son. he had no suspicion that he was being deceived, and that the offspring of a needy stranger was being petted and pampered as the heir of Hampton Wold.”

Ned Bartie was Guy’s informant. His mother was a friend of Mrs Dick Altamont, who confided to her the terrible secret on her death-bed. Henry Altamont was fond of Guy, but he felt doubtful about this revelation. He knew Ned Bartie, and had formed an opinion about him not altogether favourable. Mrs Bartie he did not know. “I will see Mrs Bartie about the subject some time,” he said, “but I cannot be expected to act on a piece of gossip, or a communication made by a dy’ing woman, or said to have been made by one. A formal deposition would have been different. It matters more to you than to me. If evidence can be obtained, set to work as soon as you like. Any reasonable expenses will be borne.”

This was a dangerous commission to place in the hands of a man like Guy, who was thoroughly’ unscrupulous.

Mrs Dick Altamont died at Whitby, where Ned’s father was stationed at the time. There was opportunity’ enough for confidential communications to be made, because the Barties and the officer’s widow were next-door neighbours in the old part of the town.

“Show me something, 1 ” said. Henry Altamont; “bring somebody who can confirm this statement. It is useless to stir in the matter until we have proofs. After considerable delay a small pocket diary was produced; Mrs Bartie said she had known about it, but when she moved from Whitby’ she had misplaced it, and could not find it until after a long search.

The delay had really arisen from the difficulty which Guy had in procuring a pocket diary for the year of Harold's birth. He found one in London at last, and in the meantime Mrs Bartie was practising Mrs Dick Altamont’s handwriting, chiefly aided by several letters Guy had purloined from Harold’s desk, where every scrap of paper his mother ever sent was religiously preserved. The writing was easily imitated, for Harold’s mother had learnt the pointed style, which lacks individuality. Strange to say. Guy could not find a specimen of Mrs Dick Altamont’s signature.

because in her correspondence with Harold she always signed herself "Y’our loving mother.” A guess had to be made, and “Grace Altamont” was written at the beginning of the book, in the style of the ordinary writing. The ink of the letters was of a peculiar tint, and Mrs Bartie remembered that her neighbour always used Galberry s green-violet fluid. A bottle of this was obtained, and entries were made, brief and fragmentary, vague also, but capable of being understood in the ight of the confession. Care was taken not to write always with the same pen, and not to write much at the same time. Days were allowed to elapse. Some of the writing was blotted, some dried at the fire, and some allowed to dry in the sunshine, or slowly in the dark. Places were smudged. Tear-drops were imitated. Many of the entries were suppositious and unimportant; they referred to the weather, or to friends who called. Mrs Bartie remembered the names of persons who had been mentioned as intimate acquaintances at Benterley, where Harold was born. There were a Mrs Fredericks and a Miss Halderton. A few brief sentences were written before £he date of the mother’s illness. Then there was a blank of a week or After that: “Baby very ill.” “Oh, dreadful.” “All in vain.” “Martha impossible suggestion.” “John Trogatt, shoemaker.” “Beautiful Iboy.” “For “Dick’s sake.” “Trogatts will emigrate.” Then there were the usual commonplace memoranda to the end of the year, with an occasional reference to the old subject. "Hope I shall be forgiven.” “Dick must never know.”

This carefully concocted, evidence was not ready at the time of Harold s quarrel with his uncle, but Guy had mentioned it, and was hopeful that it would be found. Mr Bartie was very ill, he explained, and a portion of the family belongings had been left ar Whitby, packed in boxes, and stored in the garret of a neighbour's house. Mrs Bartie intended to go as soon her husband was well, and she would search for certain papers which she felt sure must be there. Mr Bartie did not recover, and his death made an important difference to his wire and son, because his pension ceased, and they were left without sufficient means of support. Ned was no

worker, as he was ready to acknowledge at any time. Horses fascinated him, and he was not without the kind of skill required by gamblers. , The little diary was produced after a reasonable interval, during which Harold had occupied a peculiar position in the family’ circle at Hampton Weld. He wanted proof that his uncle's damaging assertions were true. The possibility of losing the estate troubled him far less than the aspersions cast upon his good name. Not for one moment after the first rude shock did he credit the story. It was a trick, he believed, contrived by his two kinsmen to oust him from his heritage, and to rob him of a dearer birthright, his honoured parentage. He wrote full particulars to Mary, and also to Breer Trafford, who had finished his training and was about to settle at Walton. When Harold was allowed to see the diary he felt sick at heart, for he did not know how it happened that entries like those had been made; the ink or familiar tint made his bewilderment all the greater. “It must mean something else," he said. “He kept the diary, and that led to an open rupture. It was important to Guy that

the evidence should not be destroyed. “It will not be destroyed,” said Harold; “I shall put it in the hands of my lawyer, Legalt, of High Street. Walton.”

Guy was indignant, and he seized his eousin to take it from him by force. Before he knew what had happened he was on his back in tnc library, where the interview tooK place, and Henry Altamont was pale with rage. “If this belonged to my mother, it belongs to me,” Harold said. “I shall stay a few days at the Crown, and if you wish to bring any charge against me, bring it. After that I am going away. The diary will remain with Legalt, and I shall instruct him to get to the bottom of this business.”

Henry Altamont had his doubts concerning the evidence which Guyhad obtained. He saw Mrs Bartie, and heard her explanation. She could give no particulars of rhe manner in which the children were exchanged. Mis Diek Altamont was not able to explain anything, for she was near her end when the acknowledgment was made. There were several other diaries, but they contained nothing important, so she had destroyed them long ago. She did not know where the Trogatts had gone to. HenryAltamont was not satisfied, but he never whispered to Guy that he suspected any fraud. Nothing was done to recover the diary’. Harold stayed a few days, as he had promised, then, according to his lawyer's advice, he executed a deed of attorney in favour of Breer Trafford, so that somebody might be able to act in case anything happened to Henry Altamont.

Harold had between four and five hundred pounds which his mother had left him. This: came into his possession when he reached twentyone, and it had remained untouched. His decision was speedily arrived at —he would go to Queensland. The charge which had been made about him not being the heir o» Hampton Wold was kept private by the persons acquainted with it. Guy and his party were compelled to maintain silence by Henry Altamont. Legalt and Breer Trafford were not likely to publish the story abroad But they kept their eyes open, and talked matters over occasionally.

Legalt did something’ more: he set Widkins to work, and Widkins was one of his clerks, a man who intended to make his way in the world if possible. He hoped to serve his articles some time, bnt that was an expensive job, and he had to be satisliev. with a lower range of life for the present. One inflnence kept him at Walton, and but for that he would have gone to a larger town, where his undoubted abilities might have had fuller scope; ho was deeply in love with Letty Rabidstaff. Letty did not commit herself, but she did not refuse to encourage Widkins. She thought him the cleverest man she knew, and that was something. He had loved her ever s.nce they were children togel her, so he told her; and she did nc t doubt the statement, but she would not gratify him by acknowledging that she loved him in return. “We are too young,” she said at first. “Marriage is a failure,” she said afterwards. They took walks together, however, and if other topics jailed there was Hampton Wold to fall back upon; both were ardent paitisans of Harold Altamont. It was perfectly safe for Widkins to tell Hetty how things were progressing; it may be surmised, however, that even to her he was not in the habit of revealing all he knew and thought. Ned Bartie was acquainted with the friendship (as Letty called it) which existed between Widkins and the postmaster's daughter, and it is probable that he informed Guy Altamont of the fact. Perhaps that was the reason why the strange messages were sent to Ned and his mother, who had both left the neighbourhood —Ned to live on his wits in London, the mother to live with a married daughter at Manchester. CHAPTER IV. NEWS GOOD AND BAD. When Peter Rabidstaff explained to his wife the circumstances, as far as he knew them, connected with the Traffords and the Altamonts, he mentioned among other particulars that Ned Bartie had been in love with Mary. Peter had no doubt about it, and many other persons were in the same position. Ned made no secret of it himself; and it is a safe rule to suppose that a man who pretends to be in love, especially when he tells outsiders about his affection, is, or thinks he is, in that condition. Who would be likely to suppose Ned wanted an excuse for making careful inquiries concerning the Traffords, without exciting suspicion? He did make those inquiries, and he explained his object in a love-lorn manner; so he obtained much information from people whom he knew only slightly, but whom the Traffords knew very well.

It is not necessary to give a full and particular account of everything which happened between the departure of Harold Altamont from England and the death of his uncle Henry. There was much-to be done by Guy and his henchman, Ned Bartie, but it had to be done carefully. A woman must be found who was able to give evidence which would confirm the death-bed confession of Mrs. Dick Altamont. That task was handed over to Mrs. Bartie, who was a worthy mother of a son like Ned; she had not liked Mrs. Dick, because Mrs. Dick had not liked her, and had taken no pains to hide her want of fondness. Mrs. Bartie would do most things for money, and Ned was able to call this a paying job, if it could be carried through successfully. Ned was not in a position to support her, hut he promised to make her an allowance, and she went to Manchester, keeping in mind the duty she had imposed on herself of finding a Martha to correspond with the Martha of the diary, or somebody who would do quite as well. Guy needed an agent in London whom he could trust (and with all Ned’s faults there was something about him which convinced Guy of his sincere attachment, to himself), so he sent the parasite to do his bidding in connection with betting on horse races. “It will pay you to keep straight.” he said, “and when we win the Hampton Wold Stakes I shall not forget my chief stable-boy.” In that sentence two separate and distinct Subjects were referred to, but Ned understood what Guy meant and nodded acquiescence. There was a club call-

ed the “Wallabies,” frequented by Australians in England; Guy joined it, and got Ned made a member too, with the understanding that anything of importance which came to hand in connection with Harold or the Traffords was to be sent to Hampton Wohl at once. A telegraph code was agreed upon; it consisted of Xfoore’s songs, three interleaved copies being procured, and the interpretations being written on the blank pages. Mrs Bartie was entrusted with a book. Ned had one, and of course, Guy kept the other.

Nothing annoyed Letty Rabidstaff more than sending or receiving messages which she knew meant more than appeared on the surface. It was mortifying to receive from Ned Bartie words like these: “The world is all a fleeting show, for man’s illusion given.” Equally mortifying was it to send to Mrs Bartie: “You may break, you may shatter the vase if you will,” or to receive from her “The light that Iles in woman’s eyes.”

There were many subjects not provided for in the code, some of which were never entrusted to paper: but when Ned paid a visit to the Wold, or Guy spent a few days in London, they were discussed. The thought struck them both that if Harold died it would simplify matters very much. They did not express any want of confidence in the proofs which were forthcoming to contest Harold’s tensions to the heirship. Affidavits had been drawn up in proper form, and attested before suitable authorities — not only Mrs Bartle’s, but a Martha Wrigley’s, who bore valuable testimony in favour of Guy’s contention. The diary had been copied before Harold saw Ft, and that copy was sworn to by Henry Altamont. who expressed his opinion that it was in the handwriting of his sister-in-law. All this was done, but still Guy and Ned could not help feeling that matters would be simplified if anything happened to Harold. They had Legalt to remember; it wis not likely that he would sit still and allow his enemies to sap and mine in peace. There was Widkins too. Before Ned went to London he kept his eye on Widkins, who was supposed to have his master's difficult eases in hand, and he knew the clerk was away from home a good deal. Ned went over to Whitby to see an old friend, and met Widkins in the old part of the. town, not far from the place where Mrs Dick Altamont had spent her last years. If he had gone to Benterley during the following week, he might have si'n Widkins there. Yes. Legalt and his clerk needed to be reckoned with in business like that. Guy and Ned always called Harold the Interloper, when they referred to him in conversation. The actor who blacked himself all over when he played Othel’o has many a counterpart on the larger stage of real life, and the most successful simulators are those who never smile, either in the active pursuit of their object or during the intervals of business. Guy said lie would give a good deal for legal proof of the Interloper's death. Ned Bartle’s mind was eminently systematic. Under favourable circumstances he might have become an eminent statistician. Wnat he called “figure pie” was a dish upon which he"fed with pleasure. He was fond of drawing- up tabulated statements. He dealt with horses in that manner, and jockeys too; their performances could be referred to in a moment. As' might-be - supposed, he had brought his methods of arrangement to bear upon the Interloper and his friends; whatever scrap of news had come to hand bearing upon Harold since he left England, or relating to the Traffords, Ned put it in its proper place, and was able to tell at any time how the affair stood. The Traffords went to Brisbane. They would have spent some time at Melbourne and Sydney, if Mrs Trafford’s health had not made the doctor anxious to settle down ns soon as possible where she might have rest and satisfactory attendance. Brisbane was not to be their home; further north they went, and took a house at Rockhampton, which was supposed to be the likeliest place for the invalid. Some weeks of uncertainty followed, during whieh the

fear began to be felt by all that the long journey had been in vain. But the splendid climate justified their choice of a habitation, and Mrs Trafford began to recover rapidly. The joy of Mary was so great when this fact liecame manifest that she forgot her regrets at leaving her Broadshire home. If Dr. Trafford longed for his old friends at Walton, he managed to hide hn feelings; he intended to make the best of his circumstances, and in his opinion the resolution ineluded an effort to seeni happy and contented amid the new surroundings. English letters were sent to Brisbane. and they hail to be forwarded to Rockhampton; this caused some delay. Mrs Trafford was comparatively well when the news arrived about the quarrel between Harold and his uncle and cousin, and about the doubt they had thrown on his parentage. Dr. Trafford was a medical man from head to foot, and his tendency was to regard every question from the standpoint of his own profession. “These exchanges of children are easy enough in romances,” he said, “but they are not easy in England. I wish I was on the spot to investigate the case; it is a pity the matter was not brought up before we left home, but in my opinion Harold may be trusted to make a good fight for it. Hampton Wold is not to be given up to the first fellow who says ‘.Stand anil deliver.’ Not quite.”

The doctor was fond of Harold, but he had never forgotten that the lover of his daughter was a scion of that ancient family the Altamonts, and heir to that eminently respectable estate of' which Hampton Wold was the centre and pride. If he was envious of anything it Was of what is generally called family; and, without being snobbish, he was pleased by the prospect of his daughter allying herself with a man who, in addition to excellent personal qualities, was able to trace his ancestry back to the Conquest. Mary’s love was for Harold himself, and she failed to distinguish between the man and the heir. If he was-, rich she loved him; if he was poor she loved him. The doctor had taken care to present both sides before her. “Henry Altamont may live for ever, or next door to it,” he said in a jocular manner. “He may get married. Who can tell? The worst, profession in the world is being heir to a bachelor uncle. I would almost as soon be an unregistered assistant to an overworked doctor.” After file letter in which Harold related the circumstances connected with' the quarrel, other letters were

mitten aud despatched in quick succession. As Dr. Trafford said, “Consultation with half the circumference of the globe between you is difficult business.” If he had been on the spot he would have urged Harold to remain in England until the charges against Mrs. Dick Altamont had been cither proved or disproved —disproved if possible, by hook or by crook. To his astonishment, however, lie learnt that a lawyer was to be trusted with the business. Breer was to have power of attorney, that he might act in case of need, and Harold was starting for Australia. The doctor began to take an unfavourable view of things forthwith. “What is the good of him coming out here?” he asked. ’’The country is full of men who ought, to have remained in England.” “Now, father, you said the other day," Mary replied, “there are two square miles for each person in Queensland, so the country is not quite full of people yet." That was true, but Dr. Trafford was elever at changing the point of attack. “He has no profession,” was the reply. “If Breer were to come out here he could find an opening immediately. A man wants a business if he is to do anything but hew wood and draw water. Harold should have remained at Hampton Wold, where the danger is. Who said, 'Where the earcase is, there the eagles ought, to be gathered together?’ I have read it somewhere.”

This was Mary’s opportunity; site immediately convicted her father of misquoting Scripture, and of not. knowing the origin of the passage he. misquoted. This put him into a better temper, and they parted with a mutual understanding in reference to Harold: Mary must not encourage him to loaf about Rockhampton, and the doctor must not. make disagreeable remarks on the subject of nonprofessional emigrants from England.

These are facts which Ned Bartie was unable to condense and tabulate. He had the date of Harold’s arrival at Brisbane, and of his departure to Rockhampton. He knew how long the lover remained with the Traffords, and about his proceeding to Sydney, where he studied chemistry, geology, and mineralogy at the University. Ned knew he paid one or two visits to Rockhampton, and he took a great interest in Mount Morgan. the richest gold mine in the world, only twenty-eight miles from Dr. Trafford’s home. Mount Morgan was a special department of study, because gold was found there in a new form. At West wood, not far awav, Har-

old became acquainted with Mark Holdsworth, a young Englishman, who told him that three or four hundred miles further north there was a place exactly like Mount Morgan, •«o he had been told by an old settler, Called Rpomby, who had passed through the country. Harold saw Rooinby, and then explained the ease to Dr. Trafford, who thought it worth while to explore the district. Ned Bar tie also learnt that a small expedition, which included Harold. Holdsworth, and Roomby, sailed from Rockhampton to Cardwell, and that news had reached the settled districts several times about the progress of the party among the cannibals of North Kennedy. Only a week before Henry Altamont died a ■telegraph des'patch from Australia told the newspaper-reading world in England that it was feared the brave pioneers had fallen victims to their temerity, because there were rumours among the aborigines that these intruders had been attacked by cannibals and destroyed. When the news reached Hampton Wold, Henry Altamont was too weak to understand it, and he died in ignorance of the favourable opportunity which Guy seemed to have of entering upon the estate without litigation or scandal.

Guy sent his two telegrams, according to the code he had invented. The one to Ned Bartie meant, “Get ready to go to Australia at once, and I shall give you a thousand pounds, besides expenses, for legal proof of Harold’s death.” The one to Mrs Bartie meant, “Come to Walton as soon as you like, and bring your witness to testify about the exchange of children by Mrs Dick Altamont.”

Henry Altamont was buried with his ancestors at Hampton Thorpe. The tenantry followed him, but not many others, because the dead man had made no friends, and kept few acquaintances. Breer Trafford was there to represent Harold. He heard the will read, and learnt, as he expected, that everything had been left to Guy. Then he put in a claim to the real estate and heirbooms for Harold, and Begalt, who was present, observed all the legal forms necessary on the occasion. "Do you intend to fight?” Guy asked.

“Do you intend to fight?” Breer answered. “Our wish is to enter upon peaceful possession, until we hear from Harold.”

(To be continued.)