A FATAL DOSE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 257, 3 November 1906, Page 14

A FATAL DOSE.

By FRED M. WHITE,

Author of "The Corner House," "Crausn Fortune," etc.

CHAPTER I. , A WOMAN OF PROPERTY". | The theatre was very full, for a popular actor had returned to the stage after a long illness, and some of the best people ' m town had assembled to give him a welcome. It V.IS no new play which *»o popular comedian was producing; instead, he had chosen to appear before J"" patrons in throe separate acts from different successes. As a necessary eonsequenoc the. intervals werr rather long-, and the fashionable audience had every opportunity of criticising one- another. Two men lounging in the stalls -were attracted at the same, moment by the occupant of or.c of the boxes oil the left-hand side of the stage. The woman was nuc particularly young, nor could she, by any stretch of imagination, be railed middle-aged. For the rest, her beauty was of tho brilliant order. Her fascinating smile uxposed a dazzling set of white teeth, her hair was a triumph of art and nature combined. She sat there quite alone, a snowy nrm lying carelessly on the edge of the box. the shapely band set otT by a coruscating diamond bracelet. Here was a woman capable, of making a sensa--lion anywhere, and well she knew it, despite the fact that she appeared to be utterly unconscious of the many plances turned in her direction. She ■was absolutely the most striking figure nut of the many striking personalities thorp. " Wiio is she. Jack?" the first man in the stalls asked. "I don't recollect ever her before. Still, my two years in South Africa make a difference, of course. That woman is not a creature of yesterday. T am certain." "■ To be perfectly candid, my dear fellow. I can't really tell you who she is,' , thr second man said. ''These people seem to arrive in a most extraordinary fashion. One day they are not so much as heard of. the next day you have to confess yourself absolutely out of it if you don't know Mrs. this or Madam somebody else. All I can tell you is that the. lady in the box calls herself Marsh Mrs. " Eleanor Mar«h. She is understood to be the widow of a rich Virginian of pood family, and she floats cm the very crest of tho wave. She was introduced into Society by the Duchess oi Dn.ventry, which ought to be good onoush for a humble individual like lnyFfif." "-She certainly looks a thoroughbred,' the first man went on. " 1 never saw a woman carry herself with a more superb idr. and yet then' is something about i'li-r v, h.i.-li U a little suyjrestivi' of the jj.jv ] % _.ynu know vrhat .1 r.ie.m." ■•Say' rather of the falcon." the other man Inuphod. " Xo, L can't introduce yon to her because I have nut the pleas*i;re of the lady's acquaintance. Your old chum. Pbilip Hardy, is much the more likely man to apply to. They are rrcat churns, and 1 should not wonder ii JJnrJv did not eventually marry her." "\Vhat liiis Philip yrt to live upon,

ijhcnV ' -Oh. haven't you hpnnl: But I tornot you have hrcn outsirlo Hie pale of rivili'sation for the last two years. Phils uncle Rayrnoncl and bis two eons came to tvriof in a yacht in,™ accident last SSep--lombiu\ and naturally our lucky friend ,hopped in for the Raymond share of the business, lie is quite a rich man and. a very big catch. Though. I am rather sorry to see him mixed up with TV,'.- fair Eleanor Marsh. There is something , about her that I uo not like, thou-li I could not explain ivhat I

F Think I understand."" the other sairt thoughtfully. "But what has become of Lena Grey? In the old days vo always tbcmjrh'i that Phil and Lena would make a match of it."' ••it is just a toss up.'" the first speaker said. "Between ourselves, if Philip Hardy gives Lena the cold shouMrr nov.- he will be treating her very badly. Last night, however, I heard that everytiling was going smoothly once mors , . And. by -love, there they arc in tiio *>*- i-onrl row of the stall-. How happy the littlo ffivl looks. I should bo. very sorvy if anything happened 11 give her pain.

Apparently the brilliant creature in the box had also made out the figures 01 Philip Harrly and Lcnn Grey in the ; 'i!l-. A frown contracted her brows ni-i. frir the moment, then her face resumed its seronitiy again. Presently I he. curtain t>ll for the Inst time, the popular actor made the inevitable little -pt-ceh. and the gny audience began to Mc nut. In the. vestibule-. Philip Hardy Mnod awaiting his earringe. By his side pu.ori ihc girl called Len.i Clvex. her (irctty face smiling and happy under the ~ ; ik hoofL At the yiino moment a lnugniliconl creature, with a gorgeous opera rln.-l\\ swooped down upon them iiud hi hi o'li her hand.

"This is Mrs Marsh." Hardy c.\cl-.um-p,.!. "A wonderfully successful evening, don't you think?" ••Verv." Mrs Marsh responde!. "Out s::r*-ly you don't forget tlidl yoii have pr»ni"i«ed to come round t» my hrtb slipper party to-night. 1 camiot believe that I am so ,-oon forgotten."

\ shade of sadness came over the fiu-o nf Lena Grey, though the look of happilip~? was jioi quite dimmed i:i hrr eye*. On tlie contrary- ll?x '' companion seemed In hr plcfispcl about, something. -Willi) tlo you lake mo for?" he lan-hcrl. "I should tie Bomrtbing more iliru mortal had I overlooked an Jiouour likp tluil : but you will forgive mc it' I ,|i) nnl '-tay long. 1 have promised to see Mies' o'wy us fnr as Mrs Marr.vat'a ii-.-cptiou. :>nd thru to lake her on to !.,■-iiiir'on House. It i.-ift nuic-li jjoud fc-niiiK lo LesiTigtoTi Hou.-c for the next

hour rr ninrp. ■•Th:il v.iii In ill beautifully Willi my arrangements." Mrs .Marsh said, "seeiijc: that 1 myself nm going to the big function. I have told my guests that the supper party must be over by one oVlork; therefore, I shall expect to see you at my little place in Courtville Snunre before midnight-."' With a bow and a brilliant smile, Mrs Marsh swept on to her electric brougli.'i'm. which was standing awaiting her in front of the portico. She was one of ihnar fortunate women who never tipr cav to have to wait for any ill ing. Uuronaeiously everybody pave way to her. and no oiie seemed inclined to quarrel with the fact that her conveyance ■blocked the way. A distinguished general save her his arm. apparently delicbted to be in a position to do this ■brilliant creature even so small a service as this. Her voice floated high and gay as slip thanked him; humbler people turned and nudged one another, and whispered that here was the rich and famous -Mrs Marsh whom aLL -Society delighted to Jionour.

-Nevertheless, the smile faded from W face, her features became harsh. md almost haggard as the loung-ed back n the shadow, ghc wondered cynically Jnough what all her superficial friend* would say if they knew the truth. Sho iad had her enemies, too. but these she had conquered by sheer force of character. Two years Rgo she had lieen absolutely unknown to the great world 3f London, and now .she had reached the fop of the. glittering flood by sheer fascination and audacity. Vet, there, is 3- good saying that Bays. '"All that glitters is not gold."' and this brilliant creature was dross to tho core. "Xot that they need ever know." 'die told herself cynically. "What a sham and a fraud it all is. Here am I. posing as a woman of wealth, when I am up to my eyes in debt and difficulty, when even the. bare necessities of iil'e are paid for by a fraud. And that little wretch of n Monkwoß knows it. too. I could see it by the icmlenl. familiarity of his manner yesterday. Why could not I have left him atone? Why did 1 protend to him that Jie had found a soft spot in my heartY Well, it is all done now. and it eannnt he helped. At any rate, I must, got ovit of Monkwoll'p. power as soon as possible. If I could only lay my hands upon those diamonds of Philip Hardy's, it I could only have anticipated evonts by a few hours. 1 can see clearly what has happened. Hardy has thought fit to do his obvious* duty, and if he has not already proposed to Lena Grey, then I am altogether mistaken. The sy-mpttnns in her face wore too strong tonight to admit- of any doubt. 1 nni very sovry; l don't want to trample upou the poor girl's feelings, but seeing thb't =he has come between mc and my int/Crests. sho must go. It will involve deceit and fraud, I know, but in this erutj world of ours the weak must always go to the wall. Within a week from now the world must know that I am the affianced v.ifo of Philip Hardy, and then J need have no more fear of my creditors. 'With a husband like 1 hut—rich, clever, and ambitious—there is no knowing how far ono might go. li is i.o use worrying about it any more now. [ have more important matters to occupy my attention.' . The brougham drew up before t!ir magnificent set of mansions where Eleanor Marsh had her flat. The trimmest of French maids awaited her in the hall. A discreet, inscrutable-looking butler came forward and desired in know it hi.-s inistross would carp to look at tho supper table before sho changed her ilrcs*. "My good Hubert—of course 1 can leave everything to you,' , she said with a smilo. Like most women of her rlns?. she always commanded the full loyalty of hor servants. "You have never made a mistake yet. and 1 am sure you arc not going to make one now. f must gn and change my dri"< at unco, as theru is no time to bo 10.-^t." .\ magnificent costume, tho laU'st creniion of a confiding French mod'r-to, lay in all its tinsel glory on tin- bed. Presently. Eleanor Marsh stood admirir.c

herself before the lon™, eheval glass, ton scions of the fact that she never lookei bettor in her life. "Madam is superb,"' the maid an id "She is arrayed for conquest." "Yes" Eleanor smiled. "The eonqueifc ! of my lift , .' , CHAPTER 11. PLAYING THE FISH. Thai fortune favours the brave was ;i maxim that Eleanor Marsh had gone i upon all her life, generally with dislinet , Miccess. This audacity, in the course, of i three or four years, had dragged her ' from the obscurity of a country frame- | keeper's cottage to a small situation in ' town, and thence she had learnt her knowledge of life in a West Kr.d tobnc- I (■onist's shop. Always clover ;;nd imitn- ' tire, nnd a consummate aetre?«i to her . finger tips, she had had ,-onie opportunity here of Rtuclvjng the ways <>t Socifty. A little later on a broken down membor of the nobility had ofleml her his hand ! and the remnani v' hi* fortune, both of which Eleanor had politely declined. She had far higher aspirations than the besotted, middle-r.ged man whose, affection

for her at any rate was pure and disin- ' tere&tcd. The man ii.l d died a little time j afterward*, nn-.l to Eleanor's surprise : she found that he had some three thousand pounds to leave behind him. which he leit in his v.ill to her. From thenw

the path of progress had be,en swift and ! easy, and behold, the woman now in the plenitude of her power?, a striking fig- : ure in Society, and one who. given good luck, might finish anyhere. Eleanor smiled to herself k? she fa-t----in her perfectly appointed drawing-room ■ ;n\;iiting her suesrts. < Her thoughts v. ere frankly ,inni*!ng now. shn wondered wi;al f.eju rJri-y would say if shr knew that Kk'anor l\lnrsh"s fiither had a 1 one time bpcn gamekeeper to the relative who had brought Lena up. It was, of course impossible for Lena to recognise in Mrs Harsh the wild si p of . a irirl horn she had known years before as »llie Crippe, but Eleanor Marsh had recognised Lena at the first jrlaiu.-e. | And now she was going to rob the latter of her lover and ruin her V.lv without ihe least compunction. The guests be;;an to arrive one by one, Philip Hardy being the first to put in an appearance. His hostess had es- , pecially tender smile for him. In her i own subtle way she led him to infer that his presence wa* the one thing she j especially needed. | ■'You managed to tear yourself awuy i from Miss Grey - ;" she snid. j "Well, yes." Philip replied. "If wa? no very difficult mutter. You see. ] have j known Lena all my lifetime, and we have always been the best of friouJn. There ia no jealousy about her either."

.■A Guef'l qUVSLJUU llfmuiCU UIU-fIJ F,!eanor Marsh's lips. She hesitated whether to put it or not. And yet sh« felt she must know definitely whether thrift two had come to an understanding. •■Lena is a. dear little girl.' , she said heartily, ".'and 1 don't, know whether 1 ought to r-ODgratulate you or not. At the same time. it. seems to mc that !Mi~.« Grey i> harcil;* the kind of girl 1o moke an ideal wife lor an ambitious man like you." Philip frowned slightly, and Eleanor hastened to change the subject. In effect, the man had told her afl she wanted to know. He had already become engaged to Lena, and yet he was a little ashamed of the fact. Standing there before his brilliant hostess, he felt that he had made a mistake. And she reac his thoughts as if they had been an open book. '"TYe mLI discuss this later on/"' she

said. "Meanwhile, I must not neglect i my other guests." Tho delicately shaded drawing-room was by this time filled with people. Most of them were going on presently to Lex- I ington House, and for the rest there . we're nothing but men present.. Only ! an audacious, up-to-date society favour- [ ite like Eleanor Marsh eottld have given j a- party of that kind. Presently, the j folding" doors were thrown back, and the trrave-feced butler announced that j supper was ready. Eleanor started > gaily forward. •, "So. I am not going to permit anybody j to take mc in." *he said. ■"It shall not ! be stated that I gave anybody the pre- j fe/renee. A hundred years ago. I un- j derstand, that sort of thing- gave rise i to all sorts of unpleasantness in the way | of duels and the like. I shall merely . take my place at the bead of the table, and leave you all to find your own seal,." " " ! The supper was a very triumph m its j way. The table decorations left noth- . ing to be desired. It was like scores of j other entertainments, and yet there was ; a distinctive note nbout it, an artistic | originality which flavoured everything \ that Eleanor Marsh did. The. thing; i was costly, extravagant, and there was more than a passing chance that it would never be paid for. Not that this troubled the hostess in the least. She had UO scruples on that head. Besides, the mine was already laid, and

within a few days, she had determined that the world should look upon her as che future wife of Philip Hardy.

The champagne circulated freely. There was a clatter of plates and the hum of tongues, the whole thing was at its hrijrht when the jjrsve butler opened tho door, and in tones of studious indifference announced a new guest, named Mr. Monk-well.

Just for a moment ihorr was dead j silence as the new-comer came forward, j He was a little man, slightly bald, v.ith innoroni blue eyes popping out of a face as fat n? that of a rhonib. 110 appove.id to bf , a littlf embnrrnsFed, too. by the j unexpected brilliance of his company. but if any man or woman crer ventured ' to Mr. Monkwrll for a fool in the J way of business, they roon found thorn- \ selves cruelly deceived. The rather silly, ! boyish fac-n masked a mind amazing-T : clever and utterly unwupnlcms. 'iho i thick lips f-ould eoropr* ss themselves ou j Oi-caMon. a>s ill" hostess knew lo hor ' cost. :

Shu recovered herself swiftly, as si:e I always did. and bade Mr. Monkwell take |

a :-pnt at tho table. He muttered something .ihnnv. tho stupidity of servants, : and thai he had arrived at an inopportune time. Hi' appeared to l>e quite • ovcmtomp. though lv- was in evening dress, so that, in x\\r,l respet-l . the ntlior ' men had nn advantage over him. " Thi* seems to he carrying originality ton fur." ono of the guests murmured. ' "■ It is deuced uncomfortable to sit h»vo ! . opposite that fellow-, and knowing that ! 1 owe him five hundred pounds 1 ciii't i pn v. Quite crnbarrass-iiifr. ynti know." [•".Icanor's i[iiic-k e:ir the ■\\cvJs. and slie lioni smilinply in the direction of the speaker. ■'Oli, don't be foolish." s-Uc whispered. ''Don't you -fp that it i- all a mi>lako. Mr. Monkwell liar- come at tho wrong i time, but J coiil'l ii';L rln le>s f.han nai; j him to l.'ikf. .-oat with us, esppeialh - iwhen my s-evvants we:-.- -tupid enough in • admit him into vhr , room. Tho fact of the matter is. he has brought mc s*nnu> : which I .im anxious to secure, as they are n real lwrgain." '• Oh. that's all right. , ' the distini guished hut dist'Otnfited diplomat i-t. unit- ! tered. "It. is an unwritten law that i Mrs. Eleanor Marsh does pxaetiv as sKs

pieasrF. J3rsir]p-; I. have met worse J bounders in bicrffor housrs lioforo now — \ J 1 inciin some oi ihoso somi-Tcutonic fiu- |

aneiers. , ; The feast went, blithely on. no one tak- i : ing thn slightest, notice of the presence. I of Monkwell, who ate his supper in a modest, unassuming way, much like a j shy schoolboy who is permitted to come 1 down to dessert in the dining-room. But very little esraped his innocent blue eyes; many of the guests there would have been startled could they have look- i ed behind that shabby mask, or even ! inio the troubled thoughts which filled the. mind of ilipir smiling hostess. for the rest, Monkwell appeared to be exceedingly interested in the table decorations, mor especially with a new specimen of exceedingly feauiery asparnpus fern which stood in the middle of the table. Coffee and liqueurs caroc at length, \ together with the cigarettes-. Never had; Eleanor Marsh been more brilliant, never had her conversation pn.«se«sed more sparkle. Yet. all the lime, she was longing to lie alone with the little' blue-eyed man. From time to time her 1 eye glanced :ii" the clock. She gave a little sigh of relief as the hour of one chimed out.

"Now. positively. I am going to get rirl ! of you all." she snid. "Of coursu it is a great compliment to mc to ffpl that you don't waul to pro, which is a bua.-t 1 f>\v modern can make. Si ill. , thore rcaliy is no alternative, and I must contrive to get to Lexington House by half-past one.' 1 ■'•] must bo Ihere before t'",on," Hardy us lie rnsp to hi? feel.. "Permit m' j to thank you very much tor one of the must enjoyable hours J have ever sp"?u I! I my life. But I have no doubt , I £>!iall sop you again before morning." Eleanor pressed Hardy's hand tender- : ly. Tliore was a liquid gle;sni in her eye? which thrilled him slightly, cold and ■ self-contained as he usually was. Hr made his way towards the door, ir>l - lowed hy one or two of The other guests'. • Rome, still lingered, as it loath to go, ; but Eleanor swept them aside imperial- j ly pud good-naturedly. ; "It i.-; very pood of you nil to offer 'to tske mc to Lexington House," she • i said, "but, unfortunately, 1 have, a little 1 bu«ntss to transact with Mr. Monkwell, ; which cannot be put off, unless, indeed, | ! Mr. Monkwell would prefer to com<> ■ ■ round here instead Ihfi first thing in t.hs I inornmg. Would that possibly iio?' ? There wan a smile on Eleanor's lips, ! but fit the same time her eyes flashed a challenge, to the little, jeweller. The !

! bine eyes responded just for an instant, i ! and then Monkwell became once more j j thn devev and subservient tradesman j J that he really was. j "As you please, ma dam.'' lip said, i ; "Only in these matters delays are some- | i times dangerous. I should not have . come round had I not thought that it I ! would be to your advantage—"' ; Eleanor waved the rest of the speech ' imperiously aside. "That i≤ quite enough,"" sne said. "On the v.hole, I aru going to slay and have j ,it out with Mr. Monkwell. You will i all oblige mc by departing at once. You may not be aware of it, but really I am I a rrost excellent -woman of business."' ' (To be Continued on Monday.)