OUT OF DARKNESS; OR The Priory Mystery.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 128, 4 February 1909, Page 4

OUT OF DARKNESS; OR The Priory Mystery.

<AH Right* Reserved.)

Hy HKI>t,KV UR HARDS. Inthor ot A l>»y of Reckoning.* • from the. Mill to the Mansion." Etc.. Etc. paiit 20. Miss l/Kstronge h««l been mort «eriou»ly 111 than «a* supposed, but she. too. was recovering, and I* Harrison hart told Mr. Scholcs ht «q-.iM sec her. tout he must not excite her. • The rlt»vmlh day came, nnd Jenny few hirst, who was able to Ml «|» »» tied, greeted her mother with a pleasant smile as she entered the room where one of the nurses was ar-v-staging in a vase some flowers thai f rxiilw t'althorp had sent. The doctor had refused to dispense with »-i!h.-r at' I hi* nurses at present, sayJ 1 night : but a* her mother looked al ! Hi r she- sa*d : j "Vtii'i'll -ton he about. Jenny. Yofc ro»B'nsj quite your old self." The girls fare clouded slightly. I don't feel bright ami happy, at I did l»'or- it otl happened. l"v» Iwn th?ntt»g. and It seen** to me 1 *»•*»« li.»v>- Iwii ill a long time Nnrw s»*s it's* the eml oil October and it *»« August when Jim"— I And site paused shuddering. i "Hits* my heart, that happened • 1 vrwr t»»t August * It's more than I four ton month* gone." said hei n»otfo. r„ impulsively. Ih>T girt"* wonderful eyes capresset snrprisr*., then she said r 'Hd they find wot who killed ! him ?" i "Th* d«»»or ,« w ««| we were not tc ! talk «»»»m{ thus )»*! vet/" •'Morh/r. t miPt know." The torn m»: »otic". and excited. I I h>- ivr>** r»m»» to Ihe licitside. •■.Mr. John l.'K-lrnnge. of My them- !■■».. t| lf«ri. »w:t found guilty, and" — \ »rv of horror burst from the -.,■!•« fi{K» ami rhj fell l»oek in a a»i»»r. ami a l * *h*> rallied she |iassed ni'ii another, looking so like death th»t * iw>.»fnjp-r was despatched in d»»r I Sir doctor. Xow. it hap* fnttt thai l»r. Harrison was just »ln»-n t to M».«s lloyce. who 1 h»*l ra'trtl t»» n*'* him to see one of h-- --r-.ctn* ut the vicnrage who was n .,ti ».ry ntll. As* «he walked with hrm io th" gnl*'. where his pig was , waiting. I'eVn Itoyce him ' r>.N>Mt Jenny, and discovered that so ; «»r .»nr» had not spoken of the post. I hut tbttt it was only a nutation of ! I|n»e—h**r tnemory was a* char as I rtny w'*. '■iht Jon think it will Ik; possible to attch any i(ii|>orlanrw lo any* thinp ■'*»!* may ?ay ?"* asked Mi*« l»o>ce. "Ibr I-, tinrony wilt i»e al<sot«tely re!iaf»te." h.* a-isvreied. n.« a l»oy catm- r> mi'r? «p and putting a note in the t'oelor's hand, said : 'Mrs. I'awjton wants you to go there at tmc" The «b»etor opened the note, and read thr few bn-s from the nurse; tmn he turned to Miss lto>ce. who | had linjered. saying : •"The girl has Iwen told that Mr. «l«>lin was found guilty «f th*> rnwrikr. It seems she was horr«r-slr««Aen. and is |Kissing from «>n»* t'»»»»t tnto anotln-r ; but I'll get round. 1 never lielieved I/ftstmn.ic was guilty. »"e shall know the trnth now." /As he spoke he got in»o his gig. thfn drove rapidly away. il-t*en lloyre stood looking after him. the word*. "We shall know the truth now."" rinsing in her eors. The truth ! What would it mean for her and niwdlwr ? Tla.ro was an alternative. br»t she would not lake it ; but the other mw»t be warnetl. It wasn't t'.»r to the tJrange: she would waik there, and ask t'rsula l*al(horp to drive her where she i wanted to go. I Sousing herself, she walked tpurVly forward, and she had >Usl rrorh'd the gale lending into . the park wiirn the sound of a : horxe's hoofs made her loo'i round, and .*** saw Mr. Sebo'««s approaching on hof» -Terk. She paust-d a m*»imetit. and »'■ he ralscil his hat he said. 't:«»f>*l morning. Miss I.oyce." Si»r «»n' nrrvd ineehanienlly. then ■>»»rn»*»btrig Impelietl her lo ask. •«h. re are you going. Mr. Mcholes?" He forked surprised, and his manner r. ;»» grave as he answeretl : "To the Hall. I have business with Mis.* l,"F>trange." the words fdled her with i!rev.d„ It most !*• urgent business. .if ,*»■» would not trotddc her now. «h<R sl»e was just recovering from an ibn*iss. and with a feeling of foreloling Helen Koyce passed through tie gats. It was a dismal day. Lite No.ember -. the wind whistled in a mournful fashion through the almost leafless trees, and she shivered as she went slowly up the path. It was no «sc harrying:; Nemesis was u|Kon theu>. She wouldn't be able to avert the blow that was about to fwH- sat? thought ; then the whirr of a u>ator*car reached her. It was rondo* nearer, and round a bend in .i the tirixe it came. k .lust a step into the road, and she would not have to face the terrible thing that lay ahead; and as the thought came she stepped forward. Then* was a shout, a quick stapling** of the car; but it was too late, and I Wen Koyce. unconscious. , t»tit not dead, wa* lifted into the ! car. "Itrrve slowly hack to the hnune. I'll -*o on and tell them." said Ixtrd ♦ tafesworthy. who had Iwn to tell ; I rsura that their grandmother wished to sec her. .1 alius was fleet .of foot, and he ran a* the top of his speed, dating up the step* Into the hall, starting the sedate old butler, and almost running into Mr. Calthorp, not seeing ' tlat t'rsula was just behind him. •My rar has run over Miss Koyce. I'm afraid she's terribly, injured. But it's her own fault. She stepped in front of the car. I hadn't time to pull up." "J didn't know you were there. <«o away, t'rsula ; she's in the car. | to!d thf! chauffeur to bring her ri*v*». Von don't mind ?" he said, looking at Mr. t'althorp. "It w«s U,v only tbiug >'»u cotitd »10. Julius." he replied ; and I'rstfia 1 aaid :

! "I shall tetl Mrs. Klli l . in a I lx?d ready, and we will attornl to \ !»U V Inter Ib-len Itoyn' wn.H laid "!■■ ... Irf".| lr> a pleasant room over- !■ oWing th'' pork, nnd Julius had <'>n>- in th«* inotor-Ci.r t«» fetch the liwtiir. As t'rsula stood by th«: I l»'f|«ide looking at the face that might have b en marble —il was s « while, and looked even whiter in Contrast to the the jet-black hair—the words Julius had spoken rang in her ears. "She stepped in Uont o» the ear." Was it suicide she had attempted ? What awful mystery •»> hidden in the heart of this beautiful woman ? As I'rsula had asked herself thest the targe, dark eyes opened and recognised t'rsula. "Come r»e«rer." «.hc said, in t» low. changed voice : nml tl»c gir knell down lH>si«le the bed. " Has the doetor l«een ?" "Xo ; he's coming soon :" and a* t'rsula spoke Vr. -Harrison cntereii lh> room : then the housckeeficr advnnceil to the bedside and Ursula withdrew. In th? corridor she waited anxiously for the doctor's verdict : ten minutes. « quarter of an hour elapsed l«efore he ranie out of the liedroom. "Is she seriously injured ?" I'rsula asked. "There is no ho|»e of her recovery. Already mortification has set in. or she would suffer more. It is only a question of hours. The internal injuries are dreadful ; the wonder is; that she is living. Mr. CaMhorp said something about sending for a doetor from Manchester, but the whole College of Physician* could not save her : the rase is beyond hope." ••Itow is Jenny?" "In such full possession of hct senses that she is torturing herself Imcause, she might have saved an innocent man from Iseiug condemned i as « murderer. I've given her a ttrotig opiate, and to-night she is siting to make a statement in the presence of two magistrates. I l»c----lieve if she doesn't she will go out of_ her mind ag«in." "Mr. John l/Kstrongc is going to Is- proved innocent ?" said Vrsula, It -r face lighting up. "Yes : but I cannot tell you more than that. It's only a short time dace I was talking to poor Miss i:o>cc alrout Jenny. She seemed to Ihriil-. her word wouldn't l>e reliable. l.ul I told her it would. Hy the way. I shall s*»nd one of the nurses from the cottage here: not* that there is much to l>e done. Still, it's twtter to have a trained nurse at land, and the other nurse, with her mother and aunt, will be quite •notigh to ensure Jenny's safely." He went downstairs, and Ursula .uttered the sick room. As she went to the liedside Helen Roycc opened ler eyes and I'rxed them on her in an ippealing manner. "fan I do anything for you ?" tskid Ursula. "Yes : I wont you to write a few ines to Horace L'Estrange. You oust tell him I am dying, that totisrhl will be my last night on •arth. and that 1 shall go in peace, laving confessed everything : that 1 tear Jenny will be able lo prove lis cousin's innocence, and I hope he will leave England and live the remainder of his life trying to alone 'or the evil he has wrought in tho MISI." Ursula hesitated. "Would you not rather sec him ?" ♦be asked. "So. Horace I>'Estrange has ruinHt my life. I don't want to sec lini now :" and there was infinite •athos in her voice as she uttered .he last word. Very' unwillingly, yet not liking to •efuse a dying woman's request. Ursula wrote what she had been told : .hen with great difficulty—her hand was so numb—Helen Itoyce signed ier name. "Will you semi il by a groom on lorsetuick ?" slic asked : ami again t'rsu*a was conscious of n feeling of in willingness. "Would it not l»e ,ime enough to let him have Helen's arewfll message the next day ?" she nused. The dying woman watched her : she was quick at reading faces. "I cannot die in |»eacc unless that letter goes." she said. Ursula turned from the liedside and went downstairs. She was giving t into the butler's hands, when Horace I/Kslrnngecntered the house, hv glance at his face told Ursula that he had heard something. "Miss t'althorp. is it true that Helen Koyce has been injured by »our cousin's motor-car ?" he asked as he came towards her. "Yes : the doctor says she will not recover. I hove written this letter at her dictation, nnd Was goto send it by a groom." she «n»d. handing him the note. As he opened it his hand shook, and she saw that his face tiecame jven whiter as he read it : then turning to Ursula, be said : "Ihank you. Tell Miss Kovcc I wish her a peaceful exit." There was bitter anger and snr--•asm in his tone, and he turned away before Ursula could reply. Thin she watched him through Ihc great glass door go quickly down, the steps anil mount his horse, nnd as she heard the sound of his horse galloping down the drive she wished she had withheld the letter. 1»32. CHAITKU XXIX. THE Till TH"How long, doctors, before the *nd ?" Helen Itoyce spoke firmly, though her voice was weak, and she from l»r. Harrison lo the phvsician. who had come from Manchester, and whose opinion coincided with that of the humbler medical Mian. There was a quick glance exchanged between the two men. th«n the great man said : "You arc a brave woman—n good woman. I am sure, and to your death will l.c n «a»" : so 1 dare tell vou that I do not think you will sec the sun rise iirinorriiw." "fJood r iVoth a gain ? 1 tell you I'm a guiltv wretch, and when I go from here li will lie to pay the |ienoltv of mv sins : but I can do something to "undo the evil I have done. What time is it ?" *hc asked, abruptly. " five o'clock." replied I»r. Harrison. "IMease give me something 'hut I may sleep: then have a sf imulnn'. ready". and at eight o'clock l.rint; | Mr. Valthorp ami the M'cnr ->f H"' 1 .!- j fVeht—thev «■-•• both uia«i-"-at. ■—-<■>'". I mv brother must not '>* |if.sii' I ) • a »:'.»iti'c--i"n t. •» it\ak-. Arc ; oi ;

COing hack to Man'h''-'or, or -.vo'jld vou liko to 1,.,-art i'." history of a crittto °" s.-ii'l rf"!"ii l!o.v(f. Iloth n.'-n . ' :•: ■ • ■'!. aivl 'lin physician rf-i'ii'-'l : "I wii! v.-a it. I i;r.'W:-'anfl r.'r. ITarri-..n is this pvniHß, nn.i '. on r.iay i- iV ''a ! ' f .' ." 'tirr th'-.v h-l't th" riMir.i. "Sh'-'s a '■T.-i'-iC' u-ntfinn. I <:xr"v:t she ha> .. -'-li -i' r.■■• i'•!.-.'. , i ,, r.'"". arnj is evaKKC-ratiii:; -o:ii" ]!:'>■ s:n into n ■riiif. }'<■'■ r!.;ri'i is a little tinl-.ir.ff-d." sa.'l •;■.'• -tranfror. ■Sn : 1 l-rli.--..- sh - ha- -'.::■.»•'hir.p to tell Hint nil! 'l'-.-i": "' -h ." '-ru:v. Of she would i,«>i ii,i'.'' a:'! 't ' Then he added : ' 1...rd < Jai-'--- >rih;. di-elnres she front of the c»r." "I eoubbi'i 11.1'.e l-":i.'M''l !'." v.plied th-r other man. "Mi>s Cnlthoi'i' s n i ' l r '■'• n '- " J if ton Kentlemen wo'dd i;a •>•: a < <>T of tea." said the luitPr. 1'..,'1. lowing rejdied in the aflirmat i-. ••. 'h"> fo-OMed him to wh<-|-<- 'n' ■■.''-'a!''' stood close lo the fire. Ti - ;!a ua< pottr'ng out te a . wh 1 !" > ;n< . talkefl to Mr. S<hn!"':. '.h': la-v"^f. " 1 didn't <-xp.- t to :-•■> ."i Scholes." said I'r. Harnsor.. afti:r lu had introduced his cotupaiii'in I: him. "I've only just c«»ut--. 1 v >as at tliT Hall this iiiotninp- H,t<- yn'; seen Miss l.*Kstian;fe sino:'.'" hj? «K-el. abruptly. "Xo : I havu-be«-n v'>> tn-.--h <-n----gaged lietweerv poor .I"r:n- and M■••"'Koyce. and I thought M.-s I, Ftranee was goinc on all ri^ht.." "So she is: but I expe'-t ;. ou'l' find :-h-»'s exeiietl. H.\"\.r. i- • a happy cxciteiii.-T,: . 1 <l<m't .--ippos* il will do her any haim. I -'• J' l "- 1 been telling Mr. falthorp th.at. tin rinc with the missing stone lias discovered." "Hy Jove, vou don't say so ?" said the doetor. "Yes : in fact, it was found a lone lime since—directly after Mr. .lohi I/Kstrange was sentenced. Jackson's wife found it. nn'l thinkine as il bore the I/Kstrnnge conl-oi-arms it would only confirm Mr. John's puilt and make*!hi: fiicnds who helloed ir him condemn him. she hid it. lately she has got it into her h« a d that, t hiring might be the means of '.';ea.nnH him. so she it to Mis* Calthorp, nnd she conuded it to im: it order that I might .-how it to Miss L/Estrange." "What docs she say?" was the eager query. Mr. Schok* lowereil his voice m he said, in an impressive tone. "Miss L'Kstrange says the is one ihut her father gave lo his second wife, and she left it at her death to h--r son. the father of Home. I,"Kstrange. It didn't fit him. and had to Im- ..niarp.d. She knows that Mr. Horace I/Hstrnin;e inherited it from his father, as about three years ago. when Mr. John was away, h< calleil at the Hall, and he was then weai'insr it. The discovery of the vvr\' large diamond aroused her suspicions, and she asked to look at it. and felt almost sup: it tielonged <o the r'lij* which was her stepmother's; but she hatl no proof, except the si/ c of the si one. so sh:» held her ponce. "Seeing that Horace F/Kstranir" never wore it. she asked him what bad become of it. and was told that he thought it too valuable a to risk losings-that he was keeping it as an heirloom. Once she asked to soc it. but he made some oxcu.se. Miss L'Kstrange that other people will have seen him wearing it. and as Inith the. ring and the stone belonging to il were found in the room where ihe unfortunate young Dewhirst was murdered, coupled with the fact that tho sight of Mr. Horace I/Kstrnnge roused tho poor voung widow.'s memory, and caused her lo declare he had blood on his hands. I felt that it was <»i'.;. I should showjt to the <>f jH>lice : but when I retuni>-<l '" H>-!-lifield he was out. and. 1 "a '"ld. Would not return until --••.< n " '<■'.'.<•■'.■.. so t rode over to let Mi-- '';il»}.'.:-[. know what Miss l/r'.Mr.-uu:'' said. In Hellifield I heard of Miss 1!...., > accident, nnd I thought I should like to know how she was." "It was not an accident. It was suicide." The words were spoken in a grave, stern ton-- that was wry unlike the tone in which Julius usually spoke, and as he came forward they saw he look.il troubled. "How is !*ne ?" he asked, looking from one doctor lo the other. The physician from Manchester spoke : "She will not live till morning." His face become even graver. "CJood C!od. il is awful ! Has she said why she did it, liccausc I know she deliberately stepped .in the way of the car ?" "She hqs something to say in the presence, ot n magistrate, and I have to ask the vicar of Hellifield lo come over, so I must be off," said I'r. Harrison. "I met poor Itoyce, her brother, just now. He's nearly heart-broken because she won't see him," said Julius. "It s"ems to me tho truth about Jim IVrwhirst's murder is goinir to l>e discovered. I never lielieved .lai-k L'Kstrange was guilty." said Mr. C'nlthorp. "There are some strange ihings hap|>eiiing." rem.trk«-d .luliu- a \<\ ~ Ursula thought at't'-r ;■■.•■ oi ia-r i.ad gone, when she r.-uV'-t'-d •:]'">, ; h" 'i ■'■■ feretit things sh- had li-nnl Ir. ;■;'•, of the knowh-de.- M.ai I!.-;.n K., ; r.iay d.xing upstair-, }.■■:■ h'-ai-t •* as very light. i,.-e >t n < -!;..■ i..-i,.-..-d Oiat Jack t.'K.-tr.u.tr--. v-lio :•■::•■ !.i'!:nu at the Prion. , would >"n !■■.■ innocent . (To 1" fov irier; .