The Unknown Bridegroom OR, THE MYSTERIOUS WEDDING RING.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 339, 22 February 1911, Page 7

The Unknown Bridegroom OR, THE MYSTERIOUS WEDDING RING.

(All Rights Reserved.)

fiy the Anther of "StoMa," "Two Keys," Klc., Kic.

PART >2. "Mr. Richard-on. however. died '-c\oral \i■ 111 s a ;_••<>. and ii. v. a ; hi. 1 - wish thai 1 In' 11n n\v which Iv hac n 'est I'd ill 11n• business I c wj: hdra«'ii and settled 11 j 'on his daughter. 1 hi:I't'iiiicsi, was prompt ly aUi'iKi.ii to—fort r iia lel y, or his fortune might aso have liwn wrecked —and Mis. 1 - I; i< liai (Non was found to lie i jllit c i»r. h'ii'css. i liain Clark Andrews i ot satisfied with tin- ruin which ht had brought upon liii* family of his beiiefaet or. started at once for Amenta, where, producing the documents he had stolen, and believing that deatli had eliaced all possible rjvideiice against him, he introduced himself as Walter Carrol Leighton, anil in the character of the son ot her father's former - partner and trusted friend, at, once set. himself at work to win the heart. hand, and fortune of Miss Richardson. From the first he seemed to acquire a peculiar influence over her, and here let me say (hat he had lo:r;' possessed strong hypnotic powers, by means of which he had been known many times (o achieve his evil purposes, and I have not the slightest doubt, afiir learning what I lia.\'C recently from Mr. Seaver, that lie made use of his mesmerism in his efforts to secure the prize which he had determined to win. ".Miss Richardson herself has stated (hat she has often yielded her nonsuit to his plans a-ainst her will, and when she knew she was doing wrong to accede to them. He finally acquired such a power over her that she consented to a clandestine marriage, as has been heretofore related." Florence shivered visibly as the young - man made this statement, and he again turned to her with a very tender, sympathetic glance. "l'rav forgive me for alluding- to this disagreeable subject," he observed, in a low tone, "but it seems to be necessary in order to explain what 1 ■ feel it my duty to reveal." The prisoner had been sitting in ;ullcn silence, with l:ent head and cringing attitude, since having been reduced io the humiliation of handcuffs and exposure. As he caught :he low-.-jpokcH words he glanced.-up and observed the look that accomDanied them. "Curst! jou !" he hissed, in a fierce whisper. Mr. Carrol. o;- Mr. I .eigli t on. as he v. i; 1 li ..cviorlii be known, turned -lpon him, but gave him only a glance of calm contempt, and then resumed his narrative.

CHAI'TEIt XXXVII. ''l should have perhaps stated before," Mr. Leighton continued, "(hat is soon as I was able I wound up iiy lather's affairs in Sydney as well as I could and started immediately or London to ascertain what settlement 1 could make then.'. T was -indly received by the firm with ivhom we had been dealing, had a .en;- talk with them, stating plainly Jie predicament in which 1 round myself, and asked their forbearance tin:il I had time to recover from nu-ll-luck. 1 found them most courteous a«d coii-iiderati; —yonder they -it —.Messrs. Saunderson and l\hhards, wool merchants, of London," :he narrator explained, and indicative i»\ a gesture the strangers who nad entered with the attorneys. "They coiiimisrsioiied me to go to America and ascertain what terms I could make with tlv New York :>ranch, giving me letters of infroiuction and recommendation to them and encouraging me with the assurance that they believed that the whole business could be most amicably and satisfactorily settled. I accordingly sailed immediately, and arrived in New York late in Juno .>f last. vear. 1 interviewed the mem! ers of that branch, but was told that I hey must, have time to -otisidiT ill'.' propositions made by the London linn. It then occurred to me that while I was waiting I would look up the daughter of my father's old friend and former partner. Not, 1 assure you." interposed the uiiim; man. darting a quick glance at 'Florence, "with the. intenlion of referring even in the remotest manner of' the plans that, our parents had once enter! ained for us, for niv position at. that time did not warrant any thought of marriage, and my pride woild have revolted against the idea of aspiring t G the hand of any one for the sake of money : but I had a desire to meet. Miss I.'ichanlson. simply because she was the child of my father's old friend. ■I learned that her guardian. Mr. Senver. lived some miles out of town, and one evening I took train and started forth to make my call. Th" day had been intensely warm, and the air was still heavy and lifeless. a nd. before 1 was aware of it, I fell asleep in the train, and was carried several miles beyond my desi ination. ■On alighting, I found there was no train back until after ten o'clock. It was thi-u nearly eight, and dense clouds in the west, with occasional flesh■•:; of lightning, portended a >h.iw<r. I went to a livery stable and hired a horse, teiiing the owner niv errand, and asking him to direct me how to find my way back to the town I h; S d passed. .My plan was to go an I make my call, then return with my h"i.-e. catch the train if I could, but in case of failure remain there :or the night, and go back to the ril,\ in liv morning. ■'Tile ma.n gave me minute directions regarding my road, and kindly insisted that 1 should take his mackintosh, as ! was sure to get a wetting before 1 could get back. 1 started, but it grew suddenly very dark, and heioie long 1 was chagrined to find 1 had lost my way. I lurn'il lack, and finaih found no..''elf aga'n i,n the right, road. But the storm —a fearful one-—! ra ceiled faster than 1, and overtook me, and as 1 reared a little village 1 observed a dim iiidit in a small church by the roadside.

"It occurred to me that. Y might fa'-e sheiicr within it, until the showi r sho'.ih! pas--. 1 guided my horse into the ado ; ning sheds, disiiiornti'il. a'ul tied him, and thcr., sped for the church. "A carriae.' was at, the eiit ranee-, n nd two inn are standing in the porch. which was inlin-ely dark. Neither observed my approach, and thin'.ing that something might be occurring within the church upon whiih I should not. intrude. I stood quietly where I was. "Suddenly I was startled to hear my own name—Waller Leight on—uttered by one of the men. involuntarily 1 shrank behind a pillar and nearer to the speakers, and waited to hear more, wondering who in that region could know anything a! out me.

"Thus 1 was amazed to learn that the man of whom they were speaking was on ih.: point of marrying some wealthy girl for her money. Who she was J failed to ascertain, as she was mentioned only as ' the girl,' but for some unaccountable reason the bridegroom had not arrived, and the whole wedding party were impatiently awaiting him. "The affair was very freely discussed, and it was gradually unfolded to me that my cousin was also in America, masquerading in my name, but still as great a villain a s ever ; that he had won the affections of a lo\ely. innocnt girl with a large fortune, had persuaded her to consent lo a secret marriage. because her friends disapproved of him ; and ihese minions of his were to receive a handsome return for their ser\ices.

"Killed with indignation, and determination to unmask the pretender and save the poor, misguided little bride if I could, 1 stopped forth from my place of concealment, when, to my amazement, they seized upon me as tin' belated bridegroom, and hurried me inside the gloomy chat'eh and straight, to the altar." "Curse .von ! 1 suspected as much when 1 found out !" the prisoner here; .interposed, but abruptly paused and dropped into his old attitude. "It was all m> quickly done,'" Mr. I.eight on proceeded, without, noticing the interruption. "I had no time to reason clearly, and before 1 scarcely realised my position, the trembling little bride and her attendant were standing I eside me and the clergyman had begun the service. 1 could not distinguish .the features of either of the ladies, for both wore thick veils, and the place; was very dimly lighted—to avoid attracting attention, as I supposed. I knew that the real bridegroom was liable to appear at a ny instant ; but I was boiling with indignation, and determined to denounce and expose hiiU and so resolved to carry out the farce until he did come, and then have it out with him. It did not once occur to me that he might not come at all,' - the young man observed, with .•■f>;ne show of emotion, as In.' again glanced at Florence. " I looked for him—l listened for him every instant, scarce heeding what the clergy man was saving, and going through with my part of the ceremony mechanically. Jt was only when the ring was called for that I began to realise to what extent I was carrying the farce. I was appalled. * I had no wedding ring ! What should 1 do. How account for my remissness ? Should I slop the service then and there a nd explain everything '? Such were some of the disconnected thoughts that flitted through my brain. Then, guided more by instinct than reason, as L In lily fumbled in my vest pocket, my lingers suddenly came in contact with" "The rin£ ! There was a ring ' Describe it ! Oh, describe it !" Florence here interposed almost wildly as she sprang breathlessly to her feet arid confronted him. every particle of colour receding from her face, while her agonised eyes searched his with an eager, appealing look. lie turned to her with exceeding gentleness. •'Yes, Miss Uichardson, there was a ring," he replied : "a. queer little affair. composed of three strands braided together and fastened with a small 1 late upon which home Creek characters were < ngraven and which signify ' l.ove and Hope.' It belonged to my mother : she gave it to me only a short time before she died. It. was a peculiar relic. Unit had been in her family for more than a hundred years, and she. requested me to keep it and pass it down to my own son should I ever ha v e one." "Ah, then I am '4' lad that I c a n restore it to you." sa d Florrn:e. as she nervously extended one hand, and. opening it, showed him the ring upon h;r palm. The moment he had begun to tell about taking refuge in the church by the roadside on that tempestuous June evening the mystery of thist range marriage ceremony was .solved for her. and slily un.'nstening Unchain about, hr necli, she had slipped the ring from it to return it to hi in. •'Yes. thai is the very ring," he observed, as lie took it from her : but 1 never expected to see it again —1 nover knew until this hour when I heard that adventurer »!aim you as his wife and so cruelly expose that long-kept secret upon whose hand 1 had placed it." "But he told me that it had belonged to his mother," said Florence, indicating Andrews by a gesture ; "he described it tp. me only the night before l&st,' and it was that fact alone that made me fear for the first time that, possibly, after all, my brain had been half-turned with fear and fever, as he claimed, and 1 had imagined a stranger stood I,eside me that night. Evm now I cannot understand how he knew it was in my possession, for 1 kept it concealed most sacredly from cvci'y one." A movement of Anna I-'olsom at this mom- lit caused Florence to • dance towards her. "Ah, it we.s through that spy !" she exclaimed, with sudden conviction. "She lias watched me constantly e.vi:r since I ;.;\me to the Towers. Teli me," she commanded, imperiously, as she turned towards Anna, "have you seen this ring before, and did you tell him about it '.'" ••\"es." she retorted ; ".I was behind the curtains of your 'red one morning end saw you looking at it." "Ah, "now it is easy to understand how Andrews was enabled to describe the ring so accurately to you," said Mr. I.eightou. "To go back to the same in the

hapd." th.--. voun-i- mn:i resumeo, and stil! ad Ire'-sing J.-lon nee. "When my lingers came in contact with this lino- 1 mechanically drew it out and pvssrd ii to the clergyman, who hurriedly finished the ceremony, and still the missing bridegroom had not come. I was' appalled—my brain ■.as in a whirl—for ] knew that lhe ■••hole affair had been a sacrilegious farce, arid in another moment 1 should have confessed the part I had p'a ed : but \ou turned suddenly time and began to beg me to take yoi. home. Voiir entreaties were abruptly terminated with a cry of terror just as a fearful crash of thunder shook the building to its foundations and you fell fainting into my arms : which i extended to pave you. I carried \on quickly from the place anc put you into the carriage, telling the driver to iret vou home with all possible despatch. Then I turned back to have it o"t with the person whe had acted as best man. He had just secured the certificate from' flu clcrg.\ man. 1 demanded it of him for'l knew that it should not be allowed to exist, and as I spoke In: realised for the first time that J was a stranger. He was greatly disturbed for an instant, but he refused to give me the paper—he refused to inlighten me regarding yom identity, although I followed him tc the door, demanding your name There he eluded me, sprang upon the carriage, and was gone before ] could detain him.

"I then returned to the church tc interview the clergyman, hoping tc clear the matter up through him, but the sexton told me he had gorue, having left by the rear door. I inquired where he lived, intending tc follow him ; but the man said he did not know —he was a strange minister, there being no resident clergyman there just at the time. Thus 1 was ballled at every point, and was never able to learn the didentity ol her with whom I went through that farce on that tempestuous summer night. As it was then much toe late for me to go on to make my cab. I rode directly back to the town. where 1 had procured my horse, spent the night there, an-d the next morning made a second attempt to call upon the daughter of m\ father's old friend. But as J drew near Mr. Seaver's residen.ee 1 found every blind on the front of ihe house closed, and tan spread upon the street before the door. I knew, of course, there must be serious illness within, and so went away again without even making any inquiries, and thinking- that ]>erhaps later 1 would make another effort lint T had taken a severe cold on the night previous, and on my return to New York 1 was attacked by my old enemy, which had so nearly cost me my life the year before, and for several weeks I was an inmate of a hospital, the proprietor of the hotel where I was stopping declaring he could not have a fever patient in the house. It was nearly five weeks before I was able to get out again, and then I devoted myself to the business wdiich had brought me to America. After a few days the New York firm informed me they had decided to accept the proposition of the London firm, and, this matter settled, 1 determined to sail for England the following Wednesday.

" Meanwhile I thought I would 1001-i up Andrews and demand of him the papers which I knew he had stolen. I did not ."jet track of him until two days before I was to sail, when 1 learned that he was slopping for the summer in the town where Mr. Seaver had his country home. It was evening when, I arrived at the place, and Andrews was out. But 1 was determined to see him, and insisted upon awaiting his return. He found me in his room when he came, and was as startled as if one hail suddenly risen from the dead before him, for until that moment he had believed me to be dead. We had a stormy interview, for he refused to restore the papers J demanded, and when I taxed him with palming himself off as my father's son, and threaUn'd to expose him, he only sneered at me, and said that would be a difficult matter, since he had everything to prove his position, and I would only make myself ridiculous. "I realised the truth of this, and, disgusted and discouraged, I finally left" him, without, even referring to that clandestine marriage, and taxing him with trying to deceive an innocent girl, as 1 had fully intended to do. I k|j|d I was helpless, at that time, to prove anything', but X resolved that as soon u s I w a s firmly re-established in business I would make another effort, and, tacked by the London firm of vSjtUftderson and Richards, who had it in their power to identify me. I believed T should be able to show my cousin up as a rogue, and establish myself as Walter Carroi Leighton." "Then you would have been the heir to this estate if the son of Sir •Julian had never been discovered," Mr. Seaver here observed, as the narrator paused. "Yes," the young man replied, "On my return to New York on 'theevening following the interview with Andrews, 1 found on glancing over the ' World ' the names of Mr. and Mrs. Heaver and Miss Florence Kiehartlson as booked to sail for Europe upon the same steamer in which 3 contemplated taking passage. Now, I thought, I would have a fine opportunity to ascertain what t hedaughter of my father's former partner was like. But I resolved that 1 would not force myself upon her at. all. I was poor, she was rich. ; and if she shivdd learn who I was, she might ha embarrassed by my presence. Besides, 1 reasoned, she might possibly have met the man who claimed my name, and that might occasion unpleasant complications. Accordingly. 1 engaged my passa.ee under an assumed name, or rathes- by simply transposing my names, and calling myself W. Tu Carrol. Miss Richardson and 1 did not become acquainted until the vo\ age was nearly over, but even th-'-n"l never dreamed that she was the poor little bride who had stood beside me in Kosedale Chapel. That incident was becoming like a dream to me, and I believed that no one would ever discover that I had been connected with it in any way. But 1 was destined to be disappointed in. (hi:-, for almost the first person I met on boarh the steamer was Mr. Men-ill yonder, who had acted as best man, and we instantly recogaised each other." v . 4 i'Vo be Continued)* ': ■