CHAPTER XXXI.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 282, 18 July 1888, Page 6

CHAPTER XXXI.

CAPvKIK IN LONDON". It was eirly in the month of January, on a cold, bitter clay, that a cab stopped at a tavern in Ware - street, Bothnal Green. ■There alighted a woman, well but not showily droF&ed. Telling the call man to wait, more for protection in ease of need than for any other reason, she entered the door of the public-house, and, addressing a wretched-looking woman who was standing at the bar counter, asked, ' Does Mrs Jackson live here ?' ' What do you want with Mrs Jackson, young woman ?' queried the bar-tonrter, with no excess of politeness. ' That concerns Mrs Jaokson and myself alone,' said the stranger. ' Does &ho live Ire?' lOh ! So it don't concern me, don't it. Miss Impcrance ? And you wants ter know if she lives 'ore V ' Yes,' said the new-comer, ( that is what hewish to know.' ' And it don't concern me, don't it ? We shall see all about that.' So saying, the ! wretched woman raising a slab in the counter, passed through and made for the door. But the btranger was too quick for her, and standing with her back to the door, said : ' Now, look hero, my good woman, it is no use your trying to intimidate mo, because I won't stand it. Just answer my question — does Mrs Jackson live here ?' At this moment a woman emerged from a small room behind the bar — a haggard, weary -looking woman with eyes swollen as if with recont weeping. ' What does the lady want, Patty ?' said this woman. ' She keeps a askin' me if Mrs Jackson lives 'ere, an' when 1 ask 'or Avhat she wants with 'er she cheeks me. I'll learn 'or to cheek me ! I'll ' 1 Step this way, madam,' said the mistress of the establishment as she raised tho slab for the visitor to pass through. 'Well, this 'ereisago !' exclaimed PaUy, who beingl eft to hor own devices applied to her favourite bobtle, which was labelled 'Old Tom.' 'How can I serve you, madam,' said the landlady politely, handing her visitor a chair. 'I wish to see Mrs Jackson. I under1» stood she > resided here,'. said the stranger ; ' if I have been misinformed} however — '

* Do you know Mrs Jackson ?' asked the landlady, interrupting her. - ' I did know hor years ago, but I have been away from England for some time.' ' May I ask what part you have been living in?' asked the landlady, eagerly scanning the features of her visitor. 'I haVe but just come from New Zealand ; but why ?' * Carrie !' oxciaimed Mrs Jenkyn— alias Jackson — throwing her arms round her sister's neck and sobbing violently. * And you—is it possible ? Areyou Jane ?' i ' You may well ask ; such a miserable object have I become ! Oh, Carrio, I have been so wretched ever sinee — — ' Here she suddenly checked her speech. ' Ever since what, Jane ?' 'Oh ! Carrie, I~oh ! I dare not toll you.' ' What is it Jane ; toll me ? What has made you so wretched ?' ' Oh ! 1 dare not tell you, he would kill me. He ' She was here interrupted by a violent knocking at the floor above, and a croaking voice calling her. cOh ! there he is calling. I must go ab once. Sit down, Carrie. 1 ' I will go with you, Jane' ' Oh, no, Carrie, no ; you must not, he is so ill. Ho was sleeping when you came,and I did hope he would get some rest at last.' There was more knocking, and then a voice calling for brandy. Jane hurriedly left the room, and Canie followed her. Upon a bed — the clothes much disordered — lay the wreck of him who- once had been Tom Ashford's valet, Jenkyn. No one having known him in the past would now recognise the on co dapper servant. H e is now an alcohol-sodden wretch, with weak and watery eyes, and is surely dying from genoral exhaustion. Death has undoubtedly marked him out as his victim. The only thing that kceDP him alive is brandy, always brandy ; and this will at last fail, when the heart can no longer force tho blood through the congested liver and kidneys. 'Give me brandy, Jane. Why do you leave me ?' whined the unhappy man. Then having eagerly clutched tho glass, with his two shaky hands and poured tho contents down his parched thioat, lns> eyes foil upon Carrie. ' Who is that, Jane ? . . . that woman ? . . Why do you bring people hero ? You will kill me' Carrie stepped forward and btoocl at his bedside, saying, ' Do not blame her, she bid me not come. Don't you know me V I am Cairic. I have como all the way from JSfew Zealand to see you.' ' A r ery kind ot yon, I am sure ; but you might 'avo waited till wo asked you,' grunted Jenkyn, sullenly. ' Oh ! Jenkyn,' said his wife, deprccatincrly, 'don't bay that to Carrio.' ' Neve v mind, Jane, we shall get on better by and by,' baid Carrie. ' J don't know so much about that, neither,' said the amiable ]Mr Jenkyn. ' What do you want with me at all ?' ' I want to talk to you, my friend Do you remember a Mr Berwick v> 4 Ugh ! take 'or away, take 'or away, she will kill me, ugh !' and the wretched man buiiecl his head among the bedclothes. Carrio did not fail lo notice the effec.' her words had produced, and turning to her sister, said : ' I shall go down and wait for you, Jane; I want jjjto talk withyou. Don't bo long.'i For three days after this Jenkyn lay on his bed tossing to and fio and whining piteously, his cries for brandy being more and more frequent. A medical man attended him, but could do no good. To deprive tho patient of the brandy bottle was to hasten Ins death, andn o medicine would benefit him. He was litsrally soaked in alcohol— blood, bones and all. Upon the third night there was evident change for the worse, and Jenkyn knew ho was sinking, for ho asked to be told how long he had bo live. At Hist the doctor did not tell him w hat he really thought, saying that he could do him no good by telling him. Then f he dying; man cried : 'Look here, doctor, if yon don't let me know, I may go slipping away without telling what I have cot to tell, and that's more than you think, I'll warrant.' I 'If that J3 the cape, my friend,' said the | doctor, ' the sooner you say what you have to .say the better.' ' Then you think T may go any time ? Why couldn't you say it before ? 1 don't [ core. I have lived too long bv some years. If I am agoinec to die. I'll tell you what I 'aye to tell ; if not, I'll be i cl if I do.' ' You had better lof e no time, then ; tomorrow may bo too late. ' Shortly after this conversation between the doctor and his unhappy patient, the latter requosted Carrie to come to him. He bade "her procure ink and paper, and desired the doctor to remain and his wife to leave the room until he should call her. Then the wretched man told his talc of &in, which Carrie committed to her paper — the doctor and she attaching their names as witnesses to his vgnaturc. Later on, the reader will be macle acquainted with certain per 'Jons of this confession which cannot now be given. At morning's light Jenkyn was dead. ( To be Continued.)