CHAPTER IX.-BY E.M.T.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 226, 10 January 1885, Page 1

CHAPTER IX.-BY E.M.T.

(CONCLUDED.) To find the mysterious assassin and to administer to him his deserts was 'now, for the time, the sole desire of Tomkyns' heart. He had vowed to himself to find him before the sun should set — a thing more easily said than done. He had not the faintest clue to his real name or whereabouts. The name, Adolphus DeCourcy, under which he had introduced himself to the Colonel, was, of course, fictitious. I'Julalie herself had uot been able to enlighten him much during her recital of what had befallen her after her disappearance from her home. Briefly summed up, her story was as follows : — ■ Left by her father to entertain their visitor after dinner, she had proposed a stroll round the gardens, to which he had eagerly acceded. The Colonel's house was situated close to the sea, and a flight of steps led from the foot of the lawn down to the beach below, where a boat belonging to her father lay moored. During this stroll he made himself so agreeable and entertaining that when he begged permission to row her across the moonlit waters of the little inlet, the simple girl — she was only sixteen, remember — readily consented, provided her father had no objection. He left her on the lawn while he went indoors to obtain the desired authority, and, after an absence of about ten minutes, returned with what purported to be an assenting message from the Colonel, and a bundle of wraps over his arm to protect her from the night air. For about half-an-hour they rowed about the harbour, when suddenly, as her eyes were turned from her companion, a handkerchief saturated in chloroform was thrown over her face, quickly followed by a shawl, which was held firmly over her head. She struggled vainly for a few moments to free herself ; then she remembered nothing more until she came to her senses in a strange room, with a strange woman in charge of her. She soon discovered that she was a prisoner in the power of the man who had called himself Adolphus DeCourcy, and that his object was to frighten her into an immediate marriage with him. Her passing fancy for him quickly turned into hatred, and neither threats nor entreaties,

could induce her to yield. Though she was aware many other persons were in the house — it was a not very respectable dwelling, in a not very respectable street — she found it was hopeless to attempt to communicate with anyone. She was always closely watched, either by the woman or by her gaolor himself, and he told her in a way which left no doubt of his sincerity upon her mind, that her first attempt to raise any alarm would be her last. But one stormy night, fortunately for her. the wind blew down a large tree, which fell right across the crazy tenement, smashing in the roof just over her room. She was not hurt, and in the confusion that followed she effected her escape, closely pursued, however, by her enemy, whose vigilance she could not elude. It was then, maddened by the remembrance of her father's loss (the particulars of which DeCourcy had himself told her), still more by the shadow which hung over her fair name, and by despair at finding herself again in the power of her enemy, that she had been driven to attempt suicide by throwing herself from the wharf. How she had been rescued we have already seen. Over this story Tornkyns mused as he went forth on his mission, until he fairlythirsted for vengeance upon the perpetrator of these misdeeds. But it was no easy task to find him. He went first to the police station, and gave such information respecting him as lay in his power ; but a conviction was g: ..dually creeping into his mind that, if the assassin was still in the city, he would be foimd working somewhere in the neighbourhood of the Montmorencie mansion, probably bent upon some more villainy. This latter thought decided him at once, and he hastily retraced his steps thither. It was quite dark by the time he reached it, in spite of the determination with which he had set out. Softly opening the garden gate, he crept amongst the shrubbery, with the intention of searching the grounds Us thoroughly as the darkness" would permit. He did not see, as he drew near the foot of the lawn, how from amongst dark shadows a still darker shadow arose, and crept stealthily after him. But suddenly a loud report, followed by groans and curses close behind him, made him look round in. startled astonishment ; and there, upon the ground, he beheld, amidst the smoke, a figure trying to struggle into a sitting posture. He rightly guessed he had found his enemy. The would-be assassin^m his eagerness to overtake Tomkyns,, : ha&||rippec! and fallen over a stump in his p^-fc^^ahd the weapon in his hand, falling to th^g^round, had gone off, and sent the ball intended for Tomkyns into his own leg. Eesistance was useless now : the report attracted some passers-by, and the would-be assassin was speedily secured, and in due time conveyed to gaol, there to await trial for his various crimes. The jewels and other treasures were found upon him, and restored to their rightful owner; but before he had been many days in prison a detective officer arrived from England with a warrant for his arrest on the charge of having murdered Edward Montmorenci, brother of the Colonel, the crime having been traced to to him at last without any doubt. He was taken back Home to be tried, was found guilty, and sentenced to death. Before his sentence was carried out, he made a confession which cleared up all the' mystery surrounding his proceedings as follows : — His true name was Allan Mordaunt, and he was in reality a distant cousin of the*' Montmorenci family — in fact, after the two brothers, was next of kin, and failing them, would succeed to the title and estate. It is needless to observe that though by birth a gentleman, ho was also a most thoroughgoing villain. Having spent all his own ■ fortune, he began to cast a longing eye upon the Montmorenci possessions. Three lives stood between him and them,;., but no crime or number of crimes was too appalling for him. Having planned and carried outthe murder of the younger brother, Edward , Moutmoronoi, hujband of Tomkyns 1 ; toj^fcjie^ (Coiitvnmd, mpage 8. ■•■•.'■ ; {\£ lf