A SENSATIONAL CASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9159, 5 August 1908, Page 2

A SENSATIONAL CASE.

By FLORENCE WARDEN.

Author of " The Lady in Black,'* "An Infamous Fraud," "For Love of Jack," "A Terrible Family," "The House on the Marsh," etc. etc.

CHAPTER 111.-Continued. "No—do they say that?" he said, almost eagerly, his wife thought. " What! do they think I was jealous of that fellow, eh?" "Oh, don't speak in that tone. It's too d-eartful!" "Well, what is it they say? You've been dying to tell me something I don't want to hear; can't you get out something that I do?" Linley spoke with some irnpatienca, and hia wife hastened to satisfy him. "They say you had got into debt through my extravagance, and that you had borrowed from—from " "From Landon? Well?" "And that you couldn't pay, and that you arranged to defraud _ the insurance companies by sending me away with all the most valuable things in the house, and then setting lire to the place." "Why, that's only the old story that's been dinned into everybody's ears all these weeks!" said Linley contemptuously. "I've heard all this before." "Well, but they say it was I who—who'put you up to it.' And—and—and—you know. Linley, 1 really was surprised to find what a lot of luggage you made me take away; and — and I haven't unpacked half of the trunks yet; not one of those that you packed!" "Oh, that's all right," replied the husband, with composure. "Where are they now?" "At my Aunt Mary's. I wrote asking her if she would take care of some things for me, and she said she WuulchSo I sent them on to her " "Why to her, of all people? You know that she detests me!" Netelka gave a little smothered sigh / "I didn't know whom else to send them to. You see there were so many of them—and—and if I'd sent the.n to be warehoused I—l—thought perhaps " "Yes, yes. All right. You did quite right," said Linley hastily. "There would have been some bother with these insurance fellows. You have more sense than 1 expected, Netta. Only I'm afraid Lady Kenslow will be rude." "Aunt Mary! Oh, no. She has written me the loveliest lexers, telling me to come straight, to her when —if—if ever I should want a—want j a change," finished she, unwilling to let her husband know that the invitation had been given in the belief th H t Linley would be convicted, and that his wife would want a shelter from the world. Linjey frowned. But as at that moment the carriage stopped, he only said, "Here we are," and let c'own the window. Netelka looked out. They were at Edge Hill Station. "We are going straight up to town," he briefly explained. "I suppose you have some money?" "A little. Enough to take us up, but not much more," answered she, with a sudden access of timidity. There was some plan in her husband's mind, she could see, which gave him anxiety. He did not leave her long in doubt as to what it was. "I must see about the insurance at once," said he. "They always make a fus3 about paying up; but I don't see how, in the face of the verdict, they can dp anything but shell out." Netelka said nothing. Her husband was usually very reticent to her abotjrt his affairs; on this, the first occasion of his entering into any sort of discussion about them, she heartily u-ished that he would go back to reticence again.

CHAPTER IV.

A SYMPATHY

Linley had directed the coachman to drive to Edge Hill Station so that they might avoid the eager crowd of the curious who would certainly have collected to see them off on their journey if they had started from Lime Street. As it was, however, one person at least had had the enterprise to follow them in a cab. This was the Jew, who had watched the trial with so much interest from the gallery in the court. When Linley and his wife had chosen the compartment they intended to travel in, and the lady had taken her place in one of the two vacant corners, Linley, who was still standing on the platform, felt a gentle touch upon his arm. His nerves being still in a somewhat shaky condition, he started <«nd turneJ more deadly white than before. "1. beg your pii'dori," said a rather guttural voice in his ear. And, turning, Linley found him£">lt' almost in the embrace of a darkfaced, youngish-bioking man. who would havo been very well d.rsscd indae i but for the face that he wore upon one finger an enormous diamond and another in the pearl-coloured sain scaif round hii thuml. "I beg your pardon," s-iid the stiv.n;'er again, raising his hat as Notelku teniud forward anxiously at tho. window of the carriage, "i>ut I wis in co.!rt to-day an I yesterday, ::nd 1 coubJ not forbear meeiir.g you he e like this, to congratulate you, s:-, en ;o.tr release. It was an infamous charge against you -1 relent, infamous." And again ho lookc.i up at the iady. "I hope yon will .'orgive the liberty 1 am taking in sneaking to you; but, really 1. felt so airily that* it was a trumped-up ca-te against you that I had to epeak. *How :r.e to give you my card. And if th'.'i'J is any way in which I can -v.-r be of syivico to you—and—and Mrs Uax"—and again he raised his hat effusively to Netelkn—"l beg that you will alhw me to do so. I

should consider it a great favour, I assure you." He handed to Linley a card, on which were inscribed the words "Mr Harrington Moseley," and an addresa in a stivct oft' Piccadilly. "I am going to town myself by this trai ," continued tha Jew. "1 do hope I shiill have the pleasure of meeting you again before long." Once more raising his hat, and once more glancing at Mrs Dax. Mr Moseley retreated and jumped into another compartment, while Linley took his place beside his wife. "Who was that?" asked she apprehensively. "I don't know. Some Hebrew money-lender, I suppose. He hoped he might be of service to me, and," added Linley, lowering his voice for her ear only, "he offered his congratulations." Netelka shrugged her shoulders. "What a horrid-looking person!" ehe murmured, as she sat back and, shutting her eyes, pretended to sleep. Presently Linley's voice in her ear startled her. "I shall leave you," he whispered, "at Lady Kenslow's for a few days, | until I have settled with the insur- I ance people and had time to look about me." "And you —where will you stay?" asked Netelka, solicitously; "I would rather go with you." The idea of her husband, after the severe strain of the last few weeks, going away by himself penniless, while she would have the shelter of friendly arms and a pleasant home, woke all her wifely feelings. Forgetting her suspicions, or ignoring thorn, she moved gently a little nearer to him, and seeking his hand with hers, under cover of the wx-ap which she had spread over the knees of both, the whispered: "Oh, Linley, you must let me come. You will want some comforting, won't you, dear?" Though not unresponsive, her husband shook his head and adhered to his determination, giving his reason. "I shall date my letters from Lady Kenslow's," he explained simply, "and you will receive and bring me the answers." Netelka was not unused to her husband's ruses, and he took her silence for assent. "And do you know Netta," he went on presently, still in the same low voice, "that you must not be surprised if you have to say at Trenwith Street some time; for I think the best thing I can do, after having had my name dragged through the mire in this manner, will be to go for a trip to America, or to Australia, until the shameful story has been forgotten." Netelka drew a long breath. She did not know exactly what it was she felt at this suggestion—some pain, certainly, some bitterness, some apprehension. If she had not loved Linley passionately when she married him, she had had, during the four years of their married life, enough kindness at his hands, enough wifely affection in her heart, to dread the thought of separation. And she had obtained by this time enough insight into Linley's character to fear that, once away from her, the influence she had over him would die out quickly, and the separation would become a permanent estrangement. He felt her clasp of his hand grow firmer, warmer, as this disquieting thought , came into her mind. "Oh, Linley," she faltered, "if you go away, you'll forget me." (To be continued.)