THE CURSE OF HER LIFE OR A DARK SECRET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3081, 31 December 1908, Page 2

THE CURSE OF HER LIFE OR A DARK SECRET.

Ie 3 e a e d e d o e e !- t I n e f r i 3 s dl n o ti < e i n a a s i s :-' r. 1 i 1 r i I 3 I 1 ! t - ! ' ; J ; ■ , ; I ■ ' ■, : i ;■ I ! ; ■ [ ■ He was a. singular-looking man, this valet, very' ,_tall, very slim, thin-' faced and sharp-featured, dark as a gip3y, with small, deep-sunken black eyes and a few straggling locks of bristling black hair on his high, narrow head. In answer to the coroner's questions, he testified that he saw his master in bed at ten o'clock with a bad headache. He swcre positively that he had not left it again till morning. j If the dead man had been found in his wife's roorrs, Rose would have had no hesitation in telling all she knew, or guessed, about ,the secret passage, or in accusing Edith flatly of the deed. But the existence of the passage was little more than a sumrise with her, and she resolved to wait for Barbara Fane'a return bebefore speaking of it. Doubtless, Barbara knew all about it, and could be scared into telling all she knew. . There seemed a fair presumption that the murdpr had been done for j the &ake of robbery. A verdict was rendered in accordance with this presumption, and a reward offered for the discovery of the murderer. CHAPTER X. THE FACE AT THE WINDOW. a away thought

mWIN Cheated

jdoor!" Captain Tyrrell was buried and his will proved. His widow took possession of his great wealth without opposition, and, as she had always said she should, gave half of it at once to Rose Altman, who not orJy accepted it, but remained at Blackmere, at Edith's cold invitation. Rose hated Edith now as much as she had ever donemore, perhaps, for she had not only triumphed, but laid her under an obligation, though Rose did not acknowledge that. She took th's half of her grandfather's inorey and returned no { thanks for it. She stayed on at Blackmere rtally as a spy.- She hoped yet to discover something which ■should connect Edith with the murder of her husband. I Lord Disbro was still alive, so Edith was not Lady Disbro, nor I never likely to be now. j A year after Captain Tyrrell's death, Edith was still living in. the ' seclusion of her first widowhood at J Blackmere. She had lost none of 1 her good looks. She was more beautiful than ever, if possible. Her | life was a strong contrast to what it ] had been before her husband's death. | Then all was dress and gaiety, now there were the black, cheerless garb jof widowhood and an almost, nunI like life. She seldom went out, and • received very few visitors. Soon after the expiration of her year of mourning, her cousin, Randal I Heathcote, came to Blackmere to see jh=r. } They had not met before since the J death of Captain Tyrrell, Heathcote had changed much. He , was thin arid hollow-eyed. His eyes had a wild anxious glitter in them; j his general appearanoe was characterised by extreme nervousness. I Edith consented to see him reluctantly. The very thought of him since that awful night had been repulsive t» her. I "I have come- to ask when you ! will marry me, Edith?" were almost, tue first wurds he spoke. Edith turned white. "Never," she said huskily. He looked up, startled. "Why not?" You know." "I cannot even guess. You were anxious to marry me once." The red flashed into Edith's cheek, then died away, leaving it whiter than bef .ire. "I am not now. We know too much of each other." "You mean that you know too much for me?" ho said, a dark frown sett- ■ ling'on his fair, forehead. "Perhaps." "It is precisely for that reason I want you to marry me. You know too much; I want you under my eye; [ 1 have endured the torments of the ' damned, waiting for your year of ! morning to pass, that I might marry you and have you where I could watch iyou." ; Edith drew herself haughtily erect. ! "That you never will, Randal! , Nothing would induce - me to marry ! you. Besides, I promised the man you killed I never would be your wife. I would rather die!" Heathcote started to his leet. His features were working convulsively. His hands were clenched. "You have not the choice. If you don't marry me, I'll swear I saw you kill him ! I still have the dagger it fvas done with. Your name is engraved on the hilt, and there is blood on the blade yet." | / (To be continued). \