The Dark House at Highgate

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10701, 23 August 1912, Page 2

The Dark House at Highgate

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CHAPTER XXV.—(Continued.)

"You seem well informed about Mr Ityeroft's doiwg," said Anne mischievously. Mr Thomas Elklaile had evidently not soon an evening paper, 01 he might have been bettor informed. "Oh, everybody knows lie's keeping out of the way," lie retorted. "1 know it's a nasty pill for you to swallow, but you'll have to do it sooner of later. Then I'll come baek to you."

Anne laughed softly. She knew I must arrive shortly, but Esdaile did not understand the her altered manner, and hindered her from speaking just as she was about to enlighten him.

'"I believe," he said, "you're feeling differently towards me already—what? You little witch, I'll lie myself black in the face to save your brother if you'll only give me a kiss," he added suddenly.

There was a cry of alarm from Anne, the swish of a quick rustling skirt, and a man's blundering stumble over a footstool. Then I thought it high time to interfere. Evidently Mr Esdaile had lost his head entirely. I stepped into the room, but mv premeditated act of violence fell short of accomplishment. "Please, oh! please!" cried throwing her arms about me, "don't mind him. He doesn't"matter—now. Nothing matters now you've come back to me."

No man quite likes to be told that lie "doesn't matter," and I fancy Esdaile liked it less than most men would have done.

It is only on that supposition, at all events, that I can account for the rather' boyish piece of braggadocio that followed.

He took up his cap and stood for a moment scowling by the open window.

"By the Lord Harry, you shall pay for this!" he said, and so went out and left us. It was very absurd and melodramatic, and perhaps quite natural. By what either of us was to pay for it would be hard to say. He had assumed that I should not return to Polton, and I had suddenly disabused his mind of that idea by returning. But, after all, his threats were of no consequence, for I carried in my pocket, if not exactly proof of Tony's innocence, at any rate strong presumptive evidence of another man's guilt.

| CHAPTER. XXVI. ■ i THE SECRET OF THE CABINET. | Even when I was most frightened, j about you," said Anne, a little later, ' "I felt confident that you would come back and put everything right." It is pleasant to come up to the expectations of those" who exaggerate our merits, but I should certainly not have been able to do so but for a succession of fortunate accidents. However, a, little incense was not unacceptable after the hard treatment I had endured, and I accepted it with, all the other delights of that blessed night—blessed because I was free, and Anno was with me and .happy, and tho world was a good place to be in again. Outside were the moonlight and the roses; indoors, lamplight and an atmosphere of domestic peace. Esdaile's late visit had been ostensibly, intended for Mrs Kettering, to reassure her concerning Tony, who was to make his third appearance before the magistrates on the morrow. Tho anxious mother, however, had not felt equal to the stress of seeing him, but she came down to greet me with a faco of joyful welcome. "You are going to save my boy," she said, pressing my hand fervently "Dear Mrs Kettering, you mustn't j give me too much credit," I began. "And von have been in danger yourself?" "In pretty serious ranger," I admittcd, "and I know Anne is very curious to hear all about it." So we drew the curtains, and I sat down with Anne on a footstool at ny feet, to tell, like another Othello, of the dangers I had passed through. T began with Tony's arrest and ended with my providential escape from the unwelcome hospitality of Madame Claude's house. "And so," I concluded., "your local policeman was wrong, and! was right The two men I met at the 'Jolly Farmer' Inn came down hero with the express intention of breaking into Mr Betsworth's house, and stealing tho little cabinet, which I afterward bought at the sale. They thought it would be an easy job, but I created their first difficulty by going to stay at the inn on the very night when they were there. "Fearing that I might hear them leave the house in the middle of the night, Ilimington attempted to give me a strong opiate. I fancy they were both at that time fearing that their secret had been discovered by Mr. Betsworth, and the dread of this, together with a natural distaste for dangerous adventure, had reduced CUiinv to a pitable state of 'nerves.' That night Mr Batsworth was killed, presumably in defence of hie | property; and the cabinet was not stolen. * The sale gave them a second . chance of securing it, but I forestalled them; and. from that moment they went in fear of me. For, although I didn't know it, I. had it in my power, as Mr Batsworth had ignorantly had it in his power, to say checkmate to J them if they„attempted to play for

BY DER WENT MIALL A thor of "Lady Rosalie's Legacy," "BellaicyH Warning," "Xhe Strange Case ii Vincent Hume," "In the Web." Etc Etc.

the high stages they had determined to win."

"Kease," said Anno, showing symptoms of intense curiosity, "what was in the cabinet? We arc only women, remember, and women, you know, always look on to the last page of a story." "?i.n unfinished letter," I said.

"A letter?" repeated Anne breathlessly. "Yes, a strange, rambling letter addressed to Hugh Evans, the revivalist preacher, who made rather a stir in . Wales last year. J "As T told you, Eimington explained Ohmy's peculiar manner, on the '.. night when I first met him. by saying that he was a sufferer from religious ' melancholia. Oddly enough, this was, I have reason to think, partly true. '■ A half lie is more plausible than an I out-and-out lie, I suppose, which may ' account for the.man's candour. Well, i the document —the unfinished letter — ! is iu the hands of the police. It makes i quito clear the details of a projected I conspiracy, to the furtherance of ! which botli Tony and I might have : been sacrificed, although neither of ! us had the slightest direct concern ! witlr it.

"In this letter, after stating that he writes it to relieve his own conscience, Cluny goes on t© tell a little of his own history.

'"He was brought up in Wales, and believed himself to be the. son of a farmer, until ten years ago, when lit was visited by his mother, Madame Claude, who had just been left a widow. She told him that he wao the son of an English nobleman, Lord Carway, who, however, had never known of his existence. She had, in fact, kept the child's birth a profound secret from all who knew her. Lord Carway married about the time of this birth. *

Madame Claude gave her son a sum of money to help him to make a start in America. The letter is conccrned~a good deal with his adventures there; but I hood only tell you about the part of it that deals with Himington.

"Ho met Rimington i" San Francisco, and speaks of him as a man who had made and lost fortunes in daring speculations. Rimington accosted him as an old acquaintance, addressing liim an Perkm. It soon appeared that ho mistook Oluny for Lord Garway's legitimate son—Chmy'fi half-brother—-who had corao down from Klondike, and was leading a dissolute l'fo in San Francisco.

"Rimington made the two sons of Lord Car way known to one another. Their resemblance to one another ivas remarkable,, and even caused them.selves amusement. They were often mistaken for each other. • "Well, Rimiiu'ton and -the tw.p young men wore much together, and during a tour they made on the Pacific Slooo CUmy's half-brother, the heir to "the Carway peerage, died suddenly. , "It scorns lie was Im-ied under a false name, hr Rim in at on had already conenctod his ingenious sviicmo. C'lur.y was to await the death of old Lord Carwav. and then go to Knghnul mm claim the -title and estates. Carway dive! sooner than they oxpoeto-l. and a" hurried start had to bo mado to Enalnnd. Rimington and <luny won: Rrroinnaiiicd bv a man nairny] Thompson, who was to ho in "'«»y vs TUc> ;.c-l'-i:iie "'as laid before Sfacbmy C-kvdc. who ti:.-.MV l.rrself hit:* th- p'ot .vith. '*<■<■ greatest eagerness. P-lic vowed lor .".on should succeed to the. peerage. ; To be Continued.)