THE STORY OF STRANGE LIVES

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2331, 18 June 1887, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE STORY OF STRANGE LIVES

GEORGE MANVILLE EENN, Author or,". Ship Ahoy," "Dutch the Divek," '' Th'k Foundry Belle," &c.

The Story: 1860. Lives. [All Rioiits Reserved.] :, '": CHAPTER LIVII. 'THE BROKEN LINK.

June's, husband had been very little at the old, house /for some weeks till that night when he had arrived with' Clare; hut June-had sat patiently awaiting his coming,. ! telling herself that there was still hope for her, -that she would yet win he'husband's love back as it was of old. 'Then she would sit and think, how t,hose„w.ho,had-. been .estranged had been brought together, and held fast by a little link, and a joyous look had come hack into her eyes, for that little link was hers.

She had been very ill, though, and was weak aDd helpless, wanting as she did the help and kindly tending of those who loved her. She had been very ill before, and the shock given her by her husband's conduct in bringing home that fair sweet-faced girl who called herself his wife had been sufficient to cause a severe relapse, "during which she had to depend on the Midge for the news of what took place in the gloomy house. Prom her she learned of the terrible fight her husband had with the dog, and of the subsequent escape of Clare by the Midge'frcbnnivance, and she dwelt again and again hopefully upon the girl's words * She don't care for him ; she hates him, and will never see Urn again.' Often in her solitude, would she lie and picture that dreadful, struggle, and shudder as she thought of how often she had caressed that dog. Then, too, in her[weak-.excited state, came the Midge's description of the subsequent scene ; her husband's sufferings, and the almost maniacal horrpr/he has displayed lest the bites of the savage animal should have any after effect. Then; too, like some horrible dream came the girl's description of the attempt made by the three men a day or two later, when the dog came again, and, not being able to get, to June's apartment, had gone below to tear and howl at the dooir leading to the cellars. The men had then, coaxed the dog away, got him td follow them upstairs, and given him some bread and milk which Huish had prepared for him ; but Joby had smelt it, shewed his teeth with an angry snarl and turned away,-nb one present daring to intercept his "retreat.

It was strange how the narration of that attempt-to poison the dog had interested her, and she asked the Midge to repeat it again and again, so that at last she-knew exactly the smallest minutes of the matter ? hot? Balasa had purchased the deadly drug, and where her husband hadiplaced itUn their sitting room, so that she would lie and conjure- it all before Her, arid 'theniwonder at what would have~beea.the.consequence had the dog partaken of the food, how long.he would haVeliired,'whether He wciulcL have died qtiietlyi and what would have been jits effect wpon a human being,

Above all she lay and wondered with busy, half delirious brain whether such a poison would cause intense suffering or be rapid in its course. Then came the thoughts of Clare once more, and June's feelings partook more of the nature of pity than of anger. ' Poor girl !' sighed June, and she thought, with a slight flush of pride in her cheeks of how she was the lawful wife, and that even if this fair girl had gone through the ceremony of marriage, her own was binding and she might yet win him back. ' Poor girl !' she sighed agan, ' she has pride and self-respect then, but can she withstand his winning tongue ?' She thought of her owu weakness, and then lay waiting and hoping that her troubles were nearly past. In place of the loving care she should have received, there bad been but chilling attention.' Her husband had hot been near her, and in the place of .his loving words, she had but those of the Midge, and a strange, harsh, old-looking womau, to tend her in the bare, room : specially prepared, one who. announced herself as coming by her husband's orders, and who always called her ' my deary,' and said her name was Jane 1 Glynne. June felt a loathing and horror of this .woman, the one of whom the Midge had spoken at the first, as soon as she saw her, and lay trembling in bed with a strange fear always present with her that her babe was not safe in this woman's arms. Hence she watched her jealously, longing to be strong once more and watch over the child herself, for there had now grown up within her that wonderful love of a mother-for her offspring—a love which looks with euvy upon the very hands that touch that which is hers. June could not have told how or why j it was, but there was the feeling upon her that this woman would cause the death of her little one. She would not murder it, but kill it by neglect or accident, for she had more than once let drop that John Huish hated it for coming in the way, ' and that he considered that he would be a trouble and incumbrance. 'But he will no when he sees it,' June had whispered to herself, ' he will love it as I do, and we shall be happy again as we were months ago." So she watched over the safety of her little one, dreading even to go to sleep, lest ill should befall it, and keeping herself back by this constant jealous watchfulness. One day as she lay weak and helpless, she had in spite of herself fallen into a heavy sleep, oppressed with painful dreams, in one of which she had seen a black shadow hovering over the cradle on the floor by her bed, and it was stooping lower and lower, and about to seize the helpless infant, while she, its mother, lay chained by weakness to her bed, unable to move. The sensation was horrible and she felt that she must die. She struggled again aud again, but in vain, and at last, \vhcn the agony had become maddening she awoke bathed with perspiration, to find that her dream was, as it were, real. For, as her eyes turned instinctively to the cradle, she felt her blood congeal. It was no imagination now, but the stern reality : there was a dark figure bending over her sleeping babe, and yet she could not move to protect it or utter a sound. She felt paralysed, in fact,:and lay watching for what was to follow. The room was shaded and the light within it dim, and at the first glance she thought it was the hateful woman her husband had sent; but directly after she saw that it was the Midge. Another enemy. Tho girl hated her at heart, and she had come to revenge herself no doubt on the little object of her love. If she could only have shrieked out, the spell would have been broken ; but no : the oppression was too great, and she could only pour her soul from her eyes, and their glances were vain, though, had she possessed the power they would have struck dead the destroyer of her child. All at once the Midge lifted her head with a sudden movement, to throw back her long .hair, and In place of the demoniacal look of one about to commit some crime June saw that the Midge.was trans formed, the sullen look had passed away, and a happy smile lit up her. sallow countenance. She was too intent upon the infant to see that its mother lay awake, and. once more bending over the cradle she softly touched one of.the tiny hands that had escaped from the coverlet, and as she did not the little fingers closed tightly, round, one of hers. For, a few minutes the Midge did not stir, only knelt there, smiling down at, the sleeping|ehild till the babe stirred and, avvoke, when she lifted,it tenderly to hold it to her bosom, cooing and whispering to it as she laid its cheek against her own. "You little . sweet," she murmered, softly ; and then her eyes fell upon those of June, between whose half-closed eyelids the tears were now stealing, for the horror had passed away, to give place to a sense of delicious calm and peace. For here was one whom she thought would help to protect her child. " Midge," she said softly, " do you love it?" "Love it?" cried the girl, almost prssionately. "I could kill it with kisses." June did not speak for a few minutes, and ,then she said softly,— ." Will . you help me watch over it, Midge?" lam afraid—thatwoman." ," Yes," cried the Midge, placing her lips close to June's; "he hates it, and she would kill it. Let her touch it if she dare'" June's feeble hands stole from the bed to grasp one. of the Midge's, which ;she kissed, and then her, overcharged heart was relieved by the long ,pent-up tears. For she told herself that, her darling was safe arid that when he returned, all would be well. /.During the next two days she made rapid progress, for the malady which had seized her in her weak state began to give way to the more hopeful state of her mind, but on the night following, as she layrestfully asleep, she started awake, for there was a loud cry and an angry shriek in the room. For a few moments she could hardly realise what was taking place, for there was a; struggle, and a sound of angry voices, to which was added, the wail of the infant. , The next minute, though, the child was thrust into her. arms by the Midge, who literally flew at the other occupant of the' room like a fury, beating at her face till she fled from the room and down the stairs, being literally driven from the house. June- lay trembling and listening in ; wonderment. ,In her confusion of mind from waking so suddenly, she had only noticed that the woman was dressed, and that a thick shawl had been, wrapped round the baby, and lay now across the counterpane. In a few minutes the, Midge returned, panting, laughing and crying together, to throw herself upon the bed and clasp mother and child in her bony arms as she sobbed hysterically. Growing calm at last, she cried, — " I saved it, though, I saved it." " What was it, Midge, tell me ;" said June, eagerly. "I.was watching," cried the girl. " I heard them when he came," " When who came ?" cried June. ' Has my husband been ?" " Yes, he was here this morning,"

" And did not come to see me," moaned June laying her hand to her side. "No ; I heard him tell that Mrs Glynne that he should not come while the brat was there ; and then lie told her to take the baby to some place, I didn't hear where ; and then he said be could get you away. So I watched her hour after hour till to-night, when she quietly put on her thiugs, came in here, with me creeping up to the door." "Yes," said June breathlessly, "go on." Then she took the baby and wrapped it in the shawl she had ready, and was stealing away with it, when I flew at betam! drove her back into the room, and now she's gone, let her come back if she dares." June lay trembling and clasping her babe to her heart as she listened to the Midge's words, every one of which seemed to be the death knell of hope to her un'strung mind. ,' Then inau agony of dread, she started up. ; . " " Help me to dress,".she cried. "No, no, no, you must hot get up," said the Midge. "I must —I will," she cried hoarsely ; and laying the babe down, for it was quite still now, she hastily began to dress, the Midge helping her, and 'gazing wonderingly at the distorted face. " What are you going to'do—where are you going ?" whispered the girl. "Oh, don't, pray dear. You are so ill. It will kill you." " Better for me," she replied hoarsely. " Let me get away anywhere—anywhere from here, for he hates me and my poor babe . God help me, what shall I do !" She paused for a few minutes to stand panting and holding on by the Midge. Then with frantic haste she continued her preparations till she stood quite ready, and hastily wrapping her infant in the shawl, she walked firmly across the room. " Light me down," she cried, with her old imperious mien returned. ' "No, no, pray, pray don't go," cried the Midge, going down on her knees to her, and clinging to her dress. " Don't go—don't take it away.""T must, girl—l must," cried June, excitedly, "or they will rob me of all that I have left to love." "Then I shall go too," cried the Midge, starting up. " You shall not go alone." June stared at her iii a strange dazed way for a few moments and then smiled. " Yes," she said, "you shall go, Midge, let us get far away, to some pleasant country place, where we can be at peace, or I shall die—l shall die." She hurried through the door, and clown to the first floor, where she tottered slightly. "Come to my room—my bonnet—l will not he a moment," said the Midge, trembling with fear and excitement ; and i June followed her to the desolate little i apartment, where she reeled and sank into a chair. 'Get ready,' she said. .' I shall be— better directly. Oh, Heaven, give me strength or they will steal my babe,' (.he moaned ; and the Midge had just time to catch the little thing as it fell from June's weak arms. For the fictitious strength of excitement had passed away, and she sank with her head and shoulders upon the pillow, too feeble almost to lift her arm. The Midge fetched brandy from the upper rooms, and June recovered somewhat, but fhe could do more than lie helplessly; the strength [had passed away. 'But you will be safe here,' whispered the Midge, trying to comfort her. 'No one will dare to touch you here.' ' Give me my little one,' moaned June, and let me lie and gather strength ; Midge then we will go. Oh, my darling, if I could be sure that you be happy, I would not care. Oh, God help me, and protect my child,' she whispered softly, ' let my prayer be heard.' She held the little one tightly to her breast for a new minutes as she lay with her eyes closed. Then feeling somewhat less exhusted, she took the shawl from it with trembling fingers, while the Midge held the light nearer. Suddenly June started up with'ajfrantic cry. ' Midge, Midge—fetch—quick—a doctor—oh, my babe, my babe !' While tho Midge stood with wild dilating eyes, gazing at the'little white inanimate object clasped to ( its mother's breast; for June's prayer had been heard, and her little one was at rest in peace.

CHAPTER LVII.I.

STRANGE PASSENGERS

June's sufferings seemed to give her strength, aud she was" seated in the darkened room where the baby lay sleeping a couple of days later, when the Midge came softly in to tell in a'whisper that her husband was upstairs. June rose and walked to the bedside to stand gazing at the little marble face, and then turned with a piteous sigh towards the door, for the link was broken, and she had nothing to bind her to her husband now. He was sitting smoking a cigar, and glanced at her uneasily as sheltered to go behind his chair, and lay her thin hands upon his shoulder. She was silent, for her lips would not frame themsolves to tell the piteous news. The past was; forgotten now in this great sorrow. The insult he Lad offered her—far more cruel than his neglect—in bringing that fair girl who called herself his wife, was condoned for the sake of the little one lying dead, and she was ready with forgiveness if he would take her again .to his heart—forgiveness, love, and forgetfulness ; but he was cold and moody, seeming wrapt in thought, and after turning a half pitying glance at her, be bade her sit down, and she took the chair he. pointed to, waiting patiently for an opportunity, to speak/ That opportunity did not come ; for, just as he was finishing His cigar, He suddenly became On the alert, and thrust hand into his bosom, as the door was opened suddenly, arid John Hsish dashed into the room. June uttered a cry of dread, arid.weak as she was, her first effort was to throw herself before her husband, but Huish had her by the wrist, and swung her round so that she sank trembling upon the sofa, where she cowered in an angony of dread, feeling that Bhe was about to bo the witness of some dreadful scene. Once more, though, her spirit reasserted itself, and she rose as John Huish dragged at the table which his double had thrust between them, and kept as a shield while he strove to drag something from his breast.:. ■...■■■■ Again and again Huish strove to meet his enemy, but' the latter was too quick and just as Huish was about to leap the obstacle, June flung Herself upon him, wound Her arms round Him, knitting her fingers together and bending down her head as he struggled hard to free himself from her grasp. ' Loose me, woman,' he panted, hoarsely, ' Loose me, or I shall hurt you.' He could have freed himself on the instant, but even then in His wild rage he feet a repugnance against using force", and June was able to retain him in her grasp, while by a quick motion her busband made for the door. John Huish was too quick for him though, and cut off his retreat so that he once mo r e took refuge behind the table, and the two", men stood glaring at each other. But for the wild look in John Huign'a

eyes, a mingling of hate, rage, apd loathr ing, and his closely cut hair, the likeness would have been so great that Juno would hare boen deceived; and as she gazed wildly fi:om one to the other, she shuddered, hardly knowing why, but with the kind of shrinking dread with which one might staud upon the brink of some great mystery. ; The Gentleman was not himself either now, for his hand trembled as he drew a revolver from his breast, and held it levelled at John Huish. There was.a nervous tremour too in his voice as he cried to his wife:— _.- 'Standaway from him, June. He is an escaped madman. I, can deal with him now.' 'Yes,'cried Huish, 'I am an escaped madman, but there is a method in my madness. I can cast out the devil -that has taken possession of me.' As he spoke, with a quick motion,, he shook off June, and leaped upon the table that divided him from his adversary ; but at that moment there was a\quick flash and a sharp report, and he received a blow which made him stagger back and fall heavily to the ground. .' ' n ■ '"' What have you done ?' ! cried June, in horror-stricken tones.. ' " . ' ~ \''{ ■ ' Saved my life,.fool ; stand back.', | 'As. he spoke the Gentleman leaped: over John Huish's prostrate, body, and! tried to open the door, panic-stricken, his nerve gone, and thinkinjr only of escape ; but the , door was fast, and he uttered a cry of horror as he saw John Huish strugle up and make for /him again. .-■.., He fired once more, but this time the bullet struck the looking-glass, shivering it to piecee, and he had barely time todash into the inner room, and through its door on to the landing before Huish literally leaped after him. Trembling, and with her heart beating so that she left that she must suffocate, June ran after them, to see the two men leap down the flight of stairs in a way , that seemed to threaten their very lives ; but the Gentlemen had the start, and reaching the bottom first he flung open . the heavy door just as Huish reached the passage, turned, sharpely, fired, and, as the report of the pistol echoed through through the house, the banging of the door sounded like its echo. The shot crashed through the ojd wainscot at the end of the passage, but the closed portal was more successful. It checked John Huish for a moment or two before he could catch up a hat from a chair, and throw open the door, and when he reached the lane it was empty. He gnashed his teeth with rage, as he. ran down to the bottom, chancing which way the man lie haunted had gone, and was just in time to see him enter a hansom which was rapidly driven'off. Running pretty quickly he became aware that he was exciting attention, and remembering His appearance he subsided into a slower pace, for another cab was on ahead, and he hailed it just in the time. 1 Follow that cab,' ho cried to the man as he leaped in. 'Double fare.' "■ The horse'sprang forward, and to'his ■ great satisfaction he saw that he gained upon the fugitive, and ,he sat. back patiently waiting with the 'determination now to hunt him down. , Mad or sane there'was one thought now in John Huish's br.iin, and that was to fiend—the haunting demon, by the throat. Whether he was human or some strange creature from another world he had ceased now to speculate : his brain had been troubled with too much stress, all he felt was that they two could not exist together upon earth ; that was his evil half and he must kill it. Once or twice a thrill of mad rage made his nerves tingle, for he seemed to see Clare resting lovingly in the other's arms, responding to his caresses, smiling in his face, and blessing him with her love, and at such moments his brain whirled round like oce of the wheels that spun by his side. The sight of the cab in front drove these thoughts away though, and clenching his teeth he shook his head as if to clear his brain for the one object in view. And now for the first time he became aware of a strange pain, and of something warm trickling down beside his ear, and putting up his hand, he withdrew it covered with blood. ' He could not kill me,' he muttered, taking out his handkerchief and applying it to where the first bullet had struck the top of his head and glanced off, making a deep cut which bled freely. He did not know then, but it was the one thing for which' he had reason to thank the man he pursued, for, though se'nt with a mission to destroy, it was the saving of his life.' On still, through the crowded streets which were empty^to John Huish, for he saw nothing but the cab before him. As in his then wild stato there seemed to be room in the world but for one of them two, so in his vision there was room but for the single object he pursued. There were turnings and checks, and once or twice the cab was nearly lost, but the driver he had knew his work, and twice over, when Huish was about to leap out and . continue the pursuit on foot, there was the cab on ahead. Over Blackfriars Bridge, off to the right, along that dreary Stamford-street, and then down a turning for a short cut. Yes: he must be making for Waterloo Station, Yes, he was : and as Huish sprang out he saw him he sought at the ticket office, and darted towards him. The fugitive looked round in the act of taking his ticket, saw the wild face of Huish, and turned and fled, with his. pursuer close upon his hee.ls. Without a moment's hesitation the Gentleman on" reaching the platform ran to the right, doubled back along the next, leaped down on the line, crossed it, reached the next platform, doubled again, in and out, amidst the shouts of. the porters passed through a tangle of trains and empty carriages, and so reached the loop line before glancing back to find Huish doggedly following'.' ~ . . , A wild strange look of: horror came into his face as he glanced around him, seeking which way to go, and for the moment he made for the path down to the waterside by Hungerford Bridge ; but just then he saw that' a train was oh the point of starting. Not the one for which he had taken - a ticket, but anywhere would do, so that he could get away from the madman who hunted him like fate."■',■ He dashed to the gate just as it was closed, and,the stern official uttered the words, ' 'Too late." : He glanced over his shoulder and saw that John Huish was within ten yards, and half a dozen porters in pursuit. Had he possessed the presence of mind now to face him, he had but to say, ' This is an escaped lunatic,' to see him secured^ But his nerve was gone, and in his horror he glanced widly from place to place, ran a few yards dashed through another gate, and ran along another platform just as the train was gliding away by the next. •' Shouts and orders to stop reached him, but they upon ears that heeded not, and boldly leaping down at the end of the platform he ran along- the line, oaught the handle of one of the carriages about the middle of the train, and climbed on the footboard, where ho tried to open the carriage door, but being on the wrong side of the train it was locked. ' Safe,' he muttered. ' Curse him—he is a very devil incarnate.' As he spoke he climbed in at the window of the compartment, which proved to be empty ; and then with a smile of triumph he thrust his head out of the window to gaze back at his discom-

fited pursuer,- for the' engine 'was' ric-w rapidly 'gathering speed,•'a'rid'b'e'ibg- one of the afternoon trainslt would probably fun ten or a dozen miles-without stopping 1 , As'he looked out,' though, "his eyes '.became fixed and his'teeth chattered togrther with'horror, 'for there,'far back, standing on thefootboard of the guard's brake was John 1 Huish, and as' the'yburig men's eyes met ! there was a strange' kind "of fascination which held the fugitive' to the window, while his pursuer sedmed'to come nearer arid nearer * till? their, eyes almost touched. '■■ '■■'"■" '' >'.•■■■-•■ Occurring as these incidents did on the off side" of the "train, - they Had riot been seen by the guard,, who was in profpand ignorance of what had taken-place,'<while the.officials at the terminus, gave him the credit of seeing the strange passengers,' and taking such steps as were 5 necessary at tho first stopping station. Looking out, about a couple of miles dbwii the line, he saw John Huish stawding'on the ftnt-, board, and the next moment h(i entered the brake. . To the guard's reriiarks there was no reply, and finding himself in oompariy I with a wild-looking man, closely cut off Hair,. his head' bleeding, arid who paid no 1 , heed to his words, he was about to* check the train'; bu't'as his hand was'stretched out to the wheel that bore the line, John HuishVeyes blazed 1 " upT arid he'shrank back, 1 afraid to, eu'tcr into an'encounter; with one whom he looked upon as mad. ' 'Where do you stop first?' said Huish at last. '. '_ .' '" '" ~ 'Buttnr" Lane,' replied the man, naming a station some fourteen miles down the line, and John Huish was silent during the half-hour's run, while the guard kept glancing anxiously out at the stations they passed, and longed,for help to rid him of his strange companion. They were about a mile from their destination when, before he could arrest him, the guard saw Huish, who had been leaning out of the window first on one side and then on the other, suddenly Opened the door, climb down, and leap from the train. ' Why, there's another,' ho cried, looking out. '.' I wonder they haven't broken their necks.' '' ,' Had he been gazing out as the train ran on through the pretty country place, he would have been the fugitive, after anxiously looking ahead, suddenly climb 'down' upon trie footboard, leap forward, stagger as his feet touched the ballast, and then go down on hands and knees to get up and. begin walking fast to the 'boundary tie'dge, which he leaped just as John Huish took his leap from the train, alighted in safety, and once more began the pursuit. ''•' Why the hunt's t'other way on,' cried the : guard, excitedly, as he looked back. ' Madman's hunting bis keeper, I think, arid he'll have him too.'Jhe lidded, as the train thundered rapidly along, and.they glided into the station, his last glimpse of the two strange passengers 'being.as they ran across a meadow nearly' a inilo distant. Here he gave information to the station master, arid two or three passengers who had seen the'fugitiveleave the carriage, and whose destination this proved to be, set off at a trot iu the direction taken by the hunted man,' while after telling the engine driver and stoker that it was. a rum star!.,"tho guard resumed his place as (he train continued its way. ' ._ (To be continued.)