Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 November 1900 — Twixt Life and Death [ARTICLE]

Twixt Life and Death

BY FRANK BARRETT

CHAPTERXXV .-(Continued “But the man must love to give; and If love only springs from receiving, and the wife gives nothing ” Nessa suggest cd. “But the wife does give something she gives herself. What more could u man ask for? Besides, men are different from women—they like giving.” “So do women, surely?" Mrs. Redmond, judging her sex by her ®wn standard, was not so convinced on thia head, but she was quite ready to grant, it for the sake of argument. “Well, there you are!" said she, “if both give, both must love, And the more yon give, the more you ought to love. And, of coursc.in giving yourself to Cardckbairn, you do give more than if be •were quite the nt in of your choice.. No one denies that he is a little weak in his intellect, and requires someone to guide ihim; but in taking care <>f him, and making some sacrifice with a sort of philanthropic notion— a kind of feelingtbat you ere making him hippy —” Mrs. Redmond cheeked herself, for she was being carried by the force of her own logic to lengths that appeared to her a little too ridiculous to impose even on such a simpleton as Nessa. But she-certainly would [have continued had she known what mopeful conviction she had caused to 'dawn upon the girl's mind. As it was, Khe leant back in her chair and folded er arms in morose silence, saying to herself that it was no good going any further; she must give up the attempt to mold the stubborn girl to her purpose. Both sat quite silent for some minutes; (then Nessa looking up, with a set resolve In her clear eyes, said: "Huw long would it take to arrange for a marriage?" “Oh, the arrangements are all made. ;When we first began to talk about thia affair, I felt so sure you intended to do the sensible thing that I told Carickbairn <o give the formal notice at the registry office in his parish, and it was done. Why, dear"—Mrs. Redmond leaned forward, iwarmed with a sudden rush of affection »—“you could be married this very afternoon if you liked!" “Then T will be married this afternoon,” said Nessa, firmly. CHAPTER XXVI. It was done. The forms were all duly observed; and Vanessa Grahame was legally married to Richard Anderson, Lord Oarickhairn, at the registry office of East Chelsea, before the registrar, and in the presence of his clerk and two witnesses - John Cummings and Maud Redmond. “That’s a queer lot!” said the registrar, returning to the inner office after closing the door on the marriage party. “What do you make of ’em?” “Something wrong going on there ” “That’s my opinion." “Not one of them looked quite right. Did you notice the bride?” "She looked as white as n ghost never smiled once; I saw that.” "I mean, when she sat down to sign her name, she stopped for quite half a minute with the pen in her hand, with a kind of wild look in her face, as if sh® couldn’t bring herself to do it. Did you •ee it?” “No; the man fixed me. There waa a rum look in his face if you like, and hi* eyes were all puffed up and bloodshot." “Drink, I suppose.” “Either he’d been drinking, or else he’d tust risen from a sick bed. He could ardly walk across the office; and that parson fellow, Cummings, actually had <o tell him how to spell his own name. Look at his signature.” “Hum! I thought I heard one of them call him Lord Carickbairn, or something like that." “I shouldn’t be surprised. No. 2<i Eaton .gtrect. Is that all right?" "Oh, he’s had lodgings there three weeks—for the sake of the notice, I expect." The registrar looked at the register a minute in silence, and then said: “I tell. you whnt I think this is a put up job... Anderson is some young swell with a lot of money—a lord as likely as not and a dipsomaniac, 1 should say; and the young girl has been led on to marry him by the fat woman and the parson, who stand in to share the plunder I didn't like the look of either of them--too managing." “They looked anxious enough till it was all over, and then they seemed to have a load off their mind. How anxious they were to get off, too!" “They wouldn’t have been married her® —a young couple of that kind if it had been all right, you may be sure. However, that's not my affair." “They’re a queer lot, anyhow." The "queer lot” went to Sloane Square Station in the cab which had brought them from Regent street to the registry office A train was leaving the platform as they descended the stairs; another was due in seven minutes. With bis arm linked in Nessa's, Carickbairn tottered to a seat and sat down. She, too, thought that he had been drinking; but overcoming her instinctive repugnance, she seated herself by his side, with the firm resolve to do her duty by the man she had tafftui for her husband. ,For u few moments they sat in silence; she with bead bent and downcast eyes summoning her fortitude, and striving, with all the strong purpose off her earnest disposition, to >U> what was right; he holding her arm wiffi feverish energy, and casting bis furtive glance from her to Cummings, who was walking with Mrs. Redmond nt a little distance apart. "I am your wife now," Nessa said in a low tone, still looking down, "and I will try to make you well and strong and happy.” "Yea! yes!" he answered, quickly, scarcely above a whisper; "1 shall b® Strong enough to-morrow -strong esough Srhed we get away from fahn.” He nodded toward Cummings, «nd tightening his bold upon her arm. Cummings walking away from them, tarried a small Gladstone bag in on®

hand, and the Tickets he had procured at the booking office in the other. “Take these tickets,” said he, “and I'll give you the money for the others.” " Mrs. Redmond took the tickets, and finding but three, said in quick alarm: "You're coming, too?” "No. I shall quit you here.” “What, and leave me to go alone with them ?” “Yes; you'll get out at Blackfriars. It's only a stone's throw to St. Paul’s station. You can take a growler to the terminus at liolborn Viaduct if you prefer it. There's sure to be a continental train at about six.” "You'll have to come with us. I won't do it. alone.” : “You must, it's nuearly four. I shall have to.meet Hexham at Eustom’V “What for?" “To put him off the scent.” "Rubbish. I'm not going to trust myself for a couple of hours with that fellow.” “Whnt are you afraid of?” " Why, he may break out in the carriage before we get back to Blackfriars.” - “Nonsense. You can see for yourself that he's as helpless as a baby. Besides, he's reasonable enough now, and more cunning than the pair of us.” "You can say what you like, I won’t trust him. If you don't go on, I won’t.” ‘.‘Well, how about Hexham?" ".Let him find out that you’re gone when he gets to the rooms. There will be nothing odd in that." “Yes, there will; his telegram is on the table telling mo to expect him." "Nothing's to be gained by alarming him before the time. It's just as easy to say that Carickbairn gave you the slip at four, and that you have been hunting for him since, as—any other lie. Besides, what does it matter? He's bound to find out the truth. You've got nothing to gain from him. You've staked everything on getting your share of the girl’s fortune, and you'll be a fool, indeed, if you neglect any means of making that sure. Here comes the train; are you coming or not?” “Have it your own way; but, mind, it will be your fault if we fail. The first thing Hexham will do when he finds us gone and learns that Carickbairn was bad last night will be to go to the police station. Better let me go and put him on a wrong track. Shall lor not?” The train came to a stand. “No," answered Mrs. Redmond, decisively. Cummings nodded with nn air of resignation and stepped into the carriage after “Nessa and her husband. Mrs. Redmond followed. At St. Paul’s they found that the Quecnsborough train did not leave before 8:30. They went to a hotel in the neighborhood and dined. As the time went on, Cummings grew more and more restless and uneasy- glancing with apprehension at every newcomer who entered the dining room. At seven o’clock he could no longer endure inaction, and proposed that they should go to the Viaduct station, where possibly they could put Nessa and Carickbairn in the train. Mrs. Redmond, as impatient and apprehensive as he, assented to the proposal. Cummings, going in advance, -found the smoking room empty, and held the door for the rest to pass in. They took a corner table. The waiter brought coffee and some illustrated papers. Nessa, seated beside her husband, who kept his hand constantly on her arm, tried to interest him in the engravings and find new occupation to her thoughts. For beyond the consideration of the grave responsibilities involved in the irrevocable step she had taken, a certain uneasiness was taking possession of her which owed its origin to trifles that seemed to insignificant to deserve attention at such a time. At the present moment, for instance, she noticed that her husband, bending over the paper as if to look at the pictures, bad his eyes covertly fixed on Cummings, while the fingers of his left hand, as it hung over bis knee above the table, were constantly opening and closing, as it he were clutching an imaginary object; and again she observed that, whenever the door opened Cummings and Mrs. Redmond invariably turned to see who it was that entered. "Is that his bag you’ve got there?” whispered Mrs. Redmond to Cummings. “Yes.” "What's inside?" “His razors.” At last the porter came to say that the train was in and the booking office open. Cummings took up the bag, and they went down into the station. Mrs. Redmond left them to get the tickets and rejoined them at the wicket. “Only two going on?” said the collector, examining the tickets. “Only two,” Cummings answered. “This lady and I will go on the platform to see our friends off.” "All right, sir.” They went down the pintform. “What class?” asked the guard. “First." Cummings, falling back and putting his hand in his pocket, told the guard, in a low tone, that the lady and gentleman going on were a newly married couple. “All right, sir,” said the obliging official; “I’ll take care they keep the apartment to themselves.” He took the half-crown Cummings had ready and locked the door on Nessa and her husband. “Hope you’ll have a nice journey, dear," said Mrs. Redmond through the window; "mind you write to-morrow nnd let me know how you are jetting on.” She nodded and fell back. Cummings stepped forward and shook hands with Carickbairn. “Good-by. Pleasant journey,” he said, and then, putting the bag through, “here’s your traps. Send the rest on. You'll find your shaving fSckle in there.” Carickbairn, taking the bag on his knees, spread his hands over it as he nodded —his ey>s shifting from Cummings to Ncssa. and then back to Cummings with a gleam'of intense gratification.

It waa half-past tfre ween Hexham found on the table in his room the telegram he had sent to Cummings, intimating his return and desiring him to be at home when he arrived. He rang the bell at once. Mr. Cummings?” he asked, sharply, when the servant came up. “He went out about 2 o'clock, sir, with° Lord Carickbairn.” "Did he leave any message?” “No, sir.” “Did anyone call for them?” “No, sir. Lord Carickbairn was very bad last night.” Hexham knew that by the condition of the room. “He couldn’t have gone out if he had been very bad,” he said tentatively. “Well, sir, it was as much as ever he could do to get down to the oah. Missis said he oughtn't to have been token out in such a state." Hexham saw there must have been a special reason for taking him out. He was a man of determination and prompt action, despite his easy-going look. From the rooms in Victoria Mansions, it was but ten minutes’ walk to Scotland Yard. He went straight to the chief, and put the case before him in a few words. "My name is Hexham,” he said, presenting his card; “I am private keeper to Mr. Richard Anderson, son of the American millionaire of that name. You’ve heard of him, perhaps?” “The gentleman who insists upon calling himself Lord Carickbairn?” "Yes. -I left him in charge of a -man named Cummings three weeks ago to go to Ireland, where I expected to Stay « few days. The illness of my mother detained me there. I came back this'evening and found both Mr. Anderson nnd Cummings gone—-under suspicious circumstances.” “Suspicious circumstances?”—lnterrogatively. "Yes. I wired Cummings to be at home, and I learned that soon after getting my telegram he removed Mr. Anderson, whose condition must have rendered going out extremely dangerous.” "Dangerous, in what way?" “Dangerous as regards his own health, and the safety of others. He had nn attack last night. After that he should have complete rest. Any excitement may produce a second attack, and in that condition he is capable of murder. I may tell you, if you are not already aware of the fact, that be is a homicidal matfiac.” “He was tried for murder in NeW York, and acquitted on the ground of insanity?” “Yes.” "Is Cummings aware of this?” “Perfectly.” "What motive can he Lave for taking him out?” “I cannot tell. But I suspect some mercenary end. Mr. Anderson, of course, has almost unlimited wealth, which might be the object of some intrigue.” “Well, sir, what do you wish me to do?” “Wire to all stations, ipd command instant inquiry. Of course, expense is no consideration.” "Very good. Write a,description of the two men as briefly as you can on this/ form.” i Hexham sat down nnd wrote at once. “That's right,” said the chief, reading the paper and touching a bell push; “now, sir, will you wait liiye in the hope of an answer coming in, or will you call again?” Hexham waited. The first hopeful answer was received an hour later. “Seen at St.. Paul’s station. Still inquiring.” Then came another. "Dined at Randall’s Hotel. Just gone.” Nothing of any importance was offered for half an hour, then Hexham read from the tape, "Priest and gentleman with two ladies, liolborn Viaduct station.” It was 8:25 when Hexham dashed up to the station in a hansom. "Which is the next train out?” he asked of the porter as he leaped out. "Continental in—off in a few minutes.” Hexham rushed to the wicket, and at a glance caught sight of Cummings and Mrs. Redmond at the door of a carriage. Pushing the collector aside, he ran down toward them. They turned and walked off toward the front of the train. The guard, whistle in hand, was holding up bis hand. "Open this door!” shouted Hexham, trying the handle. “Here’s a compartment,. sir.” The guard opened another door, “Open this door!” “Can't, sir ” “Quick! don't you see the man’s got an open razor in his hand?” shouted Hexham. At this moment there was a woman’s scream from the inside of the carriage. (To be continued.)