Part 38 (1/2)

”A confession!” gasped her lover. ”What?”

”On that fatal evening when poor Nelly was so brutally killed I had an appointment to meet you at the spot,” she answered. ”And I kept it.”

”You did? Why, I thought you were prevented.”

”I was, but I arrived there late. Unconscious of the fearful tragedy, I walked there, and in the twilight waited in the gateway leading to the meadow, the very spot where Mariette and Nelly had been standing an hour before. While there the high wind blew my hair about and several of the pins fell out. I picked them up, all save one--the one you discovered.”

”It was yours!” he cried dismayed.

”Yes, mine,” she replied. ”I waited there alone about ten minutes, then pa.s.sed beneath the railway bridge and there saw straight before me, a little way beyond, Nelly lying beside her machine. We had quarrelled earlier in the day over a trifling matter and she had uttered some rather insulting words: therefore, believing that she had merely had a fall and would recover in a few minutes, I left her lying where she was.

I saw no blood, and never dreamt that she was dead. At her throat was the brooch Charles Holroyde had given her, an ornament upon which she set great store. Suddenly the temptation to annoy her came over me, and I bent and s.n.a.t.c.hed it off. At that moment you had already discovered the crime, and gone for a.s.sistance. It was my intention to keep the brooch, so that she might believe it had been stolen. Judge my horror when a few hours later I knew the ghastly truth, while in my possession there remained the missing brooch about which the papers afterwards made so many comments. Again, the hairpin you discovered being one of mine was still another fact which caused me the greatest terror, lest the police should ascertain from whose hair the pin had fallen. In order to make it appear that I had not been to Cross Lane I that night wrote a letter to you regretting that I was prevented from meeting you, and early next morning tore it into fragments and cast it at the roadside, where it was subsequently discovered by the detectives. Yet the fear that the brooch might be discovered in my possession was ever upon me, so one night I took all my remaining pins, together with the brooch, and buried them in the garden, where, I suppose, they still remain. Ever since that day until now I have feared lest my theft should be discovered and my presence at the scene of the tragedy proved, for I saw how suspicious were the circ.u.mstances, especially as we had had a slight difference earlier that day and someone might have overheard our high words. For months my life has been overshadowed by a terrible dread, but now that I know the truth I hesitate no longer to speak.”

”And the miniature we discovered by Nelly's side was the one you gave her to return to my family?” George exclaimed, turning quickly to Mariette, astounded at the remarkable explanation.

”Yes. She said she knew you, and that you loved Liane. Therefore she would return it to your father without stating whence it had come.”

”But you say that Charles Holroyde was my brother,” he exclaimed, puzzled. ”I do not understand.”

”Think for a moment, and you will see that all I have spoken is the truth,” she answered. ”Before his death he told me the whole of the circ.u.mstances; how your mother, Lady Stratfield, died a few months after your birth, and how your father, a year afterwards, married another lady, whom he subsequently divorced. The latter, a lady of means, came and lived in France, where Charles was educated, but when he knew how unjustly your father had treated his mother he declined to take the name of Stratfield, and preferred his mother's maiden name. He--”

”Ah, yes, I remember?” cried George, amazed. ”It was my father's unhappy second marriage that had caused him to become gloomy, misanthropic, and a hater of womankind. The subject was scarcely ever mentioned between us, but now I distinctly remember that the lady's name was Holroyde. I knew that she had a son, but have always been led to suppose that he died when only a few months old.”

”No,” Mariette replied. ”He was foully murdered for the money he had won at roulette by that man standing there,” and she pointed towards Zertho, who stood trembling, crushed by her terrible denunciation.

”Fancy poor Charlie Holroyde actually being your brother!” Liane exclaimed, looking up tenderly into the face of the man she so fondly loved. ”Yet it is not surprising, for, strangely enough, I have many times thought that your face strongly resembled his. But my father is cleared of the terrible stigma, and no suspicion can now be cast upon me, therefore we have nothing to fear.”

”True, darling,” he answered. ”We have nothing to fear, save one thing.”

”What is that?” she inquired eagerly.

He hesitated. His words were overheard by all in the room, and every eye was upon him. The man accused moved across to the table and stood leaning against it, swaying unsteadily. His pa.s.sage was still barred resolutely.

”You forget the offer of marriage which, under my father's will, I am compelled to make to Mariette, if I am not to remain a pauper all my days.”

As he spoke there was a quick movement behind him, a flood of golden sunlight suddenly lit up the room as the jalousies of one of the windows were dashed open, and as he turned he saw the figure of Zertho disappearing through the window.

With a cry, the fugitive leaped down upon the flower-bed outside, hat in hand, and an instant later had gained the road and was flying down through the fortifications towards La Condamine.

For scarcely a second Max Richards hesitated, then rushed after him to give him into the hands of the police. Zertho had long been watching his opportunity, and, being strong and athletic, had reached the window at a single bound, and had escaped almost before they could realise what had occurred.

For a few moments all were dismayed, but were quickly rea.s.sured by Mariette, who declared that the police must sooner or later arrest him.

Then, turning to George, she added,--

”You have spoken of your father's will. Well, your solicitors may make the offer, but I shall refuse.”

”You will refuse!” cried Liane, joyously.

”Yes,” she answered, smiling in contentment. ”I shall refuse because I am already engaged to marry Max, the man whose words have cleared your father, and whose evidence will convict the man who has held you so long beneath the thrall of terror.”