Rose Mortimer; Or, The Ballet-Girl's Revenge — page 166: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

160 ROSE MORTIMER. The black beard’s conduct at witnessing this was remarkable. His gloves, which he had removed to applaud, lay before him. He took them up in the greatest disgust and dashed them to the ground. . An oath, too, escaped him, which was drowned in the continued applause. The two actresses ran off. *‘ What beautiful flowers !”’ said Ethel Warner. 23 Ves.’ “This is the bouquet that was thrown to you by \the black beard.” “ 1 saw. it.” “Ah, you cruel girl! How sweetly these flowers smell! But how peculiar !”’ The words were barely uttered when Ethel Warner Staggered dizzily against the wing. Her head fell forward upon her chest. She sank upon the ground. They ran to raise her up, and a cry of horror escaped them. She was dead ! CHAPTER LXIV. ETHEL WARNER—SUSPICIONS—THE DOCTOR—A GRAVE ACCUSATION —THE SUSPECTED MAN — HIS STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE—THE BOUQUET PRESERVED — LADY BELLISLE — SLOEFORD HOUSE—THE LETTEK—ON THE TRACK—FRESH TROUBLES — PURSUIT — BUT WHERE? — THE RAILWAY—DANGERS. THE excitement created in the theatre by the sud- den demise of the unfortunate Ethel Warner was immense. It was impossible that such a remarkable occur- rence should pass over unnoticed by all. Our heroine was more grieved than she could pos- sibly express. In this death, awful and sudden, she saw more than the people generally surrounding the still warm corpse of the ill-fated dancer. The bouquet excited her suspicions. At the first idea she thought tbat she would keep her secret to herself. But no. Too much, indeed, had already been con- _ cealed. She began to feel the weight of a loaded conscience. Whilst she kept the secret of murder she felt her- Self to be almost an accomplice in the fonl crimes which her soul abhorred. At once, therefore, she communicated her suspi- cions to the manager of the theatre. To him alone, for she was not yet assured of the truth of her suspicions. At first the manager was not inclined to believe as Rose Mortimer did in this business. He did not know the motives which Rose deemed could prompt an enemy to such fearful measures. He could not believe revenge for having slighted the gallantries of an ensnared lady-killer would have led a man to such a desperate retaliation. But our heroine was so earnest that he determined at once to see into it. If there was no truth in it there could be no harm done. The bouquet would soon decide this. A doctor chanced to be present. He had been in the theatre at the time of the catastrophe, and had been called behind the scenes immediately. ‘* Doctor,” said the manager in a whisper to the man of physic, ‘‘ we have some grave suspicions about this death.” “We?” said the doctor. ‘‘Ay, that is, Ihave. They have been uttered to me. I know not if they be worth a second thought, This is for you to decide.” ** Explain yourself, Mr. Quirk,’ replied the Aiscuala- ius. me We, that is, I presume this lady’s death to be the work of poison.’’ ce Ah fed “‘Yes. The flowers.” The doctor darted forward and picked up the fallen bouquet. . Holding his handkerchief to his face, he examined them attentively for several minutes. All this time Mr. Quirk, the manager, eyed him | curiously. The doctor looked grave. ‘Tt may be true,”’ he said. ‘You think so, doctor ?’’ **T do, indeed.” “Then it is murder.” “Precisely. But how, why, wherefore, and who is the culprit ?” ** That TI scarcely can say.” ‘* Two bouquets were thrown.” True,” The manager ran from the doctor’s side up to Rose Mortimer. ** You know, Miss Mortimer,” he said, ‘* that there were two bouquets.” 79 I do.”’ 3 ‘Then from whom did this one come ?”’ “The right stage box.’’ ** Are you sure ?”’ “€ Positive.”’ ** How do you know?” “Because I purposely kept the one which came from the other side.”’ ‘‘ Purposely, you say ?” ce Yes.” ‘© Why 2?” ‘‘That this man should not have any further en- couragement by my accepting his bouquet.’ “‘I see. The inference you draw is not so unna- tural as I at first supposed. You are a much stronger- minded girl—pardon the expression—than I at first imagined.” . Without further delay he ran round to the front of the house and made his way with all possible speed to the right hand stage box. It was efnpty. No one had seen its occupant go out. No one had noticed him there, for he sat very quietly and seemed rather to shun observation. He ran back to the exit from the theatre and eagerly demanded of the doorkeeper if he had seen the dark gentleman pass out. ** Yes, sir,’”’ replied the man. ** Long since ?”’ * About ten minutes since.”’ ‘Ah! say youso? Then he must have slipped through our fingers !”’ “Who, sir ?’’ “Why, the gentleman. Fly off at once and make inquiries, for I am determined that this mystery Shall be unravelled.” The man left, and the manager quickly returned to the doctor. The man of medicine was still engaged attentively scrutinising the fatal bouquet. ** Well?” he said, without looking un. “Well, doctor, I think that I have hit upon the culprit.” COMIGCHDOOkKS=cOmM