Manfred's Quest: Or, The Mystery of a Trunk — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

MANFRED’S QUEST. ** Speak!’’ cried the girl. - §*T will in good time ” ‘* Speak now!’’ ‘*T will in good time.” ‘*' Tell me who is this nearer and dearer friend. ”’ ‘* You have guessed.”’ ‘*T have guessed?” €6é Yes. 33 ** My mother?’’ ‘© T will not say more now.’ ‘6 ‘Why not?” **T must hear your story.” ** T can tell you nothing. ’’ ** ‘You must tell me all.”’ ‘© Not one word until you prove to me who you are.” A moment the detective thought, and at length said: ** Sit down; I will tell you all.’’ Manfred proceeded, and in detail related all that had occurred since the night when he first met the mysterious veiled lady. During his recital he was interrupted by continual ejacu- lations, but otherwise permitted to proceed to the end. When he had concluded, the girl said: °° T know what you have told me is the truth.” ‘* Certainly it is the truth; but will you tell me why you go readily believe me?’’ ‘* You have been so frank, so positively frank.” ‘* How do you know I have been frank?” ‘* Because I know of some of the facts you have narrated te me; and, besides, you have described the contents of the trunk. If you were a dishonest man you would never have mentioned the fact of the treasure in the trunk. ’’ ** You are a person of quick discernment, I see.’’ ** Yes, and I wish my poor father had been a man of equal discernment. I must inherit the talent from my mother. My mother!’’ repeated the girl. ‘* Oh, blessed thought. I have a mother! And you can take me to her??? <i can. *¢ ‘When will you do so?P?” ‘© To-night—very soon; but first I must hear your story. 33 We have not attempted to present the agitation and ex- - citement betrayed by the fair girl Mary Martin Silver. We have but rushed forward the facts according to our usual plan of narration. | ‘*' Take me to my mother and I will tell my story.”’ ** No, you must tell it to me; have I not earned the right to hear your tale?’’ A moment the girl was lost in thought, but at length said : ‘* Yes, you have earned the right.” ‘* Then tell the tale to me.”’ **T have but little to tell.” ** Tell me all.’’ ‘*T know nothing of a mother. All I remember was be- ing under the care of a lady who claimed to be a relative. She told me I had a father, and told me also that my mother was dead. Time passed until I became old enough to go to school, when I was sent to a seminary, where I re- mained until a few weeks ago.”’ ‘** And did your father never come to see you?”’ °*'Never. He corresponded with me, but strangely enough never came to see me, nor had the principal of the seminary ever seen my father, but my bills were all promptly paid, and the most liberal charges were recog- nized, and so matters went on.” ‘* Did your father ever tell you about your mother?” ‘* Not in his letters, but when I saw him he told me all.” 49 ** How was it you were finally summoned to see him?’’ ‘*T received a letter from my father giving me the most extraordinary commands. He bid me leave the seminary secretly, to actually steal away, and not give a living soul the least intimation of my intentions or my destination. I was bidden to proceed to C——. I did so, and for the first time met my father, and then he told me all, told me how he had wronged my mother, and told me how rela- tives were seeking to rob me of my inheritance, and he said he believed that my mother lived, and the further said that he and I would go alone over the earth and search for her. ” ‘*'Was your father perfectly rational, Miss Silver?’’ queried the detective. ‘* I thought he was, but I am now satisfied he was not. He told me of his great wealth, and had it already packed in a trunk, and the trunk he had marked in my name. He bid me go and check the trunk to New York, and he said that in the morning we would go together and seek my mother—his wife. I went to the depot, secured the checks, and returned to the house. When I did so, a horrible sight met my gaze! During my absence my father had inflicted upon himself a fatal wound. 1 would have summoned help, but he retained his senses, and on my life urged me not todo so. He said the wound was fatal. He intended it should be; and, then he gave me certain instructions. He told me I must seek my mother alone. He said no one knew of my existence, and they,must not know of it, or I would be murdered for my wealth. ’’ ‘‘ ‘Your father was nearer right than you imagine,” snad our hero. Gs CHAPTER XL. ‘* Yxs,”’ said the girl, ‘‘ I] am convinced he was nght.’’ ‘Your father, then, really killed himself?’’ ** He did.’’ | **T am glad it was not a murder.” ‘* It was self-murder.’’ ** Did he assign a reason for his act?” ‘* He did; he said he was mad, since he had brooded and brooded for so many years that he had just enough reason remaining to send for me and give me his final instruc- tions.”’ _ Then he intended all the time to kill himself?” 6é Yes.’ } ‘* And he bid you conceal your identity??? ‘* At all hazards he bid me flee from thé house secretly, to secure the trunk and seek my mother, and he gave me a will regularly signed and executed, giving part of his wealth to my mother and part to me, and in case of my mother’s death I was to have all.’’ ** You have the will?” ‘* Yes, and also a deed of gift. He gave everything to me. ‘The will was only to be produced m case I found my mother and complications arose.’’ ** And now tell me, why did you not claim your trunk?” ‘* My meeting with you on the train frightened me. I saw that you suspected something, and at the last moment a most terrible contingency was presented. ”’ ‘* What contingency?’’ ** I recognized the possibility of my being accused as the murderess of my father. It would not be known that I was his child, and the fact of my having the trunk in my © possession I knew would appear strange and under certain circumstances fatal to me.’ ** And what was your intention?”’