The Argosy — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

138 Christobel. and Vandyken were one and the same person. He had been in hiding at Mirandola’s, and when the police went to arrest him last night he had just died.” ‘What I should like to know,” said Mr. Sherlock, after Fortescue had signified that the news was none to him, “ what I should like to know is, who denounced him to the police?” And he fixed his small, inquisitive eyes on Mrs. Chisholm, who turned a lively red. But she was equal to the occasion, saying quickly, ‘‘ The real mystery is, how came he to be concealed at the Mirandolas’, and what was the real tie between himself and Miss Fane?” “You have heard—she was his daughter,” said Godfrey. ‘And as to the Mirandolas’ share in the business, I can throw some light on that,” remarked Fortescue. ‘The Signora Marianna told me that some years ago in New York, Vandyken, then at the beginning of his prosperity, was singularly kind to her brother and herself. They had both been very ill, the climate not agreeing with them, and Vandyken gave them money wherewith to come to Europe. His daughter, who passed as his niece, was with him at the time, and the Mirandolas, knowing her father’s equivocal position, pitied her profoundly. Mirandola himself, hearing her voice once, told her that if she ever left America for Europe, he would be glad to give her lessons and enable her to earn her living as a singer.” ‘And the resolution on her part to leave New York was greatly owing, in the end, to me,” added Godfrey. ‘‘I met her; like the Mirandolas, I pitied her, seeing how she shrank from the vile crew of male and female adventurers who surrounded and traded on her uncle, or father, as he really was. There was one horrible German Jew, a certain Hochheimer (whose letter to Vandyken was found in Clarence Dare’s pocket), who wished to marry her, and plainly used some power he possessed over her father to that purpose. Chance, one evening, caused me to find Miss Fane alone. She was so wretched, so helpless and friendless that she was led to confide in me. _ I advised her to go to London and accept Muirandola’s offer. ‘Through my help, she sold some diamonds and other valuables, which Vandyken had given her, and with the money thus raised she came to England—to Miran- dola’s. /7e gave her lessons, and in a year she began her career as a concert-singer. This was abruptly cut short by her introduction to Miss Millicent, who took her to live with her ‘é ‘“ How do you know this? And how came Miss Millicent to make her acquaintance and recognise her identity ?” interrupted Mrs. Chisholm, who had been listening to Godfrey’s story with an air of mingled incredulity and contempt. ‘On the last point Miss Fane herself alone can enlighten us. In - regard to what she did after her return to England, all my information was obtained thanks to Mr. Sherlock,” said Verschoyle. “Really,” said Mrs. Chisholm, ‘‘ this young woman appears to have succeeded in interesting a great number of persons about herself.” CORMIELIOO KS. (EC) am