Beadle's Dime Library No. 146 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

a — =e - ——— ar i > lil i _— ~ eer we ere a ~ aes _—— eee = Ae A ——— SW 2 eet ls eae er ~——~—- 2 eee . The Doctor Detective. rise up before her: she did not love him w eould she love the stranger whom she bed seen but oncef yet she felt that while he lived she could never bring herself to agree to become the wife of the man in whose house she dwelt and whose bread she ate. The courtly secute her with his addresses. wpa ris doctor, whom she had seen but once, ) If he had been Lescant on his part did not per-_ an elder brother he could not have been more. attentive, or less like a lover. He seemed to strive to anticipate her every wish and to gra- tify it ere she could express it in words, but he did not speak of love or of marriage, and the girl was grateful to him that he did not. In a very considerate way indeed he had said that he presumed after her recent affliction she would not feel inclined to mingle much in society, and although he would be delighted to have her introduced to the vey large, yet select, circle of acquaintances which he pos- sessed, under the circumstances, if she felt like keeping to the privacy of her own apartments, he should not attempt to dissuade her. She was very grateful for this kind con- sideration, and, after al), what was the use of her making the acquaintance of these rich and cultured\ people? She was but an interloper in their sphere. Her protector would soon grow tired of the ungrateful girl, for whom he had dene so much, and who could not bring herself te repay the debt in the manner that he wished, ue matter how hard she tried. She had pecan’ his money and so really had pledged herself to abide by his will, but she was crazy when she had so consented ; now that she bad recovered her sense she could not submit to the sacrifice although she dishonored her word refusing. Many were the bitter tears she shed, but bet- ter break the promise which she had given than swear to a lie at the altar. For fully a week she did not stir out of the house, and the lack of exercise together with the mental trouble which was preying upon her mind began to make sad havoc wit oa tm $A horse, and as Lescant’s carriage halted for a moment, another handsome equipage drew up along-side. Init were a portly, imposing-look- ing gentleman and a handsome woman of thirty- five or forty, magnificently dressed. The new-comer took advantage of the slight halt to exchange a few commonplace remarks with Lescant, glancing the while with a great deal of curiosity at the girl; and the lady, too, examined Dura’s face with more than common interest. The horse ahead was got upon his legs and again the procession—for such in reality, the great string of carriages formed—moved on. **That is one of the most influential men in the city,” Lescant remarked to his companion as the other carriage drove away at a rapid rate. “‘A great politician; he is on the bench now, Judge McQuencher—Alex, the Big Judge, the boys call nim. He is one of the rising men of the day. They talk of sending him to Congress when his term as judge expires. The lady with him is his wife, a magnificent-looking woman, I never saw her but once before—in a box at the opera, but I didn’t get a very good look at her. And it is odd, too; I cannot recall that I ever met her before that time, yet, now that I get a good look at her face, it seems ver familiar to me.” The latter part of this was addressed more to himself than to the girl, and his head sunk slowly down upon his breast as with earnest thought he endeavored to re- member where he had before encountered the beautiful Mrs. Judge McQuencher. ‘* Tt must bave been in the long ago,” he mur- mured, this time not addressing his conversa- tion to his companion, “for she is no longer young. Let me see, fifteen to twenty years ago —that would be about the time:—where was I and was 1 involved in any trouble then? The woman’s face seems to bring back recollections of evil, and yet for the life of me I cannot re- member anything about the matter. And I prided myself on my memory, too! Am I, then, growing old, and are my mental faculties be- her per- | ginning to desert me and at atime, too, when I sonal appearance, and Lescant, whose keen | need them all?” eyes saw everything, understood that the girl was making herself ill, and unless he took mea- sures to rouse her from the stupor into which she had fallen it might result seriously. To this end he suggested a daily afternoon drive, and Dura assented with.the passive indif- ference which now characterized her, it was a trifling matter, and not even Lescant with all his cunning could foresee what an. im- portant result was to follow, from so slight a cause. If he had been gifted with the power to look into the future, not a’single step outside of the house would Dura Eldon have gone while his will controlled her actions; but Les- cant was only man, and man cannot foretell what is to come. CHAPTER XXVIII. A STARTLING DISCLOSURE. Every afternoon ahout three o’clock the car- riage was ordered—a very elegant affair drawn by two superb horses, a cross-matched team, resplendent in gold-mounted barness. , As it was in the pleasant springtime when all nature smiled, the carriage was transformed into an, open barouche, so that the occupants could sée and be seen. Lescant’s ‘* turn-out” was about as handsome a one as the “‘ road ” boasted, which is not say- ing a little when the almost countless number of fine teams of which the metropolis boasts is considered, and the carriage and its occupants excited a great deal of attention; and no won- der, for a more beautiful girl than Dura had never graced the drive. d she was a new face, too—a fact which the regular drivers-out were not slow to discover, and there was mitch comment in regard to who and what she was. Lescant was pretty well known, the “ Franco- Mexican fellow,” who owned a couple of gold ..iues somewhere in our sister republic, as he was generally termed by the young bloods who frequented the fashionable drive of New York. Lescant, since his arrival in the ci a a great deal in certain su -to-be fashionable circles, where about the only cre- dential required of the applicant for admission is eS cash, and this the gentleman ap- have, even to abundance ; conse- quently the “ distinguished foreiger” could boast lenty of acquaintances; and as he was driven along the road well filled with n- able vehicles he was kept busy in recognizin and re the salutations of his acquain- tances. But each and every one who bowed to him paid far more attention to the beautiful girl who sat by his side than to himself. , had She appeared listless and w , and gave but little heed to the e Ba scene of which she was a . Lescant to rouse her from her abstraction by indicating te her the various voted people who drove by them, and with a great many of the celebrities of the city the eager te a pe if Reapers yore ou each and every one he spoke Sy tists ety, bnrelesar Wei ‘that familiar ttipode Lon: Nv nse wien sneaking of each other. Asilse erend of Central Park there was a sligut bloex ia the road, caused by a | E This little incident produced a deep impres- sion upon the man; the more so, because he was one of those peconer natures that attach great weight to trifles. The next day the carriage of the judge was again encountered, and this time the proceed ings of the preceding day were repeated, he wife of the judge examined with all her eyes the face of the young girl, while Lescant paid particular attention to her—so much so that he attracted the lady’s notice, and, from the expression upon her face, it was clear that she was puzzled by the stare. ‘“‘Tf we have met it is clear that she does not remember anything about it; else she is a most consummate actress, and pretends not to re- member,” the gentleman muttered after the coach of the judge had passed. “Twenty years | speech. ‘ But the Fates were not prepared to favor him ust then, for, when the race was ended—the udge’s team, by the way, was beaten badly by he fleet steeds of the railroad king—he did not get the slightest chance to draw the judge into a private conversation, for the horsemen }) «s- ent ‘‘ chaffed ” the politician most unmerciiuily on accoupt of his defeat But, in the interval which had elapsed, if Les- cant had not succeeded in improving the time, another had. The hotel parlor was a double one—two rooms thrown into one by means of a large pair of sliding doors, and Lescant, when he conducted Dura into the first parlor and seated her in an arm-chair by one of the windows, where she could have a full view of the pleasant scene without, did not notice that, seated by the fur- ther window in the other room, half-screened by the curtains, wasafemale form. Possibl he would not have taken notice of her if he had, unless by cLance a ge her. But, if bis eyes had not served him, the lady had recag- nized both him and his charge the moment they entered the apartment. The woman was the wife of the Bia Judge, and she was quick to improve the peg te pad knowing that she must act say? or not at all. So she advanced immediately the moment Les- cant left the room. ; ‘* You must excuse my freedom in speakin to you without an introduction,” she said, “ an I know, when you understand the motive which actuates me, you will only be too glad that I am bold enough to override the trammels ef society. My name is Elvira McQueacher; lam the wife of Judge McQuencher, and my husband fs well aequainted with Mr. Leaeatih. What your mame?’ “Dura Eldon,” replied the girl, somewhat a- tonished at the peculier munner of the ether, for is was evident she was laboring ender great excitement. “Wr. Lescant is pot your husbard, then?” **No, madam.” “And I eannot believe it to be possible that one with a face so young and fair, so full of in- nocence and honesty cam be this man’s Wining victim |” “Madam, what do you mean?” ertef the girl, astonished beyond measure a’ the werds waich had called the hot blood in a crimsom feeu up into her face. “Exactly what I spy; imeuch @ ease as this we must use plain lasguage,” the lady responded, firmly. ‘If you are not his victim he tatends to make you so before he has @eme with you. | When I aaw yeu for the @rst time the other af- ternoon, your pute face so fuil of femegeemee at- tracted me, and I asked my hushand whe yor were, and he answered me plainly as hushauds do sometimes speak to their wives: ‘@sme retty little fool. whom Lescant has picked tp or a plaything.’ My heart revolted at tee ay she not be his wife, or at amy is not far enough back; I must go further still, | rate his betrothed? lasked, ‘Monsen! be fe say twenty-five or thirty, and that brings me to the, ph, ppiddy and reckless days of my boy- hood.” ng memory served, him not y producing from some secret corner the record of the past whach he so earnestly sought. Every afternoon for a week the carriages of the two passed each other on the road, and each meeting seemed to deepen the impression that the map and the woman had received, p y and earnestly he pondered, but | the willing slave that kept the keys to his | self.” lied. ‘The fellow already has a wife in Mux- ico, some dusky old dame whom he marvtes for He has ve ne 1 weald her meney year's ago. mee Then the thought flashed epee it was true, and I detem not let you sink into the pit of shame @& my wo- man’s hand could save you!” perba CHAPTER XZXIX.. A FRIEND INDFED. ALL color now had fied from Dura’s ch°cks, Lescant was so sure he Aad encountered the | and her face was as pale as the face of the cris; lady before, and that the results of the meetin had not been pleasant, that he had Retarteined to take the first. opportunity to question the judge, in a quiet way, and find out all that he could in regard to the politician’s wife. ‘Atk woman, on her part, felt a great desire her, the more resolute she became to accomplish 8, In the achievement of the two purposes For- tune smiled first upon the lady. Mer opportu- nity came quickly. he daily airing had done the girl a world of ood; the roses were beginning to appear in her pale cheeks; so that, on the last. day of the week, when Lescant, as usual, urged her to par- take of some refreshment at the hotel just be- yond High Bridge, the Mecca of the pleasure- seekers. instead of refusing, as she always done, she accepted, ey alighted, and the gentleman conducted her into the parlor while he ordered the repast; and a sumptuous one it was to be, too. . Then, happening to paenee out. of the win- ow he saw the judge drive by, alone. “The Big Judge is going to have a brush with | in the compan ‘‘He’s of the judge listened with the greatest atten- now they are to ; tion, | Vanderbilt’s team,” said a bystander. pt beat him up the road, an > to. ta mile for a basketof v ine, and they wind up here.” : Here. was an opportunity, perla hold of the judge. H*» had ordere elahorate dinner that it would be full hour before it could be got such an half an | i } | | | e , to get | centin the matter, aud i there was a wild look in her eyes as she gazed at the woman who bad performed the @rieudly, ° yet merciless act of tearing away the vail which had obscured her vision. ‘Oh, madam, do not, I beseech you, belicve me to be the guilty wretch that circumstances k to the girl, and the more she saw of , would seem to indicate! I am as innocent of all wrong-doing as the helpless babe in its mo- ther’s arms!” . exclaimed, piteewsly. ‘“T believe it—firmly believe it, and if I did not, I should have hesitated in regard to inter- fot the matter, for I know my husband will be terribly re oe he learns what I have done, for he and nt, are on good term and he will say it was none ef my business, an that I had best attend to my Owafffaire Bu I could not help speaking. I have a clild o tender years and my mother’s heart would not be still. Perhaps my child may be exposed to some such terrible peril and would I not thank the generous heart that would come forward to the pl da ‘Hear my story, madam, and then judge me,” Dura exclaimed. As briefly, then, as pos- sible the girl related how it was she came to be of Mr. Lescant, and the wife When the tale was finished she spoke: ar phd py Py a ing led to the slaughter. Your stor impress of truth in every word. This man does ré was | not mean to be honest with you in spite of all has en- lenty of time, as the race bald be ovat in ten | his fine words; he seeks your ruin, f Tier : so that he may all minutes. Therefore Lescant returned and ex- cused himself to Dura, then repaired to the pi- azza to await the judge’s return. ks you trapped you into. his house ccomplish his se. The 7 Nod tor you is the more sure French maid whom he has provi Goim Ghooks (E(0) Aaa