The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-11-17
COPYRIGHTED. lSe
CHAPTER XIX-Continued.
! Iast Mariette spoke, Swing:

At last Mariette spoke, saying:
"There is yet another fact which Isl, in
itsnIf. sufficient proof of this mans IN
scrupulousness, One witness of his
| crime still live; the other, Nelly Bridson,
is dead Nelly was once my friend. Un-
known to Captain BROKER knew her IN
timately as bright girl months before
Charles HoIroyde met and admired her.
Indeed, it was by her that / WAS intro
ducad to the man who afterwards loved
me, and was 20 brutally done to DEATH
When at last she became aware that her
lover had forsaken her some ill-feeling
arose between us. knew that she must
hate me. but l treated her jealousy with
unconeern, and remained towards her the
same as before In my heart, however,
envied her her youth and good looks, and
feared that Charles Holroyde Iaight re-
turn to his first love. But, alas he was
murdered my sterfously-by whom knew
not until three days ago, when Max Rich
ards divulged to me the truth. Then
on the guilty. Well, hated Nelly be-
cause l knew that Holroyde had admired
her, and | likewise hated Liane, enter
tanning suspicion that because she al
ways avoided me she had spoken of me
detrimentally 10 the man whom loved.
After Holroyde's death l left the Riviera
and went to Paris, TO Wiesbaden, to
v tOA4d, CdfluR liUblG WIlblbf L W0Aos
until at last, about a year afterwards, l
returned to Monte Carlo, and heard from
one Of Captain Brokers friends that he
and the girls had left long ago for Eng
land. where they had resolved to live in
the future. immediately after my lover s
death LUCK had forsaken me entirely, and
passed u spurious bank-note for large
amount at Marseilles. The police Were
endeNvcuring to find me. and IT was TO
avoid arrest that I was travelling.
wrote several times to Nelly and received
replies, stating how happy they were In
their country home in England. and how
much more peaceful and enjoyable 1t was
than at Nice. Still there was one matter
upon which desired to see her, matter
connected with the family OF the man
who was dead. He had, believed. told
her of his relations in England, but ne
had spoken no word of them to me.
had in my possession a Cosway miniature
he had one day left at my house. an an
tique portrait of an elderly lazy, beauti-
fully painted on ivory and set round with
hrilliants He had mentioned to me that
it was an heirloom, and desired to re-
turn it to the family If could find them.
With that object I went to England, and
one summers evening met Nelly by APP
pointment in country lane short dis
tance from Stratfield Mortimer.
"You met her?" Captain BROKER ex
claimed. .'She ne yer told me SO. ~
.'She had, alas, no opportunity" Mar
evening she met with her death. She
had ridden her cycle, and found her
resting in the gateway she had indicated
in her letter. She seemed unusually
nervous noticed, nevertheless attTibut-
ed it to the fact that she regarded me as
her rival, even though the man we both
loved was dead. For nearly an hour we
hat ebo
sunset faded and dusk crept on. asked
her what the dead man had told her re-
garding his family. and showed her the
antique miniature. Then she told me a
fact which held me speenhless in amaze
ment Charles Holroyde was no other
than tine son of man living close by that
spot, Sir John StTatiield. y
my brother |" cried George. "Impos-
siblei''
'sIt was the truth. He had told her
every thing The father of Charlss Hol-
royde was actually living within q mile
of that spot, and the portrait was one of
Lady Anne Strattield, a noted Beauty,
which was painted by the fashionable
miniaturist, Cosway, shortly before his
was actually Sir. Johns son, but she
brought proof positive to show me that
what she said was correct. and at her re-
quest gave her the miniature to return
to Sir. John. She promised to 3all next
day and give 1t into his hands, saying
that 1t came from person who desired
to remain anonymous
ssWhy did you not come to the Court
YOURSELF" George asked quickly.
II had no desire to meet the father of
my dead lover" she replied
But he must have been acquainted with
you, because he mentioned you in his
will. !"
Eyes" she answered refiectively. "He
must, 1 suppose, have known Of me-"
"Then what occurred afterwards?"
Brooker eagerly inquired. "Iell us the
events Of that night in their proper So
quence.
s.After we had talked for some time, she
telling me how happy both she and Lame
were, and how the latter had become
engaged clandestinely to the Baronet's
son, George, she rode beside me as far as
the lodge-gates of the Court, where we
parted Then she remounted and rode
back in the direction of the spot where
she was afterwards discovered, while /
stroled slowly on to the station, whence
returned to London. 1t was dusk be-
fore l left Stratfeld Mortimer, but as /
at Reading TO enter the train for
Paddington / caught glimpse of face J
I thought knew. It was only for SIM
gle instant, but the face was one that
once seen is never forgotten. 1t was the
face of Zertho. y
"You saw me % he gasped.
eyes, you were in crowd on Reading
platform, and were about to enter the
same train as myself, but changing your
mind suddenly left the station hurriedly,
she said. AT that time, remember,
had no idea that you were in England;
for Nelly had not mentioned your visit.
Two days later, however, I was appalled,
by reading in the papers that poor Nelly
had been murdered almost Immediately
after had left her, and quite close to the
spot where we had at first stood. After |
wards in the report of the inquest l saw
that you were present and had given evil
1ence. Then there was silence. The
affair was an enigma, and the police pos
sessed no clue The papers men tioned a
broad mark foot wide upon the DUST |
which they regarded as mysterious. 1t
was made by my skirt which swept the
road. | alone held the key to the enigma.
In order to assure myself that my suspic-
ions were not unfounded / returned to
Reading, made careful inquiries there, |
and when 1 had satisfied myself, left |
England with the knowledge I had OBJ |
5aiRed still in my possession.
What did you discover?" inquired |
George quickly while Liape still cluno to |