The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-07-22
THE WOMAN IN WHITE
BY WILLIAM w. COLLINS.

, The news OF my being free on ball
would reach Sir Percival 10 an absolute
certainty before night. IL the next lew
hours did not put me In position 10
Justify his worst fears and 10 hold him
helpless at my mercy ! might lose every
inch OF ground | had gained never TO re-
cover II again. The unscrupulous nature
Of the man. the local influence he pos
sessed. the desperate peril OF exposure
with which my bhndfold Inquiries threat
ened him. all warned me 10 press on 10
positive discovery without the useless
waste OF a single minute. ] had found
time 10 think, while ! was waiting for
Mr.. Dawsons arrival, and had we'll en-
ployed II. Certain portions OF the con-
versation OF the talkative old clerk which
had wearried me at the time. now re-
Cured To my memory with new signin-
cance. and a suspicion crossed my mind
darkly which had not occurred 10 me
while | was in the vestry.
on my way 10 Knowlesbury ] had only
proposed 10 apply TO Mr. Wansborough
for Information on the subject OF Sir Per-
civals mother My object now was 10
examine the duplicate register or Ola
Mr. Wansborough was in his office when
inquired for him.
lie was a jovlal, red-f faced, easy-looking
lawSer-and he seemed TO be both sur
prised and amused by my application. he
had heard OF his fathers copy or the
register, but had not even seen IL him.
self II had never been inquired after
and II was no doubt in the strong room.
among other papers that nad not oeen
disturbed since his fathers death IT was
pity (Mr Wansborough said that the
old gentleman was not alive 10 hear his
precious copy asked for at last ~
would have ridden his favorite hobby
10 hear Of the copy? Was IL through
anybody in the town.
parried the question as we'll as
could 1t was impossible at this stage
and IL was just as well not 10 let Mr.:
Wansborough know prematurely that
ter. | described myself. therefore, as
pursuing a family inquiry TO the object
OF which every possible saving OF time
was or great Importance. | was anxious
to send certain particulars 10 London by
that days post. and one look Al the dupli-
cate register (paying. of course the neces-
sary fees) might supply what required,
and save me a further journey to Old
Wlemingham. | added that in the event
OF my subsequently requiring copy OF
the original register, / should make appli-
cation TO Mr.. Wansboroughs office TO
furnish me with the document
After this explanation no objection was
made TO producing the copy. A clerk
was sent 10 the strong room, and. after
some delay, returned with the volume. II
was OF exactly the same size as the vol
ume in the vestry: the only difference
being, that the copy was more smartiy
pied desk. My hands were trembling. my
head was burning hot felt the neces-
sity Of concealing my agitation as we'll as
| could from the persons about me in the
room, before l ventured on opening the
book
on the blank page at the beginning. to
which ! first turned. were traced some
lines, In faded Ink. They contained these
Copy of the carriage Register of We'll
mingham Parish Church. Executed un-
entry by entry with the original. by my
self (Signed) Robert Wansborough. ves-
try clerk. Below this note there was a
follows: Extending from the lst of jan
uary. 1900 TO the 18th Of June. 1915"
/ turned TO the month OF September 1893.
| found the marriage OF the man whose
Christian name was the same as my oSn.
/ found the double register OF the mar
riages OF the two brothers And between
these entries. at the bottom OF the page?
Nothing Not a vestige OF the entry
which recorded the marriage OF Sir Felix
Clyde and Cecilia Jane Elster in the reg
lister OF the church.
NV heart gave n great bound and
as II II would stiie me- | looked
again. was afraid 10 believe the evil
dence of my own eyes. No! Not n doubt.
The marriage was not there. The entries
on the copy occupied exactly the same
places on the page as the entries in the
original. The last entry on one page re-
corded the marriage or the man with my
Christian name Below II there was
blank space--a space evidently left be-
cause IL was too narrow to contain the
entry of the marriages OF the Two brotn-
ers, which In the copy. as in the original.
occupied the top Of the next page. That
space told the whole story! There IL must
have remained. In the church register
from 1903 (when the marriages had been
solemnized and the copy had been made)
to 1927. when Sir Percival appeared at Old
Here at knowlesbury. was
the chance OF committing the forgery,
shown TO me in the copy--and there. at
old Welmngham. was the forgery COM
mitted in the register OF the church.
To be Continued)