The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-26
Mystery and It's Solution


it. The crime created. as newspapers say.
a great sensation. For weeks the people
of Nantes talked Of little else
y our fathers ten years absence from
Ravenhal was spent in Brittany. them
"A portion OF the time, replied War,
evidently uneasy under his wifes catechlsIn.
And this murder trial, 0bSerFed
Lorelie. with a thoughtful air, this trial
which took place so far back az twenty
seven years ago-that is before YOU and
were bOrn-has formed a topic Of CONVEX
sation between yourself and your father.
What necessity led him TO talk OF the mat
ter to your
But war waived this question by asking
What has brought that fellow TO Orms-
by" he said. noddng his head in the
direction of Idris.
he believes, rightly or wrongly, that Eric
Marvile is still alive. lie has traced him
TO this neighborhood she added, her eyes
attentive 10 every variation In war coun-
tenance.
And here he may end his quest" said the
viscount. for Eric Marville was ship
wrecked off this coast and drowned many
years ago. At least. that is my fathers
statement" he added in some confusion,
and looking like a man who has been unwlt-
tingly betrayed into a rash statement
''Wha was the name OF the vessel IN
which Eric Marville went DOWN. asked
Lorelie. speaking as if she had never before
heard of 1t.
''The-The Idris." returned the viscount,
giving the name with obvious reluctance.
There was on Lorelies face smile that
somehow made War feel as If he had
walked into a net prepared for him.
And how long ago is it since this vessel
was wrecked"
Twenty-Five years ago.
Twenty-Five years ago., murmured Lore
lie, with the air Of one making mental
calculation, will take us back to 1876"
oct. 1S. 1876. if you wish for the exact
date
And was it not on this same night of
Oct. 49, 1876. that your father the earl
walked into Ravenhall after mysterious
absence of ten years?
What of that?'
30 nothing! Mere coincidence, of course.
And So" continued Lorelie. with retro
spective air, land so the laundering Of the
yacht Idris is another of the little mat
tiers about which your father has conversed
with you. Strange that peer of the realm
should take such interest in the fate of an
escaped feloni" She paused, as II expecting
War 10 make some reply, but he did not
speak. "Well," she went on. II will make
the confession that /, too. take an interest
"a strong interest-in this Eric Marville;
nay. will go so far as to say that to dis
cover what ultimately became of him is
one of the objects that has led me to Orms-
by, And in pursuance of this object have
had the good fortune to obtain from it's
present editor a copy of The Ormsby Week
ly Times, dated Oct. 90 1876, in which paper
there is given an account both of the foun-
dering OF the yacht and also of the inquest
upon the bodies that were washed ashore.
Now, as the coroner was unable &c ascer-
tain either the name of the vessel, or the
names OF any OF the men aboard, is 1t not
a little curious that the earl should know
that the yacht called Idris, and that it
carried on board one Eric Marville? How
came your father to know more than could
be ELECTED in the coroner's court?"
"Egad, you'd better ask him." returned
War sullenly.
We'll L must controvert your father on
one point Eric Marville was not drowned.
l have proof that he was on shore at the
time the yacht sank"
The viscount was obviously startled by
"Oh then what became of him?'
Have l not said that am trying to find
out?''
You've got a difficult task before you
No one has heard of him since the night
of the wreck"
mo one has ever heard of him by the
name Marvilie, of course. He would not
be likely to adhere TO a name that would
suggest "reminiscences of the felon from
| Valagenet. He perhaps resumed his old
| family NAME
His old family name.'' repeated War.
What is your reason for supposing that
Marville was not his true name?'
Because it does not appear among the
| list II names in the peerage."
THE peerage?'
do you know that Marville claimed to
be a peer of the realm?"
The viscount smiled, but ii was obvious
| that he was ill at ease.
"Felon in Brittany; peer in Britain. A
likely story that, Odd that the detectives
at the time of his trial.
1T is odd. as you say, Ivar. He certainly
/ kept his secret Well do not think he re-
vealed IL even to his Wife
(which proves his lack of a coronet.
/ 1t is not likely that he would conceal from
his wife the fact that he was heir to a
| peerage.'
HE doubtless had his reasons. Having
perhaps quarreled with his family he may
| have left England forever, determined TO
begin life anew in another land, and to
4 Dc Cd
An imperial archduke of Austria has done
| the like in our time, and so successfully,
| too, TO battle all endeavors to trace
| him."
And, pray. to what peerage did this
Marville lay claim
II do not know
| Dormant or in esse?"
| Il do not know"
What was its rank? A baronage: Wis
| countship: "a"
Il do not know"
Ivar seemed rather pleased than other
wise with Lorelies want of knowledge.
Where, when, and under what circum-
stances, then, did Eric Marville claim to
/ be a peer?'
| but once, and then to no more than one
person, a French military officer now
dead. am heir to a peerage and could
! take my rank tomorrow, if l chose were
his words"
And that's all the evidence you have?''
'All the evidence / have, WAR"
| MarVllle was DOaStlng. beyond doubt.
| Does that fellow he continued. glancing
at ldris's distant figure. know of his faith
i er's claim TO a peerage?"
''1e has not the least inkling of it,
You'll act wisely by keeping the notion
out of his pate
why SOP
It's one thing to claim a peerage. but
quite another thing to prove ones claim.
| Why fill the fellow with false hopes? Be
| guided by me, and refrain from telling him
of his fathers pretentions.''
| Very well. WAR" responded Lorelie
/ quietly, Il will be guided by you. AS your
| wife il is my duty to do nothing to the
detriment of your future interests
| My interests muttered the viscount
| II don't understand you"
/ For a moment or two the two stared
/ curiously at each other.
Il think you do" she said gravely. But. "
she added. rising 10 her feet, Il am neglect
ing my visitors, and so saying she moved
/ off In the direction of Idris and Beatrice
I who were slowly pacing to and fro on one
/ side of the lawn.
nowi" she murmured darkly. "A fitting
punishment this for my long and guilty
/ silencei Justice, justice, now thy scourge
| is coming upon mel
| Ivar did not follow his wife but sat
motionlesS for some moments, staring after
her in blank dismay, and completely con-
| founded by the startling hints that she
had let fail.
| 'Idris Marvile not dead" he muttered
| removing with his handkerchief the cold
| moisture that gliStened on his forehead
/ THAT fellow he Living here al Orms by
| in the same house with Beatrice And
| Lorelie suspects! Suspects? She knows
bah. she will not-she dare not-declare il;
| she stands IN lose too much He racaIIaJ