who entered jauntily with his silk hat still set at aslight angle on his head, was the well-groomed man who had led my brideup the aisle of the church. I judged him to be about forty-five,dark-complexioned, good-looking, but foppish in appearance, carrying hismonocle with ease acquired by long practice.
"Well, Wynd," he said, greeting his friend, cheerily, "all serene?"
"Entirely," answered the other. And then, turning to me, introduced thenewcomer as "Major Tattersett."
"This, Major, is Dr Colkirk, my new son-in-law," he explained. "Permitme to present him."
"Congratulate you, my dear sir," he responded laughing good-humouredly,while the Tempter remarked--
"The Major is, of course, fully aware of the circumstances of yourmarriage. He is our nearest friend."
"Marriage rather unconventional, eh?" the other remarked to me. "PoorBeryl! It is a thousand pities that she has been struck down like that.Six months ago down at Wyndhurst she was the very soul of thehouse-parties--and here to-day she is dying."
"Extremely sad," I remarked. "As a medical man I see too vividly theuncertainty of human life."
"How is she now?" inquired the Major of her father. "The same, alas!"answered the Tempter with well-assumed sorrow. "She will, we fear, notlive till midnight."
"Poor girl! Poor girl!" the new-comer ejaculated with a sigh, while theTempter, excusing himself for an instant left the room.
I would have risen and followed, but the Major, addressing meconfidentially, said--
"This is a strange whim of my old friend's, marrying his daughter inthis manner. There seems no motive for it, as far as I can gather."
"No, none," I responded. "Mr Wynd has struck me as being somewhateccentric."
"He's a very good fellow--an excellent fellow. Entirely loyal to hisfriends. You are fortunate, my dear fellow, in having him as afather-in-law. He's amazingly well off, and generosity itself."
I recollected his dastardly suggestion that my wife should not livelonger than sundown, and smiled within myself. This friend of hisevidently did not know his real character.
Besides, being an observant man by nature, I noticed as I sat there onething which filled me with curiosity. The tops of the Major's fingersand thumb of his right hand were thick and slightly deformed, while theskin was hardened and the nails worn down to the quick.
While the left hand was of normal appearance, the other had undoubtedlyperformed hard manual labour. A major holding her Majesty's commissiondoes not usually bear such evident traces of toil. The hand was out ofkeeping with the fine diamond ring that flashed upon it.
"The incident of to-day," I said, "has been to me most unusual. Ithardly seems possible that I am a bridegroom, for, truth to tell, Ifancied myself the most confirmed of bachelors. Early marriage alwayshampers the professional man."
"But I don't suppose you will have any cause for regret on that score,"he observed. "You will have been a bridegroom and a widower in a singleday."
I was silent. His words betrayed him. He knew of the plot conceived byhis friend to bribe me to kill the woman to whom I had been so strangelywedded!
But successfully concealing my surprise at his incautious words, Ianswered--
"Yes, mine will certainly have been a unique experience."
He courteously offered me a cigarette, and lighting one himself, heldthe match to me. Then we sat chatting, he telling me what a charminggirl Beryl had been until stricken down by disease.
"What was her ailment?" I inquired.
"I am not aware of the name by which you doctors know it. It is, Ibelieve, a complication of ailments. Half a dozen specialists have seenher, and all are agreed that her life cannot be saved. Wynd has sparedno expense in the matter, for he is perfectly devoted to her."
His words, hardly coincided with the truth, I reflected. So far frombeing devoted to her, he was anxious, for some mysterious reason, thatshe should not live after midnight.
"To lose her will, I suppose, be a great blow to him?" I observed, withfeigned sympathy.
"Most certainly. She has been his constant friend and companion eversince his wife died, six years ago. I'm awfully sorry for both poorBeryl and Wynd."
I was about to reply, but his words froze upon my lips, for at thatinstant there rang through the house a shrill scream--the agonisedscream of a woman.
"Listen!" I cried. "What's that?"
But my companion's jaw had dropped, and he sat immovable, listeningintently.
Again the scream rang out, but seemed stifled and weaker.
The Tempter was with his daughter whom he had determined should die.The thought decided me, and turning, without further word, I dashed fromthe room, and with quickly-beating heart ran up the widethickly-carpeted staircase.
CHAPTER FOUR.
THE NOTE OF INTERROGATION.
On reaching the corridor I was confronted by the thin, spare figure ofthe Tempter standing resolutely before a closed door--that of Beryl'schamber.
His black eyes seemed to flash upon me defiantly, and his face hadreassumed that expression which was sufficient index to theunscrupulousness of his character.
"Let me pass!" I cried roughly, in my headlong haste. "I desire to seemy wife."
"You shall not enter?" he answered, in a voice tremulous with anexcitement which he strove in vain to control.
"She is in distress. I heard her scream. It is my duty, both as adoctor and as her husband, to be at her side."
"Duty?" he sneered. "My dear sir, what is duty to a man who will sellhimself for a handful of banknotes?"
"I yielded to your accursed temptation, it is true!" I cried fiercely."But human feeling is not entirely dead in my heart, as it is in yours.Thank God that my hands are still unsullied!"
He laughed--the same harsh, discordant laugh that had escaped him when,below in the library, I had refused to accept the vile condition of thecompact.
He stood there barring my passage to that room wherein lay the unknownwoman who had been so strangely united to me. Whoever she was, I wasresolved to rescue her. Mystery surrounded her--mystery that I resolvedat all hazards to penetrate.
"You were in want of money, and I offered it to you," the Tempteranswered coldly. "You have refused, and the matter is ended."
"I think not," I said warmly. "You will hear something more of thisnight's work."
He laughed again, displaying an uneven row of discoloured teeth. Toargue with him further was useless.
"Come, stand aside?" I cried, making a movement forward.
He receded a couple of paces, until he stood with his back against thedoor, and as I faced him I looked down the shining barrel of a revolver.
I do not know what possessed me at that instant. I did not fullyrealise my danger, that is certain. My mind was too full of the mysterysurrounding the unknown woman who was lying within, and whose hand hadshowed me that she was no invalid. Physically I am a muscular man, andwithout a second's hesitation I sprang upon my adversary and closed withhim. His strength was marvellous. I had under-calculated it, for hewas wiry, with muscles like iron.
For a few moments we swayed to and fro in deadly embrace, until I feltthat he had turned the weapon until the barrel touched my neck. Nextinstant there was a loud report. The flash burned my face, butfortunately the bullet only grazed my cheek.
I was unharmed, but his deliberate attempt to take my life urged me todesperation, and with an almost superhuman effort I tripped him by atrick, and kneeling upon him, wrenched the weapon from his grasp. Then,leaving him, I dashed towards the door and turned the handle, but invain. It was locked. Without more ado I stepped back, and taking arun, flung myself against the door, bursting the lock from its socketand falling headlong into the chamber.
The light was insufficient in that great chamber; therefore I drew upone of the blinds partially and crossed to the bed, full of curiosity.
My wife was lying there, silent and still. Her wealth of dishevelledhair strayed acr
oss the lace-edged pillow, and the hand with thewedding-ring I had placed upon it was raised above her head and tightlyclenched in that attitude often assumed by children in their sleep.
She had screamed. That sound I had heard, so shrill and plain, wasundoubtedly the voice of a young woman, and it had come from this room,which was directly above the library. Yet, as far as I could see, therewas nothing to indicate the cause of her alarm.
Utterly bewildered, I stood there gazing at the form hidden beneath thesilken coverlet of pale blue. The face was turned away towards thewall, so that I could not see it.
Why, I wondered, had the Tempter barred my entrance there with suchdetermination, endeavouring to take my life rather than allow me toenter there?
The small ormolu clock chimed the hour upon its silver bell. It was oneo'clock.
Attentively I bent and listened. Her breathing seemed very low. Itouched her hand and found it chilly.
For a moment I hesitated to disturb her, for she was lying in such aposition that I could not see her face without turning her over.Suddenly, however, it occurred to me that I might draw out the bed fromthe wall and get behind it.
This I did, but the bed, being very heavy, required all my effort tomove it.
Strangely enough at that moment I felt a curious sensation in my mouthand throat, and an unaccountable dizziness seized me. It seemed asthough my mouth and lips were swelling, and the thought occurred to methat I might have ruptured a blood-vessel in my exertions in moving thebed.
Eager, however, to look upon the face of the woman who was my wife, Islipped between the wall and the bed, and, bending down, drew back theembroidered sheet which half concealed the features.
I stood dumb-stricken. The face was the most beautiful, the mostperfect in contour and in natural sweetness of expression, that I hadever gazed upon. It was the face of a healthful and vigorous girl oftwenty, rather than of an invalid--a face about the beauty of whichthere could be no two opinions. The great blue eyes were wide open,looking curiously into mine, while about the mouth was a half-smilewhich rendered the features additionally attractive.
"You are ill," I whispered in a low, intense voice, bending to her."Cannot you tell me what is the matter? I am a doctor, and will do allin my power to make you better."
There was no response. The great blue eyes stared at me fixedly, thesmile did not relax, the features seemed strangely rigid. Next second aterrible suspicion flashed across my mind, and I bent closer down. Theeyes did not waver in the light as eyes must do when a light shinesstraight into them. I touched her cheek with my hand, and its thrillingcontact told me the truth only too plainly.
My wife was dead. She had died before sunset, as the Tempter hadintended.
The discovery held me immovable. Hers was a face such as I had neverseen before. She was a woman before whom, had I met her in life, Ishould have fallen down and worshipped. Indeed, strange as it may seem,I confess that, as I stood there, I fell in love with her--even thoughshe was a corpse.
Yet, as my eyes fixed themselves lovingly upon her features, as sweet,tender, and innocent in expression as a child's, I could not imagine thecause of death. There was no sign of disease or unhealthiness there.
Why had she uttered those screams? Why, indeed, had the door of thedeath-chamber been afterwards locked? Had she, after all, fallen avictim to foul play?
I drew down the bed-clothes and exposed her neck in order to make anexamination. She wore, suspended by a thin gold chain, a small amuletshaped like a note of interrogation and encrusted with diamonds. Myobservations told me that she had not worn it very long, for the edgesof the stones were sharp, yet the delicate skin remained unscratched. Adesire possessed me to have some souvenir of her, and without furtherado, I unclasped the chain from her neck, and placed it and the littlecharm in my pocket.
Then, in continuation of my examination, I placed my hand upon herheart, but could detect no cause of death.
Upon her breast, however, I found a curious tattoo-mark--a strangedevice representing three hearts entwined. Now in my medicalexperience, I have found that very few women are tattooed. A womanusually shrinks from the operation--which is not unaccompanied by pain--and, on careful examination of this mark, I came to the conclusion thatit had been pricked some years ago by a practised hand; further, that ithad some distinct and mysterious signification.
It was in the exact centre of the breast, and just sufficiently low toremain concealed when she had worn a _decollete_ dress. The light wasdim and unsatisfactory, but all my efforts to trace the hand of anassassin were futile.
Suddenly, however, as I examined her eyes, the left one, nearest thepillow, bore an expression which struck me as unusual. Both organs ofsight seemed to have lost their clearness in the moments I had beenstanding there, and were glazing as _rigor mortis_ set in, but the lefteye was becoming more blurred than its fellow--an unusual circumstancewhich attracted me. The bright blue which I had seen in itsunfathomable depths had contracted in a manner altogether unaccountableuntil it was now only the size of a pin's head. I bent again closelyand peered into it. Next instant the awful truth was revealed.
She had been foully murdered.
With quick heart-beating I examined the eye carefully, finding symptomsof death from some deliriant--a neurotic acting on the brain andproducing delirium, presbyopia, and coma. Certain it was that if thiswere actually the Tempter's work, he was a veritable artist in crime,for the manner in which death had been caused was extremely difficult todetermine.
Finding myself undisturbed there, I made further and more searchingexamination, until I held the opinion that death must have been almost,if not quite, instantaneous.
But such theory did not coincide with the screams that had escaped her.On reviewing the whole of the circumstances, I felt confident that shemust have been fully conscious at the time, and that those shrieks wereshrieks of terror. She had divined the intention of her enemies.
About the vicinity of the bed I searched for any bottle of medicine thatmight be there, but in vain. If she had really been ill previously, asthe Tempter had alleged, the medicine prescribed might give me some clueto the nature of her disease.
Upon a chair close by, her bridal veil of Brussels lace was lyingcrumpled in a heap, while her gown of white satin was hanging upon thedoor-knob of the handsome wardrobe. The orange-blossoms diffused theirperfume over the room, but to me it was a sickly odour emblematic of thegrave.
My wife, the most beautiful woman upon whom my eyes had ever fallen, waslifeless--struck down by the hand of a murderer.
As I bent, looking full into the contracted pupil, I suddenly detectedsomething half concealed in the lace edging of the pillow. I drew itforth, and found it to be a crumpled letter, which I spread out andread. It had evidently been treasured there, just as invalids treasurebeneath the bolster all the correspondence they receive.
In an angular hand, evidently masculine, was written the simple words,without address or signature, "I have seen La Gioia!"
Who, I wondered, was "La Gioia"? Was it a happy meeting or adisconcerting one? The announcement was bare enough, without commentand without detail. Significant, no doubt, it had been received by herand kept secret beneath her pillow.
I started across the room to investigate my dead wife's surroundings andto learn, if possible, by observation, something concerning her life. Aroom is often indicative of a woman's character, and always of herhabits. The apartment was, I found, artistic and luxurious, while thefew books lying about showed her to be a woman of education, culture,and refinement. Upon a little side-table, concealed behind a pile ofbooks, I found a small blue bottle which, taking up, I held to thelight, and afterwards uncorked and smelt, wondering whether its odourwould give me any clue to its composition. The bottle contained purechloroform.
Once more I crossed to the bed when, of a sudden, I again felt thatstrange sensation in my mouth and throat, both of which seemed tocontract until my brea
thing became difficult. I felt half strangled. Ifought against the curious feeling that crept over me, but a dizzinessseized me, and I was compelled to clutch the foot of the bed in order tosteady myself.
My mouth was burning, my head reeling, while my lower limbs seemed tohave, in that moment, become cold, benumbed, and devoid of all feeling.I held my breath, determined to battle against the faintness; but allwas useless. Sharp, acute pains shot through my legs as though red-hotwires were being thrust through my muscles, and a second later I becameseized by a kind of paralysis which held my jaws immovable.
I placed my hands to my parched lips, and found that they had swollen toan enormous size. My tongue seemed too large for my mouth, and mythroat so small that I could not swallow.
My head was swimming, but nevertheless I strove to calmly consider mysituation. The symptoms were plain enough, and could not be mistaken.The Egyptian cigarette which the Major had given me had been stronglyimpregnated with some deleterious and poisonous substance.
I had, after all, fallen a hapless victim to my enemies, for bymoistening the cigarette I had absorbed the poison, and, by the rapiditywith which my mouth was swelling.
I knew that I had been given a fatal dose. With set teeth I stoodtrying to bear up against the sudden paroxysm of agony, but soexcruciating was it that it proved too much. A loud cry escaped me.Writhing in the awful pains that gripped me from head to foot, I grew soweak that my legs refused to support me. Then, out of sheer exhaustion,I sank upon the floor, and the rest became blotted out inunconsciousness.
CHAPTER FIVE.
OUTWARD BOUND.
Strange noises aroused me slowly to a sense of my helplessness. My headseemed heavy as lead, my brain incapable of receiving any impression, mythroat
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