cycle, and I foundher resting in the gateway she had indicated in her letter. She seemedunusually nervous, I noticed, nevertheless I attributed it to the factthat she regarded me as her rival, even though the man we both loved wasdead. For nearly an hour we remained together chatting, until thesunset faded and dusk crept on. I asked her what the man had told herregarding his family, and showed her the antique miniature. Then shetold me a fact which held me speechless in amazement. Charles Holroydewas no other than the son of a man living close by that spot, Sir JohnStratfield."
"My brother!" cried George. "Impossible!"
"It was the truth. He had told her everything. The father of CharlesHolroyde was actually living within a mile of that spot, and theportrait was one of Lady Anne Stratfield, a noted beauty, which waspainted by the fashionable miniaturist, Cosway, shortly before hisdeath. At first I could not credit that he was actually Sir John's son,but she brought proof positive to show that what she said was correct,and at her request I gave her the miniature to return to Sir John. Shepromised to call next day and give it into his hands, saying that itcame from a person who desired to remain anonymous."
"Why did you not come to the Court yourself?" George asked quickly.
"I 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 inhis will."
"Yes," she answered reflectively, "he must, I suppose, have known ofme."
"Then what occurred afterwards?" Brooker eagerly inquired. "Tell usthe events of that night in their proper sequence."
"After we had talked for some time, she telling me how happy both sheand Liane were, and how the latter had become engaged clandestinely tothe Baronet's son, George, she rode beside me as far as the lodge gatesof the Court, where we parted. Then she remounted and rode back in thedirection of the spot where she was afterwards discovered, while Istrolled slowly on to the station, whence I returned to London. It wasdusk before I left Stratfield Mortimer, but as I changed at Reading toenter the train for Paddington, I caught a glimpse of a face I thought Iknew. It was only for a single instant, but the face was one that onceseen is never forgotten. It was the face of Zertho."
"You saw me!" he gasped.
"Yes. You were in a crowd on Reading platform, and were about to enterthe same train as myself, but changing your mind, suddenly left thestation hurriedly," she said. "At that time, remember, I had no ideathat you were in England, for Nelly had not mentioned your visit. Twodays later, however, I was appalled by reading in the papers that poorNelly had been murdered almost immediately after I had left her, andquite close to the spot where we had at first stood. Afterwards in thereport of the inquest, I saw that you were present and had givenevidence. Then there was silence. The affair was an enigma, and thepolice possessed no clue. The papers mentioned a broad mark a foot wideupon the dust, which they regarded as mysterious. It was made by myskirt which swept the road. I alone held the key to the enigma. Inorder to assure myself that my suspicions were not unfounded, I returnedto Reading, made careful inquiries there, and when I had satisfiedmyself, left England with the knowledge I had obtained still in mypossession."
"What did you discover?" inquired George, quickly, while Liane stillclung to him tremblingly.
"I discovered absolute proof of the identity of Nolly's assassin. Itwas Zertho d'Auzac!"
CHAPTER TWENTY.
AT CROSS LANE.
"You lie!" the Prince cried indignantly. "There is no proof."
"Listen!" Mariette retorted in a firm, harsh tone, gazing at himsteadily. "Listen while I recall to your memory the events of thatfateful night. In my inquiries I traced your progress step by step, andevery movement is entirely plain to me. You went to England with solelyone object in view, namely, to get rid of Nelly Bridson, the woman whocould convict you of murder."
"I deny that I had any hand whatever in the affair," he protested."Why, she went with me to the station and saw me off to Reading! It wasgiven in evidence that the police inquired of the station officials atStratfield Mortimer, and also at Reading, and were entirely satisfiedthat there was no suspicion upon me. Therefore, whatever you say isutterly worthless," he added, turning from her contemptuously.
"We shall see," she replied. "If you have so conveniently forgottenwhat your movements were, I will describe them. It is quite true thatNelly saw you off to Reading. But prior to this, while alone in thedining-room of Captain Brooker's cottage, you found lying about theletter I had written her making the appointment. Curiosity prompted youto read its contents, and you therefore knew that at seven o'clock shewould be in Cross Lane. You bade her farewell at eight minutes pastsix, and your train arrived at Reading at twenty minutes past. Youimmediately took a fly back towards Stratfield, but dismissed the man atThreemile Cross, and after watching the conveyance out of sight, took acut across the fields for about a mile and a half to Cross Lane, thuscompletely doubling. It was growing dark when you reached the railwaybridge, but you saw your victim coming from the opposite direction, anddrew back half-way up the steep ascent, where you knew she must passslowly. Suspecting no danger, the light-hearted girl allowed hermachine to run swiftly down the incline, then pedalled hard for theascent, when suddenly you raised your weapon, took deliberate aim andfired. With a cry she dropped sideways on her feet, the machine fallingwith her. Then she blindly staggered forward two or three paces, andsank to earth, dying. For an instant you waited, but even while youlooked the poor girl sighed heavily and passed away. Then, fearingdetection, you turned and fled back across the fields to Readingstation, where I saw you an hour later."
"It's an absolute falsehood!" he cried. "I went direct to London afterleaving the girl."
"You did not, for I found the man who drove you to Threemile Cross, andwho will give evidence against you on your trial."
"You have!" he gasped. "You will hand me over to the police?" he addedhoarsely.
"Certainly," she answered, firmly. "The police of Reading and thepolice of Nice will alike be anxious to give you free lodgings in achamber scarcely as comfortable as any in the Villa Chevrier. For agood many months the mystery of Charles Holroyde's death has puzzledthem, but it will remain an enigma no longer."
"Then Brooker will suffer also," he cried.
"No, he will not," replied the inventor of "The Agony of Monte Carlo,"quickly. "My evidence will prevent that. I saw you commit the murder,and likewise witnessed how Brooker endeavoured to prevent you."
"Again," cried Mariette, "there is yet another fact. From inquiries Ihave made it is plain that some months prior to Nelly's death she, byword or action, had betrayed her knowledge of your crime committed inNice."
"I recollect now," cried Liane, suddenly. "She always loathed Zertho, afact which often caused me some surprise, he having made her severalhandsome presents after his sudden change of fortune. Once, too, Ichanced to remark in jest that I might possibly become Princess d'Auzac,whereupon she answered, `No, never. I could prevent that.'"
"This exactly proves my contention," exclaimed Mariette, excitedlyturning to the others. "Nelly had betrayed her knowledge of his secret,and he was in deadly fear of her. He committed the second crime so thatthe first should remain concealed. It was not until months afterwards,when Richards disclosed his identity, and, having had a run of ill-luckat the tables, offered to preserve silence for a momentaryconsideration, that he knew there was a second witness. Nelly had nevertold him that she had a companion on that fateful night, and he feltassured that the man who had so suddenly sprung upon them could notagain identify him. Only when Richards came forward did he realise thetruth that in taking Nelly Bridson's life he had failed to efface hisfirst crime, and had placed himself in deadlier peril."
A deep silence fell. The man accused stood motionless, his dark, sallowface livid, his eyes, with a haunting look of abject terror in them,fixed upon the carpet. His hands were clenched, his head bent, his bodyrigid. This su
dden and unexpected exposure held him dumb.
At last Liane spoke in a low musical voice, a little strained perhaps,but her tone showed that at last the crushing weight of Zertho'saccusation of her father had been lifted from her mind, and she alreadyfelt her freedom to love George Stratfield.
"There is yet one thing unexplained," she said. "I have a confession tomake."
"A confession!" gasped her lover. "What?"
"On that fatal evening when poor Nelly was so brutally killed I had anappointment to meet you at the spot," she answered. "And I kept it."
"You did? Why, I thought you were prevented."
"I was, but I arrived there late. Unconscious of the fearful tragedy, Iwalked there, and in the twilight waited in the gateway leading to themeadow, the very spot where Mariette and Nelly had been standing an hourbefore. While there the high wind blew my hair about and several of thepins fell out. I picked them up, all save one--the one you discovered."
"It was yours!" he cried dismayed.
"Yes, mine," she replied. "I waited there alone about ten minutes, thenpassed beneath the railway bridge and there saw straight before me, alittle way beyond, Nelly lying beside her machine. We had quarrelledearlier in the day over a trifling matter and she had uttered somerather insulting words: therefore, believing that she had merely had afall and would recover in a few minutes, I left her lying where she was.I saw no blood, and never dreamt that she was dead. At her throat wasthe brooch Charles Holroyde had given her, an ornament upon which sheset great store. Suddenly the temptation to annoy her came over me, andI bent and snatched it off. At that moment you had already discoveredthe crime, and gone for assistance. It was my intention to keep thebrooch, so that she might believe it had been stolen. Judge my horrorwhen a few hours later I knew the ghastly truth, while in my possessionthere remained the missing brooch about which the papers afterwards madeso many comments. Again, the hairpin you discovered being one of minewas still another fact which caused me the greatest terror, lest thepolice should ascertain from whose hair the pin had fallen. In order tomake it appear that I had not been to Cross Lane I that night wrote aletter to you regretting that I was prevented from meeting you, andearly next morning tore it into fragments and cast it at the roadside,where it was subsequently discovered by the detectives. Yet the fearthat the brooch might be discovered in my possession was ever upon me,so one night I took all my remaining pins, together with the brooch, andburied them in the garden, where, I suppose, they still remain. Eversince that day until now I have feared lest my theft should bediscovered and my presence at the scene of the tragedy proved, for I sawhow suspicious were the circumstances, especially as we had had a slightdifference earlier that day and someone might have overheard our highwords. For months my life has been overshadowed by a terrible dread,but now that I know the truth I hesitate no longer to speak."
"And the miniature we discovered by Nelly's side was the one you gaveher to return to my family?" George exclaimed, turning quickly toMariette, astounded at the remarkable explanation.
"Yes. She said she knew you, and that you loved Liane. Therefore shewould return it to your father without stating whence it had come."
"But you say that Charles Holroyde was my brother," he exclaimed,puzzled. "I do not understand."
"Think for a moment, and you will see that all I have spoken is thetruth," she answered. "Before his death he told me the whole of thecircumstances; how your mother, Lady Stratfield, died a few months afteryour birth, and how your father, a year afterwards, married anotherlady, whom he subsequently divorced. The latter, a lady of means, cameand lived in France, where Charles was educated, but when he knew howunjustly your father had treated his mother he declined to take the nameof Stratfield, and preferred his mother's maiden name. He--"
"Ah, yes, I remember?" cried George, amazed. "It was my father'sunhappy second marriage that had caused him to become gloomy,misanthropic, and a hater of womankind. The subject was scarcely evermentioned between us, but now I distinctly remember that the lady's namewas Holroyde. I knew that she had a son, but have always been led tosuppose that he died when only a few months old."
"No," Mariette replied. "He was foully murdered for the money he hadwon at roulette by that man standing there," and she pointed towardsZertho, who stood trembling, crushed by her terrible denunciation.
"Fancy poor Charlie Holroyde actually being your brother!" Lianeexclaimed, looking up tenderly into the face of the man she so fondlyloved. "Yet it is not surprising, for, strangely enough, I have manytimes thought that your face strongly resembled his. But my father iscleared of the terrible stigma, and no suspicion can now be cast uponme, therefore we have nothing to fear."
"True, darling," he answered. "We have nothing to fear, save onething."
"What is that?" she inquired eagerly.
He hesitated. His words were overheard by all in the room, and everyeye was upon him. The man accused moved across to the table and stoodleaning against it, swaying unsteadily. His passage was still barredresolutely.
"You forget the offer of marriage which, under my father's will, I amcompelled to make to Mariette, if I am not to remain a pauper all mydays."
As he spoke there was a quick movement behind him, a flood of goldensunlight suddenly lit up the room as the jalousies of one of the windowswere dashed open, and as he turned he saw the figure of Zerthodisappearing through the window.
With a cry, the fugitive leaped down upon the flower-bed outside, hat inhand, and an instant later had gained the road and was flying downthrough the fortifications towards La Condamine.
For scarcely a second Max Richards hesitated, then rushed after him togive him into the hands of the police. Zertho had long been watchinghis opportunity, and, being strong and athletic, had reached the windowat a single bound, and had escaped almost before they could realise whathad occurred.
For a few moments all were dismayed, but were quickly reassured byMariette, who declared that the police must sooner or later arrest him.
Then, turning to George, she added,--
"You have spoken of your father's will. Well, your solicitors may makethe offer, but I shall refuse."
"You will refuse!" cried Liane, joyously.
"Yes," she answered, smiling in contentment. "I shall refuse because Iam already engaged to marry Max, the man whose words have cleared yourfather, and whose evidence will convict the man who has held you so longbeneath the thrall of terror."
"You are to marry Max!" Liane exclaimed, surprised.
"Yes. We have known each other some years now, and as I have recentlywon sufficient money which, invested, will bring us in a modest income,we have agreed to marry and relinquish gambling. One of our promises toeach other is that after marriage neither of us shall enter the Casinoon any pretext whatsoever. I shall certainly keep it, and I feelassured that Max will."
"I'm sure you have our heartiest congratulations," Captain Brooker said,smiling. "I've known Max a long time, and although once he has been oneof us and an outsider, he is, nevertheless, at heart a gentleman."
Mariette, known as "The Golden Hand," and believed by _habitues_ ofMonte Carlo to be thoroughly unscrupulous, and an adventuress of thevery worst type, was now an entirely different person to the woman whoflung down her gold so recklessly upon the tables. Her life had notbeen altogether blameless, nevertheless there was still sufficientgenerosity, tenderness, and love within her heart to render her adevoted wife with a man who would love and cherish her.
"Make your offer to marry me as soon as you wish," she laughed. "Youknow what my reply will be."
"A reply," he said, "that will bring me fifty thousand pounds."
"You are indeed my friend, Mariette," Liane said, stretching forth herhand. "Forgive me for believing that you were my enemy."
The other grasped it warmly, answering,--
"I have forgiven all--everything save the terrible offences of the manwho has fled, offences before God and m
an that are beyond atonement."
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.
RED AND BLACK.
The fugitive was already out of sight when his pursuer gained the road.In the crooked streets of Monaco, with their dark arches, narrowpassages and steep inclines, it is easy to evade pursuit, and Zertho, towhom the place was well-known, was fully aware that if he could gain thefoot of the rock he could get clean away. He crushed his hat on hishead and ran swiftly as a deer.
Max knew the road the accused man must take, and dashed after him,hatless, as fast as his legs would carry him. Suddenly, however, heentered a crooked lane, only to find himself in a _cul-de-sac_. Hequickly retraced his steps and gained the square in front of the Palace,but by this time the man he was pursuing was already at the foot of therock. Rushing up to the wall of the fortifications he peered over, andsaw far below the fugitive spring into a open cab and drive rapidlytowards La Condamine. To overtake him now was impossible. The policemust take up the chase.
He ran back to the Villa Fortunee to tell Mariette and the others of hisfailure and obtain her sanction to invoke the aid of police, while theother sat bolt upright in the cab, staring straight before him, notdaring to glance behind. Yet all seemed peaceful in that calm sunsethour. Along the boulevard around the bay he drove at a