CHAPTER XXXII.
CAPTAIN FRAZIER PLOTS AGAIN.
We must return to Captain Frazier, whom we left standing at the gatewhen he had parted from the minister, who had gone into the Varrickmansion to make arrangements for the wedding which was to take place onthe morrow.
"Gerelda must have made herself known to them by this time, and a livelyscene is probably ensuing," he muttered. "I should like to have seenVarrick when Gerelda confronted him, and cheated him out of Jessie Bain.In that moment, perhaps, it occurred to him what I must have sufferedwhen he cheated me out of winning lovely Gerelda Northrup at theThousand Islands last summer--curse him for it! How strange it is thatfrom that very date my life went all wrong! I invested every dollar Ihad in that stone house on Wau-Winet Island, and that fire wiped me outcompletely. I have had the devil's own luck with everything I touched.Everything has gone back on me, every scheme has fallen through, and thebest of plans panned out wrong. I should say that I am pursued by arelentless Nemesis. I am growing desperate. Why should Hubert Varrickhave so much of this world's good things and I so little? I am reducedto very near my last dollar. I have scarcely enough in my pocket to paya week's lodging; and when that goes, the Lord knows what the outcome ofit will be. Up to date, I am 'too proud to beg, too honest to steal,' asthe old song goes; but when a man reaches the end of his resourcesthere's no telling what he may do."
He walked away swiftly among the trees and threaded his way quicklythrough the net-work of streets, until he found himself at last standingbefore a dingy little two-story brick house in a narrow court. Advancinghurriedly up to the stone flagging, he knocked loudly. There was noresponse.
"Evidently no one is in," he muttered. "I will call later in theevening."
He retraced his steps back to the heart of the city, and feelingexceedingly fatigued, he entered a _cafe_.
"I have almost got to the end of my rope," he muttered, mechanicallypicking up a newspaper. "If my luck doesn't change within the next fewdays, I shall do something so desperate that people will never forgetthe name of Captain Frazier."
He ran his eye idly down the different columns. Suddenly a paragraphattracted his attention. He read it over slowly half a dozen times;then, without waiting to partake of the repast he had ordered, hehurried to the desk, paid his bill, and rushed out into the street.
"I have no time to lose," he muttered; "this country is getting too hotfor me. I must get away at once. If I but had the wherewith I would takethe first outgoing steamer. What a capital idea it would be!" he cried,laughing aloud, grimly. "If I could manage to abduct Hubert Varrick'sintended bride and hold her for a ransom? I made a success of it withGerelda Northrup when she stood at the very altar with him; and what aman does once he can do again. The first time it was done for love'ssake; now it would be a question of money with me. I have but littletime to lose."
Again he made his way to the lonely, red-brick house on the side street,taking good care that he was not observed. In response to his repeatedknocks, the door was opened at length by a small, dark-complexioned man.
"Captain Frazier! by all that's amazing!" he cried. "When did you blowinto port, I should like to know?"
"I came in this morning," was the reply.
"I am never quite sure what you want of me," replied the other, eyeingthe captain suspiciously in the dim twilight. "But come in--come in," headded, hastily. "We are just sitting down to supper. Come and takesomething with us, if you're not too proud to sit at our humble table."
"I've got over being proud long ago," said the captain, following theother along a very narrow hall.
The interior of the room into which he was ushered bespoke the fact thatit was inhabited by men--presumably sailors, from the nauticalimplements thrown promiscuously about. It was unoccupied, and CaptainFrazier took his seat at the head of the table.
"Some of the boys left very hurriedly when they heard the loud,resounding knock on the front door," his companion said, laughingly, ashe heaped the tempting viands on Frazier's plate.
The captain, whose appetite had been sadly neglected, paid greatattention to the savory dishes before him.
"We have been accustomed to talking and eating at the same time," hebegan.
"Of course," returned the other.
"When do you make your next trip out?"
"In a week's time, probably, if all is favorable."
"I think I shall ship with you," said the captain. "This part of thecountry is getting too unsafe for me. I see by to-day's paper that theyare searching for me."
"Well, you must have expected that."
"Yes, I have determined to leave the country," Captain Frazier repeated;"but I do not propose to go alone."
His companion looked at him curiously, wondering what was coming; then,leaning nearer him, the captain whispered a plot in his ear that madehis friend open his heavy eyes wide in amazement.
"I haven't a cent of money," admitted the captain; "but if you will workwith me, you shall have half the ransom."
"A woman is a nuisance on board of a boat like ours," said the other;"but if you are sure so large an amount will be paid for her return, itwill be well worth working for."
An hour longer they conferred, and when Frazier left the red-brick houseon the side street, the most daring plan the brain of man had everconceived was well-nigh settled.
When the hour of eleven struck clear and sharp, Captain Frazier wasstanding silently before the Varrick mansion. In making a tour of thegrounds, much to Frazier's amazement, he found the rear door ajar.
"The devil helps his own," he muttered, sarcastically. "I imagined thatI should have a serious time in gaining admittance, when lo! the portalsare thrown open for the wishing."
He made his way through the dimly lighted corridors, dodging into thefirst door that presented itself when he heard the sound of voicesapproaching.
He found himself in the library, and had just time to dodge behind a_jardiniere_ on a heavy, square pedestal, which was placed in a recessin the wall, when Hubert Varrick entered. He was followed a moment laterby his mother. He heard him talk over his future plans for the comingmarriage on the morrow, and a great wonder filled his mind. Had notGerelda seen him yet?
It had been many hours since he himself had seen her enter those verygates. While he was thinking over the matter, Hubert's mother left theroom. Much to the watcher's discomfiture, Hubert Varrick did not follow,but instead, threw himself down in an easy-chair before the glowinggrate-fire, and lighted a cigar.
Scarcely a moment had elapsed ere he heard the sound of cautiousfootsteps. Peering again out of the foliage which concealed him so well,he saw Gerelda cautiously approach through the open door-way, and againhe was compelled to be a listener to all that transpired.
Then, like a flash, came the terrible _denouement_, and Frazier,crouching behind the huge pillar, distinctly saw the butler enter and hewitnessed the crime. He tried to prevent it by springing forward in timeto save the hapless girl, but he seemed powerless to move either hand orfoot. He could not have taken one step had his very life depended on it.And when the terrible crime had been committed, and people flocked tothe room, he dared not come forward, lest he should be accused of thehorrible crime himself. In the great excitement he soon made his escape,though it was not until he found himself several blocks from the sceneof the catastrophe that he dared stop to take breath.
The next day the captain made another visit to the little stone house,assuring his friends that this would make no difference in their plans,that, as soon as the excitement subsided, he would carry out hisoriginal scheme.
A week passed by, and during that time Captain Frazier, prowlingincessantly about the neighborhood, watched carefully his opportunity tomeet Jessie Bain.
The owner of a little sloop lying under cover down the bay was greatlyannoyed at the loss of time; he was waiting too long, he told Frazierrepeatedly, declaring at length that unless Frazier could manage to gainpossession of the girl that very night that he
would have to sailwithout her. This decision made Captain Frazier desperate, for he wasnow reduced to his last penny.
It was no easy matter to gain an entrance into the Varrick mansion asecond time, and no one but the most desperate man in the world wouldhave thought of attempting it; but, as on a former occasion, at lastfate aided him.
The drawing-room being considered too warm, one of the servants threwopen a large French window to cool off the apartment. This was Frazier'schance. Like a shadow he stole into the room.
It was no easy matter to make out in which room he should find JessieBain. At length the sound of light, measured footsteps in a room he wasjust passing fell upon his keen ear. He pushed the door cautiously open.All was darkness within, save a narrow strip of light that came from theclosely drawn _portieres_ of an inner apartment. Applying his eye to asmall slit in the heavy velvet, he saw the object of his search. She wasbending over a woman's form lying on a couch, a form he knew to beGerelda's, while standing a little distance from them was a doctormixing a potion. He heard him give Jessie Bain strict injunctionsregarding the administration of it; then he saw the physician take hisleave.
For a moment a death-like silence reigned in the room.
"Let me implore you," sobbed Jessie, "to save the man you love from theterrible fate that awaits him."
"I would not lift my finger or my voice to save him. If I must die, itis a satisfaction to me to know that he must die too!" whisperedGerelda.
"Cruel, cruel creature!" cried Jessie. "May Heaven find pardon for you,for I can not. I will ask no more for mercy at your hands. But hear me!I will save Hubert Varrick if it lies within human power. I will find away; he shall not die, I swear it!"
A gleam crept into Gerelda's eyes.
"He is beyond your aid!" she cried, excitedly, half rising on herpillow. The effort this cost her proved almost too much for her. Adangerous whiteness overspread her face, and she fell back fainting, asmall stream of blood trickling from her lips. Jessie sprang quickly toher feet, and administered a cordial from a small vial.
At that moment the doctor entered. He was alarmed at the expression onhis patient's face.
"There has been a sudden change for the worse," he declared. "Still, Iknew it would come sooner or later. I said from the first, if she livedthe week out I should be surprised. I see now that the end is very near.When the sun rises on the morrow, her spirit will have reached its lastresting-place, poor soul. You will need to exert extra care over herto-night, Miss Bain."
Soon after he took his departure, and once more Jessie was left alonewith the girl whom Hubert Varrick had wedded, but did not love--the girlwho had blasted all the happiness this world held for her. Yet she feltsorry from the depths of her soul that the girl's life was ebbing awayso fast.
Midnight struck, and the little hands of the cuckoo-clock on the mantelcrept slowly round to one. Still there was no change, save that thewhite face on the pillow grew whiter, with a tinge of gray on it now.
The clock on the mantel seemed to tick louder and louder, and cry outhoarsely:
"Time is fleeing fast! It will soon be too late for Gerelda to clearHubert Varrick and save him from a felon's death!"
Jessie Bain paced the floor up and down, in agony.
Suddenly a thought came to her--a thought so terrible that it nearlytook her breath away.
"I will try it," whispered Jessie, hoarsely.
She crept pantingly across the room to an escritoire which stood in thecorner. Raising the lid, she drew from it a sheet of paper and a pen,and catching up a tiny ink-well, she hurried back to the bedside.Bending with palpitating heart over the still form lying there, JessieBain muttered:
"No one will ever know," taking a quick glance about the room. "Gereldaand I are all alone together--all alone!"
Thrusting the pen in the limp fingers, Jessie Bain dipped it in the ink,and with her own hand guided the hand of Gerelda, making her write thefollowing words on the white paper:
"VARRICK MANSION, _February 23d_, 1909.
"To those whom it may concern: I, Gerelda Varrick, lying on my death-bed, and realizing that the end may come at any moment, wish to clear from any suspicion, Hubert Varrick. I do solemnly swear it was not he who struck the fatal blow at me which ends my life. It was some stranger, to me unknown.
"[Signed] GERELDA VARRICK. "Witnessed by ----."
And here Jessie took the pen from the limp fingers affixing her ownsignature--"JESSIE BAIN."
The deed was done. Jessie drew a long, deep breath, ere she could reachforth to secure the all-important paper, a great faintness seized her,and throwing up her hands, she fell in a dead faint beside Gerelda'sbed.
Scarcely a moment had elapsed ere the _portieres_ that shut off an innerroom were thrust quickly aside by a man's hand.