_ CHAPTER XXXIX. "WILL LOVE OUTWEIGH HONOR?"
"Dr. Heath, here is another visitor."
Clifford Heath turned slowly away from the small iron-barred window; he looked a trifle disturbed by this announcement, for he had just been interviewed by Mr. O'Meara, who for the first time had presented Mr. Wedron, and the two had left him much to think about.
The look of annoyance left his face, however, and a stare of surprise took its place, when, following upon the footsteps of the janitor, came Constance Wardour, not closely veiled and drooping, after the manner of prison-visiting females in orthodox novels, but with her fair face unconcealed, and her graceful figure at its proudest poise.
The haughtiness all departed from face and bearing, however, when the door closed behind her and she found herself alone with the man she had falsely accused.
Misfortune had not humbled Clifford Heath. When the first momentary look of surprise had left his face, he stood before her as proudly erect, as icily courteous, as if he were receiving her in his own parlor.
"Doctor Heath," began Constance, in low, contrite tones, "some months ago I brought a wrongful accusation against you. I wronged you deeply; let me do myself the justice to say that almost immediately I was convinced of the injustice I had done you, of the utter insanity of my own behavior, but--" blushing rosily, "I never found the letter, and how could I come to you and say, I have changed my mind, without a reason. Less than an hour ago, this note was put into my hands, and with it that unfortunate lost letter. This enables me to say,--Doctor Heath, I deeply regret the insult I offered you, and I ask you to be magnanimous, and to pardon me."
She put the note in his hand, and he read it, without uttering a word; stood silent for a moment, as if to collect his thoughts, and then said:
"Miss Wardour, I am glad that this affair has been cleared up; when a man has so many dark shadows hanging over him, he is thankful for the smallest glimpse of sunlight. It is like your generosity to come in person."
"But you have not said that you forgive me, Doctor Heath; fully and freely, remember."
"Fully and freely I forgive you, then, Miss Wardour," smilingly, he replied. "After all, the mistake was a natural one. Since I have been an inmate of this cell, I have learned to see myself as others see me. Why should I not come under suspicion, especially after hearing my words to Bathurst? By the by, this note from Bathurst, you tell me that you received it to-day?"
"To-day; since noon."
"And it is dated to-day; then," looking at her questioningly, "Bathurst must be in town."
"Yes," dropping her eyes, confusedly. "That is, I think so;" and scarcely heeding her own movements, she seated herself in the doctor's chair, and, leaning one arm against the table, looked up into his face, saying with a spice of her old manner, so familiar to him in the past:
"Having forgiven me so generously, Doctor Heath, don't you think it would be quite proper to shake hands?"
He looked down upon her, a strange light leaping into his eyes. But he did not approach. He lifted a large, shapely hand, and surveyed it sorrowfully.
"It
looks as clean as any hand, Miss Wardour, but there is a stain upon it."
"A stain! No, sir. Do you think that
I believe in your guilt?"
Again the quick light flamed in his eyes, and now he came a step nearer.
"Do you believe in my innocence?"
"Beyond a doubt."
"When I said 'there is a stain upon my hand,' I did not mean the stain of guilt, but of suspicion, of accusation."
"There is
no stain upon your hand! Doctor Heath. What is this I hear about you? They tell me you will make no defense."
He smiled down at her.
"I could make but one defense, and that--"
"And that?"
"And that, Miss Wardour, I would not make."
"Why?"
She was straining every nerve to preserve her composure; words came from her lips like frozen heartbeats.
"Because--Miss Wardour, do not ask me why."
"I do ask; I persist. Why? Why?
Why? "
"Because--I see you are as imperious as ever--because I can only save myself by giving the real murderer up to justice."
She was on her feet in an instant, all her enforced calmness gone, unutterable misery in her face and voice.
"You know!" she cried. "You! Oh! my God, what shall I do!"
"Have no fear, Miss Wardour; have I not said I will keep my own counsel?"
"But, you!
You! Oh, there is no reason why
you should not speak; you are not bound! You are not--oh, what am I saying!" She sank back into her seat, panting and wild-eyed.
"Miss Wardour, calm yourself," he said, gently. "I
am bound. It is my pleasure to keep this secret. Listen. A short time ago I received a visit from my lawyers. They told me--among other things, they thought it best that I should know--that you knew who did the deed, and that you would have us both saved, innocent and guilty alike. Before that, I had determined to keep silence; now I am doubly resolved. For your sake, I will not accuse Frank Lamotte."
"Frank--you will not accuse
Frank Lamotte? And for my sake!" she almost shrieked. "For God's sake, explain. What is Frank Lamotte to me? Of what can you accuse him?"
It was Clifford Heath's turn to lose his composure. How could he interpret her words? Was she trying to deceive him?
"Miss Wardour," he said, almost sternly, "do you wish me to understand that Francis Lamotte is nothing to you?"
"
Nothing to me! the vilest, the basest, the most treacherous, the most abject of all human creatures,
that is what Frank Lamotte is to me!"
Uncontrollable scorn rang in her voice; rising anger, too. How dared
he couple her name with that of Frank Lamotte?
From the chaos of meanings and mysteries revolving through his mind, Clifford Heath seized upon and clung to one idea, held it in silence for a moment, then let it burst forth in words.
"Then--then you are not Frank Lamotte's promised wife?"
"
I! great heavens!
no."
"And never have been?"
"And never have been."
Clifford Heath drew a long, deep breath. For a moment a look of gladness beamed in his eye, then it died out suddenly, as he said, almost gloomily:
"And yet, you have said that he must be saved at all hazards. Knowing his guilt, I still am here in his place."
"In his place, oh," she came toward him with a swift, eager movement, "I begin to see! Doctor Heath, you think Frank Lamotte the guilty one?"
"I know it," grimly.
A look of relief came over her face. She breathed freely.
"You believe this," she said at last, "and yet you are here. If you have evidence against Frank Lamotte, why do you occupy a felon's cell? Why not put him in your place?"
"I have told you why. It was for your sake."
She lowered her eyes and drew back a little, but he followed her, and, standing before her, looked down into her face with a persistent, searching gaze. "You must understand me now," he said firmly, "when I believed that you loved Frank Lamotte, I said 'Then I will not stand forth and accuse the man she loves, for--I love her, and she must not be unhappy.'"
A great sob rose in her throat. A wave of crimson swept over her brow. She stood before him with clasped hands and drooping head.
"But for that meddlesome slip of paper," he went on, "I should not have been driven from the field, and this treachery of Lamotte's could never have been practiced upon me. Do you remember a certain day when you sent for Ray Vandyck, and he came to you from my office? Well, on that day Francis Lamotte told me that you were his promised wife, and when Ray came back,
he verified the statement, having received the information from your lips. Once I hoped to come to you and say, after lifting for your eyes the veil of mystery, which I have allowed to envelope my past: 'Constance Wardour, I love you; I want you for my very own, my wife!' Now, mountains have arisen between us; I can not offer you a hand with the shadow of a stain upon it; nor a name that is tarnished by doubt and suspicion. However this affair may end for me, that hope is ended now."
It had come; the decisive moment.
She could go away now with sealed lips, and it would end indeed. She could turn away from him, leaving happiness behind her; taking with her his happiness, too; or, she could speak, and then--
She looked about her; and the bare walls and grated windows gave her strength to dare much. Had they stood together out under the broad bright sunlight; he as free as herself, she could have turned away mutely, and let her life go on as it would.
Now--now his present was overshadowed; his future difficult to read.
"
Is it ended?" she said, softly. Then, looking up with sudden, charming imperiousness. "You end things very selfishly, very coolly, Doctor Heath. I do not choose to have it ended."
"Miss Wardour!--Constance!"
"Wait; you say that your lawyers told of my visit to them, and that I would not have the guilty punished. What more did they tell you--about my doings?"
"Very little; I could hardly understand why they told thus much."
"Did they tell you that I learned, through a scheming rascal in the guise of a detective, that a plot was growing against you; that I sent for Ray Vandyck, and set him over you as a temporary guardian? And that I sent next for Detective Bathurst, warning him that you were surrounded by enemies. Did they tell you that, when I learned of your arrest, I left my place by Sybil Lamotte, who is delirious and yet clings to me constantly, and came to them, offering them all my fortune if they would only save me you?"
"Did you do this--Constance?"
"I have done this. Have I not earned the right, openly, before all the world, to be your champion, your truest friend, your--"
"My queen! my darling! my very own!"
All his calm is gone, all his haughtiness of bearing; with one swift movement he snatches her to his heart, and she rests in his embrace, shocked at her own boldness, and unspeakably happy.
Who dare intrude upon a lover's interview? Who dares to snatch the first coy love words from a maiden's lips, and give them to a world grown old in love making, and appraising each tender word by its own calloused old heart?
For the time all is forgotten, save one fact, they love each other well.
By and by, other thoughts come, forcing their way like unwelcome guests.
* * * * *
"Constance," he says, after a long interval, "you have made me anything but indifferent to my fate. Now I shall begin to struggle for my freedom; but--do you realize what a network of false testimony they have woven about me?"
"Do I realize it?" she cried. "Yes, far more than you do, or can, and--you said something about Frank Lamotte. Has he sought to injure you?"
"Constance, I thought you knew," turning upon her a look of surprise. "I thought you knew his guilt. Who, but Frank Lamotte, could gain access to my office, to purloin my handkerchief and my knife? He had a duplicate key, and--
I found that key in the old cellar beside the body of John Burrill."
The look of perplexity on her face deepens into one of actual distress.
Could it be, that after all, Frank had forestalled that other one?
Back upon her memory came his words, "I can save him if I will." Where there is room for doubt there is room for hope. What if another hand had anticipated that of the paid assassin? She resolved to cling to this hope with desperation.
If there was evidence so strong against Frank Lamotte, let him take her lover's place. Why not? She began to see many things in a new light; she peered forward, catching a view of the partial truth, "as in a glass, darkly." One thing was clear, however, they must act at once! No time must be lost!
She sat before him thinking thus, yet seemingly powerless to act or speak!
"Constance. Has the possibility of Frank Lamotte's guilt, overwhelmed you?"
"The possibility!" she exclaimed, starting up suddenly. "No. I know him capable of baser things than murder."
"Of baser things! My darling, what do you mean?"
"Don't ask me now; there is no time to waste in talking of him; I am going straight to your lawyers this moment; I am going to send them to you, and you shall tell them every thing."
"Despot!" His eyes devouring her.
"Of course! I am always that. They will say it is time some one took you in charge. Are you going to be dumb any more?"
"Never! My lips are unsealed from this hour; since you have dared to claim and take a share in my fate, and since I have not the courage to put so much happiness from me."
"Supposing it in your power?"
"Oh, I know better than to cope with you," smiling upon her fondly. "But my honor must be vindicated for your gracious sake, and--I must cease to be," with a sidelong glance, "'Doctor Heath, from nowhere.' Sit down, darling; our janitor is an accommodating fellow; he will not interrupt, nor shorten your stay, I am sure. I want to tell you my story. It is yours, together with all my other secrets."
She put up her hand, quickly.
"Not now," she said. "Not for a long time. I prefer you as I have known you; for me, you shall still be 'Doctor Heath, from nowhere.' Don't remonstrate; I will have it so; I will send Mr. O'Meara to you, and that odd Mr. Wedron; you shall tell
them all about yourself."
"
You will go to them? Constance, no; for your own sake, let us keep our love a secret for a time; until this is ended, somehow. Think, my proud darling, how much it would spare you."
She turned toward him, her mouth settling into very firm lines, a resolute look in her eyes.
"Would it spare you anything?" she asked, quietly.
"I? Oh, no. It is sacrifice for me; but, I wish to have it so. You must not visit me here. You must not let gossip say she has thrown herself away on an adventurer."
"I won't," she replied, sententiously; "I'd like to hear of anybody saying that! I'd excommunicate them, I'm going to close the mouths of gossips, by setting my seal of proprietorship upon you. I'm coming here every day; but, after this, I'll bring Aunt Honor, or Mrs. O'Meara with me. I'm going to say to every soul who names you to me: 'Doctor Heath is my affianced husband, defame him if you dare.' And I'm going straight to tell Mr. O'Meara that he must take your testimony against Frank Lamotte."
Constance kept her word. Before many days, the town rang with the news that Constance Wardour, in the face of the accusation against him, had announced her engagement to Doctor Clifford Heath.
Then a hush fell upon the aristocratic gossipers of W----, and mischievous tongues were severely bridled. It was not wise to censure too freely a man whom the heiress of Wardour had marked with her favor.
The lawyers found their client in a mood much more to their liking, and O'Meara scribbled down in his little book long sentences caught from the lips of Clifford Heath, who was now a strong helper, and apt in suggestions for the defense.
He opened for them the sealed up pages of his past life.
He told them in detail, all that he had briefly stated to Constance, concerning Frank Lamotte, and more.
Every day now they were in close consultation, and every day the Wardour carriage drove at a stated hour, first to Mapleton, where it took up Constance, and then to the prison, where, accompanied by her aunt, or her guardian's wife, the heiress passed a half hour in the cell of her lover.
She still clung to the hope that the accumulating evidence against Frank Lamotte might break the chain that bound him, and open his prison doors; but, one day, a week after her first visit to the prison, Mr. O'Meara dashed this hope to atoms.
"We can bring no criminal accusation against Lamotte," he said. "The examination proved that John Burrill was killed as early as eleven o'clock that night, and investigation has proven that Lamotte remained at home all that evening, and was heard moving about in his room until after midnight. I'm terribly sorry, Constance, but the case stands just about as it did at first, and the odds are still against Heath. He will have to stand his trial."
The girl's heart sank like lead, and as days passed on and no new developments could be evolved from a case which began to assume a most gloomy aspect, her position in the Lamotte household became unbearable.
Sybil had changed a very little, but for the better. Her fits of raving were less frequent, and almost always to be anticipated. So, worn in body and tortured in mind, Constance went back to Wardour, and, save for her daily visits to the prison, was invisible to all her friends.
And she did not suffer alone. Knowing her love for Clifford Heath and the terrible secret she carried in her bosom, Mrs. Lamotte lived in an anguish of suspense. Would love outweigh honor? If the worst should come, could she trust Constance Wardour? Could she trust herself?
In those tortured hours, the same prayer went up from the heart of both mother and friend--that Sybil Lamotte would die!
While these things were making the world a weariness to Constance, Jerry Belknap, in his character of prospecting horse jockey, took up his quarters in a third rate hotel near the river, and remained very quiet in fancied security, until he became suddenly enlightened as to the cause of his ill success, as follows:
Lounging near the hotel one day, he was accosted by a stranger, who tapped him familiarly on the shoulder, saying:
"My friend, I've got a word to say to you. Will you just step into the nearest saloon with me. We will talk over a glass of something."
Wondering idly at his coolness, Belknap followed the stranger, and they entered "Old Forty Rods," that being the nearest saloon.
Once seated face to face at a table, the stranger threw a letter across to Belknap, saying carelessly:
"Read that, if you please."
Opening the letter, these lines stared Belknap in the face:
You have broken your pledge, Jerry Belknap. I have had you under my eye constantly. Fortunately for yourself, I can make use of you. Follow the instructions of the bearer of this to the letter now and until further notice, if you hope for any mercy from
BATHURST.
He stared at the open letter as if it possessed the eyes of a basilisk.
Instantly he recognized the power behind the scenes, and was no longer surprised at his failures. And he turned upon his companion a look of sullen submission.
"I know better than to kick against Bathurst," he said doggedly. "What does he want me to do?"
"That's just what we are going to talk about," said the stranger, coolly. "Draw your chair up closer, Jerry." _