Guilty Bonds

by William Le Queux

himself.

  With a muttered oath he advanced several steps towards the spot whereVera was sitting, now rendered utterly unconscious by the sudden shock.

  I saw his intention. I detected the terrible expression of revenge thatpassed over his features; and sprang towards him.

  Another second, and I should have been too late.

  The muzzle of the revolver was again pointed at her; his finger was uponthe trigger, nevertheless as he pulled it I knocked his arm upwards.

  The weapon discharged, but the bullet imbedded itself in the ceiling.

  I had saved Vera's life!

  At this moment there were loud shouts in the corridor, and a few secondslater a police inspector, accompanied by two detectives and severalwaiters, dashed into the room.

  "Demetrius Orselska, we have a warrant for your arrest for murder!"announced the officer, sharply, and turning to his men, added, "arresthim?"

  Like some hunted animal who is brought to bay, the scoundrel glancedquickly around for means of escape, but finding none, turned and facedthem.

  A moment's reflection had decided him.

  "You--you shall not take me," he hissed. "I--I confess I am guilty ofthe crimes--but--_Diable_! I will take my own life, and--and you cantake my body if it's any use--you can can do what you like with that,you bloodhounds!"

  Before the detectives could obey the orders of the inspector, he hadplaced the revolver to his forehead.

  The plated barrel flashed in the light only for an instant--then therewas a loud explosion.

  The officers recoiled, startled by its suddenness; for it all took placeso rapidly that for the moment they apparently did not comprehend hisintention.

  As the pistol fell from the unhappy man's grasp he uttered a loud moan,staggered, and then wheeled slowly round, as if on a pivot. Hisbloodshot eyes caught sight of Boris, and frightful convulsions of everyfeature proclaimed his terror. He did not utter another cry but fellforward to the floor where he quivered for a few moments in death agony.

  It was an awful tableau; the last act of a terrible game that had forits stakes riches, or the grave.

  Boris, with livid face, was resting his right hand against the wall,while he pressed his left to his breast as if to stay the beating of hisheart. He watched the dying struggles of his wife's murderer, seemingfascinated by the frightful spectacle.

  There was an awful silence.

  Amid this terrible scene Vera regained consciousness. Struggling to herfeet she walked with uneven steps towards us. All at once her faceassumed a look of inexpressible horror, as she gazed down upon the bodyof the murderer, and gradually realised the truth.

  "It is he! And he tried to kill me! It all seems like some horribledream," she gasped, clutching my arm and uttering a low cry of horror.

  "Come; Vera," I whispered, softly, "the mystery is solved. The guiltyone has received the wages of his sin."

  She did not reply, but, with a deep-drawn sigh, as if a great weight hadbeen lifted from her mind, she leaned heavily upon my arm and left thechamber of death.

  Boris followed.

  His thirst for vengeance had been satisfied.

  CHAPTER THIRTY SIX.

  CONCLUSION.

  A sultry autumn day had passed; the freshening twilight had faded, andthe moon and evening star were in the sky as Vera and I sat together onthe terrace at Elveham. Already the lights of the village began totwinkle in the distance; the tops of the trees in the Dene were gleamingin the moonlight like a silver sea, a night bird warbled sweetly, andthe little brook babbled on with lulling music.

  My heart drank in the tranquillity of the scene, as in the listlessnessof after dinner I smoked the sleep-inviting cigar.

  A month had elapsed since the tragic _denouement_ of the strange drama,but Vera's nerves had been so unstrung that I had scarcely referred tothe terrible occurrence since.

  We had just dined with Boris and Bob Nugent, who had arrived as ourguests that day. During the meal Vera had spoken of the scene at thehotel--not without some hesitation, however--and now we were alone sheagain alluded to it.

  "Do you remember, Frank, it was on a similar night to this, that yousaw, over there in the Dene, what your jealous eyes distorted into ameeting of lovers?"

  "Yes, dearest; I do remember it. Boris being the man I saw leave thehouse in Bedford Place, I believed him to be the murderer," I replied.

  "Boris; the murderer!" cried my wife in surprise. "Ah! I understand,dear, what agony of mind such a discovery must have caused you. It wasall my fault--everything," she added, with regret.

  "The mystification was not intentional, Vera," I said, tenderly,encircling her slim waist with my arm. "But do not let us speak of itagain."

  "Frank," she exclaimed suddenly, as she placed her hand upon my shouldertenderly, looking into my eyes, "Boris has yet something to tell you.Ah! here they come; you must hear it now."

  My two guests had emerged from the dining-room and were strollingleisurely towards us in full enjoyment of their goddess Nicotine.

  My wife called them, and they came and seated themselves beside us.

  "Now, Boris," she said, "we have all met, and you can explain to Frankthat complication you did not acquaint him with on the night of hisacquittal."

  "What more can there be?" I asked, in unfeigned astonishment.

  "Simply this: The villain meant to kill you?" Boris replied calmly.

  "To kill me?"

  "Yes. You remember discovering portions of a seal upon yourwriting-table?"

  "Perfectly. It was on the morning I left for London."

  "Exactly. Had you remained here, you would have been murdered, and theseal, which was in readiness, affixed upon you. When you left, hefollowed, his purpose being to kill you when a fitting opportunitypresented itself. Luckily events so conspired as to frustrate his evildesign."

  "Is this really true?" I exclaimed, in amazement.

  "Yes. You will now understand why I shadowed you so closely. It was inorder that no harm should befall you."

  "But my arrest--" I said, utterly bewildered at this fresh feature themystery presented--a plot against my own life.

  "The villain suddenly altered his tactics, presumably because he wouldbe running too great a risk by killing you. He therefore returned here,placed the seals and other articles among your possessions, andafterwards gave information to the police which led to your committal."

  "What could have been the motive of all this?"

  I asked, my astonishment increasing at such revelations. "We werefriends; I had done him no wrong."

  "The motive was a sufficiently strong one; that of obtaining yourfortune."

  "How?"

  "Cannot you see the depths of the plot? He was aware you had made awill leaving everything to Vera, therefore, if you died, she wouldpossess the estate. In that case he hoped to marry her, and failingthis, his father could give information which would secure herconviction and exile as one implicated in the attempts against the Czar.In either case he would obtain the money. You were the only obstacle,and when once removed, all would have been easy."

  "By fortuitous circumstances he did not succeed," Vera said, kissing mefondly.

  "No. He was a clever rogue, I can assure you. But he was unaware thatI was in England watching his movements," remarked Boris.

  "What of his father?" I asked.

  "He also has obtained what he richly deserves. Having been detected inassisting in the manufacture of bombs in Zurich, immediately on hisreturn after giving evidence against you, he was convicted and sentencedto ten years' imprisonment."

  "Serve the old scoundrel right!" declared Bob, in a tone ofsatisfaction. "It seems to me, Frank, old fellow, you owe your life toour newly-discovered friend."

  "Yes, that is true," I admitted. "It is a debt I can never repay."

  "Don't talk of it," said Boris, tossing away his cigar-end. "My onlydesire has been to secure the happiness of my sister and yourself."

&n
bsp; "There is nothing to fear in that respect," I said, laughing. "The darkclouds and terrible ordeals that overshadowed the first few months afterour marriage have now passed, and brighter days, full of hope andenjoyment, have dawned. Our future lives will be devoid of sorrow, andthere shall be no element of mistrust again to part us."

  "Frank, old chap," cried Bob, enthusiastically, "I congratulate you onthe recommencement of your honeymoon with all my heart. You and MrsBurgoyne certainly deserve every happiness after the severe trials youhave both undergone."

  Thanking him warmly, our hands gripped with the same hearty clasp as indays gone by.

  While I had been speaking my wife had taken a little spray ofstephanotis from her breast and with loving hands pinned it in the lapelof my coat.

  As I kissed