The Bond of Black

by William Le Queux

that woman who had been enveloped in suchmystery, and who, after a few days' madness, had now so completely goneout of my life. How could she have known?

  In answer she looked me straight in the face with her dark, fathomlesseyes.

  "You have told me nothing of your love," she exclaimed in a hoarse tone."If you cannot trust me with your confidences as once you used to do,then we can no longer remain the fast friends we have been. We mustdrift apart. You have already shown that you fear to tell me of yourfascination--a fascination that was so near to becoming fatal. You knownothing of Aline Cloud--of who or what she is--yet you love herblindly!" Her well-arched brows knit themselves, her face became atthat instant pale and hard set, and she held her breath, as if a suddendetermination had swept upon her.

  She knew my secret, and I stood confused, unable to reply to thosequick, impetuous words which had involuntarily escaped her.

  Did she love me? I wondered. Had jealousy alone prompted that speech?Or was she really aware of the truth concerning the blue-eyed woman whomI had adored for those few fleeting days, and whom I was now seeking tohunt down as a criminal?

  CHAPTER TWELVE.

  "YOU! OF ALL MEN!"

  "No," I admitted, "I was not aware who Aline Cloud was, nor did I knowthat you were acquainted with her."

  She started. She had unwittingly betrayed herself.

  "I--acquainted with her!" she cried in a voice of indignation. "You aremistaken."

  "But you know her by repute," I said. "Tell me the truth about her."

  She laughed, a light, nervous laugh, her eyes still fixed upon thewater.

  "You love her!" she exclaimed. "It is useless for me to say anything."

  "No, no, Muriel," I cried. "I do not love her. How could I love herwhen I know nothing whatsoever of her? Why, I only saw her twice."

  "But you were with her a sufficient length of time to declare yourlove."

  How could she know? I wondered. Aline herself must have told her. Sheuttered a falsehood when she declared that she did not know themysterious fair-faced woman whose power was so mysterious and unnatural.

  I was puzzled.

  "Well," I said at length, "I admit it. I admit that in a moment of madecstasy I made a foolish declaration of affection--an avowal which Ihave ever since regretted."

  She gave me a pitying, scornful look, a glance which proved to me howfierce was her hatred of Aline.

  "If you had told me of your fascination I might have been able to haveexplained the truth concerning her. But as you have thought fit topreserve your secret, no end can now be gained by the exposure ofanything I know," she said, quite calmly.

  "What do you know about her, Muriel?" I inquired, laying my hand uponher arm in all seriousness. "Tell me."

  But she shook her head, rather sadly perhaps. The bright expression ofhappiness which had illuminated her countenance until that moment haddied away and been replaced by a look of dull despair. The sun shonedown upon her brightly, the birds were singing in the trees and allaround was gladness, but she seemed troubled and oppressed as oneheartbroken.

  "No!" she answered in a low tone, her breast slowly heaving and falling."If you have really escaped the enthralment it is enough. You maycongratulate yourself."

  "Why?"

  "Merely because you have avoided the pitfall set in your path," sheanswered. "She was beautiful. It was because of her loveliness thatyou became entranced, was it not?"

  "There is no necessity to conceal anything," I said.

  "You speak the truth."

  "And you had some illustrations of the evil influence which lay withinher?" Muriel asked.

  I recollected how my crucifix had been mysteriously reduced to ashes,and nodded in the affirmative, wondering whether I should ever succeedin obtaining knowledge of the truth which she evidently possessed.

  "Yet you had the audacity to love her!" she laughed. "You thought thatshe--this woman whom all the world would hound down if they knew thetrue facts--could love you in return! It is amazing how a pretty facecan lead the strongest-willed man to ruin."

  I rather resented her attitude in thus interfering in my privateaffairs. That I admired her was true; yet I was not her lover, and shehad no right to object to any of my actions.

  "I cannot see that I have been so near ruin as you would make out," Iexclaimed, philosophically. "An unrequited love is an incident in mostmen's lives."

  "Ah! she spared you!" she cried. "If she had smitten you, you wouldhave perished as swiftly as objects dissolve into ashes when she ispresent. At least she pitied you. And you were doubly fortunate."

  "Yes," I said, reflecting upon her words, at the same time recollectingher mysterious connection with poor Roddy Morgan. "She was withoutdoubt endowed with a power that was inexplicable."

  "Inexplicable!" she echoed. "It was supernatural. Things withered ather touch."

  "If I, your friend, am fortunate in my escape, would it not be but anact of friendship to explain to me all you know concerning her?"

  Her dark, luminous eyes met mine in a long, earnest glance.

  "No!" she answered, after a moment's reflection. "I have alreadyexplained. You have escaped; the incident is ended." And she addedwith a laugh, "Your neglect of me was, of course, fully justified insuch circumstances."

  "Now, that's unfair, Muriel," I exclaimed. "I had no intention ofneglecting you, neither had I the slightest suspicion that you desiredme to say farewell to you. Have you not told me that you have anadmirer whom you could love? Surely that is sufficient. Love him, andwe may always remain friends, as we now are."

  "No!" she responded, with a dark look of foreboding. "We cannot remainfriends longer. Our mutual confidence is shattered. We may beacquaintances, but nothing more."

  I had not mentioned poor Roddy's death, for it was a subject so painfulthat I discussed it as little as possible. Was it not, however, likelythat if I explained all the circumstances and told her my suspicions,her hatred might lead her to disclose some clue whereby I might traceAline Cloud?

  Her words had caused me considerable misgiving, for it was now entirelyplain that, contrary to what I had confidently believed, namely, thatshe loved me, she in reality held me in contempt as weak and fickle,influenced by every pretty face or wayward glance.

  I looked at her again. Yes, my eyes were not love-blinded now. She wasabsolutely bewitching in her beauty. For the first time I became awarethat there was but one woman I really loved, and that it was Muriel.

  "I regret that you should not consider me to be still worthy yourconfidence," I said, bending towards her seriously. "I have admittedeverything, and have expressed regret. What more can I do?"

  "Forget her!" she answered, with a quick petulance. "It is best toforget."

  "Ah!" I sighed. "That is unfortunately impossible."

  "Then you love her still!" she cried, turning upon me. "You love her!"

  "No," I answered. "I do not love her, because--"

  "Because she treated you shabbily, and left without giving you heraddress, eh? You see, I know all the circumstances."

  "You are mistaken," I protested. "I do not love her because I entertaina well-founded if perhaps absurd suspicion."

  "Suspicion! What do you suspect?" she asked quickly.

  Then, linking my arm in hers, I walked on, and commencing at thebeginning told her of that fateful day when I discovered the tragicdeath of poor Roddy, and the circumstances which, combined with Aline'sown confession, seemed to point to her being his visitor, immediatelyprior to his death.

  As she listened her face grew ashen, and she perceptibly trembled. Aviolent emotion shook her slight frame, and as I continued to relate mydismal story and piece together the evidence which I felt certain mustsome day connect Aline with the tragedy, I was dumbfounded to discernthat which, in a single instant, changed the whole aspect of thesituation.

  Muriel was speechless. She was trembling with fear.

  "And you really
suspect that your friend was murdered?" she exclaimed atlast in the voice of one preoccupied. "If that had been really so,wouldn't the doctors have known?"

  "Medical evidence is not always reliable," I answered. "From what Ihave already explained it is proved conclusively that some one visitedhim in his valet's absence."

  "Who called there, do you think?"

  "Ah! I don't know," I answered. "That is what I am endeavouring todiscover."

  She gave a slight, almost imperceptible sigh. It was a sigh of relief!

  Could it be true that my little friend held