The Cleverdale Mystery; or, The Machine and Its Wheels: A Story of American Life
Page 35
CHAPTER XXXIII.
RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE.
Mannis, reaching the street, was wild with excitement. "Curse the luck!Why didn't the fellow keep away from Cleverdale? I am lost!"
Overcome by his feelings, he entered the Cleverdale Hotel, and orderinga team was soon on his homeward way, while thoughts of inevitablefailure and exposure coursed through his mind. The fugitive's return andthe revelation made greatly astonished him, yet he had no doubt but thatAlden and Belle were really man and wife.
Reaching the old Manor at ten o'clock, he was soon in his room, where hegave way to his feelings.
"I am a doomed man; my race is about run. What a fool I have been!To-morrow the world will learn of this beautiful little tableau atHamblin's, and I shall be the butt of all jokes. But, pshaw! what do Icare for that? Other things will make the neighborhood too warm for me.I must leave here, and at once."
Walking the room, gloom gathered upon his brow as he realized thedesperate game he had been playing. Suddenly his gaze fell upon a letterlying upon his writing-table, the superscription being in the delicatehandwriting of Mary Harris. With trembling hands he tore off theenvelope, and read as follows:
"DEAR WALTER: When you read this, my body will be lying in the pond, back of your house, and my soul before its Maker."
"Great God!" he exclaimed, "I have killed her! Poor girl! poor girl!"
After partially calming himself, he continued reading the letter.
"When the hour of your wedding arrives, death will be my bridegroom. I have loved you with all the affection of my heart, and I forgive the wrong you have done me. God spare your life. Tears fall so fast I can scarcely see the paper before me or even hold my pen. Think occasionally of poor Mary. I cannot live and face the disgrace that will be mine. God bless and forgive you.
"MARY HARRIS."
Dropping the letter, he staggered and fell upon the sofa, utterlyovercome. For a few moments he moaned in anguish, but soon rousinghimself he arose and said:
"I must overcome this nervousness, and drown these thoughts withbrandy--not with water, as poor Mary did hers."
He hastily quaffed a glass of liquor, and the color returned to hisface. Then he spoke rapidly to himself.
"I must go! The suicide of Mary Harris being discovered, her father willseek my life. Alden has returned. Now I must be the fugitive."
During the night he wrote several letters, rising at intervals andpacing the room in great agitation. Occasionally lying down, he tried todrive distracting thoughts from his mind, but sleep refused to respondto his summons. Toward morning he packed a trunk and valise, intendingto take them with him.
Daylight arriving and the household astir, Mrs. Culver was amazed athearing him moving about in his room. Going to his door she rapped, andbeing admitted expressed much surprise at his presence in the house. Heonly said the wedding had been postponed, but as the good woman observedthe ghastly expression upon the face of her master, she knew somethinghad occurred which he did not wish to divulge.
Mannis partook of a light breakfast, and at nine o'clock, his trunk andvalise having been placed in the carriage, he bade Mrs. Culver good-by,and said:
"I may be absent a fortnight."
As he stepped into the carriage, farmer Harris, bareheaded, with hisface full of rage, suddenly appeared before him, and, pulling a pistolfrom his pocket, said:
"You miserable wretch, prepare to die! My poor daughter's body lies inyonder house, and you are her murderer. May the devil take your soul!"
There was a flash, followed by a sharp report, and the "Honorable"Walter Mannis fell back in his carriage. Mary Harris was avenged, as faras the death of a deliberate villain can avenge the destruction of apure woman's life.