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This, Standish concluded, was no meaningless nor ordinary effect, there must be a cause for this newer, more thoughtful mood. Had he forfeited his claim to the long- expected legacy of Henry Rayne's wealth? Had Honor Edgworth any thing to do with it? Perhaps he never answered these questions even to himself on this silent night.
Perhaps it sounds a selfish thing when spoken, but the writer speaks from personal experience, having spent many happy hours in self-communion, tasting the full sweetness thereof. It was a great relief to Honor when she recognized Fitts at the depot awaiting their arrival with Mr. Rayne's own comfortable sleigh.
It goaded me to frenzy to think that Lola should eventually be called upon in all her innocence to become, like myself, an unwilling agent in the carrying out of Rayne's subtle and insidious plots. I was his paid servant, hence against my will I was forced to obey.
I, of course, lost by an ace Rayne's great financial coup, but before execution the prisoner made a confession which revealed the existence of a terrible and widespread conspiracy, fostered by Turkey, to remove certain members of the Cabinet who were in favor of British protection and assistance.
The prisoner had been brought up at Bow Street, and, after certain mysterious evidence had been given, he had been remanded. In due course Rayne was conveyed to Copenhagen, where he was tried for complicity in a great bank fraud on the Danish National Bank, and sent to twenty years' penal servitude. Hence to the British public Rayne's actual activities were never revealed.
The "County" never dreamed of the mysterious source of Rudolph Rayne's unlimited income. After traveling through a number of deserted streets in Bristol, I at last found myself upon a high road with a signpost which told me that I was on my way to Wells, that picturesque little city at the foot of the Mendip Hills.
It was Deinhard I had heard in conversation with Rayne at Overstow Hall! He stood stock-still, staring at me. "Why, Hargreave!" he exclaimed at last. "What in the world are you doing here?" "I am Mr. Rayne's chauffeur and general servant now, captain," I replied. "Mr. Rayne told me to inquire on my arrival here for Monsieur Duperré and hand him that suit-case," and I pointed to it.
Like herself I lived in a clouded atmosphere of rapidly changing circumstances, mysterious plots and unknown evil deeds truly a world of fear and bewilderment. Some days later I had driven up to London in the Rolls with Duperré, leaving Rayne and Lola at home, Duperré's wife being away somewhere on a visit. We took up our quarters at Rayne's chambers, and next day idled about London together.
Rayne's strict instructions that I must on no account let the suit-case out of my sight, and in consequence I could not leave my cabin. I remember looking down at the suit-case protruding from under the berth and thinking it curious that documents should weigh so heavy. There must be a great many of them, I reflected, but even so.... I bent down and pulled the suit-case right out and lifted it.
Rayne talked much like other people, and her beauty ceased to dazzle me after a few minutes; not that it grew less on near view, but, being a woman, I could not fall in love with her in the nature of things. When the music stopped we drove to Mr. Rayne's house, his wife keeping easily beside us. When she was occupied with the others Mr.
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