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"You will see the need of conveying her to an asylum, with the least possible delay, as soon as you arrive there. If there is anything which I can do to assist you during this journey, do not hesitate to call upon me. Consider me entirely at your service." That was a day in Hubert Varrick's life that he never looked back to without shuddering. How he passed the long hours he never knew.
It must be said for the man that he tended her as faithfully as a woman might have done; but he was deaf to her pitiful and desperate appeal. He taunted her from day to day with the knowledge that it wanted but one day more to Hubert Varrick's trial. At last the terrible time dawned. It seemed to Jessie that she would go mad with the horror of it.
Varrick had scarcely regained his feet ere the portières were flung quickly aside, and his mother and half a dozen servants appeared. A horrible shriek rent the air as Mrs. Varrick's eyes fell upon her son, and the figure of a woman but a few feet from him with a knife lying beside her. "What does it mean?" cried Mrs. Varrick. He pointed to the fallen figure.
What a capital idea it would be!" he cried, laughing aloud, grimly. "If I could manage to abduct Hubert Varrick's intended bride and hold her for a ransom? I made a success of it with Gerelda Northrup when she stood at the very altar with him; and what a man does once he can do again. The first time it was done for love's sake; now it would be a question of money with me.
"I I will do whatever you wish," sobbed the girl; "but oh! let me plead with you to let me stay here until Mr. Varrick returns!" Mrs. Varrick's face grew livid in spots with anger, but by a splendid effort she managed to control herself before the detective. She turned to him. "Will you kindly step into an inner room, and there await the conclusion of this conference?" she asked.
Frank Moray, who had been only too glad to send Jessie the item announcing Hubert Varrick's marriage to another, took good care not to let her know that Varrick was free again. So the girl dreamed of him as being off in Europe somewhere, happy with his beautiful bride. Of course, he had forgotten her long since that was to be expected; in fact, she would not have it otherwise.
The words had been spoken which made her Hubert Varrick's wedded wife, through weal or through woe, till death did them part. Then followed the sumptuous wedding-breakfast. While the merriment was at its height, Varrick touched her lightly on the arm. "It wants but an hour and twenty minutes until train time. Would it not be best to slip away now and arrange your traveling toilet?"
Lawrence" was drifting directly across her bow. It was a moment so feighted with horror it almost turned Varrick's brain. Five hundred souls, or more, all unconscious of their deadly peril, were laughing and chattering down below, and the pilot was dead at the wheel! Ere he could give the alarm, a terrible catastrophe would occur.
I have never taken anything which did not belong to me in all my life. I would have died first starved on the street!" Words can not describe what the thoughts were that coursed through Hubert Varrick's brain as he slowly raised her. "Tell me, Jessie," he cried, "did you read over the paper which you signed?" "No," she sobbed; "I did not read it.
This much I promise you: I shall not see Hubert Varrick until this matter has been cleared up." To this note Frazier sent back hurried word that she should have all the proof of Hubert Varrick's perfidy that she might ask. There was but one thing which it was impossible to do, and that was to set her free during the six months' probation. This was impossible.
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