Madeline Payne, the Detective's Daughter

  CHAPTER XXXVIII.

  CORA UNDER ORDERS.

  When Cora entered the room, Madeline Payne stood before her mirror,while her maid, kneeling beside her, arranged the folds of lustrousazure silk that fell about the slender form.

  The door had been opened by Hagar, who could scarcely keep her eyesoff the beautiful face and form of her young mistress, and who was, inconsequence, making very slow progress with the work of putting awaythe garments that had been discarded in favor of the lovely dinnerdress.

  Madeline realized fully that the part she was now playing was evenmore difficult and distasteful than that which she had abandoned. Butshe was resolute. To go back now would be worse than death. While shefelt a thrill of repugnance as she saw the fair, sensual face of JohnArthur's wife reflected in her mirror, she turned with smilingcountenance, saying:

  "Is it you, step-mamma? How kind of you! Am I delaying the dinner?"

  "No more than I am," smiled Cora, in return. "I thought you might likeme to wait for you, as you are so much of a stranger to your oldhome."

  "Oh, I am not at all timid, I assure you; but it is nicer to gotogether. Am I almost ready, Strong?"

  "Almost, Miss Payne."

  "How quickly your maid dresses you," said Cora, resolved to keep theconversational ball rolling.

  "Oh, yes; Strong knows how to pack things so that what you want firstis uppermost, and I had my dinner dress in a hand traveling-case."Then, turning about she asked, abruptly: "Have you a good maid,step-mamma?"

  Cora laughed nervously as she replied: "I have no maid, good or bad.My maid ran away a week ago, after robbing me and nearly killing mewith chloroform."

  "Mercy, what a wretch! What have you done with her?"

  "We have not found her."

  "Did you look?"

  "Yes; detectives are looking for her now."

  "Well, I hope they will find her. Now I am ready; come, step-mamma."

  And together the two descended the stairs.

  Three faces reflected three degrees of surprise, as the ladies enteredthe drawing-room with every appearance of good feeling and mutualsatisfaction. Davlin and Percy took their cue immediately. The onlyone whom an observer would have pronounced not quite at ease, was MissEllen Arthur, who stared from one to the other rather more than waspolite, and who sustained her part in the conversation in a verynervous, fragmentary manner.

  Dinner being announced, Mr. Davlin promptly offered his arm toMadeline, who accepted it with perfect nonchalance. They followed Corato the dining-room, themselves followed by Miss Arthur and Percy.

  Where four people separately, and each for his own end, determine toappear cordial and perfectly at ease, each one bent upon completelyblinding the other three, there must of a necessity be muchconversation, and more or less hilarity, whether real or assumed.

  These four, who were waging upon each other secret and deadly war, ateand drank together; and while Madeline regaled them with a fictitiousaccount of herself during the time she had been supposed dead, theothers listened and commented, and vied with each other in payinghypocritical court to the heiress of Oakley.

  "You see, step-mamma," said Madeline, as they lingered over theirdessert, "I was never ignorant of what was going on here. My old nursekept me informed. When I sent you the fiction of my death, I had nointention of returning, for I had determined never to live at Oakleyduring my step-father's reign. But upon hearing of his insanity, Iresolved to come back, being now, of course, the real head of thehouse. Mr. Arthur being _non compos mentis_, I, as heiress, assumecontrol of my own."

  If a wish could have killed, Cora would have closed forever thatinsolent smiling mouth. But she felt herself powerless.

  Davlin, with inimitable tact, came to her rescue: "Cora will be onlytoo glad to welcome the queen back to her own. Indeed, she has beenfor some time declaring her intention of abdicating, for a time atleast, and taking Mr. Arthur south to some medicinal springs. But thedoctor fears the change will not benefit him."

  Madeline turned her eyes upon Cora. "She can't go just yet," she said,with odd decision; "I want her society. Where is your doctor, Mr.Davlin?"

  "He is up-stairs with his patient, Miss Payne. He usually joins us atbreakfast, but not often at dinner."

  The truth was that Lucian, not feeling upon safe ground, had advisedthe "doctor" to keep discreetly out of the way of this shrewd younglady for the present, lest her keen questions should draw outsomething not to their advantage.

  Miss Payne turned to Cora again. "You have perfect confidence in theskill of this doctor, step-mamma?"

  "Oh, yes!" said Cora, positively; "he has been known to me a very longtime. Besides, we had in one of the Bellair doctors, who agreed withDr. Le Guise in every particular."

  "Well, I must see this learned gentleman to-morrow, and my step-papaalso, I think. Step-mamma, you look fatigued; dining is too much foryour strength. Let us leave the gentlemen to their wine and cigars."

  As if she had been presiding at that table all her life, Miss Paynearose, bowed to the two men, and preceding the two astonished ladies,swept from the dining-room.

  Cora, as she followed the graceful figure, could hardly restrain hermortification and rage. She felt a longing amounting almost to frenzy,to spring upon the girl and stab her in the back.

  The two men did not linger long in the dining-room. Each felt anxious,for reasons of his own, to be again in the presence of Miss Payne, andso soon joined the ladies in the drawing-room.

  After a little more hypocrisy on all their parts, Cora arose to retireto her apartments, declaring that the excitement of Miss Payne'sarrival had made her forgetful of herself and her health, and that shebegan to feel her fictitious strength departing.

  Madeline, too, arose, and offering her arm to Cora, said that shewould also retire. Nodding a careless good-night to the three desertedones, she left the room, with the fair invalid leaning languidly uponher arm.

  To the surprise and dissatisfaction of Cora, Madeline not onlyaccompanied her to her own apartment, but entered with her. Havingclosed the door carefully behind them, she turned about, and droppingall her assumed gayety and friendliness, said with the air of a queencommanding a subject:

  "Now, Mrs. Arthur, let us understand each other!"

  The sudden and marked change of her voice and manner startled thewoman out of all her self-possession. She stood staring in the sternface of the girl with all of the audacity frightened out of her own.

  Cora was an adventuress to the tips of her fingers. She was fond ofintrigue; she possessed a certain kind of courage; but she was, afterall, at heart, a coward. She was quite willing to compromise her soulfor gain, but not her body. In short, she loved herself too well tofind any piquancy in personal danger.

  Since the loss of the papers and the flight of Celine Leroque hadshaken her feeling of security, Cora had been restive and anxious tobring this plot to a climax. She had found it not at all to her tasteto have Percy holding over her head a sword, be it ever so slender.And now, as she confronted Madeline, all her selfishness was alarmed.She waited in absolute fear the next words from the lips of her enemy.

  "You need not weary yourself by playing the invalid in my presence,madame," pursued the girl. "I am quite well aware that your illnesshas been all a sham. I know, too, that you have found the _role_ ofinvalid very irksome."

  The eyes of Cora widened still more, and all the color fled from herlips. But she made a fierce struggle and, although she could notsummon up her usual insolence, she managed to gasp out, halfdefiantly: "What do you mean?"

  "You understand my meaning," replied the girl, with contempt. "I meanthat you are in my power, and that you must obey my will."

  For a moment Cora's anger outweighed her fear. She came a step nearerand said, sneeringly: "Indeed, Miss Payne! That remains to be seen!"

  "True," assented Madeline, coldly. "First, then, you had betterinstruct your friend, Dr. Le Guise, not to administer _hasheesh_ toMr. Arthur to-morrow, in order to hav
e him properly insane when Ivisit him."

  Cora's knees bent under her, and all the color fled out of her face.But she rallied her flying courage enough to say: "Explain yourself,Miss Payne."

  Madeline drew toward her Cora's easiest lounging chair, and seatedherself therein with much deliberation, saying, as she did so:

  "You had better sit down, Mrs. Arthur; there is no necessity for adisplay of anger, or for any more attempts at deception. The one is asuseless as the other is transparent. And I have considerable to say toyou."

  Cora moved sullenly toward a chair and sank into it, feeling like awoman in a nightmare.

  "First, then, for your position," pursued Madeline. "It is sufficientto say that I know of your scheme to dispose of Mr. Arthur and inheritthe wealth you supposed to be his."

  Cora was beginning to feel a return of combativeness, and sheexclaimed quickly: "That is false!"

  "I know," pursued her inquisitor, ignoring her retort, "that this manyou call 'Dr. Le Guise,' is your tool and--_I have had every drug thathas been prescribed by him analyzed by city physicians!_"

  Cora saw that she was indeed undone, and began to fight with therecklessness of despair. "I don't believe you!" she cried, recklessthat she was committing herself. "That old spy, Hagar, has fanciedthese things. How could you get the medicines?"

  "Not through Hagar."

  "How then?"

  "_Just as I got the certificate of your marriage with Mr. Percy._"

  The woman sprang to her feet. "You--you are--"

  "Celine Leroque, madame!" with an imitation of the ladies' maidaccent.

  Cora fell back in her chair panting.

  "Now," resumed Madeline, "why don't you reflect that, if it were myintention to denounce you, I could have done that long ago. Are younot aware that my step-father is my enemy?"

  "Not--in that way."

  "In that way precisely. John Arthur tortured my mother until she diedheart-broken. He made my childhood miserable, and shut me up in aconvent to pass my girlhood in loneliness. He bartered me in marriageto a man older and uglier than himself, for ten thousand dollars. ThenI defied him to his face; swore to revenge upon him my mother's wrongsand mine; and ran away. Do you understand now why I have allowed youto persecute John Arthur?"

  Cora's courage began to revive. "I think I do," she said, slowly.

  "You see, Mrs. Arthur, it is in my power to arrest you; first, forBigamy, and second, for Attempted Poisoning."

  Cora looked at her coolly. "But you won't do either," she said.

  "Won't I? And why not?"

  "Because, to do either, you must bring your own name into tooprominent notice."

  Madeline laughed scornfully.

  "You--you are--!" "_Celine Leroque_, madame."--page362.]

  "You forget," she said, "I left my home for revenge. I feigned to bedead--I returned to Oakley in disguise--for revenge. Do you think thatI will let my pride stay me when, by exposing you, I can complete myvengeance upon John Arthur?"

  Cora's countenance fell. She had not viewed the matter in just thatlight. She made no answer, and Madeline continued:

  "Don't flatter yourself that I shall hesitate, if I cannot effect mypurpose otherwise. I am not disposed just now to war with you, but ifyou do not see fit to accept my terms, then I must turn against you."

  "What do you want of me?" sullenly.

  "I want you to continue as we have begun. I want Miss Arthur, Mr.Percy, and your brother, to believe us the best of friends. Above all,I want John Arthur to think us allies."

  "And what then?"

  "Then, you will be safe so far as I am concerned. Then, when I haveaccomplished my purpose and hold in my hands the keys to the Oakleycoffers, you shall have money, and shall go hence to resume yourcareer in whatever field you choose."

  "What security have I for all this?"

  "My word!"

  "And if I reject your terms?"

  Madeline smiled oddly.

  "What is to prevent my leaving this place now, to-night?" said Cora.

  Madeline laughed, saying: "Do you want to try that?"

  "If I did, what then?"

  "Then--you would not be permitted to leave these premises!"

  "Ah! you have spies in this house!"

  "Yes; and out of it. There is no chance for you to escape. There isno chance for any one to escape. Mrs. Arthur, is this man that youcall your brother really such, or is he, too, in your plot?"

  Cora looked at her keenly, but it was no part of Madeline's plan tolet her know that she had ever seen Lucian Davlin before that evening.Her face was as calm and inscrutable as the face of the sphinx.

  "No," said Cora, at length "my brother does not know of it."

  "I am glad of that," replied Madeline. "But, for fear of anydeception, he will be kept under _surveillance_; and if anything iscommunicated to him I shall surely know it."

  "Why did you rob me of those papers?" asked Cora, abruptly.

  "Because," said Madeline, leaning forward, "you and I have a commonenemy."

  "What! not Percy?"

  "Yes, Percy!"

  Cora looked amazed. "But--have you known him before?"

  "I never saw him until he came to Oakley."

  "I can't see how he has incurred your enmity here."

  "He has not incurred my enmity here. I hated him before I ever sawhim."

  "Why?"

  "Because he has wronged a friend who is as dear to me as life."

  "Oh!"

  "Don't puzzle your brain over this; you won't be enlightened. It issufficient for you to know that you can serve me if you choose,because we are both enemies of the same men." Then, rising, "Nowchoose; will you remain here as my ally, or leave in disgrace, and aprisoner, as my enemy?"

  Cora reflected, and finally said: "I accept your terms."

  "Very good; and now for precautions. You must allow me to supply youwith a maid."

  "What?"

  "You are an invalid; I am well and strong. What could be more naturalthan that I should desire you to have every care and comfort that Ican desire? I shall give you my maid; she will supply the place ofCeline Leroque."

  "I won't have her," cried Cora, angrily. "I won't have a jailer."

  "Certainly not; you will have my maid, however. I will get anotherto-morrow."

  "I won't have her!"

  "Nonsense." Madeline stepped quickly to the door and opened it."Strong," she said, softly.

  Instantly in stepped Strong, who had been just outside awaiting theorders of her mistress.

  "Strong," said Madeline, "I am going to let you wait upon Mrs. Arthur.She is in delicate health, and needs a maid. You must be _veryattentive_, and don't let her get into any draughts. You can sleep inthe dressing-room; and if she is not _well cared for_, I shall holdyou accountable."

  Cora looked at the big, robust woman, so appropriately called Strong,and felt that she was indeed a prisoner.

  Strong bowed in silent submission to the will of her late mistress,and turned her broad visage upon her new one.

  Madeline moved to leave the room, saying, with a return to her formermanner: "Good-night, step-mamma; try and go down to breakfast with mein the morning, won't you?"

  Without waiting for a reply, she opened the door and swept across thehall, and Cora heard her door close behind her. Not deigning a singleglance at Strong, Cora sat tapping her foot upon the carpet andreviewing the situation. After some angry musing, the practical sideof her nature began to assert itself. She reflected that she was not,after all, in immediate danger; and that she would be still, to alloutward appearance, the mistress of Oakley. There was not much to fearjust now, and she would keep her eyes open.

  Meantime, she would not be unnecessarily uncomfortable. And so, beingby nature indolent, she decided to make the most of the unwelcomeStrong. Turning toward the statue-like figure near the door, shegalvanized it into life by saying:

  "Strong, get my dressing-gown from that closet, and then take off mydress."

&n
bsp; And Strong commenced her duties with cheerful alacrity.