CHAPTER III.
A TERRIBLE PLOT AGAINST A HELPLESS YOUNG GIRL.
A gasp of horror broke from Kendale's lips. Yes, Lester Armstrong wasfatally injured, he could see that.
Glancing up, he saw that they were within a few doors of his lodgings.Picking him up by main force, he carried him thither at once and placedhim upon his couch. He had expected to see him breathe his last, but tohis great surprise Lester Armstrong opened his eyes and whispered hisname.
"It is all over with me, Clinton," he whispered. "I--I realize that myfall was fatal, and that it is a question of moments with me, but I--Icannot die until I have told you all, and you have promised to goquickly to my darling and tell her my sad fate."
"Any commission you have you may be sure I will execute for you,"replied Kendale, and even while he spoke he was wondering whereabouts inthat room Lester Armstrong kept his cash.
Between gasps, his voice growing fainter and fainter with each word,poor Lester told his story, of his love, his wooing and the climax whichwas to have taken place in two hours' time.
Kendale listened with bated breath. To say that he was amazed,dumfounded, scarcely expressed his intense surprise.
Armstrong, his poor plodding cousin, to strike such luck as to be aboutto marry an heiress! It seemed like a veritable fairy story. Who wouldhave thought the poor cashier would have known enough to play for suchhigh stakes?
Almost as soon as Lester Armstrong had uttered the last word, he fellback upon his pillow in a dead faint.
"The end is not far," muttered Kendale. "I suppose it would look betterto send a call for an ambulance and have him sent to the hospital."
He acted upon the thought without a moment's delay, and while the wagonwas _en route_ made a quick search of his unfortunate cousin'sapartment, a sardonic smile of triumph lighting his face. And as hetransferred the money to his pocket, a sudden thought rushed through hisbrain--a thought that for the instant almost took his breath away.
Like one fascinated, he looked down at the white face. "I could do it;yes, I am sure I could do it," he muttered, drawing his breath hard.
At that moment the ambulance wagon rattled up to the door. In anotherinstant the two attaches entered the room.
"What is the difficulty?" queried the man, and briefly Kendaleexplained.
"It seems hardly worth while to take him to the hospital," said one ofthe men; "he would hardly last until we reach there. Still, if youinsist--"
"Yes, I insist," he cut in sharply.
"What name is to be entered?" asked the surgeon.
"Clinton Kendale. He is an actor, and my cousin," he responded in a loweven voice.
He watched them while they carried forth the unconscious man.
"My first test will be with the people of this house," he muttered,shutting his teeth hard.
Thrusting the money still deeper in his pocket, he walked boldly downthe stairs, tapping at the door to the right, which he knew to be theliving room of the family.
"I am going to give up my room," he said.
"Laws a mercy, Mr. Armstrong!" exclaimed the old lady. "What suddennotice! I am so sorry to lose you!"
He chatted for a few moments, paid what was due her, then turned hastilyand left the place, remarking before he went that he should not need thefew things that he left in his room; that she could keep them if sheliked as remembrances.
Once again he was out on the street, with the cold wind blowing on hisface.
"Nothing ventured, nothing won!" he said, under his breath. "Now for theheiress and the million of money. By Jove! it's better to be born luckythan rich. I shall need an accomplice in this affair, and that imp ofSatan, Halloran, is just the one to help me out with my scheme. It'slucky I have an appointment with him to-night. I shall be sure to catchhim. I think it was a stroke of fate that I wasn't in the cast for therest of the week, though I kicked pretty hard against it at the time.Good-by, footlights and freezing dressing-rooms. I can make a million ofmoney ere the day dawns."
He hailed a passing cab, jumped into it and was driven across the city.
Halloran, the comedian at the same theatre, was sitting in his roomhalf asleep over a half-emptied rum bottle. He always resorted to thiscourse to drown his sorrows when he was laid off.
An hour later the two men were driving with lightning-like rapiditytoward the direction of Beechwood.
"Ten," sounded from the belfry of a far-off church as the horses,plunging and panting, struggled up the road that led to the Fairfaxmansion.
"Now see that you play your cards right," warned Halloran.
"Trust me for that," replied his companion, removing a cigar from hiswhite teeth, and blowing forth a cloud of smoke. He was about to draw aflask from his breast pocket, but Halloran put a restraining hand on hisarm.
"Remember that is your besetting sin," he said. "You have had enough ofthat already. It will require a steady nerve to meet the girl and carryout the deception, for the eyes of love are quick to discern. If sheshould for an instant suspect that you are not her lover, LesterArmstrong, the game is up, and you have lost the high stake you areplaying for."
"You are right," exclaimed the other, "nothing must interfere with themarriage."
"This must be the place," exclaimed Halloran, in a low voice; "largegabled house, arched gate, serpentine walk; yes, there is the figure ofa woman in the shadow of the stone post this way. You are actuallytrembling. Remember, it's only a young girl you are to face on thisoccasion, and a deucedly pretty one, at that. The time that you will bemore apt to be shaky is when you face her father; but I guess you'reequal to it."
A low laugh was his companion's only answer. The next moment Kendalecalled to the driver to halt, threw open the door and sprang out intothe main road, hastening toward the little figure that had emerged outof the shadow.
"Oh, Lester, you have been so long," cried the girl, springing into hisarms with a little sobbing cry. "I have been waiting here almost half anhour."
"It took longer to come than I had reckoned on, my darling," heanswered. "You know I had to stop at the village below and makearrangements for the wedding."
The girl drew back and looked at him.
"Your voice sounds so hoarse and strange, Lester," she said. "Have youbeen crying?"
His arms fell from her; he drew back, laughing immoderately.
"What, weeping on the happiest day of my life?" he cried. "Well, that'spretty good. I've been up to my ears in business, rushing around, toget everything in shipshape order, but, good Lord! what am I thinkingabout, to keep you standing here in the snow? Here is the coach, and bythe way, I've brought along an old friend of mine, who was wild towitness the marriage ceremony."
As he spoke he took her by the arm and drew the girl toward the carriagein waiting.
What was there about her lover that seemed so changed to the girl, thatcaused the love to suddenly die out of her heart?
"Lester," she cried, drawing back, "oh--oh, please do not be angry withme, but I've changed my mind. It seemed such a terrible thing to do. Letus not be married to-night."
Something like an imprecation rose to his lips, but he chopped it offquickly, uttering again that laugh, so hard, so cruel, soblood-curdling, that it sent a chill of terror to her young heart.
"It's too late to change your mind now," he exclaimed. "It's onlynatural you should feel this way; girls always do. Here is the coach andthe horses. The driver and my friend will be impatient to be off."
Either the excitement of his coming triumph or the brandy he had takenhad made him recklessly wild.
He drew her along, heedless of her struggles, her passionate protest.His face was flushed, his dark eyes gleamed; he was ready at that momentto face and defy devils and men.
"Don't make a fuss, my darling. You've got to come along," he exclaimed."Of course, you have scruples and all that. I think the more of you forthem, but you'll thank me for not listening some day. I'll bring youback after the ceremony's over and set you down a
t your own gate, if yousay so, I swear I will," and as he spoke he caught her in his arms andfairly thrust her into the vehicle, placed her on the seat and sprang inbeside her.
The door closed with a bang and the horses were off like a flash.
Too terrified to utter another word of protest, and half fainting fromfright, Faynie sank back, gasping, into the farthest corner. Hercompanion turned to the man sitting opposite.
"My friend, Smith, Faynie," he said by way of introduction, and adding,before the other could utter one word to acknowledge the introduction,"let's have a little more of that. I'm chilled to the marrow with thecold, standing out there in the snow."
There was a faint move of the little bundle huddled up in the corner.She fell forward in a dead faint.
"So much the better," cried Kendale. "She will not bother us untilwe've had time to formulate our plans. Ha, ha, ha! how easy it is for asharp-witted fellow like myself to make a million of money!"