As the motor car containing Iris and the officers rolled away from
Oscar Hilton’s home, Peter, the servant who had admitted Iris on the
preceding evening, stood in the area looking after the vehicle with a
perplexed and sorrowful expression on his good-natured face.
A stranger came up excitedly, threw a hasty glance at the departing
machine, and with a nervous gesture turned toward the servant.
“I say, my man,” said the stranger, addressing Peter, “is this the
residence of Mr. Hilton? I have been sent to see the sick lady--his
wife.”
Peter’s thoughts were traveling after Iris, and he readily believed
that the man was a new physician engaged by Mr. Hilton.
“If you will step this way, sir, I will escort you to Mrs. Hilton’s
chamber.”
In less than five minutes the stranger was at the bedside of the
stricken woman.
Mrs. Hilton opened her eyes, and shivered slightly as she met the man’s
gaze. At first she did not recognize him. Then with a low moan she
gasped:
“You? What do you want?”
“I see you recognize me, my dear wife,” replied the stranger, who was
none other than Carleton Tresilian, alias Charles Broughton. “You are
sick unto death, and I have come to torture you, to cause you some
little bit of suffering in your dying moments to repay you for the
intense suffering that you have caused me all these years. I am going
to have my revenge. Listen while I tell you of my plans for vengeance.”
Before the wretched woman could reply, Tresilian unfolded the story of
his meeting with Iris, his pursuit of her until she had been arrested
charged with the theft of two hundred dollars from Madam Ward. From
time to time during the recital of his cold-blooded plan of revenge a
spasm of pain crossed the features of the unhappy woman.
“You have one chance to save your daughter, and that is by signing a
confession to the crime for which I assumed the blame. If you refuse to
do this, then I will publish to the world not only your shame, but your
daughter’s shame as well. Will you sign?”
For a brief moment there was a terrific mental struggle on the part
of Mrs. Hilton. She was still proud, and she was almost willing
to sacrifice her daughter in order to save, if possible, her own
connection with Carleton Tresilian. She realized that she was on the
brink of death, and the fear of punishment hereafter was evidently
strong upon her.
“Yes,” she finally faltered, “I will sign the confession, but only to
save my daughter’s honor.”
Tresilian quickly wrote out the confession and summoned a couple
of servants to witness the signing of the document. His business
completed, he quickly left the house, but he had hardly passed from the
portals of the palatial home when Mrs. Hilton breathed her last.
He hurried to the home of Mrs. Neville, where, after a stormy scene,
the woman promised to return the money to Madam Ward and thus clear
Iris of the terrible charge hanging over her. When a messenger had been
called and dispatched with the money, Tresilian, before Mrs. Neville
could interfere, jerked a revolver from his pocket and committed
suicide.
When the effects of the dead man were examined, Mrs. Hilton’s
confession was found in his pocket.
With the astounding discovery that the girl whom he loved most in all
the world was guiltless of any wrongdoing, Chester St. John pleaded
with Isabel for the release from his irksome engagement. She, with
a woman’s quick intuition, realized that she could never hold his
affections, and reluctantly gave him up.
Eventually Iris married the man whom she loved, and shortly after the
wedding Mr. and Mrs. Frank Laurier gave a large reception in honor of
the newlyweds. All during the succeeding years the affection between
Iris and Jessie grew, and they became the dearest and most affectionate
friends, both realizing the terrible experiences through which each had
passed.
THE END.
“She Could Not Tell” will be the title of the next volume, No 944, of
the NEW EAGLE SERIES. The forthcoming story is from the pen of Ida
Reade Allen, and it is a most delightful tale of love, romance, hate,
and intrigue. It is the kind of novel that you will not put down until
you have finished it.
* * * * *
[Illustration: Delicious THE COCA-COLA CO., ATLANTA, GA.]
* * * * *
Transcriber’s Notes:
Punctuation has been made consistent.
Variations in spelling and hyphenation were retained as they appear in
the original publication, except that obvious typographical errors have
been corrected.
The following changes were made:
p. 192: for changed to of (news of her)
p. 273: He changed to She (She made a)