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[Illustration: "THE STAR! THE STAR! MOTHER!"]
OSWALD LANGDON
_Or_, Pierre and Paul
Lanier. _A Romance of_
1894-1898
BY
CARSON JAY LEE
[Illustration]
CHICAGO
THE LAKESIDE PRESS
1901
COPYRIGHT, 1900
BY
N.B. HAMILTON
IN
The United States of America and Great Britain.
Printed in Chicago, U.S.A.
FIFTH EDITION
TO ONE,
"STANDING WITH RELUCTANT FEET,
WHERE THE BROOK AND RIVER MEET."
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I 1
The Double Scare.--The Old Man's Arrest.--Little Jack's
"Sprint."
CHAPTER II 4
The Storm.--"Bill of Particulars" not Demanded.--Sage Assurance
of an Oxford Graduate.--The Dream.
CHAPTER III 11
An Interesting Meeting.--A Barrier and Siege.--At the Parish
Church.--Strange Sense of Familiarity at First Sight.--Esther's
Friend from London.--Alice Webster as an Interloper.--Alice's
Infatuation.--Visit of Paul Lanier.--Lake Excursion.--Two
Proposals.
CHAPTER IV 46
A London Conference.--The Lawsuit.--The Lake Tragedy.--Paul's
Fright.--Trip to London.--Investigations of Sir Donald
and the Solicitors.--The Hyde Park Confidence.--Thames Boat-Ride.--An
Embarrassing Situation.--Splash of Two Bodies.--At
House of Jack Bray.--A Mysterious Drive.
CHAPTER V 67
Parental "Air Castles."--An Unexpected Call.--Hurried
Departure.--Southampton Wharf Toughs and Bullying
Official.--Sledge-Hammer Blows of Drooping
Pedestrian.--Aboard Ship.--An "Ishmaelite" Finding "Casus Belli"
in Fate.--Tempest on Bay of Biscay.
CHAPTER VI 73
Return from Opera.--Esther Piqued at Alice's Conduct.--Search
for Oswald and Alice.--Finding of Hat and Handkerchief.--Harassed
by Reporters and Detectives.--Sleuths Employed by
Sir Donald.--An Optimist Turned Nemesis.--Esther's Clouded
Vision.--Sir Donald's Bluff.--The Conspirators Quit London.--Sir
Donald and Esther Leave for Paris.
CHAPTER VII 85
Oswald in India.--Calcutta too Cosmopolitan.--Seeking
Employment.--Trip to the Himalayas.
CHAPTER VIII 89
Pierre and Paul in Bombay.--A Rich Englishman and his Niece.--The
Laniers Dine with Sir Charles Chesterton.--Mutual Infatuation
of Paul and Agnes.--Paul's Proposal.--Sir Charles
Demands Pedigree and Inventory.--Sir Charles and Pierre Vie
in Villainous Recitals.--Matrimonial Decision Postponed.--Sir
Charles and Pierre Sail for Calcutta.--Paul's Growing
Infatuation.--Agnes' Caprices.--Thursday Evening Call.--The Tableau,
"Eugene Aram" Dream Lines Recital.--Chesterton Rooms Vacated.
CHAPTER IX 101
Interest in Paris Poor.--Losing Zeal for Man-Capture.--The
Hospital Confession.--The Convalescent's Mysterious Departure--The
Trip to Calcutta.
CHAPTER X 132
At Himalaya Camp.--"Lion" and "Bear."--"For Good of
Kaiser and Tsar."--Tippoo Kalidasa.--Claude Leslie.--Camp
Discussions.--"Citizen of the World."--Doctrine of "Merger."--New
York's "Four Hundred."--The Four Bandits.--Decorating
Graves of the Robbers.--"Vot Sendimendals!"
CHAPTER XI 155
Paul Haunted.--That Grewsome Drapery of Seaweed.--The
Sunday Call.--Chesterton Rooms Vacant.--Pierre's Letter.--"Josiah
Peters" Sails from Bombay.
CHAPTER XII 160
Search for Dodge Family.--Sir Donald and Esther "Shadowed."--The
Metamorphosed Stranger.--Mrs. McLaren Locates Mrs.
Dodge.--Visit of Sir Donald.--The Plot.--Arrest of the
Conspirators.--Dodge's Confession.--Release of the Laniers.
CHAPTER XIII 186
Survey Expedition Disbanded.--The Star.--Oswald Sees Pierre
and Paul.--Meets Esther and Sir Donald.--The Call.--Esther's
Changed Manners.--Sir Donald's Tactics.
CHAPTER XIV 201
The Laniers Puzzled at Their Release.--Tentacles of the
Octopus Contracting.--Sir Donald and His Detectives Mystified.--Flight
of Pierre and Paul.
CHAPTER XV 210
The Retrospect.--Acquiesces in Fate's Opening Seals.
CHAPTER XVI 212
The Fugitives Disguised in London.--Paul's Caprices.--Advises
Pierre to "Avoid River Fogs."--Changed Shifts.
CHAPTER XVII 219
Back at Northfield.--Esther's Musings.--The Boat-Ride.--Repetition
of "Eugene Aram" Dream Lines.
CHAPTER XVIII 225
On the "Tramp" Steamer.--Odd Conceits.--The Handsome
Stranger.--The Consumptive.--"Ermine" Function.--It will be
All Right with Mother.--The Image Reflection.--The Stuttering
German.--Human Transfiguration.--Promethean Myth.--White
Heat of Life's Crucible.--Mother Left Out.--Arrival at New
York.
CHAPTER XIX 237
Thames Pantomimes.--Pierre Discovers Paul's Craze.--Seeks to
Elude Pursuer.--A Long Swoon.--Paul's Vigils.--The Pose and
Threat.
CHAPTER XX 247
Rasping Paradoxes.--Becoming Pessimistic.--Conference with
Chief Detective.--Charles at Home.--Criticises Oswald Langdon.--"A
Daniel Come to Judgment."
CHAPTER XXI 261
Studies Paul's Crazed Peculiarities.--Paul Missing.--His Return.--The
New Dagger.--The Alarm Clock.--Sleeps on his Father's
Arm.--Tragic Awakening.--The Arrests.
CHAPTER XXII 268
The "Corpus Delicti."--Sir Donald's Queer "Find."--Bessie
"Bottled."--"Cometh without Observation."--Charles and the
Interesting Strangers.--Visit of Veiled Woman.--Night Trip
to Northfield.--An Upturned Bloody Face.--Paul in Esther's
Room.--Call at Detective Headquarters.--A Misunderstanding.--Learns
of the Arrests.--A Recognition.--Mute Benediction.
CHAPTER XXIII 302
A Strange Story.
CHAPTER XXIV 363
At the Threshold of a New World's View.--The "Modus
Vivendi."--Letters to Sir Donald.--Oswald and the Newsboy.--Escorted
to "Old Slip."--The Arraignment.--"Turn Your Kidnaper
Loose."--Diplomatic Man-Catcher.--Oswald Attends
Church.--"Overcoming the World."--Meets Claude Leslie in
Central Park.--Enigma to Social Belles.--Claude Leaves for the
West.--Marco Salvini.--At Saint Vincent's.--The Delirium.--"The
Star! The Star! Mother!"--Inverted Spike-Prints.--Mystic
Whisperings--The Letter.
CHAPTER XXV 387
The Evening's Meeting.--Angles of Cross-Purpose.--Sir Donald's
Letter to Oswald.--Paul Committed as a Madman.--Pierre's Odd
Ethical Caprices.--"Do Equity."--Esther Inspects Postmarks
and Consults Ship Schedules.--An Expected Proposal.--A Sad
Home-Coming.--A Northfield Reunion.--Ingenuous Assurance.--Puzzling
Interrogatory.--Wordless Betrothal.--Pierre's Release.--Double
Wedding.--Hopefully "Shadowed."
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
"THE STAR! THE STAR! MOTHER!" _Frontispiece_
"THERE WAS A FLASH OF STEEL, A BLOW AND THRUST,
FOLLOWED BY THE SPLASH OF TWO BODIES" 60
"WITH UPLIFTED HAND THE APPARITION SLOWLY ADVANCED
TOWARD THE COWERING PAUL, AS IF TO
STRIKE" 98
"WHEN WITHIN ABOUT A HALF-MILE, THE FOUR RAISED
THEIR WEAPONS" 149
"RAPTLY GAZING AT THE CHILD'S INNOCENT FACE, PAUL
SOFTLY CROONS SOME CRADLE MELODY" 283
"PO' SICK CHILE! YO' WHITE FACE 'MINDS ME OF MY
OWN MANDY CAR'LINE JUST 'FO' SHE DIED!" 306
"THEN BEHOLDING PIERRE IRONED AND HELPLESS, PAUL
BURST OUT IN A HYSTERICAL LAUGH" 359
"THIS SAGE REPLY IS HEARD BY THE EAVESDROPPING
BESSIE" 407
PREFACE
Though to explain incurs a risk, the author accepts the hazard of a word
in advance.
While the novelist's license has been so used that there is need neither
to resent an innuendo nor to prove an "alibi," yet, substantially, the
incidents narrated occurred within the time stated, and nearly all the
actors are still upon life's "boards."
The conscientious tourist in search of that "beautiful country-seat" and
"wood-fringed lake" is advised to defer his visit. Perhaps the exact
locations are intended to be in doubt. Even that "station" might be hard
to find in an English train schedule.
Geographical accuracy may not be always essential. One noted writer has
told of infatuation for
"An ounce of common, ugly, human dust,"
and declared that--
.... "Places are too much,
Or else too little, for immortal man."
The reader of few or of many books may find "reminders" in these pages.
The author hastens to confess echoings from bygone days, hintings of
vagrant fancies, and whimsical reveries wherein appeared the vague
evasive outlines of half-remembered things.
If keeping that harmless old connoisseur of the "image and
superscription," who insisted on positive "rigor mortis," jailed so long
seem heartless, it should be remembered that some wrongs are more
apparent than real.
The antecedents of that mysterious fair-haired "Find" are still in
doubt, but this signifies little. Child-life is always a miracle more
inscrutable than the resurrection of Lazarus.
The hinted fate of Pierre and Paul Lanier may merit some criticism.
Perhaps summary justice should have been meted out; but in view of all
"extenuating circumstances," may not judgment be suspended? Since
"Eternity is so long," and in deference to that "bias for saving," can
we not allow an "appeal unto Caesar"?
CARSON JAY LEE.
CHAPTER I
THE SCARE AND ARREST
Passing along the street, apparently self-absorbed, there seems little
in this man to attract notice.
Why does the scared newsboy hurry by, thinking of that strange face?
Quickly the agitated countenance assumes a look of dignified
indifference.
A block away the boy resumes his calls:
"All about the murder of a young girl! Body found in the river! Police
on track of the murderer!"
"Poor little fellow!" murmured Oswald. "He gave me such a shock! But how
frightened he seemed when passing, with his innocent yell! How foolish
my scare! What do New York police know or care about a crime committed
in London years ago?"
Curious to read what the city papers say of this homicide, Oswald
retraces his steps, turns a corner, and sees the boy waiting pay from a
pleasant-faced, careful old man, who holds to his purchase while
critically scrutinizing the coin, as if sorry to part with such "image
and superscription" without approved value.
"Be the girl dead and be she drowned sure?"
"She's a goner!" replied the boy.
This emphatic assurance of "rigor mortis" having convinced the old
gentleman that his money will be well invested, the deal is about to be
closed, when, seeing Oswald, little Jack sprints across the street, down
an alley, into the arms of a policeman.
"Pfwhat yez roonin' loike yez a stalin' wagabond pfhwor?" sternly asks
the officer.
"That willanous-lookin' rascal round there is campin' on me trail."
With visions of a kidnaper of small boys fleeing from his wrath, Michael
P. O'Brien drags the terrified Jack out of the alley to the street.
Seeing the old man holding to the paper and looking dazed, upon this
gray-haired malefactor is placed the strong hand of the "statute in such
case made and provided," and he is started toward the police-station,
with the soothing assurance:
"Yez nadn't confiss yez guilt by discriminatin' ividince."
Seeing that matters are badly mixed, Jack sidles away toward the
opposite street-corner. His movement is noted by the policeman at the
exact moment that Jack again sees Oswald. Heedless of loud command to
"Sthop, in the noime of the law," the youthful auctioneer of the
metropolitan press heads at right angles and is soon out of sight.