CHAPTER XXV.

It was with no gentle touch that the officers led Ben Mauprat to the station.

They had almost reached it when, as they were turning a sudden corner, they were met by a man--evidently a gentleman, from his dress and appearance.

An expression of gladness lighted Ben's features.

"You, Mr. Kingsley!" he exclaimed. "May I have a word with you?"

The gentleman, handsome in appearance as Apollo, paused.

"What's the matter, Mauprat?" he asked.

Then turning to the policemen:

"Not a drunk and disorderly, is it?"

"Worse than that, sir," answered the man who had performed the arrest. "He tried to kill his wife and child. Shot at her in my presence."

"Why, how was that, Ben? You see, the man is in my employ, and I am naturally interested in him."

"Will you come to the station house with us, sir, if there is anything you wish to ask?" said one of them. "He has proven himself a dangerous customer, as you can see by that cut over my eye, and I want to get him locked up before I am forced to crack his skull."

Luis Kingsley made a gesture of acquiescence, and silently followed the lead of the officers.

While the entry was being made, Mauprat spoke aside to Kingsley.

"You had better bail me!" he said; "but failing in that, there is a message that I want you to take now--to-night, sure! There must be no mistake about that, for upon it more than you think depends. You must go to Miss Evelyn Chandler, and tell her what has happened to me. You must tell her that Liz and Leonie Cuyler are at my house alone, and that--I am afraid something will happen to them."

"Where is it that you live?"

"She knows," replied Ben, curtly, "and she will understand what I mean. Do you think that you can get me out to-night?"

"The chances are that I cannot, particularly as you resisted arrest."

"Well, don't let it be later than to-morrow. Be sure that you deliver the message at once, for upon it depends more than I can tell you. You promise?"

"I do. Give me the address."

It was given and jotted down in the Russia leather note-book that Luis Kingsley carried, while Ben Mauprat was locked up.

Mr. Kingsley made no very strenuous efforts to get bail accepted, but left the station-house after ascertaining the exact charges upon which Ben had been arrested. He lighted a cigar and walked leisurely down the street.

"Now, who is Miss Evelyn Chandler, and what in thunder did he want me to deliver that absurd message to her for?" he asked of himself, mentally. "Hanged if I know whether I ought to do it or not. If I only knew where he lives, I don't think I should bother about notifying Miss Chandler at all, but as I don't, and the chances very decidedly against me finding out, I had better keep my promise. If Miss Chandler goes there, I might follow her and thereby put myself in possession of the papers with which that man has so often threatened me. Let me see. Why, this is the address of Leonard Chandler, one of the wealthiest men in the city. It can't be that this is his daughter to whom Ben Mauprat has sent a message. It seems to me that there is the promise of something sensational here. At all events it is worth following up. I most decidedly shall keep my promise to Ben and call upon the young lady."

There was no longer any hesitation on the part of the young man, but hailing a passing hansom, he leaped in, gave the address, and went rolling over the cobble-stones as rapidly as the bony horse could carry him.

He glanced up at the massive brown-stone front, before which he was deposited, with considerable surprise.

"What in the name of all that is wonderful could Ben Mauprat have to do with a young woman living in a house like this?" he asked of himself.

Then a smile flitted over his features.

"She is one of the servants," he told himself. "The name is one of those curious accidents with which one often meets. I wonder what the people will think of me for presenting myself at their front door to inquire for a servant? Well, if the worst comes I can excuse myself on the plea of philanthropy. Ha! ha! that is something after the order of the devil quoting Scripture!"

He ran up the stoop and rang the bell loudly.

"Is Miss Evelyn Chandler in?" he asked of the servant.

"Yes, sir. Will you walk in?"

He was ushered into the drawing-room, where the servant stood waiting for his card.

Kingsley put the idea out of his head that Miss Chandler was a servant, and handed his card to the man.

"Will you say to Miss Chandler that I am a messenger from another, and that I should appreciate an immediate interview as a favor?" he said. "Assure her that I will not detain her five minutes."

The servant bowed and left him. Kingsley looked about him.

"There is a mystery in this," he said to himself, "that I must solve. What could that old drunken tramp have to do with people like these? Evidently I must keep my wits about me."

His soliloquy was interrupted by the entrance of Miss Chandler. Kingsley caught his breath hard at the vision of beauty she presented.

She was clad in a gown of dead black, above which her bare shoulders gleamed like marble.

She came toward him swiftly, and he had scarcely recovered himself, when she stood beside him.

"To what am I indebted for the honor of this visit, Mr. Kingsley?" she asked, referring to the card in her hand for the name.

"I---- The fact is, I am placed in a most awkward position, Miss Chandler!" he exclaimed, flushing furiously. "I was made the unwilling messenger of a man who has gotten himself into trouble. He gave me a message to deliver to Miss Evelyn Chandler, but you could not by any possible chance be the lady, though this is the address he gave."

"Perhaps you are not mistaken after all. There are a number of unfortunate people in whom I am interested. If you would kindly give me the name of the man I might be able to tell you whether the person meant was myself!"

"His name is Ben Mauprat, a thoroughly worthless fellow, but one in whom I have been interested myself. He----"

"I think the message is intended for me, sir!" interrupted Evelyn, with perfect composure. "You say that Mauprat has gotten himself into trouble?"

"Yes; a trouble that is more serious than he thinks, perhaps. He is charged with attempted murder!"

"Indeed!"

For all the coolness of her utterance a frightful pallor overspread the face of the beautiful girl, that seemed to threaten unconsciousness.

Kingsley took a step toward her as though to offer assistance, but she recovered herself and smiled.

"Those things are so dreadful for a lady to contemplate," he said, deprecatingly. "I am sorry to have shocked you, Miss Chandler."

"I beg that you will give it no consideration whatever. Do you know who it was that he attempted to kill?"

"His wife, I think."

"I suppose so. Those men always do try to injure the ones who are most necessary to them. And what message was it that he sent me?"

"He requested me to say that Liz and Leonie Cuyler were at his house alone, and that he was afraid that something would happen to them."

Again the lovely face grew ghastly, but that never-failing control was exerted successfully, and Miss Chandler laughed outright.

"I suppose he wants me to go there to see that nothing shall befall them, and that, too, after he has tried to take the life of poor Liz. Is that not like one of those men? It was so kind of you, Mr. Kingsley, to take all this trouble. I am very much obliged to you. It must really be dreadful for those two poor women to be in that house alone under the fearful circumstances."

"It is nothing for me, I assure you. On the contrary, I shall be but too happy if you will make any further use of me that you desire. I see that you are dressed for a reception. If it would be of any service to you, it would give me pleasure to go there in your place and remain during the night if they should require my presence."

"I don't know how to thank you, but I think I shall go myself for a moment and perhaps bring them home. There is really nothing further that you can do, but be assured that what you have done is most thoroughly appreciated. Good-night."

He was so evidently dismissed, that there was not the slightest excuse for his remaining longer, and reluctantly he was compelled to take his leave.

Something in her manner, as she left him, seemed to attract him, for the door had scarcely closed upon him, than he paused with a curious expression upon his face.

"How cleverly she avoided giving me that address!" he muttered. "Why should she have turned so pale over the fact that Ben Mauprat was in trouble? and how is it that a young lady in her sphere would allow a man of Ben's stamp to call upon her so freely? As sure as fate there is something wrong! I should like nothing better than to get that young woman in my power, for I have not seen so pretty, so magnificent a creature in many days.

"At least, it can do no harm to watch, and, my pretty Evelyn, you do not leave that house this evening without my knowing every foot of ground you touch."

With which commendable resolution, Luis Kingsley stationed himself upon the opposite side of the street in the shadow, and took up his vigils.

As Miss Chandler left the drawing-room she encountered her adoptive father.

"Are you really ready for once on time?" he asked. "I am glad of that, as I have a special reason for wishing to be early."

"You surely would not think of going yet? Why, there will be no one there at all."

"That is precisely the reason that I wish to go at once. Now, you know perfectly well that there is nothing that puts me so thoroughly out of humor as contradiction, so for Heaven's sake! leave it off for once and come immediately! You will find that they are expecting us early, and besides that, some one always has to be the first!"

Seeing that Leonard Chandler was in no mood to stand opposition, Miss Chandler uttered a sigh and ran lightly up the stairs.

"What shall I do?" she asked of herself, when she was securely in her own room. "Ben surely meant by his message that I was not to leave those two alone there; but even should I go, what could I do against them both?

"Plainly there is but one course, and that is to go to the reception, slip out when I return, and go to that house.

"I don't know what Ben meant, but he certainly did not send me that message for fun. I cannot see what he expected me to do! That is what puzzles me! What in Heaven's name has ever made him such a fool? He has risked everything, and perhaps lost me the stakes for which I have ventured so much. Curse him! I knew he would do this sooner or later, but there was no chance to act without him.

"And now, to please that old fool down-stairs I have got to go to that reception and smile and chatter while my thoughts are occupied with the hideous danger that threatens me.

"If I could but see Ben for five minutes and know how things stand! But that is not even to be thought of! I am afraid of---- Heavens! I dare not think what!"