OF THE YIUJILirilJJIIII f W Emory University Library f i 1 Wi In Memoriam m Ruth Candler Lovett I IWj 1935-1964 THE CAPTAIN OF THE VULTUEE a ioirti BT THE AtTTHOB OF "LADY AUDLEY'S SECRET," "AURORA FLOYD' " VIXEN," " ISHMAEL," " WYLLARD'S WEIRD " ETC. ETC. SSlfuolgpfb dBbilion LONDON JOHN AND ROBEEl^ MAXWELL MILTON HOUSE. SHOE LANE, FLEET STREET AND 35 .'iT. BKIDB STRIET, I.C. [.411 nghts reserved] CHEAP UNIFOBM EDITION Or MISS BRADDON'S NOVELS. Price 2s. picture boards ; 2s. 6d. cloth gilt; 3s, 6d. half parchment or half •morocco ; postage id. II88 BRADDON'S NOVELS INCLUDINO "LADY ATJDLET'S SECEBT," "VIXEN," "ISHMAEL," ETC. " No one can be dull who has a novel by Misa Braddon in hand. The most tiresome journey is beguiled, and the most wearisome illness is brightened, by any one of her books." " Miss Braddon is the Queen of the circulating libraries."—The World. N.B.—There are now 43 Novels always in print. For full list see back of cover, or apply for a Catalogue, to be Bent (post-free). LONDON : J. AND E. MAXWELL, Milton House, 14 and 15 Shoe Lane, Fleet Street; AND 35 St. Bride Street, Ludgate Circus, E.G. ATid at all Railway Bookstalls, Booksellers', and Libraries. CONTENTS. CHAT. PAOH I. THE WAT TO MARLBY WATER . 5 II. MiLLIOENI . I • • . 31 III. LooKiNO BACK . • . 43 IV- CAPTAIN DUKE PROVES AH ALIBI . 60 V. MiLLIOBNT MEETS HER HUSBAND'S SHADOW . 71 VI. SALLY PECKER LIFTS THE CURTAIN OF THE PAST . 83 VII. How DARRELL MARK.HAM FOTTND HIS HoRSE YIIL How A STRANOE PBDLAE WORKED A GREAT CHANGE IN THE MIND AND MANNERS OF SALLY PECKER 103 IX. SIR LOVEL MORTIMER'S DRUNKEN SERVANT 117 X. THE HOUSE AT CHELSEA , 127 XI. AFTER SEVEN YEARS . ; 138 XII. CAPTAIN FANNY , 118 XIII. THE END OF JANUARY . 157 XIV. EINOWOOD'S LEOACY . » 171 XV. MILLIOENT'S WEDDINO . 181 XVI. THE THIRD APPEAEANOK OF THE CAPTAIN'S DOUBLE 191 XVII. CAPTAIN DUKE AT HOME 211 XVIII. WHAT WAS DONE IN THE GARDEN KOOM 220 XIX. AFTER THE MURDER , , . 236 »v Contents. JHAP. FAOa XX. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL 245 XXI. TUB FOREION-LOOKINO PEDLAR PAYS A SECOND VISIT XO THE BLACK BEAR . 260 XXII. MOTHER AND SON ..*•.•. 280 XXIII. THE FINDING OF THE BODY . • • . 286 XXIV. THE TRIAL OF MILLICENI DUKB . , • ,294 £piiioauE • > • • 819 <rHB CAPTAIN OF THE VULTURE CHAPTER I. THE WAT TO MAELET WATER. *No one by the Highflier to-night ? " asked the black­ smith of Compton-on-the-Moor of the weak-eyed land­ lord of the Black Bear, first and greatest hostelry in that parish. " No one but Captain Duke." " What ? the Captain has been np in London, then, maybe ? " " He has been there three weeks and over," replied the landlord, who seemed rather of a desponding nature, and not conversationally inclined. " Ah! um! " said the blacksmith ; " three weeks and more up in London ; three weeks and more away from that pretty-spoken lady of his; three weeks gambling, and roystering, and fighting, and beating of the watch, and dancing at that fine roundabout place at Chelsea, and suppers in Covent Garden; three weeks spending of the Ring's money ; three weeks——" 6 The Captain of the Vulture. " Going to the devil; three weeks going to the devil! " said a voice behind him ; "why not say it ia plain English, John Homerton, while you're about it ? " " Bless us and. save us, if it isn't Mr. Darrell Mark- ham !" " Himself, and nobody else," said the speaker, a taL man in a riding-dress and high boots, wearing a three- cornered hat, drawn very much over his eyes; " but keep it dark, Homerton; nobody in Compton knows I'm here ; it's only a business visit and a flying visit. I'm off in a couple of hours. What was that you were saying about Captain George Duke, of L.3 Majesty's fihip the Vulture ? " " Why, I was saying. Master Darrell, that if I had such a pretty wife as Mistress Duke, and could only be with her two months out of the twelve, I wouldn't spend half of those two months roystering and gallivanting up in London. I think your cousin might have made a better match of it. Master Darrell Markham, with her pretty face." " I think she might, John Homerton," said the young man, sadly ; " I think she might." The three men had been standing at the door of the inn during this little dialogue. The blacksmith had the bridle of his sturdy little white pony—five-and-twenty years of age, if a day—in his hand, ready to mount him and ride home to his forge at the furthest end of the straggling country town; but he had been unable to resist the fascination of the weak-eyed landlord's conver­ sational powers. Darrell Markham turned away from the two, and walked out into the dusty high road. He stood for some moments looking thoughtfolly along a narrow winding track that crossed the bare black moor* The Way to Marley Water. 1 land, stretching away for miles before him. The Black Bear stood at the entrance to the town, and on the very edge of the bleak open country. " We shall have a dark night," said Markham, " and I shan't have a very pleasant ride to Marley Water." " You'll never go to-night, sir ? " said the landlord. " I tell you I must go to-night, Samuel Pecker. Foul or fair weather, I must sleep at Marley Water this night." " Ton always was such a daring one, Mr. Darrell," said the blacksmith admiringly. " It doesn't need so very much courage for a lonely ride over Compton Moor as all that comes to, John Homerton. I've a pair of pistols that never missed fire yet; my horse is sound, wind and limb ; I've a fall purse, and I know how to take care of it; I've met a highwayman before to-night, and I've been a match for one before to-night; and what's more to the purpose than all, honest John, I must do it." " Must be at Marley Water to-night, Mr. Markham ? " " I must sleep at the Golden Lion, in the village of Marley Water, this night, Mr. Pecker," replied the young man. " Landlord, show me the road from here to Marley Water," said a stranger. The three men looked up: a man on horseback, who had drawn his rein before the door, was looking down at the little group with a sharp scrutinizing gaze. He had ridden up. to the inn so softly that they had never heard the sound of his horse's hoofs. How long the horse might have been standing there, or when the horseman had stopped, or where he had come from, not one of the three could guess; but there he was, with 8 The Captain of the Vulture, the fading light of the autumn evening ftiU upon hia faoe, the last yellow brightness of the low sun glimmer­ ing amidst his auburn air. This face, lit up by the setting sun, was a very hand­ some one. Regular features, massively cut; a ruddy 3olour in the cheeks, something bronzed by a foreign sun; brown eyes, with dark clearly defined eyebrows, and waving auburn hair, which the October breeze lifted from the low broad forehead. The horseman was of the average height, stalwart, well proportioned; a model, in short, of manly English beauty. The horse was like its master, broad chested and strong limbed. "I want to know the nearest road to Marley Water," he said for the second time ; for there had been some­ thing so sudden in the manner of his appearance that none of the three men had answered his inquiry. The landlord, Mr. Samuel Pecker, was the first to recover his surprise. " Ton winding road across the moor vrill take yon straight as an arrow. Captain," he answered civilly, but paradoxically. The horseman nodded. "Thank you, and good night," he said, and cantered away along the moorland bridle-path, for the road was little better. "Captain! who is he then?" asked Darrell Mark* ham, as soon as the stranger was gone. "Tour cousin's husband, sir; Captain George Duke." "Is that George Duke? Why he spoke like a stranger." " That's his way, sir," said the landlord; "that's the worst of the Captain; hail fellow weU met, and what would you like to drink ? one day, and keep your dis- The Way to Marley Water. 9 tance another. There's no knowing where to have him; but, after all, he's a jolly chap, the Captain, though I can't think what he wants at Marley Water to-night, when he hasn't been back from London two hours." "He's a very handsome chap," said Darrell Mark­ ham ; " I don't so much wonder that Millicent Mark­ ham fell in love with him." "There's some as says Miss Millicent had fell in love with some one else before ever she saw him," said the landlord insinuatingly. "They should find something better to do than tc talk of a young lady's love-affairs, then," answered Markham gravely. " I tell you what, Samuel Pecker, if I don't set out at once I shan't find Marley Watei to-night; it will be as dark as pitch in another hour. TeU them to bring out Balmerino." " Must you go to-night, Mr. Markham ? " " I tell you I must, Samuel. Come, tell the ostler to bring the horse round.