The Childerbridge Mystery
By Guy Boothby,
Author of "Dr. Nikola," "A Millionaire's Love Story," "The Curseof the Snake," etc., etc., etc.
London
F. V. White & Co., Ltd.
1902
Contents
CHAPTER I
CHAPTER II
CHAPTER III
CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER V
CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER X
CHAPTER XI
CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XIII
The Childerbridge Mystery
CHAPTER I
One had only to look at William Standerton in order to realise that hewas, what is usually termed, a success in life. His whole appearancegave one this impression; the bold unflinching eyes, the square,resolute chin, the well-moulded lips, and the lofty forehead, showed adetermination and ability to succeed that was beyond the ordinary.
The son of a hardworking country doctor, it had fallen to his lot toemigrate to Australia at the early age of sixteen. He had not a friendin that vast, but sparsely-populated, land, and was without influence ofany sort to help him forward. When, therefore, in fifty years' time, hefound himself worth upwards of half-a-million pounds sterling, he wasable to tell himself that he owed his good fortune not only to his ownindustry, but also to his shrewd business capabilities. It is true thathe had had the advantage of reaching the Colonies when they were intheir infancy, but even with this fact taken into consideration, his wascertainly a great performance. He had invested his money prudently, andthe rich Stations, and the streets of House Property, were the result.
Above all things, William Standerton was a kindly-natured man. Successhad not spoilt him in this respect. No genuine case of necessity everappealed to him in vain. He gave liberally, but discriminatingly, and inso doing never advertised himself.
Strange to say, he was nearly thirty years of age before he evencontemplated matrimony. The reason for this must be ascribed to the factthat his life had been essentially an active one, and up to that time hehad not been brought very much into contact with the opposite sex. When,however, he fell in love with pretty Jane McCalmont—then employed as agoverness on a neighbouring Property—he did so with an enthusiasm thatamply made up for lost time.
She married him, and presented him with two children—a boy and a girl.Within three months of the latter's arrival into the world, the motherlaid down her gentle life, leaving her husband a well nighbroken-hearted man. After her death the years passed slowly by withalmost monotonous sameness. The boy James, and the girl Alice, in duecourse commenced their education, and in so doing left their childhoodbehind them. Their devotion to their father was only equalled by hislove for them. He could scarcely bear them out of his sight, and enter