MAYOR

lige Arden is having an affair with M@sbBy, which makes her husband jealous and melancholy. The lovers proliferate murder plots against him: both offer marriage to SHi8Zh Mosby as an inducement, but to different accomplices, Michaelland GlakKe the painter. Clarke supplies a poison, but when Arden feels ill upon eating the contaminated broth, Alice throws it on the ground. Alice meets GFSeHe, who has a grudge against Arden in connection with land ownership, and gives him money to hire murderers. He engages BIAEKIWil) and ShakeBap, and they follow A¥d@h to London, where he is visiting his friend BFaHKIB. Greene writes an incriminating letter to Alice, which is carried, innocently, by Bradshaw. An attempt on Arden’s life in St Paul’s churchyard fails when a shop front is let down and bonks Black Will on the head; Arden escapes, knowing nothing of the danger. The murderers conspire with Michael to gain access to Franklin’s house at night, but Arden finds the door unlocked: the murderers are shut out and Michael reproved for negligence. The killers next pursue Arden to Rainham Down, where he meets Lord Ghee and is invited to dinner the following day. Cheyne recognizes and distracts Black Will, so Arden escapes again. His luck still holds the next day: following him on his way to Lord Cheyne’s house, Black Will and Shakebag lose their way in the fog and Shakebag falls into the marsh. Meanwhile, Mosby and Alice have a falling-out, but are reconciled, and Clarke supplies a poisoned crucifix for use if all else fails. DickKURESAE is another landowner who has fallen victim to Arden’s business dealings. He appeals to Arden and is rebuffed with threats, so he curses the disputed plot of land and wishes Arden ill luck from it. ===== PAGE 10 ===== Arden catches Mosby kissing Alice; Mosby and Shakebag are wounded in the ensuing fight. Alice persuades her husband that it was only a practical joke, and he is induced to apologise. The reconciliation is sealed with a supper in Arden’s house, at which Mosby, Alice, and Shakebag stab him to death. The blood cannot be washed off the floor, and when the body is taken outside, a snowfall shows the line of footsteps back to the house; moreover, Michael fails to dispose of the murder weapon, and rushes from the house are found on the body. When the Mayor and his officers arrive at the house, the murderers are detected. Black Will and Shakebag escape and later meet violent deaths. Alice, Mosby, Michael, and Susan are executed; so…