With a waterproof on, noiselessly she opens the window and shutters; a step and the veranda is reached; with beckoning hand she endeavors to attract the attention of the woman, but without success, as she is wholly absorbed in watching the door by which the man entered. Afraid of attracting attention by calling out, she twists a couple of b.u.t.tons off her waterproof, throwing them on to the gravel walk; her object is gained and defeated simultaneously, for the woman, taking fright, makes for the gate, at which Tyr, who had made his exit on the man making his _entree_, swift as a deer, ran barking after her; but she is safe outside the gate, at which Mrs. Dale quiets Tyr, who has come up to her, rubbing his cold nose to her still colder hands. And now to make another attempt. In a few moments the gate is reached; yes, the woman is standing under the shade of a tree on the boulevard, the lamplight falling full upon Mrs. Dale.
"Down, Tyr, be quiet; down, I say. Come here, young woman; don"t fear, I only wish to speak to you."
"I won"t go there; let me alone, for I warn you, I am a desperate woman," she growled, in threatening tones, Tyr making a dash to be at her.
"Come here, Tyr, it"s all right. But what is your trouble? If you will only trust me, I feel sure I can help you," she says, breathlessly, for she does not wish her friend to miss her.
"_You help me!_ go away with your smooth serpent tongue; away to that other hussy, in her silks and jewels, robbing an honest woman of her----"
But her sentence was never finished, for the man is coming; and quick as a deer she is out of sight.
Mrs. Dale is quietly seated by the cheerful grate, apparently absorbed in "Cleveland"s winning card," as given in _Judge_, when her hostess returns, looking sad and troubled.
"I don"t know how it is I feel so nervous to-night, dear," she said, seeing to the window fastenings; "I am so glad you are with me, but you will find me very doleful."
"Not a bit of it, Mrs. Gower; I am no relation to an acquaintance of mine, who is not content unless one is making a buffoon of oneself for her especial delectation."
"I fear she would cut my acquaintance in my present mood. I am going to ask you a favor, dear; it is to call me Elaine; I shall feel less alone in this big world, and can talk to you more freely, hearing my Christian name. I dare say it is a childish fancy for a woman of my age, but----"
"But me--no buts. Elaine, we are true friends, and you have some secret trouble which I ought to share, else, what use is my friendship to you; you will tell it me, dear?" and the pretty Irish eyes look up into the dark ones bending over her with a questioning look.
"Tell me first, dear, did you recognize anyone in the garden to-night?"
"I did, Elaine."
At this, covering her face with her coldly nervous hands, she said, brokenly:
"G.o.d help me, I am driven by the winds, and tossed; I must sleep on it to-night, and if I feel strong enough, tell you all to-morrow."
"That"s right, and to insure your being brave enough, you must take the best tonic, sleep; so let us mount," she said affectionately, rising and taking her friend"s arm.
"Very well, dear; and the dropping rain shall be my lullaby in wooing the G.o.d of slumber."
CHAPTER XII.
ON THE RACK.
It was no heated fancy of a half-delirious brain of our poor friend, Cole, that he had heard a tap on the gloomy door of the east chamber, at Broadlawns, on the night he was snared by the huntress; held by the fetters of a loveless union with Margaret Villiers; but he paid no heed to the stealthy tap, repeated whenever the revelry below was loudest; but as silent as the grave, he almost holds his breath as he watches the door, a look of agony in his tired eyes, which throb as does his head in neuralgic torture; but now, his strange midnight visitor, as if driven to desperation by his silence, says through the keyhole:
"For heaven"s sake, let me in!"
But no response; he will trust no one under the roof of this hateful place, to which he has been trapped, in which he has lost his freedom, in which the terrible conviction has seized him that he is going to be laid low by the fell hand of sickness. What is that? Yes, he sees a slip of paper pa.s.sed under the door; his midnight visitor is evidently bent on obtaining an interview; pale as a ghost, and trembling in every limb, he creeps noiselessly to the door, picks up the paper, and reads the following words:
"I am the woman who came in _too late_ to stop your marriage; _your own friends_, who are far away, would tell you to see me. For G.o.d"s sake, let me do what I can for you, even _now_."
But for her wording, as to his "friends far away," he would have paid no heed; he remembers now, in a dazed sort of way, amidst the medley he has been in ever since his arrival, that there was some woman who appeared, was maligned, and vanished, all in a few seconds. Yes, if he could only feel sure the oak door only separated him from one not in league with his enemies, as he now feels them to be, the lock would be immediately turned; but, should it be a fraud whereby to obtain admittance for the terrible woman he has wedded, and whom he loathes and fears at the same time; and so, with his cold, nervous hand upon the lock, he hesitates, when she again appeals a last time through the keyhole.
"I must go, and leave you to your misery, if you will not open the door; they are preparing to come up stairs."
At this, the dread of loneliness, the craving for sympathy, with the sinking feeling of sickness coming over him, the natural instinct of self-preservation impelling him to risk something in endeavoring to secure one friend to be about him if he cannot shake off this feeling of intense la.s.situde, low spirits, head and brain on fire, and throbbing as with ten thousand pulses, cause him with a sudden fear lest she should go, to turn the key, when noiselessly, a pale woman with an intensely sad expression in her whole countenance, and prematurely grey, enters.
"Poor fellow! and a kindly, handsome face, too; what a sacrifice! G.o.d knows how willingly I would have saved you; but their moves were hidden from me," she said piteously, in a low whisper, gazing into his face tearfully, while taking his hands in her own.
In the reaction he flung her off, saying, brokenly,
"Why were you not in time? What trust have you broken so, blighting my very existence? Out upon you, woman, you may go and leave me to despair."
"No, no, I must stay; I _will_ stay; you are ill, but will be more calm; though with _her_! G.o.d help you, you will never find peace, never be at rest."
And throwing her ap.r.o.n over her face, she, too, sank on to the sofa where he was; but he is, after a few moments, quiet again, and drawing the covering from her face, which she has used as if to shut out the view where all, all is misery to the last degree, she turns to look at him; both hands white, cold and trembling, cover his face, through his fingers drop scalding tears, silent tears of woe.
"Do not give way so, sir. Poor fellow, you are indeed to be pitied, away from your home, away from your own land. They sent me off to London on messages--to get me out of the way--for some things for Miss Villiers, as then was."
"Don"t remind me. G.o.d help me. Swear, woman, swear!" he said excitedly, "to stay by me to get me well; quick, for my inner consciousness tells me I shall be, nay am, ill; elucidate this mystery, is it money they want, how can I escape? swear, swear to stay by me in this place, smelling of brimstone. Swear!" he continued, forgetting time and place, as he raised his voice, only remembering his wretchedness.
"For heaven"s sake try to calm yourself; they have heard you, they come; not a sound; they will turn me out, and you will have only them. I conjure you, curb yourself; not a sound." And taking both his hands to her knee, with motherly tenderness, seeks by gently stroking or holding them in hers to soothe him to even momentary calm.
"I say, Cole, are you sleeping?" said the voice of Stone, turning the handle. "You should have been down with us; we have been feeding like fighting c.o.c.ks."
"I am sure I heard him talking," said Margaret. "Mean fellow he is; feigning sleep."
"Good night, Cole, or rather, morning; pleasant dreams," said Stone, malevolently.
"Look, uncle, at aunt rolling into her bed-chamber; veal pie and stout will be her nightmare. Good night, spouse," she said, through the keyhole.
At this, Sarah Kane had great difficulty in quieting him. "I kiss my hand to you"--for she is hilarious; a gla.s.s of beer, a change of name, three thousand per annum secured, have been a powerful stimulant.
"It"s my belief he heard every word we said, but wouldn"t give in," said her uncle, as they went along the hall.
"Of course, he did, the mean pup; but never fear, I"ll make him knuckle under."
"That you will," he said, chuckling.
When all is again quiet at Broadlawns, Charlie Cole and Sarah Kane again breathe more freely.
"Tell now, _now_," he says feverishly, "how I am to get away from here and without, remember, that woman? You will have to stay by me, for I am too ill, G.o.d help me, to act alone."
"First, you must undress and get into bed; my, but you are weak!"
"I am; please take this key and unlock my trunk; I am not equal to any exertion."
"Were you ill crossing the ocean, sir?"
"I was, but nothing like this; the medical attendant on board said I must have some mental worry which preyed even then upon my bodily health."