"What is that to you?"
"Well, I think you can guess my hand. His marrying your sister would give Harding some standing at Allenwood, and he"s already got more influence there than suits me. The fellow"s dangerous; I hear he"s been getting at one or two of the men who backed me. But we"ll quit fencing.
Do you want to stop this match?"
Although he had fallen very low, Gerald felt the humiliation of allowing Davies to meddle with the Mowbray affairs; but he overcame his repugnance, because the man might be of help.
"Yes," he answered shortly; "but I don"t see how it can be stopped."
"You knew Coral Stanton in your more prosperous days, didn"t you?"
Gerald admitted it. Miss Stanton described herself as a clairvoyante, but although there were then in the Western cities ladies of her profession who confined themselves to forecasting the changes of the markets and fortune-telling, the term had to some extent become conventionalized and conveyed another meaning. Coral had arrived in Winnipeg with a third-rate opera company, which she left after a quarrel with the manager"s wife; and although it was known that gambling for high stakes went on in her consulting rooms, she had for a time avoided trouble with the civic authorities. The girl was of adventurous turn of mind and was marked by an elfish love of mischief.
"I can"t see what my knowing Coral has to do with the matter," Gerald replied.
"Then I"ll have to explain. Things have been going wrong with her since the Ontario lumber man was doped in her rooms. The police have given her warning, and I guess she wouldn"t stick at much if she saw a chance of earning a hundred dollars easily."
"What d"you suggest that she should do?"
"If you"ll listen for a few minutes, I"ll tell you."
Davies chuckled as he unfolded a plan that appealed to his broad sense of humor; but Gerald frowned. Although likely to result to her ultimate benefit, the plot was, in the first place, directed against his sister.
It was repugnant in several ways, but he thought it would work, for Beatrice, like his mother, had Puritanical views. Besides, he could think of nothing else.
"Well," he said, "will you talk to Coral?"
"Certainly not," Davies answered cautiously; "that"s your part of the business. I"ll put up the money."
The following day Harding was lunching with Beatrice and her mother at their hotel, when the waitress brought him a note. Beatrice, sitting next to him, noticed that it was addressed in a woman"s hand and was heavily scented. Indeed, there was something she disliked in the insidious perfume. She watched Harding as he opened the envelope and saw that what he read disturbed him. This struck her as curious, but she did not see the note. He thrust it into his pocket and began to talk about something of no importance.
Beatrice thought over the incident during the afternoon, but by evening she had banished it from her mind. After dinner they sat in the big rotunda of the hotel. Harding was unusually quiet, but Beatrice scarcely noticed it, for she was interested in watching the people who sauntered in and out through the revolving gla.s.s door. They were of many different types: wiry, brown-faced plainsmen; silent, grave-eyed fellows from the forest belt; smart bank clerks and traders; mechanics; and a few women.
One or two seemed to be needy adventurers, but they came and went among the rest, though it was obvious that they could not be staying at the hotel.
Beatrice"s attention was suddenly attracted by a girl who came in. She was handsome, dressed in the extreme of fashion, and marked by a certain rakish boldness that was not unbecoming. Beatrice was struck by the darkness of her hair and the brilliance of her color, until she saw that something was due to art; then she noticed a man smile at another as he indicated the girl, and two more turn and look after her when she pa.s.sed. Thereupon Beatrice grew pitiful, ashamed and angry, for she could not tell which of the feelings predominated; and she wondered why the hotel people had not prevented the girl"s entrance. She was pleased to see that Harding was talking to a man who had joined him and had noticed nothing.
Her life at the Grange had been somewhat austere, and her relatives were old-fashioned people of high character who condemned what they called modern laxity. For all that, the adventuress roused her curiosity, and she watched her as she moved about the room. She drew near them, and Beatrice thought her eyes rested strangely on Harding for a moment. A strong scent floated about her--the same that had perfumed the note.
Beatrice was startled, but she tried to persuade herself that she was mistaken. The adventuress pa.s.sed on; but when Harding"s companion left him she came up at once and gave him an inviting smile. He looked at her in surprise, but there was some color in his face. It was unthinkable that he should know the girl, but she stopped beside him.
"Craig," she cooed, "you don"t pretend that you"ve forgotten me?"
Harding looked at her coldly.
"I have never seen you before in my life!" he said emphatically.
Coral laughed, and Beatrice noticed the music in her voice.
"Aw, come off!" she exclaimed. "What you giving us? Guess you"ve been getting rich and turned respectable."
Harding cast a quick glance round. Beatrice and Mrs. Mowbray sat near, and it would be difficult to defend himself to either. The girl had made an unfortunate mistake, or perhaps expected to find him an easy victim; now he began to understand the note. The blood filled his face and he looked guilty in his embarra.s.sment and anger, for he saw that he was helpless. The hotel people would not interfere; and to repulse the woman rudely or run away from her was likely to attract the attention he wished to avoid.
"You have mistaken me for somebody else," he replied uneasily.
She gave him a coquettish smile.
"Well, I guess you"re Craig Harding unless you"ve changed your name as well as your character. I reckoned you"d come back to me when I heard you were in town. You ought to feel proud I came to look for you, when you didn"t answer my note."
There was something seductive and graceful in her mocking courtesy, but Harding lost his temper.
"I"ve had enough! You don"t know me, and if you try to play this fool game I"ll have you fired out!"
"That to an old friend--and a lady!" she exclaimed. "You"ve surely lost the pretty manners that made me love you."
Harding turned in desperation, and started to the door; but she followed, putting her hand on his shoulder, and some of the bystanders laughed. Beatrice, quivering with the shock, hated them for their amus.e.m.e.nt. Even if he were innocent, Harding had placed himself in a horribly humiliating position. But she could not think him innocent. All she had seen and heard condemned him.
Harding shook off the girl"s hand and, perhaps alarmed by the look he gave her, she left him and soon afterward disappeared, but when he returned to the table Beatrice and her mother had gone. He was getting cool again, but he felt crushed, for no defense seemed possible. He could only offer a blunt denial which, in the face of appearances, could hardly be believed.
He left the hotel and spent an hour walking about the city, trying to think what he must do. When he returned a bell-boy brought him word that Mrs. Mowbray wished to see him in the drawing-room. Harding went up and found the room unoccupied except by Beatrice and her mother. The girl"s face was white, but it was stern and she had her father"s immovable look. Rising as he came in, she stood very straight, holding out a little box.
"This is yours," she said. "I must give it back to you. You will understand what that means."
Harding took the box, containing the ring he had given her, and steadily met her accusing eyes, though he could see no hope for him in them.
"I suppose there"s no use in my saying that it"s all a mistake or a wicked plot?"
"No; I"m afraid the evidence against you is too strong." She hesitated a moment, and he thought he saw some sign of relenting. "Craig," she begged, in a broken voice, "do go. I--I believed in you."
"You have no reason to doubt me now."
He turned to Mrs. Mowbray.
"Can"t you be persuaded? I give you my solemn word----"
"Don"t!" Beatrice interrupted. "Don"t make it worse!"
"I"m sorry I must agree with my daughter"s decision until I see more reason to change it than I can hope for at present," Mrs. Mowbray replied. "It would be better if you left us. We return to-morrow."
Her tone was final; and, with a last glance at Beatrice, Harding went out dejectedly.
CHAPTER XXVIII
FIRE AND HAIL
On the morning after her return from Winnipeg, Beatrice sat in her father"s study, with Mowbray facing her across the table. He looked thoughtful, but not so shocked and indignant as she had expected.
"So you are determined to throw Harding over!"