"Ha, worm!" he groaned, "I waited and you--came. Die--vermin!"
Steadying himself he pulled the trigger and Joseph, throwing up his arms, fell and lay staring up, unwinking and sightless, on the pallid dawn. Then Mr. Dalroyd laughed, choked and sinking slowly to the gra.s.s, moved no more. The death which had pursued him so relentlessly had caught up with him at last.
CHAPTER L
WHICH TELLS OF ANOTHER DAWN
By a kindly dispensation of Nature all great and sudden shocks are apt to deaden agony awhile. Thus, as the Major stared along the deserted road he was conscious only of a great and ever-growing wonder; his mind groped vainly and he stood, utterly still, long after the throb of horse-hoofs had died away.
At last he turned and fixed his gaze upon the weatherbeaten stile again.
It was here he had held her to his heart, had felt her kisses on his lips, had listened to her murmurs of love. It was here she had promised to meet him and resolve his doubts and fears once and for all.
And now? She was away with Dalroyd of all men in the world--Dalroyd!
The Major stirred, sighed, and reaching out set his hand upon the warped timber of the old stile, a hand that twitched convulsively.
She was gone. She was off and away with Dalroyd of all men!
Dalroyd--of course! Dalroyd had been the chosen man all along and he himself a blind, self-deluding fool.
The Major bowed his head, loathing his fatuous blindness and burning with self-contempt. Slowly those twitching fingers became a quivering fist as wonder and shame gave place to anger that blazed to a fury of pa.s.sion, casting out gentle Reason and blinding calm judgment. Truly his doubts and fears were resolved for him at last--she was off and away with Dalroyd! So she had tricked--fooled--deceived from the very first!
The big fist smote down upon the stile and, spattering blood from broken knuckles, the Major leapt over and hasted wildly from the accursed place; and as he strode there burned within him an anger such as he had never known--fierce, unreasoning, merciless, all-consuming.
Headlong he went, heedless of direction until at last, finding himself blundering among underbrush and trees, he stopped to glance about him.
And now, moved by sudden impulse, he plunged fierce hand into bosom and plucked forth her letter, that close-written sheet he had cherished so reverently, and, holding it in griping fingers, smiled grimly to see it all blood-smeared from his torn knuckles; then he ripped it almost as though it had been a sentient thing, tore it across and across, and scattering the fragments broadcast, tramped on again. Thus in his going he came to the rustic bridge above the sleepy pool and paused there awhile to stare down into the stilly waters upon whose placid surface the moon seemed to float in glory.
And she had once stood beside him here and plied him with her woman"s arts, tender sighs and pretty coquetry--and anon proud scorn as when he had vowed her unmaidenly and he, poor fool, had loved and worshipped her the while. And now? Now she was away with--Dalroyd of all men in the world, Dalroyd who, wiser in woman, loved many but worshipped never a one.
Borne to his ears on the quiet night air came the faint sound of the church clock chiming ten. The Major shivered forlornly and turning, tramped wearily homeward.
Sergeant Zebedee, opening to his knock, glanced at him keen-eyed, quick to notice lack-l.u.s.tre eye, furrowed brow and down-trending mouth.
"Sir," he enquired anxiously, "your honour, is aught amiss?"
"Nought, Zeb," answered the Major heavily, "nought i" the world. Why?"
"Why sir, you do look uncommon--woeful."
""Tis like enough, Zeb, like enough, for to-night I have--beheld myself. And I find, Zeb, yes, I find myself a pitiful failure as a--a county squire and man o" leisure. This _otium c.u.m dignitate_ is not for me so I"m done with it, Zeb, I"m done with it."
"Meaning how, sir, which and what, your honour?"
"Meaning that Nature made me a man of limitations, Zeb. I am a fair enough soldier but--in--in certain--other ways as "twere I am woefully lacking. I"m a soldier now and always, Zeb, so a soldier I must live and a soldier, pray G.o.d, I"ll die. Last night you were in a mind to follow me to the wars--doth the desire still hold?"
"Aye sir. Dooty is dooty. Where you go--I go."
"So be it, Zeb. We will ride to-morrow for Dover at five o" the clock."
"Very good, sir."
"Are the servants all abed?"
"Aye, sir, and so"s the Colonel."
"Then lock up and go you likewise, I have certain writings to make.
And mark this, Zebedee, "tis better to die a man of limitations than to live on smug and a.s.sured the sport of coquette Fortune as--as "twere and so forth. D"ye get me, Zeb?"
"No sir, I don"t."
"Egad, "tis none surprising Zeb," said the Major ruefully, "I express myself very ill, but I know what I mean. Good-night, Zeb--get ye to bed."
Reaching the library the Major crossed to the hearth and sinking down in a chair beside the fire, sat awhile staring into the fire, lost in wistful thought. At length he arose and taking one of the candles opened the door of that small, bare chamber he called his study; opened the door and stood there wide-eyed and with the heavy silver candlestick shaking in his grasp.
She sat crouched down in his great elbow-chair, fast asleep. And she was really asleep, there was no coquettish shamming about it since coquetry does not admit of snoring and my lady snored distinctly; true, it was a very small and quite inoffensive snore, induced by her somewhat unwonted posture, but a snore it was beyond all doubt.
The Major rid himself of the candle and closing the door softly behind him leaned there watching her.
She half sat, half lay, lovely head adroop upon her shoulder, one slender foot just kissing the floor, the other hidden beneath her petticoats; and as she lay thus in the soft abandonment of sleep he could not help but be struck anew by the compelling beauty of her: the proud swell of her bosom that rose and fell with her gentle breathing, the curves of hip and rounded limbs, the soft, white column of her throat. All this he saw and, because she lay so defenceless in her slumber, averted his gaze for perhaps thirty seconds then, yielding himself to this delight of the eyes, studied all her loveliness from dark, drooping lashes and rosy, parted lips down to that slender, dainty foot. And as he gazed his eyes grew tender, his fierce hands unclenched themselves and then my lady snored again unmistakably, stirred, sighed and opened her eyes.
"John!" she whispered, then, sitting up, uttered a shy gasp and ordered her draperies with quick, furtive hands, while the Major, eyes instantly averted, became his most stately self.
"O John are you come at last and I asleep? And I fear I snored John, did I? Did I indeed, John?"
The Major, gaze bent on the polished floor, bowed.
"I don"t as a rule--I vow I don"t! "tis hateful to snore and I don"t snore--ask Aunt Belinda. And O pray John don"t be so grim and stately."
"So," said he gently but his voice a little hoa.r.s.e, "so you have--have thought better of your bargain, it seems."
"Bargain, dear John?"
"Your--cavalier, madam. Mr. Dalroyd rides alone after all, "twould appear."
"Mr. Dalroyd!" she repeated, busied with a lock of glossy hair that had escaped its bonds.
The Major bowed with his gravest and grandest air.
"Nay prithee John," she sighed, "beseech thee, don"t be dignified. And the hour so late and I all alone here."
"And pray madam, why are you here?" he questioned. Now at this, meeting his cold, grey eye, she flushed and quailed slightly.
"Doth it--displease you, Major John?"
"Here is no place for you, madam, nor--nor ever can be, nor any woman henceforth."
At this she caught her breath, the rosy flush ebbed and left her pale.