hoo_ray_!"
She ran down the hall to summon Ah Kee and send him for a doctor, but before she reached the bell she heard the front door close, and turned swiftly. A man had entered.
She went forward in some indignation. So deep was the gloom of the hall that she could distinguish nothing beyond the facts that the intruder was tall and slight, and that he wore a light suit of clothes. When she had approached within a few feet of him, she saw that he was Trennahan.
For the moment she thought it was the soul of the man, so ghostly he looked in that dim light, in that large silence.
His first remark was rea.s.suring: "I rang twice; but as no one came, and the door was open, I walked in,--as you see."
"We have so few servants now. Won"t you come and sit down?"
He followed her down to the reception-room. She jerked aside the curtains, careless of the bad house-keeping the light would reveal. It streamed in upon him. He was deeply tanned and indescribably improved.
They sat down opposite each other. Magdalena, recalling her tears, placed her chair against the light. "When did you get back?" she asked.
"The ship docked an hour ago."
"You look very well. Have you been enjoying yourself?"
"I have been occupied, and useful--I hope. At least, I have collected some data and made some observations which may be new to the world of Science. I found the old love very absorbing. And, you will hardly credit it, I have lived quite an impersonal life."
"Have you come back to California again because you think it a good place to die in?"
"I came back to California, because it is a good place to write my book in, and because you are here."
"Ah!"
"Don"t misunderstand me. I am not so conceited as to imagine that I can have you for the asking. But--listen to me: I had a brief but very genuine madness. When I recovered I knew what I had th--lost. I argued--even during my convalescence--that I had been wholly right in believing that you were the one woman for me to marry, and, that fact established, you must believe it no less than I. But for a long time I was ashamed to come back, or to write. Later, I went where it was impossible. Moreover, in solitude a man comes into very close knowledge of himself. After a few months of it I knew that I should never be contented with mere existence again. I determined to take advantage of what might be the last chance granted me to make anything of my life; I had thrown away a good many chances. I also argued that if you loved me, you would wait for me; that you were not the sort to marry for any reason but one. At least, perhaps you will give me another trial."
"I shall marry you, I suppose; I have wanted to so long, and I never had any pride where you were concerned. A few months ago I should have flown into your arms; and I had felt sure that you would return. But lately I have not been able to care about anything. I am not the least bit excited that you are here. It merely seems quite natural and rather pleasant."
"Is anything the matter?" he asked anxiously. "You look very thin and worn, and the house--it was like entering the receiving vault on Lone Mountain. I thought when I came in that you were having a funeral, at least."
"It has been like that for four years. Uncle died, and papa was afraid to trust himself in the world for fear he would relapse into his natural instincts. So he shut himself up, makes us live on next to nothing, and of course we go nowhere, for we have no clothes. Mamma has been ill with nervous prostration for months, and now I feel sure that papa has gone insane. I have only spoken to him once in four years; but I have been certain that he would lose his mind finally, and I have just discovered that he is quite mad."
"Good G.o.d! We"ll be married to-morrow. I never imagined your father would hit upon any new eccentricities. You poor little hermit! I fancied you going to parties and plodding at your stories. I never dreamed that you were shut up in a dungeon. I shall see that you are happy hereafter."
"I feel sad and worn out. I don"t think I can ever feel much of anything again."
"Oh, you"ll get over that," he replied cheerfully; he was as practical as ever. "What you want is plenty of sun and fresh air and a rest from your family. If your father is insane, he"ll go into an asylum; and a rest cure is the place for your mother. That will dispose of her while we are taking our honeymoon in the redwoods. Do you think you could stand camping out?"
"I could stand anything so long as it was the country once more," she said, with her first flash of enthusiasm. "But there is something I should tell you. Perhaps after you hear it you won"t want to marry me. I tried to kill Helena once."
"You did what?" he said, staring at her.
"She came to me just after leaving you, on the night of your last interview. I was very much worked up before she came, had been for a long while; and when she told me that she had treated you badly and had thrown you over, after taking you away from me, I suddenly wanted to kill her, and I took my dagger out of the drawer beside me. It was very dark, but she had an instinct, and she jumped up and ran away. I never knew I could feel so; but every bit of blood in my body seemed shrieking in my head, and if she had not gone I should have jumped on her and hacked her to bits. I must go up to my mother now. You can think it over and come back again."
"I don"t need to think it over," he said, smiling. "That was all you needed to make you quite perfect. You are a wonderful example of misdirected energies. Where is your father? I will go and look after him at once."
He took her suddenly in his arms and compelled her to kiss him; and then Magdalena knew how glad she was that he had come.
She went with him to the door of the study.
"He is quiet," she whispered. "Perhaps he is asleep."
She left him and went down the hall, turning to wave her hand to him.
Trennahan knocked. There was no answer. He opened the door softly, then gave a swift glance over his shoulder, entered hurriedly, and closed the door behind him.
Suspended from the gas pipe, which was bent and leaking, was Don Roberto. The light was dim. The purple face on the languidly revolving body was barely visible; but as it turned slowly to the door, it occupied a definite place among the shadows. Trennahan flung back the curtains and opened the window, closing the lower inside blinds. A cloud hurried across the face of the sun, as if light had no place in that ghastly room. About the limp body and sprawling hands clung the delicate prismatic tapestry of the spiders. It was rent in twain, and it quivered, and threatened to drop and trail upon the floor. The little weavers were racing about, full of anger and consternation, bent on repair. A number had already gathered up the broken strands and were fastening them across the body. Had Don Roberto remained undiscovered for twenty-four hours, he might have been wrought into the tissue of that beautiful delicate web, a grotesque intruder over whom the spiders would doubtless have held long and puzzled counsel.
The cloud pa.s.sed. The sun caught a brilliant line of colour. Trennahan went forward hastily, and examined the long knotted strip between the body and the ceiling.
Don Roberto had hanged himself with the American flag.
THE END
_By the Same Author._
Patience Sparhawk and Her Times.
His Fortunate Grace.
The Doomswoman.
(Companion volumes to "The Californians.")
A Whirl Asunder.
American Wives and English Husbands.
A Daughter of the Vine (ready shortly).
Some Novels Published by John Lane
An African Millionaire By Grant Allen
Patience Sparhawk and Her Times By Gertrude Atherton
The Californians By Gertrude Atherton
A Man from the North By E. A. Bennett