Bruce"s sensation on hearing it was not that of fear, scarcely even that of curiosity. When once young Trevor had taken an idea into his mind, he was wont to hold it with a pertinacity which savoured of obstinacy.
Bruce was very slow to own, even to himself, that he had made a mistake.
The notion now in the young man"s brain was that his giddy brother had determined to try his courage by playing on him some practical joke.
Vibert"s sudden proposal to go up to London Bruce considered but as an attempt to throw dust into his eyes, and to put him off his guard; and the elder brother smiled to himself at the idea of Vibert"s imagining that he really could take him in by so transparent an attempt at deception.
"Vibert is no more in London at this moment than I am," had been the reflection of Bruce. "He never thought of going thither till I casually let out that it is possible to enter the haunted chamber." And now, when a voice was heard in that chamber, Bruce but knitted his brow, and muttered impatiently to himself, "Could he not have kept his foolery for a better time; I am in no mood for nonsense to-night."
Another voice seemed to reply to the first, both speaking in low tones, and not distinctly enough for the import of their words to be understood by the listening Bruce. Still his suspicions were not aroused, for the power to mimic various tones was one of the accomplishments which added to Vibert"s popularity in ladies" society. Then followed a creaking sound, as of the winding of a windla.s.s, or the turning of the screw of a press. This puzzled Bruce, and made him alter his first intention of simply locking the door of communication between the two rooms, and so imprisoning the pseudo-ghost till the morning. Young Trevor, of course, knew nothing of the third door of the bricked-up chamber, or the secret staircase beyond it.
"I may as well put an end to this folly at once," said Bruce, rising and looking around for some convenient weapon with which to chastise, or rather to alarm, the disturber of his repose. He took up his gun, but did not attempt to load it. Why should he do so when he had no intention of startling the household and frightening his sister by the sudden report of fire-arms? Vibert would not be able to tell by a glance whether the gun were or were not loaded. The object of Bruce was to frighten, but not to injure his brother.
The next thing to be done was to get the door-key, which Bruce had left on his mantel-piece. He scarcely expected to find it there still, but there it was.
"Vibert must have taken the precaution of replacing after using it,"
thought Bruce, as he took up the key; "and he has been artful enough to leave my map still hanging up over the panel-door."
Very softly Bruce now lifted off the large varnished map from its nail, and laid it down on the floor. His object was, by his sudden appearance with his gun, to startle his brother. Noiselessly Bruce turned the key in the lock, noiselessly pushed open the door in the panel, then suddenly sprang into the lighted chamber, with a loud exclamation of "Ha! have I caught you at it?" To Bruce"s amazement, as well as their own, he found himself confronted by Harper and Colonel Standish!
It is not to be denied that on his sudden recognition of these night-visitors, whom nought but an evil purpose could have brought to that place, to the heart of the youth "the life-blood thrilled with sudden start." But Harper had now no timid girl to deal with. Raising his unloaded gun so as to cover now the one man, then the other, Bruce in a loud voice demanded, "Villains! what do ye here?"
Seizing the instant when the gun was pointed at his companion, Standish made a dart forwards and struck up the arm of Bruce. In another moment the two were locked in a deadly grapple.
Even then Bruce Trevor retained his presence of mind. Wrestling and struggling as he was, with a hand stronger than his own griping at his throat, and stifling the cry of "Robbers! help!" which would have burst from his lips, Bruce did his utmost to back through the doorway into his room. Could he but reach his bell-rope, he could bring his father and the servant to his a.s.sistance, and so overcome and perhaps capture his a.s.sailants. But in vain the young man struggled and strained every muscle in his frame, too closely grappled with by Standish to be able even to strike with the but-end of his gun. The strength of Bruce was failing, though not his courage; the odds were too heavy against him.
While Standish, with throttling grasp, was pinning him against the wall, Harper, with some heavy instrument, came and struck the youth on the head. Bruce saw no more, felt no more than the one sharp pang of the blow. He fell heavily on the floor, at the mercy of the ruffians whose lurking-place he had on that night discovered!
In the meantime, the master of Myst Court was calmly sipping his claret, and telling to his daughter amusing stories of old adventures, all unconscious of the fearful scene going on within the walls of his own dwelling.
CHAPTER XXV.
STRANGE TIDINGS.
When Emmie arose on the following morning, the landscape was covered with a soft mantle of snow. A few flakes were still falling, ever and anon, from a sky whence lowering clouds shut out the pale gleam of a winter daybreak.
Emmie arose with an earnest resolution on her mind--a resolution born of repentance, and gathering strength from prayer. She would no longer be the weak, selfish, useless being, whom every shadow could turn from the path of duty. She would listen for a Father"s guiding voice; she would cling to the helping Hand; she would, through G.o.d"s promised help, realize His protecting presence.
"I will beseech the Lord to enable me never, never again to mistrust His power or His love, or to doubt His promise that all things shall work together for good to His children," said Emmie to herself, as she opened her Bible; and in that Bible she read the touching history of those who once walked unharmed in the burning fiery furnace.
It was thus that the weak soldier of Christ put on armour to resist her besetting sin. She would, ere the close of that day, sorely need that armour of proof.
When Emmie had finished her reading, she rose and looked forth from her cas.e.m.e.nt. She saw an open vehicle approaching along the snow-covered road towards Myst Court. Three men were seated within it, besides the driver. It was with no common interest that the maiden watched their approach.
"Policemen!--London policemen!--and with an inspector!" exclaimed Emmie in surprise, for she recognized the familiar uniform of the officers of the law. "What can be bringing them hither? Can Harper"s secret have been discovered?"
Emmie"s heart thrilled with mingled fear and hope. Had the officers of justice received information of some secret plot,--had they come to search the house,--would light be thrown on its dark recesses? Such was Emmie"s hope, but still linked with a trembling fear. What might not Harper do, in his desperation, if he were driven to bay? Would he not conclude that her lips had betrayed his secret, that she had broken her solemn oath?
Emmie lost sight of the vehicle as it stopped before the large entrance-door of Myst Court, which was not overlooked by her window. She heard the policemen"s ring at the bell, she heard her father"s firm step as he descended the stairs to meet his early and most unexpected visitors. Emmie would have followed him at once, but the tresses of her long hair still floated down over her shoulders. The young lady was not independent of the help of a maid, and rang her bell for Susan.
Minutes pa.s.sed, and no Susan appeared. There were sounds of steps and voices in the house, but not near Emmie"s apartment. Her curiosity made her impatient; she rang again, and more loudly; and as there was still delay in answering the summons, Emmie resolved to wait no longer, and herself gathered up and twisted into a knot, as best she might, her long, luxuriant hair. She had just finished her toilette when Susan entered at last, looking flushed and excited.
"I beg pardon, miss," said the lady"s-maid; "but I could not come sooner. The police are here, and they have been questioning me and the other servants."
"Have they come to search the house?" cried Emmie.
"Oh yes; they brought a warrant from London to do that," was Susan"s reply.
Almost breathless with anxiety and hope, Emmie asked if they had searched the haunted chamber.
"That"s the first place they went to," said Susan.
"And was any one there, any one arrested?" cried Emmie, trembling with eagerness to hear the reply, which might loose the knot of her perplexity, and free her for ever from haunting terrors.
"No one was found in this house, miss," answered Susan, with a look of distress. "There were strange presses and instruments found, as I heard, in the haunted room, such as must have been used in forging those dreadful bank-notes."
"Forging bank-notes! so that was the crime!" said Emmie under her breath. "And is any one suspected?" she inquired.
Susan at first looked perplexed, and avoided meeting her lady"s questioning glance. She then answered, "There is a warrant out for the arrest of Colonel Standish."
"Colonel Standish!" echoed Emmie in surprise.
"The police had been at S----, at the White Hart, before they came here," said Susan; "but the colonel had gone off, no one knows where. He had not been seen or heard of since yesterday morning. He owes a large debt at the hotel, and his stealing off thus, without paying it, makes every one think him guilty about the forged notes."
"I never believed him to be a real gentleman," observed Emmie. "But,"
she added anxiously, "is he thought to have had no accomplice?" The maiden, bound by her oath, dared not so much as mention the name of Harper.
"I think that I hear master calling me," said Susan; and without answering her lady"s question, she hurried from the apartment.
Emmie was standing near the window, and from it she now saw Joe leading her own pony-chaise from the stables towards the entrance of the house, and at a quick pace that told of haste. What was the vehicle brought for at so early an hour? Perhaps--so thought Emmie Trevor--to take one or more of the policemen back to S----. Yet scarcely so, for their own conveyance was waiting.
The maiden was not kept long in doubt. It was her own father that she saw in the chaise, a few seconds afterwards, urging on the pony to a frantic pace, plunging through the drifted snow as if life or death hung on its speed! Joe sat behind, while his master drove as Emmie had never seen her father drive before.
"What can be the matter?" exclaimed Emmie; "papa has forgotten even his greatcoat, and the weather is so cold, and it looks as if a storm would come on!" She watched the chaise till it disappeared behind intervening trees and brushwood.
Susan re-entered the room as her young lady, anxious and wondering, turned from the cas.e.m.e.nt.
"Do you know where my father is going?" Emmie inquired of her maid.
"Master is going to London, miss," was the answer; "but I doubt whether the pony can gallop fast enough to take him in time for the train.
Master was in great haste, or he would have come to bid you good-bye."
"What takes him to London?" cried Emmie.
"Oh, this bank-note forgery business," said Susan, the look of uneasiness pa.s.sing again over her face. "Master called me to give you a message, miss. He says that while the police have charge of the house, he--he does not wish you to speak to them, miss, or question them about the matter which has brought them here. Master is anxious about you. He has ordered me to take care that no one should disturb or intrude upon you, Miss Trevor."
"The police are not likely to disturb the innocent, nor to intrude on ladies," said Emmie, smiling from the pleasant a.s.surance of safety conveyed by their presence in the mansion. "If my father does not wish me to question them or see them, of course his will shall be obeyed. I must depend on you for my information, or--where is my brother, Master Bruce?"
"I cannot tell, miss; he is not in the house; he must have gone out,"