CHAPTER XXIV--A STARTLING PROPOSITION
The more Mimi thought over the late events, the more puzzled she was.What did it all mean--what could it mean, except that there was an errorof fact somewhere. Could it be possible that some of them--all of themhad been mistaken, that there had been no White Worm at all? On eitherside of her was a belief impossible of reception. Not to believe in whatseemed apparent was to destroy the very foundations of belief . . . yetin old days there had been monsters on the earth, and certainly somepeople had believed in just such mysterious changes of identity. It wasall very strange. Just fancy how any stranger--say a doctor--wouldregard her, if she were to tell him that she had been to a tea-party withan antediluvian monster, and that they had been waited on by up-to-datemen-servants.
Adam had returned, exhilarated by his walk, and more settled in his mindthan he had been for some time. Like Mimi, he had gone through the phaseof doubt and inability to believe in the reality of things, though it hadnot affected him to the same extent. The idea, however, that his wifewas suffering ill-effects from her terrible ordeal, braced him up. Heremained with her for a time, then he sought Sir Nathaniel in order totalk over the matter with him. He knew that the calm common sense andself-reliance of the old man, as well as his experience, would be helpfulto them all.
Sir Nathaniel had come to the conclusion that, for some reason which hedid not understand, Lady Arabella had changed her plans, and, for thepresent at all events, was pacific. He was inclined to attribute herchanged demeanour to the fact that her influence over Edgar Caswall wasso far increased, as to justify a more fixed belief in his submission toher charms.
As a matter of fact, she had seen Caswall that morning when she visitedCastra Regis, and they had had a long talk together, during which thepossibility of their union had been discussed. Caswall, without beingenthusiastic on the subject, had been courteous and attentive; as she hadwalked back to Diana's Grove, she almost congratulated herself on her newsettlement in life. That the idea was becoming fixed in her mind, wasshown by a letter which she wrote later in the day to Adam Salton, andsent to him by hand. It ran as follows:
"DEAR MR. SALTON,
"I wonder if you would kindly advise, and, if possible, help me in a matter of business. I have been for some time trying to make up my mind to sell Diana's Grove, I have put off and put off the doing of it till now. The place is my own property, and no one has to be consulted with regard to what I may wish to do about it. It was bought by my late husband, Captain Adolphus Ranger March, who had another residence, The Crest, Appleby. He acquired all rights of all kinds, including mining and sporting. When he died, he left his whole property to me. I shall feel leaving this place, which has become endeared to me by many sacred memories and affections--the recollection of many happy days of my young married life, and the more than happy memories of the man I loved and who loved me so much. I should be willing to sell the place for any fair price--so long, of course, as the purchaser was one I liked and of whom I approved. May I say that you yourself would be the ideal person. But I dare not hope for so much. It strikes me, however, that among your Australian friends may be someone who wishes to make a settlement in the Old Country, and would care to fix the spot in one of the most historic regions in England, full of romance and legend, and with a never-ending vista of historical interest--an estate which, though small, is in perfect condition and with illimitable possibilities of development, and many doubtful--or unsettled--rights which have existed before the time of the Romans or even Celts, who were the original possessors. In addition, the house has been kept up to the _dernier cri_. Immediate possession can be arranged. My lawyers can provide you, or whoever you may suggest, with all business and historical details. A word from you of acceptance or refusal is all that is necessary, and we can leave details to be thrashed out by our agents. Forgive me, won't you, for troubling you in the matter, and believe me, yours very sincerely.
"ARABELLA MARCH."
Adam read this over several times, and then, his mind being made up, hewent to Mimi and asked if she had any objection. She answered--after ashudder--that she was, in this, as in all things, willing to do whateverhe might wish.
"Dearest, I am willing that you should judge what is best for us. Bequite free to act as you see your duty, and as your inclination calls. Weare in the hands of God, and He has hitherto guided us, and will do so toHis own end."
From his wife's room Adam Salton went straight to the study in the tower,where he knew Sir Nathaniel would be at that hour. The old man wasalone, so, when he had entered in obedience to the "Come in," whichanswered his query, he closed the door and sat down beside him.
"Do you think, sir, that it would be well for me to buy Diana's Grove?"
"God bless my soul!" said the old man, startled, "why on earth would youwant to do that?"
"Well, I have vowed to destroy that White Worm, and my being able to dowhatever I may choose with the Lair would facilitate matters and avoidcomplications."
Sir Nathaniel hesitated longer than usual before speaking. He wasthinking deeply.
"Yes, Adam, there is much common sense in your suggestion, though itstartled me at first. I think that, for all reasons, you would do wellto buy the property and to have the conveyance settled at once. If youwant more money than is immediately convenient, let me know, so that Imay be your banker."
"Thank you, sir, most heartily; but I have more money at immediate callthan I shall want. I am glad you approve."
"The property is historic, and as time goes on it will increase in value.Moreover, I may tell you something, which indeed is only a surmise, butwhich, if I am right, will add great value to the place." Adam listened."Has it ever struck you why the old name, 'The Lair of the White Worm,'was given? We know that there was a snake which in early days was calleda worm; but why white?"
"I really don't know, sir; I never thought of it. I simply took it forgranted."
"So did I at first--long ago. But later I puzzled my brain for areason."
"And what was the reason, sir?"
"Simply and solely because the snake or worm _was_ white. We are nearthe county of Stafford, where the great industry of china-burning wasoriginated and grew. Stafford owes much of its wealth to the largedeposits of the rare china clay found in it from time to time. Thesedeposits become in time pretty well exhausted; but for centuries Staffordadventurers looked for the special clay, as Ohio and Pennsylvania farmersand explorers looked for oil. Anyone owning real estate on which chinaclay can be discovered strikes a sort of gold mine."
"Yes, and then--" The young man looked puzzled.
"The original 'Worm' so-called, from which the name of the place came,had to find a direct way down to the marshes and the mud-holes. Now, theclay is easily penetrable, and the original hole probably pierced a bedof china clay. When once the way was made it would become a sort ofhighway for the Worm. But as much movement was necessary to ascend sucha great height, some of the clay would become attached to its rough skinby attrition. The downway must have been easy work, but the ascent wasdifferent, and when the monster came to view in the upper world, it wouldbe fresh from contact with the white clay. Hence the name, which has nocryptic significance, but only fact. Now, if that surmise be true--and Ido not see why not--there must be a deposit of valuable clay--possibly ofimmense depth."
Adam's comment pleased the old gentleman.
"I have it in my bones, sir, that you have struck--or rather reasonedout--a great truth."
Sir Nathaniel went on cheerfully. "When the world of commerce wakes upto the value of your find, it will be as well that your title toownership has been perfectly secured. If anyone ever deserved such again, it is you."
With his friend's aid, Adam secured the property without loss of time.Then he went to see his uncle, and told him about it. Mr. Salton wasdelighted to find his young relative already construc
tively the owner ofso fine an estate--one which gave him an important status in the county.He made many anxious enquiries about Mimi, and the doings of the WhiteWorm, but Adam reassured him.
The next morning, when Adam went to his host in the smoking-room, SirNathaniel asked him how he purposed to proceed with regard to keeping hisvow.
"It is a difficult matter which you have undertaken. To destroy such amonster is something like one of the labours of Hercules, in that notonly its size and weight and power of using them in little-known ways areagainst you, but the occult side is alone an unsurpassable difficulty.The Worm is already master of all the elements except fire--and I do notsee how fire can be used for the attack. It has only to sink into theearth in its usual way, and you could not overtake it if you had theresources of the biggest coal-mine in existence. But I daresay you havemapped out some plan in your mind," he added courteously.
"I have, sir. But, of course, it may not stand the test of practice."
"May I know the idea?"
"Well, sir, this was my argument: At the time of the Chartist trouble, anidea spread amongst financial circles that an attack was going to be madeon the Bank of England. Accordingly, the directors of that institutionconsulted many persons who were supposed to know what steps should betaken, and it was finally decided that the best protection againstfire--which is what was feared--was not water but sand. To carry thescheme into practice great store of fine sea-sand--the kind that blowsabout and is used to fill hour-glasses--was provided throughout thebuilding, especially at the points liable to attack, from which it couldbe brought into use.
"I propose to provide at Diana's Grove, as soon as it comes into mypossession, an enormous amount of such sand, and shall take an earlyoccasion of pouring it into the well-hole, which it will in time choke.Thus Lady Arabella, in her guise of the White Worm, will find herself cutoff from her refuge. The hole is a narrow one, and is some hundreds offeet deep. The weight of the sand this can contain would not in itselfbe sufficient to obstruct; but the friction of such a body working upagainst it would be tremendous."
"One moment. What use would the sand be for destruction?"
"None, directly; but it would hold the struggling body in place till therest of my scheme came into practice."
"And what is the rest?"
"As the sand is being poured into the well-hole, quantities of dynamitecan also be thrown in!"
"Good. But how would the dynamite explode--for, of course, that is whatyou intend. Would not some sort of wire or fuse he required for eachparcel of dynamite?"
Adam smiled.
"Not in these days, sir. That was proved in New York. A thousand poundsof dynamite, in sealed canisters, was placed about some workings. At thelast a charge of gunpowder was fired, and the concussion exploded thedynamite. It was most successful. Those who were non-experts in highexplosives expected that every pane of glass in New York would beshattered. But, in reality, the explosive did no harm outside the areaintended, although sixteen acres of rock had been mined and only thesupporting walls and pillars had been left intact. The whole of therocks were shattered."
Sir Nathaniel nodded approval.
"That seems a good plan--a very excellent one. But if it has to teardown so many feet of precipice, it may wreck the whole neighbourhood."
"And free it for ever from a monster," added Adam, as he left the room tofind his wife.