The Courtship of Morrice Buckler: A Romance

  CHAPTER XIV.

  A GAME OF HIDE-AND-SEEK.

  Outside the boughs tossed blithely in the golden air; the wind pipedamong the leaves, and the birds called cheerily. But for me themorning was empty of comfort. For the recurrence of this dream filledme with an uncontrollable terror; I felt like one who gets him to bedof a night in the pride of strength, and wakes in the morning to seethe stains of an old disease upon his skin. I looked back upon thosefirst months of agony in Italy; I remembered how I had dreaded thecoming of night and the quiet shadows of evening; how each day, fromthe moment I rose from bed, appeared to me as no more than night'sforerunner. Into such desperate straits did I fall that I was seizedwith a wild foreboding that this period of torture was destined toreturn upon me again and again in some inevitable cycle of fate.

  There seemed indeed but one chance for me: to secure the pardon ofIlga! It was only on her account that I felt remorse. I had realisedthat from the beginning. And I determined to seek her out that veryday, unbosom myself of my passion, and confess the injury which I haddone her.

  It may be remembered that I was on the brink of the confession whenMarston ascended the stairs at the apartment of the Countess, andinterrupted me. Since then, though I had enjoyed opportunities enough,I had kept silence; for it was always my habit, due, I fancy, to acertain retiring timidity which I had not as yet thoroughly mastered,to wait somewhat slavishly upon circumstances, rather than to directmy wits to disposing the circumstances in the conjunction best suitedto my end. Before I spoke or acted, I needed ever "the confederateseason," as Shakespeare has it. Now, however, I determined to take thematter into my own hands, and tarry no longer for the opportuneaccident. So, leaving orders with my servants that they should procurea locksmith and have the lock of the garden door repaired, I set outand walked to Pall Mall.

  To my grief, I discovered that I had tarried too long. CountessLukstein, the servant told me--he was not Otto--had left London earlythat morning on a visit into the country. A letter, however, had beenwritten to me. It was handed to me at the door, since the messengerhad not yet started to deliver it. With the handwriting I wasunfamiliar, and I turned at once to the signature. It was onlynatural, I assured myself, that Mademoiselle Durette should write;Ilga would no doubt be busy over the arrangements for her departure.But none the less I experienced a lively disappointment that she hadnot spared a moment to pen the missive herself. Mademoiselle Duretteinformed me that news had arrived from Lukstein which compelled themto return shortly to the Tyrol, and that consequently they hadjourneyed that morning into the country, in order to pay a visit whichthey had already put off too long. The Countess would be absent forthe space of a fortnight, but would return to London without fail totake fitting leave of her friends.

  The first three days of her absence lagged by with a most tediousmonotony. It seems to me now that I spent them entirely in marchingbackwards and forwards on the pavement of Pall Mall. Only one thing,indeed, afforded me any interest--the door in my garden wall. Forthere was nothing whatever amiss with the lock, and on no subsequentnight did it fly open. I closely examined my servants to ascertainwhether any one of them had made use of it for egress, but they allstrenuously denied that they had left the house that night, and I wasdriven to the conclusion that I had turned the key before closing thedoor, so that the lock had missed its socket in the post.

  On the fourth day, however, an incident occurred which made the nextweek fly like a single hour, and brought me to long most ardently, notmerely that the Countess might lengthen her visit, but that she woulddepart from England without so much as passing through London on herway. For as I waked that morning at a somewhat late hour, I perceivedMarston sitting patiently on the edge of my bed. He was inriding-dress, with his boots and breeches much stained with mud, andhe carried a switch in his hand. For a while I lay staring at him insilent surprise. He did not notice that I was awake, and sat absorbedin a moody reverie. At last I stirred, and he turned towards me. Inoticed that his face was dirty and leaden, his eyes heavy and tired.

  "You sleep very well," said he.

  "Have you waited long?"

  "An hour. I was anxious to speak to you, so I came up to your room."

  "We can talk the matter over at breakfast," said I cheerfully, though,to tell the truth, I felt exceedingly uneasy at the strangeness of hismanner. And I made a movement as though I would rise; but he budgednot so much as an inch.

  "I don't fancy we shall breakfast together," said he, with a slowsmile, and after a pause: "you sleep very well," he repeated,"considering that you have a crime upon your conscience."

  I started up in my bed.

  "Lie down!" he snarled, with a sudden fierceness, and with a queersense of helplessness I obeyed him.

  "That's right," he continued, with a patronising smile. "Keep quietand listen!"

  For the moment, however, there was nothing for me to listen to, sinceMarston sat silent, watching with evident enjoyment the concern whichI betrayed. He had chosen the easiest way with me. The least hint ofcondescension in another's voice always made me conscious in theextreme of my own shortcomings, and I felt that I lay helpless in somenew toils of his weaving.

  At last he spoke.

  "You killed Count Lukstein."

  I was prepared for the accusation by his previous words.

  "Well?" I asked, in as natural a tone as I could command.

  "Well," he returned, "I would not be too hard with you. What if youreturned to Cumberland to-day, and stayed there? Your estates, I amsure, will thrive all the better for their master's supervision."

  "My estates," I replied, "have a steward to supervise them. Theirmaster will return to them at no man's bidding."

  "It is a pity, a very great pity," said he thoughtfully, flicking hisswitch in the air. "For not only are you unwise in your own interests,but you drive me to a proceeding which I assure you is very repugnantand distasteful to my nature. Really, Mr. Buckler, you should havemore consideration for others."

  The smooth irony of his voice began to make my anger rise.

  "And what is this proceeding?" I inquired.

  "It would be my duty," he began, and I interrupted him.

  "I can quite understand, then, that it is repugnant to your nature."

  He smiled indulgently.

  "It is a common fault of the very young to indulge in dialectics atinappropriate seasons. It would be my duty, unless you retiredobediently to Cumberland, to share my knowledge with the lady you havewidowed."

  "I shall save you that trouble," said I, much relieved, "for I am inthe mind to inform the Countess of the fact myself. Indeed, I calledat her lodging the other day with that very object."

  "But the Countess had left, and you didn't." He turned on me sharply;the words were more a question than a statement. I remained silent,and he smiled again. "As it is, I shall inform her. That will make allthe difference."

  I needed no arguments to convince me of the truth of what he said. Theconfession must come from me, else was I utterly undone. I sat up andlooked at him defiantly.

  "So be it, then! It is a race between us which shall reach her first."

  "Pardon me," he explained, in the same unruffled, condescending tone;"there will be no race, for I happen to know where the Countess isa-visiting, and you, I fancy, do not. I have the advantage of you inthat respect."

  I glanced at him doubtfully. Did he seek to bluff me into yielding, Iwondered? But he sat on the bedside, carelessly swinging a leg, withso easy a composure that I could not hesitate to credit his words.However, I feigned not to believe him, and telling him as much, fellback upon my pillow with a show of indifference, and turned my facefrom him to the wall, as though I would go to sleep.

  "You do believe me," he insisted suavely. "You do indeed. Besides, Ican give you proof of my knowledge. I am so certain that I know thelady's whereabouts, and that you do not, that I will grant you fourdays' grace to think the matter over. A
s I say, I have no desire topress you hard, and to be frank with you, I am not quite satisfied asto how my information would be received." I turned back towards him,and noticing the movement, he continued: "Oh, make no mistake, Mr.Buckler! The disclosure will ruin your chance most surely. But will itbenefit me? That is the point. However, I must take the risk, andwill, if you persist in your unwisdom."

  I lay without answering him, turning over in my mind the only plan Icould think of, which offered me a chance of outwitting him.

  "You might send word to me, four days from now, which alternative youprefer. To-day is Monday. On Thursday I shall expect to hear fromyou."

  He uncrossed his legs as he spoke, and the scabbard of his swordrattled against the frame of the bed. The sound, chiming appositely tomy thoughts, urged me to embrace my plan, and I did embrace it, thoughreluctantly. After all, I thought, 'twas a dishonourable wooing thatMarston was about. So I said, with a sneer:

  "Men have been called snivelling curs for better conduct than yours."

  "By pedantic schoolboys," he replied calmly. "But then the schoolboyshave been whipped for their impertinence."

  With that he drew the bed-clothes from my chest, and raised his whipin the air. I clenched my fists, and did not stir a muscle. I couldhave asked for nothing that was more like to serve me. I made amistake, however, in not feigning some slight resistance, and hesuddenly flung back the clothes upon me.

  "The ruse was ingenious," he said, with a smile, "but I cannot gratifyyou to the extent you wish. In a week's time I shall have the greatestpleasure in crossing swords with you. But until then we must bepatient."

  My patience was exhausted already, and raising myself upon my elbow, Iloaded him with every vile epithet I could lay my tongue to. Helistened with extraordinary composure and indifference, stripping offhis gloves the while, until I stopped from sheer lack of breath.

  "It's all very true," he remarked quietly. "I have nothing to urgeagainst the matter of your speech. Your voice is, I think,unnecessarily loud, but that is a small defect, and easily reformed."

  The utter failure of my endeavour to provoke him to an encounter,combined with the contemptuous insolence of his manner, lifted me tothe highest pitch of fury.

  "You own your cowardice, then!" I cried, fairly beside myself withrage. "You have plotted against me from the outset like a common,rascally intriguer. No device was too mean for you to adopt. Why, themere lie about the miniature----"

  I stopped abruptly, seeing that he turned on me a sudden questioninglook.

  "Miniature?" he exclaimed. "What miniature?"

  I remembered the pledge which I had given to Ilga, and continuedhurriedly, seeking to cover up my slip:

  "I could not have believed there was such underhand treachery in theworld."

  "Then now," said he, "you are better informed," and on the instant hiscomposure gave way. It seemed as though he could no longer endure thestrain which his repression threw on him. Passion leaped into hisface, and burned there like a flame; his voice vibrated and broke withthe extremity of feeling; his very limbs trembled.

  "'Tis all old talk to me--ages old and hackneyed. You are onlyrepeating my thoughts, the thoughts I have lived with through thisdamned night. But I have killed them. Understand that!" His voiceshrilled to a wild laugh. "I have killed them. Do you think I don'tknow it's cowardly? But there's a prize to be won, and I tell you"--heraised his hands above his head, and spoke with a sort of devilishexaltation--"I tell you, were my mother alive, and did she standbetween Ilga and me, I would trample her as surely as I mean totrample you."

  "Damn you!" I cried, wrought to a very hysteria by his manner. "Don'tcall her by that name!"

  "And you!" he said, and with an effort he recovered his self-control."And you, are your hands quite clean, my little parson? You kill thehusband secretly, and then woo the wife with all the innocence andtimidity in the world. Is there no treachery in that?"

  I was completely staggered by his words and the contempt with whichthey were spoken. That any one should conceive my lack of assurance inpaying my addresses to be a deliberate piece of deceit, had never somuch as entered my head. I had always been too busy upbraiding myselfupon that very score. Yet I could not but realise now how plausiblethe notion appeared. 'Twas plain that Marston believed I had beencarefully playing a part; and I wondered: Would Ilga imagine that,too, when I told her my story? Would she believe that my deference andhesitation had been assumed to beguile her? I gazed at Marston,horror-stricken by the conjecture.

  "Ay!" said he, nodding an answer to my look, "we have found each otherout. Come, let us be frank! We are just a couple of dishonestscoundrels, and preaching befits neither of us."

  He moved away from the bedside, and picked up his whip which he haddropped on to the floor. It lay close to the window, and as he raisedhimself again, he looked out across the garden.

  "You overlook the Park," he said in an altered tone. "It is verystrange."

  At the time I was so overwhelmed by the construction which he hadplaced upon my behaviour, that I did not carefully consider what hemeant. Thinking over the remark subsequently, however, I inferred fromit, what indeed I had always suspected, that Marston had no knowledgehis interviews and promenades with the Countess had taken place withinsight of my windows.

  He took up his hat, and opened the door.

  "I told you fortune would give me my revenge," he said.

  "You are leaving your gloves," said I, awakened to the necessity ofaction by his leave-taking.

  The gloves were lying on the edge of the bed. Thanking me politely, hereturned, and stooped forward to take them. I gathered them in my handand tossed them into his face. His head went back as though I hadstruck him a blow; he flushed to a dark crimson, and I saw his fingerstighten about his whip. The next moment, however, he gave a littleamused laugh.

  "There is much of the child lingering in you, Mr. Buckler," he said."'Tis a very amiable quality, and I wonder not that it gets youfriends. Indeed, I should have rejoiced to have been reckoned amongthem myself, had such a consummation been possible."

  He spoke the last sentence with something of sincerity; but it onlyserved to increase my rage.

  "You cannot disregard the insult," I cried.

  "Why not? There are no witnesses."

  "There shall be witnesses and to spare on the next occasion," Ireplied, baffled by his coolness. He shrugged his shoulders.

  "You have four days to bring about that occasion. Afterwards I shallseek it myself."

  I had four days wherein to discover the whereabouts of CountessLukstein, or to compel Marston to an encounter. The one alternativeseemed impossible; the other, as I had evidence enough, little shortof impossible. Four days! The words beat into my brain like dullstrokes of a hammer. I could not think for their pressing repetition.I was, moreover, bitterly sensible that I had myself placed the weaponfor my destruction into Marston's hand.

  For there was no doubting that he had obtained his knowledge from hissister. I had plumed myself somewhat upon my diplomacy in revealing mysecret to her, and in using it as a means to force her to deny myacquaintance. Now, when it was all too late, I saw what a mistake mycleverness had been. For not only through Lady Tracy's swoon had Imissed my particular aim, but I had presented to my antagonist averitable Excalibur, and kept not so much as a poniard for my owndefence. Even then, however, I did not realise the entirety of themistake, and had no inkling of the price I was to pay for it.

  The first step which I took that morning was to make inquiries at thelodging of Countess Lukstein. The servants, however, whom she had leftbehind, knew--or rather pretended to know--nothing of their mistress'journey, beyond what they had previously told me.

  Since, then, it was impossible to search the length and breadth ofEngland within four days, I was thrown back upon my last resource. Itwas discreditable enough even to my fevered mind; but I could see noother way out of the difficulty, and at all costs I was resolved thatMarston should not relate his story
to the Countess until I hadrelated mine. For even if he was minded to speak the truth, it wouldmake all the difference, as he justly said, which of us twain spokethe first. I felt certain, moreover, that he would not speak thetruth. For, to begin with, he would ascribe my timidity to acarefully-laid plan, since that was his genuine conviction; and again,remembering the story which I believed him to have invented concerningthe miniature, I had no doubt that he would so embroider his actualknowledge that I should figure on the pattern as a common assassin.How much of the real history of Count Lukstein's death he knew, ofcourse I was not aware, nor did I trouble myself to consider.

  My conclusion, accordingly, was to fix upon him within the next fourdays an affront so public and precise that he must needs put thebusiness without delay to the arbitrament of swords; in which case, Iwas determined, one or the other of us should find his account.

  To this end I spent the day amidst the favourite resorts of the town,passing from the Piazza to the Exchange in search of him; thence backto St. Paul's Church, thence to Hyde Park, from the Park across thewater to the Spring Garden at Lambeth, and thence again to Barn Elms.By this time the afternoon was far advanced, and bethinking me that hemight by chance be dining abroad, I sought out the taverns which hemost frequented: Pontac's in Abchurch Lane, Locket's, and the"Rummer." But this pursuit was as fruitless as the former, and withoutwaiting to bite a morsel myself, I hurried to make the round of thechocolate-houses. Marston, however, was not to be discovered in any ofthem, nor had word been heard of him that day. At the "Spread Eagle,"in Covent Garden, however, I fell across Lord Culverton, and framingan excuse persuaded him to bear me company; which he did with greatgood-nature, for he was engaged at ombre, a game to which he was muchaddicted. At the "Cocoa Tree" in Pall Mall, I secured Elmscott by alike pretext, and asked him if he knew of another who was minded for afrolic, and would make the fourth. He presented me immediately to aMr. Aglionby, a country gentleman of the neighbouring county to myown, but newly come to town, and very boisterous and talkative. Ithought him the very man for my purpose, since he would be like tospread the report of the quarrel, and joining him to my company Isummoned a hackney coach, and we drove to the Lincoln's Inn Fields. Ahundred yards from Marston's house I dismissed the coach and sentElmscott and the rest of the party forward, myself following a littleway behind. I had previously instructed Elmscott in the part which Idesired him to play. Briefly, he was to inquire whether Marston waswithin; and if, as I suspected, that was the case, to seek admittanceon the plea that he wished to introduce a friend from the country, inthe person of Mr. Aglionby. Whereupon I was to join myself quietly tothe party, and so secure an entrance into the house in company withsufficient witnesses to render a duel inevitable upon any insult.

  Marston, however, was prepared against all contingencies, for fourservants appeared in answer to my cousin's knocking; and as theyopened the door no further than would allow one person to enter at atime, it was impossible even to carry the entrance by a rush. Myfriends, however, had no thought of doing that, since one of theservants came forward into the street and gravely informed them thathis master had fallen suddenly sick of an infectious fever, and layabed in a frenzy of delirium. Even as the fellow spoke, a noise ofshouts and wild laughter came through the open door. My companionsshuddered at the sounds, and with a few hasty expressions of regret,hurried away from the neighbourhood. I ran after them, shouting outthat it was all a lie; that Marston had not one-tenth of the feverwhich possessed me, and that his illness was a coward's dissimulationto avoid a just chastisement. However, I had better have spared mybreath; for my words had no effect but to alienate their good-will,and they presently parted from me with every appearance of relief.

  I walked home falling from depth to depth of despondency. The summerevening, pleasant with delicate colours, came down upon the town; theair was charged and lucent with a cool dew; the sweet odours of thecountry--nowhere, I think, so haunting, so bewitching to the senses aswhen one catches them astray in the heart of a city--were fragrant inthe nostrils, so that the passers-by walked with a new alertness intheir limbs, and a renewed youth in their faces; and as I stood at thedoor of my lodging, a great home-sickness swept in upon my soul, alonging for the dark fields in the starshine and the silent hillsabout them. I was seized with a masterful impulse to saddle my horseand ride out northwards through the night, while the lights grewblurred and misty behind me, and the fresh wind blew out of theheavens on my face. I doubt not, however, that the desire would havepassed ere I had got far, and that I should have felt much the samedesolate home-sickness for the cobbles and dust of London as I feltnow for Cumberland.

  However, I did not test the strength of my impulse; for while I stoodupon the steps debating whether I should go or stay, I perceived oneof Marston's servants coming towards me down the street. With a gravedeference, under which, rightly or wrongly, I seemed to detect acertain irony, he gave me his master's compliments, and handed me alittle stick of wood. There was a single notch cut deep into thestick. I understood it to signify that one day out of the four hadpassed, and--so strangely is a man constituted--this gibing menacedetermined me to stay. It turned my rage, with its fitful alternativesof passion and despair, into a steady hate, just as one may stirtogether the scattered, spurting embers of a fire into one glowingflame.

  Late that evening came Lord Elmscott to see me, and asked me with aconcern which I little expected, after his curt desertion of a fewhours agone, what dispute had arisen between Marston and myself. Itold him as much as I could without revealing the ground of ourquarrel; that Marston had certain knowledge concerning myself which hewas minded to impart to Countess Lukstein; that I was fully sensiblethe Countess ought to be informed of the matter, but that I wished tocarry the information myself; that I doubted Marston would not speakthe truth, but would distort the story to suit his own ends. The restof the events I related to him in the order in which they hadoccurred.

  "But it may be," he objected, "that Marston has really fallen sick."

  For reply, I handed him the stick of wood, and told him how it hadbeen delivered.

  "The fellow's cunning," he observed, "for not only is he out of yourreach, but he locks your mouth. You cannot urge that a man refuses tomeet you when he lies abed with a fever, and you cannot prove that thesickness is feigned."

  For awhile he sat silent, drumming with his fingers on the table. Thenhe asked:

  "How comes it that Marston knows of this secret?"

  "His sister must have told him," I replied.

  "His sister!" he repeated. "Why, you never met her before this month."

  "I told her on the first occasion that I met her. She was in somemeasure concerned in it."

  He looked at me shrewdly.

  "She was engaged to Sir Julian Harnwood," said he.

  I nodded assent.

  He brought his fist down on the table with a bang.

  "The trouble springs from that cursed journey of yours to Bristol. Iwarned you harm would come of it. Had Lady Tracy any reason to fearyou?"

  "None," I replied promptly.

  "Or any reason to fear Countess Lukstein?"

  "None," I replied again; but after a moment's thought I added: "Butshe did fear her. I am sure of it."

  He sprang to his feet.

  "Three days!" he cried. "Three days! We may yet outwit him."

  "How?" I asked, with the greatest eagerness.

  "I'll not tell you now. 'Tis no more than a fancy. Wait you here yourthree days. Keep a strict watch on Marston's house. 'Tis unlikely thathe will move before the time, since he would rather you spared him thetelling of the story; but there's no trusting him. On Thursday I willcome to you here before midnight; so wait for me, unless, of course,Marston leaves before then. In that case, follow him, but send wordhere of your direction. You must be wary; the fellow's cunning, andmay get free from his house in some disguise."

  With that he clapped his hat on his head, and rushed out into thestreet. For the next three days
I saw no more of him. About Marston'shouse I kept strict watch as he enjoined. There were but twoentrances: one in the facade of the building towards the Square, andthe second in a little side-street which ran along a wall of thehouse. Few, however, either came in or out of these entrances, for therumour of his sickness was spread abroad in the town, and even histradesmen dreaded to catch the infection. I was, moreover, certainthat he had not escaped, since each evening his servant came to mylodging and left a stick notched according to the number of days.

  On the morning of the Thursday, being the fourth day and my last ofgrace, I doubled the sentinels about the house, hiring for the purposesome fellows of whom my people had cognizance. At the entrances,however, I planted my own men, and bidding them mark carefully thefaces of such as passed out, in whatever dress they might be clothed,I retired to a coign of vantage at some distance whence I could keepan eye upon the house, and yet not obtrude myself upon the notice ofthose within it. In a little alley hard by I had stationed a groomwith the swiftest horse that I possessed, so that I might be preparedto set off in pursuit of my antagonist the moment word of hisdeparture was brought to me.

  Thus, then, I waited, my heart throbbing faster and faster as the daywore on, and every nerve in my body a jerking pulse. At last myexcitement mastered me; a clock in a neighbouring belfry chimed thehour of four, and I crept out of my corner and mingled with thegipsies and mountebanks who were encamped with their booths in thecentre of the Square. Amongst this motley crowd I thought myself safefrom detection, and moved, though still observing some caution,towards the front of Marston's house. It wore almost an air ofdesertion; over many of the windows the curtains were drawn, and nevera face showed through the panes of the rest. I could see that my menwere still stationed at their posts, and I began to think that we mustneeds prolong our vigil into the night. Shortly after six, however,the hall-door was opened, and the same servant who brought me thesticks of an evening came out on to the steps. He looked neither tothe right nor to the left, but without a moment's hesitation steppedacross the road, and threading the tents and booths, came directlytowards me. It was evident that I had been remarked from some quarterof the house, and so I made no effort at further concealment, butrather went forward to meet him. With the same grave politeness whichhad always characterised him, he offered me a letter.

  "My master," said he, "bade me deliver this into your hand two hoursafter he had left."

  "Two hours after he had left!" I gasped, well-nigh stunned by hiswords.

  "Two hours," he replied. "But I have been a trifle remiss, I fear me,and for that I would crave your pardon. It is now two hours and a halfsince my master departed."

  He made a low bow and went back to the house, leaving me stupidlystaring at the letter.

  "My fever," it ran, "is happily so abated that I am to be carried thisinstant into the country. There will be no danger, I am assured,providing _that I am well wrapped up_. Au revoir! Or is itadieu?--HUGH MARSTON."

  The sarcasm made my blood boil in my veins, and I ran to the sentinelsI had posted before the entrances, rating them immeasurably for theirnegligence. They heard me with all the marks of surprise, andexpostulated in some heat. No one, they maintained, who in any wayresembled Mr. Marston had left the house; they had watched mostfaithfully the day long, without a bite of food to stay theirstomachs. Somewhat relieved by their words, I took no heed of theirforward demeanour, but gave them to understand that if their wordswere true, they should eat themselves into a stupor an they were sodisposed. For I began to fancy that the letter was a ruse to induce meto withdraw my watchmen from the neighbourhood, and thus open a freepassage for my rival's escape.

  With the view of confirming the suspicion, I ordered them to give me astrict and particular account of all persons who had come from thehouse that day. For those who had kept guard before the front-door thetask was simple enough. A few gentlemen had called; but of them onlyone, whom they imagined to be the physician, had entered the hall. Hehad reappeared again within half an hour or so of his going in, and,with that exception, no person had departed by this way.

  The side-door, however, had been more frequently used. Now and again aservant had come out, or a tradesman had delivered his wares. At onetime a cart had driven up, a bale of carpets had been carried into thehouse, and a second bale fetched out.

  "What!" I cried, interrupting the speaker. "A bale of carpets? At whattime?"

  He knew not exactly, but 'twas between three and four, for he heard aclock chime the latter hour some while afterwards.

  "You dolt!" I cried. "He was in the carpets."

  "I know nought of that," he answered sullenly. "You only bade me notefaces, and I noted them that carried the carpets. You said nothingabout noting carpets."

  The fellow was justly indignant, I felt; for, indeed, I doubt whetherI should have suspected the bale myself but for Marston's letter. So Idismissed the men from their work, and rode slowly back to my lodging.Marston had three hours' start of me already; by midnight he wouldhave nine, even supposing that Elmscott arrived with trustworthyintelligence. What chance had I of catching, him?

  I walked about the room consumed with a fire of impatience. I seemedto hear the beat of hoofs as Marston rode upon the way; and thefurther he went into the distance, the louder and louder grew thesound, until I was forced to sit down and clasp my head between myhands in a mad fear lest it should burst with the racket. And then Isaw him--saw him, as in a crystal, spurring along a white, windingroad; and strangely enough the road was familiar to me, so that I kneweach stretch that lay ahead of him, before it came in view and wasmirrored in my imaginings. I followed him through village and wood;now a river would flash for a second beneath a bridge; now a hill liftin front, and I noticed the horse slacken speed and the rider leanforward in the saddle. Then for a moment he would stand outlinedagainst the sky on the crest, then dip into a hollow, and out againacross a heath. At last he came towards the gate of a town. How Iprayed that the gate would be barred! We were too distant to ascertainthat as yet. He drove his spurs deeper into the flanks of his horse.The gate was open! He dashed at full gallop down a street; turned intoa broad lane at right angles; the beat of hoofs became louder andlouder in my ears. Of a sudden he drew rein, and the sound stopped. Hesprang from his horse, mounted a staircase, and burst into a room. Iheard the door rattle as it was flung open. I knew the room. Irecognised the clock in the corner. I gazed about me for theCountess--and Elmscott's hand fell upon my shoulder.

  "Why, lad, art all in the dark?"

  "I have just reached the light," I cried, springing up in a frenzy ofexcitement. "The Countess Lukstein lies at the 'Thatched HouseTavern,' in Bristol town."

  "Damn!" said Elmscott. "I have just ridden thither and back to findthat out."

  And he fell swearing and cursing in a chair, whilst I rang for candlesto be brought.