CHAPTER X
Ebenezer Clayhill's Inspiration
Mr. Ebenezer Clayhill was not the man to be thwarted without displayingsome show of opposition, and though the course which David Harbor hadtaken, and the result of his action in the Courts had considerablyperturbed the owner of 'The Haven,' the latter did not remain despondentfor long.
'The young rascal!' he exclaimed to his wife one day, as they sat in theflat which they had rented in London, for longer residence in their ownhouse was hardly possible, the publication of their doings having rousedthe ire of the countryside. Indeed, both Ebenezer and his wife had beenhooted in the village, while, on rising the morning after their returnfrom the trial of the case they had been astounded to discover a hugenotice board in the garden, prominently displayed, with 'To Let' inlarge figures, a very obvious hint that their presence in those partswas no longer required.
'The young rascal!' he exclaimed again, blowing his huge nose withunusual violence. 'I suppose he thinks to have things all his own way.'
'And so far he has won all along the line,' came the brusque if not veryencouraging answer from Mrs. Clayhill. 'I knew what it would be if youquarrelled with the boy. A more stubborn, strong-headed youth I nevermet. It was your sending him from home which upset matters.'
Mr. Ebenezer glared at his wife over the top of his handkerchief, andwhen he at length exposed the whole of his countenance it was flushed adeep red to match the wonted colour of his proboscis.
'We won't discuss that,' he said icily. 'The boy hasn't won, though heappears to have done so. Recollect that he has yet to find that will,and China is a big country.'
The reflection appeased Mrs. Clayhill for the moment. 'Yes, China is abig country,' she agreed, thoughtfully. Then she again recurred toDavid's stubbornness, as she was pleased to characterise his pluck andstaunchness. Indeed, the reader will have been able to draw his ownconclusions. If standing up for oneself, and fighting one's own battleswhen a most evident wrong was attempted was stubbornness, then David wasundoubtedly of that persuasion, decidedly stubborn to say the least.'China is a big country, as Edward Harbor was never tired of telling me.But he'll do it. If that will exists, as I believe it does--for my latehusband was most careful and particular--then David will discover it.Drat the boy!'
'Precisely! We will allow that he will hunt high and low,' said Mr.Ebenezer, assuming a soothing tone of voice. 'We will even assume thathe will find the will, though of that I am extremely doubtful. But willhe bring it back in safety? That is the question.'
At his words his wife looked up sharply. She was accustomed to Ebenezernow, and had found him to be a schemer. Not that that fact annoyed her.On the contrary, as has been already mentioned, this lady was not of thenicest disposition. Had the whole truth been known, she had schemed tomarry Edward Harbor, knowing him to be a rich man, while she was almostpenniless. She was, indeed, not altogether guiltless of schemingherself, and found in Ebenezer a man somewhat after her own heart. Shelooked up sharply, questioningly, and waited for him to continue.
'Well?' she demanded, after a while, finding he remained silent, savefor the fact that he drew his handkerchief from his pocket again andapplied it to his nose, trumpeting loudly, an old and disagreeable habitthat was often annoying. 'Put that handkerchief away, Ebenezer, and tellme what you mean. What are you driving at? The boy may find the will,you say, but you doubt his bringing it back safely. Why shouldn't he beable to do so? If he actually finds this will, surely that is the mostdifficult part of the task. I don't understand you.'
'My dear,' came the answer, as Ebenezer pulled at his handkerchiefagain, and then, suddenly remembering that it annoyed his wife, tuckedit away. Instead he rose and placed himself in his favourite position onthe hearth-rug, expanded his chest, and put on an air of greatimportance. 'My dear,' he said, 'let us assume that he gets thisdocument. He discovers it in China, in the part where his father carriedout research work in connection with some old Mongolian city. I say,let us assume that he is so fortunate. Well, China is a country ofdisturbances. Foreign devils are not over loved, and--er--well, yousee--er--sometimes there are robberies committed. Edward Harbor wasmurdered, probably for his small possessions, his guns and other thingsnecessary to him on such an expedition. David might----'
'Be murdered! You don't mean that!' exclaimed Mrs. Clayhill, holding upher hands in horror, and sitting up sharply in her chair. For that wasgoing too far. A scheme was a scheme, she told herself. She had gone sofar already in her efforts to oust her stepson from all benefit in hisfather's possessions, that she would not hesitate to scheme further; butshe drew the line sharply at personal violence. That was against herwishes altogether.
'Ebenezer,' she cried severely, 'I forbid you even to talk of such athing. If we cannot enjoy this money without doing actual violence toDavid, then I will at once go to the solicitor, Mr. Jones, and show himthat letter Edward wrote me. If I produced it, there is not a shadow ofdoubt but that a judge would advise a jury against the will we have putforward. The wording is so strong that there can be no doubt not only ofmy late husband's intentions, but also of the fact that he actuallyexecuted a will in David's favour. It would end the matter for good andall; we should be almost paupers.'
Mrs. Clayhill was quite agitated, to say the least, and was almost angrywith her husband. In any case she was consistent; for while she was notaverse to a scheme which would do no one personal or bodily harm, shewould rather resign all interest in the possessions of her late husbandthan have David injured. And as might be expected, Ebenezer was not leftaltogether unruffled. The excitement was too much for his powers ofself-control. He dragged his handkerchief from his pocket and trumpetedagain, a shrilly, discordant note which seemed to match with Mrs.Clayhill's temper. Then he regained his coolness, and held his hands upin a soothing manner.
'My dear, my dear,' he cried, somewhat querulously, still hot andperturbed at the thought of the consequences of such an act as his wifehad threatened, 'whoever said a word about violence? Not I; of that I amsure. I merely remarked that China was a disturbed country, and thatEuropeans are hated people, open to robbery and violence. I was about toproceed when----'
'What then?' asked Mrs. Clayhill, abruptly, relieved to hear that noviolence to David was premeditated, and eager at the same time to learnwhat her crafty husband could have thought of. 'What is the scheme,Ebenezer? You keep me in a whirl. The anxiety of this will is making mequite miserable. See what has happened already. The people in thevillage actually insulting, hooting us in the street; servants leavingus _en masse_, even the outside staff ceasing work and departing. Why,we shall have to let the house. We can never show our faces there again.And then think of what the papers said. It makes me hot and cold allover in turn as I remember the names they called us.'
It was all very true. Mr. Ebenezer and his scheming wife had imaginedthat everything would go very smoothly for them; for they had but a ladto deal with. Up to the time of David's being told that he must nowwork, and must leave home for London, there had not been even a questionas to the succession to Edward Harbor's money. It had been a recognisedfact that all his wealth was to descend, and at once too, to Mrs.Ebenezer Clayhill and her husband. Even the solicitor, Mr. Jones, with anatural liking for our hero, and, therefore, with every wish to see himdone justice to, had been unable to demur. Unwillingly, it is true, butas a matter of ordinary business, he had carried through the proving ofthe will put forward by Mr. Ebenezer Clayhill and his wife, and hadobtained judgment allowing him to presume Edward Harbor's death. Then,when everything should have gone smoothly, trouble had begun. David hadfor the first time shown an inclination to contest the will. He hadmentioned the existence of a letter from his late father, evidentlywritten at the same time as that sent to Mrs. Ebenezer, and intimatingthat he was to be the chief beneficiary under his father's will. Thatbomb-shell had caused consternation, even greater consternation thanDavid's sudden determination to leave home. From that moment the twoschemers had known little peace; t
heir scheme was threatened. They beganto wonder whether they would actually succeed to the money, and whetheralso by their action in suppressing that important communication fromEdward Harbor they laid themselves open to punishment. David's suddenaccession to popularity, the laudatory remarks made concerning him inthe papers after the burglary at the store near Bond Street had servedto increase their ire and vexation. Finally, they were forced to attendthe courts to show reason why the will of the late Edward Harbor shouldnot remain unexecuted, pending a search for a later one mentioned in theletter which David's advisers laid before the courts. Let the readerimagine their anger and mortification. Let him add to that the fact thatEbenezer and his wife were the talk of the country, universallycondemned by all, and that their own home no longer afforded them anasylum; he will then readily agree that retribution was coming, thatthese two schemers were not finding their path of the smoothest. Butthey were not beaten. Ebenezer spread out his hands again, in anattitude meant to be most soothing, and addressed his wife once more.
'We are wandering from my point,' he said, as placidly as he could,though he found it hard to keep his temper. 'I mentioned no violence tothe young cub whom you have the misfortune to own as a stepson. I merelysaid that he might find it difficult to bring the document home withhim, even if he were so fortunate as to discover it.'
'Ebenezer, you have something to tell me,' came the sharp answer. 'Whatis it? You have been hatching some plan.'
His wife smiled encouragingly at him, and awaited his reply with obviouseagerness. For she had found in this new husband a crafty fellow, andeven now had faith in his powers to bring this matter to a successfulissue. 'Come,' she said, 'what have you done?'
'I have had a most distinct piece of good fortune. All this prominencewhich the papers have given us, and which has been so disagreeable, hasbeen useful nevertheless. It has roused a vast amount of interest in thecase. People have read every word the papers have written.'
'As we know to our cost,' sniffed Mrs. Ebenezer.
'Precisely. People have read every word, even foreigners, and as aresult I received a few days ago a letter from a man living in the eastend of London--from a Chinaman.'
Mrs. Ebenezer pricked up her ears; the plan was beginning in a promisingmanner. 'A Chinaman,' she ejaculated. 'Indeed!'
'A Chinaman engaged in the East End; a man recently come from his owncountry, where he had come in contact with Europeans. He had actuallybeen with Edward Harbor on one occasion, and seems to have made himselfinvaluable, for he speaks English well, and can cook and do otherthings. He offered to help us.'
'For money, of course!' exclaimed Mrs. Ebenezer, satirically.
'Of course, my dear; for what else? He has no direct interest in us. Butsupposing he were to succeed in helping us, then his interest comes in.We could afford to reward him handsomely.'
The lady leaning back in her chair nodded sharply, and looked at herhusband with a cunning gleam in her eyes. She was beginning to seedaylight Here, perhaps, was a means to defeat David Harbor and withoutsubjecting him to violence. She fanned herself with a newspaper, forthe sudden hope which the tale brought made her feel oppressively hot.'We could afford to reward him handsomely,' she declared, in the mostunctuous manner. 'What did you offer?'
'I gave him a hundred pounds for his expenses, and promised a thousandif he were successful.'
Mrs. Ebenezer clapped her hands energetically. She was delighted, andthoroughly in agreement with her husband. What a shrewd fellow he was,to be sure, she thought. Why, a thousand pounds was well spent if onlythey could destroy that will, the existence of which paralysed their ownschemes, and might make paupers of them. Then a sudden doubt came to hermind, for like every schemer and dishonest person this lady was quick toperceive where this plan might break down. She imagined herself in theplace of the Chinaman who had come to her husband, and cogitated whatshe would do under similar circumstances.
'Why,' she suddenly declared, in no little alarm, 'a hundred pounds isriches to a Chinaman. Supposing this ruffian makes off with your money,and does not try to help you. Supposing he forgets all about us once hehas left the country?'
'He has left the country already,' came the swift and somewhatdisconcerting answer. 'I sent him off hurriedly; he will not fail us.'
'Why?' Mrs. Clayhill was insistent. More than that, she was more thanusually artful. In fact, Edward Harbor, poor fellow, could not have comeacross a woman less suited to his tastes and feelings, while EbenezerClayhill found in the widow of the late Edward Harbor a woman cunningand clever, and to some extent unscrupulous. To some large extent onemight say, for who could describe the action of this pair as other thanunscrupulous? Alas! the attempt to deprive a near relative ofpossessions due to him is nothing new. The same sort of sordid schemehas been practised many a time with variations, and sometimes withsuccess. Not every case has been associated with a lad of David Harbor'snature, nor with one possessed of his determination and courage. Still,if in this particular affair there were such a person, as these twoschemers had found already to their chagrin and cost, on the other sideour hero was opposed to a couple of crafty people, of whom Mrs. Clayhillwas by no means the inferior.
'How do you know that this fellow will not fail us?' she demanded,rising from her seat and walking to the window, which she threw up, asif the room were too hot for her. 'How? I am suspicious.'
'You always are, my dear,' chuckled her husband. 'But it will be allright. This Chinaman is the very man we want. I told you it was a pieceof extraordinary good fortune his writing to me, for there is more totell you about him. He is a deposed mandarin.'
'I thought no such person existed,' said Mrs. Clayhill quickly. 'Amandarin at fault is a dead mandarin, so far as I have been able togather.'
'Unless he escapes. Unless he escapes, my dear,' suggested Mr. Ebenezer.
'Then this man?----'
'Escaped. Disguised himself, and made for Canton on a river boat. Then,thanks to his knowledge of English, he was able to ship aboard a vesselsailing for England. Once China was left behind he was safe, and thecrafty fellow so contrived matters that it was assumed in his owncountry that he had become desperate, and had thrown himself into theriver. That mandarin, to all intents and purposes, is dead. He can beginlife again in China as an altogether different person, without incurringany suspicion. No one, not even the mandarin who had his trial in hand,and who had caused him to be arrested for an attack upon some Europeanswould recognise him. Dao Chang is a name which none will associate withHang Chiou, the mandarin who was to have been beheaded.'
'Attack on Europeans! This man a mandarin, and yet a servant toEuropeans,' protested Mrs. Clayhill. 'I am bewildered. There issomething missing in your description, Ebenezer.'
It was not at all remarkable that she was to some extent confused, forat the beginning of his tale of this Chinaman, the ruffian, who was theinstigator of this attempt to rob David Harbor, had declared that theman had taken service with some Europeans, and could cook, as well asspeak English. Then how could he be servant and mandarin at one and thesame time? Surely there was an error in the narrative! But Ebenezersmiled cunningly as he noticed his wife's bewilderment, and again spreadhis hands out in a manner calculated to soothe her. Then he made a divefor his handkerchief, but remembering in time, rubbed both fat memberstogether as if he were washing them. To speak with absolute impartialitythe man looked, as he stood there in front of the fire, precisely andexactly what he was. He had the appearance of a mean, sneaking villain,capable of planning the most cunning plot from the security of hisfireside, but sure to turn tail and decamp at the first sign of danger.But his wife was blind to his imperfections. Had she been as other womenare, no doubt, she would have recoiled from this man. But Mrs. Clayhillwas what she was, and guile and cunning pleased her. She went back toher chair, and sat down in the most placid manner, as if she werelistening to the most ordinary tale.
'Go on, Ebenezer,' she lisped. 'You interest me vastly. Tell me more ofthis man who was
mandarin and common servant.'
'And who was arrested for complicity in the murder of certainEuropeans,' remarked her husband, promptly, and in the quietest tones,to which, however, he contrived to lend some subtle note that was easilydetected. Swiftly his wife looked up, loosing all appearance ofplacidity.
'For complicity in the murder of certain Europeans,' repeated Ebenezer,watching his wife closely, and bringing into special prominence the lasttwo words of his short sentence.
'Certain Europeans 'What do you mean? Ebenezer, I do declare, youbewilder me. Certain Europeans! Why, you can't mean that----'
There was a sleek smile on the man's face as she looked up at him. Heappeared to be in that position where he hardly knew whether it woulddo, considering all the circumstances, to show pleasure here, though,knowing his wife as he did, he rather fancied she would not take umbrageif he were to show some trace of satisfaction. And he was right. Mrs.Clayhill smiled. After all, poor Edward Harbor was only a bitter memoryto her.
'You can't mean that this man had to do with the murder of poor Edward,'she cried, attempting to assume horror, though there was no doubt at allthat she was vastly interested. 'Tell me more,' she demanded eagerly.'This man is a find indeed. I can't believe it possible. He implicatedin that wretched affair! You will tell me next that he had something todo with this will which David has gone in search of.'
If Ebenezer ever allowed himself to laugh outright, he was as near aspossible permitting himself that luxury on this occasion. His fat facereddened and beamed. His nose became peculiarly prominent on account ofits heightened colour, and once more his hands washed oilily together.Ugh! He would have given an honest person a cold shiver.
'You are wonderfully far-seeing, my dear,' he laughed. 'And now you seemto have got to the depth of the story. This Hang Chiou, or to give himhis modern name, Dao Chang, is as crafty as he is long-headed. Itappears that Edward Harbor and his staff were working in his district,for Chang was only a minor official, and very poor at that. He saw thatthe expedition was possessed of certain riches, and moreover, he knewthat they had discovered ancient bronzes which would bring money in oneof the open ports. He decided to have that money. He gave out that hewas going to Pekin on an official visit, and quietly disguised himselfas a coolie. Then he took service with Edward Harbor and his partners.One day he led a band of coolies against them, and killed them all. Thenhe swore all the coolies to secrecy, and declared himself as themandarin of the district. Of course, the bulk of the booty fell to him,and with it all Edward's papers. He had hardly returned home, however,making believe that he was from Pekin, when he was betrayed by a coolie,and at once arrested. You know the rest of the story.'
Truly it was a marvellous narrative; it was almost unbelievable--yet,why not? Unless the whole thing was a plot to obtain money. Mrs.Clayhill promptly voiced the doubts in her mind.
'He may have fooled you,' she declared. 'One hundred pounds would hardlytempt him to return to China. Most likely he is still here.'
But there was no doubt in the face of the man who had been speaking.Ebenezer looked confident. He chuckled as he thought of his ownastuteness.
'My dear,' he proclaimed, with unusual emphasis, 'it requires a cleverman to deceive me. Besides, I am very careful. I booked the man'spassage. I saw him off. He was aboard when the ship was in mid-ocean.The wireless telegraph told me that with ease and certainty. No, let ushave no doubts. Dao Chang does not require money alone to tempt him toChina. He willingly risks his head to get even with the coolie whobetrayed him, as also to work his revenge on the mandarin who was theactual cause of his downfall. Besides there is another reason. If hecould earn the money I have promised, he could buy evidence to clear hisname with the greatest certainty. He could even buy a position of somepower, and of greater affluence. In fact, he could reinstate himself.There is his object.'
'But----'
'You cannot see farther. Quite so,' said this soft-spoken ruffian. 'Iwill proceed at once. Chang sailed promptly so as to land in Chinabefore the party to which David is attached. He will enter himself asone of their servants. Then he will earn his reward from us by takingpossession of the will should they happen to find it. If not, he himselfwill make search for it on his own account. Should that happen he willhave done with your stepson and his friends, though I suspect that hewill relieve them of any valuables. He will send us the document so thatwe may destroy it, and will then be free to carry out his own business.Our affair first, you understand, his own afterwards.'
It was a crafty piece of scheming when all things were considered, andlooking at the matter from Ebenezer's point of view there was no reasonat all why he should not be eminently satisfied. For fortune seemed tohave played fairly with him. The very ruffian who had instigated themurder of Edward Harbor had offered his services; and it was thisChinaman's direct interest to find the will for which David wasjourneying to the country of the Celestials. It was not as if the manhad been asked to discover a jewel of vast value. For then one mighteasily have suspected his honesty and good intentions. Here only adocument was in question, a piece of parchment, perhaps, with a fewwritten lines upon it, valueless to all but our hero and the twoschemers who should have been father and mother to him. Valueless in anycase to Chang, the ruffianly Chinaman, so useless, in fact, that hewould be eager to change it for the thousand pounds so readily offeredby Ebenezer. Undoubtedly, the man who had married David's stepmother wasdelighted, and by the time he had finished his narrative, so also wasMrs. Clayhill.
'It is all wonderful and most fortunate. I can sleep in peace,' sheventured, 'for I know that no violence will be offered.'
She departed from the room in high feather, while hardly had the doorclosed when her husband smiled broadly, and in a most suggestivemanner.'
'Clever woman,' he told himself. 'Precious clever; but I have toremember that she is a woman, with natural distaste of murders andsudden attacks. Glad I didn't tell her all that Chang hinted. What luckto be sure to have dropped on the fellow. You could have knocked me downwith a hat pin when I received his letter.'
Perhaps it was as well that Ebenezer had not told his wife all thestory; for there were parts of it to which that lady would mostcertainly have taken exception. As Ebenezer had remarked, Chang hadhinted many things, and had, in fact, spoken openly.
'You leave it to me to stop this English boy, then?' he had asked,prior to his departure on the boat. 'If, for instance, I could sendcertain news that he was killed or drowned, or something of that sort,that would be sufficient?'
'I will pay a thousand pounds for that will with pleasure,' Ebenezeranswered promptly. 'Of course, should this young fellow come by anaccident, and his death be sworn to by a British Consul, then the moneywould be paid with equal pleasure.'
There was no need to say more. The two ruffians parted with the mostperfect understanding, Chang to formulate schemes to bring about David'sundoing. And very soon he had an opportunity to carry them out. Hedisembarked at Hong-Kong, and waited for the arrival of the steamer onwhich David and his friends had left England. Then he sneaked on boardas a deck passenger, disembarking at Shanghai, where it will beremembered, the Professor and his party landed. And at once news reachedChang that a native boat was about to be chartered. It was anopportunity not to be missed. The Chinaman dived in amongst the ruck ofmen in the bazaar, and soon discovered others of equal villainy. It tooklittle persuasion on his part to induce a man to offer his boat to theProfessor, and but little work to organise a scheme of attack with apiratical vessel. Then Chang watched the departure with a grin on hisugly features.
'I think I shall be able to apply for that money very quickly,' he toldhimself. 'The scheme of attack is one which can hardly fail to besuccessful.'
Yet it failed, much to his fury. Thanks to Alphonse's watchfulness, andto the heroism of the whole party David and his friends escaped. It wasthe miscreants hired by Chang who suffered in the adventure, and indeedlost life and everything. Chang found himself at the beginning of hista
sk again, and what was worse, was now far removed from the Professorand his party. However, that was a matter which could be remedied, andtaking a boat along the coast it was not long before he landed at theport where the gun-boat commanded by the dapper little, English-speakingChinese officer had set them.
'Foreign devils marched up country,' he was told, when he made cautiousenquiries. 'Been gone some days, but you will easily catch them. Theyare making for the Ming To ruins.'
It was in that neighbourhood that the rascal Chang actually came up withthe expedition, and thereafter set his wits to work to bring about thedestruction of the party, and failing that, the death of David Harbor.
'I can crawl into the camp at night and slay him,' he told himself. 'OrI can fire at him while at work in the ruins. Yes, that is better. Ishall certainly kill him.'
He crept off to a hovel where he had obtained a lodging, and throwinghimself upon the kang, closed his eyes and gave himself up to deepcontemplation. In Chang David had all unknowingly an enemy even moresubtle and more dangerous than Ebenezer Clayhill.