CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.
AN INVITATION DECLINED.
"Come, Mr Saul, sir, drink a little more of this," said DoctorLawrence; and he held a glass to the young man's lips, as he lay back onthe sofa, where he had been lifted, for the words he had heard utteredhad so strange an effect upon him that he had stood staring wildly for afew moments, and then uttered a sudden, low cry, and fallen heavily uponthe carpet.
"Better now," he said, drinking with avidity; and then sitting up quitecalm and connected. "A sudden fit of giddiness. I have been travellingnight and day. I have not eaten; and the suddenness of this newscompletely overset me. Very absurd, of course."
"No, sir; quite natural," said the doctor quietly.
"Yes," said Saul, with a peculiar laugh, "in a girl; but not in a strongman."
"And now, if you will take my advice," said the doctor, "you willpartake of some refreshment, and leave all further discussion of thisbusiness till another day."
"No," said Saul hoarsely, "I must have all this cleared up before I go."
"Well, we can arrange that," said Gertrude smiling. "I will tell Dentonto see that you have a room made ready; sleep here to-night."
"Sleep? here?" cried Saul quickly. "No, thank you; I shall get back totown."
"Far wiser to stay, sir," said the doctor quietly.
"No. You will be going back; I'll go with you."
"As you like," said the doctor; and at that moment Mrs Hamptonwhispered to Gertrude as they stood apart.
"You asked him--to stay!"
"Yes," said Gertrude, with her eyes full of perplexity. "I cannot tellhow it was, but I do not feel afraid of him now."
She started almost as she spoke, for an angry voice behind exclaimed:
"Well, sir, why are you looking at me like that?"
"For the simple fact that I was eager to see what kind of man my cousinSaul might be."
"Your cousin, sir. You have to prove that yet," cried Saul excitedly.
"Of course; of course! Don't be put out about it, or I shall begin tothink you did not want me to come back."
"Gentlemen, gentlemen?" cried Mr Hampton, "pray let us have calmnessand discretion; there are ladies here."
"Yes; I am quite cool; and I beg their pardon."
"But may I ask why you are here this evening, sir," said the lawyer. "Ithought, after our last meeting, it was decided that you should waitpatiently."
"Yes, sir; I promised against myself. Self has mastered me. I calledon Doctor Lawrence; found he was coming down. I could not keep away. Ibeg pardon all the same."
All this while Saul was glaring at the speakers in a curiously excitedmanner, which took the doctor's attention, and he crossed to his side.
"I don't want to alarm you, Saul Harrington," he whispered; "but if youdo not control yourself, you will have another fit. Besides, all thiswill fly to your bad arm."
"Oh, I'm calm enough now," was the impatient reply; but as Saul spokethe veins were beginning to stand out in knots about his temples, forthe visitor had crossed to Gertrude and shaken hands, while herpeaceful, gratified look, and the smile she gave, as she looked up inhis eyes, seemed to madden him.
"Come away," whispered the doctor.
"What! and leave that man, that impostor, here?"
"Who said impostor?" cried the new pretender, turning sharply round."You, sir? All right, Gertrude, I will not quarrel with him. I daresay it is natural, but not a pleasant thing for me to bear."
"Get them both away, or we shall be having terrible trouble," whisperedMrs Hampton in her husband's ear.
"Yes. Gentlemen, everything connected with this matter must be left tothe law of your country. The use of language tending to anger is notlikely to settle matters. Mr Saul Harrington, I have explained thestate of affairs to you, and you grasp all that is necessary for you toknow at present."
"You sent for me," cried Saul fiercely, "and I decline to go and leaveMiss Bellwood in company with this strange man, whose claims arepreposterous."
"Then I must appeal to you, sir," said the lawyer. "You came downunasked; your presence is likely to cause unpleasantry; trust me thatyou shall have justice done, so please to go."
"I, George Harrington, feel that I have a perfect right to be here, MrHampton; and I cannot help resenting the overbearing manner of mycousin."
"George," said Gertrude softly, as she laid her hand in his; "I believein you."
"Ah!" he cried, in a low, eager tone.
"Be content, and go."
"I could not exist without seeing you," he whispered; and the colourcame warmly into her cheeks at his words. "You wish me to go?"
"Yes."
There was a pleading look in her eyes which disarmed all resistance;and, pressing her hand, he turned to Mrs Hampton.
"Good-night," he said; "I know I have an advocate in you. Gentlemen,good-evening. I will call at your office in the morning, Mr Hampton."
He left the room, and, as soon as the gate was heard to clang, Gertrudesigned to Mrs Hampton and they left the room, for Saul's mannerbetokened another storm.
Too truly, for the next minute it broke out with uncontrolled violence--words he did not mean to utter pouring from his lips.
"It is a lie! A fraud! A base piece of cozening?" he cried. "The manis an impostor, who has come forward to rob me of my rights."
"Your rights, Mr Saul," said the lawyer slowly; "what are they?"
"I mean my rights as next-of-kin. Where is my cousin George? He mustbe found: he shall be found!"
"Stop, sir!" cried Doctor Lawrence, in a stern voice, as he caught thespeaker by the shoulder. "As a physician, I know your condition betterthan you know it yourself. I have given you fair warning of the dangerof giving way to anger like this. You will not heed my remonstrances,so now I insist upon your being calm."
"Calm! How can a man be calm?"
"When he is goading himself on to an apoplectic fit? I don't know, sir;but you have to be calm, or I must give you some drug that will makeyou."
"No, no," cried the young man, with a gesture full of horror.
"Then obey me. Your conduct is suicidal, and I feel as if I wereassisting at a murder. You had better sleep here to-night."
Saul turned upon him with so fierce a gesture that the doctor gave way.
"Very well; I will see you to your apartments in town. Good-night,Hampton. No fresh clue, I suppose?"
The lawyer shook his head as he walked down towards the gate with them.
"None whatever. It is a very mysterious affair; and I feel now as if weought to place the matter in the hands of the police."
"Feel giddy, Mr Saul?" said the doctor, for his companion had suddenlystruck against his arm.
"I beg pardon, no; I nearly fell. The worst of these country places. Itrod on a slug or toad, and only having one arm at liberty, I--"
"Committed murder--involuntarily, of course," said the doctor with achucks. "Well, things that are in one's way should get out of one'sway."
Saul made no reply, but he breathed hard, went silently down the stationroad, and then to himself:
"Or be put out of one's way," and he started again as if fearful thathis words had been heard.