CHAPTER NINE--CROSS-PURPOSES
"HAS the generalissimo been disobeying his own orders?" called out DollyRavenden from the porch, as Haynes came up the pathway early the nextmorning. He did not respond to the rallying tone, habitual between them,which covered a well-founded friendship. Instead he said:
"Miss Dolly, you heard that horse last night. What did you think of thecry?"
"It went through me like a knife," said the girl, shuddering. "I thoughtit was a death scream. The horse I was on thought so, too."
"I'd have sworn to it myself," said Haynes, and fell into deep thought.
"Well?" queried the girl after waiting impatiently. "It isn't a secret,is it?"
"Something in that line. I've just been all over the ground between theplace where Mr. Colton was assailed and the beach, without finding hideor hair of the horse. It must have escaped."
"I for one won't believe that until I see it alive."
Haynes glanced at her sharply. "Woman's intuition," he said. "I won'teither. Well, I'm going to breakfast."
The girl lingered, looking out into the ruddy-golden morning. It waslate September weather, a day burnished with sunlight. A faint hazesoftened the splendour of the knolls. The air was instinct with therare, fine quality of the vanishing summer. It was the falling cadenceof the season, one of the last few perfect, fulfilling notes of theyear's love-melody. With all the knowledge that death and horror lurkedsomewhere in the lovely expanse spread before her, Dolly Ravendenyearned to it. Soon she would be back amid the cosmopolitan gaieties ofthe Capital. She loved that too, but with a different and shallower partof her nature. Sharply it came to her that this year she would leavewith a deeper regret than ever before, and the nature of that regret wasformulating itself against the stern veto of her will. "A man I've notseen half a dozen times!" she half incredulously reproached herself.
A certain feminine exasperation against herself was illogically andperversely turned upon Dick Colton as he strode around the corner of thepiazza. The experienced wager of love-tilts might have interpreted theexpression she turned to him, and have fled the stricken field. PoorDick was the merest novice. His attitude toward women had always beenmuch the same as toward men, varying in degree according to the charm orquality of the individual, but all of a kind, until he had encounteredDolly Ravenden. To his unsuspecting mind it seemed that at the presentmoment he was in the greatest luck. The sun was shining with aspecial, even a personal, lustre. Abruptly it darkened several millioncandle-power as Miss Ravenden gave him the most casual of greetings andthe curve of a shoulder while she scanned the spreading landscape.
"Have I done anything, Miss Dol--Miss Ravenden?" asked blundering Dick.
"Done anything?" repeated she with indifferent inquiry. "I'm sure Idon't know."
This fairly nonplussed him. He sat down and wondered what to do next.Unfortunately his thoughts turned upon his brother.
"Isn't it great that you know Ev?" he pursued. "I'm so glad that I sentfor him to come down."
"You sent for him?" cried the girl in a tone that straightened up Dicklike a pin.
"Certainly. Why not?"
"To see Helga, I suppose."
"Yes."
"Of course you assumed that she was dying to see him."
"Not in the least," said Dick, with some spirit "Just to give him hisfair chance."
"You didn't think of being fair toward anyone else?"
"Toward whom?"
"Miss Johnston herself, in the first place. One expects a certain degreeof delicacy even from--from----"
"Don't smooth it down on my account," said Dick grimly. "You seem to bein a fairly frank mood to-day."
The imp of the perverse indeed was guiding Dolly's words now. "From aman one knows nothing whatever about," she concluded.
"And isn't interested in knowing," suggested he. "I'm as fond of Helgaas of my own sister," she went on vehemently. "She is only a yearyounger than I, but I've been about so much more that I--well, I assumesome responsibility for her." Her tone challenged Dick. He merely bowed.
"You know how it is between Helga and your brother?"
"Something of it."
"And knowing, do you think it was right to bring him down here?"
"Why not?"
"Because," said Miss Ravenden hotly, "your family became panic-strickenat the thought of Everard's marrying Helga, before they even took thetrouble to find out anything about her. To insult a woman whom theyhave never seen! Why--why--Helga is as---- If I had a brother, and HelgaJohnston was willing to marry him I should count it an honour to theRavendens."
All the imperious pride of a family who had been landed gentry in theSouth, while Colton's sturdy forebears were wielding pick and shovel inthe far West, who had signed the Declaration of Independence beforethe first American Colton had worked a toilsome passage across from hisNorth Country hovel to the land of sudden riches, shone in her eyes.
"So should I!" returned Dick quietly. "But surely Helga Johnston did nottell you all this?"
"No, she did not. It was the same meddlesome friend who first told herof your family's objections. Oh, if I were Everard I would tell hisfamily to--
"To go to the devil," suggested Dick helpfully.
"Please not to put words into my mouth! Yes, I should!" she returnedhotly. Then, illogically and severely added, "particularly such words.And after what I told you about Harris Haynes I should have thought thatan ordinary sense of justice--Oh, it was unmanly of you!"
Dolly's imp now had spurred her into a respectable state of rage, andDick's wrath rose to meet hers.
"Just a moment," he said. "What was that about Haynes?" Two wrinkledlines appeared between his eyes. His mouth altered in its set, giving tohis naturally pleasant face an aspect of almost savage determination.
"Why," thought Dolly, "he's looking at me as if I wasn't a girl at all,but just something in his path to beat down." And her quick pang ofalarm had something pleasurable in it.
"I want that again about Haynes."
"I say you were not fair to him. You know perfectly well that whateverchance Mr. Haynes may have with Helga----"
"Chance of what? Of marrying her?"
"Certainly," said Dolly boldly.
"Do you think she loves Haynes?"
"I don't know."
"You do know. You think that she doesn't. And do you think he lovesher?"
"Why should I tell you, when you will only browbeat and contradict me? Iknow this, that there is the most beautiful affection between them thatI have ever known between a man and a girl. With two people less finethan Helga and Harris Haynes it could not be so. You aren't capable ofunderstanding that sort of thing. And so you would destroy this for themere whim of a boy!"
"It is not the whim of a boy," returned Dick sternly. "It has madeEverard a man. I think she loves him."
"What if she does?" said the girl recklessly.
"You mean you would have her marry Haynes without love?"
"Yes," said Dolly, too far committed to back down now; but withinherself she was saying: "Oh, you wretched little liar!"
"Ah!" observed Dick with a change to cold courtesy that stung her morethan his wrath. "I haven't had the good fortune to meet many girlsso advanced in their views. Myself, both as a physician andunprofessionally, I am simple enough to think that loveless marriagesare unfortunate."
"Oh, sentimentality has its place, I suppose," said the imp withinDolly.
"I think I understand you," he said with an effort.
"You don't! Oh, you don't!" cried Dolly's better spirit. "Don't dare tothink of me so!" But the imp controlled the lips with silence.
"Yes, I think I understand," continued Dick. "I have had little timefor my social obligations; but I have seen enough to have met and beensickened by this before. That associations of what we call good societycan have so corrupted the view of life in a girl like you--Oh, it seemsincredible! Probably because it never happened to hit me personallybefore."
The girl
went perfectly white under the bitterness of his contempt.
"There is nothing further to say, Dr. Colton," she said, rising. Therewere a thousand things to say; but the imp of the perverse would notlet her say them. "You have only convinced me that for any woman to beconnected with your family would be the direst misfortune."
When Dick found himself alone there was a blur over his mental visionsuch as extreme pain brings to the physical eye. The whole wretchedscene repeated itself over and over. How readily he could have defendedhimself with Haynes' own words against the charge of unmanly treacheryto Haynes! How easily he could have refuted!--but to what purpose,since she was unworthy? Hatless and aimless, he wandered out upon thegrass-land.
Almost before he knew it he had reached the beach and was approachingGraveyard Point. Coming around a jut in the cliff he was amazed to seeProfessor Ravenden digging energetically at the sand with an improvisedshovel. At once the professor hailed him for help. Now, the normalman, no matter how miserable his mood, will rouse to the solution of amystery, and when Dick Colton saw the form of a horse partly revealed,he pitched in heartily.
"How did you find it?" he asked the professor.
"In passing I noticed that the cliff had given way above," was thereply. "As there had been no rain, some unusual occurrence must havecaused this. Closer examination revealed the leg of a horse, upon whichI inferred that here was buried the mare ridden by my young friend, yourbrother. Doubtless we soon shall perceive some clue as to the manner ofdeath."
But the body being wholly uncovered revealed no wound.
"Must have run off the cliff in her flight," suggested Colton.
"An almost untenable hypothesis," said Professor Ravendenargumentatively. "The place where your brother was unhorsed is a milefrom here, at least. We heard the animal's death-cry an hour after yourbrother's encounter. Could you devise any form of terror which would soafflict a horse as to drive it over a hundred-foot cliff, a full hourafter the origin of the panic?"
"No, I couldn't. Whatever it was that terrified, the poor brute musthave followed it. The juggler, I suppose."
"But for what purpose? However, I think we would best climb the cliff,and taking opposite directions examine the ground for any possibleindications."
So the professor struck off westward, while Colton took the line towardthe lighthouse. Soon his path led him down into one of the precipitousgullies. Inland from him a sharp turn shielded by large rocks cut offthe view, beyond which appeared the upper foliage of a scrub-oak patch.From among the rocks Dick heard a strange sound, like a gasp.
His hand went to his revolver, and he stopped short. Again the soundcame in a succession of cadences, like interrupted breathing. Dick movedforward. A stone slipped under his foot and rattled down among otherstones. There was instant silence.
Keeping himself sheltered, he walked firmly forward. Before a large rockhe paused, then holding the weapon ready he stepped around it. HelgaJohnston stood there, her hands pressed to her breast, her facetear-stained. She gave a little cry of relief.
"Ah, it is you!" she said.
"Did I frighten you?" asked Dick. "I'm awfully sorry. You've beencrying."
"Yes," said the girl.
"Was it as bad as that? I must have alarmed you very much."
"No," said the girl with the simple directness which he had admiredin her from the first. "I was frightened; but that was not why I wascrying."
"Has Everard been with you?"
"Yes."
"Miss Helga," said Dick soberly, "will you believe that I am yourfriend?"
"I don't know," replied the girl dubiously. "Why did you bring yourbrother down here?"
"Do you remember, I said to you that I wished I had a sister like you?That is why."
Helga flushed deeply. "It was not fair," she said. "Miss Johnston, isthere any reason why you should not marry my brother?"
"Yes."
"Is it because some day you may marry Mr. Haynes?"
"There has never been the suggestion of such a thing. Why you and DollyRavenden both insist on believing that Petit Pere wants to marry me,is--it's stupid!" said the girl indignantly.
"Ah! And Miss Ravenden has been advising you to marry Mr. Haynes?"
"She has been advising me not to," retorted Helga. "Harris Haynes is thebest man I have ever known, and I owe him everything; but Dolly knowsthat I don't--really, Dr. Colton, I don't know why I should be tellingyou all these things."
Dick, thunderstruck at the new light on Miss Ravenden's views, paid noattention to this mild suggestion that he mind his own business. Indeedit suddenly had become his own business with a vengeance.
"Miss Ravenden advised you not to marry Haynes? It can't be. She toldme----"
"You and Dolly seem to be very much interested in my affairs."
"I beg your pardon," said Dick. "Some day I hope to explain to you. Letus get back to Everard, You say there is a reason why you should notmarry him?"
"Yes."
"Don't you care for him?"
"That is a question you have no right to ask."
"Ah!" said Dick with satisfaction. "Then it is that wretched business ofthe family's opposition." Helga made no reply.
"Listen, Miss Helga," said Dick after a few moments' thought. "Someonetold my mother lies about you. I don't know what they were; but I doknow that they gave Mother a wrong impression. My mother is the bestmother in the world, and a good and noble woman, only she has oneattribute of the domestic hen. When alarmed she moves hurriedly, andusually in the wrong direction. The liar in this case alarmed her. Now,then: my father is a broken man; he has not long to live. I am virtuallythe head of the family. In this case the family will accept my decision.I ask you in their name if you will honour us by marrying my brother?Will you shake hands on the promise?"
He held out his hand, looking her in the eyes. Helga flushed deeply; butanswered the smile with her own as she said:
"Dr. Colton, you are a good man, and"--she hesitated for a moment--"somegirl will be very proud of you. But you aren't very wise about women, oryou would know that there is only one man a girl can give that promiseto. And," she added meaningly, "no one else can give it for her."
"I understand," he replied. "I say nothing."
"Then I'll shake hands on _your_ promise," she said gravely.
"Well, well, well!" said a thick voice above them. "That's a nicepicture. Whatcher think this is, Central Park? I'll tell that pup,Haynes."
Paul Serdholm, the life-guard from the Sand Spit station, stood on thebrink of the ravine. It was evident that he had been drinking.
"You go about your business," said Colton slowly.
"Oh, that's easy said," retorted the fellow. "I'm on the trouble-huntto-day. Went over to Bow Hill an' licked that shrimp Bruce for callin'me down the night of the wreck. Comin' back, I seen the Portuguesesneakin' along by an oak patch; so I dropped on him an' punched his faceup. I don't like Dagoes. Now I'm going to do you up, you fresh guy."
"Serdholm, you're drunk," said Helga contemptuously. "And you're makinga fool of yourself."
"An you'll report me at the station, hey? Just becuz you was washedashore here you think you own Montauk! Well, report an' be----!"
"That will do!" said Colton.
"Will it? Come up here and make it!" taunted Serdholm. "No? All right,I'll come down." Colton met him halfway. It was no fight; for thoughSerdholm was brawny the young physician was as greatly his superiorin strength as in science and condition. The coast-guard rolled to thebottom of the gully and lay there cursing feebly.
"He will lose his place for this," said Helga as they went shoreward. "Ihope he will, the beast!"
"Do you suppose he really thrashed the juggler, or was that onlyboasting?"
"He has the reputation of being quarrelsome when he has been drinking,"said Helga.
"Haynes ought to know about it, then."
"I'll tell him. But, please, Dr. Colton, say nothing about Serdholm'srudeness. It would only make Petit Pe
re angry, and cause trouble, andI've felt some danger overhanging him. Dr. Colton, do you believe indreams?"
"We men whose business it is to deal with the human body, get to realisehow much of mystery there is in the human soul," said Dick. "Is that ananswer?"
"I don't know," replied the girl doubtfully-"Some day, perhaps, I shalltell you. Meantime," she added, as they approached Third House, "youwon't forget your promise, will you?"
"No."
"As you've been interesting yourself in my affairs a good deal," saidthe girl with friendly raillery, "I'll just give you a bit of freeadvice. Don't take everything about Dolly Ravenden too seriously. She'shad loads of attention and seen a great deal of the world, and she ispretty high-spirited; but she is in every way a splendid girl and aright-minded one. I imagine she is not always easy to understand."
"Heaven knows I've made one awful blunder!" groaned Dick.
"Then don't apologise for it too soon," said the girl quickly. "There,I've been a traitor to my sex. But I like you, Dick Colton. And," sheadded as they reached the door, "if you can sue as well for yourself asfor another I think you might well win any woman."
"Well, Heaven bless you for that!" said Dick Colton to the closing door.