twitching--a sign of suppressed wrath whichhis secretary knew well. He held his thin lower lip between his yellowteeth, and standing with his back to the fireplace, he now and then casta supercilious smile upon the pretty girl who had come there in defianceof the convenances--in defiance, evidently, of his own imperiouscommands.
Samuel Statham at that moment was not the hard-faced old benefactor whohaunted the seats in the park and gave so much money anonymously to thedeserving among the "submerged tenth." He was a man fighting for hishonour, his reputation, his gold--nay, his very life. He was a manwhose keen wit was now pitted against that of a clear, level-headedgirl--one who had right and justice on her side.
Was it possible, Charlie thought, that his well-beloved knew the oldman's secret--that secret which, before he would face its exposure, hewould prefer the grave itself?
He watched Maud and noted how balanced was her beautiful countenance,and yet how calm and how determined she was. When the old man spoke shelistened with attention, but her replies, brief and pointed, were alwaysmade with a gesture and expression of triumph, as of one who knew thenaked and astounding truth.
"What can it all mean?" whispered Max. "Why is she here? Howtantalising it is that we cannot catch a single word she is uttering!"
"The door's bolted," Charlie said in a tone of chagrin. "We can onlywatch. See!--she's evidently telling him some home truths that are thereverse of palatable. He looks as though he could kill her!"
"He'd better not attempt it," remarked Max grimly, and they both stoodagain in silence, peering forward in breathless eagerness.
For fully ten minutes longer the old man and the young girl were inheated discussion. Sometimes Statham spoke quickly and angrily, withthat caustic assertiveness that most people found so overbearing. Of asudden both watchers were aware of a slow, stealthy movement behindthem--a shuffling of feet it seemed.
It was old Levi, on his tour of inspection to reassure himself that allwas secure. In an instant both intruders drew back into the deep shadowbehind a high stand upon which stood choice plants in tiers, or ratherthe dried-up pots which had once contained them.
They were only just in time, for old Levi, peering forth into thesemi-darkness as he stood in the doorway leading from the hall, searchedaround. Then, finding all quiet and detecting nobody, he closed thedoor and locked it.
They were thus locked out by both doors!
To re-enter the house would be difficult. It was a contingency forwhich they had not been prepared.
Still, they were too interested in watching the pair within to thinkmuch of the contretemps that had occurred. Old Levi had shuffled away,and was waiting, no doubt, to usher out the dainty little visitor beforereturning to the regions below.
Maud, however, showed no sign of haste to leave. Comfortably ensconcedin her chair, with her veil thrown back, she sat facing him, andreplying without hesitation to his allegations.
The sinister expression upon the old man's face told its own tale. Hisimpatient bearing and quick gesture showed his eagerness to get rid ofher. But she, on her part, seemed to have no intention of leaving justyet. She was speaking, her gloved finger raised to emphasise herwords--hard words, which, from the expression upon her face seemed fullof bitter sarcasm and reproach.
Of a sudden he turned upon the girl with a fierceness which took her bysurprise. He uttered a few words, which she answered quickly. Then,striking his hands into the pockets of his trousers, he bent towards herwith an evil grin upon his grey face and made some remarks which causedin her a quick change of attitude.
She rose from her chair, her face aflame with anger, and, taking acouple of paces towards him, replied with a vehemence which neither ofthe unseen onlookers suspected.
The battle of words continued. He was making some allegations, thetruth of which she was denying. This girl, not yet out of her teens,was defiant of the man whose life had been one long struggle to growrich, and whose gigantic wealth was now crushing the very soul from hisbody. Surely they were an incongruous pair. His defiance of her wasonly a half-hearted one. His sarcasm had irritated her, and now,alleging something, which was a lie, he had goaded her into all thefierce ebullition of anger which a woman, however calm and level-headedshe may be, cannot at times restrain.
"I wonder what the old blackguard has said?" whispered Max to the man athis side.
"It seems as though he has made some charge against her."
"Or against her father," Max suggested.
"You suspected me of being privy to the Doctor's disappearance, Max,"Charlie said, still in a whisper. "You said that you saw me at CromwellRoad that night. Are you still of that opinion?"
"No," responded his friend. "There was a plot--a cleverly devised plot.Someone went there dressed exactly like you."
"But you say you saw his face."
"So I did. And I could have sworn it was you."
"It is that conspiracy which we have to fathom," Charlie said. "Atleast, we have established the fact that Maud is alive. And havingfound Maud, we may also find Marion. Possibly she went to her into safehiding from us."
"More than possible, I think."
But while they were whispering something occurred which made them bothstart. The girl, crimson with anger, suddenly dived her hand into herdress pocket, and, taking out a bundle of paper, flung it at the manbefore her.
They saw, to their amazement, that it was a bunch of crisp banknotes.She had cast it at his feet in open defiance.
Perhaps the money was the price of her silence--money he had sent to heror to her father to purchase secrecy!
The old man gave a glance at the notes crushed into a bundle and lyingupon the carpet, and then, turning to her, snapped his bony finger andthumb in defiance, and laughed in her face--a grim, evil laugh, whichCharlie knew from experience meant retaliation and bitter vengeance.
CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT.
NOT COUNTING THE COST.
The girl turned to leave, but the old man placed himself between her andthe door.
She stamped her little foot angrily in command to be allowed to pass.
He saw her determination, and hesitated. Then he seemed to commence toargue, to place before her the probable result of her action in castingaside the money, but she would hear nothing. Her mind seemed fully madeup. She had spoken her last word, and wished to leave him.
He saw in her decision an attitude antagonistic to himself. He was indeadly peril. Though his wealth could command all that was good and allthat was bad, though it placed him above his fellow men and rendered himimmune from much, yet it could not ensure her goodwill.
Both Max and Charlie realised plainly that Maud was in possession ofsome great secret, and that she had refused a bribe of silence. Thisman who had believed that his money could purchase anything haddiscovered, to his dismay, that it could not seal her lips. He sawhimself facing an imminent peril, and was undecided how to act.
He argued. But she would not listen. He appealed. But she only smiledand shook her head.
Her mind was made up. She had decided to refuse the money. He pickedit from the floor and handed it to her again, but she would not take itin her hand.
Then he crossed to his writing-table, took out his chequebook andscribbled a cheque--one for a large amount in all probability. Tearingit from its counterfoil, he gave it to her.
But with an expression of defiance she tore it into four and cast itupon the floor with a gesture of disgust. And in triumph, before hecould prevent her, she opened the door, and disappeared from the room.
"We must follow her?" whispered Charlie eagerly.
"But, my dear fellow, we can't! We're locked in!"
Rolfe, realising the truth that they were prevented from overtaking hiswell-beloved, for whom they had been so long in active search, and thatshe must again dip from them into oblivion, gave vent to a forcibleexpression of despair.
"Let's remain here," urged Max. "We may learn something else."
&
nbsp; "The old man will go to bed," was Charlie's response. "And we willfollow and explore above."
"How?" asked Rolfe.
"That remains to be seen. We must, in this case, act discreetly, andtrust to luck."
"But Maud? I must see her."
"That's impossible at present. You have seen her--that's enough forto-night. To-morrow we may discover something further--or evento-night."
Both men, scarce daring to breathe, were watching old Sam.
After the girl had gone, he placed his hand upon his heart, and, withface white and haggard, he sank into his writing-chair. He hadcollapsed as though he had received a sudden blow.
Levi entered hurriedly a few moments later, and, finding his masterleaning forward upon his table muttering to himself, tried to rouse him.
A glance at his face showed that he had collapsed. Levi thereforerushed