The Last Stroke: A Detective Story

  CHAPTER XVIII.

  SUDDEN FLITTINGS.

  For two weeks Ruth Glidden stood at the right hand of Mrs. Myers, andsupplemented the trained nurse in the sick room.

  At first she only entered while the patient slept, but after a few daysthe stupor began to lessen, and the flightiness, with which it hadalternated, to decrease. And then one day he knew them, and, by thedoctor's orders, the nurse withdrew and Ruth came to the bedside and satdown beside him.

  "Robert, dear," she said, smiling down upon him, "you have very nearlylet that wretched footpad spoil the good looks of the only lover I everhad, and to prevent further mischief I am come to take care of you." Shesaid very little more then, but gradually the patient found himselfbeing ruled by her nod, and liking the tyranny; so that when he was toldthat he was going away to try what change of air and scene would do forhis maltreated head, he listened to her while she told him a tale whichseemed to interest her much, and through which the names Ferrars, Myers,Hilda, and the pronouns "they" and "them" often occurred. And then itcame about that, supported to a carriage and transferred then to aswinging cot, he was taken on board a Pullman sleeper, and, with nurseand attendant, was whirled away southward.

  Two days later, James Myers said good-bye to wife and friends and setsail, on board the good ship _Etruria en route_ for Europe.

  "Yes," he said to an acquaintance whom he met at the wharf. "I've wantedto make the trip, you know, for a long time, and now a matter ofbusiness, the looking up of certain titles and records, makes thejourney needful, and I can combine pleasure and business." And then heturned away to say a few last words to Francis Ferrars before the signalsounded, and he must say good-bye to his anxious wife, to serious-facedRuth Glidden.

  "And now," said the detective to Ruth, "the next flitting will be towardGlenville."

  Before the end of that week Mrs. Myers, who stood staunchly by Ruth, andwould not hear of her going alone, Ruth herself, and a keen-eyedmaid--not the one who had accompanied the young heiress home fromEurope, but another supplied by Mr. Ferrars--all arrived at Glenville,and took quarters at the Glenville House, where Hilda Grant soon soughther friend, and promised herself much comfort in her society.

  At first, Miss Glidden did not seem to desire acquaintances, and Mrs.Jamieson complained that she found herself almost deserted, Hilda was sopreoccupied with her newly-arrived friend. But this was soon changed.

  Miss Glidden and her party had at first been placed in quarters whichthe young lady did not find to her taste. There must be a pleasanterchamber for her friend, Mrs. Myers, and a reception room for their jointuse, and it ended in her securing the little parlour suite adjoiningthat of Mrs. Jamieson.

  For a time even this close proximity did not seem to break the ice, andwhile having been introduced by Hilda, the two ladies were for some daysstrangers still.

  For reasons which Ferrars might have explained if he would, Hilda Granthad not visited Robert Brierly while he lay under the care of doctor andnurse, and now that they were together, the two girls, having firstexchanged fullest personal confidences, had much to say about Robert andhis dead brother.

  At the end of their first confidential talk Ruth had said: "Apropos ofthis, Hilda, my dear, let me remind you that I have not outgrown mydislike of being quizzed or questioned by the simply curious, for thesake of curiosity. I know what a small town is, and so, I warn you notto let the dear inhabitants know that I am more than a friend of yourown. To proclaim me a friend of the Brierlys as well, will be just toexpose us both to the inquisitive, and to set vivid imaginations atwork."

  Hilda's eyes studied her face a moment. "I think you will not betroubled. My acquaintances all know that I do not willingly talk on thatterrible subject. Even Mrs. Jamieson, who saw its fearful beginning andwho is with me often, seldom speaks of it to me."

  "The pretty widow? Mr. Ferrars, pardon me, your cousin, spoke of hermore than once," and Ruth cast a keen side glance at her friend's face.

  "And she speaks of him, now and then."

  "As which?"

  "As my cousin; for so she believes him to be."

  "And you think them mutually interested? I must really see more of mypretty neighbour."

  Miss Glidden and her party had been a week in Glenville when "Mr.Ferriss-Grant" arrived, and spent a few days in the village, making hishome at the doctor's cottage, and passing most of his time with Hildaand her friends. Mrs. Jamieson had now made better progress with herfair and stately neighbour, and they might have been seen strollingtoward the school-house together, or driving along the terrace road--forMrs. Jamieson had declared that the tragedy of the lake shore hadspoiled the lakeside road for her--in Doran's pony carriage, and,sometimes with "Miss Grant's cousin" for charioteer.

  One evening the little party sauntered away from the pretty hoteltogether to walk to Hilda's home and sit for an hour upon Mrs. Marcy'sbroad and shaded piazza, which Mrs. Jamieson declared so charminglysecluded, after the chatter and movement, the coming and going upon thatof the Glenville House.

  They had been taking tea with Mrs. Myers and Ruth, Hilda, Mrs. Jamieson,and the sham cousin, who seemed to rather enjoy his _role_, if one mightjudge by his manner, and they seemed inclined to pass the remainder ofthe evening together.

  They had not been long seated upon the vine-shaded piazza when DoctorBarnes came up the walk and dropped down upon the upper step, like onequite at home. It was now more than two weeks since Robert Brierly hadbeen carried southward and the people of Glenville, for the most part,had heard most discouraging reports from the invalid, most of them givenforth by the doctor, or "Sam" Doran, who, by the way, had been for thepast month entertaining a warmly welcomed and much quoted "first cousin"from "out west."

  The doctor held a letter in his hand, and seeing this, Miss Grant'scousin asked carelessly:

  "Any news of general interest in that blue envelope, doctor?"

  They could not see the doctor's face, but his voice was very grave whenhe replied, "I'm sorry to say yes. Our friend down south is in a verybad way."

  "Mr. Brierly?" exclaimed Mrs. Jamieson. "Oh, doctor, tell us the worst."And then she murmured to Ruth, who sat near her, "Miss Grant's friend,you know, but of course you do. I have grown as much interested in hiswelfare, somehow, as if he were not really a stranger, whom I never sawbut once."

  The doctor had left his place, and crossed to the open window, throughwhich the lamp-light shone upon the open letter.

  "I think I can see to read it," he said, and bent over the sheet. "Thewriter says:

  "I fear our friend will not see many more Florida suns; will not be herewith us long. The change has been surprisingly rapid, and the heart isnow seriously implicated. Do not be surprised if ill news comes at anearly day."

  He folded the letter. "Ill news should always be briefly told," he said.

  When the ladies came in, that night, having parted from the twogentlemen who had escorted them as far as the piazza steps, they foundMiss Glidden's maid hovering in the passage, near her mistress's door.

  "Miss Glidden, ladies," she began in evident agitation, "I have beenterribly frightened. Some one has been in your room, and, I fear, inthat of this lady also. I sat, for an hour, on the back piazza with twoof the housemaids, and when I came up, only a few steps from this room,some one slipped out from Mrs. Jamieson's door and round the cornertoward the south hall. I did not think about it until I had gone intoyour room to make all ready for the night, and then I saw the closetdoor open, and the things upon your table pulled about as if some onehad hurried much, and had left, when they found it was not a sleepingroom. Then I thought of the next room, of the person coming out so stilland so sly----"

  Miss Glidden pushed past the maid, and opened her own door. "Look inyour room, Mrs. Jamieson," she said, "and see if you have really beenrobbed before we alarm the house. Susan, go with her."

  Mrs. Jamieson found that her door was indeed unlocked, and her innerroom showed plainly that a hasty hand had searched, here and th
ere.

  "It's lucky that I never leave money where it can be got at," she saidto Ruth, when she had taken in the full extent of the mischief, "andthat I haven't taken my jewel box from the hotel safe for three days.Even my purse was in my chatelaine with me. I find absolutely nothinggone. But my boxes, my frocks, my boots and wraps, even, have beenpulled about. It's very strange. The thief must have been frightenedaway before anything was taken."

  "Perhaps," suggested Miss Glidden, "the person wanted clothing, andheard Susan coming down the hall."

  It was very strange, but, although they called the landlord, and toldhim privately of the invasion, and though there was a quiet but strictinvestigation, nothing came of it, and no one was even suspected.

  "It was certainly some one from outside, who slipped in through someopen door in the dark, while every one was out upon the piazzas, or inthe grounds. These halls are not lighted until quite dark, sometimes, Ifind. I am thankful that you met with no loss, ladies," said mine host.

  Next morning Mrs. Myers declared herself more than ready to leaveGlenville. The thought of being in a house where an intruder found it soeasy to make free with a lady's wardrobe, was not pleasant, and shehoped Ruth would not ask her to spend another week in the town. In factshe only stipulated for a fortnight's visit with her friend, Miss Grant,upon which Ruth promised that they would really go very soon, althoughshe was enjoying herself.

  Three days later a party of the Glenville's guests set off, after anearly breakfast, for a long drive and a day's fishing, at a spot somemiles distant and near the north end of the lake, at a famous picnicground. Mrs. Jamieson was one of the merry crew, and she urged RuthGlidden to join them, as did the others, all; but Ruth "never fished anddetested picnics;" besides, the other people, she declared, were for themost part utter strangers, and Hilda and "Mr. Grant" were not invited.

  When Mrs. Jamieson came back with the rest of the tired merry-makersshe knocked at Ruth's door to announce her return.

  There was no response, and she entered her own rooms where she found,conspicuously placed, a note. It was in a strong masculine hand, and sheopened it quickly, looking first at the name at the bottom of the sheet.It was F. Grant.

  She caught her breath, and sat down to read, wondering still and herheart beating strangely.

  "DEAR MADAM"--so ran the note--"You will be surprised, I know, to hear of our so sudden departure. Poor Brierly is dead, and we start to-day by the four o'clock express, hoping thus to reach the city before the party from the south arrive there. They started, we learn, on Tuesday morning. Mrs. Myers and Miss Glidden have kindly accompanied us, that my cousin may have the comfort of her friends' companionship, and the protection of the elder lady, whose guest she will be. In the haste of departure I am commissioned to say what they would have gladly said in person. For myself, while I trust we may meet again, and soon, may I presume to ask--in the event of your going away from Glenville, for my cousin has said it was possible--that you will let the doctor know where we may in future address you? In the hope of seeing you again, at an early date, I am,

  "Sincerely and hopefully,

  "F. Grant."

  An hour later she sent for Doctor Barnes, who came promptly.

  "Doctor," she began, as soon as he had entered her room, and closed thedoor. "I won't try to deceive you. I have had twinges of neuralgiato-day, and my bottle is quite empty. But I want, most of all, to hearmore about this sudden flitting. They have left me just a line offarewell. Of course I know about poor Mr. Brierly. There's no doubt ofhis death."

  "Not the least in the world, I regret to say."

  "It is very sad, but I suppose they were prepared for the news."

  "Yes."

  "Now tell me about Miss Grant. Is she not coming back to her school?"

  "I don't quite know. Her cousin, who is a very successful man inbusiness, goes abroad soon, and he would like to have her among herfriends. Miss Glidden is anxious to keep her for a time at least. Ibelieve she, Miss Grant, had a few words with Doran. I fancy it will endin her resignation."

  "Then how I wish she would come abroad, if not with her cousin, thenwith me. For I shall go soon, I quite think. In fact there are businessmatters, of my husband's, money matters that require my presence. I mustwrite to Miss Grant."

  "Then address her at the Loremer House for the present. Miss Glidden hasa suite of rooms there."

  A week later Mrs. Jamieson, accompanied by her friend, Mrs. Arthur,looked in upon Doctor Barnes.

  "I have come to say good-bye, doctor," said the former. "I leave here inthe morning. My brother-in-law, who is on his way eastward, after asecond hurried western trip, will be in the city to-morrow; I meet himthere, and we sail in three days. Mr. Grant has written me that theladies are all out of the city, so I shall not see them, but he thinksthey will all be in London before the end of summer."

  Thus of all the active dramatis personae of our story, but few were leftin Glenville by mid-July.

  "And so the pretty widow's gone," said Samuel Doran to the doctor, theday after this final flitting. "Looks like Glenville couldn't be ahealthy place in July. Even my 'first cousin from out west' skipped outsort of sudden yesterday; couldn't stay another minute."

  "You don't look heartbroken," suggested the doctor.

  "Oh, I can spare him. Anyhow, I guess 'twas time he went. Powerfuleater, that first cousin of mine," and Doran grinned from ear to ear.