The Case and the Girl

  CHAPTER IX

  AN UNEXPECTED DISMISSAL

  The shades had been drawn closely to exclude the sun, and, for a momentafter he first crossed the threshold of the library, West was unable todistinguish any occupant. He heard Sexton silently close the door behindhim, but it was not until she moved slightly that he was able toperceive her presence directly across from where he stood. Her voicebroke the silence.

  "You will find a seat next to the window, Captain," she said quietly. "Itwas very good of you to come."

  "The pleasure was mine," he replied. "Only I am blinded coming in herefrom the bright sunshine without."

  "I have had a touch of headache--nervous, no doubt, from the visit thismorning--and so ordered Sexton to draw the shades. Your eyes will soonaccustom themselves to the lack of light. I see you quite well."

  "Oh, I am all right now," and he sank into the vacant chair, facing her,expectantly. "You wished to speak with me, the servant said."

  "Yes," she leaned back against the couch on which she rested, with facenow clearly revealed, one hand nervously twirling a fan. "Although it isnot easy for me to transform into words exactly what I mean. This is avery strange situation in which we find ourselves, Captain West."

  "I have felt so," he admitted, surprised at this beginning. "Yet I mustconfess, I am now becoming quite reconciled."

  She sat up suddenly, with eyes searching his face.

  "What do you mean by that?"

  "Perhaps I ought not to say," he answered boldly. "Yet circumstancesseemingly justify frankness between us. I mean that I feel far moredeeply interested in the final outcome of this affair today than I didyesterday--it means more to me."

  "Indeed! Why?"

  "Largely, I imagine, because I am privileged to know you much better.That naturally makes a difference."

  "Does it indeed? You imply then an increased interest in myself as anindividual brings with it a greater desire to serve me?"

  "Assuredly, yes."

  "Then you render my task doubly hard," she said soberly, yet with acertain hardness in the tone. "I had not suspected any personal sidewhatever. You were a total stranger to me, Captain West, and I employedyou in this matter merely in a business way, as--as--a detective. Surelyyou understood this clearly?"

  "In a measure that is quite true," feeling the sharp sting of her words."Yet the comparison is hardly fair, is it? I am not a detective in thesense with which you employ the term. No question of pay even has beendiscussed between us. The appeal to my services was from an entirelydifferent stand-point. More, you even investigated rather carefully mysocial and financial standing before taking me into your confidence, oradmitting me to your home. Is this not true?"

  "Undoubtedly. I had reason to wish assurance in these matters. I had topresent you to my friends."

  "Yet this very knowledge of my social position placed me on a totallydifferent plane from that of a detective picked up at some agency. Youknew I was not serving you for pay."

  "Did I?"

  "I should hope you did," his voice hardening slightly.

  "But for what other end did you volunteer your services?"

  "Perhaps that is not so easily explained. It was a spirit of adventurewhich first led me to answer your advertisement, I presume. At least, Ican give it no other name. Then, when we met, you appealed to mepersonally; I felt a desire to further our acquaintance and--well, yourstory aroused my interest."

  "Is that all?"

  "It might have been had not you chosen methods of procedure which led meto other thoughts."

  She laughed.

  "Oh, I see! All this has happened because I introduced you to the othersas my fiance. Why, that is positively funny. Didn't you know that wasonly a part of the game being played?"

  "Yes," he said, ignoring the humour of it, and feeling oddly sober, "Iunderstood, and was playing, the same as you. Only both of us, I think,forget an important fact."

  "What, please?"

  "That we were young, socially on a level, and that you were anexceedingly charming young woman."

  She laughed again, yet this time with more restraint.

  "That is quite ridiculous, Captain West. Surely, you are not actuallymaking love to me?"

  "No, I am not. I am merely facing the situation very frankly. It would beuseless for me to claim lack of interest in you. From our very firstmeeting, you have appealed to me strongly--more so than any other womanof my acquaintance. Then, perhaps, the peculiarity of our relationship,with the trust you seemed to impose in me, tended to deepen thatinterest. I confess I began to care for you--as a woman."

  "Really you are quite flattering. I never dreamed I possessed suchmarvellous powers." She remained silent a moment, her eyes shaded bytheir long lashes; then uplifted them again to his face. "This makes itall the more necessary that I now speak plainly," she went on at length."That I should explain to you it has all been a mistake. That was why Iasked you to come here now."

  "All a mistake! Not the trouble you were in surely?"

  "Yes. I must have dreamed most of it, I think. I have just had a longconfidential talk with Percival Coolidge, and we understand each otherperfectly. Everything has been explained. So there is no necessity forour pretending any longer."

  West rose to his feet, comprehending her full meaning, yet unwilling toyield his position without further explanation.

  "Your words are certainly plain enough," he said slowly, "yet I trust Imay be pardoned if I ask a question or so."

  "Is it necessary?"

  "Perhaps not, but I feel my curiosity is justified. You told me a ratherremarkable story and requested my aid in the solving of a strangemystery. Now you abruptly dismiss me from that service. Do you mean themystery is already solved without my further assistance?"

  "I am convinced there was no mystery; that it was only imagination,Captain West. My calling you was a mistake."

  "Percival Coolidge assures you of this?"

  "Positively; we have discussed it from every angle, and all that appearedmysterious has been made clear."

  "There is no one else impersonating you?"

  "No."

  "The checks at the bank; the strange person using your name; all thesewere myths?"

  She laughed.

  "Of course. I really believed all I said to you at the time, buteverything has been explained since, and I realize how very foolish Ihave been. Uncle Percival has been very nice about it. He simply didn'tunderstand before how worried I was."

  "No doubt. You sent for me then merely to say I was dismissed?"

  "Yes."

  "And you told Coolidge, of course, how I came to be here?"

  "Yes."

  "And the others? What will they think?"

  "Why, that can make no difference. They can be told that you weresuddenly called away. Let them suppose we had a quarrel, and that ourengagement is broken," and she laughed again, evidently vastly amusedat the idea.

  "But you, personally?" he insisted.

  She sobered instantly, also rising, and facing him.

  "Captain West, let us be sensible. I invited you here for a certainpurpose. You were employed as much as any of my other servants. Is thata sufficient answer?"

  "It certainly is. I will depart at once."

  "Thank you. The limousine will be at the door. You will return to theClub, I presume?"

  "Temporarily, until other arrangements are made."

  He bowed and left her standing there in the shadows, the expression ofher face veiled, but there seemed no response, no softening in therigid attitude of her figure. She did not care; was only interested inhis immediate departure. The change had occurred with such abruptness,West was unable as yet to realize its full significance, but, with noattempt to combat her decision, left the room, closing the door behindhim. In that moment his mood changed. The dismissal had been so curt,his pride rose in rebellion. Finding Sexton in the front hall, headdressed him crisply.

  "My bag will be ready in ten minutes."

/>   "Yes, sir; you are going away, sir?"

  "Immediately. A call to return to the city at once."

  "I am very sorry, sir," he said respectfully, yet in a tone of suchearnestness, as to cause West to glance toward him sharply. For aninstant it was upon the lips of the younger man to ask a question, butSexton turned away, and it remained unasked. Promptly at the timementioned came the servant's soft rap on the door.

  "I came for the bag, sir."

  West handed it over with a glance at the rather expressionless face.

  "You said you regretted to see me leave, Sexton," he remarked jovially."I presume you meant nothing in particular by that remark?"

  "Oh, no, sir," standing motionless, bag in hand. "Only you have been verykind, sir, and--and--of course, it is none of my business, but I hopethere is no quarrel, sir?"

  "Quarrel! With Miss Natalie, you mean? Why should you suspect that?"

  "I--I spoke, sir, very thoughtlessly, sir," he stammered. "You willpardon me, sir."

  "Yes, but you must have had a reason, Sexton?"

  "Only that she has seemed very much out of humour, sir, since her trip totown," he explained rather lamely. "I have never known her to be so hardto please, sir. I'm sure something is wrong, but that is no reason why Ishould say what I did, sir."