CHAPTER VI
LANDON'S NEW PROFESSION
As Despard and Aylmer passed out of the dark of the Waterport into thesunlight of the square, two men, who walked in front of them, halted,shook hands, appeared to exchange an informal farewell, and separated.One, clad in gray flannels and a gray sombrero, turned to the left andbegan to mount the ramp behind the barracks. The other strolled slowlyon.
The two soldiers fresh from their crossing of the straits from Africawere hailed and questioned more than once by comrades or friends who hadnot been fortunate enough to share in leave for the Tent Club meetingand were anxious for the last details of sport. How did pig run thistime? Had such and such coverts been burned as was reported? What luckhad they had personally? Despard and Aylmer had to halt half a dozentimes within the first two furlongs. They began to regret that they hadnot taken a cab.
The man who strolled along in front of them halted, too, here and there.He did not appear to look round, but whenever acquaintances buttonholedthe pair behind him it was noticeable that shop windows or Moorish curiosellers claimed his attention. He lingered, indeed, opposite awell-known book shop till his sudden resumption of his stroll broughthim into collision with the others at the exact moment of theirpassing.
He started, muttered a perfunctory apology, and then made anexclamation.
"Jack!" he cried gladly, and held out his hand.
Aylmer met his cousin's glance, first with surprise, then with a suddenstiffening of his lips, finally with frowning. He gave a side glance atDespard.
The major's face was transfigured with wrath and loathing. He waslooking at Landon as he might have looked at a poisonous reptile. Hedrew back a step of instinctive repulsion.
Landon gave a bitter little laugh. He still held out his hand defiantly.
"Isn't it fit to be shaken, Jack?" he asked. "Have I to thank theGalahad at your side for that?"
Despard's eyes grew grim and set. He turned to Aylmer and nodded coldly.
"See you later," he suggested, without another look in Landon'sdirection, and passed on his way with unhesitating strides. Venomously,malignantly, Landon watched him go.
"I don't wonder he won't face me!" he cried with well-simulated passion."By God, I don't!"
He turned and stared at his cousin. Aylmer met his gaze coolly,unhesitatingly, and without a trace of relenting. For the second timeLandon's bitter laugh escaped him.
"You've had his version?" he said. "Well, I don't altogether wonder atyou in that case."
"I don't understand you," said Aylmer, quietly. "The public prints havemade it quite evident that you're not fit for the society of decent men,if that is what you mean."
"No!" snarled Landon. "It isn't what I mean. What I mean is that thatblackguard who's just left us, curse him! has won all round. He took mywife from me and now he's taken my reputation, my honor, and he's gonefar to take every friend I have. But by the Lord who made me, Jack, Ithought that you might be left with some sense of justice!"
"Justice?"
Aylmer's voice made an echo to Landon's. "Justice?" he repeated. "Yougot that, or less than that in most men's opinion, in the divorcecourt."
"I didn't!" said Landon, fiercely. "Ah, they made a pretty story of it!The blackguard who knocked his wife about, who thrashed his child, whotook his wife's allowance and flung it under a dunghill of drink anddevilry. That was me! Who gave evidence? The wife herself, who has sincegone into a lunatic asylum. Servants who were bought with that oldmiser's gold. The man who wanted her--Despard!"
In spite of himself Aylmer gave an almost imperceptible quiver ofsurprise.
Landon laughed again.
"Does that touch you?" he cried. "He wouldn't tell you that. Not of howhe schemed, and laid traps, and sunk pitfalls for me, to catch me, as Iwas caught. I'm no saint, Lord knows, but I've never sunk to that. I'vehad my game and paid my price, but, by God, I've never cheated!"
Aylmer's eyes still met his with level contempt.
"I know Despard, I've known him since boyhood," he answered. "He doesnot do these things."
Landon shrugged his shoulders.
"Of course! I'm down and you're all stamping me into the mud, lower andlower. You've all taken the accepted view, and when I cry out against itI'm told I've had my chance. So I did, but it was never a fair one."
"You have still six months in which to give your version to the King'sProctor if you have any new facts to support your statement," saidAylmer, coldly.
"Facts! How am I to get the benefit of facts when the other side canmanufacture answers for them with a dollar for my every penny? I'vesupplied 'facts' to the King's Proctor till I'm sick of the sight of hisoffice paper assuring me that he has 'no evidence to justify mycontentions.' I can give facts enough. It's a hearing I want--animpartial hearing!"
Aylmer shook his head.
"You got it," he said doggedly. "You got it!"
Landon rapped his stick upon the pavement.
"I tell you I didn't!" he cried. "I tell you that I could tell youthings that would prove to you--yes, prove--that the whole job was gotup by that scoundrel who's just left us--got up by him to steal my wifefrom me. I ask you to hear me; I appeal to you to listen to my side; Iappeal to your sense of justice!"
Aylmer turned up the street.
"If you think there is anything to be gained by it, say on!" heanswered. "You can walk with me as far as my quarters."
"You won't ask me in?" sneered Landon. "That's more than I can expect."
"Some of the fellows might look in on me--decent fellows," explainedAylmer, drily.
Landon gave a little gasp, halted, and leaned suddenly against the wall.He looked up at his cousin. His lips worked, he stammered, he broke intoa panting storm of sobs.
"I didn't deserve that! My God! I didn't deserve that!" he cried.
Aylmer looked down at him and a tiny thrill of compunction shot throughhim. He hesitated. He did not believe in Landon's protestations. Heknew, in every instinct of his nature, that Landon was a scoundrel. Buthe began to remember that it had not always been so. Things that hadbrought them together as boys came back to him. His memory suddenlyframed a picture of that wedding nine years ago. Landon had gone to meethis bride gallantly, adoringly, that day. He had loved her then. Yes, hecould not have acted that, he had loved her then.
And Landon, watching narrowly his cousin's face, read the emotions asthey chased each other across it as if they had been writ upon an openpage. He hugged himself mentally.
"That's what knocks him!" he told himself triumphantly. "The abasedingenuous sinner! A little more of that and, Great Nicholas! I have himby the short hairs!"
He pulled himself together with a well-acted effort. He turned and drewback.
"You cur!" he cried. "You cur, to hit at a man who's down!"
Aylmer's tanned cheek showed through it a tiny flush. The dart had gonehome.
"When you prove that an apology's due, I'll make it."
"In the street!" sneered Landon. "I'm to shout my wrongs, tell you allthe intimate story of my provocation before the town. Thank you fornothing!"
Aylmer made a little movement of the hand which implied irritation.
"You can come to my quarters," he said, "but--"
"This evening?"
"No, this evening I'm dining out. You can come to my quarters. Until yougive me reason to alter my opinion I don't introduce you to my friends.Is that understood?"
Landon stood silent for another instant before he answered slowly.
"Yes," he agreed. "You've read and been told enough to excuse you. Yes,I'll come. And in half an hour you'll be begging my pardon, or--"
He shrugged his shoulders.
"Or what?" said Aylmer, quietly.
"Or I shall know you've made up your mind not to be convinced."
And then a sudden taciturnity overtook him. He marched along at hiscousin's side, his eyes bent upon the pavement, his brows contracted. Hehad the appearance of one who considers deeply. J
ohn Aylmer made noattempt to resume conversation. He concluded that Landon was eitherpiecing together a story out of unpromising material which would leaveconsiderable gaps to be filled or, which was more likely, evolving oneout of his vivid imagination. In either case he was content to leave theissue to be ascertained in the privacy of his quarters.
They gained them uninterrupted. Aylmer made a sign towards a chair.Landon, after an expressive glance towards the Tantalus on thesideboard, sat down. Aylmer did not take the hint; he was in no mood tooffer hospitality to this man, even to the inconsiderable extent of awhisky and soda.
He looked at Landon.
"Well?" he demanded curtly.
Landon gave another look towards the sideboard.
"I've hinted once," he said, with a laugh which he tried to make genialand offhand. "This time I'll ask bluntly for it."
"For what?"
There was no encouragement in Aylmer's voice, and his eyes were hard andunrelenting.
"For a drink."
Aylmer shook his head.
"Suppose I hear your statement first," he suggested. "Then you can havea drink here, or elsewhere."
Landon rose to his feet with a dramatic jerk. He turned abruptly towardsthe door.
"That's enough, by God! that's enough!" he swore savagely. "I've takenyour insolence once; I'll not take it again. I'm not fit to be offered adrink in your rooms; I'm to sit like some damned flunkey giving hischaracter while you cross-examine me. I'll see you on the far side ofHell first."
He reached the door, halted, and stood with hand on it, looking round.
"You'll be sorry for this," he said. "I tell you that, when the truth ofit comes to be known, as it'll be known some day, you'll be sorry forit."
Aylmer looked at him with a steady contemplation which showed no signsof clemency. Landon flung open the door and passed out.
"Cursed prig!" he snapped and descended the stairs into the street.Aylmer, with a slight shrug of the shoulders, turned towards hisdressing-room.
Ten minutes later Landon was enjoying his drink in Mr. Miller'spleasantly furnished apartments. His host had supplied it this timewithout any demur--with alacrity. He watched his guest dispose of itand hastened to offer another. This, too, disappeared down Landon'sthroat and a third was placed solicitously at his elbow. Not till thesearrangements had been completed did Mr. Miller smirch his hospitalitywith any hint of business. But though he differed from Aylmer in this,he imitated him in the directness of his _pour-parlers_. He, indeed,used the same monosyllable.
"Well?" he said inquiringly.
Landon nodded with much satisfaction.
"I got in," he said briefly. "I was only there two minutes, at a liberalcomputation, but I've found out and done all I required. He's dining outto-night. The books, as you expected, are in an ordinary bookcase, glassfronted, with an ordinary padlock on it. What fools these War Officeexperts are! There was a spare latch-key of his rooms hanging on a hookon the wall, for the servant, I suppose. I nicked it as I went out. Imet the servant on the stairs--just as well, if I run across himto-night. There will be nothing rummy in my returning to see his master.I purposely dragged my coat against the passage whitewash, and after heoffered to brush it for me I gave him half a crown. So he's all right;he thinks I'm a worthy gentleman who ought to be encouraged to calloften. Is that all right?"
Mr. Miller smiled.
"You show such talents and attention to detail, my dear Lord Landon," heanswered, "that I grieve that I am not the happy partner of such acolleague permanently."
Landon looked across at him with a grin.
"Seriously?" he demanded.
"Quite seriously," replied the impassive Mr. Miller.
Landon meditated.
"If there is good money in it--?" he mused slowly, but his host hastenedto interrupt him energetically.
"Excellent money," he assured him, "and we have always a use for alord."
Landon grinned again.
"Perhaps my value will increase after this evening," he suggested. "Whendo you purpose going?"
"Would half-past nine suit you?" said Miller, affably, and Landonnodded.
"Charmed, I'm sure," he grinned again, and tossed off his third glasswith unction. "Here's luck!" he cried, and Mr. Miller, who used spiritssparingly, and in the afternoon not at all, was forced to includehimself in the aspiration with the good fellowship which is implied in acourteous bow.
At half-past nine Aylmer's soldier servant found, as Landon hadprophesied, nothing extraordinary in his master's guest's return. Theglint of a second half crown shone persuasively in that guest's hand ashe expressed his desire to write a note to await the master's coming. Hewas shown without any demur into the sitting-room, and supplied with penand paper.
But Landon's talents were not wasted on literary composition when he wasleft alone. He produced a pair of pliers and dealt very drastically withthe padlock on the bookcase, opened the glazed doors, and ran hisfingers down the numbers engraved upon the morocco-bound volumes. Heselected one, opened it, flipped the pages, and finally came to a halt,his finger-tip poised above a plan.
He closed the book and went to the window. He opened it noiselessly.
"Number 34 North Front. Elevation of gun platforms with angles to eastand south," he enunciated very quietly but very distinctly into thenight.
A grayness stirred in the shadow below the window. There was a whisperedreply.
"Right!" answered Miller's voice laconically, and Landon poised the bookin mid-air.
"Can you see it?" he asked, still below his breath. There was anaffirmative grunt from below.
The book left Landon's hand and fell through the night. There was afaint shock as it reached the waiting grip in the darkness.
Landon quietly and methodically shut the window and turned to the desk.He leaned, pen in hand, over the note-paper.
There was the click of a latch-key. He swung round to confront hiscousin.
For a second the two eyed each other in silence. Then Landon rose slowlyto his feet.
"I came, forgetting that you were dining out," he said. "I came becauseI reasoned that by now ... you would be wanting ... to offer me anapology."
Aylmer looked at the desk. Landon followed the glance.
"I was going to explain--why?" he added, pointing at the unsulliednote-paper.
And then Alymer's gaze, which had been concentrated on his cousin'sface, slipped past it and found, by chance, the bookcase.
His brows met in a puzzled frown; he made a step forward; he bent toexamine the fractured padlock. Then he straightened himself and gave anexclamation.
Landon was ready. He drew a revolver from his pocket; he held it by themuzzle. And the butt came down with business-like vigor on Aylmer'stemple. He seemed to crumple up rather than fall. He slid against thebookcase to the floor.
The dawn was breaking before, confusedly, achingly, consciousnesswavered back to him again--the same dawn which saw a Spanish steamerdrop anchor in Tangier's roads and Landon, with a satisfied smile, swingdown the ladder into the boat which was to take him ashore.