CHAPTER XXVI.
GATHERING THE CLEWS.
Edward drifted for several days upon the tide of the thoughts that cameover him. He felt a singular disinclination to face the world again. Heknew that as life goes he had acquitted himself manfully and thatnothing remained undone that had been his duty to perform. He wassensible of a feeling of deep gratitude to the old general for hisactive and invaluable backing; without it he realized then that he wouldhave been drawn into a pitfall and the opportunity for defense gone. Hedid not realize, however, how complete the public reaction had beenuntil card after card had been left at Ilexhurst and the postman haddeposited congratulatory missives by the score. One of these containednotice of his election to the club.
Satisfactory as was all this he put aside the social and public lifeinto which he had been drawn, conscious that, while the affront to himhad been resented and rendered harmless, he himself was as much in thedark as ever; that as a matter of fact he was without name and family,without right to avail himself of the generous offers laid at his door.Despite his splendid residence, his future, his talents and his prestigeas a man of honor, he was--nobody; an accident of fate; a whim of aneccentric old man.
He should not involve any one else in the possibility of ruin. He shouldnot let another share his danger. There could be no happiness with thismystery hanging over him.
Soon after his return, while his heart was yet sore and disturbed, hehad received a note from Mary. She wrote:
"We suffer greatly on your account. Poor papa was bound down by circumstances with which you are familiar, though he would gone to you at any cost had it been necessary. In addition his health is very delicate and he has been facing a heavy sorrow--now realized at last! Poor little mamma's eyesight is gone--forever, probably. We are in deep distress, as you may imagine, for, unused as yet to her misfortune, she is quite helpless and needs our constant care, and it is pitiful to see her efforts to bear up and be cheerful.
"I need not tell you how I have sorrowed over the insult and wrongs inflicted upon you by a cowardly connection of our family, nor how anxious I was until the welcome news of your safety reached us. We owe you much, and more now since you were made the innocent victim of a plot aimed to destroy papa's chances.
"It is unbearable to think of your having to stand up and be shot at in our behalf; but oh, how glad I am that you had the old general with you. Is he not noble and good? He is quite carried away with you and never tires of talking of your coolness and courage. He says everything has ended beautifully but the election, and he could remedy that if papa would consent, but nothing in the world could take papa away from us now, and if he had been elected his resignation would have speedily followed.
"I know you are yet weary and bitter, and do not even care to see your friends, but that will pass and none will give you a more earnest welcome when you do come than
"Mary."
He read this many times, and each time found in it a new charm. Itssimplicity and earnestness impressed him at one reading and its personalinterest at another; its quick discerning sympathy in another.
It grew upon him, that letter. It was the only letter ever penned by awoman to him. Notes he had had by the score; rich young men in the greatcapitals of Europe do not escape nor seek to escape these, but this wasstraight from the heart of an earnest, self-reliant, sympathetic woman;one of those who have made the South a fame as far as her sons havetraveled. It was a new experience and destined to be a lasting one.
Its effect was in the end striking and happy. Gradually he rousedhimself from the cynical lethargy into which he was sinking and began tolook about him. After all he had much to live for, and with peace camenew manhood. He would fight for the woman who had faith in him--such afight as man never dared before. He looked up to find Virdow smiling onhim through his tears.
He stood up. "I am going to make a statement now that will surprise andshock you, but the reason will be sufficient. First I ask that youpromise me, as though we stood before our Creator, a witness, that neverin this life nor the next, if consciousness of this goes with you, willyou betray by word or deed anything of what you hear from my lipsto-night. I do not feel any uneasiness, but promise."
"I promise," said Virdow, simply, "but if it distresses you, if you feelbound to me--"
"On the contrary, the reason is selfish entirely. I tell you because thepossession of this matter is destroying my ability to judge fairly;because I want help and believe you are the only being in the world whocan give it." He spoke earnestly and pathetically. "Without it, I shallbecome--a wreck." Then Virdow seized the speaker's hand.
"Go on, Edward. All the help that Virdow can give is yours in advance."
Edward related to him the causes that led up to the duel--the politicalcampaign, the publication of Royson's card, and the history of thechallenge.
"You call me Edward," he said; "the world knows me and I know myself asEdward Morgan. I have no evidence whatever to believe myself entitled tobear the name. All the evidence I have points to the fact that it wasbestowed upon me as was my fortune itself--in pity. The mystery thatoverspreads me envelops Gerald also. But fate has left him superior tomisfortune."
"It has already done for him what you fear for yourself--it has wreckedhis life, if not his mind!" The professor spoke the words sadly andgently, looking into the night through the open window.
Edward turned toward him in wonder.
"I am sure. Listen and I will tell you why. To me it seems fatal to him,but for you there is consolation." Graphically he described then theevents that had transpired during the few days of his stay at Ilexhurst;his quick perception that the mind of Gerald was working feverishly,furiously, and upon defined lines to some end; that something hauntedand depressed him. His secret was revealed in his conduct upon the deathof Rita.
"It is plain," said Virdow finally, "that this thought--thisuncertainty--which has haunted you for weeks, has been wearing upon himsince childhood. Of the events that preceded it I have little or noinformation."
Edward, thrilled to the heart by this recital and the fact to which itseemed to point, walked the floor greatly agitated. Presently he said:
"Of these you shall judge also." He took from the desk in the adjoiningroom the fragmentary story and read it. "This," he said, as he saw theface of the old man beam with intelligence, "is confirmed as an incidentin the life of Gerald or myself; in fact, the beginning of life." Hegave the history of the fragmentary story and of Rita's confession.
"By this evidence," he went on, "I was led to believe that the womanerred in the recognition of her own child; that I am in fact that childand that Gerald is the son of Marion. This in her last breath she seemedto deny, for when I begged her to testify upon it, as before her God,and asked the question direct, she cried out: 'They lied!' In this itseems to me that her heart went back to its secret belief and that inthe supreme moment she affirmed forever his nativity. Were this all Iconfess I would be satisfied, but there is a fatal fact to come!" Hetook from his pocket the package prepared for Gen. Evan, and tore fromit the picture of Marion.
"Now," he exclaimed excitedly, "as between the two of us, how can thiswoman be other than the mother of Gerald Morgan? And, if I could bemistaken as to the resemblance, how could her father fall into my error?For I swear to you that on the night he bent over the sleeping man hesaw upon the pillow the face of his wife and daughter blended in thosefeatures!" Virdow was looking intently upon the picture.
"Softly, softly," he said, shaking his head; "it is a true likeness, butit does not prove anything. Family likeness descends only surely byprofiles. If we could see her profile, but this! There is no reason whythe child of Rita should not resemble another. It would depend upon theimpression, the interest, the circumstances of birth, of associations--"He paused. "Describe to me again the mind picture which Gerald under thespell of music sketched--give
it exactly." Edward gave it in detail.
"That," said Virdow, "was the scene flashed upon the woman who gazedfrom the arch. It seems impossible for it to have descended to Gerald,except by one of the two women there--the one to whom the man's back wasturned. Had this mental impression come from the other source it seemsto me he would have seen the face of that man, and if the impression wasvivid enough to descend from mother to child it would have had thechurch for a background, in place of the arch, with storm-lashed treesbeyond. This is reasonable only when we suppose it possible that brainpictures can be transmitted. As a man I am convinced. As a scientist Isay that it is not proved."
Edward, every nerve strained to its utmost tension, every faculty ofmind engaged, devoured this brief analysis and conclusion. But moreproof was given! Over his face swept a shadow.
"Poor Gerald! Poor Gerald!" he muttered. But he became consciouspresently that the face of Virdow wore a concerned look; there wassomething to come. He could not resist the temptation to clear up thelast vestige of doubt if doubt could remain.
"Tell me," he said, "what do you require to satisfy you that between thetwo I am the son of Marion Evan?"
"Two things," said Virdow, quickly. "First, proof that Rita was in noway akin to the Evan family, for if she was in the remotest degree, thesimilarity of profiles could be accounted for. Second, that your own andthe profile of Marion Evan were of the same angle. Satisfy me upon thesetwo points and you have nothing to fear." A feeling of weaknessoverwhelmed Edward. The general had not seen in his face any likeness toimpress him. And yet, why his marked interest? The whole subject layopen again.
And Marion Evan! Where was he to obtain such proof?
Virdow saw the struggle in his mind.
"Leave nothing unturned," said Edward, "that one of us may live free ofdoubt, and just now, God help me, it seems my duty to strive for himfirst."
"And these efforts--when--"
"To-night! Let us descend."
"We go first to the room of the nurse," said Virdow. "We shall beginthere."
Edward led the way and with a lighted lamp they entered the room. Thesearch there was brief and uneventful. On the wall in a simple frame wasa portrait of John Morgan, drawn years before from memory by Gerald. Itwas the face of the man known only to the two searchers as Abingdon, butits presence there might be significant.
Her furniture and possessions were simple. In her little box of trinketswere found several envelopes addressed to her from Paris, one of them inthe handwriting of a man, the style of German. All were empty, theletters having in all probability been destroyed. They, however,constituted a clew, and Edward placed them in his pocket. In anotherenvelope was a child's golden curl, tied with a narrow black ribbon; andthere was a drawer full of broken toys. And that was all.