THE RUBY AND THE CALDRON
(Copyright, 1905, by The Bobbs-Merrill Company Used by specialpermission of the publishers)
As there were two good men on duty that night, I did not see why Ishould remain at my desk, even though there was an unusual stir createdin our small town by the grand ball given at The Evergreens.
But just as I was preparing to start for home, an imperative ring calledme to the telephone, and I heard:
"Halloo! Is this the police-station?"
"It is."
"Well, then, a detective is wanted at once at The Evergreens. He cannotbe too clever or too discreet. A valuable jewel has been lost, whichmust be found before the guests disperse for home. Large reward if thematter ends successfully."
"May I ask who is speaking to me?"
"Mrs. Ashley."
It was the mistress of The Evergreens and giver of the ball.
"Madam, a man shall be sent at once. Where will you see him?"
"In the butler's pantry at the rear. Let him give his name as Jennings."
"Very good. Good-bye."
"Good-bye."
A pretty piece of work! Should I send Hendricks or should I send Hicks?Hendricks was clever and Hicks discreet, but neither united bothqualifications in the measure demanded by the sensible and quietlyresolved woman with whom I had just been talking. What alternativeremained? But one: I must go myself.
It was not late--not for a ball-night, at least--and as half the townhad been invited to the dance, the streets were alive with carriages. Iwas watching the blink of their lights through the fast-falling snowwhen my attention was drawn to a fact which struck me as peculiar. Thesecarriages were all coming my way instead of rolling in the direction ofThe Evergreens. Had they been empty this would have needed noexplanation; but, so far as I could see, most of them were full, andthat, too, of loudly-talking women and gesticulating men.
Something of a serious nature must have occurred at The Evergreens.Rapidly I paced on, and soon found myself before the great gates.
A crowd of vehicles of all descriptions blocked the entrance. Noneseemed to be passing up the driveway; all stood clustered at the gates;and as I drew nearer I perceived many an anxious head thrust forth fromtheir quickly-opened doors, and heard many an ejaculation ofdisappointment as the short interchange of words went on between thedrivers of these various turnouts and a man drawn up in quiet resolutionbefore the unexpectedly barred entrance.
Slipping round to this man's side, I listened to what he was saying. Itwas simple, but very explicit.
"Mrs. Ashley asks everybody's pardon, but the ball can't go on to-night.Something has happened which makes the reception of further guestsimpossible. To-morrow evening she will be happy to see you all. Thedance is simply postponed."
This he had probably repeated forty times, and each time it had probablybeen received with the same mixture of doubt and curiosity which nowheld the lengthy procession in check.
Not wishing to attract attention, yet anxious to lose no time, I pressedup still nearer, and, bending towards him from the shadow cast by aconvenient post, uttered the one word:
"Jennings."
Instantly he unlocked a small gate at his right. I passed in, and withprofessional _sang-froid_ proceeded to take my way to the house throughthe double row of evergreens bordering the semicircular approach.
As these trees stood very close together, and were, besides, heavilyladen with fresh-fallen snow, I failed to catch a glimpse of thebuilding itself until I stood in front of it. Then I saw that it wasbrilliantly lighted, and gave evidence here and there of some festivity;but the guests were too few for the effect to be very exhilarating, and,passing around to the rear, I sought the special entrance to which I hadbeen directed.
A heavy-browed porch, before which stood a caterer's wagon, led me to adoor which had every appearance of being the one I sought. Pushing itopen, I entered without ceremony, and speedily found myself in the midstof twenty or more coloured waiters and chattering housemaids. To one ofthe former I addressed the question:
"Where is the butler's pantry? I am told that I shall find the lady ofthe house there."
"Your name?" was the curt demand.
"Jennings."
"Follow me."
I was taken through narrow passages and across one or two storerooms toa small but well-lighted closet, where I was left, with the assurancethat Mrs. Ashley would presently join me. I had never seen this lady,but I had often heard her spoken of as a woman of superior character andadmirable discretion.
She did not keep me waiting. In two minutes the door opened, and thisfine, well-poised woman was telling her story in the straightforwardmanner I so much admire.
The article lost was a large ruby of singular beauty and great value,the property of Mrs. Burton, the Senator's wife, in whose honour thisball was being given. It had not been lost in the house, nor had it beenoriginally missed this evening. Mrs. Burton and herself had attended thegreat football game in the afternoon, and it was on the college campusthat Mrs. Burton had first dropped her invaluable jewel. But a reward offive hundred dollars having been at once offered to whomever should findand restore it, a great search had followed, which ended in its beingpicked up by one of the students, and brought back as far as thedriveway in front of The Evergreens, when it had again disappeared, andin a way to rouse conjecture of the strangest and most puzzlingcharacter.
The young man who had brought it thus far bore the name of John Deane,and was a member of the senior class. He had been the first to detectits sparkle in the grass, and those who were near enough to see his faceat that happy moment say that it expressed the utmost satisfaction athis good luck.
"You see," said Mrs. Ashley, "he has a sweetheart, and five hundreddollars looks like a fortune to a young man just starting life. But hewas weak enough to take this girl into his confidence; and on their wayhere--for both were invited to the ball--he went so far as to pull itout of his pocket and show it to her.
"They were admiring it together, and vaunting its beauties to the younglady friend who had accompanied them, when their carriage turned intothe driveway and they saw the lights of the house flashing before them.Hastily restoring the jewel to the little bag he had made for it out ofthe finger-end of an old glove--a bag in which he assured me he had beencareful to keep it safely tied ever since picking it up on the collegegreen--he thrust it back into his pocket and prepared to help the ladiesout. But just then a disturbance arose in front. A horse which had beendriven up was rearing in a way that threatened to overturn the lightbuggy to which it was attached. As the occupants of this buggy wereladies, and seemed to have no control over the plunging beast, youngDeane naturally sprang to the rescue. Bidding his own ladies alight andmake for the porch, he hurriedly ran forward and, pausing in front ofthe maddened animal, waited for an opportunity to seize him by the rein.He says that as he stood there facing the beast with fixed eye andraised hand, he distinctly felt something strike or touch his breast.But the sensation conveyed no meaning to him in his excitement, and hedid not think of it again till, the horse well in hand and the twoalarmed occupants of the buggy rescued, he turned to see where his ownladies were, and beheld them looking down at him from the midst of acircle of young people, drawn from the house by the screaming of thewomen. Instantly a thought of the treasure he carried recurred to hismind, and releasing the now quieted horse, he thrust his hand hastilyinto his pocket. The jewel was gone. He declares that for a moment hefelt as if he had been struck on the head by one of the hoofs of thefrantic horse he had just handled. But immediately the importance of hisloss and the necessity he felt for instant action restored him tohimself, and shouting aloud, "I have dropped Mrs. Burton's ruby!" hebegged every one to stand still while he made a search for it.
"This all occurred, as you must know, more than an hour and a half ago,consequently before many of my guests had arrived. My son, who was oneof the few spectators gathered on the porch, tells me that there wasonly one other carr
iage behind the one in which Mr. Deane had broughthis ladies. Both of these had stopped short of the stepping-stone, andas the horse and buggy which had made all this trouble had by this timebeen driven to the stable, nothing stood in the way of his search butthe rapidly accumulating snow, which, if you remember, was falling verythick and fast at the time.
"My son, who had rushed in for his overcoat, came running down the stepsto help him. So did some others. But, with an imploring gesture, hebegged to be allowed to conduct the search alone, the ground being insuch a state that the delicately-mounted jewel ran great risk of beingtrodden into the snow and thus injured or lost. They humoured him for amoment, then, seeing that his efforts bade fair to be fruitless, my soninsisted upon joining him, and the two looked the ground over, inch byinch, from the place where Mr. Deane had set foot to ground in alightingfrom his carriage to the exact spot where he had stood when he hadfinally seized hold of the horse. But no ruby. Then Harrison (that is myson's name) sent for a broom and went over the place again, sweepingaside the surface snow and examining carefully the ground beneath, butwith no better results than before. No ruby could be found. My son cameto me panting. Mrs. Burton and myself stood awaiting him in a state ofsuspense. Guests and fete were alike forgotten. We had heard that thejewel had been found on the campus by one of the students, and had beenbrought back as far as the step in front, and then lost again in someunaccountable manner in the snow, and we hoped, nay, expected frommoment to moment, that it would be brought in.
"When Harrison finally entered, pale, dishevelled and shaking his head,Mrs. Burton caught me by the hand, and I thought she would faint. Forthis jewel is of far greater value to her than its mere worth in money,though that is by no means small.
"It is a family jewel, and was given to her by her husband under specialcircumstances. He prizes it even more than she does, and he is not hereto counsel or assist her in this extremity. Besides, she was wearing itin direct opposition to his expressed wishes. This I must tell you, toshow how imperative it is for us to recover it; also to account for thelarge reward she is willing to pay. When he last looked at it he noticedthat the fastening was a trifle slack, and, though he handed the trinketback, he told her distinctly that she was not to wear it till it hadbeen either to Tiffany's or Starr's. But she considered it safe enough,and put it on to please the boys, and lost it. Senator Burton is a hardman and--in short, the jewel must be found. I give you just one hour inwhich to do it."
"But, madam----" I protested.
"I know," she put in, with a quick nod and a glance over her shoulder tosee if the door was shut. "I have not finished my story. Hearing whatHarrison had to say, I took action at once. I bade him call in theguests, whom curiosity or interest still detained in the porch, and seatthem in a certain room which I designated to him. Then, after tellinghim to send two men to the gates with orders to hold back all furthercarriages from entering, and two others to shovel up and cart away tothe stable every particle of snow for ten feet each side of the frontstep, I asked to see Mr. Deane. But here my son whispered something intomy ear, which it is my duty to repeat. It was to the effect that Mr.Deane believed that the jewel had been taken from him; that he insisted,in fact, that he had felt a hand touch his breast while he stoodawaiting an opportunity to seize the horse. 'Very good,' said I, 'we'llremember that too; but first see that my orders are carried out, andthat all approaches to the grounds are guarded and no one allowed tocome in or go out without permission from me.'
"He left us, and I was turning to encourage Mrs. Burton when myattention was caught by the eager face of a little friend of mine, who,quite unknown to me, was sitting in one of the corners of the room. Shewas studying my countenance with a subdued anxiety, hardly natural inone so young, and I was about to relieve my mind by questioning her whenshe made a sudden rush and vanished from the room. Some impulse made mefollow her. She is a conscientious little thing, but timid as a hare,and though I saw she had something to say, it was with difficulty Icould make her speak. Only after the most solemn assurances that hername should not be mentioned in the matter would she give me thefollowing bit of information, which you may possibly think throwsanother light upon the affair. It seems that she was looking out of oneof the front windows when Mr. Deane's carriage drove up. She had beenwatching the antics of the horse attached to the buggy, but as soon asshe saw Mr. Deane going to the assistance of those in danger, she lether eyes stray back to the ladies whom he had left behind him in thecarriage.
"She did not know these ladies, but their looks and gestures interestedher, and she watched them quite intently as they leaped to the groundand made their way toward the porch. One went on quickly, and withoutpause, to the step; but the other--the one who came last--did not dothis. She stopped a moment, perhaps to watch the horse in front, perhapsto draw her cloak more closely about her, and when she again moved on itwas with a start and a hurried glance at her feet, terminating in aquick turn and a sudden stooping to the ground. When she again stoodupright she had something in her hand which she thrust furtively intoher breast."
"How was this lady dressed?" I inquired.
"In a white cloak, with an edging of fur. I took pains to learn thattoo, and it was with some curiosity, I assure you, that I examined thefew guests that had now been admitted to the room I had so carefullypointed out to my son. Two of them wore white cloaks, but one of thesewas Mrs. Dalrymple, and I did not give her or her cloak a secondthought. The other was a tall, fine-looking girl, with an air andbearing calculated to rouse admiration if she had not looked sodisturbed. But her preoccupation was evident, a circumstance which, hadshe been Mr. Deane's _fiancee_, would have needed no explanation; but,as she was only that lady's friend, its cause was not so apparent.
"The floor of the room, as I had happily remembered, was covered withcrash, and as I lifted each garment off--I allowed no maid to assist mein this--I shook it well; ostensibly because of the few flakes clingingto it, really to see if anything could be shaken out of it. Of course, Imet with no success. I had not expected to, but it is my disposition tobe thorough. These wraps I saw all hung in an adjoining closet, the doorof which I locked--here is the key--after which I handed my guests overto my son, and went to notify the police."
I bowed, and asked where the young people were now.
"Still in the drawing-room. I have ordered the musicians to play, andconsequently there is more or less dancing. But, of course, nothing canremove the wet blanket which has fallen over us all--nothing but thefinding of this jewel. Do you see your way to accomplishing this? We arefrom this very moment at your disposal; only I pray that you will makeno more disturbance than is necessary, and, if possible, arouse nosuspicions you cannot back up by facts. I dread a scandal almost as muchas I do sickness and death, and these young people--well, their livesare all before them, and neither Mrs. Burton nor myself would wish tothrow the shadow of a false suspicion over any one of them."
I assured her that I sympathised with her scruples, and would do my bestto recover the ruby without inflicting undue annoyance upon theinnocent. Then I inquired whether it was known that a detective had beencalled in. She seemed to think it was suspected by some, if not by all.At which my way seemed a trifle complicated.
We were about to proceed when another thought struck me.
"Madam, you have not said whether the carriage itself was searched."
"I forgot. Yes, the carriage was thoroughly overhauled before thecoachman left the box."
"Who did this overhauling?"
"My son. He would not trust any one else in a business of this kind."
"One more question, madam. Was any one seen to approach Mr. Deane on thecarriage-drive prior to his assertion that the jewel was lost?"
"No. _And there were no tracks in the snow of any such person._ My sonlooked."
And I would look, or so I decided within myself, but I said nothing; andin silence we proceeded toward the drawing-room.
I had left my overcoat behind me, and always being w
ell dressed, I didnot present so bad an appearance. Still, I was not in party attire, andnaturally could not pass for a guest even if I had wanted to, which Idid not. I felt that I must rely on insight in this case, and on acertain power I had always possessed of reading faces. That the casecalled for just this species of intuition I was positive. Mrs. Burton'sruby was within a hundred yards of us at this very moment, probablywithin a hundred feet; but to lay hands on it and without scandal--well,that was a problem calculated to rouse the interest of even an oldpolice-officer like myself.
A strain of music--desultory, however, and spiritless, like everythingelse about the place that night--greeted us as Mrs. Ashley opened thedoor leading directly into the large front hall.
Immediately a scene meant to be festive, but which was, in fact,desolate, burst upon us. The lights, the flowers, and the brilliantappearance of such ladies as flitted into sight from the almost emptyparlours, were all suggestive of the cheer suitable to a great occasion;but, in spite of this, the effect was altogether melancholy, for thehundreds who should have graced this scene, and for whom thisillumination had been made and these festoons hung, had been turned awayfrom the gates, and the few who felt they must remain, because theirhostess showed no disposition to let them go, wore any but holidayfaces, for all their forced smiles and pitiful attempts at nonchalanceand gaiety.
I scrutinised these faces carefully. I detected nothing in them butannoyance at a situation which certainly was anything but pleasant.
Turning to Mrs. Ashley, I requested her to be kind enough to point outher son, adding that I should be glad to have a moment's conversationwith him before I spoke to Mr. Deane.
"That will give Mr. Deane time to compose himself. He is quite upset.Not even Mrs. Burton can comfort him. My son--oh, there is Harrison!"
A tall, fine-looking young man was crossing the hall. Mrs. Ashleybeckoned to him, and in another moment we were standing together in oneof the empty parlours. I gave him my name and told him my business. ThenI said:
"Your mother has allotted me an hour in which to find the valuable jewelwhich has just been lost on these premises." Here I smiled. "Sheevidently has great confidence in my ability. I must see that I do notdisappoint her."
All this time I was examining his face. It was not only handsome, butexpressive of great candour. The eyes looked straight into mine, and,while showing anxiety, betrayed no deeper emotion than the occasionnaturally called for.
"Have you any suggestions to offer? I understand that you were on theground almost as soon as Mr. Deane discovered his loss."
His eyes changed a trifle, but did not swerve. Of course, he had beeninformed by his mother of the suspicious action of the young lady whohad been a member of that gentleman's party, and shrank, as any one inhis position would, from the responsibilities entailed by thisknowledge.
"No," said he. "We have done all we can. The next move must come fromyou."
"I know of one that will settle the matter at once," I assured him,still with my eyes fixed scrutinisingly on his face--"a universalsearch, not of places, but of persons. But it is a harsh measure."
"A most disagreeable one," he emphasised, flushing. "Such an indignityoffered to guests would never be forgotten or forgiven."
"True. But if they offered to submit to this themselves?"
"They? How?"
"If _you_, the son of the house--their host, we may say--should callthem together, and for your own satisfaction empty out your pockets inthe sight of every one, don't you think that all the men, and possiblyall the women too"--here I let my voice fall suggestively--"would beglad to follow suit? It could be done in apparent joke."
He shook his head with a straightforward air, which set him high in myestimation.
"That would call for little but effrontery on my part," said he. "Butthink how it would affect these boys who came here for the sole purposeof enjoying themselves. I will not so much as mention the ladies."
"Yet one of the latter----"
"I know," he quietly acknowledged, growing restless for the first time.
I withdrew my eyes from his face. I had learned what I wished.Personally, he did not shrink from search, therefore the jewel was notin his pockets. This left but two persons for suspicion to halt between.But I disclosed nothing of my thoughts; I merely asked pardon for asuggestion that, while pardonable in a man accustomed to handle crimewith ungloved hands, could not fail to prove offensive to a gentlemanlike himself.
"We must move by means less open," I concluded. "It adds to ourdifficulties, but that cannot be helped. I should now like a glimpse ofMr. Deane."
"Do you not wish to speak to him?"
"I should prefer a sight of his face first."
He led me across the hall and pointed through an open door. In thecentre of a small room containing a table and some chairs I perceived ayoung man sitting, with fallen head and dejected air, staring atvacancy. By his side, with hand laid on his, knelt a young girl,striving in this gentle but speechless way to comfort him. It made apathetic picture. I drew Ashley away.
"I am disposed to believe in that young man," said I. "If he still hasthe jewel, he would not try to carry off the situation just this way. Hereally looks broken-hearted."
"Oh, he is dreadfully cut up! If you could have seen how frantically hesearched for the stone, and the depression into which he fell when herealised that it was not to be found, you would not doubt him for aninstant. What made you think he might still have the ruby?"
"Oh, we police-officers think of everything. Then the fact that heinsists that something or some one touched his breast on the drivewaystrikes me as a trifle suspicious. Your mother says that no secondperson could have been there, or the snow would have given evidence ofit."
"Yes; I looked expressly. Of course, the drive itself was full ofhoof-marks and wheel-tracks, for several carriages had already passedover it. Then there were all of Deane's footsteps, but no other man's,so far as I could see."
"Yet he insists that he was touched or struck."
"Yes."
"With no one there to touch or strike him."
Mr. Ashley was silent.
"Let us step out and take a view of the place," I suggested. "I shouldprefer doing this to questioning the young man in his present state ofmind." Then, as we turned to put on our coats, I asked with suitableprecautions: "Do you suppose that he has the same secret suspicions asourselves, and that it is to hide these he insists upon the jewel'shaving been taken away from him at a point the ladies are known not tohave approached?"
Young Ashley looked more startled than pleased.
"Nothing has been said to him of what Miss Peters saw Miss Glover do. Icould not bring myself to mention it. I have not even allowed myself tobelieve----"
Here a fierce gust, blowing in from the door he had just opened, cutshort his words, and neither of us spoke again till we stood on theexact spot in the driveway where the episode we were endeavouring tounderstand had taken place.
"Oh," I cried, as soon as I could look about me; "the mystery isexplained. Look at that bush, or perhaps you call it a shrub. If thewind were blowing as freshly as it is now, and very probably it was, oneof those slender branches might easily be switched against his breast,especially if he stood, as you say he did, close against this border."
"Well, I'm a fool. Only the other day I told the gardener that thesebranches would need trimming in the spring, and yet I never so much asthought of them when Mr. Deane spoke of something striking his breast."
As we turned back I made this remark:
"With this explanation of the one doubtful point in his otherwiseplausible account, we can credit his story as being in the main true,which," I calmly added, "places him above suspicion and narrows ourinquiry down to _one_."
We had moved quickly, and were now at the threshold of the door by whichwe had come out.
"Mr. Ashley," I continued, "I shall have to ask you to add to yourformer favours that of showing me the young lady in whom, from thi
smoment on, we are especially interested. If you can manage to let mesee her first without her seeing me, I shall be infinitely obliged toyou."
"I do not know where she is. I shall have to search for her."
"I will wait by the hall door."
In a few minutes he returned to me.
"Come," said he, and led me into what I judged to be the library.
With a gesture towards one of the windows, he backed quickly out,leaving me to face the situation alone. I was rather glad of this.Glancing in the direction he had indicated, and perceiving the figure ofa young lady standing with her back to me on the farther side of aflowing lace curtain, I took a few steps toward her, hoping that themovement would cause her to turn. But it entirely failed to produce thiseffect, nor did she give any sign that she noted the intrusion. Thisprevented me from catching the glimpse of her face which I so desired,and obliged me to confine myself to a study of her dress and attitude.
The former was very elegant, more elegant than the appearance of her twofriends had led me to expect. Though I am far from being an authority onfeminine toilets, I yet had experience enough to know that such a gownrepresented not only the best efforts of the dressmaker's art, but veryconsiderable means on the part of the woman wearing it.
This was a discovery which instantly altered the complexion of mythoughts; for I had presupposed her a girl of humble means, willing tosacrifice certain scruples to obtain a little extra money. Thisimposing figure might be that of a millionaire's daughter; how, then,could I associate her, even in my own mind, with theft? I decided that Imust see her face before giving answer to these doubts.
She did not seem inclined to turn. She had raised the shade from beforethe wintry panes and was engaged in looking out. Her attitude was notthat of one simply enjoying a moment's respite from the dance. It wasrather that of an absorbed mind brooding upon what gave little or nopleasure; and as I further gazed and noted the droop of her lovelyshoulders and the languor visible in her whole bearing, I saw that afull glimpse of her features was imperative. Moving forward, I came uponher suddenly.
"Excuse me, Miss Smith," I boldly exclaimed; then paused, for she hadturned instinctively, and I had seen that for which I had risked thisdaring move. "Your pardon," I hastily apologised. "I mistook you foranother young lady," and drew back with a low bow to let her pass, for Isaw that her mind was bent on escape.
And I did not wonder at this, for her eyes were streaming with tears,and her face, which was doubtless a pretty one under ordinaryconditions, looked so distorted with distracting emotions that she wasno fit subject for any man's eye, let alone that of a hard-heartedofficer of the law on the lookout for the guilty hand which had justappropriated a jewel worth anywhere from eight to ten thousand dollars.
Yet I was glad to see her weep, for only first offenders weep, and firstoffenders are amenable to influence, especially if they have been ledinto wrong by impulse, and are weak rather than wicked.
Anxious to make no blunder, I resolved, before proceeding further, tolearn what I could of the character and antecedents of the suspectedone, and this from the only source which offered--Mr. Deane's affianced.
This young lady was a delicate girl, with a face like a flower.Recognising her sensitive nature, I approached her with the utmostgentleness. Not seeking to disguise either the nature of my business ormy reasons for being in the house, since all this gave me authority, Imodulated my tone to suit her gentle spirit, and, above all, I showedthe utmost sympathy for her lover, whose rights in the reward had beentaken from him as certainly as the jewel had been taken from Mrs.Burton. In this way I gained her confidence, and she was quite ready tolisten when I observed:
"There is a young lady here who seems to be in a state of even greatertrouble than Mr. Deane. Why is this? You brought her here. Is hersympathy with Mr. Deane so great as to cause her to weep over his loss?"
"Frances? Oh no. She likes Mr. Deane and she likes me, but not wellenough to cry over our misfortunes. I think she has some trouble of herown."
"One that you can tell me?"
Her surprise was manifest.
"Why do you ask that? What interest can a police-officer, called in, asI understand, to recover a stolen jewel, have in Frances Glover'spersonal difficulties?"
I saw that I must make my position perfectly plain.
"Only this: She was seen to pick up something from the driveway, whereno one else had succeeded in finding anything."
"She? When? Who saw her?"
"I cannot answer all these questions at once," I said, smiling. "She wasseen to do this--no matter by whom--while you were stepping down fromthe carriage. As you preceded her, you naturally did not observe thisaction, which was fortunate, perhaps, as you would scarcely have knownwhat to do or say about it."
"Yes, I should," she retorted with a most unexpected display of spirit."I should have asked her what she had found, and I should have insistedupon an answer. I love my friends, but I love the man I am to marrybetter."
Here her voice fell, and a most becoming blush suffused her cheek.
"Quite right," I assented. "Now will you answer my former question? Whattroubles Miss Glover? Can you tell me?"
"That I cannot. I only know that she has been very silent ever since sheleft the house. I thought her beautiful new dress would please her, butit does not seem to. She has been unhappy and preoccupied all theevening. She only roused a bit when Mr. Deane showed us the ruby, andsaid----Oh, I forgot!"
"What's that? What have you forgot?"
"Your remark of a moment ago. I wouldn't add a word----"
"Pardon me," I smilingly interrupted, looking as fatherly as I could,"but you _have_ added this word, and now you must tell me what it means.You were going to speak of the interest she showed in the extraordinaryjewel which Mr. Deane took from his pocket, and----"
"In what he said about the reward he expected. That is, she lookedeagerly at the ruby, and sighed when he acknowledged that he expected itto bring him five hundred dollars before midnight. But any girl of meansno larger than hers might do that. It would not be fair to lay too muchstress on a sigh."
"Is not Miss Glover wealthy? She wears a very expensive dress, Iobserve."
"I know it, and I have wondered a little at it, for her father is notcalled very well off. But perhaps she bought it with her own money. Iknow she has some; she is an artist in burnt wood."
I let the subject of Miss Glover's dress drop. I had heard enough tosatisfy me that my first theory was correct. This young woman,beautifully dressed, and with a face from which the rounded lines ofearly girlhood had not yet departed, held in her possession, probably atthis very moment, Mrs. Burton's magnificent jewel. But where? On herperson or hidden in some of her belongings? I remembered the cloak inthe closet, and thought it wise to assure myself that the jewel was notsecreted in this garment before I proceeded to extreme measures. Mrs.Ashley, upon being consulted, agreed with me as to the desirability ofthis, and presently I had this poor girl's cloak in my hands.
Did I find the ruby? No; but I found something else tucked away in aninner pocket which struck me as bearing quite pointedly upon this case.It was the bill--crumpled, soiled, and tear-stained--of the dress whoseelegance had so surprised her friends and made me for a short timeregard her as the daughter of wealthy parents. An enormous bill, whichmust have struck dismay to the soul of this self-supporting girl, whoprobably had no idea of how a French dressmaker can foot up items. Fourhundred and fifty dollars, and for one gown! I declare I felt indignantmyself, and could quite understand why she heaved that little sigh whenMr. Deane spoke of the five hundred dollars he expected from Mrs.Burton, and, later, when, in following the latter's footsteps up thedriveway, she stumbled upon this same jewel, fallen, as it were, fromhis pocket into her very hands, how she came to succumb to thetemptation of endeavouring to secure this sum for herself.
That he would shout aloud his loss, and thus draw the whole householdout on the porch, was, naturally, not anticipated by h
er. Of course,when this occurred, the feasibility of her project was gone, and I onlywished that I had been present and able to note her countenance, as,crowded in with others on that windy porch, she watched the progress ofthe search, which every moment made it not only less impossible for herto attempt the restoration upon which the reward depended, but must havecaused her to feel, if she had been as well brought up as allindications showed, that it was a dishonest act of which she had beenguilty, and that, willing or not, she must look upon herself as a thiefso long as she held the jewel back from Mr. Deane or its rightful owner.But how face the publicity of restoring it now, after so elaborate andpainful a search, in which even the son of her hostess had taken part!
That would be to proclaim her guilt, and thus effectually ruin her inthe eyes of everybody concerned. No, she would keep the compromisingarticle a little longer, in the hope of finding some opportunity ofreturning it without risk to her good name. And so she allowed thesearch to proceed.
I have entered thus elaborately into the supposed condition of thisgirl's mind on this critical evening that you may understand why I felta certain sympathy for her, which forbade harsh measures. I was sure,from the glimpse I had caught of her face, that she longed to berelieved from the tension she was under, and that she would gladly ridherself of this valuable jewel if she only knew how. This opportunity Iproposed to give her; and this is why, on returning the bill to itsplace, I assumed such an air of relief on rejoining Mrs. Ashley.
She saw, and drew me aside.
"You have not found it," she said.
"No," I returned; "but I am positive where it is."
"And where is that?"
"Over Miss Glover's uneasy heart."
Mrs. Ashley turned pale.
"Wait," said I. "I have a scheme for getting it back without making hershame public. Listen!" and I whispered a few words in her ear.
She surveyed me in amazement for a moment, then nodded, and her facelighted up.
"You are certainly earning your reward," she declared; and summoning herson, who was never far away from her side, she whispered her wishes. Hestarted, bowed, and hurried from the room.
By this time my business in the house was well known to all, and I couldnot appear in hall or parlour without a great silence falling upon everyone present, followed by a breaking up of the only too small circle ofunhappy guests into agitated groups. But I appeared to see nothing ofall this till the proper moment, when, turning suddenly upon them all, Icried out cheerfully, but with a certain deference I thought wouldplease them:
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have an interesting fact to announce. The snowwhich was taken up from the driveway has been put to melt in the greatfeed caldron over the stable fire. We expect to find the ruby at thebottom, and Mrs. Ashley invites you to be present at its recovery. Ithas now stopped snowing, and she thought you might enjoy the excitementof watching the water ladled out."
A dozen girls bounded forward.
"Oh yes! What fun! Where are our cloaks--our rubbers?"
Two only stood hesitating. One of these was Mr. Deane's lady-love, andthe other her friend, Miss Glover. The former, perhaps, secretlywondered. The latter--but I dared not look long enough or closely enoughin her direction to judge rightly of her emotions. Amid the bustle whichnow ensued I caught sight of Mr. Deane's face peering from an opendoorway. It was all alive with hope. I also perceived a lady lookingdown from the second storey, who I felt sure was Mrs. Burton herself.Evidently my confident tone had produced more effect than the wordsthemselves. Every one looked upon the jewel as already recovered, andregarded my invitation to the stable as a ruse by which I hoped torestore universal good feeling by giving them all a share in my triumph.
All but one! Nothing could make Miss Glover look otherwise than anxious,restless, and unsettled; and though she followed in the wake of therest, it was with hidden face and lagging step, as if she recognisedthe whole thing as a farce, and doubted her own power to go through itcalmly.
"Ah, ha! my lady," thought I, "only be patient and you will see what Ishall do for you." And, indeed, I thought her eye brightened as we alldrew up around the huge caldron standing full of water over the stablestove. As pains had already been taken to put out the fire in thisstove, the ladies were not afraid of injuring their dresses, andconsequently crowded as close as their numbers would permit. Miss Gloverespecially stood within reach of the brim, and as soon as I noted this,I gave the signal which had been agreed upon between Mr. Ashley andmyself. Instantly the electric lights went out, leaving the place intotal darkness.
A scream from the girls, a burst of hilarious laughter from theirescorts, mingled with loud apologies from their seemingly mischievoushost, filled up the interval of darkness which I had insisted should notbe too soon curtailed; then the lights flared up as suddenly as they hadgone out, and while the glare was fresh on every face, I stole a glanceat Miss Glover to see if she had made good use of the opportunity givenher for ridding herself of the jewel by dropping it into the caldron. Ifshe had, both her troubles and mine were at an end; if she had not, thenI need feel no further scruple in approaching her with the directquestion I had hitherto found it so difficult to put.
She stood with both hands grasping her cloak, which she had drawntightly about the rich folds of her new and expensive dress; but hereyes were fixed straight before her, with a soft light in their depthswhich made her positively beautiful.
The jewel is in the pot, I inwardly decided, and ordered the two waitingstablemen to step forward with their ladles. Quickly those ladles wentin, but before they could be lifted out dripping, half the ladies hadscurried back, afraid of injury to their pretty dresses. But they soonsidled forward again, and watched with beaming eyes the slow but sureemptying of the great caldron at whose bottom they anticipated findingthe lost jewel.
As the ladles were plunged deeper and deeper, the heads drew closer, andso great was the interest shown that the busiest lips forgot to chatter,and eyes whose only business up till now had been to follow with shycuriosity every motion made by their handsome young host now settled onthe murky depths of the great pot whose bottom was almost in sight.
As I heard the ladles strike this bottom, I instinctively withdrew astep in anticipation of the loud hurrah which would naturally hail thefirst sight of the lost ruby. Conceive, then, my chagrin, my bitter andmortified disappointment, when, after one look at the broad surface ofthe now exposed bottom, the one shout which rose was: "_Nothing!_"
I was so thoroughly put out that I did not wait to hear the loudcomplaints which burst from every lip. Drawing Mr. Ashley aside (who, bythe way, seemed as much affected as myself by the turn affairs hadtaken), I remarked to him that, after this, there was only one courseleft for me to take.
"And what is that?"
"To ask Miss Glover to show me what she picked up from your driveway."
"And if she refuses?"
"To take her quietly with me to the station, where we have women who canmake sure that the ruby is not on her person."
Mr. Ashley made an involuntary gesture of strong repugnance.
"Let us pray that it will not come to that," he objected hoarsely. "Sucha fine figure of a girl! Did you notice how bright and happy she lookedwhen the lights sprang up? I declare she struck me as lovely."
"So she did me, and caused me to draw some erroneous conclusions. Ishall have to ask you to procure me an interview with her as soon as wereturn to the house."
"She shall meet you in the library."
But when, a few minutes later, she joined me in the room justdesignated, I own that my task became suddenly hateful to me. She wasnot far from my own daughter's age, and, had it not been for her furtivelook of care, appeared almost as blooming and bright. Would it ever cometo pass that a harsh man of the law should feel it his duty to speak tomy Flora as I must now speak to the young girl before me? The thoughtmade me inwardly recoil, and it was in as gentle a manner as possiblethat I made my bow and began with the following remark:
/>
"I hope you will pardon me, Miss Glover--I am told that is your name. Ihate to disturb your pleasure"--this with the tears of alarm and griefrising in her eyes--"but you can tell me something which will greatlysimplify my task, and possibly put matters in such shape that you andyour friends can be released to your homes."
"I?"
She stood before me with amazed eyes, the colour rising in her cheeks. Ihad to force my next words, which, out of consideration for her, I madeas direct as possible.
"Yes, miss. What was the article you were seen to pick up from thedriveway soon after leaving your carriage?"
She started, then stumbled backward, tripping in her long train.
"I pick up?" she murmured. Then with a blush, whether of anger or prideI could not tell, she coldly answered: "Oh, that was something of myown--something I had just dropped. I had rather not tell you what itwas."
I scrutinised her closely. She met my eyes squarely, yet not with justthe clear light I should, remembering Flora, have been glad to seethere.
"I think it would be better for you to be entirely frank," said I. "Itwas the only article known to have been picked up from the drivewayafter Mr. Deane's loss of the ruby; and though we do not presume to saythat it was the ruby, yet the matter would look clearer to us all if youwould frankly state what this object was."
Her whole body seemed to collapse, and she looked as if about to sink.
"Oh, where is Minnie? Where is Mr. Deane?" she moaned, turning andstaring at the door, as if she hoped they would fly to her aid. Then, ina burst of indignation which I was fain to believe real, she turned onme with the cry: "It was a bit of paper which I had thrust into thebosom of my gown. It fell out----"
"Your dressmaker's bill?" I intimated.
"She stared, laughed hysterically for a moment, then sank upon a sofanearby, sobbing spasmodically.
"Yes," she cried, after a moment; "my dressmaker's bill. You seem toknow all my affairs." Then suddenly, and with a startling impetuosity,which drew her to her feet: "Are you going to tell everybody that? Areyou going to state publicly that Miss Glover brought an unpaid bill tothe party, and that because Mr. Deane was unfortunate enough, orcareless enough, to drop and lose the jewel he was bringing to Mrs.Burton she is to be looked upon as a thief, because she stooped to pickup this bill which had slipped inadvertently from its hiding-place? Ishall die if you do!" she cried. "I shall die if it is already known,"she pursued with increasing emotion. "Is it? Is it?"
Her passion was so great, so much greater than any likely to rise in abreast wholly innocent, that I began to feel very sober.
"No one but Mrs. Ashley, and possibly her son, know about the bill,"said I, "and no one shall if you will go with that lady to her room, andmake plain to her, in the only way you can, that the extremely valuablearticle which has been lost to-night is not in your possession."
She threw up her arms with a scream. "Oh, what a horror! I cannot! Icannot! Oh, I shall die of shame! My father! My mother!" And she burstfrom the room like one distraught.
But in another moment she came cringing back.
"I cannot face them," she said. "They all believe it; they will alwaysbelieve it unless I submit! Oh, why did I ever come to this dreadfulplace? Why did I order this hateful dress, which I can never pay for,and which, in spite of the misery it has caused me, has failed to bringme the----" She did not continue. She had caught my eye and seen there,perhaps, some evidence of the pity I could not but experience for her.With a sudden change of tone she advanced upon me with the appeal: "Saveme from this humiliation. I have not seen the ruby. I am as ignorant ofits whereabouts as--as Mr. Ashley himself. Won't you believe me? Won'tthey be satisfied if I swear----"
I was really sorry for her. I began to think, too, that some dreadfulmistake had been made. Her manner seemed too ingenuous for guilt. Yetwhere could that ruby be, if not with this young girl? Certainly, allother possibilities had been exhausted, and her story of the bill, evenif accepted, would never quite exonerate her from secret suspicion whilethat elusive jewel remained unfound.
"You give me no hope," she moaned. "I must go out before them all, andask to have it proved that I am no thief. Oh, if God would only havepity----!"
"Or some one should succeed in finding----Halloo, what's that?"
A shout had risen from the hall beyond.
She gasped, and we both plunged forward. Mr. Ashley, still in hisovercoat, stood at the other end of the hall, and facing him were rangedthe whole line of young people whom I had left scattered about in thevarious parlours. I thought he appeared to be in a peculiar frame ofmind; and when he glanced our way, and saw who was standing with me inthe library doorway, his voice took on a tone which made me doubtwhether he was about to announce good news or bad.
But his first word settled that question.
"Rejoice with me!" he cried. "_The ruby has been found!_ Do you want tosee the culprit, for there is a culprit? We have him at the door. Shallwe bring him in?"
"Yes, yes!" cried several voices, among them that of Mr. Deane, who nowstrode forward with beaming eyes and instinctively lifted hand. But someof the ladies looked frightened, and Mr. Ashley, noting this, glancedfor encouragement in our direction.
He seemed to find it in Miss Glover's eyes. She had quivered and nearlyfallen at that word _found_, but had drawn herself up by this time, andwas awaiting his further action in a fever of relief and hope, which,perhaps, no one but myself could fully appreciate.
"A vile thief! A most unconscionable rascal!" vociferated Mr. Ashley."You must see him, mother; you must see him, ladies, else you will notrealise our good fortune. Open the door there, and bring in the robber!"
At this command, uttered in ringing tones, the huge leaves of the greatfront-door swung slowly forward, revealing two sturdy stablemen leadinginto view--_a huge horse_.
The scream of astonishment which went up from all sides, united to Mr.Ashley's shout of hilarity, caused the animal, unused, no doubt, todrawing-rooms, to rear to the length of his bridle. At which Mr. Ashleylaughed again, and gaily cried:
"Confound the fellow! Look at him, mother! look at him, ladies! Do younot see guilt written on his brow? It is he who has made us all thistrouble. First, he must needs take umbrage at the two lights with whichwe presumed to illuminate our porch; then, envying Mrs. Burton her rubyand Mr. Deane his reward, seek to rob them both by grinding his hoofsall over the snow of the driveway till he came upon the jewel which Mr.Deane had dropped from his pocket, and, taking it up in a ball of snow,secrete it in his left hind shoe--where it might be yet, if Mr.Spencer"--here he bowed to a strange gentleman who at that momententered--"had not come himself for his daughters, and, going first tothe stable, found his horse so restless and seemingly lame--there, boys,you may take the wretch away now and harness him, but first hold up thatguilty left hind hoof for the ladies to see--that he stooped to examinehim, and so came upon _this_."
Here the young gentleman brought forward his hand. In it was anondescript little wad, well soaked and shapeless; but once he haduntied the kid, such a ray of rosy light burst from his outstretchedpalm that I doubt if a single woman there noted the clatter of theretiring beast or the heavy clang made by the two front-doors as theyshut upon the _robber_. Eyes and tongues were too busy, and Mr. Ashley,realising, probably, that the interest of all present would remain, fora few minutes at least, with this marvellous jewel so astonishinglyrecovered, laid it, with many expressions of thankfulness, in Mrs.Burton's now eagerly outstretched palm, and advancing towards us,greeted Miss Glover with a smile.
"Congratulate me," he prayed. "All our troubles are over. Oh, what now?"
The poor young thing, in trying to smile, had turned as white as asheet. Before either of us could interpose an arm, she had slipped tothe floor in a dead faint. With a murmur of pity and possibly of inwardcontrition, he stooped over her, and together we carried her into thelibrary, where I left her in his care, confident, from certainindications, that my presence would not be gr
eatly missed by either ofthem.
Whatever hope I may have had of reaping the reward offered by Mrs.Ashley was now lost, but in the satisfaction I experienced at findingthis young girl as innocent as my Flora, I did not greatly care.
Well, it all ended even more happily than may here appear. The horse notputting in his claim to the reward, and Mr. Spencer repudiating allright to it, it was paid in full to Mr. Deane, who, accompanied by histwo ladies, went home in as buoyant a state of mind as was possible tohim after the great anxieties of the preceding two hours. I was toldthat Mr. Ashley declined to close the carriage door upon them till thewhole three had promised to come again the following night.
Anxious to make such amends as I personally could for my share in themortification to which Miss Glover had been subjected, I visited her inthe morning, with the intention of offering a suggestion or two inregard to that little bill. But she met my first advance with a radiantsmile and the glad exclamation:
"Oh, I have settled all that! I have just come from Madame Dupre's. Itold her that I had never imagined the dress could possibly cost morethan a hundred dollars, and I offered her that sum if she would take thegarment back. And she did, she did, and I shall never have to wear thatdreadful satin again!"
I made a note of this dressmaker's name. She and I may have a bone topick some day. But I said nothing to Miss Glover. I merely exclaimed:
"And to-night?"
"Oh, I have an old spotted muslin which, with a few natural flowers,will make me look festive enough. One does not need fine clothes whenone is--happy."
The dreamy far-off smile with which she finished the sentence was moreeloquent than words, and I was not surprised when some time later I readof her engagement to Mr. Ashley.
But it was not till she could sign herself with his name that she toldme just what underlay the misery of that night. She had met HarrisonAshley more than once before, and, though she did not say so, hadevidently conceived an admiration for him which made her especiallydesirous of attracting and pleasing him. Not understanding the worldvery well, certainly having very little knowledge of the tastes andfeelings of wealthy people, she conceived that the more brilliantly shewas attired the more likely she would be to please this rich young man.So in a moment of weakness she decided to devote all her small savings(a hundred dollars, as we know) to buying a gown such as she felt shecould appear in at his house without shame.
It came home--as dresses from French dress-makers are very apt todo--just in time for her to put it on for the party. The bill came withit, and when she saw the amount--it was all itemised, and she could findno fault with anything but the summing up--she was so overwhelmed thatshe nearly fainted. But she could not give up her ball; so she dressedherself, and, being urged all the time to hurry, hardly stopped to giveone look at the new and splendid gown which had cost so much. Thebill--the incredible, the enormous bill--was all she could think of, andthe figures, which represented nearly her whole year's earnings, dancedconstantly before her eyes. She could not possibly pay it, nor could sheask her father to do so. She was ruined. But the ball and Mr.Ashley--these still awaited her; so presently she worked herself up tosome anticipation of enjoyment, and, having thrown on her cloak, wasturning down her light preparatory to departure, when her eye fell onthe bill lying open on her dresser.
It would never do to leave it there--never do to leave it anywhere inher room. There were prying eyes in the house, and she was as ashamed ofthat bill as she might have been of a contemplated theft. So she tuckedit into her corsage, and went down to join her friends in the carriage.
The rest we know, with the exception of one small detail which turned togall whatever enjoyment she was able to get out of the evening. Therewas a young girl present, dressed in a simple muslin gown. While lookingat it, and inwardly contrasting it with her own splendour, Mr. Ashleypassed by with another gentleman, and she heard him say:
"How much better young girls look in simple white than in the elaboratesilks suited only to their mothers!"
Thoughtless words--possibly forgotten as soon as uttered--they sharplypierced this already sufficiently stricken and uneasy breast, and werethe cause of the tears which had aroused my suspicion when I came uponher in the library, standing with her face to the night.
But who can say whether, if the evening had been devoid of theseoccurrences, and no emotions of contrition and pity had been awakened inher behalf in the breast of her chivalrous host, she would ever havebecome Mrs. Ashley?