VANE WITHDRAWS
Dusk was drawing on, but there was still a little light in the western
sky, when Vane strolled along the terrace in front of the Dene. In the
distance the ranks of fells rose black and solemn out of filmy trails of
mist, but the valley had faded to a trough of shadow. A faint breeze was
stirring, and the silence was broken by the soft patter of withered
leaves which fluttered down across the lawn. Vane noticed it all by some
involuntary action of his senses, for although, at the time, he was
oblivious to his surroundings, he afterward found that he could recall
each detail of the scene with vivid distinctness. He was preoccupied and
eager, but fully aware of the need for coolness, for it was quite
possible that he might fail in the task he had in hand.
Presently he saw Evelyn, for whom he had been waiting, cross the opposite
end of the terrace. Moving forward he joined her at the entrance to a
shrubbery walk. A big, clipped yew with a recess in which a seat had been
placed stood close by.
"I have been sitting with Mopsy," said Evelyn. "She seems very little the
worse for her adventure--thanks to you." She hesitated and her voice grew
softer. "I owe you a heavy debt--I am very fond of Mopsy."
"It's a great pity she fell in," Vane declared curtly.
Evelyn looked at him in surprise. She scarcely thought he could regret
the efforts he had made on her sister's behalf, but that was what his
words implied. He noticed her change of expression.
"The trouble is that the thing might seem to give me some claim on you;
and I don't want that," he explained. "It cost me no more than a wetting;
I hadn't the least difficulty in getting her out."
His companion was still puzzled. She could find no fault with him for
being modest about his exploit, but that he should make it clear that he
did not require her gratitude struck her as unnecessary.
"For all that, you did bring her out," she persisted. "Even if it causes
you no satisfaction, the fact is of some importance to us."
"I don't seem to be beginning very fortunately. What I mean is that I
don't want to urge my claim, if I have one. I'd rather be taken on my
merits." He paused a moment with a smile. "That's not much better, is it?
But it partly expresses what I feel. Leaving Mopsy out altogether, let me
try to explain--I don't wish you to be influenced by anything except your
own idea of me. I'm saying this because one or two points that seem in my
favor may have a contrary effect."
Evelyn made no answer, and he indicated the seat.
"Won't you sit down? I have something to say."
The girl did as he suggested, and his smile died away.
"Would you be astonished if I were to ask you to marry me?"
He leaned against the smooth wall of yew, looking down at her with an
impressive steadiness of gaze. She could imagine him facing the city men
from whom he had extorted the full value of his mine in the same fashion,
and, in a later instance, so surveying the eddies beneath the osiers,
when he had gone to Mabel's rescue. It was borne in upon her that they
would better understand each other.
"No," she answered. "If I must be candid, I am not astonished." Then the
color crept into her cheeks as she met his gaze. "I suppose it is an
honor; and it is undoubtedly a--temptation."
"A temptation?"
"Yes," said Evelyn, mustering her courage to face a crisis she had
dreaded. "It is only due you that you should hear the truth--though I
think you suspect it. Besides--I have some liking for you."
"That is what I wanted you to own!" Vane broke in.
She checked him with a gesture. Her manner was cold, and yet there was
something in it that stirred him more than her beauty.
"After all," she explained, "it does not go very far, and you must try to
understand. I want to be quite honest, and what I have to say
is--difficult. In the first place, things are far from pleasant for me
here; I was expected to make a good marriage, and I had my chance in
London. I refused to profit by it, and now I'm a failure. I wonder
whether you can realize what a temptation it is to get away?"
Vane frowned.
"Yes," he responded. "It makes me savage to think of it! I can, at least,
take you out of all this. If you hadn't had a very fine courage, you
wouldn't have told me."
Evelyn smiled, a curious wry smile.
"It has only prompted me to behave, as most people would consider,
shamelessly; but there are times when one must get above that point of
view. Besides, there's a reason for my candor--had you been a man of
different stamp, it's possible that I might have been driven into taking
the risk. We should both have suffered for a time, but we might have
reached an understanding--not to intrude on each other--through open
variance. As it is, I could not do you that injustice, and I should
shrink from marrying you with only a little cold liking."
The man held himself firmly in hand. Her calmness had infected him, and
he felt that this was not an occasion for romantic protestations, even
had he felt capable of making them, which was not the case. As a matter
of fact, such things were singularly foreign to his nature.
"Even that would go a long way with me, if I could get nothing better,"
he declared. "Besides, you might change. I could surround you with some
comfort; I think I could promise not to force my company upon you; I
believe I could be kind."
"Yes," assented Evelyn. "I shouldn't be afraid of harshness from you; but
it seems impossible that I should change. You must see that you started
handicapped from the beginning. Had I been free to choose, it might have
been different, but I have lived for some time in shame and fear, hating
the thought that some one would be forced on me."
He said nothing and she went on.
"Must I tell you? You are the man!"
His face grew hard and for a moment he set his lips tight. It would have
been a relief to express his feelings concerning his host just then.
"If you don't hate me for it now, I'm willing to take the risk," he said
at length. "It will be my fault if you hate me in the future; I'll try
not to deserve it."
He fancied that she was yielding, but she roused herself with an effort.
"No. Love on one side may go a long way, if it is strong enough--but it
must be strong to overcome the many clashes of thought and will.
Yours"--she looked at him steadily--"would not stand the strain."
Vane started.
"You are the only woman I ever wished to marry," he declared vehemently.
He paused and spread out his hands.
"What can I say to convince you?"
"I'm afraid it's impossible. If you had wanted me greatly, you would have
pressed the claim you had in saving Mopsy, and I should have forgiven you
that; you would have urged any and every claim. As it is, I suppose I am
pretty"--her lips curled scornfully--"and you find that some of your
ideas and mine agree. It isn't half enough! Shall I tell you that you are
scarcely moved as yet?"
It flashed upon Vane that he was confronted with the reality. Her beauty
had appealed to him, and her other qualities--her reserved graciousness
with its tinge of dignity, her insight and her comprehension--had also
had their effect; but they had only awakened admiration and respect. He
desired her as one desires an object for its rarity and preciousness; but
this, as she had told him, was not enough. Behind her physical and mental
attributes, and half revealed by them, there was something deeper: the
real personality of the girl. It was elusive, mystic, with a spark of
immaterial radiance which might brighten human love with its transcendent
glow; but, as he dimly realized, if he won her by force, it might recede
and vanish altogether. He could not, with strong ardor, compel its
clearer manifestation.
"I think I am moved as much as it is possible for me to be."
Evelyn shook her head.
"No; you will discover the difference some day, and then you will
thank me for leaving you your liberty. Now I beg you to leave me mine
and let me go."
Vane stood silent a minute or two, for the last appeal had stirred him to
chivalrous pity. He was shrewd enough to realize that if he persisted he
could force her to come to him. Her father and mother were with him; she
had nothing--no commonplace usefulness nor trained abilities--to fall
back on if she defied them. But it was unthinkable that he should
brutally compel her.
"Well," he yielded at length, "I must try to face the situation; I want
to assure you that it is not a pleasant one to me. But there's another
point--I'm afraid I've made things worse for you. Your people will
probably blame you for sending me away."
Evelyn did not answer this, and he broke into a grim smile.
"Well," he added, "I think I can save you any trouble on that
score--though the course I'm going to take isn't flattering, if you look
at it in one way, I want you to leave me to deal with your father."
He took her consent for granted, and leaning down laid a hand lightly on
her shoulder.
"You will try to forgive me for the anxiety I have caused you? The time
I've spent here has been very pleasant, but I'm going back to Canada in a
day or two. Perhaps you'll think of me without bitterness now and then."
He turned away; and Evelyn sat still, glad that the strain was over,
thinking earnestly. The man was gentle and considerate as well as
forceful, and to some extent she liked him. Indeed, she admitted that she
had not met any man she liked as much; but that was not going very far.
Then she began to wonder at her candor, and to consider if it had been
necessary. It was curious that this was the only man she had ever taken
into her confidence. It struck her that her next suitor would probably be
a much less promising specimen. On the other hand, since her views on the
subject differed from those her parents held, it was consoling to
remember that eligible suitors for the daughter of an impoverished
gentleman were likely to be scarce.
It had grown dark when she rose and entering the house went up to Mabel's
room. The girl looked at her sharply as she came in.
"So you have got rid of him!" she said. "I think you're very silly."
"How did you know?" Evelyn asked with a start.
"I heard him walking up and down the terrace, and I heard you go out. You
can't walk over raked gravel without making a noise. He went along to
join you, and it was a good while before you came back at different
times. I've been waiting for this the last day or two."
Evelyn sat down with a rather strained smile.
"Well, I have sent him away."
Mabel regarded her indignantly.
"You'll never get another chance like this one. If I'd been in your
place, I'd have had Wallace if it had cost me no end of trouble to get
him. He said something about its being a pity I wasn't older, one day,
and I told him that I wasn't by any means as young as I looked. If you
had only taken him, I could have worn decent frocks. Nobody could call
the last one that!"
This was a favorite grievance, and Evelyn ignored it; but Mabel had
more to say.
"I suppose," she went on, "you don't know that Wallace has been getting
Gerald out of trouble?"
"Are you sure of that?"
"Yes. I'll tell you what I know. Wallace saw Gerald in London--he told us
that--and we all know that Gerald couldn't pay his debts a little while
ago. You remember he came down to Kendall and went on and stayed the next
night with the Claytons. It isn't astonishing that he didn't come here,
after the row there was on the last occasion."
"Go on," prompted Evelyn impatiently. "What has his visit to the
Clayton's to do with it?"
"Well, you don't know that I saw Gerald in the afternoon. After all, he's
the only brother I've got; and as Jim was going to the station with the
trap I made him take me. The Claytons were in the garden; we were
scattered about, and I heard Frank and Gerald, who had strolled off from
the others, talking. Gerald was telling him about some things he'd
bought--they must have been expensive, because Frank asked him where he
got the money. Gerald laughed and said he'd had an unexpected stroke of
luck that had set him straight again. Now, of course Gerald got no money
from home, and if he'd won it he would have told Frank how he did so.
Gerald always would tell a thing like that."
Evelyn was filled with confusion and hot indignation. She had little
doubt that Mabel's surmise was correct.
"I wonder whether he has told anybody; though it's scarcely likely."
Mabel laughed.
"Of course he hasn't. We all know what Gerald is. Before I came home, I
asked him what he thought of Wallace. He said he was a good sort, or
something like that, and I saw that he had a reason for saying it; but
he must go on in his patronizing style that Wallace was rather
Colonial, though he hadn't drifted too far--not beyond reclamation.
After all, Wallace was one of--us--before he went out; and if Carroll's
Colonial he's the kind of man I like. I was so angry with Gerald I
wanted to slap him!"
There was no doubt that Mabel was a staunch partizan, and Evelyn
sympathized with her. She was, of course, acquainted with her brother's
character, and she was filled with indignant contempt for him. It was
intolerable that he should have allowed Vane to discharge his debts and
then have alluded to him in terms of indulgent condescension.
"It strikes me Wallace ought to get his money back, now that you have
sent him away," Mabel added. "But of course that's most unlikely. It
wouldn't take Gerald long to waste it."
Evelyn rose and, making some excuse, left the room. She could feel her
face growing hot, and Mabel had unusually keen eyes and precocious powers
of deduction. A suspicion which had troubled her more than Gerald's
conduct had lately crept into her mind, and it now thrust itself upon her
attention; several things pointed to the fact that her father had taken
the same course her brother had done. She felt that had she heard Mabel's
information before the interview with Vane, she might have yielded to him
in an agony of humiliation. Mabel had summed up the situation with
stinging candor and crudity--Vane, who had been defrauded, was entitled
to recover his money. For a few moments Evelyn was furiously angry with
him, and then, growing calmer, she recognized that this was unreasonable.
She could not imagine any idea of a compact originating with the man, and
he had quietly acquiesced in her decision.
Soon after she left her sister, Vane walked into the room which Chisholm
reserved for his own use. It was handsomely furnished, and the big,
light-oak writing-table and glass-fronted cabinets were examples of
artistic handicraft. The sight of them jarred on Vane, who had already
surmised that it was the women of the Chisholm family who were expected
to practise self-denial. Chisholm was sitting at the table with some
papers in front of him and a cigar in his hand, and Vane drew out a chair
and lighted his pipe before he addressed him.
"I've made up my mind to sail on Saturday, instead of next week," he
said abruptly.
"You have decided rather suddenly, haven't you?" Chisholm suggested.
Vane knew that what his host wished to know was the cause of the
decision, and he meant to come to the point. He was troubled by no
consideration for the man.
"The last news I had indicated that I was wanted," he replied. "After
all, there is only one reason why I have abused Mrs. Chisholm's
hospitality so long."
"Well?"
"You will remember what I asked you some time ago. I had better say that
I retire from the position--abandon the idea."
Chisholm started and his florid face grew redder, while Vane, in place of
embarrassment, was conscious of a somewhat grim amusement. It seemed
curious that a man of Chisholm's stamp should have any pride.
"What am I to understand by that?" Chisholm asked with some asperity.
"I think that what I said explained it. Bearing in mind your and Mrs.
Chisholm's influence, I've an idea that Evelyn might have yielded, if I'd
strongly urged my suit; but that was not by any means what I wanted. I'd
naturally prefer a wife who married me because she wished to do so.
That's why, after thinking the thing over, I've decided to--withdraw."
Chisholm straightened himself in his chair in fiery indignation, which he
made no attempt to conceal.
"You mean that after asking my consent, and seeing more of Evelyn, you
have changed your mind! Can't you understand that it's an unpardonable
confession--one which I never fancied a man born and brought up in your
station could have brought himself to make?"
Vane looked at him with an impassive face.
"It strikes me as largely a question of terms--I may not have used the
right one. Now that you know how the matter stands, you can describe it
in any way that sounds nicest. In regard to your other remark, I've been
in a good many stations, and I must admit that until lately none of them
were likely to promote much delicacy of sentiment."
"So it seems!" Chisholm was almost too hot to sneer. "But can't you
realize how your action reflects upon my daughter?"
Vane held himself in hand. He had only one object: to divert Chisholm's
wrath from Evelyn to himself, and he fancied that he was succeeding in
this. For the rest, he was conscious of a strong resentment against the
man. Evelyn had told him that he had started handicapped.
"It can't reflect upon her unless you talk about it, and both you and
Mrs. Chisholm have sense enough to refrain from doing that," he answered
dryly. "I can't flatter myself that Evelyn will grieve over me." Then his
manner changed. "Now we'll get down to business. I don't purpose to call
in that loan, which will, no doubt, be a relief to you."
He rose leisurely and strolled out of the room.
Shortly afterward he met Carroll in the hall, and the latter glanced at
him sharply.
"What have you been doing?" he inquired. "There's a look in your eyes I
seem to remember."
Vane laughed.
"I suppose I've been outraging the rules of decency; but I don't feel
ashamed. I've been acting the uncivilized Westerner, though it's possible
that I rather strained the part. To come to the point, however, we pull
out for the Dominion first thing to-morrow."
Carroll asked no further questions; he did not think it would serve any
purpose. He contented himself with making arrangements for their
departure, which they took early on the morrow. Vane had a brief
interview with Mabel, and then by her contrivance he secured a word or
two with Evelyn alone.
"It is possible," he told her, "that you may hear some hard things of
me--and I count upon your not contradicting them. After all, I think you
owe me that favor. There's just another matter--now that I won't be here
to trouble you, won't you try to think of me leniently?"
He held her hand for a moment and then turned away, and a few minutes
later he and Carroll left the Dene.