Bail was refused, and John Darche remained in prison during the weeks
that intervened between his arrest and his trial. He was charged with
making use of large sums, the property of the Company, for which he was
unable to account, with fraudulently tampering with the books and with
attempting to issue certificates of stock to a very large amount,
bearing forged signatures.
The house in Lexington Avenue was very gloomy and silent. Simon Darche,
who was of course in ignorance of what had taken place, had caught cold
and was confined to his bed. It was said that he was breaking down at
last, and that his heart was affected. Dolly Maylands came daily and
spent long hours with her friend, but not even her bright face could
bring light into the house. Russell Vanbrugh and Harry Brett also came
almost every day. Vanbrugh had undertaken Darche's defence, out of
friendship for Marion, and it was natural that he should come. As for
Brett, he could not stay away, and as Mrs. Darche seemed to have
forgiven and forgotten his passionate outbreak and did not bid him
discontinue his visits, he saw no reason for doing so on any other
ground.
He was, on the whole, a very loyal-hearted man, and was very much
ashamed of having seemed to take advantage of Marion's distress, to
speak as he had spoken. But he was neither over-sensitive nor in any
way morbid. Seeing that she intended to forgive him, he did not
distress himself with self-accusations nor doubt that her forgiveness
was sincere and complete. Besides, her present distress was so great
that he felt instinctively her total forgetfulness of smaller matters,
and even went so far as to believe himself forgotten. Meanwhile he
watched every opportunity of helping Marion, and would have been ready
at a moment's notice to do anything whatever which could have
alleviated her suffering in the slightest degree. Nevertheless, he
congratulated himself that he was not a criminal lawyer, like
Vanbrugh, and that it had not fallen to his share to defend John
Darche, thief swindler, and forger. He would have done that, and more
also, as Vanbrugh was doing, for Marion's sake, no doubt, but he was
very glad that it could not be asked of him. It was bad enough that he
should be put into the witness-box to state on his oath such facts as
he could remember to Darche's advantage, and to be cross-examined and
re-examined, and forced through the endless phases of torture to which
witnesses are usually subjected. He was able, at least, to establish
the fact that not the smallest sum had ever, so far as he knew, passed
from the hands of John Darche to his wife's credit. On being asked why,
as Mrs. Darche's man of business, he had not invested any of her money
in the Company, he replied that his father had managed the estate
before him, and that his father's prejudices and his own were wholly in
favour of investment in real estate, bonds of long-established railways
and first mortgages, and that Mrs. Darche had left her affairs entirely
in his hands.
Marion herself gave her evidence bravely and truthfully, doing her best
to speak to her husband's advantage. Her appearance and manner excited
universal sympathy, to use the language of the reports of the case, but
what she said did not tend in any way to exculpate John Darche. On the
contrary, society learned for the first time from her lips that she had
led a most unhappy life. She suffered acutely under the
cross-examination. Being excessively truthful, she gave her answers
without the slightest distortion of fact, while doing her best to pass
over altogether any statement which could injure her husband's defence.
As often happens, what she omitted to say told most heavily against
him, while the little she was forced to admit concerning his father's
condition amply corroborated the medical opinion of the latter's state,
and proved beyond a doubt that he had been during more than a year a
mere instrument in his son's hands. He, at least, was wholly innocent,
and would be suffered to spend his few remaining years in the dreams of
a peaceful dotage.
The court, to use the current phrase, showed Marion every
consideration. That is, she was tacitly admitted from the first to have
had no connection whatever with the crime of which her husband was
accused. To the last, she intended to be present when the judge summed
up the case, in order to help John to the end by seeming to believe in
his innocence. On that very day, however, Simon Darche was so far
recovered as to be able to leave his room for the first time, and her
presence at his side seemed absolutely necessary. It was most important
that all knowledge of what was happening should be kept from him. He
was quite capable of leaving the house if left to himself, and he would
certainly not have submitted to any suggestion to the contrary offered
by Stubbs.
He might stroll into a club or into the house of some old friend, and
some one would be sure to offer him the tactless sympathy which goes
about to betray secrets. Moreover, he had been told, in explanation of
John's protracted absence, that the latter had been obliged to go away
on business, and he had enough memory and power of reasoning left to be
surprised at receiving no letters. He was sure to make inquiries about
John, if left to his own devices. Marion could not leave him. In the
midst of her extreme anxiety she was obliged to pass the greater part
of the day in reading to him, and in trying to divert his mind from the
thought of John and his absence. His love and mistaken admiration for
his son had been the strongest feelings in his life and continued to
the end.
Dolly Maylands would have been faithful to Marion under any imaginable
consequences, with that whole-souled belief and trust which is
girlhood's greatest charm. On the last day of the trial she came in the
morning and did not leave the house again. Brett appeared at intervals
and told Dolly how matters were going.
He was not a man like Vanbrugh, of very varied acquaintances and wide
experience, but in certain quarters he had great influence, and on
Marion's behalf he exerted it to the utmost on the present occasion.
Foreseeing that the verdict must inevitably be unfavourable, and
knowing of Simon Darche's great anxiety about his son's absence, Brett
succeeded in obtaining an order to bring John Darche to see his father
before he should be taken back to prison after the conclusion of the
trial. It was agreed that the police officers should appear dressed as
civilians, and should be introduced with John to the old man's presence
as men of business accompanying his son. John would then have the
opportunity of quieting his father's apprehensions in regard to his
future absence, and he could take leave of his wife if he wished to do
so, though of course he would not be allowed to be even a moment out of
his guardians' sight. The order was ostensibly granted in consideration
of Simon Darche's mental infirmity, and of the danger to his health
which any shock must cause, and which already existed in the shape of
acute anxiety. In reality, the favour was granted as a personal one to
Brett. When everything was arranged, he returned to Lexington Avenue.
He found Dolly alone in the library and told her what he had done.
It was very quiet in the room, and the dusk was stealing away the last
glow of the sunset that hung over the trees and houses of Gramercy
Park. Dolly sat near the window, looking out, her hands clasped upon
one knee, her fair young face very grave and sad. Brett paced the floor
nervously.
"How kind you are!" Dolly exclaimed.
"Kind?" repeated the young man, almost indignantly, and stopping in his
walk as he spoke. "Who would not do as much if he could?"
"Lots of people."
"Not of her friends--not of those who know her. It is little enough
that I can do for any of them. Vanbrugh has done more than I--can do
much more."
"What a fight he has made!" The ready enthusiasm rang in the girl's
clear voice. Then her tone changed she continued. "Yes," she said
thoughtfully, "Marion is lucky to have such friends as you and Russell
Vanbrugh."
"And you yourself, Miss Maylands."
"I? Oh, I do not count. What can a woman do on days like these? I can
only stay here and try to make her feel that I am a comfortable pillow
for her to lay her head upon, when she is entirely worn out. Poor
Marion! She is the bravest woman I ever knew. But then--"
She stopped, hesitating, and Brett, who was almost too much excited to
follow all the words she spoke, was suddenly aware that she had not
finished the sentence.
"What were you going to say?" he asked, struggling desperately to
remember what she had said already.
"I hardly ought--I suppose," objected Dolly. "But then--what can it
matter? He is sure to be found guilty, is he not?"
"Quite sure," Brett answered slowly.
"Well then--Marion must feel that when this last agony is over she will
have much more peace in her life than she has enjoyed for a long time.
I wonder whether it is very wrong to say such things."
"Wrong? Why? We all think them, I am sure. At least, you and Vanbrugh
and I do. As for society, I do not know what it thinks. I have not had
time to ask, nor time to care, for that matter."
"I suppose everybody sympathises with Marion as we do."
"Oh, of course. Do you know? I believe she will be more popular than
before. Everything that has come out in this abominable trial has been
in her favour. People realise what a life she has been living during
all these years--without a complaint. Wonderful woman! That brute
Darche! I wish he were to be hanged instead of sent to the
Penitentiary!"
"He deserves it," answered Dolly with the utmost conviction. "I suppose
Marion will get a divorce."
Again Brett stopped short in his walk and looked at her keenly. The
idea had doubtless passed through his own mind, but he had not heard
any one else express it as yet.
"After all," he said slowly, "there is no reason why she should not."
Then he suddenly relapsed into silence and resumed his walk.
"And then I suppose," said Dolly thoughtfully, "she would marry again."
Brett said nothing to this, but continued to pace the floor, glancing
at the young girl from time to time, and meditating on the total
depravity of innocence.
"She might marry Russell Vanbrugh, for instance," observed Dolly, as
though talking to herself.
This was too much for Brett. For the third time he stopped and faced
her.
"Why Vanbrugh, of all people?" he asked.
"Of all people, Mr. Vanbrugh, I should think," Dolly answered. "Think
of what he has done, how devoted he has been in all this trouble. And
then, the way she spoils him! Any one can see that she is ready to fall
in love with him. If she were not as good as--as anything can be--as
spring water and snow drops and angels' prayers, so to say, she would
be in love with him already. But then, she is, you know."
"I cannot imagine a woman being in love with Vanbrugh," said Brett
impatiently.
"Oh, can't you? I can. I thought he was your best friend."
"What has that to do with it? My best friend might be deaf and lame and
blind of one eye."
"Also, he might not," said Dolly with a smile.
"Oh, well!" exclaimed Brett, turning away, "if you have made up your
mind that Mrs. Darche is to marry Russell Vanbrugh, of course I have
nothing to say. I daresay people would think it a very good match."
"With John Darche alive and in the Penitentiary?" inquired the young
girl, instantly taking the opposite tack.
"As though any one could care or ask what became of him!" cried Brett,
with something like indignation. "Thank heaven we are just in this
country! We do not visit the sins of the blackguard upon the innocent
woman he leaves behind him. Fortunately, there are no children. The
very name will be forgotten, and Mrs. Darche can begin life over
again."
"Whoever marries her will have to take old Mr. Darche as an
incumbrance," remarked Dolly.
"Of course! Do you suppose that such a woman would leave the poor old
gentleman to be taken care of by strangers? Besides, he is a beggar. He
has not so much as pocket-money for his cigars. Of course Mr. Darche
will stay with them. After all, it will not be so bad. He is very quiet
and cheerful, and never in the way."
Brett spoke thoughtfully, in a tone which conveyed to Dolly the
certainty that he had already revolved the situation of Marion's future
husband in his mind.
"Tell me, Mr. Brett," she said, after a short pause, "will anybody say
that she should have sacrificed her own little fortune?"
"People may say it as much as they please," answered the young man
quickly. "No one will ever make me believe it."
"I thought conscientious people often did that sort of thing."
"Yes, they do. But this does not seem to me to be a case for that. The
bogus certificates of stocks never really were on the market. The first
that were issued excited suspicion, and proceedings began almost
immediately. Whatever John Darche actually stole was practically taken
from the funds of the Company. Now the Company is rich, and it was its
own fault if it did not look after its affairs. In some failures, a lot
of poor people suffer. That is different. It has fortunately not
happened here. The stock will be depreciated for a time, but the
Company will continue to exist and will ultimately hold up its head
again. The bonds are good enough. After all, what is stock? Lend me
some money at your own risk and if I have anything I will pay you
interest. If I have nothing, you get nothing. That is what stock
means."
"I know," answered Dolly, whose clear little brain had long been
familiar with the meanings of common business terms. "Yes, you are
quite right. There is no reason why Marion should give anything of her
own."
"None whatever," assented Brett.
If Dolly drew any conclusions from what Brett had said, she kept them
to herself, and a long silence followed, which was broken at last by
the appearance of Russell Vanbrugh, looking pale and tired. He shook
hands in silence and sat down.
"I suppose it is all over?" said Dolly softly, in a tone of
interrogation.
"Yes, just as we feared."
"What has he got?" inquired Brett, lowering his voice as though he
feared that Marion might overhear him, though she was not in the room.
"Five years."
"Is that all?" asked the younger man almost indignantly.
Vanbrugh smiled faintly at the question.
"I am rather proud of it," he answered, "considering that I defended
the case."
"True, I forgot." Brett began to walk up and down again.
Dolly looked at Vanbrugh and nodded to him with a little smile as
though in approval of what he had done. He seemed pleased and grateful.
"You must be dreadfully tired," she said. "Do let me give you some
tea."
"Thanks--I should like some--but some one ought to tell Mrs. Darche.
Shall I? Where is she?"
"I will tell her," said Brett stopping suddenly. "I will send a message
and she will come down to the drawing-room."
He went out, leaving Dolly to comfort Vanbrugh with tea, for he was far
too much excited to sit down or to listen to their conversation. The
whole matter might be more or less indifferent to them, whose lives
could not be affected directly by Mrs. Darche's misfortunes, but he
felt that his own happiness was in the balance. He knew also that, by
the arrangements he had made, John Darche would be brought to the house
in the course of the next hour, before being taken back to prison for
the night, and it was necessary to warn Marion and to see that the old
gentleman was prepared to receive his son.
"How about old Mr. Darche?" inquired Dolly, when she and Vanbrugh were
left alone.
"Every one is sorry for him," said Vanbrugh, "just as every one
execrates John. I get very little credit for the defence," he added,
with a dry laugh.
"How good you are!" exclaimed Dolly.
"Am I? It seems to me it was the least I could do."
"It will not seem so to every one," said Dolly.
"I would do a great deal for Mrs. Darche," said Vanbrugh.
"Yes, I know you would. You--you are very fond of her, are you not?"
She turned her face away as she asked the question.
"I wish to be a good friend to her."
"And something more?" suggested Dolly, in a tone of interrogation.
"Something more?" repeated Vanbrugh, "I do not understand."
"Oh nothing! I thought you did."
"Perhaps I did. But I think you are mistaken."
"Am I?" Dolly asked, turning her face to him again. "I wish--I mean, I
do not think I am."
"I am sure you are."
"This is a good deal like a puzzle game, is it not?"
"No, it is much more serious," said Vanbrugh, speaking gravely. "This
is certainly not the time to talk of such things, Miss Maylands. John
Darche may come at any moment, and as far as possible his father has
been prepared for his coming. But that isn't it. Perhaps I had better
say it at once. We have always been such good friends, you know, and I
think a great deal of your good opinion, so that I do not wish you to
mistake my motives. You evidently think that I am devoted--to say the
least of it--to Mrs. Darche. After all, what is the use of choosing
words and beat about the bush? You think I am in love with her. I
should be very sorry to leave you with that impression--very, very
sorry. Do you understand?"
Dolly had glanced at him several times while he had been speaking, but
when he finished she looked into the fire again.
"You were in love with her once?" she said quietly.
"Perhaps; how do you know that?"
"She told me so, ever so long ago."
"She told you so?" Vanbrugh's tone betrayed his annoyance.
"Yes. Why are you angry? I am her best friend. Was it not natural that
she should tell me?"
"I hardly know."
A pause followed, during which Stubbs entered the room, bringing tea.
When he was gone and Dolly had filled Vanbrugh's cup she took up the
conversation again.
"Are you thinking about it?" she asked, with a smile.
"About what?" Vanbrugh looked up quickly over his cup.
"Whether it was natural or not?"
"No, I was wondering whether you would still believe it."
"Why should I?" asked Dolly.
"You might. In spite of what I tell you. You know very little of my
life."
"Oh, I know a great deal," said the young girl with much conviction. "I
know all about you. You are successful, and rich and popular and happy,
and lots of things."
"Am I?" asked Vanbrugh rather sadly.
"Yes. Everybody knows you are."
"You are quite sure that I am happy?"
"Unless you tell me that you are not."
"How oddly people judge us," exclaimed Vanbrugh. "Because a man behaves
like a human being, and is not cross at every turn, and puts his
shoulder to the wheel, to talk and be agreeable in society, everybody
thinks he is happy."
"Of course." Dolly smiled. "If you were unhappy you would go and sit in
corners by yourself and mope and be disagreeable. But you do not, you
see. You are always 'on hand' as they call it, always ready to make
things pleasant for everybody."
"That is because I am so good-natured."
"What is good nature?"
"A combination of laziness and vulgarity," Vanbrugh answered promptly.
"Oh!"
"Yes," said Vanbrugh. "The vulgarity that wishes to please everybody,
and the laziness that cannot say no."
"You are not a lawyer for nothing. But you are not lazy and you are not
vulgar. If you were I should not like you."
"Do you like me?" asked Vanbrugh quickly.
"Very much," she answered with a little laugh.
"You just made me define good nature, Miss Maylands. How do you define
liking?"
"Oh, it is very vague," said Dolly in an airy tone. "It is a sort of
uncly, auntly thing."
"Oh. I see."
"Do you?"
"Uncles and aunts sometimes marry, do they not?"
"What an idea? They are always brothers and sisters."
"Unless they are uncles and aunts of different people," suggested
Vanbrugh.
At this point they were interrupted by the entrance of Stubbs. That
dignified functionary had suffered intensely during the last few days,
but his tortures were not yet over. So far as lay in his power he still
maintained that absolute correctness of appearance which distinguished
him from the common, or hirsute "head man"; but he could not control
the colour of his face nor the expression of his eyes. He had been a
footman in the house of Marion's father, in that very house in fact,
and had completely identified himself with the family. Had he
considered that he was in the employment of Simon and John Darche, he
would have long since given notice and sought a place better suited to
his eminent respectability. But having always waited upon Marion since
she had been a little girl, he felt bound by all the tenets of
inherited butlerdom--and by a sort of devotion not by any means to be
laughed at--to stand by his young mistress through all her troubles. By
this time his eyes had a permanently unsettled look in them as though
he never knew what fearful sight he might next gaze upon, and the ruddy
colour was slowly but certainly sinking to the collar line. It had
already descended to the lower tips of his ears.
"Beg pardon, Miss Maylands," he said in a subdued tone, "beg pardon,
sir. Mr. John has come with those gentlemen."
Both Dolly and Vanbrugh started slightly and looked up at him. Vanbrugh
was the first to speak.
"Do you not think you had better go away--to Mrs. Darche?" he asked.
"She may want to see you for a minute."
Dolly rose and left the room.
"I suppose they will come in here," said Vanbrugh, addressing Stubbs.
"Yes, sir," answered the butler nervously, "they are coming."
"Well--let us make the best of it."
A moment later John Darche entered the room, followed closely by three
men, evidently dressed for the occasion, according to superior orders,
in what, at police head-quarters, was believed to be the height of the
fashion, for they all wore light snuff-coloured overcoats, white ties,
dark trousers and heavily-varnished shoes, and each had a perfectly
new high hat in his hand. They looked about the room with evident
curiosity.
Darche himself was deathly pale and had grown thinner. Otherwise he was
little changed. As soon as he caught sight of Vanbrugh, he came
forward, extending his hand.
"I have not had a chance to thank you for your able defence," he said
calmly.
"It is not necessary," answered Vanbrugh coldly, and putting his hands
behind him as he leaned against the mantelpiece. "It was a matter of
duty."
"Very well," said John Darche stiffly, and drawing back a step. "If you
do not want to shake hands we will treat it as a matter of business."
"He is pretty fresh, ain't he?" remarked one of the officers in an
undertone to his neighbour.
"You bet he is," answered the other.
"Now I have got to see the old gentleman," said Darche, speaking to
Vanbrugh. "Before I go, I would like to have a word with you. There is
no objection to my speaking privately to Mr. Vanbrugh, I suppose?" he
inquired, turning to the officer.
"Not if you stay in the room," answered the one who took the lead.
Darche nodded to Vanbrugh, who somewhat reluctantly followed him to the
other end of the room.
"I say," he began in a tone not to be overheard by the detectives. "Can
you not give me another chance?"
"What sort of chance?" replied Vanbrugh, raising his eyebrows.
"If I could get through that door," said John looking over Vanbrugh's
shoulder, "I could get away. I know the house and they do not.
Presently, when my father comes, if you could create some sort of
confusion for a moment, I could slip out. They will never catch me.
There is an Italian sailing vessel just clearing. I have had exact
information. If I can get through that door I can be in the Sixth
Avenue Elevated in three minutes and out of New York Harbour in an
hour."
Vanbrugh had no intention of being a party to the escape. He met
Darche's eyes coldly as he answered.
"No, I will not do it. I have defended you in open court, but I am not
going to help you evade the law."
"Do not be too hard, Vanbrugh," said Darche, in a tone of entreaty.
"Things are not half so bad as they are made out."
"If that is true, I am sorry. But you have had a perfectly fair trial."
"Will you not help me get away?" Darche urged knowing that this was his
last chance.
"No."
"Vanbrugh," said John in an insinuating tone, "you used to be fond of
my wife. You wanted to marry her."
"What has that to do with it?" asked Vanbrugh turning sharply upon him.
"You may marry her and welcome, if you let me get through that door. I
shall never be heard of again."
"You infernal scoundrel!" Vanbrugh was thoroughly disgusted. "Now
gentlemen," he said, turning to the officer in charge, "I will bring
Mr. Darche here to see his son. I am sure that for the old gentleman's
sake, out of mere humanity, you will do the best you can to keep up
the illusion we have arranged. He is old and his mind wanders. He will
scarcely notice your presence."
"Yes, sir," the man answered. "You may trust us to do that, sir. Now
then, boys," he said, addressing his two companions, "straighten up,
best company manners, stiff upper lip--keep your eye on the young man.
He is rather too near that door for my taste."
John Darche's face expressed humiliation and something almost
approaching to despair. He was about to make another attempt, and had
moved a step towards Vanbrugh, when he suddenly started a little and
stood still. Marion stood in the open door beyond three detectives. She
touched one of them on the shoulder as a sign that she wished to pass.
"Pardon me, lady," said the man, drawing back. "Anything that we can do
for you?"
"I am Mrs. Darche. I wish to speak to my husband."
"Certainly, madam," and all three made way for her.
She went straight to her husband, and stood before him at the other end
of the room, speaking in a low voice.
"Is there anything I can do for you, John?" she asked so that he could
barely hear her.
"You can help me to get away--if you will." John Darche's eyes fell
before hers.
She gazed at him during several seconds, hesitating, perhaps, between
her sense of justice and her desire to be faithful to her husband to
the very end.
"Yes, I will," she said briefly.
Before she spoke again she turned quite naturally, as though in
hesitation, and satisfied herself that the three men were out of
hearing. Vanbrugh, perhaps suspecting what was taking place, had
engaged them in conversation near the door.
"How?" she asked, looking at John again. "Tell me quickly."
"Presently, when my father comes, get as many people as you can. Let me
be alone for a moment. Make some confusion, upset something, anything
will do. Give me a chance to get through the door into the library."
"I will try. Is that all?"
"Thank you," said John Darche, and for one moment a look of something
like genuine gratitude passed over his hard face. "Yes, that is all.
You will be glad to get rid of me."
Marion looked one moment longer, hesitated, said nothing and turned
away.
"If you have no objections," said Vanbrugh addressing the officer in
charge, "we will take Mr. Darche to his father's room instead of asking
him to come here."
"Yes, sir," answered the detective. "We can do that."
As they were about to leave the room, Brett met them at the door. He
paused a moment and looked about. Then he went straight to Vanbrugh.
"Has he seen him yet?" he asked.
"No, we are just going," answered Vanbrugh.
"Can I be of any use?"
"Stay with Mrs. Darche."
"Shall we go?" he asked, turning to John.
"How brave you are!" exclaimed Brett when they were alone.
"Does it need much courage?" asked Marion, sinking into a chair. "I do
not know. Perhaps."
"I know that there are not many men who could bear all this as well as
you do," Brett answered, and there was a little emotion in his face.
"Men are different. Mr. Brett--" she began after a short pause.
"Yes, do you want to ask me something?"
"Yes, something that is very hard to ask. Something that you will
refuse."
"That would be hard indeed."
"Will you promise not to be angry?" asked Marion faintly.
"Of course I will," Brett answered.
"Do not be so sure. Men's honour is such a strange thing. You may think
what I am going to ask touches it."
"What is it?"
He sat down beside her and prepared to listen.
"Will you help my husband to escape?" asked Marion in a whisper.
"No--do not say it. Wait until I tell you first how it can be done.
Presently I will get them all into this room. Old Mr. Darche is too
ill to come, I am afraid. You have not spoken alone to John yet. Take
him aside and bring him close to this door on pretence of exchanging a
few words. I will make a diversion of some sort at the other end of the
room and as they all look round he can slip out. If he has one minute's
start they will never see him again. Will you do it?"
"You were right," said Brett gravely. "It is a hard thing to ask."
"Will you do it?"
"It is criminal," he answered.
"Will you do it?"
"For God's sake, give me time to think!" He passed his hand over his
eyes.
"There is no time," said Marion anxiously. "Will you do it for me?"
"How can I? how can I?"
"You told me that you loved me the other day--will you do it for my
sake?"
A change came over Brett's face.
"For your sake?" he asked in an altered tone. "Do you mean it?"
"Yes. For my sake."
"Very well. I will do it." He turned a little pale and closed one hand
over the other.
"Thank you--thank you, Harry." Her voice lingered a little, as she
pronounced his name. "Stay here. I will make them come. It is of no use
to leave them there. It is a mere formality, at best."
"I am ready," said Brett, rising.
Marion left her seat, and crossing the room again tried the door in
question to satisfy herself that it would open readily. She looked out
into the passage beyond and then came back, and passing Brett without a
word left the room.
She was not gone long, and during the minutes of her absence Brett
tried hard not to think of what he was going to do. He could not but be
aware that it was a desperately serious matter to help a convicted
criminal to escape. He thought of the expression he had seen on
Marion's face when he had promised to do it, and of the soft intonation
of her sweet voice, and he tried to think of nothing else.
In a moment more she was in the room again leading old Mr. Darche
forward, his arm linked in hers. John came in on his father's other
side, while Vanbrugh and the three officers followed.
"I understand, I understand, my boy," cried old Darche in his cheery
voice. "It is a grand thing."
John was very pale as he answered, and was evidently making a great
effort to speak lightly.
"Yes, of course. It has turned out much simpler than we expected,
however, thanks to your immense reputation, father. Without your name
we could not have done it, could we, gentlemen?" he asked, turning to
the detectives as though appealing to them.
"No, guess not," answered the three together.
"Good God, what a scene!" exclaimed Brett under his breath.
"Mr. Brett," said Marion approaching him. "You said you wanted to speak
to my husband. Now you must tell me all about it, father," she
continued, drawing the old gentleman towards the fire. "I do not half
understand in all this confusion."
"Why it is as plain as day, child," said Simon Darche, ever ready to
explain a matter of business. "The second mortgage of a million and a
half to square everything. Come here, come close to the fire, my hands
are cold. I think I must have been ill."
"You would never think Mr. Darche had been ill, would you, gentlemen?"
asked Marion, appealing again to the detectives.
"No, guess not," they answered in chorus.
Meanwhile Brett led Darche across the room, talking to him in a loud
tone until they were near the door.
"Your wife will make some diversion presently," he whispered. "I do not
know how. When she does, make for that door and get out."
"Thank you, thank you," said John with genuine fervour, and his face
lighted up. "God bless you, Brett!"
"Do not thank me," answered Brett roughly. "I do not want to do it.
Thank your wife."
"Oh!" exclaimed John Darche, and his eyelids contracted. "My wife! Is
it for her?"
"Yes."
"I will remember that. I will remember it as long as I live."
Brett never forgot the look which accompanied the words.
"Well, be grateful to her anyhow," he said.
At that moment a piercing scream rang through the room. Marion Darche,
while talking to her father-in-law, had been standing quite close to
the fire. When Brett turned his head the front of her dress was burning
with a slow flame and she was making desperate efforts to tear it from
her.
"Good Heavens, you are really burning!" cried Brett as he crushed the
flaming stuff with his bare hands, regardless of the consequences to
himself.
"Did you think that I cried out in fun?" asked Marion calmly.
On hearing his wife's cry John Darche had bestowed but one glance upon
her. It mattered but little to him that she was really on fire. The
detectives had rushed to her assistance and for one moment no one was
looking. He was close to the door. A moment later he had left the room
and turned the key behind him.
"My God!" exclaimed the officer in charge, suddenly. "He has gone! Run,
boys! Stop! One of you take the old one. We will not lose them both."
Old Darche started as though he had suddenly been waked out of a deep
sleep, and his voice rang out loud and clear.
"Hey, what is this?" he cried. "Hello! Detectives in my house?
Disguised too?"
"Yes, sir," answered one of the detectives, seizing him by the wrist
just as the other two left the room in pursuit of John Darche. "And one
of them has got you."
"Got me!" roared the old man. "Hands off, there! What do you mean? Damn
you, sir, let me go!"
"Oh, well," replied the officer calmly, "if you are going to take on
like that, you may just as well know that your son was tried and
convicted for forgery to-day. Not that I believe that you had anything
to do with it, but he is a precious rascal all the same, and has
escaped from your house--"
"I! Forgery? The man is mad! John, where are you? Brett! Vanbrugh! Help
me, gentlemen!"
He appealed to Brett, and then to Vanbrugh who, indeed, was doing his
best to draw the officer away.
"No, no," answered the latter firmly. "I've got one of them--it's all
in the family."
Though Marion's dress was still smouldering and Brett was on his knees
trying to extinguish the last spark with his own hands, she forgot her
own danger, and almost tearing herself away from Brett she clasped the
policeman's hand trying to drag it from Simon Darche's shoulder.
"Oh, sir," she cried in tearful entreaty, "pray let him go! He is
innocent--he is ill! He will not think of escaping. Don't you see that
we have kept it all from him?"
"Kept it all from me?" asked the old gentleman fiercely turning upon
her. "What do you mean? Where is John? Where is John? I say!"
"In handcuffs by this time I guess," said the detective calmly.
"But I insist upon knowing what all this means," continued old Darche,
growing more and more excited, while the veins of his temples swelled
to bursting. "Forgery! Trial! Conviction! John escaping! Am I dreaming?
Are not you three directors of the other road? Good God, young man,
speak!" He seized Brett by the collar in his excitement.
"Pray be calm, sir, pray be calm," answered the young man, trying to
loosen the policeman's sturdy grasp.
By a tremendous effort, such as madmen make in supreme moments, the old
man broke loose, and seizing Marion by the wrist dragged her half
across the room while he spoke. "Tell me this thing is all a lie!" he
cried, again and again.
"The lady knows the truth well enough, sir," said the policeman, coming
up behind him. "She caught fire just right."
For one moment Simon Darche stood upright in the middle of the room,
looking from one to the other with wild frightened eyes.
"Oh, it is true!" he cried in accents of supreme agony. "John has
disgraced himself! Oh, my son, my son!"
One instant more, and the light in his eyes broke, he threw out his
arms and fell straight backwards against the detective. Simon Darche
was dead.