Mr Swinton enjoyed his day of jubilee.
It did not last long; though long enough to enable this accomplished
card-player to make a _coup_.
From the repute obtained by the sham challenge, aided by the alliance of
Louis Lucas, he was not long in discovering some of those pigeons for
whose especial plucking he had made the crossing of the Atlantic.
They were not so well feathered as he had expected to find them. Still
did he obtain enough to save him from the necessity of taking to a hack,
or the fair Frances to a mangle.
For the cashiered guardsman--now transformed into a swindler--it
promised to be a golden time. But the promise was too bright to be of
long continuance, and his transient glory soon became clouded with
suspicion; while that of his late adversary was released from the stigma
that for a time had attached to it.
A few days after Maynard had taken his departure from New York, it
became known why he had left so abruptly. The New York newspapers
contained an explanation of this. He had been elected to the leadership
of what was by them termed the "German expedition"; and had responded to
the call.
Honourable as this seemed to some, it did not quite justify him in the
eyes of others, acquainted with his conduct in the affair with Swinton.
His insult to the Englishman had been gross in the extreme, and above
all considerations he should have stayed to give him satisfaction.
But the papers now told of his being in New York. Why did Mr Swinton
not follow him there? This, of course, was but a reflection on the
opposite side, and both now appeared far from spotless.
So far as regarded Maynard, the spots were at length removed; and before
he had passed out of sight of Sandy Hook, his reputation as a "gentleman
and man of honour" was completely restored.
An explanation is required. In a few words it shall be given.
Shortly after Maynard had left, it became known in the Ocean House that
on the morning after the ball, and at an early hour a strange gentleman
arriving by the New York boat had made his way to Maynard's room,
staying with him throughout the day.
Furthermore, that a letter had been sent addressed to Mr Swinton, and
delivered to his valet. The waiter to whom it had been intrusted was
the authority for these statements.
What could that letter contain?
Mr Lucas should know, and Mr Lucas was asked.
But he did not know. So far from being acquainted with the contents of
the letter in question, he was not even aware that an epistle had been
sent.
On being told of it, he felt something like a suspicion of being
compromised, and at once determined on demanding from Swinton an
explanation.
With this resolve he sought the Englishman in his room.
He found him there, and with some surprise discovered him in familiar
discourse with his servant.
"What's this I've heard, Mr Swinton?" he asked upon entering.
"Aw--aw; what, my deaw Lucas?"
"This letter they're talking about."
"Lettaw--lettaw! I confess supweme ignowance of what you mean, my deaw
Lucas."
"Oh, nonsense! Didn't you receive a letter from Maynard--the morning
after the ball?"
Swinton turned white, looking in all directions except into the eyes of
Lucas. He was hesitating to gain time--not with the intention of
denying it. He knew that he dare not.
"Oh! yas--yas!" he replied at length. "There was a lettaw--a very queaw
epistle indeed. I did not get it that day till after yaw had gone. My
valet Fwank, stoopid fellow! had thrown it into a cawner. I only wed it
on the following mawning."
"You have it still, I suppose?"
"No, indeed I lit my cigaw with the absawd epistle."
"But what was it about?"
"Well--well; it was a sort of apology on the part of Mr Maynard--to say
he was compelled to leave Newport by the evening bawt. It was signed by
his fwend Wupert Woseveldt, calling himself a Count of the Austwian
Empire. After weading it, and knowing that the writer was gone, I
didn't think it wawth while to twouble you any fawther about the
disagweeable business."
"By Gad! Mr Swinton, that letter's likely to get us both into a
scrape!"
"But why, my deaw fellow?"
"Why? Because everybody wants to know what it was about. You say
you've destroyed it?"
"Tore it into taypaws, I ashaw you."
"More's the pity. It's well-known that a letter was sent and delivered
to your servant. Of course every one supposes that it came to your
hands. We're bound to give some explanation."
"Twue--twue. What daw you suggest, Mr Lucas?"
"Why, the best way will be to tell the truth about it. You got the
letter too late to make answer to it. It's already known _why_, so
that, so far as you are concerned, the thing can't be any worse. It
lets Maynard out of the scrape--that's all."
"Yaw think we'd better make a clean bweast of it?"
"I'm sure of it. We must."
"Well, Mr Lucas, I shall agwee to anything yaw may think pwopaw. I am
so much indebted to yaw."
"My dear sir," rejoined Lucas, "it's no longer a question of what's
proper. It is a necessity that this communication passed between Mr
Maynard and yourself should be explained. I am free, I suppose, to give
the explanation?"
"Oh, pawfectly free. Of cawse--of cawse."
Lucas left the room, determined to clear himself from all imputation.
The outside world was soon after acquainted with the spirit, if not the
contents of that mysterious epistle; which re-established the character
of the man who wrote, while damaging that of him who received it.
From that hour Swinton ceased to be an eagle in the estimation of the
Newport society. He was not even any longer a successful hawk--the
pigeons becoming shy. But his eyes were still bent upon that bird of
splendid plumage--far above all others--worth the swooping of a life!