THE TABLES TURNED.
Haskins departed for Devonshire by the eleven-fifty morning train from
Paddington, with a great sense of exultation. The necessity of
immediate action appealed to his active brain and to his craving for
romance. That there was more than a spice of danger in the adventure
to which he was committed added to his enjoyment. Notwithstanding his
repudiation of Tod's suggestion that murder might be the end of these
things he took the precaution of carrying a revolver. After all, Major
Rebb was being driven into a highly unpleasant corner, and--from what
Gerald knew of him--he was not the kind of man to submit tamely to
being beaten. Nor would he readily surrender six thousand a year. He
had enjoyed the luxuries of life too long to be content with the mere
necessities. And that was only human nature.
However, Haskins determined to beard the lion in his den, which for
the moment was Geary's village inn. Gerald himself decided to remain
at the Prince's Head, Silbury, since the negro, by Rebb's orders,
might make himself highly disagreeable should the young man live under
the sinister roof of the Devon Maid. But Haskins was not easily
intimidated, and, even though the Major and his underling joined
forces to thwart him, he felt quite equal to dealing with them,
collectively or separately. Right was on his side, and Gerald had an
implicit belief that good was stronger than evil. Those who fought in
the cause for which Geary and Rebb were fighting could not possibly
triumph.
It was after four o'clock when Haskins arrived in Silbury, and he
repaired at once to the Prince's Head. Mrs. Jennings was glad to see
him, and gave him his old room. He learned that Rebb in his motor car
had gone two days previously to Denleigh, and had not returned to the
little town. He was visiting an elderly relative at Leegarth, said the
landlady, and Gerald smiled when he noticed how persistently the Major
kept up the fiction, to account for his presence in the neighborhood.
While he was having afternoon tea he asked questions, and learned to
his surprise that Bellaria was the elderly relative.
"She is an Italian," said Haskins, on hearing this.
"One of them nasty foreigners," assented the plump hostess, "of course
she is, sir, for I've seen her myself. At times she come to Silbury
for marketing, and she went to London the other day, coming back in a
broken-up condition, as you might say."
Haskins smiled grimly. He knew well what had broken Bellaria up. "But
she can't be any relative of Major Rebb," he expostulated, "he is
quite English, Mrs. Jennings."
"Irish, begging your pardon, sir, but it's this way, as the Major told
me himself when he stopped here for the night. This Miss Bellaria's
parents were Italian, and Major Rebb's were Irish. But his father died
and her mother; so her father married the Major's mother, which makes
them a kind of sister and brother."
Gerald shrugged his shoulders at this somewhat confused description,
and shook his head. "It may please Rebb to call Bellaria Dondi his
elderly relative," he said quietly, "but in reality there is no
relationship between them."
Mrs. Jennings nodded in her turn. "And he ain't very kind to her," she
went on disapprovingly, "for she do look miserable when she comes out
of that lunatic asylum, as you might call it."
"Lunatic asylum!" Haskins received a shock. He had no idea that the
rumor of Mavis' insanity had spread so far as Silbury. But Mrs.
Jennings seemed to know all about it.
"Oh yes, sir, don't you know?" she remarked, earnestly. "Miss Bellaria
is set to watch that poor girl, Mavis Durham, who is quite mad."
"Who says that she is mad?" asked Gerald heatedly.
"Everyone," replied the landlady vaguely. "Why, the Major himself told
me that she was always wanting to kill people. That is why she is shut
up and watched by Miss Bellaria. It would never do, sir, for a lunatic
like that to come out. Why, we might all be murdered in our beds."
It was on the tip of Haskins' tongue to deny the insanity of Mavis,
for which Mrs. Jennings vouched so staunchly. But to do so would have
led to an admission of his secret visits to the Pixy's House. Until he
settled with Rebb he did not wish these to be known, therefore he
contented himself with another question. "Have you ever seen Miss
Durham?"
"Lord! no, sir, nor has anyone else. Miss Bellaria keeps her safely
within the grounds of that tumbledown house, and a good thing too, say
I."
"Does the house belong to Major Rebb?"
"No, sir--to that poor girl herself. You see, sir, the Durhams were a
great family hereabouts for years. But they all died out save one, who
went soldiering to India. He was shot in the lungs some months after
his marriage at Simla to an English lady, and came home to die. He
lingered a year and died at Brighton."
"And his wife?"
"Oh, she died in Bombay, when starting for England, long before
Captain Durham was shot. That poor girl at the Pixy's House was born
when her mother died, so Major Rebb, who was a brother officer of
Captain Durham, took charge of her."
"Has Miss Durham any money?"
"I can't tell you that, sir. What I say is only what I have heard from
time to time. I believe that she has the old house of the Durhams, and
enough money to keep her. Major Rebb is a good, kind gentleman to take
such trouble over the poor thing. Many another gentleman would have
shut her up in a lunatic asylum."
Haskins smiled once more, very significantly. He quite believed that
if Rebb could have shut up Mavis as a lunatic he would have done so
long ago. But, in the first place, it would be difficult to get two
doctors to certify to her insanity, and in the second, if the case
became known, the use of the girl's money by Rebb might be questioned.
The Major had just made sufficient of the story public to save himself
from awkward questions, and Gerald foresaw that to extricate Mavis
from her false position was a more difficult task than, he had
reckoned upon.
However, notwithstanding that things looked thus black, he held to his
determination of having an explanation with Major Rebb, and as the
evening was pleasant he walked to Denleigh at his leisure. There was
more chance of catching the Major at this hour, since it was probable
that he would always return to the Devon Maid for dinner. As he was
starting, Mrs. Jennings came up to him at the door.
"If you see Major Rebb, sir," she said, in a low voice, "you might
tell him that Mr. Arnold has come back."
"Who is he?" asked Gerald, forgetting what Mavis had said.
"A small clever gentleman, with a long beard, who looked after that
poor girl for a time. He went away to some foreign port months ago but
returned to this neighborhood during the last two or three days. I
haven't seen Mr. Arnold myself," ended Mrs. Jennings, "but others have
seen him, and I want the Major to know."
"Why?" asked Haskins, looking at her keenly.
"Mr. Arnold behaved very badly to Major Rebb," explained the landlady,
"and went away without giving notice. Major Rebb wants to see him, and
ask why he left him in the lurch, as you might say."
"I'll tell him," said Haskins, nodding. "Where is this Mr. Arnold
now?"
"I can't say, sir, save that he is in the neighborhood."
Haskins walked away, pondering over what had been said. He then
remembered how Mavis had called this dwarf Arnold by the name of
Schaibar, and said that he had gone to Australia. Apparently he had
acted as a kind of companion to Mavis, and possibly as a tutor,
although he had not been allowed by Rebb to teach his pupil reading or
writing. It occurred to Gerald that the scholar was friendly to Mavis.
In that case, he certainly would be hostile to her guardian, as he
could not fail to know from personal observation that the girl was
perfectly sane, and was illegally detained. The young man felt very
certain that Rebb wished to see this Mr. Arnold, not to ask him
questions as to the reason for his sudden departure, some months back,
but to bribe him into silence regarding the truth. "I shall hunt up
Arnold," thought Gerald, as he mounted the rising road to Denleigh,
"he may be able to help Mavis and myself. And heaven knows that we
shall need all the help and friendship that we can obtain."
The evening was warm, luminous, and intensely still. Haskins did not
hurry himself, but sauntered through the lovely country, enjoying its
beauty in spite of his anxious state of mind. In the depths of his
heart he felt that everything would come right in the end, and that he
would some day be able to make Mavis his dear wife. They would then
live happily ever afterwards, just like a fairy tale.
Still, in fairy tales, the lovers always have to undergo much woe and
sorrow and danger before the end is reached, and this fantasy of real
life--as Gerald believed--was to proceed much on the same lines.
Dragons had to be overcome, magicians thwarted, enchanted castles had
to be stormed: but when these tasks laid upon the fated prince were
accomplished he would awaken the princess to everyday life with a
kiss, and all the fairies would come to the nuptials. The young man
thought allegorically, but there was a bitter truth enshrined in the
symbols. And fairy tales themselves are only fanciful pictures of
life's mystery: pain must be undergone before pleasure can be gained.
Geary was absent when the traveler arrived at the Devon Maid, and
Haskins was not sorry to hear this from Mrs. Geary, who received him.
The negro, having learned from Rebb and Bellaria that the castle he
had guarded was discovered, would not be in the best of humors and
would probably make himself disagreeable. Not that Gerald had any fear
of the man; but he wished for an explanation with Rebb before any open
quarrel took place. The Major, as a civilized being, would certainly
be more reasonable than the negro.
"Is Major Rebb in?" questioned Gerald, when Mrs. Geary had told him of
her husband's absence--she did not say where he was, as she apparently
did not know, and Geary was not the man to permit questions.
"Yes, sir. He is having dinner in your old room. I am sorry you can't
have the room, Mr. Haskins, but the Major----"
"Yes, yes! I understand," said Haskins impatiently, "take my card to
Major Rebb, and say that I have come down from London to see him."
Mrs. Geary did this in her stolid way, and shortly returned to usher
Haskins into the well-remembered sitting-room. Here he was received
somewhat stiffly by the man he had come to see, and the landlady
retired, closing the door carefully after her. Rebb looked thinner and
more erect, and more reserved than ever. With a silent bow he pointed
to a seat, and waited to hear what Gerald had to say. Considering the
two men had already met frequently this reception was frigid; but Rebb
apparently wished to make Haskins as uncomfortable as possible, so
that he might get the better of him. If such was his object he failed
to attain it, for Gerald, anticipating this demeanor, was quite
cheerful, and very observant. The Major, having finished his meal,
lighted a cigar, but did not offer one to Haskins. This was a sign of
war, and Gerald accepted it as such.
"You are surprised to see me," he remarked, keeping his eyes on Rebb's
dark high-bred face.
"Not exactly," answered the other coolly, "my man told me that you
wished to see me in London, and of course I found your card, when I
returned. I regret that I could not see you then, but I had to come
back here on business."
"To see your elderly relative, no doubt."
"Bellaria Dondi. Precisely. Well?"
"Why fence in this way, Rebb?" asked the young man, "you have heard
from Bellaria that I----"
"Yes," interrupted the Major, leaning forward and gripping the arms of
his chair with an angry expression on his face, "Bellaria has told me
of your secret visits to the Pixy's House. I must say that you have
behaved very badly, Haskins. This is not the kind of thing I expected
from you."
"Really," Gerald raised his eyebrows, "we have not been intimate, that
you should expect me to consider your feelings."
"Since my future wife was your mother's friend and is yours," said
Rebb, with dignity, "I was quite willing to admit you to a certain
degree of intimacy. Now the case is altered."
"Because I love your ward?"
"No. Because you went by stealth to see her. If you had come to me, I
could have explained her unhappy condition."
"I am quite certain that you could," retorted Gerald, looking straight
at his enemy, as he was convinced the Major was, "but is there any
need of an explanation? Everyone hereabouts declares that Miss Durham
is insane, and not responsible for her actions."
A flash of pleasure came and went in Rebb's dark eyes for the moment,
and then he looked hypocritically sad. "Poor girl! It is only too
true."
"I don't agree with you there," said Haskins quietly.
"Indeed, and on what grounds?"
"I have had several interviews with Mavis, and I am quite certain that
she is as sane as you or I."
"If so, why should I shut her up?"
"Ask your own conscience."
Rebb struck his hand fiercely on the table. "You go too far, Haskins,
in saying that. I am not forced to account for my actions to you."
"You may not think so," said Gerald, feeling that they were coming to
close quarters, "but I do. I love Mavis, and wish to marry her."
"It is out of the question."
"Why?"
"She is--as I declare--insane. If you married her, she would probably
murder you in your sleep."
"I am willing to take the risk," said Haskins, with a contemptuous
smile. He saw that Rebb was trying to make the best of his position.
"I am not willing that you should," retorted the Major.
"Ah! but the decision lies with me. Mrs. Crosbie----"
Rebb looked furious. "What has Mrs. Crosbie to do with this matter?"
"Has she not told you?"
"Told me what? I have heard nothing from Mrs. Crosbie."
Gerald privately apologized to himself for having doubted the little
woman, but determined to have no further misunderstanding. He spoke
out. "I saw Mrs. Crosbie when I was in London, and asked her to help
me to marry Mavis."
"Not even for Mrs. Crosbie's sake can I consent to that. A marriage of
that kind would be a sin. How dare you tell my private affairs to my
future wife?" And Rebb again struck the table.
"Gently, Major, gently! I am not to be intimidated. I asked Mrs.
Crosbie to help me, as she is my mother's old friend, and I have known
her much longer than you have. She refused to help me."
"Ah!" cried Rebb, gratified. "I knew that she loved me."
"But she agreed to keep what I had told her a secret from you, for at
least a month, on condition that I took no steps meanwhile to run away
with Mavis. From what you say, I understand that she has kept her
promise, and I have done her an injustice. I fancied, from your sudden
departure to this place, that she had told you."
"Mrs. Crosbie has told me nothing," said Rebb coldly. "I came down
here because I heard that Bellaria had been up to see me. Also I had a
line from Geary saying that something was wrong. I came down at once,
and was informed that you had been spying out my private affairs."
"Don't call hard names, Major," said Gerald coolly. "I admit that I
was wrong to speak to Mrs. Crosbie, seeing that she is engaged to you.
But I am putting that right by coming here for an explanation, and I
absolve Mrs. Crosbie from her promise. But I was not wrong in obeying
the invitation of the sealed message. Any young man in my position
would have done the same."
"Ah, the cylinder!" cried Rebb angrily, "Bellaria told me of that, as
Mavis confessed to her what she had done. Who would have thought that
the girl would have communicated with the world in that way?"
"Why should she not communicate with the world?" asked Gerald sharply.
Rebb saw that in his hurry he had made a mistake, and tried to get out
of it. "Why? Because she is crazy!"
"And for that reason she has not been taught to read or write?"
"Exactly! The doctor said that if she were educated, or if her brain
was subjected to any strain, her homicidal mania would be intensified.
Out of sheer pity for the unfortunate girl, I have had her kept in
ignorance."
"I see!" said Haskins, thinking that the excuse was extremely skilful.
"Then Mr. Arnold taught her nothing?"
Rebb started; the cigar fell from his fingers, and he turned pale. The
mention of the name evidently worried him not a little. "What do you
know of Mr. Arnold?" he demanded.
"Only that he is, or was, Mavis' tutor in some sort of odd way. And
that reminds me: Mrs. Jennings of the Prince's Head gave me a message
for you, Major. Mr. Arnold, she says, has returned from Australia, and
is in the neighborhood."
"Stale news, Haskins," said Rebb, recovering his wits. "Geary found
out, at least a week ago, that Arnold was traveling round the country,
in a kind of gipsy caravan, selling books. It was about Arnold that
Geary wrote to me. I came down to see into the matter, as Arnold is a
rascal. But I also learned on my arrival, from Bellaria, that you had
been taking an interest in my affairs!" And he sneered.
"In the affairs of the woman I hope to make my wife!" said Gerald
imperturbably.
Rebb rose stiffly. "Mr. Haskins," he said, in a most ceremonious
manner, "had you come to me in the first place, and without acting in
this underhand manner, I should have told you that such a marriage is
impossible. I tell you so now, and beg to end this interview."
Gerald rose also. "As you please, Major Rebb. After all," he paused at
the door, "six thousand a year is worth fighting for."
Rebb gasped, again turned pale, and fell back into his chair.