=An Evening's End.=
The next morning, Roberts' friends held an anxious conference. The
Doctor, being left alone while his wife went out on household affairs,
had, it seemed, risen from bed, dressed himself, and left the house.
He had taken a few pounds, part of what Johnstone had returned to
him, but no luggage. Nothing was gone except his revolver, which had
lain on the mantelpiece, his wife having feared to take it away. In
the absence of other explanation, it seemed most probable that he had
suddenly determined to return to London, and Dr. Spink thought London
the best place to look for him. Accordingly, Philip Hume at once
started in pursuit; for all felt, though none of them liked to express
the feeling, that Roberts was not in a state in which he could safely
be trusted to look after himself. His wife was helpless with grief and
bewilderment, and kindly Mrs. Hodge determined to spend the day with
her, and return to Littlehill only late in the evening; thus at least
proper attention would be secured to the helpless child and its hardly
less helpless mother.
Not even these troubles could keep Dale from the Grange, and after
dinner, with an apology to Nellie and Arthur, he announced his
intention of strolling over to ask the Squire at what point in the
proceedings his ode was to come. Nellie had a letter to write, or said
she had, and Arthur Angell offered to bear Dale company part of the
way, with a cigar.
The two men set out together, and Arthur did not leave his friend till
they were at the Grange drive. Then he sauntered back, humming snatches
of song between his puffs of smoke, and rejoicing in the glory of a
full moon. He had almost reached the gate of Littlehill, when, to his
surprise, he saw, a few yards from him, a figure that seemed familiar.
He caught sight of it only for a moment, for the trees then came
between; and yet he felt almost sure that the stealthily moving form
was that of James Roberts. He stood watching to see him again, but he
did not; and, going into the house, he told Nellie what he thought he
had seen.
"Dr. Roberts going toward the Grange!" she exclaimed. "You must be
mistaken."
"I don't think so. It looked like him."
Nellie was not inclined to think he could be right, but she agreed that
Arthur had better go and tell Dr. Spink of his suspicions. Arthur went
off on his errand, and she sat by the fire alone.
Abandoning herself to reverie, she idly and sadly reviewed the events
of the days since her return. How joyfully she had come! But it had
hardly been as good as she hoped. Dale was very kind, when he was
there. But why did he leave her so much--leave her to Arthur Angell?
And ah, why did he go so much to the Grange? It was all far pleasanter
before he came to Denborough, before he knew these great people--yes,
and before this Dr. Roberts was there to worry them. The thought of
Roberts carried her mind in a new direction. What a strange man he was!
And his poor wife! She could not think why he had become so odd and
so unfriendly. Yet it was so. He seemed absolutely to hate Dale; she
had seen him look at him so fiercely. Dale had not ruined him; he had
ruined himself. He was mad to blame Dale. Ah, wasn't he mad?--She sat
up suddenly in her chair. What if Arthur were right? What if it were
he? Why was he going to the Grange! Dale was there. What was that they
said about a pistol? Ah--if----
Without another thought she rose, and as she was, in her evening dress
and thin shoes, she ran out of the house and along the wooded road
toward the Grange. A terrible idea was goading her on. He was mad; he
hated Dale; he had a revolver with him. Oh, could she be in time? They
would wonder at her. What did that matter? Her love, her lord was--or
might be--in danger. She pressed on, till she panted and had to pause;
then, with breath but half recovered, over rough and smooth ground,
knowing no difference, she sped on her way.
Dale's talk with the Squire was not long; but the Squire's daughter
came to the door to bid him good-night, and was easily persuaded to
walk a little way down the drive with him. She went farther than she
meant, as was natural enough; for she was leaning on his arm, and he
was telling her, in that caressing voice of his, that all his life and
heart and brain and power were hers, and lavishing sweet words on her.
"I must go back, Dale," she said. "They will wonder what has become of
me."
"Not yet."
"Yes, I must."
"Ah, my darling, how soon will it be when we need never part? How soon?
I mean how long, till then! Do you love me?"
"You know, Dale."
"What was it you said the other day--was it only yesterday?--that you
would die for me?"
"Yes."
"Ah, Jan, my sweetest Jan, that you should say that to me!"
They said no more, but did not part yet. At last he suffered her to
tear herself away.
"I shall run back through the shrubbery," she whispered.
"I shall wait."
"Yes, wait. When I get in, I will show you a light from my window. A
good-night light, Dale."
She sped away down a side-path, and Dale leaned against a tree, in the
moonlight, fixing his lovelorn eyes on the window.
As Janet turned down her path, she rushed, in her rapid flight, against
a man who stood there in lurking.
Dale's side was to him, but he was watching Dale, with a sneering smile
on his lips. When she saw him, she started back. In a moment he seized
her shoulder with one hand, and pressed a pistol to her head.
"If you make a sound, I'll kill you," he hissed. "Don't stir--don't
scream."
She was paralyzed with surprise and fright. It was Roberts, and--what
did he mean?
He pushed her slowly before him, the revolver still at her head, till
they reached the drive. Dale's eyes were set on his mistress' window,
and their feet made no noise on the grass-edges of the drive. Roberts
gave a low laugh, and whispered in her ear.
"He came to see you, did he? The traitor! Not a sound! Wait till he
turns! wait till he turns! I want him to see me. When he turns, I shall
shoot him."
At last she understood. The madman meant to kill Dale.
He would kill him, before Dale could defend himself. She must warn
him--at any cost, she must warn him. If it cost her----
"Not a sound," hissed Roberts. "A sound and you are dead; your head
blown to bits--blown to bits!" And again he laughed, but noiselessly.
It was her life against his. Ah, she must warn him--she must cry out!
But the cold barrel pressed against her temple, and the madman's voice
hissed in her ear:
"Blown to bits--blown to bits!"
She couldn't die, she couldn't die! not like that--not blown to bits!
Perhaps he would miss; Dale might escape. She couldn't die!
He advanced a little nearer, keeping on the grass-edge and pushing
her before him, still whispering to her death and its horrors, if she
made a sound. It was too horrible; she could not bear it. Ah! he was
measuring the distance. She must cry out! She opened her lips. Quick as
thought, he pressed the barrel to her head. She could not, could not do
it; and, with a groan, she sank, a senseless heap, on the ground at his
feet.
Suddenly a shot rang out, and a woman's cry. Dale started from his
reverie, to see a woman a step or two from him; a woman, tottering,
swaying, falling forward on her face, as he rushed to support her in
his arms.
There was a shout of men's voices, and, following on it, another
report, and James Roberts fell beside Janet Delane, his head, as he had
said, blown to bits; and two panting men, who had run all the way from
Denborough, were raising Janet and looking if she were dead, and then
laying her down again and turning to where Nellie Fane lay in lifeless
quiet in Dale's arms.
"A minute sooner and we should have been in time," said Arthur Angell
to Dr. Spink, as the Doctor pushed Dale aside and knelt over Nellie.
And Dale, relieved, ran at all his speed to where Janet lay and threw
himself on his knees beside her.
"My love, open your eyes," he cried.