ON THE BACK TRAIL.
Edward found himself next day feverish and mentally disturbed; but he
felt new life in the morning air. There was a vehicle available; a roomy
buggy, after the fashion of those chosen by physicians, with covered
tops to keep out the sun, and rubber aprons for the rain. And there was
a good reliable horse, that had traveled the city road almost daily for
ten years.
He finished his meal and started out. In the yard he found Gerald pale
and with the contracted pupils that betrayed his deadly habit. He was
taking views with a camera and came forward with breathless interest.
"I am trying some experiments with photographs on the line of our
conversation," he said. "If the mind pictures can be revived they must
necessarily exist. Do they? The question with me now is, can any living
substance retain a photographic impression? You understand, it seems
that the brain can receive these impressions through certain senses, but
the brain is transient; through a peculiar process of supply and waste
it is always coming and going. If it is true that every atom of our
physical bodies undergoes a change at least once in seven years, how can
the impressions survive? I have here upon my plate the sensitized film
of a fish's eyes; I caught it this morning. I must establish, first, the
proposition that a living substance can receive a photographic image; if
I can make an impression remain upon this film I have gained a little
point--a little one. But the fish should be alive. There are almost
insuperable difficulties, you understand! The time will come when a new
light will be made, so powerful, penetrating as to illumine solids.
Then, perhaps, will the brain be seen at work through the skull; then
may its tiny impressions even be found and enlarged; then will the past
give up its secrets. And the eye is not the brain." He looked away in
perplexity. "If I only had brain substance, brain substance--a living
brain!" He hurried away and Edward resumed his journey to the city, sad
and thoughtful.
"It was not wise," he said, "it was not wise to start Gerald upon that
line of thought. And yet why not as well one fancy as another?" He had
no conception of the power of an idea in such a mind as Gerald's.
"You did not mention to me," he said an hour later, sitting in
Eldridge's office, "that I would have a ward in charge out at Ilexhurst.
You naturally supposed I knew it, did you not?"
"And you did not know it?" Eldridge looked at him in unaffected
astonishment.
"Positively not until the day after I reached the house! I had never
heard of Gerald Morgan. You can imagine my surprise, when he walked in
upon me one night."
"You really astound me; but it is just like old Morgan--pardon me if I
smile. Of all eccentrics he was the most consistent. Yes, you have a
charge and a serious one. I am probably the only person in the city who
knows something of Gerald, and my information is extremely limited. With
an immense capacity for acquiring information, a remarkable memory and a
keen analysis, the young man has never developed the slightest capacity
for business. He received everything, but applied nothing. I was
informed by his uncle, not long since, that there was no science exact
or occult into which Gerald had not delved at some time, but his mind
seemed content with simply finding out."
"Gerald has been a most prodigious reader, devouring everything,"
continued the judge, "ancient and modern, within reach, knows literature
and politics equally well, and is master of most languages to the point
of being able to read them. I suppose his unfortunate habit--of course
you know of that--is the obstacle now. For many years now I believe, the
young man has not been off the plantation, and only at long intervals
was he ever absent from it. Ten or fifteen years ago he used to be seen
occasionally in the city in search of a book, an instrument or something
his impatience could not wait on."
"Ten or fifteen years ago! You knew him then before he was grown?"
"I have known him ever since his childhood!" An exclamation in spite of
him escaped from Edward's lips, but he did not give Eldridge time to
reflect upon it.
"Is his existence generally known?" asked he, in some confusion.
"Oh, well, the public knows of his existence. He is the skeleton in
Morgan's closet, that is all."
"And who is he?" asked Edward, looking the lawyer straight into the
eyes.
"That," said Eldridge, gravely, "is what I would ask of you." Edward was
silent. He shook his head; it was an admission of ignorance, confirmed
by his next question.
"Have you no theory, Judge, to account for his existence under such
circumstances?"
"Theory? Oh, no! The public and myself have always regarded him simply
as a fact. His treatment by John Morgan was one of the few glimpses we
got of the old man's rough, kind nature. But his own silence seemed to
beg silence, and no one within my knowledge ever spoke with him upon the
subject. It would have been very difficult," he added, with a smile,
"for he was the most unapproachable man, in certain respects, that I
ever met."
"You knew him well? May I ask if ever within your knowledge there was
any romance or tragedy in his earlier life?"
"I do not know nor have I ever heard of any tragedy in the life of your
relative," said the lawyer, slowly; and then, after a pause: "It is
known to men of my age, at least remembered by some, that late in life,
or when about forty years old, he conceived a violent attachment for the
daughter of a planter in this county and was, it is said, at one time
engaged to her. The match was sort of family arrangement and the girl
very young. She was finishing her education at the north and was to have
been married upon her return; but she never returned. She ran away to
Europe with one of her teachers. The war came on and with it the
blockade. No one has ever heard of her since. Her disappearance, her
existence, were soon forgotten. I remember her because I, then a young
lawyer, had been called occasionally to her father's house, where I met
and was greatly impressed by her. But I am probably one of the few who
have carried in mind her features. She was a beautiful and lovable young
woman, but, without a mother's training she had grown up self-willed and
the result was as I have told you." Edward had risen and was walking the
floor. He paused before the speaker.
"Judge Eldridge," he said, his voice a little unsteady, "I am going to
ask you a question, which I trust you will be free to answer--will
answer, and then forget." An expression of uneasiness dwelt on the
lawyer's face, but he answered:
"Ask it; if I am free to answer, and can, I will."
"I will ask it straight," said Edward, resolutely: "Have you ever
suspected that Gerald Morgan is the son of the young woman who went
away?"
Eldridge's reply was simply a grave bow. He did not look up.
"You do not know that to be a fact?"
"I do not."
"What, then, is my duty?"
"To follow the directions left by your relative," said Eldridge,
promptly.
Edward reflected a few moments over the lawyer's answer.
"I agree with you, but time may bring changes. May I ask what is your
theory of this strange situation--as regards my ward?" He could not
bring himself to betray the fact of his own mystery.
"I suppose," said Eldridge, slowly, "that if your guess is correct the
adventure of the lady was an unfortunate one, and that, disowned at
home, she made John Morgan the guardian of her boy. She, more than
likely, is long since dead. It would have been entirely consistent with
your uncle's character if, outraged in the beginning, he was forgiving
and chivalrous in the end."
"But why was the silence never broken?"
"I do not know that it was never broken. I have nothing to go upon. I
believe, however, that it never was. The explanations that suggest
themselves to my mind are, first, a pledge of silence exacted from him,
and he would have kept such a pledge under any circumstances. Second, a
difficulty in proving the legitimacy of the boy. You will understand,"
he added, "that the matter is entirely suppositious. I would prefer to
think that your uncle saw unhappiness for the boy in a change of
guardianship, and unhappiness for the grandfather, and left the matter
open. You know he died suddenly."
There was silence of a few moments and Eldridge added: "And yet it does
seem that he would have left the old man something to settle the doubt
which must have rested upon his mind; it is an awful thing to lose a
daughter from sight and live out one's life in ignorance of her fate."
And then, as Edward made no reply, "you found nothing whatever to
explain the matter?"
"Nothing! In the desk, to which his note directed me, I found only a
short letter of directions; one of which was that I should arrange with
you to provide for Gerald's future in case of my death. The desk
contained nothing else except some manuscripts--fragmentary narratives
and descriptions, they seemed." Eldridge smiled.
"His one weakness," he said. "Years ago John Morgan became impressed
with the idea that he was fitted for literary work and began to write
short stories for magazines, under _nom de plume_. I was the only person
who shared his secret and together we told many a good story of bench,
bar and practice. Neither of us had much invention and our career--you
see I claim a share--our career was limited to actual occurrences. When
our stock of ammunition was used up we were bankrupt. But it was a
success while it lasted. Mr. Morgan had a rapid, vivid style of
presenting scenes; his stories were full of action and dramatic
situations and made quite a hit. I did not know he had any writings left
over. He used to say, though, as I remember now, speaking in the
serio-comic way he often affected, that the great American novel, so
long expected, lay in his desk in fragments. You have probably gotten
among these.
"And by the way," continued the judge, impressively, "he was not far
wrong in his estimate of the literary possibilities of this section. The
peculiar institutions of the south, its wealth, its princely planters,
and through all the tangle of love, romance, tragedy and family secrets.
And what a background! The war, the freed slaves, the old
regime--courtly, unchanged, impractical and helpless. Turgeneff wrote
under such a situation in Russia, and called his powerful novel 'Fathers
and Sons.' Mr. Morgan used to say that he was going to call his 'Sons
and Fathers.' Hold to his fragments; he was a close observer, and if you
have literary aspirations they will be suggestive." Edward shook his
head.
"I have none, but I see the force of your outline. Now about Gerald; I
trust you will think over the matter and let me know what your judgment
suggests. I promised Mr. Montjoy to drop in at the club. I will say
good-morning."
"No," said Eldridge, "it is my lunch hour and I will go with you."
Together they went to a business club and Edward was presented to a
group of elderly men who were discussing politics over their glasses.
Among them was Col. Montjoy, in town for a day, several capitalists, a
planter or two, lawyers and physicians. They regarded the newcomer with
interest and received him with perfect courtesy. "A grand man your
relative was, Mr. Morgan, a grand man; perfect type, sir, of the
southern gentleman! The community, sir, has met with an irreparable
loss. I trust you will make your home here, sir. We need good men, sir;
strong, brainy, energetic men, sir."
So said the central figure, Gen. Albert Evan.
"Montjoy, you remember cousin Sam Pope of the Fire-Eaters--died in the
ditch at Marye's Heights near Cobb? Perfect likeness of Mr. Morgan here;
same face same figure--pardon the personal allusion, Mr. Morgan, but
your prototype was the bravest of the brave. You do each other honor in
the resemblance, sir! Waiter, fill these glasses! Gentlemen," cried the
general, "we will drink to the health of our young friend and the memory
of Sam Pope. God bless them both."
Such was Edward's novel reception, and he would not have been human had
he not flushed with pleasure. The conversation ran back gradually to its
original channel.
"We have been congratulating Col. Montjoy, Mr. Morgan," said one of the
party in explanation to Morgan, "upon the announcement of his candidacy
for congress."
"Ah," said the latter, promptly bowing to the old gentleman, "let me
express the hope that the result will be such as will enable me to
congratulate the country. I stand ready, colonel, to lend my aid as far
as possible, but I am hampered somewhat by not knowing my own politics
yet. Are you on the Democratic or Republican ticket, colonel?"
This astonishing question silenced the conversation instantly and drew
every eye upon him. But recovering from his shock, Col. Montjoy smiled
amiably, and said:
"There is but one party in this state, sir--the Democratic. I am a
candidate for nomination, but nomination is election always with us."
Then to the others present he added: "Mr. Morgan has lived abroad since
he came of age--I am right, am I not, Mr. Morgan?"
"Quite so. And I may add," continued Edward, who was painfully conscious
of having made a serious blunder, "that I have never lived in the south
and know nothing of state politics." This would have been sufficient,
but unfortunately Edward did not realize it. "I know, however, that you
have here a great problem and that the world is watching to see how you
will handle the race question. I wish you success; the negro has my
sympathy and I think that much can be safely allowed him in the
settlement."
He remembered always thereafter the silence that followed this earnest
remark, and he had cause to remember it. He had touched the old south in
its rawest point and he was too new a citizen. Eldridge joined him in
the walk back, but Edward let him talk for both. The direction of his
thoughts was indicated in the question he asked at parting.
"Judge Eldridge, did you purposely withhold the girl's name--my uncle's
fiancee? If so, I will not ask it, but----"
"No, not purposely, but we handle names reluctantly in this country. She
was Marion Evan, and you but recently met her father."