"Bah!" ejaculated Chester in his rage and despair, as he swung round and
hurried away. "Fool, idiot! No more like her than that miserable
flower-seller is. Am I suffering from the shock of the drug they gave
me? Well, if I am, she must be found all the same, for I cannot go on
like this and live!"
He hurried along, without heeding which way he went, and as if by
instinct made for his own house, reached it, started as if in surprise,
and then turned to enter, but altered his mind after a pause, and drew
the door to, after which he walked swiftly away in the direction of
Westminster.
For the meeting had raised thoughts which he felt that he would only
obliterate by plunging once more into the mazes of his wild search.
He was not long in reaching the old street which had so taken up his
attention before, and he looked long and attentively at the mansion
adjoining that occupied by the collector. The contrast was curious, the
one with bright, well-curtained windows, the door glistening in its
fresh graining and varnish, the other dim, unpainted, looking as if it
were quite unoccupied, the very steps as if they had not been cleaned
for years.
Chester went and studied a Directory, and with the name Clareborough
upon his lips, he determined, after passing through the street two or
three times, to risk making a call.
"Why should I mind?" he muttered. "If I am wrong, I have only made a
mistake."
He walked on till he reached the house, perfectly unconscious that the
footman was standing a little back from one of the narrow windows, and
after having his attention drawn to the vacillating, rather haggard
personage who had been taking so much interest in the house, was ready
to look upon him with suspicion.
"Begging letter dodges, or something to sell," said the footman to
himself, as the visitors' bell was rung, and after waiting a sufficient
time to suggest that he had come from downstairs, the fellow opened the
door, to receive Chester with a calm stare.
"Mr Clareborough in?"
"Not at home, sir."
"Mr Robert is, of course?"
"Out of town, sir."
"Well, I must see somebody," said Chester, who had been checked for the
moment by the announcement that Mr Robert was out of town, but
encouraged by the fact that two shots went home. "Ask Mr Paddy if he
will see me."
The nickname made the footman raise his eyebrows, but he replied
coolly--
"Not at home, sir."
"Well, then, one of the ladies."
"On the Continent, sir."
"Tut, tut, how tiresome!" cried Chester, impatiently. "Look here, my
man; how is Mr Robert?"
"Quite well, thank you, sir," said the man, superciliously.
Chester stared at the man. He had evidently been schooled what to say,
and for the moment the visitor hesitated, but recovering his
_sang-froid_ the next moment, he said--
"Rather strange that, after so serious an accident."
At that moment the butler came forward from the back of the hall,
pulling the door a little more open, and Chester drew a deep breath full
of satisfaction, as he caught sight of one of the statues and a chair,
on the back of which was emblazoned the same crest as he had seen upon
the seal.
"What is it, Orthur," said the butler in a deep, mellow voice suggestive
of port wine.
"Gentleman asking to see Mr Robert, sir."
"Yes, I particularly wish to see him," said Chester. "I am the medical
man who attended him after his accident."
"I beg pardon, sir."
"I say I am the medical man who attended him after his late accident,
and I wish to see my patient again."
The butler glared at the speaker in a heavy, solemn way, and then turned
slowly to his subordinate, who raised his eyebrows and drew down the
corners of his lips.
"I beg pardon, sir," said the butler, turning his eyes again on the
visitor, who was beginning to lose temper. "There is a Mr Robert
here--Mr Robert Clareborough. You must mean some other gentleman. Our
Mr Robert is quite well, and on the Continent just now."
"Impossible!" cried Chester, angrily. "Look here, my man, take this for
yourself and my card in to Mr Robert. Say I beg that he will give me a
few minutes' conversation."
The butler glanced at the card and the coin held out, but took neither.
"Beg pardon, sir. I told you that Mr Robert is on the Continent."
"Yes; and I tell you that you are not speaking the truth. Do as I tell
you. I will wait till he sees me."
Chester took a couple of steps forward as he spoke, with the intention
of entering the hall, but the butler stood firm, and the footman closed
up to his side, the pair effectually barring the way. Chester stopped,
feeling that he could do no more, for the servants must have been
instructed to deny everybody to him. He thought, too, of his position;
he had attended his patient and retained the heavy fee paid him, having,
had he so wished, been debarred from returning it by his ignorance of
the sender's address.