As Chester turned to face what he knew must prove to be a desperate
encounter, Marion snatched at his wrist.
"Quick!" she whispered, and hurried with him through a door on their
right, which led into a library with two windows facing the street; but
the shutters were closed and the place was dimly lit by four
diamond-shaped holes cut in their top panels, each of which sent a broad
white ray across the room, to strike upon the end nearest the door, and
to avoid their light Marion led him quickly close up into one corner by
the window curtain.
They had hardly taken refuge there, to stand close together, when a hand
struck the panel a sharp pat, and gave the door, which had gently swung
to, a thrust which sent it back against the stop.
"Come in here," said James Clareborough in a low, surly voice; and
Chester felt his companion shiver, and the blood surged to his brain as
he dimly saw the shadowy figures of four men enter the room, three of
whom took chairs and threw themselves into them, the other standing
against a book-case with a dull patch of light from the window shutters
striking full upon his breast, about which his hand kept on playing
nervously.
It seemed to Chester that it was only a matter of moments before they
would be seen; but so far the party were unconscious of their presence,
and a couple of dull red spots of light waxed and waned as the aromatic
fumes of cigar smoke began to pervade the room.
"Throw open one of the shutters, uncle," cried James Clareborough,
hoarsely.
"No, no," half shouted a voice which Chester recognised at once as that
of his old patient.
"What! Why?" cried James Clareborough, and the violent throbbing of
Chester's heart grew less painful as he heard Robert Clareborough's
reply--
"Because if ever men wanted the darkness it is now."
It was a respite, for no one uttered a word for a few moments. Then in
a low, angry voice, James Clareborough spoke again, and, with his every
nerve on the strain, Chester noted that he took his glowing cigar from
his lips and held it down between his knees.
"Curse them! Who would ever have thought of the fools attempting that?"
"Where's your wife, uncle?" said a voice which made the hand with which
Marion clung to Chester's wrist give a slight twitch.
"Upstairs, lying down, my boy," said another voice, and it was Chester's
turn to start as he recognised it as one he had heard before, though he
could not make out where.
"Is she much hurt?" said Robert Clareborough.
"More frightened than hurt," said the same voice. "Of course it is a
terrible shock."
"Horrible! Here, this must be the end of it. What do you say, Paddy?"
"Confound it! yes. I'm sick."
"Will you stop this cursed preaching, Rob?" snarled James Clareborough.
"You fools! You know there can be no end to it. What are you talking
about? It was their own fault."
"Ah!" ejaculated Rob in a tone which made his sister shiver.
"Look here," continued James Clareborough; "are you two going to show
the white feather? Take the case fairly, Paddy. Suppose this had been
at The Towers in the night, and we came upon a couple of scoundrels--
with revolvers, mind!--carrying off the girls' jewellery, would either
of you have hesitated about firing?"
"I suppose not," said Dennis, heavily, "but it seemed such cold-blooded
work."
"Been more cold-blooded if they had dropped us two. Now, then, no
nonsense; let's look the matter straight in the face. One thing is
enough at a time. We can discuss Rob's ideas of a dissolution of
partnership later on," was added, with a sneer. "Now, uncle; what about
their coming? We had better have the old lady down."
"No, let her be; she can tell you no more than I can. They must have
asked for leave to come up as you were all away, and come straight here
ready to pitch some tale, and your aunt unsuspectingly let them in.
They must have set upon her, tied her fast, and carried her down."
"Must, must, must!" cried James Clareborough, impatiently. "You were
not here."
"No, boy, but it tells its own tale. Arthur was dressed as if for a
holiday, and the other fool too."
"But what did it mean?" said Rob, hoarsely; "suspicion--an effort to
find out--or robbery?"
"Robbery, my boy, for certain. They thought that they would get at the
girls' jewellery."
"Yes, that's it," said James Clareborough, sharply; "an interrupted
burglary. Curse them! They had all the professional tools. Well, they
won't want them any more."
Marion started, and Chester passed his arm round her as he felt her
trembling violently. For something like light was beginning to dawn
upon her--a light which grew clearer as the thought of the butler asking
leave for him and the footman to have a day in town, to see to some
business, as the gentlemen were away. That morning at breakfast, and
now--
The light was growing hard, clear and ghastly.
"Now, then," said James Clareborough, sharply, "let's look the position
in the face. Everything turns upon whether anyone knows beside
ourselves that the hounds came here."
"Yes, everything," assented the voice which puzzled Chester still.
"Would anyone know?"
"Is it likely?" said James, cynically. "They were coming on a
burglarious expedition; they began by half killing the poor old aunt,
and they were trapped trying to blow open the iron door. Is it probable
that they would tell anyone they were coming here?"
"No; absurd," said Dennis, shortly.
"But still--"
"Will you hold your tongue, Rob?" cried his cousin. "Do you think they
would have spoken?"
"No."
"Then we're safe in that direction," continued James Clareborough. "The
next question is, then, did anyone who knew them see them come to the
house? The odds are a million to one that no one did, for they would
take pretty good care that their faces were not seen as they stood
waiting. Besides, where does the inquiry begin? Down yonder. We were
away; they ask for a holiday of my wife; she gives them leave; and they
come away and do not return. Their relatives, if the poor devils have
any, may make inquiry, but it is doubtful. I daresay we shall find that
the scoundrels have been plundering us, and at the worst we could prove
this. There it is in a nut-shell. They have disappeared like hundreds
more, and the world will never be any wiser."
A chill of horror ran through Chester as he listened to all this, and he
was conscious that his companion hung more heavily upon his arm, as if
about to faint.
The pale, ghastly light was growing broader and clearer now, and as he
grasped the fact that he was being made the recipient of the
acknowledgment of a terrible deed, he felt strongly, knowing as he did
the character of one of the men present, how perilous his position was
growing. A few minutes more, he had strung himself up for a sharp
encounter with the relatives who had, as it were, surprised them in a
secret meeting. There would, he felt, be angry words, there might be
blows, but the Clareboroughs would not dare to proceed farther. Now
matters had assumed a dangerous shape, and his thoughts went towards the
fireplace as he felt that the necessity might arise for him to defend
himself and his companion--one against four.
His heart beat fast, but mingled with the feelings of alarm which would
assail the stoutest in such a position, he felt thrill after thrill of
delight. For Marion clung more tightly to him, as if trusting to his
protection, and he mentally swore that he would protect her, come what
might.
His thoughts came fast, but he had little time for musing; and as his
arm tightened round his companion he listened eagerly for the next
utterances of those who were grouped together some twenty feet away.
"Well," said James Clareborough, after a pause, "what have you all to
say to that?"