The Haunted Room Part 20

"What a lucky chance it was that Bruce should have barked at me just as papa came in!" thought the triumphant Vibert. "I'll be off before daylight to-morrow, or the hard-headed, hard-hearted chap would find a thousand reasons for not letting me go after all."

CHAPTER XXI.

INDECISION.

"Vibert gone to London,--and so suddenly!" exclaimed Bruce, when, on the following morning, he heard from his father of his brother's early departure. "Wherefore did he go? He did not mention to me a word of his intention to make the journey."

"You scarcely invite his confidence," observed Mr. Trevor.

"There is more money thrown to the dogs," muttered Bruce.

"No; Vibert has shown more consideration for my purse than usual," said Mr. Trevor. "He has made no call upon it for this little expedition to London."

Bruce looked steadfastly into the face of his father for several seconds, but not in order to read anything there. The young man's mind was busy with its own thoughts; a slight smile came over his lips,--the smile of one who has detected a little plot, and knows how to foil it.

With an inaudible "I smell a rat," Bruce turned and walked up to the window.

"Vibert need no money to carry him to London! As well might we believe that the train in which he travels requires no steam," thought Bruce to himself. "I happen to know that his purse was empty yesterday morning.

My belief is that Vibert is in this house at this moment, or at any rate not further off than S----. He has some silly practical joke in his head connected with the haunted chamber, and means to throw me off my guard by a feigned absence in London. What folly possessed me to tell a wild hare-brain like Vibert of the little door in the panel? But it is no matter; whatever frantic freak he may have in his head, he at least shall find me prepared."

Emmie came down to morning prayers looking very pale, and with the violet tints under her languid eyes, which were tokens of her having pa.s.sed a sleepless night. She presided as usual at the breakfast-table, but in a dreamy, listless manner, herself scarcely touching the viands.

It was evidently an effort to the poor girl to join in the conversation, which her father purposely led to such topics as he thought might interest his daughter. Mr. Trevor talked of literature and arts, recounted amusing pa.s.sages from his own history, and did his best to divert Emmie's mind, but with little apparent effect. Her eyes were constantly turned towards her brother with an anxious, questioning look, until, the morning meal being concluded, Mr. Trevor, perplexed and disappointed, left the room to speak to his steward.

Emmie then went up to Bruce, who was about to start on his daily walk to his tutor's.

"Bruce, dearest, you look ill," said Emmie, laying a tremulous hand on the arm of her brother.

"I might say the same to you, if it were not treason to utter anything so uncomplimentary to a fair lady," observed Bruce.

"Why do you look ill? Has--has anything painful occurred?" asked Emmie, in a hurried, nervous manner.

"I must act echo again," answered Bruce.

"Tell me, oh, tell me what has happened," urged his sister, who was not in the slightest degree disposed to enter into a jest.

"Nothing has happened, dear Emmie," replied Bruce more gravely. "I have had a little headache these one or two days; it is of no consequence.

You have not the least occasion to look so miserably anxious as far as I am concerned."

To the young man's surprise, his sister's eyes filled and then brimmed over with tears. Emmie leaned her brow against his shoulder, and drops fell fast on the sleeve of his arm, which she was pressing with a nervous grasp.

"My dear Emmie, what can be the cause of all this sorrow? What ails you?" asked Bruce, grieved at the sight of distress for which he could not account.

"Oh, Bruce!" sobbed Emmie, pressing her brother's arm yet more closely, "promise me--promise me--" She stopped short, as if afraid to finish her sentence.

"What would you have me promise?" asked Bruce.

Emmie gave no direct reply, but inquired abruptly, "Have you a bell in your room?"

Her question was a real relief to the mind of Bruce, as it convinced him that Emmie's misery arose merely from some fanciful terrors in regard to the bricked-up apartment.

"Yes," he answered gaily, "and a gun besides, to say nothing of poker and tongs, pen-knife, and razors. If any unpleasant guests were to make their appearance, they should find me quite ready to meet them."

Emmie was crying no longer, but she looked pale and anxious as ever; something seemed to be on her tongue struggling for utterance,--something which she was afraid or unable to speak.

"It is time for me to be off," said Bruce, gently releasing his arm from the clasp of his sister.

"Bruce, stay. Tell me if you would again change rooms with me," cried Emmie, with a convulsive effort.

"I am very sorry that you do not like your new apartment," said Bruce, slightly knitting his brows.

"I do like it,--it is only too good for me," faltered poor Emmie.

"Then why quit it?" asked Bruce, with a little impatience.

"I thought that if you would not mind changing--" Again Emmie stopped abruptly, without concluding her sentence.

"Of course I will change rooms with you if you really wish it," said Bruce, willing to humour his sister, but making mental reflections on the fickleness and unreasonableness of the fair s.e.x, of which Emmie was the only representative with whom he was well acquainted.

"But I do not wish it,--no, no,--not yet, not yet!" exclaimed Emmie, betraying terror at the idea of her brother complying with her request.

The patience of Bruce was fairly exhausted.

"I wish that you would know your own mind," he said, with an air of vexation. "Really, Emmie, you should try to overcome these ridiculous fears and fancies. Where is your spirit,--where is your faith?"

Emmie turned away her head with a shivering sigh.

"We must send you to London for change of scene," observed Bruce; "a few weeks with Aunt Mary will drive all these unreasonable terrors out of your mind."

"Oh, let us all go--at once--to-day!" exclaimed Emmie, clasping her hands. "Let us all leave this horrible place."

"For my father or myself to leave Myst Court at present is simply impossible," said Bruce, in that tone of quiet decision which, as Emmie well knew, expressed a resolution which it was useless for her to attempt to shake.

"Then I will not leave you,--no, no!" she murmured. "Let us all at least be together."

"If we be in danger from any foe, corporeal or spiritual, your slender arm and more slender courage will scarcely avail much for our protection," observed Bruce, with a smile. He had regained his good-humour, and sought to rally Emmie out of her fears by a.s.suming a playful manner.

But the attempt was vain; Emmie only burst again into a fit of weeping, and hastily quitted the apartment, brushing past her father, who was just returning to the breakfast-room after his interview with his steward.

"I am extremely annoyed about Emmie," said the affectionate parent, addressing himself to Bruce; "I cannot comprehend what has taken such a strange hold on her mind."

"Mere fear, I believe," answered Bruce. "She has never struggled to overcome it, and now in this gloomy old place it has gained complete mastery over her reason."

"The mere incident of her having been left alone on the lawn for a few minutes last night seems scarcely to account for my child's terror,"

observed Mr. Trevor. "Surely Vibert, thoughtless as he is, cannot have had the senseless cruelty to play on his sister's timidity any practical joke." The same idea had occurred, to Bruce.

"Vibert is capable of any folly," thought the elder brother; but after the experience of the preceding evening, he did not put the thought into words.