The Living Link Part 4

"Mr. Wiggins," said the man, gruffly.

"Is that man here now?" asked Edith.

The man looked up suspiciously and in evident surprise, but his eyes fell again.

"Mr. Wiggins? He is here; he lives here."

"Then do you go at once," said Edith, loftily, "and say to that man that Miss Dalton is here."

The fellow glanced furtively at the carriage, where he saw the pale face of Miss Plympton and the paler face of the maid, and then with a grunt he turned and walked up the avenue. Edith went back to the carriage and resumed her seat.

This scene had produced a profound effect upon her two companions. Miss Plympton's worst apprehensions seemed justified by this rude repulse at the gates, and the moment that Edith came back she began to entreat her to return.

"Come back," she said, "to the inn. Do, darling, at least for the night, till we can send word to Wiggins."

"No," said Edith, firmly; "I will not recognize Wiggins at all. I am going to dismiss him the moment that I enter the Hall. I can wait patiently just now."

"But at least come back for this night. You may be sure that they will not be ready for you. You will have to come back after all."

"Well," said Edith, "I shall at least take formal possession of Dalton Hall first, and let Wiggins see that I am mistress there."

Miss Plympton sighed. Every hour only showed in a stronger manner how hopeless was any attempt of hers to move Edith from any resolve that she might make. Already she recognized in that slender young girl the stubborn spirit of her father--a spirit which would meet death and destruction rather than swerve from its set purpose.

Nothing more was said, but they all waited patiently for the porter's return. It seemed a very long time. The footman fussed and fumed, and at length beguiled the time by smoking and chatting with the coachman, whom he questioned about Mr. Wiggins. The coachman, however, could give him no information on the subject. "I only know," said he, "as how that this yer Wiggins is a Liverpool gent, an' latterly he seems inclined to live here. But he don't never see no company, an' keeps hisself shut up close."

At length, after waiting for more than half an hour, the noise of carriage wheels was heard, and a brougham appeared driven by the porter.

He turned the brougham inside the gate, and then getting down, he unlocked the small gate and advanced to the carriage. The fellow seemed now to try to be more respectful, for he had a hat on his head which he took off, and made a clumsy attempt at a bow.

"Beg pardon, miss," said he, "for keepin' you waitin'; but I had to put the hosses in. Mr. Wiggins says as how you're to come up in the brougham, an' your trunks an' things 'll be took up afterward.

"But I want to drive up in this coach. I can't remove the luggage," said Edith.

"I don't know about that, miss," said the porter. "I've got to do as I'm told."

At this Edith was silent; but her flashing eyes and a flush that swept over her pale face showed her indignation.

"So this is the way he dares to treat me," said she, after some silence.

"Well," she continued, "for the present I must yield and submit to this insolence. But it only shows more clearly the character of the man. I suppose we must go," she continued, looking at Miss Plympton, and once more opening the coach door herself.

Miss Plympton had been more agitated than ever at this last message, and as Edith opened the door she asked her, breathlessly,

"What do you mean? What are you going to do, dear?

"I am going to Dalton Hall," said Edith, quietly. "We must go in the brougham, and we must quit this."

Miss Plympton hesitated, and the maid, who was still more terrified, clasped her hands in silent despair. But the porter, who had heard all, now spoke.

"Beg pardon, miss," said he, "but that lady needn't trouble about it.

It's Mr. Wiggins's orders, miss, that on'y _you_ are to go to the Hall."

"What insufferable insolence!" exclaimed Miss Plympton. "What shocking and abominable arrogance!"

"I do not regard it in the slightest," said Edith, serenely. "It is only a.s.sumption on his part. You are to come with me. If I pa.s.s through that gate you are to come also. Come."

"Oh, my dearest, my own dearest Edith, do not!--wait!--come back and let us talk over what we ought to do. Let us see a lawyer. Let us wait till to-morrow, and see if a stranger like Wiggins can refuse admission to the mistress of Dalton Hall."

"Beg pardon, mum," said the porter, "but Mr. Wiggins ain't refusin'

admission to Miss Dalton--it's others that he don't want, that's all.

The lawyers can't do any thin' agin that."

"My child," said Miss Plympton, "do you hear that? You shall not go.

This man knows well what he can do. He understands all the worst injustice that can be done in the name of law. His whole life has been lived in the practice of all those iniquities that the law winks at. You see now at the outset what his purpose is. He will admit you, but not your friends. He wishes to get you alone in his power. And why does he not come himself? Why does he use such an agent as this?"

Miss Plympton spoke rapidly, and in excited tones, but her excitement did not affect Edith in the slightest degree.

"I think you are altogether too imaginative," said she. "His orders are absurd. If I go through that gate, you shall go too. Come."

"Edith! Edith! I implore you, my darling," cried Miss Plympton, "do not go. Come back. It will not be long to wait. Come to the village till to-morrow. Let us at least get the advice of a lawyer. The law can surely give an entrance to the rightful owner."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "HE DREW FROM HIS BREAST A LARGE CLASP-KNIFE."]

"But he doesn't deny an entrance to me," said Edith, "and if I go, you shall come also. Come."

Miss Plympton hesitated. She saw that Edith was fully determined to go to Dalton Hall, and she could not bear to part with her. But at the same time she was so terrified at the thought of forcing a way in spite of the opposition of so formidable a villain as Wiggins that she shrank from it. Love at length triumphed over fear, and she followed Edith out of the coach, together with the maid.

Meanwhile the porter had stood in deep perplexity watching this scene, but at length when Miss Plympton had reached the ground and prepared to follow Edith he put himself in front of them.

"Beg pardon, miss," said he, "but its agin orders for them others to go.

It's on'y you that Mr. Wiggins 'll let in."

"Mr. Wiggins has nothing to say about the matter," said Edith, coldly.

"But I've got to obey orders," said the man.

"Will you please stand aside and let me pa.s.s?" said Edith.

"I can't let them others in," said the porter, doggedly. "You may go."

"John," said Edith, quietly, "I'm sorry to trouble you, but you must watch this man; and, driver, do you stand at the gate and keep it open."

At this John flung down his hat upon the road, tore off his coat and tossed it after the hat, and, with a chuckle of something like exultation, prepared to obey his mistress by putting himself in a "scientific" att.i.tude. He saw well enough that the porter was a formidable foe, and his face was a diploma in itself that fully testified to the skill and science of that foe; but John was plucky, and in his prime, and very confident in his own powers. So John stood off and prepared for the fray. On the other hand, the porter was by no means at a loss. As John prepared he backed slowly toward the gate, glaring like a wild beast at his a.s.sailant. But John was suddenly interrupted in his movements by the driver.

"See here, young man," said the latter, who had sprung from the box at Edith's order, "do you stand by the gate, an' I'll tickle that feller with this whip, an' see how he likes it."

The driver was a stout, solid, muscular fellow, with broad shoulders and bull-dog aspect. In his hand he flourished a heavy whip, and as he spoke his eyes sought out some part of the porter's person at which he might take aim. As he spoke the porter became aware of this second a.s.sailant, and a dark and malignant frown lowered over his evil face. He slowly drew from his breast a large clasp-knife which was as formidable as a dagger, and opening this, he held it significantly before him.

But now a new turn was given to the progress of affairs. Had the porter said nothing, Miss Plympton might have overcome her fears far enough to accompany Edith; but his menacing looks and words, and these preparations for a struggle, were too much.

"Edith, my child, my dearest, do not! do not! I can not go; I will not.