The Lord of the Sea Part 8

Now, approaching the elm, again he felt that thrill which the spot had for him, and came peering, at slower pace: no sound but the gibbering rout of the stiff-stark beech-leaves. Some steps more, and now he was at the mound which surrounds the tree: stood, listened: silence, sightlessness: Margaret not there.

One more forward step: and now his foot struck a body.

As he stooped, his hand touched a revolver--which was his own; another moment, and he saw running lanterns borne by two park-keepers, and by their light saw the body of Isaac, who but now had shot himself with the weapon that was in Hogarth's hand.

The park-keepers had just been urged by their master to the spot, he having, he told them, heard a pistol-shot; and before anyone could speak Frankl himself was there, defiled with the presence of the dead.

He looked from Hogarth to the corpse, and from the corpse to Hogarth, then, s.n.a.t.c.hing the weapon from Hogarth's hand, exclaimed: "Why, bless my heart, you've _murdered_ the man...."

XI

WROXHAM BROAD

In a cottage in Thring Street, marked "E. Norfolk, E. 58, Constabulary", Hogarth pa.s.sed the night, having been arrested the moment he returned home from the elm.

A few minutes afterwards Margaret, who had found no Frankl at the towing-path, came home to the ghastliest amazement throughout Thring, so that sleep overcame the village only toward morning.

At 7.30 A.M. Hogarth was marched to Beccles, then after an inquest-verdict appeared before the magistrates' court, and was committed.

One of the witnesses in the summary-jurisdiction court had been Loveday, who had deposed that Hogarth, on leaving the chapel, was, beyond doubt, in a pa.s.sion; and mixed with the crowd was Margaret, who, standing thickly veiled, heard that evidence. And thought she: "Is it possible that he can be giving evidence against Richard like that? And smiling, the mean, false thing--"

She had disappeared on the morning after the arrest: and Loveday was now racked by disquiet, wondering how she was living, though she and he were in the same train, unconscious of each other, when he followed Hogarth to Norwich; and, as Margaret stepped upon the Thorpe platform there, a Jew, who was watching the arrival of every train, spied and shadowed her to the old Maid's Head, this intricate city being now crowded, the a.s.sizes all in the air, mixed with the Sat.u.r.day cattle-market.

At ten the next morning Margaret learned at the Guildhall the address of her brother's defending solicitor, and set out to find him, the wretchedest woman on earth now.

But as she pa.s.sed by the archway in the tower of St. Peter Mancroft, Loveday stood before her; and she started like a shying horse.

"Good morning"--she went on past him.

He took two steps after her. "Are you in a hurry? Can I come with you?"

"It is quite near. Thank you--I'd liefer go alone".

He, a delicate being, all nerves, was repelled; lifted the old cloth hat; but then again stepped after her, saying: "But are you angry with me for something?"

"Why should I be? I have no right to expect anything from you, Mr.

Loveday".

"No right? You _have_, a little, I fancy!"

He said it at her ear with such a lowering of the eyelids, that it pierced to her fond heart, and she smiled with a "H'm!" uncertain, half turned to him; but said: "I must be getting on--"

"But it is most important that I should talk to you about everything.

Where are you staying?"

"It is some distance from here", she answered, undecided whether or not to give her address.

"Ah--in that case--but still--will you meet me? Say here--this evening?"

"I will see if I can".

"At seven?"

"I will see".

So they parted, she to tread that intricacy of streets round the Market, with stoppages for enquiries, till she found the office, where she presently sat in an inner room, veil at nose-tip, and before her at a grate stood Hogarth's solicitor.

What, till now, for shame, she had concealed, she revealed: showing how Richard could not possibly have taken the revolver with him to the elm, since she, two days previously, had secretly given it to--someone.

Mr. Carr, the solicitor, frowned, elaborating his nails.

"This is very extraordinary", he said. "Whyever did you keep us in the dark as to all this before? And to whom was it that you gave the revolver? and why?"

"Am I bound to tell that?"

"No, but you may be sure that the truth will be got from you. Stay--I must ask you to excuse me now. But tomorrow morning at this hour--will you? As for your brother, have no fears at all: he is now absolutely safe".

Margaret went rapidly away, not knowing whither, only returning toward late afternoon to her inn. As she entered, a letter was handed her from Frankl.

"Dear Miss Hogarth:

"It is only due to you that I should see you at once to explain the mystery of this affair, so as to clear your brother, and as it would not do for me to call upon you for obvious reasons, the only thing for us to do is to meet to-night on Mousehold Heath at 7 P.M. without fail..."

What now was she to do? At "7 P.M." she had half promised Loveday to meet him.

And what had her meetings with Baruch Frankl, innocent as they were, brought upon her and hers!

Yet Frankl _must_ be kindly intentioned, she reasoned--since he had sent them the 50; and she thought of that agony of humiliation when she had asked Loveday for 2, and he had refused.

And he had given evidence against Richard with his down-turned smile.

But he had said a word at her ear--and her crushed heart had leapt. She did not know what to do, fell by her bedside and prayed to be taught which of the two was Richard's best friend.

As she pa.s.sed over the inn-threshold, she decided in favour of Frankl: and a few minutes past seven was on Mousehold Heath.

Frankl hurried to meet her, and the hand which he held out was rather cold; but she did not take it.

"No, Mr. Frankl", said she, "before I give my hand, it is only what is due to me to hear how Richard's pistol, which I trusted to you, was found where it was--"

"Well, that is only fair", answered Frankl; "that is only fair. But I have a carriage there, let us get into it, and sit as we talk".

She could see no carriage in that dark, yet it stood only some yards away--Frankl's own.

"I think I prefer to stand..." said she.