The Mynns' Mystery Part 45

Mrs Hampton looked quite fiercely to right and left as she delivered herself of this speech.

The old lawyer seemed to decline to take up the cudgels; he only tapped softly on the table. But Mrs Hampton's tongue was unloosed, and she turned the flow of her eloquence upon the doctor.

"I say this is the right man," she cried; "everything goes to prove it.

I have not said anything about this before, but I have noticed a great deal since I have been here, and I kept my lips sealed because I felt that I might be doing wrong in speaking, and, besides, I had no right."

"What have you observed, then?" said the lawyer, turning upon her sharply.

"That time after time, while he was professing to be so sober, our Mr George Harrington sat drinking with Saul half, and sometimes all the night. Three times over did old Mrs Denton come to me, pretending it was to help her about some domestic matter, over which she did not want to trouble Gertrude here, and it was to show me Mr George Harrington asleep in the study, where he had been all night. Ah! here she is.

Mrs Denton, how many times did you find the gentleman--bah!--the man who came and said he was Mr Harrington--asleep in his chair in the study."

"Six, ma'am," said the old housekeeper. "No: it was eight."

"Now, don't exaggerate, Denton. It was only three."

"I beg your pardon, ma'am; I only came to you three times. There were five other times when I woke him, and got him up to bed myself, so stupid and confused that he could only ask where Mr Saul was. They had been sitting in the study together when I went to bed, and he must have let Mr Saul out himself and then gone back and fallen asleep in his chair. A telegram, miss."

Gertrude eagerly took the message, tore open the envelope, read, and pa.s.sed it to Mrs Hampton who also read it anxiously.

"_What do you mean? George did not come with me. He refused in your presence. Just off to Switzerland. Wire to Glacier Hotel, Chamounix_."

"You need not wait, Denton," said Gertrude.

"No, miss; but might I make so bold: is there any news of--of the gentleman who said he was Mr George?"

"No, Denton; none at all."

"And might I ask when Mr George is coming again?"

Gertrude looked at the old lawyer, who only looked close as one of his own tin boxes, so she transferred her gaze to the doctor, who fidgeted about beneath the inquiring eyes.

Gertrude rose from the table, laid her hand upon the old woman's arm, and led her from the room.

"Denton--dear old nurse," she said affectionately, "you must be patient and wait. We are all in a terrible state of perplexity; do not increase it by asking questions."

The old woman caught her hand and kissed it affectionately.

"Not another word will I say, my dear, till you speak to me. But, Miss Gertie, I know I'm right. This last one is Master George. Why, my darling, you can see it in his eyes and in his fine manly way to me--the poor old woman who nursed him as a child."

"Yes, yes, Denton; but please say no more now."

"Only one word, my dear, and it's about you. If the other comes back and wants you to side with him, and be his wife, don't listen to him.

You shall not. I'd sooner kill him than he should ever take you in his arms."

"Denton!"

"I've done, my dear. It was only my love for the little girl I helped to bring up that made me speak. Don't be angry with me, dear. I forget sometimes that I'm only a servant. That's right. If you only smile at me like that you make me feel so happy again."

Gertrude returned to the dining-room, to find that a discussion was going on, and the doctor speaking.

"Then you feel it is our duty to remain silent?"

"Most decidedly. Whatever your feelings may be you must recollect that we have accepted this gentleman as James Harrington's heir. The pretender--"

"Pretender!" echoed Mrs Hampton.

"Yes. I must call him so, my dear. The pretender must make good his claim."

"Then we can do nothing till Mr George Harrington Number one comes back?"

"Nothing."

"And you have a latent feeling that we shall not see him again?"

"A feeling that the telegram has strengthened. It seems to me that if-- mind, I say if--he is an impostor, he may have had a hint that the genuine George Harrington was, after all, alive and coming back. He had foresight enough to possess himself of a large sum of money, and with this he has escaped. Good Heavens! There it is again."

Dr Lawrence had started from his seat, as once more a long, low howl seemed to come from close at hand.

"It is only Bruno," said Gertrude. "Poor fellow! he must have made his way out of the stable. Don't stir, I'll send him back."

She ran out of the room, to find Denton coming to meet her.

"Bruno, my dear. He has managed to get over into the house."

"Where is he?"

"I don't know, my dear; I only heard him howl."

A short search was sufficient, and the dog was found in the study, standing on the hearthrug, though his legs seemed hardly able to bear his weight, and sniffing and looking about in a curiously uneasy way.

Gertrude's coming was sufficient to take his attention directly, and he suffered himself to be led back to his quarters.

"I seem very rude," was on Gertrude's lips as she reached the dining-room door, but the words were not spoken, for she stood, chained, as it were, to the spot, listening to the doctor's words.

"No, Hampton," he said, "we medical men know too much of nature to be superst.i.tious; but I have known cases where a dog has seemed to have a strange presage of death."

A sudden giddiness seized upon the trembling girl, as the thought occurred to her: Suppose these two young men should meet. What would be the consequence? Would it mean death, and to which?

Gertrude's heart seemed to stand still.

CHAPTER THIRTY.

WHY SAUL CAME BACK.

Saul Harrington went down one day from his chambers, and walked up to The Mynns from the station with his arm in a sling.

"You, Mr Saul!" said Denton.