The Sign of the Stranger Part 11

"The whole thing's a confounded mystery, Woodhouse," he remarked after a long silence as we went up the avenue, glad of the shade, for it was a blazing day. "I haven't yet told that thick-headed fool Redway about the fellow watching me in London. Do you think I ought?"

"No," I answered. "Let him find out for himself. He's got lots of self-a.s.surance, therefore he may, I think, be allowed to show his great talent as a tracker of criminals."

"By Jove! you're right," he laughed. "If it were not for the fact that I should be aiding him, I'd pay a smart private detective myself to look into the matter. What's all that rot he says about finding a woman's footprint there? I expect it's only where one of the maids from the Hall has pa.s.sed along. I've lots of times seen courting couples from the village going along on the gra.s.s parallel with these trees, so as to avoid being noticed by any of us." I did not remark that neither the girls of Sibberton nor the maids at the Hall were in the habit of wearing Louis XV heels. On the contrary, I entirely agreed with my employer's remarks.

He wanted to see Frank Blew, his huntsman, therefore we struck across the wide level park to the curious old building, the gate of which, flanked by two circular towers, presented the appearance of an ancient castle, and entered the celebrated kennels of the Stanchester Foxhounds.

Blew and his a.s.sistants were in the paved courts, wearing long white smocks over their clothes and engaged in feeding the hounds as we entered. The instant we pa.s.sed the low wicket-gate a dozen of them were pawing us, while the Earl, knowing each of the pack by name, cried--

"Down Jason! Down Jerry! Down Bound-away." And each addressed by name obediently returned to his companions.

"I've decided the date, Blew," the Earl said. "We begin cubbing three weeks on Monday, so you'll have everything ready."

"Yes, m'lord."

"We'll commence in the covers around the park, as usual, you know. I shall fix the first meet at Spring Wood, at five. Her ladyship will be back, and both she and Lady Lolita intend cubbing this season."

"Glad to hear that, m'lord. Last season all the Hunt regretted that the Countess came out so very little."

"Well, let's hope we kill as many cubs as we did last back-end. I wish all of you the best of good luck."

"Thank you, m'lord; we shall all of us do our best, I a.s.sure you." And the sharp-nosed, thin-faced, thin-legged huntsman, one of the "cracks"

of England, touched his cap to his master to whom he had always been devoted ever since the days when he was only a stable "helper" and young Lord Sibberton used to ride to the meets on his pony.

There is still among hunting-men in England, both master and servant, a genuine _camaraderie_ that exists in no other sport. In the hunting-field the Master is supreme to control and direct; and after that millionaire and farmer, countess and vicar's daughter, squire and horse-breaker are all on equality, all keen upon the running down of the crafty marauder of the hen-roost.

Therefore it was not really surprising that Blew was the Earl's adviser in all connected with the pack and with the hunt, and that in his absence at San Remo in the latter part of the winter season, or in London, he left the hounds for Frank Blew to hunt, and surely a better huntsman there was not in all the shires. After leaving Sibberton he had graduated in the Belvoir, and the Quorn kennels, and had returned to the old Earl's service as kennel-huntsman and subsequently as huntsman.

Some conversation followed regarding the condition of the puppies, the bad epidemic of distemper, and the consequent fatality among them; the naming of some fresh puppies which were to be put out to "walk" with farmers on the estate, and then, with Blew accompanying us to the gate and raising his cap, we struck away across the park, back again to the Hall.

I lunched alone, and about four o'clock had finished the correspondence.

My brain was on fire. I wanted to see Lolita, for truth to tell I wished to ascertain from her how much she knew regarding the dead man who had worn her portrait in secret.

When I had met her in that draggled condition in the wood I had purposely made no mention of the crime and its discovery, preferring to allow her to make some mention of it herself. But she had made no remark. Perhaps she, too, had been waiting for me to broach the unwelcome subject. One thing was, however, plain: with the exception of that unfortunate footprint of which Redway had taken a cast, she had succeeded in very cleverly hiding the fact that she had been absent from her room that night, or that she had had any connexion whatsoever with the tragedy.

I thought of the necklet which I now had locked safely in my room down in the village, and wondered how it possibly could have come into the young man's possession a year ago. It surely had not been stolen, otherwise she would have remarked upon her loss. Had she given it to him? That was the question which constantly held me thinking and wondering.

I awaited my opportunity to encounter her when tea was served in the hall and, there being no visitors, she seated herself at the great silver tray and handed me my cup. The Earl had ridden over to Laxton, therefore we were alone, except for the irritating presence of Slater, the grave-faced old butler.

She was dressed to go out walking, her brown tailor-made gown fitting her like a glove and her smart straw _canotier_ to match gave her that _chic_, almost Parisienne appearance which was so characteristic of her well-bred style. She always dressed well, without any undue show of laces and tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs, but with that exquisite taste which betokens the well-turned-out woman who is an aristocrat.

I stood before the great old fireplace with its enormous bright steel dogs of an age bygone, and chatted to her, noting that in her face there was no trace of anxiety, so well did she conceal her feelings before the servants. Our conversation was rather strained, it was true, mostly about a tennis tournament over at Drayton and regarding the decision of her brother to cut down and grub-up Oxen Wood, a favourite cover which he had suddenly taken it into his head to sweep away. Then, when tea had finished, she announced her intention of walking across the park to Stanion village and invited me to accompany her.

This I eagerly did, and a few moments later we were out in the bright afternoon sunshine. Our way led first up the north avenue across the deer park for half-a-mile, then along a narrow path through one of the densest woods in the district, called Geddington Chase, and afterwards skirted the river for some distance to Stanion mill, and thence by the high road to the village.

"You have been to London," she exclaimed in a low voice as soon as we were safely out of hearing from the Hall. "Well, did you recollect what I told you?"

"I did, and I acted according to your directions," was my quiet answer.

"And what did the woman say?" she inquired, turning to me eagerly, her face suddenly anxious and changed.

"She told me nothing. She refused to speak."

"Ah!" my idol gasped, and I saw the light of hope at once die from her countenance. "As I expected! Just as I feared!"

"She says she cannot yet tell the truth," I hastened to explain. "But I have made a compact with her."

"How?"

Then I explained how I had discovered the house in Britten Street watched by the police; and how I had been able to give the Frenchwoman warning.

"But," I said, "will you pardon me, Lolita, if I remark upon one most peculiar circ.u.mstance?"

She started visibly and held her breath, for the tragedy had never been mentioned between us, and it seemed as though she feared I would broach it.

"You will recollect," I went on, "that when I met you early yesterday morning you were accompanied by a man who--"

"Ah, you saw him, then!" she gasped, interrupting me.

"I did. And moreover I met that same man in Mademoiselle's company last night."

"With her!" she cried. "Never! Why, he doesn't know her."

"I met them walking together on the Chelsea Embankment," I persisted in a quiet tone, wondering the reason of her utter amazement.

"How? Where? Tell me all about it?" she urged quickly. "There's mystery here."

In obedience to her wish I explained the circ.u.mstances just as I have already recorded them; how I had first implored her to divulge her secret, and then in order to threaten her, had called the police, afterwards making a solemn compact with her and allowing them both to escape.

She heard me in silence to the end, nervously pulling her veil beneath her chin and twisting it to keep it tight. Then sighing, she remarked, turning her wonderful eyes upon me--

"She is not the woman to keep any promise, Willoughby. It is just as I feared! She is afraid to tell the truth lest she herself should suffer.

Her words only confirm that."

I recalled what she had said, and was bound to agree.

"But surely," I cried, "the outlook is not so black as you antic.i.p.ate?

If this woman, in order to safeguard herself, refuses to speak, are there not other means by which the truth could be revealed?"

"No--none!" was her despairing answer as she shook her head.

"Perhaps I acted unwisely in allowing them to slip through the fingers of the police?" I suggested.

"No. It was wise, very wise. Had they been arrested they would both have sought to seriously incriminate me--and--and the blow would have fallen. I--I should have killed myself to avoid arrest," she added in the low hoa.r.s.e voice of a woman absolutely desperate.

"Oh, don't speak like that, Lolita," I urged earnestly. "Recollect you have at least in me a true and loyal friend. I will defend you by every means in my power. You refuse to tell me this strange secret of yours; nevertheless I am ready to serve you without seeking to penetrate the mystery which you are so determined to withhold."

"I would tell you everything if I dared," she a.s.sured me with a sweet grateful look upon her countenance, and I saw that upon her veil a teardrop glistened. I saw too how agitated she was, and how she longed to take me entirely into her confidence--yet dared not do so. Why, I wondered, had she made no remark upon the tragedy or upon the Coroner's verdict that morning. Was that, too, a subject which she dare not mention?