Fergus Hume

“ I have told you how necessary it is, that Ferdy should have someone to guide him. While he is unmarried I must be his guide, but when Prudence becomes his wife, I have every hope that she will be able to keep him in order."
"Well, then, I wish you would marry the young scamp as soon as you can," said Ackworth, rather wounded. "It seems to me, Clarice, that you love him more than you do me."
"My dearest, the weakest always require the most love. You are strong, Anthony; you can walk alone. But poor weak Ferdy--"
"Selfish, greedy Ferdy," contradicted Ackworth. ”

“ Anthony was too disgusted for words. "Would you force the girl to marry him?"
"No. But he shall tell Prudence everything. The acceptance, or refusal, shall rest with her."
"You hear?" cried Ferdy, in triumph. "Other people are not so hard on me as you and Clarry are. Can I go to the Vicarage?"
"Yes," said Ackworth, seeing the hopelessness of bringing Ferdy to a sense of his sins. "Go, and, for heaven's sake, never let me see you again. You are worse than a villain, Ferdy--you are a fool," and he walked out, wondering how a girl like Clarice ever came to have such a blackguard for a brother. ”

“ Clarice looked down. "Anthony," she said, in a pained voice, "I have tried to fight against my doubts of Ferdy, but they will come. He is so weak, so tricky, so deceitful, and so carried away by his own selfish impulses, that he is capable of all things."
"Save murder. Ferdy is a fool, I grant you. But a murderer--no."
"I never accused him of murder," said the girl, faintly, "but he may be an accomplice."
"That's just as bad."
"Not when we know that Ferdy is so weak a man. Osip is strong-willed and may have coerced Ferdy into stamping Uncle Henry's forehead, after the death." ”

“ You must not tell the police about Osip--it would do me harm."
"Very good. I'll hold my tongue, if you will be silent about my masquerade in this dress."
"Ah, you are afraid," sneered Zara.
"In a way, yes--for my promised husband, since he would not like any one to know of my adventure. For myself, I am not afraid, as I have done nothing wrong."
"You are stronger than Ferdy," said the dancer, suddenly.
"I should hope so," replied Clarice, contemptuously; "Ferdy is a reed--a piece of putty. I wonder that a clever woman, such as you are, wants to marry so weak a man." ”

“ Knife and fork fell from Ferdinand's hands, and his rosy complexion became as white as the snow out of doors. "Wh-a-t--what--did he tell you?" he quavered, while Clarice looked at him, astonished.
"Only that you are a trifle wild," she hastened to explain. "Why should you look so alarmed?"
"I'm--I'm not alarmed," denied Baird, and absently wiped his forehead with his napkin. "That is, of course if Jerce talks about my being wild to you, and you speak to Prudence, she'll give me the go-by, like a shot. Prudence is awfully jealous." ”

“ You are the kind of person, neither good nor bad, who goes dancing along the primrose path, out of sheer weakness, because others dance beside you. If you were a wicked man, Ferdy, you would be clever, as wickedness needs cleverness to aid its full accomplishment. But you are merely weak, and that is dangerous to you and to me."
"I don't know what you are talking about," said Ferdy, restlessly.
"But I do," cried Clarice, passionately. "I know you better than you do yourself. I know that with your weakness you will bring disgrace on yourself and on me. ”

“ Clarice nearly fainted.
"You young scoundrel!" gasped Ackworth, his face growing red.
"That's right. Preach away and kick a chap when he's down. I didn't exactly forge the name, but I altered the figures of a cheque for twenty pounds given me by Jerce, to one for two hundred. So you see I am not quite a forger," ended Ferdy, cheerfully.
"Go on," commanded Anthony, curtly, and soothed the girl, who was weeping bitterly. "Hush, Clarice, darling. We have heard the worst now; nothing more shameful can be revealed."
"A forger and a murderer," cried Clarice, in agony--"my own brother." ”

“ He may not be in love with Butterfly at all."
"Why should he visit her, so--"
"He may have gone to see the mother, or to have a drink," said Anthony, vaguely. "Ferdy's an ass, but he's all right."
"But Dr. Jerce says he drinks and gambles, and--"
"I'll have to talk to Ferdy, and see if I can lead him in the right way," said Ackworth, with some impatience. "Don't trouble yourself over your brother, dearest. Every young man of that age is more or less of an ass. But it's only like a young colt kicking his heels in a flowery meadow." ”

“ I arranged the bedclothes, and then returned home. Zara Dumps accused me and I said nothing, although I knew the truth. But there stands the murderer," he pointed to Jerce, who trembled; "go for the police."
"No! No!" cried Sir Daniel, ghastly white. "Let me go. I promise to destroy myself. Anything rather than public shame."
"I'll have you in gaol to-night," said Ferdy, triumphantly.
"Take care!" snarled Jerce. "If I killed Horran, you stamped the fern on the forehead of the dead. I'll swear that you were my accomplice."
"Clarice," cried Ferdy, gasping with fear, "you hear." ”

“ As if Ferdy was worth it."
"He must be worth something," said Clarice, dryly, "or you would not wish to marry him."
"Oh, I explained that," retorted Zara, lightly, and dusting one hand with the other. "I explained, if you remember, when I still took you to be Ferdy himself. I am always frank with the boy, and he knows, as you do now, Miss Baird, that I only wish to marry him for--shall we say professional purposes? I like him--oh, yes. He is handsome and very charming, when he chooses. Also he is sure of a certain income, even though it is a small one, and not available for two years. ”

“ In a few minutes she was safe in her own bedroom, and was dressing herself again in her woman's garb. Mrs. Rebson appeared.
"It's all right, deary. No one thinks but what you're ill. How did you get along?"
"Very well, Nanny. I'll tell you all later. Don't let any of the servants come upstairs for at least an hour."
"What do you wish to do?"
"I'll tell you later. Leave me alone for the present."
"Just one word, Miss Clarice," implored the nurse; "Master Ferdy. Is he quite safe now?"
"Yes," said Clarice, lying to save pain to that faithful old heart; "I think Ferdy is safe, Nanny. Now go." ”

“ Jerce looked at Clarice with a lowering face, and his expressive eyes flashed with anger. He was a strong-willed man, accustomed to having his own way in the face of all obstacles, and the merest hint of opposition annoyed him. Having set his heart on marrying Miss Baird, he was determined to bring about the match, and, notwithstanding the hint of refusal which she had given him, while Horran was alive, his determination remained unchanged. To be sure, he had then been ignorant of her engagement with Ackworth, and had calculated upon an easier conquest of her objections. ”

“ But you are the prey of your own passions, Ferdy. You deny yourself nothing."
"Why should I?"
"Because it is by denial--by self-denial, that we make ourselves strong, Ferdy. Why, any woman could twist you round her finger."
"Any woman can twist any man, you mean. If you bring the sex question into the matter, Clarice, I admit that man is the weaker vessel. A woman can do what she likes with a man. Women rule the world, and why they should bother about this suffragette business, beats me."
"All men can't be twisted by women, Ferdy. Dr. Jerce, for instance." ”

“ Jerce did not take it. "I can be nothing less than your husband," he said, drawing down his long upper lip obstinately.
"In that case, doctor, we may as well part for ever."
"For ever?" Jerce started to his feet, much agitated. "Oh, Clarice, you don't mean that. I love you--I adore you--I worship you. No doubt it may seem ridiculous to you that a man of my age should speak like a schoolboy, and should show his deepest feelings so plainly. But I have had a lonely life, and you are all the world to me. Don't send me away without hope. ”

“ The doctor spoke so bravely and so fiercely that for the moment Anthony and Clarice wavered in their belief of Ferdy's story. They knew well that Ferdy was a supreme liar, and, on the face of it, Sir Daniel Jerce's character had always been above reproach. The doctor saw that he had made an impression, and followed up his advantage, swiftly and vehemently.
"That Ferdinand should accuse me is no surprise," he went on, in a ringing voice. "I have done so much for him, that it is natural he should be ungrateful. I have always found that those I have helped have been my worst enemies. ”

“ I can imitate Ferdy exactly. I shall have to, if I want to deceive Zara Dumps."
"The hussy" said Mrs. Rebson, vigorously; then, with a cracked scream, "Miss Clarice, what are you doing to your hair?"
"Cutting it off," said Clarice, snipping vigorously. "I can't expect to masquerade successfully with a woman's hair."
"Oh, Miss Clarry, Miss Clarry, your lovely hair," wept Mrs. Rebson, and but that Ferdy's life--as she thought--depended upon the assumption of Ferdy's personality, she would then and there have refused to join in, what seemed to her, to be a mad, fantastic scheme. ”

“ Ferdy, leaning his elbows on the mantelpiece, admired his own handsome face in the round mirror, and furtively glanced at the reflection of his sister. The twins were wonderfully alike, and wonderfully good-looking, but Clarice, strange to say, was the more manly of the two. That is her manner was more masculine and decisive, her mouth was firmer, and she had the squarer chin. With his rosy oval face, his Grecian nose, his full lips, and soft brown hair, which lay in silky waves on his white forehead, Ferdinand was much too pretty for a man. ”

“ The bedclothes were perfectly smooth, and turned down to the dead man's waist in an orderly manner. The jacket of his pyjamas was open, and the breast revealed a ragged wound, upon which the blood had congealed. Apparently, the assassin, Osip, had found the unfortunate man sound asleep, and, having taken the assegai from the collection of barbaric weapons on the wall, had turned down the clothes to stab his victim with a surer aim. There was no sign of a struggle, and even Clarice's untutored senses told her that Henry Horran had been foully murdered in his sleep. ”

“ As a Greek god, Anthony Ackworth was a failure; as a man to trust and love he came off very well. That he was not superlatively clever, did not lower Clarice's appreciation of his character.
"Well?" asked Anthony, unoriginally, "how are things?"
"All wrong," replied Clarice, quickly. "I have been most anxious to see you, dear. I want help."
"I should think you were clever enough to do without any help I could give you," said Ackworth, admiringly, for he looked upon Miss Baird as a Queen Elizabeth-cum-Catherine-George Eliot kind of woman. "Is Mr. Horran any better?" ”

“ Ackworth," said he, firmly. "Unless this man is caught, he will be a veritable scourge to society."
"The story--the story!" cried Clarice, with impatience.
"It is, indeed, a story; more like romance than real life," said Jerce, quickly. "You know, Miss Baird, that I have a consulting room in Tea Street, Whitechapel."
"Yes, Mr. Horran told me that also," said Anthony. "You physic poor people for nothing."
"I do. I earn so much money in the West End that I think it is only right to use my talents for the poor. We must do what good we can in this world, you know, Mr. Ackworth. ”

“ Still, from his looks there was no cause for alarm, so Clarice touched the bell, and when Chalks entered, she pointed silently to his unconscious master.
The valet was a round, rosy, stout little man, with twinkling black eyes, and a meek manner. He beamed with good nature and overflowed with the milk of human kindness. An attendant with so cheerful a disposition and smiling a countenance was quite the kind of nurse needed by an invalid, as his spirits were infectious, and frequently served to arouse the somewhat melancholy Mr. Horran from dismal musings. ”