Fergus Hume

“ You see, I am not formally engaged to Mildred, and will not be, until I have discovered the assassin."
"Why not denounce me, and bring about the engagement at once?" said Frank, with some bitterness.
Jarman stared. "Because in the first place you are innocent, and in the second I should not like to build up my life's happiness on your ruin. I thought you knew me better than that, my friend."
"Forgive me. I am a beast," said Lancaster, penitently. "But the fact is, I--I--"--he gulped down the truth--"I am not myself." ”

“ By this time Frank, introduced by Mrs. Perth, had made the acquaintance of his divinity. She likewise never suspected any disguise, and was quite at her ease with the new secretary. Frank's heart beat hard when she offered him her hand, and he could hardly see her face for a mist before his eyes. Now that he heard her voice, and saw her gracious manner, he fell more in love with her than ever. It was a strange feeling, and one that he had not experienced in his wooing of Fairy Fan. But, from the misery he suffered, there was no doubt that it was genuine passion. ”

“ Jarman shuddered, so ferociously did she make this speech. He thought he would not like to offend this creature. "And you will help me to save Lancaster," he said eagerly--"to save him and baffle the Berrys?"
"I do not know," she said sullenly, and heaved herself up from the chair. "If he is innocent he shall not die. If not, he shall die. Come!"
"Where will you take me?" asked Eustace, following her to the door, but feeling in his hip pocket that his revolver was loose.
"To my secret rooms," said Balkis, looking back with a grin.
"Ah, then Mrs. Burl is right. You have secret rooms." ”

“ But she knew that Lancaster had been here. And you were the only person who spotted him."
"What fools the others must be," said the genial Darrel. "However, that's neither here nor there. I assure you, on my honour, that I kept Lancaster's secret. He may, or he may not, have killed Starth, but so long as he leaves Miss Starth alone he is in no danger from me. I hope you will understand that."
"I understand," said Jarman, coldly. "And now we will part."
"On an understanding, however," said Darrel, striding after Eustace--"that you don't interfere with my affairs. ”

“ Eustace was brave enough, but he felt a qualm at this mysterious danger, of which he knew nothing. "Come, Frank, let us get the police quick!" and he darted along the passage and up through the trap-door. Tamaroo followed, and Lancaster. And still they could hear the men fighting within and the shrieks of Fairy Fan.
Balkis, at the door of the inner room, taunted the three. "You white woman loved my Walter and took his love. You shall die! You, my cousin, killed my Walter. You shall die! You Captain Berry, brought about the death of my Walter. You shall die!" ”

“ Starth hated Frank virulently, because Miss Berry openly approved of the young man's good looks and genuine talents. But even before Fairy Fan appeared to enchant a London public, Starth and Lancaster had never been able to meet without snarling at one another like dogs. Frank was not to blame, being good-natured and much too indolent to fight. But Starth snapped at everyone. That he should have so charming a sister was extraordinary. Even Dicky, the most critical of men, thought so. ”

“ And a woman who does not gossip in a village is not fit companion for those who want to know their neighbours' affairs. Eustace knew that she would hold her tongue. Nevertheless, he was glad that her limited vision had not been able to take in Frank Lancaster as he had been.
As it was, Mr. Desmond O'Neil appeared late at the breakfast, and Miss Cork, bringing in the bacon and eggs, silently avowed the truth of her master's description. The new secretary was brown-skinned, with dark hair, and a clean-shaven face, shaded about the eyes with blue spectacles. ”

“ The young man did not like the way in which Tamaroo had behaved, for, although he had not murdered either Anchor or Starth, still he had mutilated them. But then, in spite of his veneer of education, Tamaroo was a negro pure and simple, with the savage instincts of the African race. To rebuke him would be as futile as punishing a dog for barking. Tamaroo had only obeyed his nature. And Eustace, on his side, shrewdly suspected that Balkis--also an African--would act in the like barbaric fashion did she think it necessary. ”

“ She thought Mildred was wrong. "It will not be a happy marriage," said Mrs. Perth.
That afternoon Frank arrived at the Shanty. He looked sad, and not at all like a man whose character had been cleared, and who had come into a fortune of forty thousand a-year. He was alone, as he intended only to stop the night and to return the next day to London on his way to Kingsbridge. Only at Jarman's urgent request had he come down to see Mildred, as he felt that he could not trust himself in her presence. At first he thought he would send the letter with which he had been entrusted by Eustace. ”

“ Darrel was a big man, as huge as Jarman, but black and sulky in his looks. His manners were soft, and he resembled a large tom-cat more than anything else, particularly when speaking, as he positively purred. With the children he was a favourite, as he always presented them with gifts; but it was understood that on condition of this largess, they were to leave him alone. Consequently, he had all his time to himself, and spent it dodging about Rose Cottage, or filling the little parlour with his gigantic person. ”

“ He could not see what connection there could be between the murder of Anchor in San Francisco and that of Walter Starth in Sand Lane, but the mysterious word "Tamaroo" seemed to link the two. Perhaps it might prove the clue to the mystery of the last crime. Jarman sat down to hurriedly arrange his thoughts, but he was unable to answer Mildred for a time. After her exclamation she remained quiet, clasping and unclasping her hands, shaken to the core of her soul by the disturbed looks of this ordinarily phlegmatic man. ”

“ Jarman was beginning to see the connection between the San Francisco crime and the Sand Lane murder.
"Yes, I," said Tamaroo, perfectly calm and collected, while Frank shivered. "Anchor was a traitor. He was betraying a sacred trust. When I took the papers he opened his eyes. I saw that he was still alive, so I stabbed him."
Jarman jumped up, and even Frank recoiled from the negro. "You had no right to kill the man," said Eustace, hoarsely.
"I did not. The shot was a fatal one. I simply stabbed him to make sure. You need not rebuke me, Mr. Jarman. ”

“ Mildred stared, and looked annoyed.
"Yes," said the Rhodesian, stolidly; "promise to be my wife, and I'll hunt down Lancaster."
Mildred gasped. This was the same bargain as she had made with Eustace, so the situation was duplicated. But she more than liked Jarman, and cared very little for Darrel. Moreover, now that she knew the suspected man was the one who had stared at her, and to whose face she had taken a fancy, she was inclined to agree with Eustace that he was innocent. So refined a man could not possibly have committed so brutal a crime. ”

“ Being an American, he has yet to learn that an Englishman's house is his castle."
"And you have to learn, Mr. Jarman, that you have been compounding a felony in sheltering this criminal."
"Frank is not a criminal!" cried Mildred, with a stamp.
"Ah you defend your brother's murderer," sneered Darrel, savagely.
"Don't talk rubbish, Darrel," interposed Jarman. "You know well enough that Lancaster is innocent."
"He is not. He certainly escaped last night, but Berry is on his track. Lancaster may disguise himself, but Tamaroo will be spotted in a mighty short time. They can't escape." ”

“ Under the shadow of the trees, a stone's-throw from the white gate of Rose Cottage, Mildred stood still, her hands clasped before her. A shaft of light piercing the leafage shed its radiance on her beautiful face, and Eustace put a constraint on himself. Under his breath he quoted the Arabic proverb: "Blessed be Allah who made beautiful woman." ”

“ Eustace, who had his eye on the savage face of Balkis, suddenly addressed Miss Berry. "You say you love Lancaster?"
"I do. I have always loved him."
"That is untrue. You only want to marry him because you can't get the money in any other way. There is a chance, I see, of you three thieves falling out." He looked scornfully on Berry, Fan, and Darrel. "In that case an honest man, such as Lancaster is, may come by his own."
"You talk nonsense," said Fan, doggedly. "I love Frank--"
"Pardon me, you loved Starth." ”

“ Balkis looked queerly at him. "Tamaroo did not kill my Walter," she said. "If he had, I should have killed him." And, although Jarman urged her to say more, she declined to do so.
Then he thought of the likeness remarked upon by Jenny between Mr. Darrel and Balkis. "Do you know a man called Darrel?"
"I do. He comes from Jamaica. Why should I tell you a lie. He is a cousin of mine."
"I thought so," said Jarman, drawing a deep breath.
"Yes. He has our blood in him. He comes here at times, but he never calls me cousin. He thinks himself white, but he has our blood." ”

“ Frank sat still for a moment, then, in spite of his troubles, laughed softly.
"You or she must be crazy, Eustace."
"Then it is she. Her message, which I promised to deliver on conditions, was that if you would marry her she would save you."
"Then if you see her again you can refuse her offer. I should not think of marrying her. I have got over my infatuation there."
"And have placed your heart elsewhere?" said Jarman, quietly.
"We agreed not to speak of that," said Lancaster, stiffly. "I am an honourable man, and in my position--oh! it's ridiculous. Don't hit a man when he is down, Eustace." ”

“ Jenny was not pretty, but she had the freshness of youth, and a sweet, frank face of her own which appealed to the man.
Denham had been so accustomed to women of the world like Miss Berry that he longed for something fresh and unsophisticated. He had been thinking a great deal about Jenny lately, and now that he saw Mildred was a star far above his reach, thought he might do worse than take the rector's daughter. The transfer of affections from Miss Starth to Jenny was a considerable effort of mental gymnastics, but Natty had achieved it. ”

“ When on his way to Kirk Lane Jarman mused over the information. He was sure now that the invitation of Starth had been a trap into which the man himself had somehow fallen. The amount at stake was a million, which was large enough a sum in Berry's eyes to justify even the murder of one man and the hanging of another. No wonder Berry offered a reward for the apprehension of Frank, if in the capture lay his chance of securing so large a fortune. But what puzzled Eustace, and what had puzzled him all along, was why it should be necessary to hang Frank. ”

“ In after days Frank never could be got to tell his dreams. The mere memory of them would make him shudder. Far away in the land of sleep he wrestled with unknown foes, and passed a time of sheer agony not to be paralleled by any experience of the waking hours. He seemed to have slept for centuries when he came to himself on the sofa, with a furred tongue and an aching head. There was a faint light in the room as the blinds were up, and for a few minutes the young man, still half stupefied with the drug, could not grasp the idea of his whereabouts. ”

“ Fairy Fan shot a second provocative glance. "Perhaps," she said.
"H'm!" Jarman resolved to startle her. "So Walter Starth was not to your taste?"
He woefully failed to bring about the desired result. Fan was too old a hand to be startled. "You've been reading the papers?" she said.
Jarman nodded. "I saw that both Starth and the man who is supposed to have killed him loved you."
"They did, and I refused both of them. Nice boys, but a couple of paupers. If I marry again, I marry money. But why do you use the word 'supposed.' Frank Lancaster murdered Starth, sure enough." ”

“ Mildred caught Jarman by the hand, panting.
"Oh, you are a man--a man!" she said.
Darrel picked himself up, but did not show fight. His face was more like that of a negro than ever, and Eustace believed he was a half-caste, seeing how the racial type came out.
"You bully!" growled the man, fiercely, but keeping well in the roadway. "I'll be even with you. I can guess where Lancaster is hiding now, and I'll hunt him down--I'll hunt him down! He shall hang, and you, Jarman, shall go to prison for having assisted him. ”

“ Still, she could not help wondering why she felt annoyed by Jenny's silly remark.
"I think you had better take that Denham boy," said Mildred to Jenny. "He bothers me greatly, and he's the kind of donkey who would fall in love with anyone."
"I don't regard myself as anyone," said Jenny, with dignity. "Besides, he's not half so nice as Mr. O'Neil."
Mildred acknowledged this with a sigh, and welcomed O'Neil with a blush, which he marked and wondered at. "Where is Mr. Jarman?" she asked.
"He has gone bathing with Billy and Denham," said Frank, standing outside and looking in at the window. ”

“ Who knows better than I?" Frank rose to pace the room anxiously. "I spoke foolishly about Starth being better out of the world, at the theatre. I took my pistol with me--I was alone in the house with him!--that servant saw me leave, and I daresay noticed my agitation. Jarman, it's awful. I don't see how I'm going to get out of the danger. They'll hang me."
"Steady, old man. They won't hang you. I won't let them."
"Then you'll help me to get out of the country?"
"No. If you cut, you'll surely be caught. By to-morrow every seaport in the kingdom will be watched. You must stay here." ”

“ She took a fancy to him, for he was handsome and well-bred. But even Miss Berry, pretty and astute woman as she was, could not learn anything of Lancaster's past, cleverly as she tried to find out. Her uncle, using coarser methods, tried also, but failed likewise. Only to one man had Frank unbosomed himself, and that was to Eustace Jarman, who had first extended to the lonely young man a helping hand. A memory of Starth's words made Lancaster wonder if Jarman had revealed anything, and he would have sought out his friend to ask him directly had not Jarman dwelt in Essex. ”

“ When you are free from trouble then we can talk. But tell me, how did Mildred receive you?"
"She was horrified at first, but afterwards, when I confessed all, she believed me to be innocent. She told Mrs. Perth, who also thinks I am guiltless. I am safe here. Even Darrel can't find me in this place. But if you like, Eustace, I can disguise myself in another way and go abroad. I don't want to remain here longer than I can help."
"You must remain here," said Jarman, decisively. "If you try to escape you may be captured. Fan knows of your disguise."
"And Berry?" asked Frank, in alarm. ”

“ Jarman had the reputation of being a solitary man, and those who knew him in literary circles hinted at the destroying influences of the inevitable woman. But Eustace never explained. After a journalistic career in town he disappeared into the Essex wilds, and devoted himself to writing music-hall sketches, short tales, and articles on countries he had visited. As he had been round the world twice or thrice, and knew the manners and customs of various peoples, he was well paid for his contributions. The cost of living at Wargrove was nil, and Jarman was supposed to be saving money. ”