Fergus Hume

“ He either liked a man greatly or disliked him immensely. With the utmost calmness he went to work to get his quondam friend by his side in order to learn the truth. If Joyce had murdered Carr, if he was mixed up with Frisco and Don Manuel in a conspiracy against Stephen, there was no punishment he did not deserve. But although Herrick was hard, he was also just. Every chance would be given to Joyce to prove his innocence. And if in the end he proved to be guilty, Jim knew in his heart of hearts that he would let him go free. ”

“ Manuel went out and struck Stephen Marsh."
"I don't know what power Santiago has over Corn," said Robin wiping his eyes, "he never told me; but he has some. He treats me like a dog, and I can't call my soul my own."
"You poor little rat!" said Herrick with a certain pity. "Then the best thing you can do is to come back to me, and tell me all you know about this scoundrel."
"No! No!" whimpered Joyce, "he would kill me."
"Not he! I shall know how to save you, and if you do not tell," said Dr. Jim in a sharp tone, "I'll have you arrested as being concerned in this murder of Colonel Carr." ”

“ All I can say is that I do not like the man, and I think he is a bad lot. If you like to tell him this Mr. Corn you are at liberty to do so."
"I am not the man to make mischief," said Corn hotly, "so far as I can see Don Manuel appears to me to be perfectly respectable. If he is not, I can look after myself Dr. Herrick."
"I beg your pardon," said Herrick ceremoniously, "I did not wish to infer that you could not. All I have to say is that Mr. Marsh is better, and that in a week he will be about." ”

“ The five Endicottes were all handsome, and had high spirits; but poorer than the proverbial church mouse. What was to be done?
"We'll earn our own livings," said Bess who was the most energetic of the five. "Ida can look after the house, Frank can manage the farm; and Sidney can go to school, and I shall ask Mr. Arch to take me on to the Weekly Chronicle."
"But my dear child!" expostulated the Earl.
"What does it matter?" cried Bess. "We are the Endicottes whatever we may do. Everybody knows who we are and what we are. There is nothing disgraceful in earning one's own living Uncle Gar!" ”

“ Much as he might deserve the punishment of the law, Jim felt that for the sake of their old friendship he could not be the one to hand him over to Justice.
It must not be thought that Herrick took his discovery calmly. He suffered greatly on learning the worthlessness of the man he had so trusted. He had saved Robin's life by nursing him through a dangerous illness, and had been attracted by his ambition to become a great novelist. He had also tried to make a man of him by strengthening his will and mending his nerves, being sorry for the tortured creature. ”

“ Santiago shrugged his shoulders, "Why should it be wrong? She is a most charming lady and your friend Joyce loves her."
"Ridiculous! He can never marry her," said Herrick angrily.
"There is no reason why he should not. Of course it is none of my business, Señor, and I fail to see why you should speak to me about it."
"See here, Don Manuel. I speak to you because I know that Robin has come under the power of your will. You do what you like with him, and I want you to take him away. He must not ask Miss Bess to marry him, for the very simple reason that he has no income and no position. ”

“ This last was throughout of white marble, with a square pool of water in the centre. "What a pond to bathe in!" cried Jim enviously, for he was hot and dusty. "Our hermit is an ancient Roman; he understands how to enjoy life. Come along Robin!"
But by this time they had explored almost the whole of the wonderful house. There remained the back premises, but on entering, they found nothing but darkness and dirt, squalor and coldness. The hermit's attention to his mansion stopped short at the servant's door. "And I don't believe he has any servants," declared Joyce. ”

“ Poor Jim! Those dark days took much of his pride from him. He learned then how poor a thing is man; how dependent upon forces which although within himself he is unable through weakness or through ignorance to control.
One form of Herrick's unrest took the shape of being almost openly rude to Robin. The little man was in the habit of haunting Biffstead. He was by this time desperately in love with Bess, and took no pains to conceal his feelings. Manuel encouraged it, for the Mexican was his confidant. Robin would have told Herrick had the doctor shown any sympathetic disposition to listen. ”

“ There are worse women in the world than my step-mother Herrick, as you will find. She is a noble-looking woman, and I am glad to be rich if only for her sake. She is fond of luxury, but for my sake has borne poverty. And we have been very, very poor," finished Stephen with a sigh.
Every word the young man uttered revealed his good heart. Jim was pleased to find such an unsophisticated youth for once in his life. The young men he knew were usually old before their time, and took a pride in being so. But Marsh talked with such candour, that Herrick saw he was as simple as the day. ”

“ Herrick and Bridge appended their signatures, and all was over.
"This will set Frisco free," said Bridge, "and now I must see about getting a warrant out for this woman."
"It is too late," said Dr. Jim, "she is dying."
"She won't die," said Bridge with a disdainful smile, "all this is done to cheat the law. I have a policeman downstairs. He shall come up and watch her, while I go for a warrant of arrest."
"She will die before sunset," said Sidney calmly, and went to the old women. He took her hand. "Good bye Petronella. You will be happy soon. You know what is to be done." ”

“ Herrick looked at him with a disdainful smile. "I know you are not a good man Santiago, nor do you wish to be thought one. But I credited you with more intelligence than to believe in hallucinations."
Don Manuel not at all offended laughed. "True I am not a good man," he said, "and more is the pity. I am afraid to go where that lad can go--into the astral plane. You do not understand? No! you are as I said before, a materialistic being. But I am not a fool Dr. Herrick, and I can tell you that I know something of the psychic faculty. In Mexico I have seen the most wonderful things." ”

“ Oh, I know you protested your innocence to Santiago; still he would always think you guilty. He is not the man to believe that any human being would shield another. Why did you shield Mrs. Marsh?"
"For her son's sake," said Corn, "and for the sake of Ida Endicotte."
Herrick stared. "What has she got to do with it?"
"I love her," said Corn in a low voice shading his eyes with the palm of his hand, "but she told me that her whole life was wrapped up in Stephen's. If he knew that his mother had killed Carr, he is quixotic enough to throw up the whole fortune out of shame. ”

“ The tongue may lie, but a man's eyes--" Jim shook his head.
"But it can't be true," cried Stephen looking white and worried, "good heaven's Jim, if Sidney really shot Carr, think of the disgrace to Ida and Bess. Ourselves! I don't mind that. But these poor girls."
"Well," said Jim after a pause, "you see it's not so bad as it might be. I am sure you must know of the estimation Sidney is held in, round about Saxham. If it comes out that he shot the Colonel, no one will express any surprise. It's no slur on the girls, Steve. Sidney is looked upon as something beyond the pale of humanity." ”

“ Herrick made up his mind that when he got to Saxham, he would go to Heathcroft to make inquiries. If he could prove that Robin had alighted at that station, there would no longer be any doubt of his guilt. No doubt Joyce, if he had come to Heathcroft, had disguised himself, but he might not think of increasing his stature by artificial means, and he was so exceptionally small that even the most casual observer would remark upon it.
"I shall give him every opportunity of defending himself," thought Herrick. "If I find that he came to Heathcroft, he will have to account to me for his doings. ”