Tremaine

“ Small wonder that during that long, dull Sunday, spent perforce in her bedroom, Enid Crofton's mind often took refuge in the thought of the only man now in her life with whom all her memories and all her relations had been, and were, absolutely satisfactory. Captain Tremaine was a simple, happy, cheerful soul. Though he was always what he called "dashed short," when with a woman he flung about his money right royally. ”

“ In the courtyard Lady Constance's horse and his own were waiting for him and in a few moments the girl herself appeared, accompanied by the ever-smiling Jasper Vermont.
Blessed by nature with a good figure, Art, as represented by French modistes and Redfern, had put the finishing touches, with the result that Lady Constance Tremaine, whether in evening dress or the blue cloth riding-habit of the field, was a joy to the eye. ”

“ The majority of them seem to be concerned with the adventures of a Frenchman, who goes under various names, but who, I am sure, is one and the same person. He must, then, be either Tremaine or Thompson. But Thompson was evidently not a Frenchman, and Tremaine pretty evidently is, though his contact with the world has served to rub away a good many of the marks. I think we’re pretty safe, therefore, in assuming that the Frenchman of these clippings is Tremaine. As we go on, I believe we’ll find some internal evidence confirming this. ”

“ Late that night, when all the merrymakers had gone to their homes, Tremaine sat smoking in the moonlight on the terrace of the Moat House.
"It is strange," he said to himself, "what a hold the Christian myth has taken upon the minds of the English people, and especially of the working classes. ”

“ Tremaine finally goes back to France and succeeds in entangling Edith Croydon, then only about sixteen, in a marriage. We know how fascinating he is, and it’s not wonderful that he should be able to mislead an inexperienced girl. Of course what he wants is money, and so she writes to her father. He comes for her and takes her home—no doubt paying Tremaine a handsome sum to take himself off—in fact, mortgaging his home to do it. ”

“ Tremaine was to leave in the afternoon for his week’s absence, and he came in before I left in the morning to say goodbye. He seemed strangely elated and triumphant; his eyes were even brighter than usual, the colour came and went in his cheeks—he presented, altogether, a most fascinating appearance. He lingered only a moment to shake hands and thank me again.
“Cecily is jealous of these last moments,” he said, with a laugh. “She’s a spoilt child—and like a child, her moods are only of the moment—she’ll be gay as a lark tomorrow. ”

“ Tremaine turned to Bram. "Look—" he started.
"What man are you?" Bram cut in in heavily accented English. "How do you come to this place?"
"Listen to me, Bram!" Tremaine snapped. "Time is mutable. You stayed here, to protect Linda Carroll—and Linda Carroll's world. You've just made that decision, right?" Tremaine went on, not waiting for a reply. "You were stuck here ... for sixty years. Earth technology developed fast. One day a man stumbled in here, tracing down the signal from your Repellor; that was me. You showed me how to use the device ... and with it I wiped out the Niss. ”

“ You were not in need of Tremaine when you read that book.” “Tremaine,” answered I, “would have set me thinking, but would not have convinced me upon all the topics which he discusses, though some of his reasoning is admirable. He meets many difficult questions very ably, but to read any author on these subjects with advantage, the mind, if inclined to infidelity, must undergo a process for restoring it to its neutral state; and a few arguments of the negative kind are a very necessary preparation for those of a positive character.” ”

“ So he took the little cylinder of paper as he returned the greeting, and sat down on the sill of his window.
“But how grey the sea is,” continued Tremaine. “It is not so in the tropics—it is blue—oh, such a blue!”
“You seem to be an early riser,” observed Drysdale, who had thought to find himself the first astir.
“It is a habit one learns at St. Pierre. The dawn is, there, the only pleasant portion of the day—one rises to burn incense to it.” ”

“ It was conceivable that the simple facts might have leaked out through other channels, but the phrases, the very words of Tremaine’s interview, were mine.
The train had started; I couldn’t have turned back even if I had wanted to do so. I was bound to go on, and some intuition told me that the mystery lay at the end of my journey. Mildred had talked indiscreetly to someone, but to whom? Not to Harrison, surely! Harrison, I knew, I could count on, and yet whom had she seen except Harrison? After my first shock the absurdity of the thing made me laugh aloud. ”

“ I agreed. “I believe Tremaine could win any woman he really set his heart on.”
“At any rate, he learns of Drysdale’s jealousy and of Miss Croydon’s promise to explain things. He sees that at any hazard he must prevent that explanation. Monday morning, he comes to town with Delroy, and the latter tells him that he intends giving the necklace the salt-water treatment. You’ll remember it was Tremaine who originally proposed this, though he could scarcely at that time have foreseen what would come of it.” ”

“ Tremaine locked eyes with the old man. He drew a deep breath at last, let it out shudderingly. "All right," he said "I guess the God complex got me." He looked back once more at the devastated landscape. "The Niss will remember this encounter, I think. They won't try Earth again."
"You've fought valiantly, James, and won," Miss Carroll said. "Now let the power go."
Tremaine turned again to look at her. "You deserve better than this, Miss Carroll," he said. "Bram, you said time is mutable. Suppose—"
"Let well enough alone," Bram said. "Let it go!" ”

“ Tremaine to an intemperance of language which Mr. Drysdale resented and which he thought I should have resented, too. He demanded that I explain to him Mr. Tremaine’s position, and I promised to do so on the very evening he—he stayed away from the house. His staying away offended me deeply.”
Godfrey had listened with intent eyes and a quick nod from time to time.
“There is only one point lacking,” he said. “Did Tremaine know of your intention to tell Drysdale the story?” ”

“ After a moment Tremaine and Jess left the cell.
"He must have gotten clear, Jimmy," said Jess. "Maybe he got scared and left town."
"Bram doesn't strike me as the kind to panic." Tremaine looked at his watch. "I've got to get on my way, Jess. I'll check with you in the morning."
Tremaine crossed the street to the Paradise Bar and Grill, pushed into the jukebox-lit interior, took a stool and ordered a Scotch and water. He sipped the drink, then sat staring into the dark reflection in the glass. The idea of a careful reconnoitre of the Elsby area was gone, now, with police swarming everywhere. ”

“ Tremaine sank heavily into a chair, stared straight in front of him. An expression of combativeness came slowly into his face, his jaw set. At last he uttered an aggressive grunt.
“Well, I’m not!” he said. “I’m very much alive. So that’s that! Whatever has happened, I’ve come back! This is my flat—and my wife and child. And you can clear out just as soon as you like!” His eyes flamed hostility as they met Satterthwaite’s. “Quit!”
His wife sprang forward.
“Harry!” she cried, imploring she scarcely knew what. ”

“ When the men joined the women after dinner, they found Miss Croydon sitting at the piano idly touching the keys. Tremaine went to her with a directness that argued purpose. She looked up, expecting perhaps to see Drysdale; her eyes narrowed and hardened as they met Tremaine’s.
“I’ve been wanting to ask you to sing,” he said, apparently not noticing her change of expression, “but feared you might think me bold. You see, I am taking the bull by the horns. Some instinct told me””
“The instinct is wrong,” she interrupted, dropping her eyes to the keyboard. “I do not sing.” ”

“ We have read Tremaine together, and some parts of the reasoning contained in the third volume of that valuable little work have most powerfully impressed his mind, while others have failed of satisfying him. My principal objections to Tremaine are, that the author contents himself with allowing us to suppose that the hero becomes a Christian. Secondly, Dr. Evelyn, though a very worthy, and a very sensible man, appears more like a good humoured country gentleman, than a clergyman, the professional piety of whom might have been added to his counsel without detracting from its force. ”

“ Delroy, smiling at her husband, though Drysdale fancied she had grown a little pale, and bit his tongue for his thoughtless remark.
“Fortunately,” said Tremaine suavely, “the defect is one which is very easily remedied. A few days’ bath in salt water will restore their brilliancy.”
“Well,” asked Delroy, in some amusement, “where did you run across that bit of information?”
Tremaine laughed.
“I’m almost ashamed to tell. I got it first in a newspaper story about the Empress of Austria. She had a necklace of pearls that turned dull, and she sent them down to the Mediterranean to be immersed.” ”

“ Satterthwaite nodded, humouring him.
“You may—of course,” he said. “But it’s highly improbable. Two years is a long time to stay in hospital. Almost certainly you have been living somewhere, in new relationships. Be reasonable, my friend. Can’t you see that the only thing is to sell out to me—and clear off, go right away—start a fresh life?”
Tremaine revolted.
“I’m damned if I do!” he replied. “Right is right—you can’t get away from it. I’m Harry Tremaine—and I’ve come back to my wife and child—to my own existence—and I’ve got a right to them!” He rose from his chair. ”

“ You ought to hold onto your temper with those boys. I think maybe you ought to think about getting over the state line. I can run you to the bus station, and send your car along...."
"I can't leave now, Jess. I haven't even started."
IV
In his room, Tremaine doctored the cut on his jaw, then opened his trunk, checked over the detector gear. The telephone rang.
"Tremaine? I've been on the telephone with Grammond. Are you out of your mind? I'm—"
"Fred," Tremaine cut in, "I thought you were going to get those state cops off my neck."
"Listen to me, Tremaine. You're called off this job as of now. ”

“ They went down together to breakfast, presently; but only Delroy joined them there, and it was not an especially pleasant meal, despite the bright sun at the windows and Tremaine’s imperturbable good humour. As they arose from table, that gentleman announced his intention of going for a walk about the grounds, and Drysdale carried Delroy off to the library.
“Now, Dickie,” he began resolutely, as soon as they were seated, “I’m going to quarrel with you. You’re not careful enough of your family. Who is this Tremaine, anyway?” ”

“ TREMAYNE or TREMAINE, Sir JOHN (d. 1694) , lawyer, eldest son of Lewis Tremayne, lieutenant-governor of Pendennis Castle, who married Mary, daughter and coheiress of John Carew of Penwarne in Mevagissey, was born in the parish of St. Ewe, Cornwall. He was brought up to the study of the law, by 1678 was a man to be consulted (Fitzherbert MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm. 13th Rep. App. vi. p. 8) , and soon acquired considerable practice. ”

“ Tremaine was sitting in the chair where I had left him and was just lighting another cigarette.
He arose with a smile as I came in.
“I must be going,” he said. “And you will keep an eye on Cecily?”
“Yes, I’ll be glad to,” I assented. Surely, I need hesitate at no means to learn the truth about him.
“And be as gay as you please,” he added. “You’re doing me a great favour, which I shall take care to repay some day. Good-night.”
“Good-night,” I answered and closed the door.
As I turned, Godfrey walked calmly out of the bedroom. I waited till I heard Tremaine’s door close. ”

“ Tremaine told me gently that they always used wax candles for the Bible reading and that it didn’t seem to her right to use tallow candles for that.”
“Poor Uncle Tremaine, did you ever see anybody in your life as wretched as he is in those homespun clothes made by Aunt Sophia and Mammy Tulip? And he loves his clothes so much!”
“Yes, I thought him a sad sight when he appeared in homespun and drank his potato coffee. I have, however, made another important chemical discovery.” Here Lyddon looked hard at Angela and winked his left eye. ”

“ Not till then did it occur to me that Tremaine had made no reference to the tragedy at Edgemere. Then I caught myself just in time, for I remembered suddenly that I was not supposed to know he had been there.
“So you have been successful?” I asked finally.
“Yes, I believe so. I’ve succeeded in interesting some capitalists. ”

“ At the top, Tremaine turned to the coroner.
“If you don’t mind,” he said, “I’ll go on to my room. I’m feeling pretty well used up. My room is right here next to Mr. Drysdale’s. If you want me, you can call me.”
“Certainly, sir,” agreed Heffelbower instantly. “And let me t’ank you again for your fery faluable suggestions.”
“Oh, not at all,” returned Tremaine, and entered his room.
The others went on to the next door. Delroy knocked.
“Who’s there?” queried Drysdale’s voice.
“Open up, Jack,” called Delroy. “We’ve got to see you on some rather important business.” ”

“ Tremaine's note remained on this occasion triumphant, and she glowed with victory, and also with good intentions; for she resolved to warn Natalie that the gossips were preparing for a feast, "and," said the lady to herself, "it must be stopped; never allow a tiger a taste of blood," which mental exclamation clearly indicates the exaltation of the lady's spirit. ”

“ Although now in hostile political camps, that great leader of men never permitted their acquaintance to cease. “He is young,” reasoned Mr. Bertie Tremaine; “every political party changes its principles on an average once in ten years. Those who are young must often then form new connections, and Ferrars will then come to me. He will be ripe and experienced, and I could give him a good deal. I do not want numbers. I want men. In opposition, numbers often only embarrass. The power of the future is ministerial capacity. The leader with a cabinet formed will be the minister of England. ”