XXX. LOVE IS BLIND
"But Ugo can disprove it," he said, after a moment's thought.
"Only by confessing his own duplicity," she said, tranquilly.
"You will not marry him, Dorothy?"
She looked him full in the eyes, and no word could have answeredplainer than the disdain which swept across her lovely face.
"What do you think of me, Phil?" she asked, in hurt tones, and heanswered with his eyes because he could not trust his voice.
The longing to throw her arms about the man whose burning eyes hadset her heart afire was almost uncontrollable; the hope that hewould throw off restraint and cry out his love, drove her timidlyinto silent expectancy. His whole soul surged to his lips and eyes,but he fought back the words that would have made them both sohappy. He knew she loved him; the faintest whisper from him wouldcause her lips to breathe the passion her eyes revealed. And yet hewas strong enough to bide his time.
How long this exquisite communion of thoughts lasted neither knewnor cared. Through the leafy wood they drove, in utter silence, bothunderstanding, both revealing, both waiting. He dared not look atthe glorious, love-lit face, he dared not speak to her, he dared nottempt the heart that might betray his head. It was he who at lastbroke that joyous calm, and his voice was husky with suppressedemotion.
"You will not forget that some day I am coming to you as PhilQuentin and not in the mask of a bandit."
"I shall expect you, robber, to appear before a certain tribunaland there explain, if you can, what led you to commit the crime thathas shocked the world," she said, brightly.
"I implore the leniency of the high court," he said, tenderly.
"The court can only put you on probation and exact the promise thatyou will never steal another girl."
"And the length of probation?"
"For all your natural life," demurely.
"Then I must appeal to a higher court," he said, soberly.
"What?" she cried. "Do you object to the judgment?"
"Not at all," he said, earnestly. "I will merely appeal to thehigher court for permission to live forever." Both laughed with thebuoyancy that comes from suppressed delight. "It occurs to me,Dorothy," said he, a few minutes later, "that we are a long time inreaching the town Father Bivot told me about. We seem to be in thewilds, and he said there were a number of houses within five milesof Craneycrow. Have we passed a single habitation?"
"I have not seen one, but I'm sorry the time seems long," she said.
"I wonder if we have lost the way," he went on, a troubledexpression in his eyes. "This certainly isn't a highway, and he saidwe would come to one within three miles of the castle. See; it iseleven o'clock, and we have been driving for more than two hours ata pretty fair gait. By the eternal, Dorothy, we may be lost!"
"How delightful!" she cried, her eyes sparkling.
"I don't believe you care," he exclaimed, in surprise.
"I should have said how frightful," she corrected, contritely.
"This isn't getting you on a train, by any manner of means," hesaid. "Could I have misunderstood the directions he gave?" He wasreally disturbed.
"And the poor horse seems so tired, too," she said, serenely.
"By Jove! Didn't we cross a stream an hour or so ago?" he cried.
"A horrid, splashy little stream? We crossed it long ago."
"Well, we shouldn't have crossed it," he said, ruefully. "I shouldhave turned up the hill over the creek road. We're miles out of theway, Dorothy."
"What shall we do?" she asked, with a brave show of dismay.
"I don't know. We're in a deuce of a pickle, don't you see?" hesaid.
"I can't say that I do see," she said. "Can't we drive back to thecreek?"
"We could if I could turn the confounded trap about. But how, in thename of heaven, can I turn on a road that isn't wide enough for twobicycles to pass in safety? Steep, unclimable hill on our left, deepravine on our right."
"And a narrow bit of a road ahead of us," she said. "It looks verymuch as if the crooked and narrow path is the best this time."
That narrow road seemed to have no end and it never widened. Thedriving at last became dangerous, and they realized that the tiredhorse was drawing them up a long, gradual slope. The way becamesteeper, and the road rough with rocks and ruts. Her composure wasrapidly deserting her, and he was the picture of impatience.
"If we should meet anyone else driving, what would happen?" sheasked, fearfully.
"We won't meet anyone," he answered. "Nobody but a mountain goatwould wittingly venture up this road. This poor old nag is almostdead. This is a pretty mess! How do you like the way I'm taking youto the train?"
"Is this another abduction?" she asked, sweetly, and both laughedmerrily, in spite of their predicament. His haggard face, stillshowing the effects of illness, grew more and more troubled, and atlast he said they would have to get down from the trap, not only toavoid the danger of tipping over the cliff, but to relieve thehorse. In this sorry fashion they plodded along, now far above theforest, and in the cool air of the hilltops.
"There certainly must be a top to this accursed hill," he panted. Hewas leading the horse by the bit, and she was bravely trudging athis side.
"There is a bend in the road up yonder, Phil," she said.
When they turned the bend in the tortuous mountain road, both drewup sharply, with a gasp of astonishment. For a long time neitherspoke, their bewildered minds struggling to comprehend the vastpuzzle that confronted them. Even the fagged horse pricked up hisears and looked ahead with interest. Not three hundred yards beyondthe bend stood the ruins of an enormous castle.
"It is Craneycrow!" gasped the man, leaning dizzily against theshaft of the trap. She could only look at him in mute consternation.It was Craneycrow, beyond all doubt, but what supernatural power hadtransferred it bodily from the squarrose hill on which it had stoodfor centuries, to the spot it now occupied, grim and almostgrinning? "Is this a dream, Dorothy? Are we really back again?"
"I can't believe it," she murmured. "We must be deceived by astrange resem--"
"There is Bob himself! Good heavens, this paralyzes me! Hey, Bob!Bob!"
A few minutes later a limping horse dragged his bones into thecourtyard and two shame faced travelers stood before a tauntingquartet, enduring their laughter, wincing under their jests,blushing like children when the shots went home. For hours they haddriven in a circle, rounding the great row of hills, at last comingto the very gate from which they had started forth so confidently.They were tired and hungry and nervous.
"Did you telegraph your mother you were coming?" asked DickeySavage.
"We did not even see a telegraph wire," answered Dorothy, dismally.
"What did you see?" he asked, maliciously,
"You should not ask confusing questions, Richard," reprimanded LadyJane, with mock severity.
"Well, we'll try it over again to-morrow," decided Quentin,doggedly.
"Do you expect me to let you kill every horse I own?" demanded LordBob. "They can't stand these round-the-world pleasure trips everyday, don't you know. Glad to oblige you, my boy, but I must behumane."
That evening Father Bivot came to the castle, just as they wereleaving the dinner table. He brought startling news. Not an hourbefore, while on his way from the nearest village, he had come upona big party of men, quartered on the premises of a gardener down thevalley. It required but little effort on his part to discover thatthey were officers from the capital, and that they were looking forthe place where Courant's body was found. The good Father alsolearned that detectives from Brussels were in the party, and thatone of the men was a prince. The eager listeners in CastleCraneycrow soon drew from the priest enough to convince them thatUgo was at the head of the expedition, and that it was a matter ofbut a few hours until he and his men would be knocking at the gates.
"The prince did not address me," said Father Bivot, "but listenedintently, as I now recall, to everything I said in response to theLuxemburg
officer's questions. That person asked me if Lord RobertSaxondale owned a place in the valley, and I said that his lordshipdwelt in Castle Craneycrow. The men were very curious, and a tallItalian whispered questions to the officer, who put them to meroughly. There was no harm in telling them that his lordship washere with a party of friends--"
"Good Lord!" gasped Dickey, despairingly.
"It is all over," said Quentin, his face rigid.
"What will they do?" demanded Dorothy, panic-stricken.
"I do not understand your agitation, good friends," said the priest,in mild surprise. "Have I done wrong in telling them you are here?Who are they? Are they enemies?"
"They are searching for me, Father Bivot," said Dorothy, resignedly.
"For you, my child?" in wonder.
"They want to take me back to Brussels, You would not understand,Father, if I told you the story, but I do not want them to find mehere."
A frightened servant threw open the door unceremoniously at thisjuncture and controlling his excitement with moderate success,announced that a crowd of men were at the gates, demandingadmission.
"My God, Bob, this will ruin you and Lady Saxondale!" groanedQuentin. "What can we do? Escape by the underground passage?"
Lord Saxondale was the coolest one in the party. He squared hisshoulders, sniffed the air belligerently, and said he would take thematter in his own hands.
"Frances, will you take Miss Garrison upstairs with you? And Jane, Isuspect you would better go, too The secret passage is not to beconsidered. If we attempt to leave the place, after the informationFather Bivot has given them, it will be a clean admission of guilt.We will face them down. They can't search the castle without mypermission, and they can't trespass here a minute longer than Idesire. Do you care to see the prince, Quentin?"
"See him? It is my duty and not yours to meet him. It means nothingto me and it means disgrace to you, Bob, Let me talk to--"
"If you intend to act like an ass, Phil, you shan't talk to him. Iam in control here, and I alone can treat with him and theofficers."
"Please, sir, they are becoming very angry, and say they will breakdown the gates in the name of the law," said the servant, reenteringhurriedly.
"I will go out and talk to them about the law," said Saxondale,grimly. "Don't be alarmed, Miss Garrison. We'll take care of you.Gad, you look as if you want to faint! Get her upstairs, Frances."
"I must speak with you, Lord Saxondale," cried Dorothy, clutchinghis arm and drawing him apart from the pale-faced group. Eagerly shewhispered in his ear, stamping her foot in reply to his blankobjections. In the end she grasped both his shoulders and looked upinto his astonished eyes determinedly, holding him firmly until henodded his head gravely. Then she ran across the room to the twoladies and the bewildered priest, crying to the latter:
"You must come upstairs and out of danger, Father. We have no timeto lose. Good luck to you, Lord Saxondale!" and she turned anexcited face to the three men who stood near the door.
"He shall not have you, Dorothy," cried Quentin. "He must kill mefirst."
"Trust to Lord Saxondale's diplomacy, Phil," she said, softly, asshe passed him on her way to the stairs.
XXXI. HER WAY
The grim smile that settled on the faces of the three men after thewomen and the trembling priest had passed from the hall, was not oneof amusement. It was the offspring of a desperate, uneasy courage.
"Quentin, the safety of those women upstairs depends on yourthoughtfulness. You must leave this affair to me. We can't keep themwaiting any longer. Gad, they will tear down the historic gate I hadso much difficulty in building last year. Wait for me here. I go tomeet the foe."
Turk was standing in the courtyard with a revolver in his hand. LordBob commanded him to put away the weapon and to "stow hisbellicoseness." Mere chance caused Turk to obey the command in full;half of it he did not understand. The voices outside the gate weremuch more subdued than his lordship expected, but he did not knowthat Prince Ugo had warily enjoined silence, fearing the flight ofthe prey.
"Who is there?" called Lord Bob, from the inside
"Are you Lord Saxondale?" demanded a guttural voice on the outside.
"I am. What is the meaning of this disturbance?"
"We are officers of the government, and we are looking for a personwho is within your walls. Open the gate, my lord."
"How am I to know you are officers of the law? You may be a pack ofbandits. Come back to-morrow, my good friends."
"I shall be compelled to break down your gate, sir," came fromwithout, gruffly.
"Don't do it. The first man who forces his way will get a bullet inhis head. If you can give me some assurance that you are officersand not thieves, I may admit you." Lord Bob was grinning broadly,much to the amazement of the servant who held the lantern. Therewere whispers on the outside.
"Prince Ravorelli is with us, my lord. Is he sufficient guarantee?"asked the hoarse voice.
"Is Giovanni Pavesi there, also?" asked Saxondale, loudly.
"I do not know him, my lord. The prince's companions are strangersto me. Is such a person here?" Lord Bob could almost see the look onUgo's face when the question was put to him.
"I never heard the name," came the clear voice of the Italian. "Myfriends are well known to Lord Saxondale. He remembers CountSallaconi and the Duke of Laselli. Two men from Brussels are alsohere--Captains Devereaux and Ruz."
"I recognize the prince's voice," said Saxondale, unlocking thegate. "Come inside, gentlemen," he said, as he stood before thegroup. "Sorry to have kept you waiting, you know, but it is wise tobe on the safe side. So you are looking for some one who is in mycastle? May I inquire the name of that person?"
"You know very well, Lord Saxondale," said Ugo, now taking the lead.He stood boldly, defiantly before the Englishman.
"Carmenita Malban is dead, your excellency," said Bob, coolly.
"I do not know what you are talking about, sir," grated the prince."Dorothy Garrison is here, held against her will, and I, heraffianced husband, command you to surrender her."
"Have you the authority to take her, if I refuse to obey?" asked theother, with exasperating coolness.
"These officers have the authority to arrest you and to take herfrom your hands, violently, if necessary."
"Oh, well, that makes a difference, of course. Miss Garrison ishere, Prince Ravorelli, but I doubt your authority to take heraway."
"There is a reward for her, dead or alive," said Count Sallaconi,savagely.
"And for the abductors," added the burly man from Luxemburg. "Ishall have to place you under arrest, my lord."
"One moment, my good man. Miss Garrison is her own mistress, Ibelieve?" addressing the prince.
"What has that to do with it?"
"I'm sure I don't know, but it may be important. If you will kindlyrequest your followers to remain in the courtyard, you may enter thecastle and converse with Miss Garrison herself, Prince Paves--Ishould say Ravorelli." There was a wild, hunted look in theItalian's eyes, and there was murder in his heart. "I will ask youand the count and the duke and Officer Luxemburg to come with me."
With rare dignity Lord Saxondale strode across the flags anddeliberately threw open the huge castle door. After a moment ofindecision and not a little trepidation, Prince Ugo followed, withhis two countrymen not far behind. The Luxemburg officer gavehurried instructions to his men and took his place among the favoredfew.
It was a sharply-drawn hiss, ending in a triumphant "ah," that camefrom the lips of Ugo when he was face to face with Philip Quentin.His glittering eyes plainly said that his suspicions were confirmed.The discovery of the fact, a week before, that the two Americans hadnot sailed for New York provided the foundation for a shrewd guessand he had not been wrong.
"It is as I suspected," he said, tersely. "I trust I am not too lateto save Miss Garrison from outrage."
"One moment, please," commanded Lord Bob. "You are here throughsufferance, and you must, for the time being, i
magine yourself agentleman. If you care to talk over the situation with us while wewait for Lady Saxondale and Miss Garrison, I shall be only too gladto have you do so. Will you be seated, gentlemen?"
"We are not here to be directed by you, Lord Saxondale. We havetracked this scoundrel to earth, and we are--" Ugo was saying hotlywhen his lordship turned on him sternly.
"Mr. Quentin is my guest. Another remark of that character and Iwill throw you bodily from the room. This is my house, PrinceRavorelli." Paying no heed to the malevolent glare in the Italian'seyes, Saxondale turned and bade a servant ask Miss Garrison to comedown if it pleased her to do so.
"I presume Brussels is very much excited over Miss Garrison'sdisappearance," said he to the livid-faced prince.
"Brussels is horrified, but she will rejoice tomorrow. Thank God, wehave not toiled in vain."
"Sit down. May I inquire for the health of Mrs. Garrison?" The fournewcomers, more or less ill at ease, sat down with Lord Bob, the twoAmericans standing. Quentin leaned against the big post at the footof the steps, his face the picture of gloomy defiance.
"I am not her physician, sir."
"Hoity-toity! She is quite well, then, I may reasonably infer. Canyou tell me whether she is in Brussels?"
"She will be in Luxemburg in the morning, if my message reaches herto-night. But we are not here for the purpose of bandying words withyou, sir. This house must be searched, whether you like it or not.Captain, call in your men," cried the prince, his rage getting thebetter of him.
"You will find that the door is barred, captain," said Saxondale,easily. The expression that came into the faces of the four men wasone not soon to be forgotten. For a full minute there was absolutesilence.
"Do you mean that we are prisoners?" demanded Ugo, his teethshowing, but not in a smile.
"Not at all. The door has a habit of locking itself."
"I command you to open that door!" cried the prince, looking abouthim like a trapped rat. He snarled with rage when he saw the smileon Quentin's face. Dickey's sudden chuckle threw dismay into theranks of the confident besiegers.
"Do not be alarmed, gentlemen," said Saxondale. "The door shall beopened in good time. Ah, I think the ladies are coming."
As he spoke Dorothy and Lady Saxondale appeared at the top of thestairs. Ugo would have dashed up to meet them had not the twoAmericans blocked the way. Slowly Dorothy came down the oaken steps,followed by Lady Saxondale. Lady Jane and Father Bivot were not farbehind them.
"Dorothy!" cried Ugo. "Thank heaven, I have found you!"
She stopped on the bottom step, within arm's length of PhilipQuentin. There was a moment of indecision, a vivid flush leaped intoher lovely cheek, and then her hand went quickly forth and rested onQuentin's shoulder. He started and looked at her for the first time.
"I am sorry, Ugo, for the wrong I have done you," she said,steadily, but her hand trembled convulsively on Phil's shoulder.Mechanically he reached up and took the slim fingers in his broad,strong hand and rose to the step beside her.
"The wrong?" murmured the prince, mechanically.
"In running away from you as I did," she said, hurriedly, as ifdoubting her power to proceed. "It was heartless of me, and itsubjected you to the crudest pain and humiliation. I cannot ask youto forgive me. You should despise me."
"Despise you?" he gasped, slowly. The truth began to dawn on two menat the same time. Ugo's heart sank like a stone and Quentin's leapedas if stung by an electric shock. His figure straightened, his chinwas lifted, and the blood surged from all parts of his body to histurbulent heart.
"I loved him, Prince Ravorelli, better than all the world. It was ashameless way to leave you, but it was the only way," she said, hervoice full. Then she lifted her eyes to Quentin's and for the momentall else was forgotten.
"My God, you--you did not leave Brussels of your own free will!"cried the prince, his eyes blazing, Sallaconi and Laselli movedtoward the door, and the police officer's face was a study.
"I ran away with the man I love," she answered, bravely.
"It is a lie!" shrieked the Italian. Saxondale seized his hand intime to prevent the drawing of a revolver from his coat pocket."'Damn you! This is a trick!"
"You have Miss Garrison's word for it, your excellency. She was notabducted, and your search has been for naught," said the bigEnglishman. "There are no abductors here. The famous abduction was apart of the game and it was abetted by the supposed victim."
"But there is a reward for her return to Brussels," interrupted theLuxemburg official, speaking for the first time. "I must insist thatshe come with me."
"The reward is for Dorothy Garrison, is it not?" demanded Saxondale.
"Yes, my lord."
"Well, as you cannot get out of the castle and your friends cannotget into it until we open the doors, there is absolutely nopossibility of your taking Dorothy Garrison to Brussels."
"Do you mean to oppose the law?" cried Ugo, panting with rage.
"Gentlemen, as the host in Castle Craneycrow, I invite you towitness the marriage ceremony which is to make it impossible for youto take Dorothy Garrison to Brussels. You have come, gentlemen--atrifle noisily and unkindly, I admit--just in time to witness thewedding of my two very good friends who eloped with the sound ofwedding bells in their ears. Father Bivot, the bride and groom awaityou."
"Dorothy, my darling," whispered Quentin. She turned her burningface away.
"It is my way, Phil. I love you," she murmured.
THE END
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends