CHAPTER VI
The Dwarf
"You, Pete," said his master, approaching the pump where the boy wasperforming his morning ablutions, "what was the noise I heard in MissMelody's room last night?"
"Dunno," sullenly.
"Well, you'd better know. I'll skin you alive if anything happens toher."
"How--how could I help it if she jumps out the winder?"
Carder smiled. "You're thinkin' of somebody else. _She_ went to thehospital. If Miss Melody hurts herself, we'll keep her here. She won'tdo that, though, and I hold you accountable for anything else she does.Night and day, remember. You've got to know where she is all the time.You understand?"
The dwarf grunted and combed his thick, tousled hair with his fingers.
"Watch yourself now. You'll pay if anything goes wrong. What was thatnoise I heard? Out with it!"
The dwarf grunted his reply. "She moved the furniture ag'in' the door, Iguess."
"Oh, that was it."
Rufus laughed and turned toward the house.
The hired men had had their breakfast and gone to the fields and thedrudge in the kitchen was prepared for the arrival of her son and hisguest.
Geraldine came downstairs fresh from sleep and such a cold bath as wasobtainable from the contents of a crockery pitcher. Rufus's eyesglittered as he beheld her.
"Well, my little--I mean my lady, you look wonderful. I guess there wassome sleep in the little old bed after all; but you shall have down tosleep on if you want it."
Geraldine regarded him.
"I don't see how you expected I could sleep when you let a dog lieoutside my door, a dog with the nightmare, I should judge, snoring andsnorting. Be sure he is not there to-night. He frightened me."
"Too bad, too bad," returned Rufus; "but you see you slept, or youcouldn't look like a fresh rosebud as you do this morning; and you'llget used to good old Sport. He's a splendid watchdog."
Geraldine turned to her hostess.
"I don't know what your hours are, Mrs. Carder--whether five, or six, orseven is over-sleeping, but I'm ashamed not to have been down here tohelp you get breakfast. It shan't happen again."
"Don't fret about that," said Rufus, "Sleep as long as you want to,little girl. It's good for your complexion."
Geraldine flatly refused to sit down to breakfast unless Mrs. Carder wasalso at the table, so the old woman wiped her hands on her apron andtook her place between her son and the beautiful girl, and Geraldinejumped up and fetched and carried when anything was needed.
Rufus watched this proceeding discontentedly. "We've got to start innew, Ma," he said. "The Princess Geraldine and me are goin' to do thishouse over, and we'll get some help, too--help that knows how; thestylish kind, you know. Geraldine thinks the time has come for you tohold your hands the rest o' your days."
"Just as you say, Rufus," returned his mother meekly, nibbling away atthe bacon on her plate and feeling vastly uncomfortable.
"What she says goes; eh, Ma?"
"Just as you say, Rufus," repeated the mother.
A light was glowing in Geraldine's eyes. It was day. She was young andstrong. The world was wide. She laughed at her fears of the night. Theright moment to escape would present itself. Rufus would have to go tothe city, and even if he refused to leave without her, once in town shecould easily give him the slip. Perhaps that was going to prove the bestsolution after all.
"Your trunk came last night," he said, when at last the three rose fromthe breakfast-table. "You can show Pete where you want it put."
Geraldine tried not to betray the eagerness with which she received thispermission.
The dwarf's strong arms carried her modest trunk up the stairs as easilyas if it had been a hatbox. She feared Carder might follow them, but hedid not.
"Pete," she said, low and excitedly, as soon as they reached her roomand he had deposited his burden, "you _will_ help me! I know you aregoing to be the one to help me get away from here."
The dwarf shook his head. "Then I'd be killed," he answered, but hegazed at her admiringly. "I've got the marks of his whip on me now."
"Why do you stay?" asked Geraldine indignantly.
"He says nobody else would give me work. I'm too ugly. He says I'dstarve."
"That isn't so!" exclaimed the girl. "I will help you." Theconsciousness of the futility of the promise swept over her even as shemade it. Who was she to give help to another!
The dwarf, gazing fascinated at her glowing face, saw her eyes suddenlyfill. A heavy step sounded on the stair.
"Move it, move the trunk, Pete," she whispered, dragging at it herself.
Rufus Carder appeared at the door just as the dwarf was shoving thetrunk to another part of the room.
"What's the matter?" he asked. "Seems to me you take a long time aboutit."
"I'm always so undecided," said Geraldine. "I believe I will have itback under the window after all, Pete."
So back under the window the boy lifted the trunk, his master meanwhilelooking suspiciously from one to the other. It was quite in thepossibilities that his fair guest might try to corrupt that dog which atnight lay outside her door; but the dog well knew that no corner of theearth could hide him from Rufus Carder if he played him false, and themaster felt tolerably safe on that score.
All that day Geraldine watched to observe the habits of those aroundher. She found that the small yellow building near the drive whichCarder had pointed out to her was the place where he spent most of histime: the cave of the ogre she named it. The driveway came in from aroad which passed the farm and no one entered it except persons who hadbusiness with the owner.
Again the girl marveled at the character of the country surrounding thefarmhouse. Not a tree provided a hiding-place or shade for man or beast.Stones had been removed and built into low walls that intersected thefields. Even in the lovely late spring with verdant crops growing therewere no lines of beauty anywhere. The ugly yellow office building reareditself from a strip of grass where dandelions fought for their rights,but a wide cement walk led to its door.
"Come down and see my den," said Rufus late that afternoon. "The washingdishes and feeding swine can come later if you are determined to do it.It's a great little old office, that is. There's more businesstransacted there than you might suppose." He met Geraldine's grave gaze,and added: "Many a profitable half-hour your father has spent there.Yes, indeed, Dick Melody knew which side his bread was buttered on, andI'm in hopes of being as good a friend to his daughter as I was to him."
Geraldine yielded to the invitation in silence. She wished to discoverevery possible detail which could make her understand how her father, aspopular with men as with women, and with every custom of good manners,had often sought this brute. Doubtless it was to obtain money. Probablyher father had died in debt to the man. Probably it was that fact whichgave her jailer his evident certainty that he had her in his power. Herfather was dead. Was there anything in the law that could hold her, agirl, responsible for his debts? It was surely only a matter of daysbefore she could make her escape and meanwhile she would try not to letdisgust overpower her reason. She was not sorry to be asked to see theabode of the spider, in the center of which he sat and watched theapproach from any direction of those who dragged themselves of necessityinto his web. Let him tell what he would about her father. She wished toknow anything concerning him, of which Carder had proof. She would notallow her poise to be shaken by lies.
It was bright day and the office was but a few hundred yards from thehouse. All the same, as they walked along, she was glad to hear a sharpmetallic clicking a little distance behind them, and turning her head,to see Pete ambling along with his clumsy, bow-legged gait, dragging alawn-mower. Little protection was this poor oaf with the scars of hismaster's whip upon him, but Geraldine had seen a doglike devotion lightup the dull eyes in those few minutes up in her room, and in spite ofthe dwarf's hopeless words she felt that she had one friend in thisplace of desolation. She expected the master would dri
ve the boy awaywhen the mower began to behead the dandelions, but Rufus appearedunaware of the monotonous sound.
"Pretty ship-shape, eh?" he said when they were inside the office. Heindicated the open desk with its orderly files of papers and well-filledpigeon-holes. Placing himself in the desk-chair he drew another closefor his visitor.
Geraldine moved the chair back a little and sat down, her eyes fixed onthe telephone at Carder's left. That instrument connecting with theoutside world, the world of freedom, fascinated her. If she could butget ten minutes alone with it! She had some friends of her school days,and the pride which had hitherto prevented her from communicating withthem was all gone, immersed in the flood of fear and repulsion which,despite all her reasoning, swept over her periodically like a paralysis.Rufus leaned back in his seat and surveyed his guest. She looked veryyoung in the soft, pale-green dress she wore.
"Here I am, you see, master of all I survey, and of a good deal that Idon't survey--except with my mind's eye." He shook his headimpressively. "I can do a lot for anybody I care for." He pulled hischeck-book toward him. "I can draw my check for four figures, and I'lldo it for you any time you say the word. How would you like to have afew thousands to play with?"
Geraldine removed her longing gaze from the telephone and looked at herhands. She could not meet the insupportable expression of his greedyeyes.
"Two figures would do," she said, "if you would allow me to go to townand spend it as I please."
"Why, my beauty," he laughed, "you can spend any amount, any way youplease."
"Alone?" asked Geraldine, her suddenly eager eyes looking straight intohis, but instantly shrinking away.
"Of course not," he returned cheerfully. "I ought to get something formy money, oughtn't I?"
She was silent, and he watched her as if making up his mind how toproceed.
"Look here," he said at last in a changed tone, "I don't know what I'vegot to gain by beating about the bush. I've shown you plain enough thatI'm crazy about you and I've told you that I always get what I goafter."
Geraldine's heart began to beat wildly. She kept her eyes on her foldedhands and the extremity of her terror made her calm.
"I'm goin' to treat you as white as ever a girl was treated; but I wantyou, and I want you soon. I know we're more or less strangers, but youcan get acquainted with me as well after marriage as before. I know allthis ain't regulation. A girl expects to be courted, but I'll court youall your life, little girl."
The lawn-mower clicked through the silence in which Geraldine summonedthe power to speak. Indignation helped to steady her voice. She lookedup at her companion, who was leaning forward in his chair waiting forher first word.
"It is impossible for me to marry you, Mr. Carder," she said, trying tohold her voice steady, "and since your feeling for me is so extreme, Iintend to leave here immediately. You speak as if you had bought me asyou might have bought one of your farm implements, but these are moderndays and I am a free agent."
Carder did not change his position, his elbows leaning on the arms ofhis chair, his fingers touching.
"I have bought you, Geraldine," he answered quietly.
She started up from her chair, her indignation bursting forth. "I knewit!" she exclaimed. "My father died owing you money and you havedetermined that I shall pay his debts in another coin! He would turn inhis grave if he heard you make such a cruel demand."
The frank horror and repulsion in the girl's eyes made the blood rise toher companion's temples.
He pointed to her chair. "Sit down," he said. "You don't understandyet."
She obeyed trembling, for she could scarcely stand. His unmovedcertainty was terrifying. "Your father was a very popular man. Hisvanity was his undoing. Juliet was too smart to let him throw away hermoney, so rather than lose his reputation as a good sport, rather thannot keep up his end, he looked elsewhere for the needful, and he came tome, not once, but many times. At last he wore out my patience and theCarder spring ran dry, so far as he was concerned; then, Geraldine"--thenarrator paused, the girl's dilated eyes were fixed upon him--"then, myproud little lady, handsome Dick Melody fell. He began helping himself."
"What do you mean--helping himself?" The girl leaned forward and herhands tightened until the nails pressed into her flesh.
Rufus Carder slipped his fingers into an inside pocket and drew forthtwo checks which he held in such a way that she could read them.
"You don't know my signature," he went on, "but that is it. Large aslife and twice as natural. Yes"--he regarded the checks--"twice asnatural. I couldn't have done them better myself."
Geraldine's hands flew to her heart, her eyes spoke an anguishedquestion.
"Yes," Rufus nodded, "Dick did those." The speaker paused and slippedthe checks back into his pocket. "I breathed fire when I discovered it,and then very strangely something occurred which put the fire out."Again he leaned his elbows on the chair-arms, and bent toward the wideeyes and parted lips opposite. "I saw you sitting in the park one day,"he went on slowly, "you got up and walked and laughed with a girlcompanion. I found out who you were. I went to your father, who wasnearly crazy with apprehension at the time, and I told him there was nogirl on earth for me but you, and that if he would give you to me Iwould forgive his crime. I didn't want a forger for a father-in-law. Itwas arranged that this month he should bring you out here and make hiswishes known. His reputation was safe. Even Juliet suspected nothing. Heis still mourned at his clubs as the prince of good fellows; but hissudden death prevented him from puttin' your hand in mine."
A silence followed, broken only by the rasping of the lawn-mower andRufus Carder watched the girl's heaving breast.
"So you see," he went on at last, "all you have to do to save yourfather's name is to sit down in the lap of luxury; not a very hardthing to do, I should think. You'll find that I'll take--" The speakerpaused, for another sound now broke in upon the click of the lawn-mower,an increasingly sharp noise which brought him to his feet and to one ofthe many windows which gave him a view in every direction.
A motor-cycle was speeding up the driveway.
"That's Sam Foster comin' to pay his rent," he said. "There'll be many aone on that errand along about now," he declared with satisfaction."Cheer up," he added, turning back to the pale face and tremulous lipsof the young girl. "Your father wasn't the first fine man to go wrong;but they don't all have somebody to stick by 'em and shield 'em as hedid. The more you think it over, the more--"
The motor-cycle had stopped during this declaration, and the rider nowstepped into the office-door. Geraldine, her hands still unconsciouslyon her heart, gazed at the newcomer. Could it be that Rufus Carder had atenant like this youth? The well-born, the well-bred, showed in hiserect bearing and in his sunny brown eyes, and the smile that matchedthem.
The owner started and scowled at sight of him.
"Mr. Carder, I believe," said the visitor.
Rufus's chair grated as he advanced to edge the stranger back throughthe door.
"Your business, sir," he said roughly. "Can't you see I'm in the midstof an interview?"
Ben's eyes never left those of the young girl, and hers clung to himwith a desperate appeal impossible to mistake. She rose from her chairas if to go to him.
"Yes, Mr. Carder, and I won't interrupt you. I'll wait outside. I cameto see Miss Melody with a message from one of her friends and I'm surefrom the description that this is she." The young fellow bowedcourteously toward Geraldine, who stood mute drinking in the inflectionsof his voice; the very pronunciation of his words were earmarks of theworld of refinement from which she was exiled. In her distraction shewas unconscious of the manner in which she was gazing at him above thetumult of grief at her father's double treachery. Her father had soldher, sold her in cold blood, and her life was ruined. Had the visitor inhis youth and strength and grace been Sir Galahad himself, she could nothave yearned more toward his protection.
To Ben she looked, as she stood there, like a lovely lily in
a greencalyx, and her expression made his hands tingle to knock flat thescowling, middle-aged man with the unkempt hair and the missing toothwho was uneasily edging him farther and farther out the door.
"Miss Melody don't wish to receive calls at present and you can tell herfriend so," said Rufus in the same rough tone. "She don't wear black,but she's in mournin' all the same. Her father died recently. Ain't youin mournin', Geraldine?" He turned toward the girl.
She had dropped her hands and seized the back of her chair for support.
"Yes," she breathed despairingly.
"Can't I see you for a few minutes, Miss Melody?" said Ben over thewrathful Carder's shoulder. "Miss Upton sent me to you. My name isBarry."
"No, you can't, and that's the end of it!" shouted Rufus.
Ben's smile had vanished. His eyes had sparks in them as he looked downat the shorter man.
"Not at all the end of it," he returned. "Miss Melody decides this. Canyou give me a few minutes?"
As he addressed her he again met the wonderful, dark-lashed eyes thatwere beseeching him.
Rufus Carder looked around at the girl his thin lips twitching in uglyfashion.
"_You_ can tell him, then, if he won't take it from me," he said, "andmind you're quick about it. We ain't ready here for guests. Miss Melodydon't want to receive anybody. She's tired and she's recuperatin'. Tellhim so, Geraldine."
The girl's lips moved at first without a sound; then she spoke:
"I'm very tired, Mr. Barry," she said faintly. "Please excuse me."
Rufus turned back to the guest.
"Good-day, sir," he ejaculated savagely.
Ben stood for a silent space undecided. His fists were clenched.Geraldine, meeting his glowing eyes, shook her head slowly. Her keendistress made him fear to make another move.
"At some other time, then, perhaps," he said, tingling with theincreasing desire to knock down his host and catch this girl up in hisarms.
"Yes, at some other time," said Rufus, speaking with a sneer. "Tell MissUpton that Mrs. Carder may see her later."
A tide of crimson rushed over Ben's face. He saw that there must be apressure here that he could not understand, and again Geraldine's fairhead and wonderful eyes signaled him a warning. He could not riskincreasing her suffering.
"Good-day, sir," repeated Rufus; and the visitor stepped down from theoffice-door in silence and out to his machine.
Carder turned back to Geraldine, who met his angry gaze with despairingeyes.
"What have I to hope for from you when you treat a stranger soinexcusably?" she said in a low, clear voice that had a sharp edge.
Tingling with the Increasing Desire to knock down hisHost and catch this Girl up in his Arms]
"Let me run this," said Rufus with bravado. "You'll find out later whatyou'll get from me, and it will be nothin' to complain of when onceyou're Mrs. Carder. You can have that fat porpoise or any other womancome to see you, and when you're ridin' 'em around in the new car I'mgoin' to get you, they'll be green with envy. You'll see. Let me runthis."
His absorption in Geraldine had distracted Carder's attention from thefact that he was not hearing the departure of that most satiricallynamed engine of misery, "The Silent Traveler."
He strode to a window and saw Ben Barry mounting his machine close towhere Pete was mowing the grass.
He hurried to the door. "Come here, you damned coot!" he yelled. AndPete dropped the mower and ambled up to the office-door.
"What did that man want of you?" he asked furiously.
"Wanted to know the shortest road to Keefe," replied Pete in his usualsullen tone.
"You lie!" exclaimed Rufus. If Ben Barry had looked like a dusty SirGalahad to Geraldine, he had looked dangerously attractive to Carder,who cursed the luck that had made him invite the girl to his office onthis particular afternoon. "You lie!" he repeated, and stepping back tohis desk he seized a whip which lay along one side of it.
Geraldine cried out, and springing forward grasped his arm. He paused atthe first voluntary touch he had ever received from her.
"Don't you dare strike that boy!" she exclaimed breathlessly.
Carder looked down at the white horror in her face and in her shiningeyes.
"I'm goin' to get the truth out of him," he said, his mouth twitching."You go up to the house."
"I will not go up to the house! Put down that whip! If you strike Pete,I'll kill myself." She finished speaking, more slowly, and Rufus,looking down into her strangely changed look, became uneasy.
"I guess not," he said. "You go up to the house."
"I mean it," declared Geraldine in a low tone. "What have I to live for!My own father, the only one on earth I had to love, has sold me to a manwho has shown himself a ruffian. One thing you have no power over is mylife, and what have I now to live for!"
Carder dropped the whip. There was no doubt of her sincerity.
"Now, Geraldine, calm down," he said, anxiety sounding through hisbravado. "I'm sorry I had to give you that shock about Dick; but it wasyour own high-headed attitude that made it necessary. Calm down now. Iwon't touch Pete. What was it, boy," he went on, addressing the dwarf inhis usual tone--"What did that man ask you?"
"The shortest way to Keefe," repeated the dwarf. His eyes were fixeddully on Geraldine, but his heart was thumping. She had said she wouldkill herself if his master struck him.
Rufus looked at him, unsatisfied.
"What did he give you?" he asked after a silence.
Pete put his hand in the pocket of his coarse blue shirt and drew out ahalf-dollar.
"Humph!" grunted Rufus. "You can go."
He turned back to Geraldine.
"Is one allowed to write letters from here?" she asked.
"Of course, of course," replied Rufus genially. "What a foolishquestion." His face had settled into its customary lines.
"Where do we take them? Out to the rural-delivery box? I should like towrite to Miss Upton. She was very kind to me."
"No, don't mail anything there. It isn't safe. Right here is the place."He indicated a box on his desk. "Drop anything you want to have go rightin here. I'll take care of it."
"Yes," thought Geraldine bitterly. He will take care of it.
Another motor-cycle now sped into the driveway and approached. This timeit was the tenant Carder had expected, and Geraldine left the office andwent back to the house. At the moment when she stepped out of the yellowbuilding, Pete ceased mowing the grass. Looking back when she hadtraversed half the distance, she saw that he was following her, themower clicking after him.
"Poor slaves," she thought heavily. "Poor slaves, he and I!"