CHAPTER V.
THE MYSTERIOUS HOUSE ON LONELY WAU-WINET ISLAND.
"We searched the stone house from cellar to garret in hopes of finding atrace of the beautiful girl I felt sure was imprisoned within its grimwalls, the owner following, with a look of defiance on his dark,handsome face.
"'She _must_ be on this island,' I declared, vehemently. 'I rowed youand her over here.'
"It is quite true that you rowed _me_ over here, my good fellow, but nofair lady accompanied me, unless it might have been some mermaid. I hopeyou are satisfied,' said he, turning to my companions, 'that the man whohas brought you here has played you a trick.'
"And now stranger, you ask me to take you to Wau-Winet Island on justsuch a mission, and I answer you that it would be as much as our livesare worth."
"It is evident," returned Hubert Varrick, excitedly, "that there is somefearful mystery, and it is our duty to try to fathom it if it is withinour power."
"As you say, sir," replied the man.
At this moment the skiff grated sharply upon the sand, and the two mensprung out.
They had scarcely proceeded half the distance to the house when theywere suddenly confronted by a man.
"Who are you, and what do you want here?" he asked.
"I must see the master of Wau-Winet Island," returned Varrick, sternly."Are you he?"
"No," returned the man, rather uneasily. "He left the island scarcelyfive minutes ago in his boat. I am only the man working about theplace."
"Tell me," cried Varrick, earnestly, "was there a lady with him? I willpay you well to answer me."
The man's gaze shifted uneasily.
"There was no lady with him. I suppose that you have heard the strangestory about this island, and have come to investigate the matter. Let metell you, it is more than annoying to my master. Had he heard it henever would have bought the place. As it is he has left it for good andall to-night, and is going to advertise the place for sale. If they hadtold my master, when he came here to buy, the story that a young andbeautiful woman was supposed to have been murdered here many years ago,and that at nights her spirit haunts the place, he never would havebought it. Other people imagine that they seen it; but we, who livehere, never have."
The man told this with such apparent earnestness and truth, that Varrickwas mystified. Had his eyes deceived him? They evidently had. And thenagain he told himself that, thinking so much of Gerelda, he had imaginedthat the face he had seen for a moment in the flash-light bore astriking resemblance to hers. And he persuaded himself to believe thatthe fisherman's story was a myth.
He well knew that, of all people in the world, fishermen loved to spinthe most exaggerated yarns, and be the heroes of the greatestadventures.
He got out of the matter as gracefully as only Varrick could,apologizing for his intrusion, and expressing himself as only toopleased to know that his imagination had simply been at fault.
"Will you come in?" asked the man, turning to him. "My master has alwaysgiven orders that we are to be very hospitable to strangers."
"You are very kind, and I thank you for your courtesy," returnedVarrick, "but I think not. We will try to cut across the bay and catchthe steamer further down."
So saying, he motioned his companion to enter the boat.
The little boat containing the two men was scarcely out of sight, erethe door of the mysterious stone house opened quickly, and a man camecautiously down the path.
"What did they want?"
"They wanted to see you, Captain Frazier," answered the servant.
"What about?" asked the other hoarsely.
"They saw you and--and the young lady when you were out in the grounds,a little while since, as the search-light went down, and they cameto--to rescue the young lady. I-- I succeeded in convincing them thattheir eyes had deceived them, and told them that you were so annoyed atthat senseless tale that you had gone away from the island; that you didnot intend to come back, your aim being to sell the place."
"Bravo, bravo, McDonald!" exclaimed Captain Frazier--for it was he."Upon my soul, you did well! You are reducing lying down to a fine art."
"I made quite a startling discovery, sir," said McDonald. "It was thesame man who made you all the trouble last night, bringing those peoplehere."
Captain Frazier frowned darkly.
"But that is not all, sir," added McDonald. "Mr. Varrick was with him."
The name fell like a thunder-bolt on Captain Frazier's ears. He startedback as though he had been shot.
"Has he succeeded in hunting me down so quickly?" he cried.
"So I thought when I first saw him, sir. But, to my great amazement, Isoon discovered that he was totally ignorant of who lived on theisland--that it was yourself. The fisherman had been telling him thestory about the young lady, and he had come to investigate it. I soonconvinced him that there was nothing in the story, and that he was onlyanother one added to the list that the same fisherman had played thatpractical joke on. He was angry enough when he took his departure."
"Are you sure of this, McDonald?" asked Captain Frazier.
"Quite sure."
Captain Frazier gave a sigh of relief. He had fancied himself so securehere. Even the servants did not know him by his own name.
"If I thought for a moment that he suspected my presence here, I wouldlose no time in getting away from Wau-Winet Island, and taking _her_with me."
"You need have no fear, sir," returned the man.
For an hour or more Captain Frazier paced slowly up and down under thetrees, smoking cigar after cigar in rapid succession.
"It is a terrible thing," he muttered, "when love for a woman drives aman to the verge of madness. I swore that Gerelda should never marryHubert Varrick, if I had to kill her. But I have done better. He willnever look upon her face again."
At length he walked slowly to the house. He was met on the porch by alittle French maid who seemed to be looking for him.
"Well, Marie?" said Captain Frazier.
"I have been looking for you, sir," returned the girl quickly. "I can donothing with mademoiselle. She will not speak; she will not eat. Shelies there hour after hour with her beautiful face turned toward thewall and her white hands clasped together. She might be a dead woman forall the interest she evinces in anything. I very much fear, sir, thatshe will keep her vow--_never to speak again_--_never in this world_."
"You must keep close watch that she does not attempt to make away withherself, Marie," he continued, earnestly. "Heaven only knows how sheobtained that revolver I took away from her out in the grounds to-night.She was kneeling down in the long grass, and had it already pressed toher temple, when I appeared in the very nick of time and wrenched itfrom her little white hand. She would do anything save drown herself toescape from here. Her father lost his life that way, and she wouldnever attempt _that_ means of escape, even from _this_ place."
"She even refuses to have her bridal-dress removed," said the maid; "andI do not know what to do about it. She has uttered no word since firstshe crossed your threshold; she will not speak."
Captain Frazier looked troubled, distressed.
Would Gerelda keep her vow? She had said when she recoveredconsciousness and found herself on the island, and the boatman gone:
"I will never utter another word from this hour until I am set freeagain. You are beneath contempt, Captain Frazier, to kidnap a young girlat the altar."
He never forgot how she looked at him in the clear moonlight as heturned to her, crying out passionately:
"It is your own fault, Gerelda. Why did you draw me on to love you so?You encouraged me up to the last moment, and then it was too late for meto give you up."