CHAPTER XVI
MARGARET SEES A GHOST
With a sigh of unutterable relief Enid heard Williams returning. ReginaldHenson had not come down yet, and the rest of the servants had retiredsome time. Williams came up with a request as to whether he could doanything more before he went to bed.
"Just one thing," said Enid. "The good dogs have done their work wellto-night, but they have not quite finished. Find Rollo for me, and bringhim here quick. Then you can shut up the house, and I will see that Mr.Henson is made comfortable after his fright."
The big dog came presently and followed Enid timidly upstairs. Apparentlythe great black-muzzled brute had been there before, as evidently he knewhe was doing wrong. He crawled along the corridor till he came to theroom where the sick girl lay, and here he followed Enid. The lamp wasturned down low as Enid glanced at the bed. Then she smiled faintly, yethopefully.
There was nobody in the room. The patient's bed was empty!
"It works well," Enid murmured. "May it go on as it has been started.Lie down, Rollo; lie there, good dog. And if anybody comes in tear himto pieces."
The great brute crouched down obediently, thumping his tail on the flooras an indication that he understood. As if a load had been taken from hermind Enid crept down the stairs. She had hardly reached the hall beforeHenson followed her. His big face was white with passion; he wastrembling from head to foot from fright and pain. There was a red rash onhis forehead that by no means tended to improve his appearance.
"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, hoarsely.
Enid looked at him coolly. She could afford to do so now. All the dangerwas past, and she felt certain that the events of the evening wereunknown to him.
"I might ask you the same question," she said. "You look white andshaken; you might have been thrown violently into a heap of stones. Butplease don't make a noise. It is not fitting now. Chris--"
Enid hesitated; the prevarication did not come so easily as shehad expected.
"Chris has gone," she said. "She passed away an hour ago."
Henson muttered something that sounded like consolation. He could bepolite and suave enough on occasions, but not to-night. Evenphilanthropists are selfish at times. Moreover, his nerves were badlyshaken and he wanted a stimulant badly.
"I am going to bed," Enid said, wearily. "Goodnight."
She went noiselessly upstairs, and Henson passed into the library. He waspuzzled over this sudden end of Christiana Henson. He was half inclinedto believe that she was not dead at all; he belonged to the class of menwho believe nothing without proof. Well, he could easily ascertain thatfor himself. There would be quite time enough in the morning.
For a long time Henson sat there thinking and smoking, as was his usualcustom. Like other great men, he had his worries and troubles, and thatthey were mainly of his own making did not render them any lighter. Solong as Margaret Henson was under the pressure of his thumb, money was nogreat object. But there were other situations where money was utterlypowerless.
Henson was about to give it up as a bad job, for tonight at any rate. Hewondered bitterly what his admirers would say if they knew everything. Hewondered--what was that?
Somebody creeping about the house, somebody talking in soft, thoughdistinct, whispers. His quick ears detected that sound instantly. Heslipped into the hall; Margaret Henson was there, with the remains ofwhat had once been a magnificent opera-cloak over her shoulders.
"How you startled me!" Henson said, irritably. "Why don't you go to bed?"
Enid, looking over the balustrade from the landing, wondered so also, butshe kept herself prudently hidden. The first words that she heard droveall the blood from her heart.
"I cannot," the feeble, moaning voice said. "The house is full of ghosts;they haunt and follow me everywhere. And Chris is dead, and I have seenher spirit."
"So I'm told," Henson said, with brutal callousness. "What was theghost like?"
"Like Chris. All pale and white, with a frightened look on her face. Andshe was all dressed in white, too, with a cloak about her shoulders. Andjust when I was going to speak to her she turned and disappeared intoEnid's bedroom. And there are other ghosts--"
"One at a time, please," Henson said, grimly. "So Christiana's ghostpassed into her sister's bedroom. You come and sit quietly in the librarywhilst I investigate matters."
Margaret Henson complied in her dull, mechanical way, and Enid flew likea flash of light to her room. Another girl was there--a girl exceedinglylike her, but looking wonderfully pale and drawn.
"That fiend suspects," Enid said. "How unfortunate it was that youshould meet aunt like that. Chris, you must go back again. Fly to yourown room and compose yourself. Only let him see you lying white and stillthere, and he must be satisfied."
Chris rose with a shudder.
"And if the wretch offers to touch me," she moaned, "If he does--"
"He will not. He dare not. Heaven help him if he tries any experiment ofthat kind. If he does, Rollo will kill him to a certainty."
"Ah, I had forgotten the faithful dog. Those dogs are more useful to usthan a score of men. I will step by the back way and through mydressing-room. Oh, Enid, how glad I shall be to find myself outside thewalls of this dreadful house!"
She flew along the corridor and gained her room in safety. It was aninstant's work to throw off her cloak and compose herself rigidly underthe single white sheet. But though she lay still her heart was beatingto suffocation as she heard the creak and thud of a heavy step coming upthe stairs. Then the door was opened in a stealthy way and Henson camein. He could see the outline of the white figure, and a sigh ofsatisfaction escaped him. A less suspicious man would have retired atonce; a man less engaged upon his task would have seen two great ambereyes close to the floor.
"An old woman's fancy," he muttered. "Still, as I am here, I'll makesure that--"
He stretched out his hand to touch the marble forehead, there was a snarland a gurgle, and Henson came to the ground with a hideous crash thatcarried him staggering beyond the door into the corridor. Rollo had theintruder by the throat; a thousand crimson and blue stars danced beforethe wretched man's eyes; he grappled with his foe with one lastdespairing effort, and then there came over him a vague, warmunconsciousness. When he came to himself he was lying on his bed, withWilliams and Enid bending over him.
"How did it happen?" Enid asked, with simulated anxiety.
"I--I was walking along the corridor," Henson gasped, "going--going tobed, you see; and one of those diabolical dogs must have got into thehouse. Before I knew what I was doing the creature flew at my throat anddragged me to the floor. Telephone for Walker at once. I am dying,Williams."
He fell back once more utterly lost to his surroundings. There was agreat, gaping, raw wound at the side of the throat that caused Enidto shudder.
"Do you think he is--dead, Williams?" she asked.
"No such luck as that," Williams said, with the air of a confirmedpessimist. "I hope you locked that there bedroom door and put the key inyour pocket, miss. I suppose we'd better send for the doctor, unless youand me puts him out of his misery. There's one comfort, however, Mr.Henson will be in bed for the next fortnight, at any rate, so he'll bepowerless to do any prying about the house. The funeral will be over longbefore he's about again."
* * * * *
The first grey streaks of dawn were in the air as Enid stood outside thelodge-gates. She was not alone, for a neat figure in grey, marvellouslylike her, was by her side. The figure in grey was dressed for travellingand she carried a bag in her hand.
"Good-bye, dear, and good luck to you," she said. "It is dangerousto delay."
"You have absolutely everything that you require?" Enid asked.
"Everything. By the time you are at breakfast I shall be in London. Andonce I am there the search for the secret will begin in earnest."
"You are sure that Reginald Henson suspected nothing?"
"I am per
fectly certain that he was satisfied; indeed, I heard him sayso. Still, if it had not been for the dogs! We are going to succeed,Enid, something at my heart tells me so. See how the sun shines onyour face and in your dear eyes. Au revoir, an omen--an omen of aglorious future."