CHAPTER SEVEN--THE WONDERFUL WHALLEY
THUS cruelly disabused of his hopes, Dick Colton went fishing. But hisheart was not in the sport. Absentmindedly he made up a cast of fliesand spent an hour of fruitless whipping before it dawned upon him thathe had been using a scarlet ibis and a white miller in a blaze of directsunshine. Having changed to a carefully prepared leader of grey andblack hackles, he had better luck; but for the first time in his lifesuccessful angling had lost its savour. Laying aside his rod, he climbeda hillock to look over the landscape. It was a blank. Nowhere in therange of vision could he discern a butterfly net. The rock where he hadspread his coat suggested a seat. He sat down there, and for onesolid hour proved with irrefutable logic that that which was, couldn'tpossibly be so, because he had known Dolly Ravenden only two days.Having attained this satisfactory conclusion, he took out thetwenty-dollar bill and regarded it with miserly fervour. Haynes, comingover the hill, caused a hasty withdrawal of currency.
The reporter seemed tired and worried. In answer to the physician'sinquiry whether anything new had developed, he shook his head. Coltondismissed that subject, and with his accustomed straightforwardness wenton to another, upon which he had been deliberating with an uneasy mind.
"Mr. Haynes," he said, "I want to speak to you on rather a difficultsubject."
The reporter looked at him keenly. "Most difficult subjects are betterlet alone," he said shortly.
"In fairness to you I can't let this one alone. It concerns MissJohnston."
"Whom you have known since Monday, I believe." Haynes' face wasdisagreeable.
"Pardon me," said the other. "My interest is in my brother."
"I can't pretend to share it," returned Haynes.
"His name is Everard Colton. Do you know him?"
"Perhaps when I tell you that I know something of your family's entirelyunnecessary solicitude as to Miss Johnston, you will appreciate the badtaste of pursuing the subject," said Haynes.
Dick's equable temper and habituated self-control stood him in goodstead now.
"I am regarding you as standing in the place of Helga Johnston'sbrother," he said.
"Are you appealing to me for help in your family affairs?" asked thereporter rather contemptuously.
"I am trying to be as frank with you as I should like you to be withme," returned the other steadily. "I want your consent to my sending forEverard to come down here."
Haynes stared at him, amazed. "What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I say. There have been some hotheaded and unfortunatejudgments on the part of my family, which report has greatly magnified.I realise now the full extent of the error."
"And what has brought about this change of heart?" sneered the other.
"My acquaintance with Miss Johnston. There are some women who carry theimpress of fineness and of character in their faces and their smallestactions. Even if I had learned nothing else about her, after seeingHelga Johnston I would think it an honour for any family to welcomeher."
Haynes' face softened, but it still was with some harshness that hesaid: "There are other Coltons who think otherwise."
"That is because they don't know," was the quick reply. "I want Everardto have his chance, and I've put this case before you because I know andrespect your relation to Miss Johnston, and because I believe it is yourright."
"Yes, you're fair about it," said Haynes, and fell into deep thought.
"Of course," said Dick uneasily, "if having Everard here is going tobe--er--painful to you, I won't ask him. I should have thought of thatfirst. I don't know that Everard would have a chance anyway."
"Dr. Colton, I believe that Helga did care for your brother."
"But is it an open field?" asked Dick impulsively.
A slight smile appeared on Haynes' lined face. "You mean, do I want tomarry Helga myself? She has never thought of me in that way. In a way itwould be painful, yet I should be glad to know, while I have time, thatshe was going to marry some good man--but not any man whose family couldnot accept her as she deserves."
"While you have time," said the young physician slowly. "While youhave----" He broke off, advanced a step and peered into the other'sface. Haynes bore the scrutiny with a grim calmness.
As Colton scrutinised, the harsh lines that he had translated intoirritable temperament leaped forth into the terrible significance oflong-repressed pain.
"I don't want to be professionally intrusive," said the young doctorslowly, "but I think--I'm afraid--I know what you mean."
"Ah, I see you are something of a diagnostician," said Haynes quietly.
"How long has it been going on?"
"Nearly a year. It's just behind the left armpit. Rather an unusualcase, I believe. You see, I'm not on the lists as a marrying man."
Colton walked to and fro on the little level stretch, half a dozentimes. He had seen sickness and suffering in its most helpless forms;but this calm acceptance of fate affected him beyond his professionalbearing.
"Do your people know?"
"I have no people. It hasn't seemed worth while to mention it to myfriends. So you will regard this as a professional confidence?"
"Oh, look here!" burst out Colton. "I can't sit around and watch this goon. I've got more money than I can rightly use. You don't know memuch, and you don't like me much, but try to put that aside. Let me payyour----" he glanced at Haynes and swiftly amended--"let me lend youenough to take you abroad for a year. I'll write to some people inVienna and Berlin. They're away ahead of us in cancerous affections. I'dgo with you, only----"
He stopped short, as he realised that the controverting reason was MissDorothy Ravenden's presence on the American side of the ocean.
The reporter walked over and put his hand on Colton's shoulder. Hisharsh voice softened to something of the tone that he used toward Helga,as he said: "My dear Colton, all the money in the world won't do it.If it would, well," with a sudden, rare smile, "I'm not sure I wouldn'ttake yours, provided I needed it."
"Try it," urged the other. "You don't know how much those foreignexperts may help you."
Haynes shook his head. "_O, terque quaterque beati, queis ante orapatrum contigit oppetere_," he quoted. "That's one of my few remnantsof Virgil. It means a great deal to me. I shall not die in exile. Well,Colton, send for your brother."
"And what will you do?"
"Stay here and work. There's something in life besides pain wheninexplicable strokes from the void kill men and sheep. I'm going over todo some more investigating."
"And I to wire my brother," said Colton.
"Don't forget that 'The Wonderful Whalley' is to give his exhibitionthis evening."
They met at dinner, and before they had finished the juggler wasannounced. The whole party joined him outside, where he had beenarranging his simple paraphernalia. Running to Helga, he dropped on hisknee in exaggerated and theatrical courtliness.
"Mademoiselle, I am your adoring slave for always," he said, liftinghis brilliant, unsteady eyes to her for a moment. "Weeth your kindpermission I exheebit my powers."
He led them to the barnyard, where there was a favourable open space,and began with some simple acrobatics. His audience was Mr. and Mrs.Johnston, Helga, Haynes, Colton, and the servants. ProfessorRavenden and his daughter had not returned. After the acrobatics camesleight-of-hand with cards and handkerchiefs.
"Now I show you ze real genius," said the performer.
From his belt he drew the two heavy blades which had so interestedHaynes. These he supplemented with smaller knives, until he held half adozen in hand. Facing the great barn door, he dexterously slanted a cardinto the air. As it rose he poised one of the smaller knives. Down camethe card, paralleling the surface of the door. Swish! The knife shotthrough the air and nailed the card to the wood. Another card flew.Thud! It was pinned fast. A third, less accurately reckoned, flutteredby one corner.
"Now, ze ace of hearts!" cried the juggler. "We shall face it."
Forward he flipped it.
It turned in air, showing the central spot. Itstruck the door at a slight angle and was about turning when theknife met it Straight through the single heart passed the blade. "TheWonderful Whalley" struck an attitude.
"Well, by Jove!" exclaimed Colton. "I've seen knife-play in Mexico bythe best of the Greasers, but nothing like this."
"Zere is no one like 'Ze Wonderful Whalley,'" declared that artistcoolly, as he gathered his knives, all except the one that held the aceof hearts. He stepped back. "You look at ze spot," he added, addressingHaynes.
Haynes moved forward to draw out the blade.
There was a cry from Helga and Colton. Something struck the wood soclose to his ear that he felt the wind of it, and the handle of one ofthe big blades quivered against his cheek.
"Eet is for warning," said "The Wonderful Whalley" urbanely. "Ze heart,eet could----"
He choked as the powerful grasp of Johnston closed on his throat. Haynesand Colton ran forward; but there was no need. The man was passive.
"Eeet was onlee a trick," he said. "I am insult. I go home."
"Shall we let him go?" said Haynes undecidedly.
The question was settled for them. With a sudden blow, the jugglerknocked down Johnston, dodged between Haynes and Colton, caught hisknife from the door as he ran with great swiftness, and threateningback pursuit at the ready point, disappeared not toward the Sand Spitstation, but straight over the hills. The baffled captors looked at eachother in dismay.
"We've got a loose wild animal to deal with now," said Colton.