CHAPTER XLIII
THE HONOUR OF A SPANIARD
Mrs. Jack saw the answer in my eyes before speech came, and staggeredback against the wall.
"No," I said "Why do you ask?"
"She is not here! Then there is something wrong; she was not in her roomthis morning!"
This morning! The words set my thoughts working. I looked at my watch;it was past ten o'clock. In a dazed kind of way I heard Mrs. Jack go on.
"I did not say a word to any of the servants at first, for I didn't wantto set them talking. I went all over the house myself. Her bed had notbeen slept in; I pulled the clothes off it and threw them on againroughly so that the maid might not suspect. Then I asked quietly if anyof the maids had seen her; but none had. So I said as quietly as I couldthat she must have gone out for an early walk; and I took my breakfast.Then I had the cart got ready, and drove over here myself. What can itbe? She told me last night that she was not going out until you came;and she is always so exact when she says a thing, that there must besomething wrong. Come back with me at once! I am so anxious that I don'tknow what to do."
Two minutes sufficed for my toilet; then shutting the door behind us,we got into the cart and drove to Crom. At the first and at the last wewent quietly, so as not to arouse attention by our speed; but in themiddle space we flew. During the journey Mrs. Jack had told me thatlast night she had gone to bed as usual, leaving in the drawing roomMarjory, who had told her that she was going presently into the libraryto write as she had a lot of letters to get through, and that no one wasto wait up for her. This was her usual habit when she sat late; ittherefore excited no extra attention. Mrs. Jack who was an early riser,had been dressed for an hour before she went to Marjory's room. Inthe course of her enquiries amongst the servants, one of them, whosebusiness it was to open the hall door, told her that she had found itlocked and chained as usual.
Within the house at Crom we found all quiet. I went at once into thelibrary, as that was presumably the last place where Marjory had been.As we went, I asked Mrs. Jack if any letters had been left out to post.She said no! that the usual habit was to put such in the box on the halltable, but she had herself, looked, when she came down to put in aletter for America. I went over at once to the table near the fire whereMarjory usually sat at night. There were plenty of writing materialsand blank paper and envelopes; but not a sign of a letter or anythingwritten. I looked all round the room but could see nothing to attractmy attention. Once more I asked Mrs. Jack what Marjory had said to herabout her intention of not leaving the castle till I had come. With somehesitation at first, as though she were fearful of breaking confidence,but afterwards more freely as if glad to be able to speak, she told meall:
"The dear child took to heart what I said yesterday about her livingwith her husband. After you had gone she came to me and laid her head onmy breast, as she used to do as a little child, and began to cry; andtold me that I had been very good to her. The darling! And that her mindwas made up. She realised now her duty to her husband; and that as hewished her to stay in the house, nothing in the world would induce herto leave it till he came. That was the first act of her new duty! And,oh my dear! that is why I was so concerned when I found that after allshe was not in the house. I don't understand it; there must be somethingon foot that I don't know; and I am full of fear!" Here the old ladyquite broke down. I felt that any self control now was precious. Itwould not do to leave Mrs. Jack in ignorance of the danger, so I toldher in as few words as I could of the blackmailing going on and ofthe watch set by the United States Secret Service. At first she wasoverwhelmed; but her early apprenticeship to dangers of all kinds stoodher in good stead. Very soon her agitation took practical shape. I toldher I was off to seek for help, and that she must keep the house till Ireturned. I would have tried the secret tunnel, but from what Mrs. Jackhad said I was convinced that Marjory had never left the house of herown accord. If she had been captured she was doubtless far away by thistime. It was possible that the blackmailers had found the secret passageinto the Castle by which Don Bernardino had come. Here the thought cameto me in full force; that was how they had discovered it. They hadseen and watched the Don!... I felt that another debt for our day ofreckoning had been piled up against him.
I got in the cart again and went to Cruden as hard as the mare could go.As I went, I formed my plans, and had my telegrams made up in my mindready to write them out at once. For a while I doubted whether I shouldgo to another telegraph office, lest the Cruden people might come toknow too much. But there was no need of concealment now. I was notafraid of any one knowing, though I determined to be discreet andsecret if possible. The circuit was occupied, so I found the use of thepriority telegraph forms Adams had sent me. There was not a moment lost;one was being despatched whilst I was writing the next. To Adams I said:
"They have succeeded: Wire men see me at Crom right away. Come if youcan. Want all help can get. Time vital...."
To Cathcart I wired at his house in Invernesshire:
"Come to me without moment's delay. Vital. Want every kind of help." Iknew he would understand, and would come armed.
As it would be some little time before anything could be done, Idetermined to find Don Bernardino if possible; and induce him to show methe secret exit. Without knowledge of this we would be powerless; withit we might find some clue. I did not make up my mind as to what I woulddo if he refused; but to myself the instinctive grinding of my teeth,and clenching of my fingers, seemed to answer my question. Of one thingI was glad, he was a gentleman. In such a matter as that in which I wasengaged, there were possibilities, if even there were not definite hope.
I drove to Ellon; and from the agent there got his address. I soon foundit; an old-fashioned house near the town, in a tiny park surrounded withgreat trees. I left the cart on the road, with the mare tethered to thegate post, there being no lodgekeeper or no lodge. Before I rang thehall-door bell I saw that my revolver was ready to my hand. The instantthe door was opened I stepped in, and said to the old woman who openedit:
"Mr. Barnard is in the study I suppose? I have pressing business withhim!" She was so taken aback by the suddenness of my entry and speechthat she pointed to a door saying: "He is in there."
As I entered the room, closing the door behind me, the Don, who had beenseated in a large chair with his back to the door turned unconcernedly.He had evidently not expected any disturbing visitor. The instant hesaw me, however, he leaped to his feet, all his hostility awake. Ashe scanned my face his concern grew; and he glanced around, as thoughseeking for some weapon. I put my hand on my revolver, and said asquietly as I could, remembering his own precision of manner:
"Forgive my intrusion, Sir; but I have urgent need of speech with you."I suppose there was something in my tone which bore home to his brainthe idea that I had changed in some way since we had met. Do what Iwould, I could not conceal the anxiety of my voice. After a pause hesaid:
"Regarding the treasure?"
"No!" said I: "Since last night I have not even given it a thought." Astrange, new look came over his face, a look in which hope and concernseemed to have equal parts. He paused again; I could see he wasthinking. Mechanically I tapped my foot on the floor with impatience;the golden moments were flying by. He realised my gravity of purpose,and, manifestly turning his attention to me, said:
"Speak on Senor!" By this time I had well in my mind what I intended tosay. It was not my purpose to further antagonise the Spaniard; at theoutset at any rate. Later on, that might be necessary; but I shouldexhaust other means first.
"I have come, Sir, to ask your aid, the help of a gentleman; and I feelat a loss how to ask it." Through the high-bred courtesy of theSpaniard's manner came a note of bitterness, as he answered:
"Alas! Senor, I know the feeling. Have not I myself asked on such aplea; and stooped in vain!" I had nothing to say in reply to this, sowent on:
"Sir, I am aware that you can make much sacrifice: I ask, not formyself, but for a lady in peril!
" He answered quickly:
"A lady! in peril! Say on Senor!" There was such hope and purpose in hisquick tone that my heart instinctively leaped as I went on:
"In peril, sir; of life; of honour. To you I appeal to lay aside yourfeelings of hate towards me, however just they may be; and come like atrue gentleman to her aid. I am emboldened to ask this because it was,I think, by your act that the peril--the immediate peril, has come toher." He flushed at once:
"Through me! Peril to a lady's honour through me! Have a care, sir! Havea care!" With a rush I went on:
"By your going into the castle through a secret passage, other enemiesof the lady, low, base and unscrupulous who have been plotting to carryher off for ransom, have doubtless made an entry otherwise impossible tothem. Now we must find a clue, and at once. Tell me, I implore you, ofthe secret way; that thus we may at once begin our search." For a fewseconds he looked me through and through; I think he suspected some plotor trap, for he said slowly:
"And the treasure; can you leave it?" I answered hotly:
"The treasure! I have not even thought of it since the news came ofMarjory's disappearance!" Here I took it that he was beginning hisunscrupulous purpose, and was playing my loss against his own; and athought came to me that had not even crossed my mind before--had he beenthe abductor for the purpose of just such a bargain? I took from mypocket the key of the house in Whinnyfold and held it out to him. "HereSir" I said "is the key of my house. Take it with all it contains, andall it leads to! The treasure is as you left it last night; only help mein my need."
He waved my hand aside with an impatient gesture as he said simply:
"I do not bargain with a woman's honour. Such comes before all thetreasures of Popes or Kings; before the oath and duty of a de Escoban.Come! Senor, there is no time to lose. Let us settle this affair first;later we can arrange matters that rest between thee and me!"
"Your hand, Sir" was all I could say. "In such trouble as mine, there isno help like that of a gentleman. But will you not honour me by keepingthe key? This other is a trust which you have won by honour; as yourgreat ancestor won his glorious duty long ago." He did not hesitate; allhe said as he took the key was:
"It is a part of my duty which I must not forego."
As we left the house he looked like a new man--a man born again; therewas such joyous gladness in his face and voice and movements that Iwondered. I could not help saying when we had got into the cart and wereon our way:
"You seem happy, Sir. I would that I could feel the same."
"Ah, Senor, I am happy beyond belief. I am happy as one raised from Hellto Heaven. For now my honour is no more perilled. God has been good tome to show a way, even to death, without dishonour."
As we flew along to Crom I told him what I knew of the secret passagebetween the chapel and the monument. He wondered at my having discoveredthe secret; but when I told him of how the blackmailing gang had usedthe way to evade the Secret Service men, he suddenly cried out:
"There was but one who ever knew the secret of that passage; my kinsman,with whom I stayed in Crom when young, told me of him. He tried much tofind the entrance to the Castle, and finally under threat he went awayto America. He was a base-born and a thief. It must be he who has comeback after these years and has told of the secret way. Alas! they musthave watched me when I went, all unsuspicious; and so discovered theother secret." Then he tried to explain where the entrance was. It wasnot in the chamber where we had expected it would be, but in a narrowcorner of the stair, the whole corner being one stone and forming theentrance.
When we arrived at Crom we found that the Secret Service men werewaiting for me, having been instructed from London. There were alsotelegrams from Adams and Cathcart saying that they were on the way tojoin me. Adams wired from Aberdeen, and Cathcart from Kingussie. Mrs.Jack was with the detectives and had taken them through the rooms whichMarjory had used. They had had up the servants one by one and examinedthem as to what they knew. The chief man had insisted on this; he saidmatters were now too serious to play the fool any longer. The servantswere not told anything, even that Marjory was missing; but of coursethey had their suspicions. A peremptory order was given that no oneshould leave the house without permission. The chief confided to me thatMrs. Jack had quite broken down when she was telling him that Marjoryknew all along about the blackmailers and had never told her. "But she'sall right now, Sir," he concluded. "That old lady is just full of sand;and I tell you her head is level. She's been thinking of everythingwhich could possibly be of use to us. I guess I have heard more ofthis racket within the last half hour than I have done in the last twoweeks."
By the instructions of Don Bernardino we went into the library. I askedMrs. Jack to send for lamps and candles, and these were brought shortly.In the meantime I asked that one of the detectives should be sent intothe old chapel and another to the monument on the hill. Both were warnedto have their guns ready, and to allow no one to pass at any hazard. Toeach before going I explained the secret mode of entry.
The Don went over to one of the book-cases--the very section containingthe shelf in which I had replaced the old law book. Taking out thatparticular volume, he put his hand in and pressed a spring. There was afaint click. He replaced the book and pressed against the bookcase withslow level pressure. Very slowly it seemed to give way before him; andthen turning on a hinge at one side, left an open cavity through which aman could easily pass. I was about to rush in, and was quite ready, witha lamp in one hand and a revolver in the other, when the chief of thedetectives laid a restraining hand on my arm as he said:
"Wait a moment. If you go too fast you may obliterate some sign whichwould give us a clue!" The wisdom of his speech was not to be gainsaid.Instinctively I fell back; two of the trained observers drew close tothe doorway, and holding their lamp in such wise as to throw light allround the opening, began an exact scrutiny. One of them knelt down andexamined the flooring; the other confined his attention to roof andwalls. After a silence, lasting perhaps a minute, the man kneeling stoodup and said:
"Not a doubt about it! There has been a violent struggle here at thedoorway!"