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The door slammed – the music ceased.
“I won’t believe it,” Croyden reflected, “that Elaine would do anything so utterly unconventional as to seek me out deliberately… I might have had a chance if – Oh, damn it all! why didn’t we find the old pirate’s box – it would have clarified the whole situation.”
As he changed into his evening clothes, he went over the matter, carefully, and laid out the line of conduct that he intended to follow.
He would that Elaine had stayed away from Hampton. It was putting him to too severe a test – to be with her, to be subject to her alluring loveliness, and, yet, to be unmoved. It is hard to see the luscious fruit within one’s reach and to refrain from even touching it. It grew harder the more he contemplated it…
“It’s no use fighting against it, here!” he exclaimed, going into Macloud’s room, and throwing himself on a chair. “I’m going to cut the whole thing.”
“What the devil are you talking about?” Macloud inquired, pausing with his waistcoat half on.
“What the devil do you think I’m talking about?” Croyden demanded.
“Not being a success at solving riddles, I give it up.”
“Oh, very well!” said Croyden. “Can you comprehend this: – I’m going to leave town?”
“Certainly – that’s plain English. When are you going?”
“To-morrow morning.”
“Why this suddenness?”
“To get away quickly – to escape.”
“From Elaine?”
Croyden nodded.
Macloud smiled.
“He is coming to it, at last,” he thought. What he said was: – “You’re not going to be put to flight by a woman?”
“I am. – If I stay here I shall lose.”
“You mean?”
“I shall propose.”
“And be refused?”
“Be accepted.”
“Most people would not call that losing,” said Macloud.
“I have nothing to do with most people – only, with myself.”
“It seems so! – even Elaine isn’t to be considered.”
“Haven’t we gone over all that?”
“I don’t know – but, if we have, go over it again.”
“You assume she came down here solely on my account – because I’m here?”
“I assume nothing,” Macloud answered, with a quiet chuckle. “I said you have a chance, and urged you not to let it slip. I should not have offered any suggestion – I admit that – ”
“Oh, bosh!” Croyden interrupted. “Don’t be so humble – you’re rather proud of your interference.”
“I am! Certainly, I am! I’m only sorry it is so unavailing.”
“Who said it was unavailing!”
“You did! – or, at least, I inferred as much.”
“I’m not responsible for your inferences.”
“What are you responsible for?” asked Macloud.
“Nothing! Nothing! – not even for my resolution – I haven’t any – I can’t make any that holds. I’m worse than a weather-cock. Common sense bids me go. Desire clamors for me to stay – to hasten over to Ashburton – to put it to the test. When I get to Ashburton, common sense will be in control. When I come away, desire will tug me back, again – and so on, and so on – and so on.”
“You’re in a bad way!” laughed Macloud. “You need a cock-tail, instead of a weather-cock. Come on! if we are to dine at the Carringtons’ at seven, we would better be moving. Having thrown the blue funk, usual to a man in your position, you’ll now settle down to business.”
“To be or not to be?”
“Let future events determine – take it as it comes,” Macloud urged.
“Sage advice!” returned Croyden mockingly. “If I let future events decide for me, the end’s already fixed.”
The big clock on the landing was chiming seven when they rang the bell at Ashburton and the maid ushered them into the drawing-room. Mrs. Carrington was out of town, visiting in an adjoining county, and the Captain had not appeared. He came down stairs a moment later, and took Macloud and Croyden over to the library.
After about a quarter of an hour, he glanced at his watch a trifle impatiently. – Another fifteen minutes, and he glanced at it again.
“Caroline!” he called, as the maid passed the door. “Go up to Miss Davila’s room and tell her it’s half-after-seven.”
Then he continued with the story he was relating.
Presently, the maid returned; the Captain looked at her, interrogatingly.
“Mis’ Davila, she ain’ deah, no seh,” said the girl.
“She is probably in Miss Cavendish’s room, – look, there, for her,” the Captain directed.
“No, seh! I looks dyar – she ain’ no place up stairs, and neither is Mis’ Cav’dish, seh. Hit’s all dark, in dey rooms, seh, all dark.”
“Very singular,” said the Captain. “Half-after-seven, and not here?”
“They were here, two hours ago,” said Croyden. “We had tea with them.”
“Find out from the other servants whether they left any word.”
“Dey didn’, seh! no, seh! I ax’d dem, seh!”
“Very singular, indeed! excuse me, sirs, I’ll try to locate them.”
He went to the telephone, and called up the Lashiels, the Tilghmans, the Tayloes, and all their neighbors and intimates, only to receive the same answer: “They were not there, and hadn’t been there that afternoon.”
“This is amazing, sirs!” he exclaimed. “I will go up myself and see.”
“We are at your service, Captain Carrington,” said Macloud instantly. – “At your service for anything we can do.”
“They knew, of course, you were expected for dinner?” he asked, as he led the way upstairs. – “I can’t account for it.”
The Captain inspected his granddaughter’s and Miss Cavendish’s rooms, Macloud and Croyden, being discreet, the rooms on the other side of the house. They discovered nothing which would explain.
“We will have dinner,” said the Captain. “They will surely turn up before we have finished.”
The dinner ended, however, and the missing ones had not returned.
“Might they have gone for a drive?” Macloud suggested.
The Captain shook his head. “The keys of the stable are on my desk, which shows that the horses are in for the night. I admit I am at a loss – however, I reckon they will be in presently, with an explanation and a good laugh at us for being anxious.”
But when nine o’clock came, and then half-after-nine, and still they did not appear, the men grew seriously alarmed.
The Captain had recourse to the telephone again, getting residence after residence, without result. At last he hung up the receiver.
“I don’t know what to make of it,” he said, bewildered. “I’ve called every place I can think of, and I can’t locate them. What can have happened?”
“Let us see how the matter stands,” said Macloud. “We left them here about half-after-five, and, so far as can be ascertained, no one has seen them since. Consequently, they must have gone out for a walk or a drive. A drive is most unlikely, at this time of the day – it is dark and cold. Furthermore, your horses are in the stable, so, if they went, they didn’t go alone – some one drove them. The alternative – a walk – is the probable explanation; and that remits us to an accident as the cause of delay. Which, it seems to me, is the likely explanation.”
“But if there were an accident, they would have been discovered, long since; the walks are not deserted,” the Captain objected.
“Possibly, they went out of the town.”
“A young woman never goes out of town, unescorted,” was the decisive answer. “This is a Southern town, you know.”
“I suppose you don’t care to telephone the police?” asked Croyden.
“No – not yet,” the Captain replied. “Davila would never forgive me, if nothing really were wrong – besides, I couldn’t. The Mayor’s office is closed for the night – we’re not supposed to need the police after six o’clock.”
“Then Croyden and I will patrol the roads, hereabout,” said Macloud.
“Good! I will go out the Queen Street pike a mile or two,” the Captain said. “You and Mr. Croyden can take the King Street pike, North and South. We’ll meet here not later than eleven o’clock. Excuse me a moment – ”
“What do you make of it?” said Macloud.
“It is either very serious or else it’s nothing at all. I mean, if anything has happened, it’s far out of the ordinary,” Croyden answered.
“Exactly my idea – though, I confess, I haven’t a notion what the serious side could be. It’s safe to assume that they didn’t go into the country – the hour, alone, would have deterred them, even if the danger from the negro were not present, constantly, in Miss Carrington’s mind. On the other hand, how could anything have happened in the town which would prevent one of them from telephoning, or sending a message, or getting some sort of word to the Captain.”
“It’s all very mysterious – yet, I dare say, easy of solution and explanation. There isn’t any danger of the one thing that is really terrifying, so I’m not inclined to be alarmed, unduly – just disquieted.”
At this moment Captain Carrington returned.
“Here! take these,” he said, giving each a revolver. “Let us hope there won’t be any occasion to use them, but it is well to be prepared.”
They went out together – at the intersection of Queen and King Streets, they parted.
“Remember! eleven o’clock at my house,” said the Captain. “If any one of us isn’t there, the other two will know he needs assistance.”
Croyden went north on King Street. It was a chilly November night, with frost in the air. The moon, in its second quarter and about to sink into the waters of the Bay, gave light sufficient to make walking easy, where the useless street lamps did not kill it with their timid brilliancy. He passed the limits of the town, and struck out into the country. It had just struck ten, when they parted – he would walk for half an hour, and then return. He could do three miles – a mile and a half each way – and still be at the Carrington house by eleven. He proceeded along the east side of the road, his eyes busy lest, in the uncertain light, he miss anything which might serve as a clue. For the allotted time, he searched but found nothing – he must return. He crossed to the west side of the road, and faced homeward.
A mile passed – a quarter more was added – the feeble lights of the town were gleaming dimly in the fore, when, beside the track, he noticed a small white object.
It was a woman’s handkerchief, and, as he picked it up, a faint odor of violets was clinging to it still. Here might be a clue – there was a monogram on the corner, but he could not distinguish it, in the darkness. He put it in his pocket and hastened on. A hundred feet farther, and his foot hit something soft. He groped about, with his hands, and found – a woman’s glove. It, also, bore the odor of violets.
At the first lamp-post, he stopped and examined the handkerchief – the monogram was plain: E. C. – and violets, he remembered, were her favorite perfume. He took out the glove – a soft, undressed kid affair – but there was no mark on it to help him. He glanced at his watch. His time had almost expired. He pushed the feminine trifles back into his pocket, and hurried on.
He was late, and when he arrived at Ashburton, Captain Carrington and Macloud were just about to start in pursuit.
“I found these!” he said, tossing the glove and the handkerchief on the table – “on the west side of the road, about half a mile from town.”
Macloud picked them up.
“The violets are familiar – and the handkerchief is Elaine’s,” said he. “I recognize the monogram as hers.”
“What do you make of it?” Captain Carrington demanded.
“Nothing – it passes me.”
His glance sought Croyden’s.
A shake of the head was his answer.
The Captain strode to the telephone.
“I’m going to call in our friends,” he said. “I think we shall need them.”
XVIII
THE LONE HOUSE BY THE BAY
When Croyden and Macloud left the Carrington residence that evening, after their call and tea, Elaine and Davila remained for a little while in the drawing-room rehearsing the events of the day, as women will. Presently, Davila went over to draw the shades.
“What do you say to a walk before we dress for dinner?” she inquired.
“I should like it, immensely,” Elaine answered.
They went upstairs, changed quickly to street attire, and set out.
“We will go down to the centre of the town and back,” said Davila. “It’s about half a mile each way, and there isn’t any danger, so long as you keep in the town. I shouldn’t venture beyond it unescorted, however, even in daylight.”
“Why?” asked Elaine. “Isn’t Hampton orderly?”
“Hampton is orderly enough. It’s the curse that hangs over the South since the Civil War: the negro.”
“Oh! I understand,” said Elaine, shuddering.
“I don’t mean that all black men are bad, for they are not. Many are entirely trustworthy, but the trustworthy ones are much, very much, in the minority. The vast majority are worthless – and a worthless nigger is the worst thing on earth.”
“I think I prefer only the lighted streets,” Elaine remarked.
“And you will be perfectly safe there,” Davila replied.
They swung briskly along to the centre of the town – where the two main thoroughfares, King and Queen Streets, met each other in a wide circle that, after the fashion of Southern towns, was known, incongruously enough, as “The Diamond.” Passing around this circle, they retraced their steps toward home.
As they neared Ashburton, an automobile with the top up and side curtains on shot up behind them, hesitated a moment, as though uncertain of its destination and then drew up before the Carrington place. Two men alighted, gave an order to the driver, and went across the pavement to the gate, while the engine throbbed, softly.
Then they seemed to notice the women approaching, and stepping back from the gate, they waited.
“I beg your pardon!” said one, raising his hat and bowing, “can you tell me if this is where Captain Carrington lives?”
“It is,” answered Davila.
“Thank you!” said the man, standing aside to let them pass.
“I am Miss Carrington – whom do you wish to see?”
“Captain Carrington, is he at home?”
“I do not know – if you will come in, I’ll inquire.”
“You’re very kind!” with another bow.
He sprang forward and opened the gate. Davila thanked him with a smile, and she and Elaine went in, leaving the strangers to follow.
The next instant, each girl was struggling in the folds of a shawl, which had been flung over her from behind and wrapped securely around her head and arms, smothering her cries to a mere whisper. In a trice, despite their struggles – which, with heads covered and arms held close to their sides, were utterly unavailing – they were caught up, tossed into the tonneau, and the car shot swiftly away.
In a moment, it was clear of the town, the driver “opened her up,” and they sped through the country at thirty miles an hour.
“Better give them some air,” said the leader. “It doesn’t matter how much they yell here.”
He had been holding Elaine on his lap, his arms keeping the shawl tight around her. Now he loosed her, and unwound the folds.
“You will please pardon the liberty we have taken,” he said, as he freed her, “but there are – ”
Crack!
Elaine had struck him straight in the face with all her strength, and, springing free, was on the point of leaping out, when he seized her and forced her back, caught her arms in the shawl, which was still around her, and bound them tight to her side.
“Better be a little careful, Bill!” he said. “I got an upper cut on the jaw that made me see stars.”
“I’ve been very easy with mine,” his companion returned. “She’ll not hand me one.” However, he took care not to loosen the shawl from her arms. “There you are, my lady, I hope you’ve not been greatly inconvenienced.”
“What do you mean by this outrage?” said Davila.
“Don’t forget, Bill! – mum’s the word!” the chief cautioned.
“At least, you can permit us to sit on the floor of the car,” said Elaine. “Whatever may be your scheme, it’s scarcely necessary to hold us in this disgusting position.”
“Will you make no effort to escape?” the chief asked.
“No!”
“I reckon that is a trifle overstated!” he laughed. “What about you, Miss Carrington?”
Davila did not answer – contenting herself with a look, which was far more expressive than words.
“Well, we will take pleasure in honoring your first request, Miss Cavendish.”
He caught up a piece of rope, passed it around her arms, outside the shawl, tied it in a running knot, and quietly lifted her from his lap to the floor.
“I trust that is satisfactory?” he asked.
“By comparison, eminently so.”
“Thank you!” he said. “Do you, Miss Carrington, wish to sit beside your friend?”
“If you please!” said Davila, with supreme contempt.
He took the rope and tied her, likewise.
“Very good, Bill!” he said, and they placed her beside Elaine.
“If you will permit your legs to be tied, we will gladly let you have the seat – ”
“No! – ”
“Well, I didn’t think you would – so you will have to remain on the floor; you see, you might be tempted to jump, if we gave you the seat.”
They were running so rapidly, through the night air, that the country could scarcely be distinguished, as it rushed by them. To Elaine, it was an unknown land. Davila, however, was looking for something she could recognize – some building that she knew, some stream, some topographical formation. But in the faint and uncertain moonlight, coupled with the speed at which they travelled, she was baffled. The chief observed, however.
“With your permission!” he said, and taking two handkerchiefs from his pocket, he bound the eyes of both.
“It is only for a short while,” he explained – “matter of an hour or so, and you suffer no particular inconvenience, I trust.”
Neither Elaine nor Davila condescended to reply.
After a moment’s pause, the man went on:
“I neglected to say – and I apologize for my remissness – that you need fear no ill-treatment. You will be shown every consideration – barring freedom, of course – and all your wants, within the facilities at our command, will be gratified. Naturally, however, you will not be permitted to communicate with your friends.”
“How nice of you!” said Elaine. “But I should be better pleased if you would tell us the reason for this abduction.”
“That, I regret, I am not at liberty to discuss.”
“How long are we to remain prisoners?” demanded Davila.
“It depends.”
“Upon what?”
“Upon whether something is acceded to.”
“By whom?”
“I am not at liberty to say.”
“And if it is not acceded to?” Elaine inquired.
“In that event – it would be necessary to decide what should be done with you.”
“Done with us! What do you mean to imply?”
“Nothing! – the time hasn’t come to imply – I hope it will not come.”
“Why?” said Davila.
“Because.”
“Because is no reason.”
“It is a woman’s reason!” said he, laughing lightly.
“Do you mean that your failure would imperil our lives?”
“Something like it?” he replied, after a moment’s thought.
“Our lives!” Davila cried. “Do you appreciate what you are saying!”
The man did not answer.
“Is it possible you mean to threaten our lives?” Davila persisted.
“I threaten nothing – yet.”
“Oh, you threaten nothing, yet!” she mocked. “But you will threaten, if – ”
“Exactly! if – you are at liberty to guess the rest.”
“I don’t care to guess!” she retorted. “Do you appreciate that the whole Eastern Shore will be searching for us by morning – and that, if the least indignity is offered us, your lives won’t be worth a penny?”
“We take the risk, Miss Carrington,” replied the man, placidly.
Davila shrugged her shoulders, and they rode in silence, for half an hour.
Then the speed of the car slackened, they ran slowly for half a mile, and stopped. The chief reached down, untied the handkerchiefs, and sprang out.
“You may descend,” he said, offering his hand.
Elaine saw the hand, and ignored it; Davila refused even to see the hand.
They could make out, in the dim light, that they were before a long, low, frame building, with the waters of the Bay just beyond. A light burned within, and, as they entered, the odor of cooking greeted them.
“Thank goodness! they don’t intend to starve us!” said Elaine. “I suppose it’s scarcely proper in an abducted maiden, but I’m positively famished.”
“I’m too enraged to eat,” said Davila.
“Are you afraid?” Elaine asked.
“Afraid? – not in the least!”
“No more am I – but oughtn’t we be afraid?”
“I don’t know! I’m too angry to know anything.”
They had been halted on the porch, while the chief went in, presumably, to see that all was ready for their reception. Now, he returned.
“If you will come in,” he said, “I will show you to your apartment.”
“Prison, you mean,” said Davila.
“Apartment is a little better word, don’t you think?” said he. “However, as you wish, Miss Carrington, as you wish! We shall try to make you comfortable, whatever you may call your temporary quarters. – These two rooms are yours,” he continued, throwing open the door. “They are small, but quiet and retired; you will not, I am sure, be disturbed. Pardon me, if I remove these ropes, you will be less hampered in your movements. There! supper will be served in fifteen minutes – you will be ready?”
“Yes, we shall be ready,” said Elaine, and the man bowed and retired. “He has some manners!” she reflected.
“They might be worse,” Davila retorted.
“Which is some satisfaction,” Elaine added.
“Yes! – and we best be thankful for it.”
“The rooms aren’t so bad,” said Elaine, looking around.
“We each have a bed, and a bureau, and a wash-stand, and a couple of chairs, a few chromos, a rug on the floor – and bars at the window.”
“I noticed the bars,” said Davila.
Elaine crossed to her wash-stand.
“They’ve provided us with water, so we may as well use it,” she said. “I think my face needs – Heavens! what a sight I am!”
“Haven’t you observed the same sight in me?” Davila asked. “I’ve lost all my puffs, I know – and so have you – and your hat is a trifle awry.”
“Since we’re not trying to make an impression, I reckon it doesn’t matter!” laughed Elaine. “We will have ample opportunity to put them to rights before Colin and Geoffrey see us.”
She took off her hat, pressed her hair into shape, replaced a few pins, dashed water on her face, and washed her hands.
“Now,” she said, going into the other room where Miss Carrington was doing likewise, “if I only had a powder-rag, I’d feel dressed.”
Davila turned, and, taking a little book, from the pocket of her coat, extended it.
“Here is some Papier Poudre,” she said.
“You blessed thing!” Elaine exclaimed, and, tearing out a sheet, she rubbed it over her face. “Is my nose shiny?” she ended.
A door opened and a young girl appeared, wearing apron and cap.
“The ladies are served!” she announced.
The two looked at each other and laughed.
“This is quite some style!” Davila commented.
“It is, indeed!” said Elaine as she saw the table, with its candles and silver (plated, to be sure), dainty china, and pressed glass.
“If the food is in keeping, I think we can get along for a few days. We may as well enjoy it while it lasts.”
Davila smiled. “You always were of a philosophic mind.”
“It’s the easiest way.”
She might have added, that it was the only way she knew – her wealth having made all roads easy to her.
The meal finished, they went back to their apartment, to find the bed turned down for the night, and certain lingerie, which they were without, laid out for them.
“Better and better!” exclaimed Elaine. “You might think this was a hotel.”
“Until you tried to go out.”
“We haven’t tried, yet – wait until morning.” A pack of cards was on the table. “See how thoughtful they are! Come, I’ll play you Camden for a cent a point.”
“I can’t understand what their move is?” said Davila, presently. “What can they hope to accomplish by abducting us – or me, at any rate. It seems they don’t want anything from us.”
“I make it, that they hope to extort something, from a third party, through us – by holding us prisoners.”
“Captain Carrington has no money – it can’t be he,” said Davila, “and yet, why else should they seize me?”
“The question is, whose hand are they trying to force?” reflected Elaine. “They will hold us until something is acceded to, the man said. Until what is acceded to, and by whom?”