(ji\2.ple5 G[il)boi\
THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
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BEYOND COMPARE.
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BEYOND COMPARE
A STORl
r
BY
CHARLES GIBBON,
AUTHOR OF
•ftOBIN GRAY," "queen OF THE MEADOW," "THE GOLDEN SHAFT,"
' A child of humble birth, and fair,
And noble, too, beyond compare :
A holy sweetness in her eyes.
Inspired by love that never dies."
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON :
SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, & RIVINGTON,
LIMITED,
St. gunstan's ^onst,
Fetter Lane, Fleet Street, E.C.
1888.
\All rights feseii'td.}
LONDON :
PRINTED BV WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED,
STAMFOUD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.
DEDICATED TO
MY FRIEND
EDMUND RE ID,
WITH SINCERE REGARD.
CHARLES GIBBON.
London, March, iS88.
CONTEiNTS OF VOL. I.
CHAFTER
I. Sunshine
II-
"In a Day or Two" ...
III.
Clouds ...
IV.
Suspected
V.
Stung to the Quick
VI.
Slander
VII.
Cross-Examined ...
VIII.
"Is she Mad?"
IX.
The Warning
X.
Old Chums ...
XI.
A Queer Bargain
XII.
Berta
XIII.
Through Dark to Dawn
XIV.
The Puzzle ...
XV.
Meditations
XVI.
The Duellists
XVII.
" Is IT the Worst?"
XVIII.
Opening the Campaign
XTX.
A Repulse
I'ACE
I
12
28
47
63
79
89
106
123
136
147
162
174
187
200
21 r
224
238
250
BEYOND COMPARE.
CHAPTER I.
SUNSHINE.
She sat on a ridge of shingle which stretched
aloncr the shore hke a broad blue ribbon
decorating the yellow sand. A market
basket lay beside her ; and whilst the light
breeze gently waved the brim of her straw
hat, her dark blue eyes gazed up from under
it at a man who stood close by, leaning on
a serviceable staff. He was looking thought-
fully seaward, and, the sun being high but
behind them, his shadow lay black and short
before him.
There was scarcely any wind. The sea
VOL. I. E
0^
2 BEYOND COMPARE.
Avas calm, and the low murmur it was making
as it kissed the sandy shore suggested the
soothing lullaby of wooing sirens, and gave
no hint of its terrible powers of destruction.
It seemed so or-entle and its voice so sweet
that there was a sense of Sabbath quietude
around the only two occupants of the beach.
Far out, over the rippling wavelets, ships
and steamers, fishing smacks, and yachts
glided lazily up and down the roads. Occa-
sionally the clear blue of sea and sky was
crossed by a black, comet-like tail of smoke
from a steamer ; but that soon faded away,
leaving the space clear and bright again.
There was a long reach of low-lying shore,
with gently rising sandbanks, which guarded
the land from the inroads of the ocean in its
angry moods. The land, far as the eye
could reach, was a gigantic chess-board of
flat meadows which had once been marshes.
They were now covered with luxuriant pas-
ture, and in the sunlight buttercups and
daisies sparkled like jewels amidst the bright
SUNSHINE. 3
green grass. The landscape was studded
with windmills and church towers, and cosy-
looking farm-houses helped them to break
the monotony of the level plains.
With the sun high in the meridian, making
everything bright, whilst its heat was mellowed
by the light sea-breeze, there was an atmo-
sphere of blissful peace and rest over land
and sea. It seemed as if all the turmoil of
the world and the bitter strugforle for life were
far removed from the dwellers in and around
the drowsy hamlet of Sandybeach. There
was no sign of toil, no sign of hurry or worry,
in the village or on the shore ; everybody
and everything seemed to be reposino-,
although it was little past mid-day.
The man and girl on the beach had been
silent for a time, as if enjoying the sense of
perfect rest, and afraid to break the spell.
The girl was the first to speak.
" What are you thinking about, Elwin .^
You look as if something troubled you."
He turned to her instantly, a smile on his
4 BEYOND COMPARE.
handsome face, bronzed by exposure to all
sorts of weather.
" I was not thinking, Berta, but dreaming
— dreaming of the future and of what may-
happen before we can join hands and say,
' Now we are too;;ether to face whatever fate
may have in store for us.' "
" Nothing can happen that will alter our
pledge to share the future together, whether
it has o;ood or ill in store for us," she an-
swered softly ; and the tender, confident light
in her eyes indicated that she, at any rate,
had no fear of what might be to come, and
no doubt that with honest endeavour on their
part they would find happiness.
He sat down on the shingle beside her,
and, without looking at her, murmured, as
if to himself —
" My darling, you give me strength. We
shall find good in our future, for you have
the power to command it, and I'll do some-
thing to deserve my share of it."
" I dare say we'll manage it between us,"
SUNSHINE. 5
she commented cheerfully, trying to win him
from the too serious humour into which he
had fallen. " But why are you thinking so
much to-day about what may happen ? "
" Because I see things at Springfield
ofettinor worse and worse. The farm has
never provided more than a mere hand-to-
mouth subsistence for us, and now we are
getting deeper into debt, whilst mother still
objects to my making any effort on my own
account. She could get on well enough with
old Blagg, as she works so hard herself, and
I might be doing something elsewhere to put
things into a satisfactory position for her and
for you and me. But whenever I hint at
this, she gets into such a state that I am
forced to hold my tongue."
" She believes that her brother will put
everything straight for her."
" That is the worst of it. She does not
often refer to the subject, but I can see that
she is constantly brooding over it. She has
a firm belief that Uncle Anthony owes half
6 BEYOND COMPARE.
his fortune to her, and that he will yet ac-
knowledge the debt. I wish she would give
up the idea, for although I see little of him,
that little has been enough to convince me
he has no notion of being indebted to any-
body, and she will be disappointed."
" That will be very cruel. Surely he must
think of the struggle she has had ? "
" He is so odd in his ways that nobody
can guess what he may do ; but I have my
theory about him, and it is not a pleasant
one. His chief delight seems to be in doing
exactly the opposite of what he is expected
to do."
" Does he know how worried your mother
has been about the farm ? " asked Berta,
thoughtfully.
" I am certain she has not told him ; but
with his shrewd knowledge of affairs he must
be aware that she is harassed without re-
quiring direct information."
The girl laid her hand on the man's
shoulder.
SUNSHINE. 7
" Then, I believe he will help her, Elwin ;
for with all ]\Ir. Durrant's queer ways I like
him, and believe that he has a kind heart,
only he tries to hide it under a mask of
eccentricity because he does not want to be
thought weak. He has always been so kind
to me that I have often wondered at the
droll stories people tell about him."
"Well, perhaps you are right," responded
Elwin, after a little reflection ; and then he
added, with a lover's smile, " but I don't
think it wonderful that he should wish to be
agreeable in your eyes. There is this much
in favour of your view — now that he is ill
he has sent for mother."
" That is proof positive," said the girl, as
she rose from her seat and shook the sand
from her skirts.
" Let us hope so. If he would only set
her mind at rest about the farm, that would
release me ; and then, Berta ! "
He took both her hands in his and gazed
fondly into the loving eyes, seeing those
8 BEYOND COMPARE.
bright visions of the happiness which nothing
could take from him. She, too, was looking
at the future through the sunshine of their
love, and saw no clouds.
"' What then ? " she asked, with a bright
smile, which showed that she knew quite
well what his answer would be.
" Then my hands will be free to make a
home for you."
He picked up her basket, they turned
their backs to the sea, and together waded
through the silver sand, up the rising ground
to the denes or sand mounds, which were
covered with stunted rushes and grass or
gorse, and looked at a distance like the
circular flower-beds of a garden, extending
for miles along the coast,
Berta Woodhouse had been christened
Ethelberta, but she would scarcely have
recognized herself if called by that long
name, as from babyhood she had been in her
home, and amongst the folk of Sandybeach,
known by its abbreviated form. She was
SUNSHINE. 9
tall and plainly dressed, but she had a natural
grace of movement that would have made
the humblest raiment appear pretty. Her
features would be called regular, but they
diverged just enough from straight lines to
give them individuality, whilst there was an
expression of magnetic sympathy in the eyes
which made the whole face beautiful. And
yet it was a face that could be resolute and
even stern when occasion arose. She was
the granddaughter of Roger Skyles, fisher-
man and smack-owner, of Sandybeach.
Her lover was the only child of Widow
Eldridge, the mistress of the small farm of
Springfield, about two miles distant from the
village, and the sister of the wealthy Anthony
Durrant, of Cleyton Manor. Elwin had
been a big boy when Berta was a little girl.
As a big boy he had been her protector, and
when he grew into manhood and she neared
the end of her teens they became lovers.
Now they were betrothed without having
gone through the formality of asking any-
lO BEYOND COMPARE.
body's leave, as they took it for granted that
those most interested must be j^erfectly aware
of the position.
He was a stalwart fellow, whose horny
hands and muscular development showed
that he knew what hard work meant. His
mother's pinched circumstances compelled
him to remain on the farm, but his ambition
was to be a naval engineer and architect.
At fifteen he had been, after much entreaty
on his part, apprenticed to a ship-builder ;
but before his time was completed, the in-
creasing difficulties of his mother rendered
it necessary for him to return to the farm.
His progress, however, had been so rapid,
his skill as a draughtsman and designer so
marked, that the head of the firm promised
him a cordial welcome whenever he chose to
return.
He did his best on the farm, v/orking early
and late ; but he saw that it could never be
made to yield more than a bare subsistence
at the expenditure of much labour. He did
SUNSHINE. I I
not reproach his mother, although he did
sometimes try to convince her that his ener-
gies would be much better employed in the
business he desired to follow than at Spring-
field. She could not or would not see the
advantage of letting him have his way ; and
at times he could not help feeling impatient
at the thought that she was barring his pro-
gress, because she clung desperately to the
belief that her brother would yet pay what
she regarded as a just debt, and make them
rich.
At the garden gate of Roger Skyles'
cottage Berta and Elwin said good-bye, and
for the time he was thinking only of her.
12 BEYOND COMPARE.
CHAPTER II.
" IN A DAY OR TWO."
Anthony Durrant was the owner of Cleyton
Manor and its extensive farm lands. He
owned lands and houses in various parts of
two counties, and he held stocks of various
kinds to an unknown amount. He did
everything for himself; giving instructions
to different agents to buy or sell as his
instinct for the rise and fall of the money
market might suggest. He was rich, eccen-
tric, and sixty years of age, but looked much
older.
He had been a wine merchant in Norwich,
and had retired from that business twenty
years ago, disposing of it to advantage. He
was rich then, and his riches multiplied every
"IX A DAY OR TWO." I3
year. His head-quarters were at Cleyton,
but he would disappear from it without a
hint to his two domestics (a man who did
e\:erything outside, and his wife, who did
ev.erything inside, the house) or to his sister
who Hved only about a mile off; and he
w^ould reappear without warning. It was
understood that at these times he was in
London, watchinsf the stock markets.
He never told any one where he went, and
chuckled with infinite delight at the curiosity
which his conduct excited. He chuckled
with still more delight as he observed how
people wondered what he was going to do
with his vast fortune ; but he gave no one
the faintest idea of his intentions — unless it
might be when he would playfully say —
" Maybe it will go to the charities or to the
Queen ; maybe to Elwin Eldridge ; maybe
to my scapegrace of a son ; or to the pious
Howard."
The eldest son, Preston, he had sent
abroad to live on a small income, with the
14 BEYOND COMPARE.
intimation that his father would never see
him again. The second son, Howard, he
had set up in business, telling him he was to
expect no more. Elwin Eldridge troubled
himself little about his uncle, and the uncle
did not trouble himself about the nephew or
the nephew's mother, or, indeed, about any-
body. He went his own way, chuckling at
human folly, amusing himself by tantalizing
the parasites who would fain have fastened
on him, and paying no attention to those
who did not try to compel his recognition.
He had never suffered from any serious
illness until now, when he lay helpless on his
bed at Cleyton. He had a bad cough, which
seized him at intervals with a violence that
shook his whole frame. Then he would
have several hours free from pain, but the
paroxysms left him too weak to rise. He
would not allow a doctor to be called. " It
is only a common cold," he said, "and any
old woman knows how to cure that. Send
for my sister."
((
)>
IX A DAY OR TWO. 1 5
Even this was a relief to Job Klamb and
his wife, who were older than their master.
Mrs. Eldridge came and at once took charge
of. the patient and his household.
She was a woman in some respects as
peculiar as her brother. Tall, dark, with
hard features, and, at fifty-five, slim and
active as a eirl in her teens. She was a
severe disciplinarian with her servants, and
accordingly did not find favour with them.
She did not care about friends, and her ac-
quaintances were mostly those with whom
she had to transact business. Marrying
somewhat late in life, she had been left a
widow after a few years ; her husband having
been thrown out of a trap in which he was
drivine a fast-trottino;; horse. The small
grazing farm of Springfield had been secured
to her, and on its products she supported
herself and brought up her son. She might
have been comfortable, but, although never
speaking of it, she envied her brother his
continued success in money-getting, and was
I 6 BEYOND COMPARE.
only restrained from attempting to emulate
him by the thought of her child. Coldness
and avarice were the characteristics attributed
to her ; and when envy was added to these
they combined to make life a very miserable
affair.
But whatever she might appear to others,
El win only knew that she was devoted to
him, and that her whole mind was concen-
trated on the thouofht of his advancement
in the world. For that object he felt sure
she would sacrifice anything ; and again and
again he implored her not to be so anxious
on his account. Then she would frown and
say —
" Your uncle ought to set you up. He
owes it to me. When he had no one else to
help him I slaved for him night and day,
doing the work of half a dozen clerks in
his office. When he felt safe he employed
others, and I became only housekeeper.
Even from that position I was driven when
he found a woman with a few thousands to
" IN A DAY OR TWO." I 7
marry him. But it v^^as / who laid the
foundation of his fortune, and he owes it to
me to set you up In Hfe. Yet he has done
nothing, offered nothing, and I will not ask."
"You certainly shall not," rejoined Ehvin,
pained by the deep under-current of vlndlc-
tlveness which evidently ran in his mother's
mind.
He. did not know that in order to serve
her brother she had at his earnest entreaty
refused to marry a man she loved — one who,
although then poor, was now wealthy and
prosperous. He could not conceive the
bitterness which she felt in thinking that had
she followed the dictates of her heart she
might have had a life of comfort Instead of
one of hard struggle and continuous anxiety.
The signs of her sacrifice and what she had
lost by It were constantly before her ; while
her brother had never in any way acknow-
ledged her services — not even by thanking
her for them. He attributed everything he
had gained to his own unaided efforts. She
VOL. I. c
I 8 BEYOND COMPARE.
felt ag-grieved, and it was no wonder that her
expression was hard and unsympathetic.
As at the beorinninof of his career, so at
the end of it, he called for her help, and
she obeyed the summons instantly, without
hesitation.
"Well, Sarah, here I am on my back, as
you see," he said, with one of his chuckles,
as if the whole thing- were a capital joke ;
but the sound of his voice was feeble. " It's
only for a day or two, you know ; but these
old fools, the Klambs, have got into fidgets
— I don't know why — and wanted to call in
doctors and parsons — and all the parish, I
believe. So I told 'em to send for you, and
here you are ; but it's only to keep 'em from
bothering me. I'll be on my feet in a day
or two."
" A day or two " was the burden of every-
thinof he said.
Mrs. Eldridge looked at him closely, and
saw— what he could not and would not
realize — that the end was at hand.
"IX A DAY OR TWO." 1 9
" Yes, Anthony, I dare say that in a day
or two you will be safe ; " she did not utter
the mental completion of the sentence, " but
not on your feet."
Without consulting him she despatched
Job for the doctor ; and the poor old man
blessed the day she had come into the house,
for she had lifted a world of care from his
bent shoulders.
The doctor came, and was received by the
patient with a look of blank astonishment,
which presently gave way to one of his
chuckles, accompanied by a grin of amuse-
ment.
" That's Sarah, I suppose — sent for you ?
Well, she always would have her own way.
But, you see, doctor, it is, as I told them all,
only a thing of a day or two."
" Yes," rejoined the doctor gravely, " only
a day or two. Will you pardon me one
question, Mr. Durrant ? "
" Half a dozen, half a dozen, if you like,"
was the answer, with a grim effort to laugh.
20 BEYOND COMPARE.
" Have you got all your affairs in order —
all arrangements made ? "
" Seems as if you thought I wanted an
undertaker instead of a doctor. Of course,
everything is in order ; did anybody ever
find Anthony Durrant out of order ? Will is
made ; safely placed, and everybody dealt
with accordino;' to his or her deserts. Ac-
counts made up to the last day of the month,
and I can do the rest in half an hour. There
is plenty of time for that."
Anthony Durrant had no thought of dying,
and discovered something comical in the
grave faces around him. They thought he
was dying. He knew that quite well ; but
he had always considered it good fun to mis-
lead people as to his intentions, and it was
the best of all fun to mislead them now on
this question of death. He chuckled to him-
self again and again at the thought of the
surprise he would give them — doctor and all
— when he went out next week, staff in hand,
just as usual. .
"in a day or two." 2 1
The doctor spoke to Mrs. Eldridge and
took his departure. He had only confirmed
what she had beheved to be the case, that
her brother's hours were few. Whilst the
candles were being lit, Anthony Durrant,
with a grin on his face at the prospect of the
fun he was to have in proving that they were
all wrong in thinking he was dying, went to
sleep, and did not waken again.
Mrs. Eldridge sent Job for her son, with
instructions to o-q on to the villaofe and tell the
doctor. Elwin at once hastened to Cleyton,
and instead of taking the ordinary roads he
took a short cut across the damp meadows,
thus arriving at the Manor half an hour
before he could have been expected.
As he advanced to the house he observed
that there were lights in the room in which
his uncle had died — it was on the orround
floor — and that the window-blind was not
quite down. He could see into the room,
and he suddenly halted.
His mother was on her knees before an
2 2 BEYOND COMPARE.
old-fashioned bureau, in which he knew his
uncle kept private papers, and she was busily
examining them one by one. He stood quite
still, puzzled and astounded. What could his
mother want there ? Why was she in such
haste to examine her brother's papers, and
how could she assume the responsibility of
doing so in the absence of any other member
of the family ? The examination should cer-
tainly have been postponed until the arrival,
at any rate, of Mr. Hammond, the solicitor.
The questions were not only perplexing,
but they filled him with a vague sense of
displeasure at his mother's conduct, suggest-
ing, as it did, an unfeeling haste to pry into
the old man's secrets. Yet she was proceed-
ing about the business with such methodical
calmness that he was intensely relieved when
it suddenly occurred to him that she was,
doubtless, acting under instructions received
from her brother.
He was again startled when he saw her
pounce, as it were, on a particular paper.
"IX A DAY OR TWO. 23
She examined it carefully, appeared to be
satisfied, and, having refolded it, put it in
her pocket. Then she replaced all the docu-
ments, locked up the bureau, and blew out
the candle.
The whole proceeding was so strange that
he could not comprehend It. However, he
had no doubt she had been acting under
orders. The old man had been so queer in
his ways for many years that there were
probably some affairs which he might desire
to be kept from the knowledge of others,
even after his death.
Mrs. Klamb showed him Into the parlour.
She was a short, broad woman, with a
wrinkled face and small grey eyes. A white
cap covered her head. She was slow In her
movements, but not feeble ; and she had a
plain, matter-of-fact way of accepting all the
ills and joys of life.
" Master's dead," she said, in precisely the
same tone in which she would have said
" Master's married."
24 BEYOND COMPARE.
There was not the shg-htest inflection in
her voice, even when she was angry with
Job ; the sound was louder than usual, per-
haps, but still a monotone. She made no
pretence of any special grief, and went about
her work as if nothing out of the ordinary
routine of things had occurred.
El win observed that his mother was cool
and prompt in all her movements as she
always was ; but in her eyes he fancied there
was a gleam of excitement — almost of triumph
• — which he had never seen there before.
She gave him the details of his uncle's last
hours, and added, " You will remember that
I told you after I had been half an hour with
him, that his time had come. And I was riofht ;
but he v/ent to sleep believing that he would
again cheat us all by being up in a few days."
"Shall I ride over to Mr. Hammond to-
night ? — it is too late to telegraph from the
villao-e."
o
"You need not go to-night, but start early
in the morning," she answered.
IN A DAY OR TWO. 2
" Very well ; but as I shall have to start
at daybreak to go round by Springfield for
the horse, you had better give me uncle's
keys, so that I may deliver them to i\Ir.
Hammond."
"They are all on this ring, I believe. He
had them under his pillow."
He put the keys in his pocket, and said
good-night to his mother. He was irritated
with himself for being unable to get rid of
the fancy that there w^as something peculiar
in her manner.
During that night Job Klamb sorely tried
the patience of his wife. He started from
his sleep, and declared that he heard the
master walkino- about his room.
"Can't you go and see, then?" was the
stolid question, after Job had disturbed her
several times with the same assertion ; " the
key's in the door."
Job shivered at the idea, and tried to sleep,
but he could not. At lenQ-th he mustered
up courage enough to creep along the pas-
26 BEYOND COMPARE.
sage. From beneath the door and through
the keyhole there were gleams of light.
Having gone so far, he muttered a prayer,
and determined to oo farther. He touched
o
the handle of the door, but his hand trembled
so that the brass nob rattled, and the light
was instantly extinguished, whilst there was
a sound as of some one with only stockings
on moving hastily across the floor.
Job would have called out in affright, but
he had no voice. He shuffled back to his
bed, covered his head with the blankets, and
determined not to stir aeain till mornino-.
Not feeling safe even then, he continued to
groan, " Lord, have mercy on us — oh Lord,
have mercy on us," until the repetition
brought from his wife the rebuke —
" Don't see how you can expect it if you
keep on a-worrying Him so."
When Job told his adventures of the night
to Mrs. Eldridge, she went with him to the
room where the dead man lay, with his face
covered. Everything was in its place as it
"in a day or two. 27
had been left on the previous evening, and
there was nothing to indicate that any one
had been there since she herself had locked
the door.
This fact only scared poor old Job the
more.
" I can't doubt my eyes and ears, ma'am.
I saw the light, and I heard the feet."
" You must have been dreaming."
" Missus, I know I wasn't," answered Job,
shaking his head gravely.
28 BEYOND COMPARE.
CHAPTER III,
CLOUDS.
Mr. Hammond was one of the oldest soli-
citors in Yarmouth, and one of the most
respected. He was also one of the early
birds who are always trying to catch the
early worm. Therefore when Elwin arrived
at his house, he found him up and dressed,
although the other members of the house-
hold were still abed.
" Ah, I always thought the end would be
sudden and unexpected," said the old gentle-
man, when he had heard the news. " I dare
say we shall find his affairs in order, for, with
all his odd ways, Mr. Durrant was a strict
man of business. I know he has made his
CLOUDS. 29
will, for when I spoke to him about it only a
few weeks ago, he told me he had written
it himself, and that it had been duly signed
in the presence of two witnesses."
" Then, you will take charge of the keys,
I suppose ? "
" Really, Mr. Eldridge, I am not quite
sure that I ought to do so without instruc-
tions from one of his sons. You see he had
transactions with a number of solicitors, and
it would be diflicult for us to decide which of
us should have precedence."
" But I understand that you have tran-
sacted all the business in connection with
Cleyton."
" True, true, and I dare say there will be
no harm in my taking charge until Mr.
Howard Durrant arrives from Norwich.
Have you telegraphed ? "
" Yes, just before I came here, and told
him to call at your place."
The lawyer looked at his watch, and nodded
his approval of Elwin's action.
30 BEYOND COMrARE.
" Then, we may expect him in an hour or
so. Meanwhile, where is Preston ? "
" Somewhere on the Continent — but we
have not got his address."
" Howard will know, or the bankers who
sent his allowance. Of course we must tele-
graph to him ; for notwithstanding the un-
happy misunderstanding between him and
his father, we must let him know what has
happened."
" Of course, and I hope he will be here in
time."
Mr. Howard Durrant was able to supply
the last address which his brother had given
to him. It was at Monte Carlo, and a tele-
gram was despatched accordingly.
Howard was an emxinently respectable per-
sonage, fully deserving the appellation his
father had given him of " the pious Howard."
He was tall, slim, hollow-cheeked, and pale,
with short, dark whiskers. He invariably
wore a black surtout coat and a chimney-pot
hat. He would as soon have thouQ-ht of
CLOUDS. 31
jumping over the moon as of wearing any
other kind of headgear. He had a class in
a Sunday school, was prominent at prayer-
meetings, sold — but wholesale only, you must
remember — wines, spirits, and ales ; and was
altogether a steady-going, prosperous man,
the very antipodes of his worthless, reckless,
gambling, and discarded brother Preston.
He listened with an air of melancholy re-
siofnation to the account of his father's death.
He sighed, used his handkerchief, and for a
few minutes appeared to be making an effort to
control any outward signs of weakness. Then
he spoke in a soft voice ; he was never loud.
Even at church meetings, when he had to
address a hundred people or more, his words
were uttered in such a low tone that they
were frequently lost by one-half the audience.
"It is most reofrettable that I was not
made aware of my father's condition sooner.
Indeed, it surprises me; for I think it was
the duty of any friend who was near him to
inform his son."
32 BEYOND COMPARE.
'•He would not permit any one to send
for you, as he did not believe that there
was the least necessity," said Elwin, flushing
slightly, for he felt that Howard was accusing
his mother of deliberately neglecting a plain
duty.
" That was his way, and in this case he
should not have been consulted. However,
I have no doubt everything was clone with
the best intentions. Have you ridden or
driven over, Eldridge ? "
" I had to ride."
"Ah, then, we will have a trap and start
at once. You will go with me, Mr. Ham-
mond, and put seals on the various reposi-
tories until the time comes for examining
their contents. I dare say Preston will start
for Eno"land as soon as lie orets our teleeram."
At Cleyton, everything which required
immediate attention had received it from
Mrs. Eldridge. There was perfect quiet in
the house and around it, and scarcely wind
enough to stir the blades of long grass in the
CLOUDS. ^T^
meadows. There was something in the
atmosphere which seemed to announce that
the Great Master of mortahty had laid his
hand upon the house.
The meeting between Howard and his
aunt was stern and cold on her part ; on his,
resigned and humble. He sighed when she
told him that he w^ould now remain and take
charge of his father's house, whilst she would
return to her own.
" I can be of no further use here at
present," she said, in her hard way. "If you
want me for anything, you can send to
Springfield. Come, Elwin."
Howard did not dream of askine her to
remain when she had announced her inten-
tion to go. He knew that it would be as
useless as it would have been to ask his
father to change his mind. He thanked her
for all she had done, and said good-bye till
the day of the funeral. Air. Hammond
would have attempted to stay her but for
Howard's assurance that it would be useless.
VOL. I. j3
34 BEYOND COMPARE.
The lawyer thought it one of the strangest
thines he had known in the doings of this
strange family, that the sister should be in
such a hurry to quit the house of her dead
brother when, as it seemed to him, the
presence of a woman who held her relation-
ship to the deceased was positively necessary
for practical as well as sentimental reasons.
The announcement of the death of An-
thony Durrant created little sensation in the
district, for personally he was little known,
and what report said of him was not likely to
make his departure a source of much regret.
An eccentric miser was the kindest descrip-
tion of him amongst his neighbours. But
the fisher-folk of Sandybeach, as they stood
in their cottage doorways, or at the gates of
their patches of garden-ground, or gathered
in the alehouse, had some kindlier thoughts
of the old man, and could tell legends of the
help he had given to widows and orphans, as
well as to men who had lost their boats or
nets, or both. They felt that a good friend
CLOUDS. 35
had been taken from them ; but they could
not help joining in the general speculation
as to who was to inherit the riches he was
known to possess. That, indeed, was the
question, and away from the village it was
the only one which excited the least interest.
The funeral procession consisted of the
hearse and three carriages, and as it passed
out from the gates of Cleyton Manor an
ordinary cab, which had been apparently
waiting, followed it. There was one gentle-
man inside ; he was dressed in black, and
everj'body knew that this was Preston Dur-
rant, who had, as was his custom in all things,
arrived at the last moment, when there was
no time for him to take his proper place in
the first carriage.
In the churchyard, however, he quietly
elbowed the others aside with cool assumption
of authority, and was the first to follow the
coffin. After the ceremony he shook hands
with his brother, with Elwin, and Mr. Ham-
mond. He made no more pretence of grief
^^-«iJ
36 BEYOND COMPARE.
than Mrs. Klamb, and bluntly expressed to
the lawyer his hope that " the governor " had
settled everything in the right way.
Mr. Hammond was shocked by the levity
of Preston's manner. He gave no other
token of a sense of the solemnity of the
occasion than by wearing black and a mourn-
ing band round his hat. Even this token
was soon depreciated by the hat getting
tipped a little to one side and being allowed
to remain in that jaunty position, so that he
looked like a bettincj-man on a racecourse
4' ■ masquerading in black.
He was a wiry fellow of thirty-five or so,
with prominent, almost Jewish nose; quick
dark eyes, somewhat swollen and sallow com-
plexion, suggestive of late hours and irregular
life. His movements were easy, but there
was too much self-assurance to permit them
to be graceful. His glbssy black hair and
thick moustache rendered his sallow cheeks
and the boldness of his gaze the more notice-
able. He bore the hall-mark of an impudent
CLOUDS. 37
and unscrupulous dare-devil. Any one look-
ing at him attentively would have felt that
the father had been more than justified in
sending him away with a moderate allow-
ance ; indeed, some would have said he
should have had no allowance at all.
On the return journey he took the seat
offered him in the first carriage as his right,
and, much to the disgust of his companions —
Howard, Elwin, and Mr. Hammond — lit a
cigar the moment they started from the gate
of the churchyard. He was perfectly un-
conscious of their disapproval, and only -^
vouchsafed one observation durino- the drive. » ^
" I should have been here sooner, only I
was in London when vour teleo^ram reached
Monte Carlo, and the idiot who undertook
to look after my communications for me,
instead of opening it and wiring the contents,
put it in an envelope and sent it on by post.
But it's all right, I suppose ; I'm in good
time to learn how the governor cuts up."
No one spoke. To Elwin there* was
38 BEYOND COMPARE.
something horrible in this callous way of
referring to a father who had just been laid
in his grave ; to Howard it was unspeak-
ably shocking ; to the lawyer it suggested
a degree of depravity surpassing anything he
had hitherto come across in his long experience.
In the gloomy dining-room of the manor
there were half a dozen distant relatives of
the deceased, besides his sister, two sons,
and a nephew. The distant relatives, whilst
eager to learn whether or not their various
imaginary services had been remembered,
endeavoured to look as if they were merely
going through a formal duty and expected
nothing.
Mrs. Eldridge sat close to the wall, with
her face in shadow. Elwin stood by one
of the windows, heartily wishing the un-
pleasant business was over. Preston seated
himself at the lawyer's right hand, and coolly
advised him to get through the affair as
quickly as he could. Howard stood at the
corner of the table with head bowed and
CLOUDS. 39
hands clasped behind him, meekly awaiting
whatever fortune might betide him,
Mr. Hammond held in his hand a lone
blue envelope, the seal of which was stamped
with the deceased's monogram, the impres-
sion being made by a stone-pendant of his
watch chain. On the envelope was written,
" My last will," and a date about a fortnight
prior to the testator's death.
" I found this in my late friend's bureau,"
Mr. Hammond began, "and presume it is
the will which he recently mentioned to me.
I break the seal in your presence, and will
read the contents."
He drew forth the precious document, and
as he did so he regarded it with the greatest
amazement. He took off his spectacles,
wiped them, and re-examined the paper and
the envelope. Then, without a word to the
others, he hastily glanced over the contents.
When he had done, he rested his hands on
the table, and looked at the expectant faces
of the company.
40 BEYOND COMPARE.
" Well, Hammond, what stops the way ? "
queried Preston, carelessly.
The lawyer coughed and looked at the
paper before him with evidently increasing
wonderment.
" It is my duty to read this paper," he
began at length, "as it is the only one which
can be found in the nature of a will."
He cleared his throat aorain and read.
After bequeathing small sums to his two
servants and to various local charities, one
hundred pounds was to be paid to each of
the testator's two sons ; the entire residue
of his personal and real estate was to be
divided equally between his sister, Sarah
Eldridge, and his nephew, Elwin Eldridge,
and he appointed the former sole executrix.
All eyes were turned with little good-will
and much suspicion on the widow and her
son. Mrs. Eldridge sat upright on her chair,
making no sign of pleasure or surprise : it
seemed as if she were saying to herself,
" He has done me justice at last." Elwin
CLOUDS. 41
was dismayed by this sweeping disinherit-
ance of the two brothers in favour of his
mother and himself.
-Howard stood with eyes closed, hands
still clasped behind him, but more tightly
than at the beginning of the proceedings, as
if praying for strength to endure this injus-
tice. Preston grave a short whistle of sur-
prise, and then spoke with perfect coolness —
" I shall dispute that will. The old man
must have had several screws loose in his
head when he made that arrangement, and
was undoubtedly acting under undue in-
fluence, coercion, and so forth. I shall
certainly dispute that will."
He regarded his cousin with an expression
of mocking inquisitiveness in his bleared
eyes as he spoke.
" Surely, there must be some mistake
here," said Elwin huskily ; " there must be
another will, for this one seems most unjust."
Preston whistled softly again, and the
sound indicated his disbelief in the sincerity
42 BEYOND COMPARE.
of his cousin's protest. The disappointed
relatives, who had not been even referred to
in the will, would have risen and left the
house forthwith, had not curiosity mastered
their indignation, and induced them to wait
for the end of this singular scene.
" That is precisely my opinion, Mr.
Eldridge," said the lawyer. " There must
be some mistake — in fact, I am convinced
there is a very grievous mistake."
" Your reasons for the conviction ?" queried
Preston, lounging back on his chair as if
indifferent to the whole business.
"You shall have them. I think you have
a rio^ht to know at once the grrounds on
which my conviction is based. First, then,
I should not have been surprised if you,
Preston, had been disposed of with a hundred
pounds, or even with that traditional shilling
which is so often spoken about."
" Go on," said Preston carelessly, and
evidently amused rather than offended by
the old lawyer's plain speaking.
CLOUDS. 43
" But being aware that my late friend and
client was satisfied with the uses to which
Mr. Howard had put the money already
advanced to him, I am positive that it was
his intention to leave him a considerable
portion of his estate."
"Lucky Howard!" ejaculated Preston,
with a supercilious laugh, which, although
short and low, jarred on the ears of some of
those present who remembered the occasion
of the meetine.
The lawyer proceeded, and turned away
from the elder son —
" My second reason is that Mr. Durrant
told me quite recently that his will was
written by his own hand on a sheet of letter-
paper. This is only one of the common
printed forms which can be bought at any
stationer's shop. He would never have used
"■' such a thing as this. We must search again
for the will described to me. We must
search here and in the lodgings he occupied
during his residence in London."
44 BEYOND COMPARE.
" We have no idea where he lodged," said
Howard, in his subdued voice, speaking for
the first time.
" An advertisement in the London papers,
with the promise of a reward, will soon obtain
the information for us."
" What if the will is destroyed.-^" queried
Preston.
"In that case we must see what Is to be
done with this one," answered Mr. Ham-
mond, with an awkward movement of his
shoulders. It was apparent that he was
keeping some unpleasant thought or suspicion
to himself.
" We shall dispute it, as I have said," re-
joined the elder son. " The injustice of it
is too gross for it to be allowed to pass by
any court. To be sure our aunt and cousin
can spare us all the bother and disagreeables
of going to law if they will allow me to put
the thing into the fire."
Preston looked at his aunt as he made this
bold suggestion, and she answered harshly —
CLOUDS. 45
" I shall not allow that, whatever else I
may agree to do. Anthony knew that it was
I who helped him to his fortune — I who gave
him the chance of winning it — and he has
only done justice to me and mine at last."
" Permit me to look at the paper," said
Howard, as if suddenly rousing himself to
action.
He went to the window and examined the
signature closely. Then he glanced quickly
up at Elwin and turned to the lawyer.
"This paper is worthless, Mr. Hammond,"
he said decisively, "except to bring some-
body to penal servitude. The signature is a
forgery, and a very clumsy one. You, sir,
must see that it is so."
" A forgery ! " was the general exclama-
tion.
Mr. Hammond reluctantly assented to the
correctness of Howard's assertion. All eyes
were directed towards Elwin, who stood in
the full light of the window. The deathly
pallor of his face seemed to proclaim him the
46 BEYOND COMPARE.
criminal as distinctly as if he had made open
confession of guilt.
When he heard the announcement that the
signature was a forgery, all that he had
witnessed on that night when he stood per-
plexed, looking through the window of the
dead man's room, flashed with cruel vividness
before his mind's eye. His lips were parched
and quivered ; he found it difficult to stand
without trembling, and he could not control
his features to conceal the agony of his soul.
" Great God ! — my mother ! " was his
mental exclamation of anguish and horror.
( 47 }
CHAPTER IV.
SUSPECTED.
The agitation on the face of Elwin Eldridge
and in his manner was too palpable for even
the most devoted friend to have acquitted
him of all knowledo^e of the heinous fraud
which seemed to have been so promptly
detected. The friend might, indeed, have
surmised that if he had meditated such a
crime he would have managed it with more
skill than was evinced in this clumsy forgery,
and would have been better prepared to
ftncounter its possible detection. But a
group of hungry and disappointed legacy
hunters had no considerations of this kind.
His looks betrayed him ; the outsiders con-
demned him off-hand, and were the more
48 BEYOND COMPARE.
bitter against him because each felt positive
that in the real will, which had been no doubt
destroyed, he or she must have been re-
membered by the "dear departed." So they
regarded the supposed robber with resentful
glances ; for, no matter what might turn up
now — unless the will still existed and could
be found — they could expect nothing.
Mrs. Eldridge sat upright on her chair,
hands crossed on her lap, and gazed at Elwin
with an expression of keen inquiry. Mr.
Hammond was busy folding up papers, and
did not after the first moment look towards
the suspected man.
Howard Durrant placed the will on the
table, but kept his hand upon it as if afraid
that there might be an attempt to snatch it
from him.
Preston Durrant broke the painful silence
again with that unseemly hoarse laugh,
although in a lower key this time than on
the previous occasion.
" By Jove ! this gives a new turn to the
SUSPECTED. 49
affair. Don't you think, auntie, we had
better set fire to this nasty bit of paper ? "
He put the question in a mocking tone,
and received no answer from the widow.
Her son spoke.
" Yes," he said hoarsely ; "it should be
put in the fire and forgotten. Even if it be
genuine, I shall refuse to touch any of the
money — the arrangement it makes is un-
natural, and monstrously unjust."
" Bravo ! — most considerate — most gene-
rous," ejaculated Preston, tapping the table
with the tips of his fingers.
Elwin saw that in his generous haste he
had made a mistake. His readiness to cancel
the will, instead of telling in his favour, was
taken as confirmation of the correctness of
the suspicion with which he was regarded.
" I must ask you, gentlemen, to remember
the circumstances under which we are met
here," interrupted Mr. Hammond, firmly,
" They are such as should preclude all levity
of conduct. I will take charge of this paper,
VOL. I. E
50 BEYOND COMPARE.
Mr. Howard, If you please, and we shall pro-
ceed to make another diligent search for the
missing document. We shall also despatch
an advertisement to the Times and other
London newspapers, as well as to our local
papers. In the meanwhile, I must beg of
you all to suspend your judgment and to be
silent about any suspicions you may enter-
tain, AlthouQ^h the slo^nature to this will is
unlike the usual signature of the late Mr,
Durrant, you should bear in mind that a man
in ill-health often writes in a style which
those most Intimate with his penmanship
would fail to recognize, I shall sfive due
Intimation to all whom It may concern as to
the result of our investigations."
Howard Durrant relinquished the docu-
ment he held under his hand with some
reluctance. The disappointed relatives par-
took voraciously of the luncheon provided
for them, as If determined to make the most
of what they could get out of the estate, and
then sulkily departed ; but before doing so
SUSPECTED. 5 1
each found an opportunity to commend his
or her interest to the attention of the lawyer.
Whilst ]\Ir, Hammond, attended by
Howard Durrant and Mrs, Eldridge, pro-
ceeded to search every nook and cranny of
the house in which a paper could be stowed
away, Preston went out to the garden, lit a
cigar, and strolled leisurely along, meditating
upon the alterations he should make as soon
as he came into possession. That would be
very soon unless the real will should be
found, for the one produced was admitted to
be worthless. Should his aunt attempt to
prove it, so much the worse for her.
He passed through the kitchen garden
and went into the orchard. The apple and
pear trees gave promise of a plentiful crop
of fruit, and he walked under them with a
happy sense of proprietorship which vastly
increased the beauty and value of the trees.
He came to a pond on which a swarm of
ducks were disporting themselves.
Beside the pond, seated on a wheelbarrow.
52 BEYOND COMPARE.
smoking a short pipe pensively and watching
the ducks, was old Job.
" Hullo, Job Klamb, where are your eyes
and your wits, that you haven't a word of
welcome for a friend ? " said Preston, slapping
the old man on the shoulder.
Job's pipe dropped from his mouth as
the result of the slap, and he looked up with
a startled expression, which slowly changed
to one of relief when he recognized the
speaker.
" Bless my soul, Master Preston, but you
did give me a skear, and my nerves ben't
right since the master died."
" Well, we've all got to travel the same
road," said Preston, puffing his cigar without
heeding whether the smoke went into Job's
feeble eyes or not.
" That's true, sir ; but we needn't come
back to fear them as be only on the road ;
and as Christians we ought to be ready for
the time, instead of calculating what we're
going to do next week. That ben't Chris-
SUSPECTED. 53
tianlike. I've been a-lookinof at them there
ducks a swimmin' about and a dipphi' their
heads and shakin' their feathers and quack-
ing to one another, as though they was to
go on so for ever. And there ben't one
that knows which of them is to be killed,
and plucked, and cooked, and eaten next.
Beggin' pardon, sir, but that was how master
went, and that was why he couldn't be
quiet."
" What do you mean, Job ? The governor
is quiet enough now."
" Ay, maybe 7zo7u," was the solemn response,
with a sorrowful shake of the head ; " but
he weren't quiet that first night, and I sticks
to what I says — he had something on his
mind that made him get up and light the
candles, and go about the room, when as
a Christian he ought to have been at peace.
Lord have mercy upon him and us ! "
Job took off his hat as he fervently uttered
his favourite prayer.
" What ! light candles and go about the
54 BEYOND COMPARE.
room after he was dead ! " exclaimed Preston,
lauofhinof at the old man's awe-stricken looks
as much as at the absurdity of the story.
" It's gospel true, sir. I saw the lights
with my own eyes, and I heard the footsteps
with my own ears."
" Somebody must have been moving
about in another room, and you mistook the
noise to be in the governor's ; or, very
likely, you were dreaming."
" Nay, it could not be anybody else, for
it was the darkest hour of the night, and
everybody was abed when I was at master's
door. I hear the sound a goin' on for a
goodish bit afore I dare go down, for it
wasn't easy to bring myself to it. My
missus will tell you that I went down to
the room, and she know I was awake
and couldn't be dreaming, though Missus
Eldridge said I must have been when she
found everything right in the place next
morning."
" Oh, she said that, too. I have no
SUSPECTED. 55
doubt she was right," commented Preston,
as he slowly rolled the cigar between his
fingers and eyed the old man keenly. The
expression was not one of surprise or
curiosity, or of amusement now ; it suggested
that he might be asking himself, " How shall
I stop this old donkey's braying ?" or, "Who
could be in the room at that hour, and for
what purpose ? "
"Was the door locked?" he asked sud-
denly.
" It was, sir; but the key was in it, and
that made the light through the keyhole
less ; but it was quite plain aneath the door.''
" And who had the keys of the governor's
boxes and bureau ? "
" Missus Eldridge, I suppose, or Master
Elwin ; but that ben't known to me for
certain."
An unpleasant smile gleamed on Preston's
face ; he had discovered something which
promised him much satisfaction.
" Ah, well. Job, you say nothing more
56 BEYOND COMPARE.
concerning this vision of yours until I tell
you," he said, with affected carelessness.
" You see it would not be agreeable to us
for such a story to get about."
" Very good, sir ; Lord knows I don't
want to speak of it."
" Then you will with the more ease hold
your tongue. I shall have a talk with my
brother and Mr. Hammond on the subject,
and we will decide whether any notice is
to be taken of your curious story or not."
" Very good, sir."
Preston moved away a few paces, halted,
and looked back.
" By the way, Job, as I shall doubtless be
master here now, I want you and your wife
to understand that you will be retained or
provided for, although I mean to make
considerable alterations in the mode of con-
ducting the establishment."
" Very good, sir ; thank you, sir," re-
sponded Job, touching his brow. But it
was clear that he had never thought of the
SUSPECTED. 57
master's death making- any change in his
position at Cleyton, and did not comprehend
the idea now that it was suggested to him.
Preston walked slowly towards the house ;
he was apparently in no hurry to consult
his brother or Mr. Hammond about the
discovery he had made, that in the middle
of the night, after his father's death, some
one had been in the room. He did not
hurry, because he wanted to see his way
through a maze of thoughts, the central point
of which was how to make the most profit
for himself out of Job's information. Of
course he had no sympathy with the old
man's superstitious interpretation of what he
had seen and heard. The light and the
sounds were to him evidences of the presence
of a person interested in the state of Anthony
Durrant's affairs.
" I told my dear aunt four years ago,"
Preston was saying to himself, " when the
governor packed me off with a miserable
two hundred per annum, paid cjuarterly, that
58 BEYOND COMPARE.
I should remember my obligations to her.
The governor might have given in if she
hadn't been eairer to cret me out of the
way, so as to afford a better chance for that
cub of hers. There seems to be an oppor-
tunity here for paying off old scores with
interest."
His suspicion of the share Mrs. Eldridge
had taken in his banishment had no other
foundation than the knowledge that she had
been consulted by his father the day before
the latter had pronounced sentence upon
him. He entirely left out of count the fact
that the sentence had been brought upon
him by his repeatedly broken promises to
give up cards, the turf, and gambling in all
its forms, to drop the acquaintance of a
certain Captain Guyton Brasnet, and to
apply himself in earnest to his studies for
the bar, which he had been pottering over
for nearly ten years without having made
any serious effort to pass the necessary
examinations.
SUSPECTED. 59
He also left out of count the fact that
he found it very convenient to go abroad
at the time his father commanded him to
do so ; for there were a number of pro-
missory notes rapidly maturing which he
had no prospect of meeting or of being
able to renew. Like most men who bring
ruin upon themselves, it was a great salve
for his pride and conscience to feel angry
with some one whom he could regard as
the chief cause of his losing that last chance
which would have retrieved all — according
to his way of it. So he decided that his
aunt had placed the last straw on the back
of his father's patience, thus robbing him of
the one chance more he needed in order
to put everything straight.
The truth was that when Anthony con-
sulted Mrs. Eld ridge about what was to be
done with his scapegrace son, she peremp-
torily refused to express an opinion on
the subject one way or another. Shrewd
as her brother, she knew very well that he
6o BEYOND COMPARE.
went through this farce of seeking advice,
not because he wanted it, but because he
wished to be able to say afterwards that he
had not acted rashly or without discussing
the matter widi others before adopting the
harsh measure that he had already decided
to adopt.
The brother, however, was content with
the formality of the farce, and dismissed his
elder son with the assurance that, unless
he could give proofs of progress in some
business or profession in the course of the
next three years, he would find no plums
for him in his father s will.
Preston went off, cursing fate and his aunt,
and blaming them for barring his way at
the turning-point of his career, when he
really had meant to reform : he was quite
convinced that he would have turned over
a new leaf this time if those malign forces
had not interfered.
He joined his friend Captain Brasnet,
and became involved in a variety of " little
SUSPECTED. 6 1
speculations," which brought him perilously
near the wind of the law. That he had so
far escaped utter shipwreck was due to the
skilful pilotage of Captain Brasnet, who,
" knowing the ropes well," as he would say
himself, took care of Preston because he was
a useful tool. But it had not yet dawned
on the mind of Anthony Durrant's outcast
son that he was a mere tool ; he had been
thus far spared the humiliation of the dis-
covery of his real position. His blissful
ignorance was partly due to the cunning of
his companion, or, rather, leader ; largely
to his own vanity, and mostly to that moral
ineptitude which had led him to believe
that " a short life and a merry one " was
better than a long life and a steady one.
As he wended his way along the paths of
orchard and gardens of Cleyton at present,
now nearing the house and again moving
away from it, he was full of self-complacency.
The will which had been produced was
clearly a false one, and whoever had dc-
62 BEYOND COMPARE.
stroyed the other had done him a good
turn ; for he felt sure that his father would
not have left him more than a hundred or
two, whereas, if no properly authenticated
will could be found, he would inherit, at any
rate, half the estate.
So he calculated ; and he was so grateful
to Elwin for his clumsy fraud — for, of course,
Elwin was the guilty person — that he felt
almost disposed to forego the revenge he
desired to wreak on Mrs. Eldridge, and to
let her son off unprosecuted. But that was
a matter for further consideration.
63
CHAPTER V.
STUNG TO THE QUICK.
The lawyer and Howard Durrant had spent
four hours in a dihgent examination of all
the deceased's repositories, examining every
paper separately, and making memoranda of
those relating to property.
Mrs. Eldridge, grave and silent, accom-
panied them, but took no active part in their
proceedings, whilst watching them narrowly.
Her arms were bent from the elbows at rieht
angles ; the left hand rested on the wrist of
the right which clasped the left elbow. She
offered no comment or suggestion, and,
indeed, did not speak except in reply to some
observation of Mr. Hammond or Howard.
64 BEYOND COMPARE.
" I think that is all we can do to-day," said
the lawyer, at length. " Do you think, Mrs.
Eldridge, that your brother had any secret
hiding-place in the house ? "
" If he had, he never told me, and was not
likely to confide the secret to any one. There
is a drawer in the old bureau, but I supposed
that Howard knew the trick of it."
"My father never allowed me to touch the
old bureau," said the younger son, humbly
and with a regretful sigh. " If he had only
placed a little more confidence in me we
might have been spared much trouble and
anxiety."
" Do you know the trick of it, Mrs.
Eldridge ? " queried the lawyer, sharply.
" I know it," she rejoined coldly, "because
I was his caretaker as well as his managing
clerk when I was helping him to make his
fortune."
" I am glad you can help us. No doubt
we shall find what w^e want in the place you
refer to."
STUNG TO THE QUICK. 65
The old lawyer's eyes sparkled with satis-
faction at the prospect of being able to close
the day's labours successfully, although he
felt some little irritation with Mrs. Eldridg-e
for keeping back this information so long.
The old-fashioned bureau, which had been
one of Anthony Durrant's earliest acquisi-
tions after he bes^an business on his own
account in Norwich — he bought it cheap at
the sale of the household goods of a sporting
squire who had come to grief — was made of
solid oak. The slanting front when un-
locked was drawn dow^n and formed a desk,
with convenient pigeon-holes behind it. The
top, with its bevelled edges, was rather more
than two inches thick, and looked more solid
than any other portion of the structure.
" Do you see anything peculiar about this,
Howard ? " the aunt asked, proud that she
^could give a proof of her share in laying the
foundation-stone of her brother's wealth, and
as she spoke her hand rested on the top of
the bureau.
VOL. I. F
66 BEYOND COMPARE.
" I do not, and never understood that there
was anythhig particular about it."
" I thought so. Give me the keys."
She thrust a key into the socket which
held the bolts of the lock when the slanting
front was closed. There was a harsh click,
as if the spring had become rusty.
" Now," she said, pointing to the bevelled
edge, "pull this out — place your hands at
both ends."
Howard obeyed ; but at first there was
no sign of any movement of the wood. He
increased his efforts and drew forth a long
shallow drawer cram-full of faded-looking
papers.
" I fear, Mr. HammOnd, you will not find
what you want here," she said, crossing her
arms as before, and resuming her attitude of
surveillance. " Seems to me that Anthony
must have given up using this hiding-place,
for these things look like papers that I
myself put there years ago."
She was right, as the result of the lawyer's
STUNG TO THE QUICK. 67
and Howard's inspection proved. There
was no document in the secret drawer of
more recent date than thirty years before
its present opening. Mr. Hammond was
puzzled by the behaviour of a man in whose
strict attention to order and methodical
arrangement of his affairs he had hitherto
reposed implicit faith.
On returning to the dining-room they
found Preston lounging in an easy chair and
smoking placidly. He was apparently in-
different to the result of the investigations
which were going forward. However, when
the party entered, he took the cigar from his
mouth and said languidly —
" Well, found anything ? "
" Nothing," returned the lawyer, tartly, for
he did not like the conduct Preston had
adopted throughout the day. " We have
found nothing, and I think we must now
await the result of our advertisements. He .
may have deposited his will with some pro-
fessional man in London. Meanwhile, if you
68 BEYOND COMPARE.
will allow me — and I make the proposal as
much on your account as because the late
Mr. Durrant entrusted me with the manage-
ment of the Cleyton Estate — I will take care
of the keys."
"Agreed," said Preston, without allowing
any one else time to speak. He continued,
" By the way, Aunt Eldridge, I am told
by Job Klamb that there was somebody in
the eovernor's room on the niofht he died.
The old fool believes it was his master who
was having a last skip round the place ; but
we know that is nonsense. Can you tell us
anything about it, aunt ? "
Elwin, who had been to Springfield to
attend to some necessary business, entered
quietly whilst his cousin was speaking.
" I know nothing more about it than that,
after hearing Job's story, I inspected the
room, and found everything exactly as it had
been when I left it," replied Mrs. Eldridge,
more coldly than ever.
"Ah, and so you didn't think it worth
STUNG TO THE QUICK. 69
mentioning to us. Perhaps you can tell us
now who had the keys of the things in the
room that nio^ht ? "
" I had them," said Elwin, advancing
towards his cousin, whose sneering tone had
roused him to a dangerous degree ; but he
managed to control himself so as to speak
quietly, although with a latent fierceness
which a little more provocation would have
let loose. " My mother was tired, and
needed rest. In order to get to Mr. Ham-
mond's place first thing in the morning, and
to telegraph for Howard, I had to leave here
early, and to prevent my mother from being
disturbed I took the keys from her before
she went to bed, so that I might deliver
them to Mr. Hammond or to Howard."
Although Preston was physically a weak
man, he was not a coward. Had occasion
required it, he would have defended himself
against an aggressor even when he knew
that he must be beaten. But there was
something in Elwin which he felt to be
70 BEYOND COMPvVRE.
mentally and morally, as well as physically,
so much above him that he shrank from an
open encounter with him.
" You needn't look as if you were going
to bite my head off, old fellow. I asked a
natural question, and you have answered it
satisfactorily. As you had the keys it must
have been all right ; and as your mother
said, and I said, the old duffer must have
been dreaming."
The assurance of confidence was distinct
enough in words, but the tone implied with
equal distinctness that he believed Elwin to
have been the midnight intruder in the dead
man's room. Howard's expression plainly
indicated that he was impressed with the
same idea, and believed, moreover, that the
circumstances might have an important bear-
ing on the character of the will which had
been produced.
Mr. Hammond had been all along trying
to maintain a perfectly impartial mental
balance ; to form no fixed opinion as to who
STUNG TO THE QUICK. 7 1
might be the perpetrator of the attempted
fraud ; but he found it difficult, in the face
of what was now stated, to avoid thinking
that Elwin might have been the untimely-
visitor. He did not care to put a direct
question until he had some more substantial
grounds to move on than a dotard's gossip.
Preston and Howard did not think it neces-
sary to put the question at present.
Mrs. Eldridge was of a different opinion.
Her keen grey eyes flashed scornfully on the
brothers and the lawyer ; then they were
directed towards her son, and her brow
wrinkled as if cords were drawn across it.
" Elwin," she said sternly, " do you not
feel what these men are thinking ? Answer
— were you in your uncle's room on that
night ? "
" I was not. The last time I was there
was when we had the dispute about the rent
of the meadows we had from him for a
season. That was two years ago."
The reply was simple and direct. He
72 BEYOND COMPARE.
saw that Mr. Hammond believed him and
that the brothers did not ; but, strangest of
all enigmas, he fancied that his mother
doubted him, althouo^h she maintained an air
of triumph and defiance. Elwin's heart was
aching, and he shuddered inwardly as he
looked at his mother's fierce, uncompromising
face and heard the angry ring of her voice.
"Are you satisfied?" she said, looking
disdainfully from one to the other. " You,
Preston Durrant, have already spent a for-
tune, for which you did nothing ; you,
Howard, have had a fortune, and have done
well with it. You should both be content.
I who gave the best part of my life and my
dearest hopes to help to make the wealth on
which you have both drawn so largely, have
had nothing. I say, that will which you call
a forgery is a just will — a just acknowledg-
ment of my services and sacrifices. Take
that from me, and you rob me of my right.
You, Preston, are indifferent to any stigma
that may be cast upon you ; but you, ' pious
STUNG TO THE QUICK. 73
Howard,' can feel something of what it will
be to be denounced in the market-place as
the robber of the widow and fatherless."
Her vehemence subdued even Preston,
There was no sneer upon his lips as there
would have been had he not felt that this
tirade was uttered by one who claimed justice
rather than money. As for Howard, he
closed his eyes, and with bowed head and
clasped arms seemed to be devoutly praying
to be saved from the wrath of a scolding
woman.
" My dear Mrs. Eldridge," said the lawyer,
soothingly, " pray do not distress yourself
unnecessarily. Although this will, from its
form and the nature of its contents, is ex-
tremely unsatisfactory, we must not finally
decide as to its genuineness until we have
examined the two men who witnessed it, and
have also done our utmost to discover the
will which your brother described to me. A
little patience, old friend, and we shall get
everything put right. No one knows better
74 BEYOND COMPARE.
than I do what claim you have on your
brother's estate."
" Thank you, Mr. Hammond," she said,
with a resumption of her ordinary calmness
as sudden as was her outburst of passion.
" I am content that the whole business should
be in your hands ; but I presume it will be
requisite for me to instruct another solicitor
to watch over my interests."
"It will be advisable ; but I hope we shall
be able, under any circumstances, to arrange
matters amicably without having to go into
court."
The widow was silent for a moment, as if
considering the position and the answer she
should make to the lawyer's friendly sugges-
tion.
" I shall be guided by my man of business ;
and you know, Mr. Hammond, that your
counsel will always have due weight with
me. Until things are definitely settled, I
shall not again enter Cleyton. Good-night."
Her step was resolute as she went out.
STUNG TO THE QUICK. 75
followed by Elwin. But when they had
crossed the lawn and passed on to the foot-
path which led by the side of a ditch through
the meadows to Springfield, she suddenly
grasped his arm as if for support. At the
same time she rested her head on his
shoulder, and gave vent to a half-stifled
groan.
He halted, and, whilst putting his arm
round her waist, gazed anxiously in her
wearied face.
" The excitement has been too much for
you, mother. ... I wish to God you could
have given up all thought of uncle's money
long ago. It would have been best for us
all."
There was a note of bitterness in these
two last sentences which caused her to look
up and scrutinize him curiously.
" Why should I have given up thinking of
what was my due, and what we needed so
much ? "
" Because we could have got on better
7*5 BEYOND COMPARE.
if you had not cherished this vain — this mad
hope."
" I beheved that years would bring back
Anthony's affection to me — bring him back
to what he was when we began the struggle
of life together,"
" Mother," he said nervously, "let me ask
you one question. Do you know anytJmig
about this will which has been produced f "
Her keen grey eyes were fixed steadily on
his as she responded with deliberate slow-
ness — ■
" Nothing more than the others. Do
you ? "
He was silent and turned away his head.
Knowing the mania which had for so many
years possessed her, and by the light of that
knowledge, reading between the lines of her
words and conduct this day, combined with
what he had seen her do on tJiat night, he
had no escape from the horrible suspicion
which had forced itself upon him, that in her
insanity she had taken the true will from the
STUNG TO THE QUICK. "]"]
bureau and substituted the false one. He
could not say, " Mother, / saw you take the
paper. For God's sake abandon all claim
upon the property and save me — save your-
self from the terrible consequences of this
forgery. Preston, Howard, Mr. Hammond,
and all the others believe me to be guilty.
Should they press the charge against me, I
am powerless to do anything more than
declare my innocence, for I cannot denounce
my mother."
He could not bring himself to say this to
her ; and as the thoughts flashed through his
brain with their attendant panorama of a
criminal court, prison, and disgrace, the
mother still resting her hand on his arm felt
his whole frame quivering. When the
mental pictures revealed to him Berta on her
knees, with hands outstretched, imploring
him to prove his innocence for her sake, he
started convulsively, and said in a husky
voice —
" Let us go on, mother. It is getting late."
78 BEYOND COMPARE.
" Yes, Let us go on. I am tired and
want to rest. This has been a sorry day for
me."
When they were parting for the night,
Elwin was very pale, and his mother's face
was more haggard than he had ever seen it
before.
" Mother," he said tenderly, " can you
not bring yourself to tell them they may put
that paper in the fire so far as we are con-
cerned ? It would give me peace of mind."
Again she scrutinized him curiously before
answering.
" I dare say I shall have to do so ; but
had I followed your lead and done it at once
— don't you see ? — they would have believed
that we had manufactured it, and were
frightened by the detection of our crime."
( 79 )
CHAPTER YI.
SLANDER.
Although the death of the proprietor of
Cleyton had caused little commotion in the
county, the rumours which were flying about
on the day after the funeral, carried in all
directions by invisible telegraphs, did arouse
intense interest in village and town, in
cottage and mansion, and even the sweet
quietude of country parsonages was ruffled
by them.
The rumours gathered bulk and detail as
they rolled along like a snowball. First the
story went that old Durrant's affairs were
in a dreadful muddle, that his will had been
stolen and a forofed one substituted. Next
that everything was to be thrown into
8o BEYOND COMPARE.
Chancery, and there would be a great law-
suit between the sons of the deceased and
the Eldridges of Springfield. Improving
upon these versions of what had occurred,
there were whispers of Elwin's name in
very unpleasant juxtaposition with possible
charges of forgery ; and, as a grand climax,
the whispers gave out that somebody might
be accused of murder, and that Anthony's
body was to be exhumed.
The source of these exaggerations was
not far to seek. However reserved Mr.
Hammond, the brothers, and the Eldridges
might choose to be, the disappointed cousins
of all degrees felt no call upon them to hold
their tongues, or to deny themselves the
relief which they found in ventilating their
chagrin by reporting with embellishments
what they had seen and heard, with many
additions of what they had neither seen nor
heard except in their own imagination.
Amongst the first to be regaled with some
of these interesting rumours was Berta's
SLANDER. 8 1
grandfather, Roger Skyles. He was a
sturdy, shrewd-headed man in his own hne
of business, and out of these quaHties had
made his way to the highest social position
in Sandybeach as fisherman, smackowner,
and houseowner, for he held the freehold
of more than twenty of the cottages round
about, with the land attached.
But he was like a child when assailed
with land-gossip. If told that a man had
over-reached his neighbour in a bargain, he
called him a cheat, and would hear no more
of him. If informed that somebody — man
or woman — had gone wrong, he was sorry,
and hoped that he or she would live long
enough to repent and atone. He accepted
what he heard literally ; and so, when after
much straining of his wits, he made out
that Elwin Eldridge was suspected of having
committed a crime which might bring him
to penal servitude, if not to the gallows, he
growled ferociously, " It's a lie," and turned
away to his boats and nets, for amon'^'^st
VOL. I. G
82 BEYOND COMPARE.
them he always felt at ease, and could think
out quietly anything that perplexed him till
he found a solution.
He was in a bad humour with the news
and the bringers of it ; because he liked
Elwin, and believed him to be the finest
young fellow he had come across. He was
in a doubly bad humour because he knew
that Berta held the same opinion, and would
be greatly upset by these reports. So he
tried to drown the fear that there mio-ht
be something in the story by repeating to
himself, "It's a lie— it's a lie." When he
observed Berta advancinor with a bie basket
full of linen to hang out to dry, he said out
loud —
" It's a darned lie."
This powerful assertion of faith seemed
to comfort him, and he steered his course
with elephantine swings of his limbs — he
seemed to fling his arms and legs down as
he walked — across the sands to the girl.
The basket she carried was heavy, but it
SLANDER. 83
was light compared to the weight of her
heart. She, too, had heard about the Cley-
ton business, and she was wearying for
Elwin to come and explain everything to
her. That he had not appeared on the day
after the funeral was a source of as much
surprise as disappointment ; and here was
the forenoon of the second day, and still
there was no sign from him.
She knew that he was blameless of any
share in a dishonest or dishonourable action,
whatever pinch of truth there might be in
the sand-cloud of gossip which was making
everybody's eyes tingle and twinkle. But
she wanted to learn from himself precisely
how she could best find an antidote for the
poison of slander's shafts. His absence
meant that something very extraordinary
had occurred, and she worried and frightened
herself with wild imaginings of possible
events. Whatever it might be, she felt that
he would be strengthened if she were near
him — had he not often said that he felt like
S4 BEYOND COMPARE.
a giant when her hand touched him ? And
so she had determined that if he did not
arrive or send a message before the evening
was over she would go to Springfield first
thing in the morning and inquire.
The prospect of a visit to the farm was
not altogether agreeable to her ; for, although
Dame Eldridge had made no open opposi-
tion to the sweetheartino- which she knew
was going on, she gave it no encouragement.
Berta had never attempted to define the feel-
ings with which she regarded her betrothed's
mother, and probably would have failed to
do so if she had tried ; but she always ex-
perienced a sense of discomfort in her pre-
sence, as if there were some incomprehensible
malevolent influence between them. Their
intercourse was consequently always of a
stiff and guarded nature, something like that
of armed foes who are conscious that open
hostilities might break out at any moment.
Berta did not speak of these sensations to
Elwin, although they puzzled and often
SLANDER. 55
grieved her ; but she avoided visiting Spring-
held as much as she could without showinc:
positive objection to it.
The answer to the puzzle was very simple.
Mrs. Eldridge gave the approval of silence to
this " philandering courtship," as she called
it — she never thought of a definite engage-
ment — because it helped to pacify her son
in his compulsory stay at the farm ; and she
fancied that the affair could be broken off at
any time if required.
Neither El win nor Berta had the remotest
suspicion that such an idea lurked in his
mother's mind ; and, so far, no sign had been
given that there was a possibility of any
objection being raised to the choice he had
made.
Berta was busy pegging a tablecloth on to
the rope when Roger anchored behind her,
hands sunk deep down in his breeches'
pockets, and his large eyes gazing at her as
it he were scanning the horizon for any signs
of a coming squall.
86 BEYOND COMPARE.
"Well, Beart," he exclaimed, as if he had
b^en calling to the look-out man in a gale.
He had transposed the letter "a" in his pro-
nunciation of her name, compressing it into
one syllable, on which he always laid so
much emphasis that an outsider would have
thought he said " bear."
" Yes, dad," answered she, with some
difficulty, for there was a peg obstinately
refusing to be made fast, whilst the wind
blowing strong across the denes was flutter-
ing the clothes around her.
" Heard anything about Elwin ? Be he
coming to ours to-day?" ("our house" being
understood).
She put up the last article that had been
in the basket before replying. Then she
turned to her grandfather, whon, she always
called " dad."
" I have heard about him," she said ; "but
he has not sent any message yet. He will
be here to-day, though," she added hopefully.
Roger thrust his hands a little deeper in
SLANDER. 87
the deep pouches, and took another survey
of the horizon. Then —
" You've heard what's howlin' along on the
wind, Beart, and it ben't a pretty sound. I
would rather he had been the first to tell us
about it, and I don't like his bein' so long a-
coming with his news. O' course it's all lies
— we know that. But it would be more
comfortin' like if we heard him say so."
That was exactly what Berta felt, and it
not only strengthened her resolution to go to
Springfield, but suggested that it might be as
well to start at once instead of delaying till
morning in the hope of Elwin coming in the
mean time.
"He will be glad to hear you say that,
dear old dad," and she laid her hand on his
arm, whilst her eyes glowed upon him with
affectionate gratitude. "He must be suffer-
ing cruelly if he knows one-fourth of what is
being said about him."
" All lies, Beart ; all lies," was the indig-
nant growl which was offered in consolation.
88 BEYOND COMPARE.
She started, and pointed to a man who
was walking leisurely over the denes in their
direction. He was short, square-built, and
dressed in a dark tweed suit, surmounted by
a fox-eared cap of the same colour — evidently
a tourist.
" Do you see that man, dad ? "
" Sure," answered Roger, when he had
turned round. " Rather short in the beam,
but a tough-looking craft."
" That is the man who gave me such a
fright the other night."
** That was the night old Durrant died, and
this chap ran foul of you as you turned the
corner when you were coming home from
the old man's. He was civil, you said."
" Oh, yes, civil — very civil ; but I don't
like him."
" Well, there's some one as you do like.
Ahoy ! " shouted Roger, to attract the atten-
tion of Elwin, who had been apparently on
his way to the cottage.
{ 89 )
CHAPTER VII.
CROSS-EXAMINED.
As Elwin approached, Roger Skyles' arms
gave a jerk upwards although the hands
were not taken from the pouches, and the
movement hcid the effect of making the
underpart of his thick blue jersey form into
rolls like thick ropes wound round his waist.
At the same time he gave vent to a sound
which was like a long drawn out "So — o!"
and might be interpreted as —
"St. Nicholas" (the patron saint of fisher-
men) " be thanked, he has come at last !
Now we'll get some sort of understandin'
about thin<rs."
Berta observed what her grandfather did
90 BEYOND COMPARE.
not — that Elwin's head was bowed and his
shoulders bent as they never were except
when some heavy trouble was weighing
upon and pressing him down. She had seen
him twice before walk like this ; and on each
occasion the oppressed bearing had been
due to anxiety on his mother's account.
This time he looked worse than then, and
she attributed the effect to the same cause,
" I could not come to you sooner, Berta.
My mother has been very much upset by
all that has happened, and has had little
sleep since uncle died, and none at all for
more than three nights."
" I hope she is better," said Berta, watch-
ing him anxiously, and trying to discover
how she might most readily console him.
"I do not know. The doctor has given
her something that he says ought to give
her four or five hours of unconsciousness,
if not of good sleep. He has promised to
stay for an hour, and that gave me this
chance of coming to you."
CROSS-EXAMINED. 9 1
" Why did you not send for me ? " There
was gentle reproach in the question, but, as
if sorry that she should betray even a shade
of disapprobation at this time, she added
quickly, " You know that I ought to be
with you when she is ill. I will get ready
at once to go with you to Springfield,"
He smiled gratefully, although the smile
shone through a very sad expression.
" I expected you to propose that, Berta,"
he said in an undertone, "and you know
what a help it would be to have you near
me just now. But what does your grand-
father say ? "
Roger gave his arms another jerk, ruffling
his jersey still more, and his large head three
meditative jerks forward.
" Grandfather says this here : if so bein'
as his old woman is agreeable he won't say
no. But afore we settle that, I should like
to hear something of your version of them
stories as is goin' about. You can't help
having heard that "
92 BEYOND COMPARE.
Roger stopped and jerked his arms with
unusual violence.
Elwin's face flushed, and Berta's flushed
and tingled in sympathy with him. He
found it difficult to speak for a moment, and
when he did overcome his sense of abase-
ment mineled with indignation, his voice
was not so firm as his hearers would have
liked it to be.
" I know what you are alluding to.
People say that the only will of my uncle
which has yet been discovered is a forger}',
and that I am suspected of being the
lorger.
"And it is a wicked falsehood," said Berta,
clasping both her hands confidently on his
arm, and the faith which was in her soul
Mowed like sunlight on her face.
" I expect you, Berta, and you, Roger
Skyles, to understand that it is a falsehood
without a word from me. A falsehood so
absurd that I do not choose to contradict
it or to defend myself against it."
CROSS-EXAMINED. 93
Roo-er drew his riVht hand out from its
pouch and gave his knee a sounding slap.
" 1 said from the first it was a He, a darned
lie, and I'm elad vou bear me out. I was
certain you would, but, same time, it's com-
fortin' like for us to hear it out of your own
mouth."
He spoke with supreme exultation ; his
broad bronzed face beamed with satisfaction ;
his shaggy reddish-grey whiskers and beard
bristled with joy, and he seemed on the
point of shouting "hoorah," when a faint
cloud suddenly shadowed his honest brow.
He had recalled to mind a case in which
the master of one of his smacks had tried
to cheat him by the simple trick of bribing
one of the crew to do the job for him so
that he could swear he had not falsified the
accounts, and was checkmated by the lawyer
insisting upon having a direct answer to the
question : " Do you know who did do it —
or do you suspect any one ? "
But although this question had forced
94 BEYOND COMPARE.
itself upon his mind, Roofer could not brincr
himself to treat Elwin as the lawyer had
done the fraudulent skipper ; and yet, having
got the notion of a test question into his head;
he could not be satisfied without havino- an
answer,
" Look here," he said, fumbling with his
beard and feeling uncomfortable, " you know
that we do-on't want to put anything atween
you and Beart. Same time we've got a duty
to do. We want our girl to be happy, and
you seem to be the lad as she thinks will
steer her into a good haven. But afore she
get into your boat we want to be sure that
you have everything right for clear sailing.
Now, there's just one thing more I'd like
you to tell me."
" What is it ? "
"Well, it comes to this. Do you know
if this business of your uncle's has been
tampered with ? "
" I believe it has," was the husky answer.
" Then, do you know who did it ? "
CROSS-EXAMINED. 95
" I do not know," answered Elwin, and,
in spite of himself, there was a suggestive
emphasis on the word " know."
Roeer fumbled with his beard ao^ain. He
wanted to get at the truth of the thing ; and
whilst he still had complete faith in Elwin,
he did not relish his downcast looks and the
hesitation with which he spoke.
"Come here, Beart," ejaculated the grand-
father, suddenly. " I don't feel up to it ; but
you put it to him. Has he any notion as to
who might be the party as made away with
the old man's will ? "
Berta had not the remotest doubt that
Elwin was entirely ignorant of anything that
could have tended to clear up the mystery
about his uncle's will ; and yet, somehow,
this particular question, in conjunction with
that involuntary emphasis on the word
" know," made her pause for a moment.
She spoke, and the question trembled on
her lips like a butterfly on a rosebud.
To her utter amazement he did not answer
g6 BEYOND COMPARE.
at once. He looked confused ; and she
fancied that for a moment there was an im-
ploring glance in his eyes as if he were crying
to her to help him out of some difficulty.
He did know something of the matter ; he
did suspect somebody ; but even if they had
been alone he could not have explained the
suspicion to her. In the presence of her
grandfather it was impossible to hint that his
tono-ue was tied. She would have under-
stood, and would have been silent with un-
shaken faith. With Roger surveying him as
if he were a light in a fog by which they
were to be steered safely into haven, he
could not say to her —
" I fear the truth. I do suspect the guilty
one ; but let me be silent for both our sakes.
I may be wrong — I hope I am wrong — God
knows how I hope and pray that I am wrong.
But spare me now. For a time, ask me
nothing."
He could not say that ; so he answered,
somewhat sullenly —
CROSS-EXAMINED. 97
I have told you all I know. With that
you must be content."
There was a momentary gleam of surprise
on the girl's face, but immediately afterwards
he saw only a comfort-giving smile.
"You are not allowins: yourself to be
worried by the nonsense folk are talking,"
she said lightly, as if to impress him again
with her utter indifference to the scandals
she had heard.
" It is not easy to avoid being irritated by
it, when every man and woman — aye, even
the children — stare as you pass, and you feel
that they are calculating the chances of your
beincf an honest man or a felon."
" I did not think you would feel it so much,
Elwin," she said, sympathetically. " You
know how people do go on, whenever any-
thing the least bit out of the ordinary way
happens."
He tried to laugh, but the effort was a
failure, and he promptly gave it up.
" I do feel it more than I can tell you,
VOL I. H
98 BEYOND COMPARE.
Berta," he said frankly. " The ball was set
going in the dining-room at Cleyton, and it
seems to me that somebody is busily engaged
in keeping it rolling, apart from the self-
acting power which all scandal possesses."
" Can anybody bear such malice against
you as to do that ? "
" How can we tell ? Preston is fit for any-
thing, I believe ; but although he sneers, and
makes no attempt to hide his belief that I
have something to do with the affair, I should
be more inclined to credit Howard as the
active ao^ent in the scandal-mono^erino^ busi-
ness."
" Oh, surely not him ! Everybody says he
is such a good, religious man,"
Elwin gave vent to a short, contemptuous
laugh, which was so unlike him that Berta
regarded him with a quick glance of sur-
prise, and Roger took another puzzled survey
of the horizon, as if certain that there was
dirty weather brewing somewhere, although
he could not make out in what quarter.
CROSS-EXAMINED. 99
" His father did not reckon much on that
element of my cousin's character," Elwin
rejoined, " and that was why he nicknamed
him 'the pious Howard.' But all he could
say would not have affected us if it had not
been for old Job's story."
" What was it ? "
" Well, setting aside Job's superstitious
interpretation of the circumstances, it amounts
to this : The old man discovered that, after
midnight, when uncle was only a few hours
dead, somebody was in his room, with candles
alight, which were immediately put out when
Job made a noise at the door."
" What has that to do with you ? "
" A great deal. At the time Job raves
about I was in the house, and I had the care
of uncle's keys. So the two circumstances
put together are the source of all the calum-
nies about me which at present fill the
gossips' mouths."
Berta realized the awkwardness of his
position, and the presumption it provided in
lOO BEYOND COMPARE.
favour of the suspicions — if not convictions —
of his comphcity in the muddle of Anthony
Durrant's affairs. Althouo^h her childhood
had been passed in an atmosphere of super-
stition, the effects of it had been dispelled,
partly by the excellent education her grand-
father had secured for her, and largely by her
own common sense.
Her childish imagination had been often
impressed by legends of coaches and horses
which at midnight on certain occasions drove
straight across country, over ditches and
rivers, where there were no bridges, and
through strong, flint walls in which there
were no gateways ; and other portents of
death or disaster approaching some member
of the great county families. But she had
learned to regfard all these thins^s as she did
fairy stories, possessing "a fearful joy" for
children, and productive of ugly nightmares,
which ought not to be encouraged. Her
scepticism in regard to the most treasured
fables of the district had roused the minds
CROSS-EXAMINED. lOI
of some honest folk in Sandybeach to the
fear that she was not a Christian.
But even if she had retained any Hngering
sentiment of her childish awe of ghosts, the
idea of a ghost requiring a candle would have
tickled her sense of humour by its inconsis-
tency. Her disbelief in ghosts, however,
was not a comfort at this moment, for it en-
abled her to see the more plainly the unplea-
sant position in which her lover was placed.
Roger Skyles hung half-way between
faith and unfaith in ghosts and portents. He
professed to be ready to face any shape or
shade that might appear to him from the
other world ; yet he had a guilty conscious-
ness of having been frightened nigh unto
death one dark night by seeing two fiery eyes
glaring at him through a gap in a hedge,
before which he had remained for hours (as
he fancied) until a loud "hee-haw" at first
made his heart jump into his throat, so that
his last breath seemed to have come, and
then relieved him as he recognized the
I02 BEYOND COMPARE.
sound, and knew that what he had for a
space supposed to be a spiritual visitor was
only a stray donkey. He told that story as
a joke against himself and a rebuke to the
timorous. But he would not have walked
through the churchyard alone at midnight
for any consideration.
As to portents, he held them more boldly
in contempt. The " weather machines," he
declared, were the real " portenters," for they
told you when it was to be warm or cold,
or rainy or fair. But he had never sailed
from the haven himself on a Friday, or per-
mitted any of his boats to go to sea on that
traditionally unlucky day.
The story of Job Klamb's experience
affected him in two ways, which he expounded
as soon as he heard Berta's comment on
what Elwin told them.
" It can matter little to you or to — to us,"
she said softly, " what folk may say or think,
since you know, and we know, that they are
wrong."
CROSS-EXAMINED. IO3
Thereat, Roger appeared to be satisfied
with his survey of the horizon, and gave his
knee another sounding slap.
■" Beart's riofht. What can it matter to us ?
A clear conscience, lad, will pull you through ;
and I'll put the folk hereabout on the right
tack, never you fear. So cheer up, sonny ;
we are on your side."
Nothing could have afforded the hearers
more satisfaction than this declaration of
confidence ; for both had observed symptoms
of hesitation in Roger's manner, and they
knew that when he had once taken grip of
an idea it became almost ineradicable by
proof or reason. Happily for them he had
taken hold of the idea most pleasing to them
— that Ehvin was blameless.
But before the thrill of comfort and satis-
faction with which Roger's cheery words
affected him had subsided, Elwin was askinor
himself — had he a clear conscience ? He
was afraid not ; nay, he knew that he had
not, or the lying whispers which reached his
I04 BEYOND COMPARE.
ears would not have had the power to sting-
him as they did. Had any one made an
open accusation he would have known how
to act. But everybody repeated only what
"others" were saying, and of course were
careful to profess disbelief in it whenever
they suspected that there was a likelihood
of any friend of his naming the last maligner
to him.
" I must bear it all in silence," was his
bitter thought ; " and I cannot tell even
Berta why I must be silent."
It would have afforded him infinite comfort
if he could have realized the perfect faith
which the girl reposed in him. Few men do,
fewer still can conceive the depth of faith
which underlies an honest woman's love.
We constantly hear and read of men who
are scoundrels in all degrees to the whole
world except one woman. Be the man
guilty of all the crimes in the calendar, in-
cluding brutality to herself, she will still find
excuses for him, and try to palliate his guilt.
CROSS-EXAMINED. IO5
Of course, this Is not always the case ; but
it is frequently so, and the wonder is that
it should ever occur at all.
Berta knew that there was something
Elwin did not want to speak about. She
also knew that whatever that subject might
be, it concerned the peace of somebody else,
and she was satisfied that he should be silent
until he felt free to speak, or for ever if he
thought proper.
1/
106 BEYOND COMPARE.
CHAPTER VIII.
" IS SHE MAD ? "
Berta and Elvvin started together for the
farm.
The road which stretched out from the
village in the direction of Springfield was
long, straight, and of a pale yellow colour.
When the wind blew strongly — and it fre-
quently did so — clouds of sandy dust rushed
furiously east or west, obliging those who
faced the current to bow their heads low or
turn their backs until the gust passed. A
ditch for drainage, and a thick hedge of
holly and hawthorn bounded the road on
each side with lonely trees rising up here
and there like sentinels posted along the
way. On this June day the gaps and gate-
, " IS SHE MAD ?" 107
ways which broke the monotonous line of
the hedges showed fields so prolific of butter-
cups that they were more yellow than green,
and dazzled the eyes. Cattle were lazily
browsing or lying on the ground stolidly
staring at nothing with their big, drowsy
brown eyes.
" Did you ever feel envious of the beasts
of the field, Berta ? " inquired Elwin in a
half-jesting, half-cynical tone as they marched
at a steady pace along the road..
" No ; why should I ? " she replied, as-
tonished by the question and the tone.
" Because they are never troubled by any
thought of to-morrow. They eat, and sleep,
and do not know, therefore do not care, that
the faster they thrive the faster they advance
to the slaughter-house."
" Mow do yott know that they have no
thoughts ? " she inquired, with a comical
twinkle in her eyes.
" Because if they had, they would not try
to grow fat. They enjoy the present, and
I08 BEYOND COMPARE.
SO have happy Hves. Seeing nothing beyond
the moment, the butcher's tap on the head
gives them peace without the agonies of
anticipatory terrors to which the .so-called
higher animals are doomed."
" I don't believe we are doomed to these
terrors ; we create them for ourselves," she
answered resolutely. But her lover's mood
rendered her uneasy, and she was glad to
find an opportunity for immediately changing
the subject of conversation. "Is not that
Dr. Costessy's gig coming ? "
He looked along the vista between the
hedgerows anxiously.
" Yes ; he must have been obliged to leave
mother sooner than he expected. Somebody
may have sent for him."
The doctor's fast-trotting mare — in a county
famous for fast trotters, the doctor, who was
always supposed to travel at highest speed
in obedience to the summons of his patients,
was bound to have an animal equal to his
neighbours, and better, if possible — soon
"is she mad ? " 109
brought him to the side of the pedestrians.
Recoenizinof them at a Httle distance, the
doctor Hfted his hat to Berta, and then pulled
up when they were abreast. He shook hands
with the girl, and, in spite of his hurry, found
time to say he was sorry she was not likely
to come into his hands at present. That was
one of Dr. Costessy's pet jokes, and he re-
peated it to everybody he wished to compli-
ment, whether he or she looked well or ill.
His man, or rather lad, in livery, had, during
seven years' service, acquired the trick of a
mechanical contraction of the features, which
suo-crested a severe effort to restrain a fit of
laucrhter, and he used it whenever the joke
was uttered, as if it had never been uttered
before in his presence. This gift endeared
him to his master.
" You wonder why I left your mother after
jjromising to await your return, Eldridge?"
said the doctor. "Well, I have done so at
her special request — perhaps I ought to say
command. She is as bad as your uncle about
no BEYOND COMPARE.
the necessity for the services of men of my
profession, only she puts it to you in a more
delicate way. She told me that it upset her
to keep me waiting about when I could do
nothing more for her whilst others who stood
in much need of my attention were waiting
anxiously for me."
" I am sure you must have thought her
quite safe, or you would not have left her,"
said Berta, as Elwin did not speak.
"She is much better, I am delighted to
say," rejoined the doctor, with a kindly smile
to her, "and I am sure she is quite safe.
Otherwise you would not have met me here.
I saw that my presence irritated her, and
knowing that to be the very worst thing for
her, I decided to leave — the more readily, as
I knew that you would soon be with her."
" Thank you," said Elwin, gratefully.
" It's all nerves, Eldridge," proceeded the
doctor in a friendly way ; " and you must do
everything you can to shield her from ex-
citement."
" IS SHE MAD ? " III
" That will be difficult in the present state
of affairs."
" Well, we must do the best we can — and
the best can do no more. I shall be with
you again this evening. Perhaps it will be
late, as I mean to bring her a sleeping
draught. Sleep is what she wants. Good-
bye."
The doctor drove on towards the village.
Berta and Elwin proceeded to the farm.
The house stood only a little way off the
main road, and had they lifted their eyes
beyond it they would have seen dark brown
things like the outspread wings of gigantic
bats, and white things gleaming in the sun-
light, like the outspread wings of gigantic
butterflies, gliding drowsily along, as it
seemed, through the meadows. These were
the sails of wherries and pleasure-boats sail-
ing up the Bure and through the broads.
But from a distance the sails only were
visible, and they seemed like mysteries to
the uninitiated.
I I 2 BEYOND COMPARE.
As they approached the farm, Elvvin saw
his faithful fellow-worker Blagg standing at
the gate, eagerly watching for somebody.
Suddenly the man ran back to the house, and
returned to the gate as the lovers reached it,
" I've been looking for you ever since
the doctor left," mumbled Blagg. " Me and
Kitton can't do nothing with missus. She be
up and in the dairy, a workin' away as "
Elwin dashed by the man without waiting
for further information.
The dairy formed part of a wooden building,
which was used for the storage of apples,
potatoes, and fodder, and stood a few yards
apart from the house, looking very much like
a stable. The milk-house was next to the
washhouse, or scullery, but separated from it
by thick deals, and entered by a separate
door. Rows of shelves and rows of milk-
pails and the prominent patent churn at once
revealed the nature of the place.
Here Dame Eldridge was busy, working
herself and directing her only maiden in the
"IS SHE MAD ? " 113
performance of her duty. The maiden was
about seventeen. The innocence or stupidity
of her parents in following the custom of
their neighbours had endowed her with the
surname of her mother as a first name, and
she was Kitton Smith. As a consequence,
she was known only as Kitton, or Kit, She
was a stupid girl, but willing — oppressively
willing — to work. Unfortunately, her super-
fluous energy was more developed in the way
of doing things wrong than in doing them
right.
In spite of this apparently incurable fault,
her mistress was patient, for two good reasons.
The girl really did try her best to carry out
instructions, and she was cheap. IVIoreover,
when Mrs. Eldridge was able to be about
she did so much herself that Kit had few
responsible duties to perform.
For the first time during her two years'
service Kit had been left for several days
to mind things in her own way, and she had
made such a mess of them that at last she
vol,. I. I
I I 4 BEYOND COMPARE.
halted altogether to stare in helpless dismay
at the accumulation and confusion of work
undone. There were dishes and plates
unwashed ; there were pots and pans in the
same condition ; and poor Kit was like a
fully equipped machine ready for work, but
unable to move because the steam was not
supplied. She required the presence and
directing voice of her mistress in order to
do anything.
The mistress of Springfield was irritated
at this state of affairs, but made allowances
— very large allowances — for the girl. So
whilst scolding Her, she imposed no task
that was not within the girl's power to
accomplish. Kit in a vague way was con-
scious of this consideration, and was so
ofrateful that she banoed about the work
with viofour, and did enouo^h to make a
listener outside fancy that half a dozen
people were playing at battledore, with
crockery and tin pans for shuttlecocks.
Elwin, hearing the racket, quickened his
" IS SHE MAD ? " 115
pace until he stood, almost breathless, within
the doorway of the dairy. The mother
responded to his look of astonishment and
disapproval with a quick nod.
" You didn't suppose I was going to be
kept prisoner any longer," she said sharply.
■" I should have gone mad if I had not
got up and set myself to work of some
kind."
Although she stood hrmly on her feet
and could move actively, it was evident
that mental excitement and not real strength
supported her. The cheeks, usually sallow
or pale, were flushed, the eyes unnaturally
bright, and her thin fingers twitched ner-
vously — all indicative of what Dr. Costessy
had called " the feverish state of her whole
mental and physical powers, which, if un-
checked by repose of mind and body, might
develop into a serious — a dangerous illness."
" You must obey the doctor, mother," said
Elwin, gently but firmly ; " you must try to
rest for a few days longer."
I I 6 BEYOND COMPARE.
" It's no use trying. Have I not tried ? "
She spoke bitterly. " The doctor and his
drugs won't stop the fever unless they could
stop me from thinking, and they haven't
done that }^et. Bustling about may do it —
at any rate, it is my only chance — for, lying
down, my thoughts are scorpions. . . . Oh,
you are there ! "
The exclamation was evoked at the sight
of Berta, who stood behind her lover, won-
derine to find the woman she had come to
nurse engaged apparently in hard work,
Berta went up to her at once.
" I am afraid you will do yourself harm,"
she said in her sweet voice, and looking
very grave. " I am sure the doctor would
be very angry if he found you here. I have
come to make myself useful, and hope )'ou
will let me look after things here until you
have had a rest."
There was something pitying in the ex-
pression of the woman's pinched face as she
regarded the girl. Then she uttered a low
"is she mad f 117
sound v/hich might be supposed to be meant
for a little laugh ; but there was no visible
movement of the features, and the sound
reminded Elwin so much of his uncle's
wicked chuckle, that another sting was
added to the many already in his breast.
Could the long strain of disappointment
have affected his mother's reason ?
" You, too, come and talk to me about
rest." There was something almost savage
in the voice, and it contrasted so strangely
with the expressive glance which Mrs.
Eldridge had just given her, that Berta was
startled. " I tell you both that the only rest
for me is in doing something, in hearing
noise, and having thoughts banged out of
my head. . . . What are you stopping for,
Kitton, and staring as if you had never seen
us before ? Rattle away. I won't scold you
for any noise you make to-day."
Kit, who had been, with mouth and eyes
wide open, and a half-wet milk basin in her
hand, staring in wonderment at the scene,
I 1 8 BEYOND COMPARE.
instantly began to rub with an excessive
vigour,
" Come into the house, mother, and let
Berta sit down for a little. We have walked
from Sandybeach, and the heat has been
oppressive. Bring us some milk. Kit,"
Elwin tried to speak as if he feared
nothing, and as if he believed that there
was nothing unusual occurring. But he was
inwardly alarmed by his mother's words and
manner,
" Yes, I feel a litde overheated, and would
like to sit down for a few minutes," said
Berta, at once comprehending her lover's
object, and aiding it, " Won't you take me
indoors, Mrs, Eldridge ? '
The widow seemed to be swayed for a
moment between the opposite poles of
refusal and concession. She looked first
searchingly at her son in wonder that he
could think his palpable artifice would pass
with her. Next she looked at Berta, and
seemed to be on the point of saying some-
"is she mad ? " 119
thing disagreeable, but a second thought
checked the impulse.
"Very well, Berta," she said calmly, "we
wrll go into the house. But don't you think,
either of you, that I am going to be coddled
and nursed. I have had my own way too
long to be turned from it now. We will go
into the house ; but you need not come with
us, Elwin. I have something to say to Berta
when we are alone.''
With a steady step Mrs. Eldridge led
the way into the house, and when they had
passed into her room she closed the door
and fastened it.
Berta's amazement at the strange conduct
of her future mother-in-law increased with
every new phase of it exhibited to her. She
could not doubt that the poor woman was
deranged, and was filled with pity on the
sufferer's account, on Elvvin's, and her own ;
but the last figure was a very small one in
her present reckoning. Another, and the
strangest surprise of all, was in store for her.
I20 BEYOND COMPARE.
As soon as the door was closed, Mrs.
Eldridge assumed the attitude which seemed
to indicate when she was most in earnest ;
the arms formed a square, the left hand
resting on the wrist of the right hand, and
the latter grasping the elbow of the left.
All appearance of excitement had subsided.
The flush had disappeared from her cheeks,
and they became pallid as those of a corpse.
The eyelids drooped, casting a shadow over
the feverish brightness of the eyes, and she
seemed to be again the shrewd sharp woman
of business.
" Listen, Berta," she said, in measured
tones, " there is something unpleasant — very
unpleasant — to say."
" I am sure you will only say it because
you know it must be said," rejoined the girl,
soothingly.
" It will be none the less disagreeable to
you, as it will waken you from a pleasant
dream which you believe to be reality."
Berta was not much disturbed by this
" IS SHE MAD ? " 12 1
announcement, because she had come to the
conchislon that Mrs. Eldridge was not at
present responsible for her words or action.
So she thought it best to humour her, and
answered, gently, with a faint smile —
"It is never pleasant to be wakened from
happy dreams ; but I will do what I can to
bear it."
" I hope you will be able to bear it," said
the widow, grimly. "You have built a
castle of hope on sand ; the water comes in,
the sand melts away, and your castle tumbles
down. You can never be the wife of El win
Eldridge."
This declaration was flung at her so
decisively, and was so startling, that Berta
could not help rising from her seat. Remem-
bering, however, what she believed to be
the state of Mrs. Eldridge's mind, she spoke
quietly and persuasively.
" Nothing can part us, Mrs. Eldridge.
What can there be to come between us ?
You are agreed ? "
122 BEYOND COMPARE.
" Yes." (This sullenly.)
" And my folk are agreed ? "
" Yes." (Still more sullenly.)
" And what is most important of all — zae
are agreed."
"Yes." (This time a deep cloud settled
on the white face.)
" Then, what bar can there be ? "
" Bar of shame . . . diso^race ... of
crime," the mother hissed convulsively.
" But what is your reason for saying
this ? " gasped the girl.
" The reason I hope and pray will never
be known."
123 )
CHAPTER IX.
THE WARNING.
Berta was at first more frightened by the
woman's vehemence than by the words
uttered, for at the moment they conveyed
little definite meaning to her mind. The
passion which underlay the cold and stern
exterior of Mrs. Eldridije was as startlinor
a revelation to her as the similar outburst
at Cleyton had been to the brothers Durrant
and the lawyer. But tliis time the widow
was evidently making an effort to subdue
her voice, and the effort intensified the
frenzy of her speech.
After a momentary shock of alarm, Berta's
impulse was to summon Elwin. But she
was a clear-headed girl, quick of thought
124 BEYOND COMPARE.
and prompt in decision, and consequendy
restrained the impulse without betraying that
she had been almost moved to act upon
it. She recalled, too, in the brief silence
followino- the widow's wild enunciation, a
warning which had been once given to her
by Elwin — although at the time he had no
anticipation that such an occasion as this
should arise for the warning to prove practi-
>cally useful to her.
'* Remember," he had said once when
Berta had been treated with unusual cold-
ness, " mother is at times very peculiar.
Everybody thinks she is hard and does not
feel anything. I know better. She is mor-
bidly sensitive to any slight, and her worries
have been many. They have led her to
brood over what she calls the injustice of
her brother until it has become a fixed idea
that he has cruelly wronged her. The idea
has developed into a mania, and when some-
thing brings the fit upon her I believe she
does not know what she says. I fear, whilst
THE WARNING. I 25
it lasts, that she is not responsible for herself
at all."
Berta, from what she knew and from what
she had heard, had every reason to believe
that one of these fits was now upon her ;
and therefore understood that she was not
to contradict, but to do what she could to
comfort her with soothing words.
This was not the time for seeking expla-
nations, even if she had believed that any
were needed ; but it was equally undesirable
to give the impression that she regarded
with indifference the impassioned assertion
that there was a terrible bar standing be-
tween her and Elwin. The difficulty was
to hide the emotion she experienced at the
mere suggestion of anything shameful or
criminal in association with her lover, and,
to appear composed and sympathetic.
Like all truthful natures, she found the
best way out of her difficulty by confess-
ing It.
" You must have suffered very much
126 BEYOND COMPARE.
before you could bring yourself to say this
to me, dear Mrs. Eldridge," she said quietly,
and without the least nervous twitch of
features or fingers to betray her suppressed
agitation. "But you know what a surprise
it must be to me. But as you tell me you
hope your reasons for what you say may
never be known, I can only hope so too."
" You must."
The two words passed through tightly
closed lips like explosives, which once touched
could not be prevented from going off.
" Then w^e will not talk any more about
this until I have had time to think it over,
and to talk to Elwin about it all."
There her truthfulness led her astray, for
this was apparently the worst thing she could
have suggested, and J\Irs. Eldridge became
again excited.
" You must not tell him — you must not
repeat to him anything I have said," she
exclaimed fiercely. " You must hold your
tonofue to him above and before all others.
THE WARNING. 12/
He must never know that I have told you
this. . . . Do you hear ? "
The call for attention was needed, for the
girl stood dumbfounded by this new access
of passion, and by the injunction that she
was to be silent to Elwin. Under that in-
junction it became almost impossible to
maintain her self-restraint, and to remember
that her duty was to bear with anything his
mother might do or say, if by such submis-
sion to her will she could restore her peace
of mind.
But to be silent to him ! To tell him
nothinor of this strano-e scene ! To take her
own way without asking his counsel ! . . .
She could not do it, and would not.
" I can make no bargain with you of that
kind," she answered gently, but firmly ; for
she felt that firmness was as much needed
on her part now as consideration for the
widow. " Whatever ill may happen to
Elwin, I am ready to share it with him ;
but I will never hide anything from him."
128 BEYOND COMPARE.
"What! not even to save him from
degradation ? " was the excited query.
" I do not beHeve that he has ever done
anything", or ever could do anything, that
would degrade him in my eyes, or that
should degrade him in yours."
The reprimand was spoken in a low voice,
but there was something in the tone which,
whilst depriving the words of any harshness,
expressed a faith which could never be
shaken, and the thought that his mother
should have shared it with her.
Mrs. Eldridge clasped her hands across
her brow, and sat quite still, staring in a
dazed fashion at the girl who stood before
her, with flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes,
and yet so calm, so confident that she had
nothino- to fear from any action on her
lover's part.
" Ah, you do not believe me," the widow
muttered ; her throat seemed parched, and
the words came huskily. "You, like the
others, think I am wrong here."
THE WARNING. I 29
She unclasped her hands, and touched the
brow with her forefinger. Berta would have
Hked to exclaim, " No, no," but could not.
She was striving with all her might to devise
some means of bringing this painful scene
to a close.
" You, like the others, think that I rave,"
continued Mrs. Eldridge, now moving her
body to and fro in a mechanical way, as if
she had no hope of comfort. '* You, like the
others, will not believe that "
" Believe what ? " ejaculated Berta, with
an unpleasant sense that she was losing
patience. " Believe that Elwin has done
anything wrong ? . . . No, never!"
The sharpness with which she spoke
seemed to have more effect upon Mrs.
Eldridge than all the methods of soothing
she had hitherto attempted. For an instant
there was the expression of a startled hare
upon her countenance, and she dropped her
hands, looking appealingly at Berta.
" I forgot — you do not and cannot know,"
VOL. I. K
130 BEYOND COMPARE.
she said, almost gasping for breath. "Take
my advice, Berta — don't seek to know, and
hold your tongue. Now go. You can do
no good to me here, and you may do
harm."
This was another source of bewilderment
to the girl. She had proposed to come and
nurse Elwin's mother, as she knew it would
please him, and his grateful acceptance of
the offer proved that it did. Now she was
peremptorily dismissed from her post, and
she knew that he would be annoyed — so
much annoyed that he would require ex-
planations which it might be as well to put
off for a little while. She, however, did not
exhibit surprise or disappointment. She
knew that it would be best to leave Mrs.
Eldridge alone for the present ; and, feeling
somewhat guilty of being too self-assertive
during a part of the interview, she was
anxious to obtain a few moments for quiet
thought.
" Very well, I will go presently ; but I
THE WARNING. I31
should like to see you in bed first. The
doctor says that the only cure for you is
perfect, rest of mind and body."
" Why don't he find it for me, then ? " was
the contemptuous ejaculation. "He says he
can stop the pains of rheumatism with opium.
But he can't stop the rheumatism of the mind
with opium or anything else, and that's what's
the matter with me. Go, Berta, I wish you
well. I should wish you ill if I told you that
I should be pleased to see you mated with
my son."
" But I want to help you," pleaded the girl,
hesitatingly.
"And I say you can't. I am not going to
bed again for hours ; so if that is what you
are waiting for, don't wait."
"Well, I am not going home at once, so
I shall be back to see you," rejoined Berta,
with an affectation of ease which she was
very far from feeling.
As she was closing the door she saw that
Mrs. Eldridge was sitting upright in her
132 BEYOND COMPARE.
chair, with her arms crossed in her favourite
position when anything disturbed her.
Elwin had been busy with Blagg, attend-
ing to a sick cow and other matters in which
his personal superintendence was requisite.
He was making his way from the barn to
the house when he saw Berta come out with
her hat still on. This would have passed
unnoticed had not the scared expression of
her face told him at once that there was
something wrong.
" Is mother worse ? " he inquired hastily,
whilst still advancing.
Berta wished that she could have had a
few moments to compose herself before
meeting him, for she did not yet know how
she was to tell him what incomprehensible
things Mrs. Eldridge had said.
" She is very much excited, and I am afraid
my coming has done harm rather than good."
" That is impossible. You must be mis-
taken. She knows what relief your care of
her will be to me."
THE WARNING. I33
" I am not mistaken, Elwin. I am afraid
she will not allow me to stay."
" Oh^ nonsense! What makes you think
tha't?"
The girl hesitated ; she was not yet pre-
pared to give a full account of all that had
taken place.
" She has told me that she does not want
me, and I am sure that my being here would
vex her, and so keep her all the longer ill.
Besides, I should be of no use if I could not
nurse her."
" You do not mean that you are going
away because she has been impatient —
irritable, very likely, and said things which
she did not intend to say ? "
" I am not going away immediately,"
answered the girl, with some awkwardness ;
"but how soon I may go will depend on you."
He smiled, and although the smile did not
dispel his expression of anxiety, it cleared
away the shadow which had for a moment
darkened his eyes.
134 BEYOND COMPARE.
"You know, Berta, that if it depended on
me you would never go."
" But it is your mother we have to think
about, not you," she answered, faintly return-
ing his smile. " The doctor says that she
must not be excited by anything. I excite
her, and so the less she sees of me the better."
" What was she saying to put you out so
much ? "
" She has told me something that we shall
have to talk about — but not now ; by and by,
when she is well and I can judge whether
she is in earnest or not. Don't ask me what
it is — be patient for a little while for my sake,
and do not say to your mother that I have
even hinted at anything — well, anything dis-
agreeable having passed between us."
He regarded her earnestly for a moment.
Then —
" 1 shall ask nothing until you choose to
speak," he said.
" That is right, Elwin, and relieves me
very much,"
THE WARNING. I 35
She looked so much reHeved that he
wondered the more at what could have been
the nature of the conversation between her
and his mother. That something of grave
import had passed between them he knew
from the evidence of agitation in Berta's
manner when he approached, and from her
own words.
" I might be able to relieve you still more
if you could tell me at once what she has
been saying."
" You shall hear everything I can re-
member as soon as I am quiet enough to tell
you. But don't let us worry her — I am
ooinpf to see what Kit is about, and after I
have put things straight for her, I shall see
whether I should stay to-night or not."
" Do just as you will, Berta, I shall be
satisfied."
The trust expressed by the words was
dulled by the sadness of his voice. He again
saw his mother at the old bureau.
136 BEYOND COMPARE.
CHAPTER X.
OLD CHUMS.
Preston Durrant had several thoughts in
his mind which were not pleasant. Looking
back, he acknowledged that he had not been
either civil or courteous to the " old beggar "
who had supplied him with the means of
subsistence. He had not cared for his father,
for it never had occurred to him that he
should care for him except because he was
the person to supply him with the means for
enjoying himself.
But he understood that his father had a
considerable fortune, and now that the ques-
tion had arisen as to who was to possess that
fortune, Preston became very keen indeed.
For the time being he was in possession
OLD CHUMS. 137
of Cleyton, and apparently master of all he
surveyed. But he had to reckon with his
brother, "pious Howard" — he had intense
enjoyment in the adjective which had been
attached to the name of the successful mer-
chant in one of the father's sardonically
humorous moods. Howard had the means
to dispute any will which might turn up, and
if one should be discovered through Mr.
Hammond's advertisements and activity,
Preston was sure that he would have a very
small place in it. He put aside all thoughts
of his aunt's claims on the estate, but he felt
that the lawyer favoured her, and there was
no saying what result might be obtained
from the favour of a man of his position and
experience.
But with no will at all forthcoming he was
master of the situation. Therefore he was
very well contented with the present appear-
ance of affairs, although he was puzzled
somewhat by an intimation from the lawyer
that much to his surprise, from the investiga-
I. "^8 BEYOND COMPARE.
tions SO far as they had proceeded, the estate
of the late Mr. Durrant would prove to be
of much less value than had been generally
understood and expected.
" A large, a very large, proportion of your
father's wealth was, as I understood, invested
in stocks and railway shares, and now I find
that a great part of these were sold some
years ago in the ordinary course of business
by a London broker, without there being
any trace of what became of the proceeds."
Thus spoke Mr. Hammond about a fort-
night after the funeral, in reply to a pressing
inquiry from Preston, and there was as much
surprise in his tone and manner as if he
himself had been the expectant heir.
Preston was disappointed by this bad news,
but consoled himself with the reflection that
there would still be sufficient to provide him
with a comfortable income — that is what he
considered a comfortable income — for some
years. On this point he could obtain no
immediate information, as Mr. Hammond
OLD CHUMS. 139
had to wait for the accounts of a number of
people with whom the late Mr. Durrant had
had dealings.
"Most important of all," Mr. Hammond
said, " we must wait till we have found the
witnesses to the will which is now in our
hands, and so be able to prove its validity or
the reverse ; or until our advertisements
bring us some information of the will which
your father described to me."
"All right," rejoined Preston, with a satis-
fied nod. " So long as there is no will I am
in a better position than I should have been
if there had been one."
The lawyer took snuff and examined the
scapegrace attentively, as if uncertain whether
to admire his shrewdness or to doubt his
honesty.
Preston was, however, for once in a way
quite genuine in his expression of satisfaction.
But in all his calculations as to the result
of the inquiry going forward, and how the
result might affect his position, he had left out
140 BEYOND COMPARE.
of count one person, namely, his companion
in so many adventures, Guyton Brasnet.
From this forgetfuhiess he was speedily
roused by a brief note from his former
comrade.
" I am at the White Horse. Come to
me at once. Have important communication
to make."
That was all the note said, and for si^na-
ture it bore only the initials " G. B," It was
delivered by an oldish man, who wore a blue
jersey and a round cap. This was Mr.
Dabb, whom Preston recognized as a cele-
brated character of Sandybeach, who made
his living as half boatman and general mes-
senger. Preston was g-lad to recopfnize an
old friend of his boyhood ; but when he had
glanced at the note he ungraciously wished
that the bearer of it had been with the writer
at the bottom of the sea. He knew that he
could not disobey the summons, and deemed
it prudent to keep his sense of vexation to
himself.
OLD CHUMS. 141
So he put on his hat, and, sauntering off
as if for a mere stroll, made his way to the
place appointed.
If you were to take a box of toy houses
and tumble them carelessly on to the floor,
the higgledy-piggledy way in which they
arranged themselves would give you some
idea of the ground plan of Sandybeach.
The cottages of red brick, and here and
there others faced with flints — as carefully exe-
cuted as the finest pieces of mosaic work —
big and little clung to each other at all sorts
of odd angles and in beautiful confusion, as
if they had taken fright at something. A
windmill stood in their midst, with its four
wines extended hi^h above them as if to
afford protection. There was a main tho-
roughfare leading from the upper end of the
village direct to the shore. The upper end
being modern was more regular in the forma-
tion of its houses ; but even here some old
cottaee, with its outbuildings and diversified
roofs of red tiles, would break the monotony
of present day uniformity.
142 BEYOND COMPARE.
Ill this main street was the old inn, a
squat, grey-looking building, with a homely
welcome on its face. Also a new alehouse,
risen from the ashes of another, over the
door of which a small signboard bore the
customary legend that the proprietor was
licensed to sell ale, etc., to be drunk on the
premises. Here the younger men would
congregate in their hours of relaxation, and
some stray fiddler would charm them with
his music, whilst the vocally gifted of the
company would favour his friends with a
sonor. " Rule Britannia " and " Trafalgar
Bay " were favourite ditties, although there
were advanced youths who would present
such lyrics as "His Heart was true to Poll."
But the elders of the community stuck
with conservative fidelity to the tap of the
old inn, " The White Horse," where they
would recount strange stories of adventures
in the Northern seas, of struggles with
foreign trawlers, and discuss the grievances
of fishermen generally. There were shrewd
OLD CHUMS. 143
heads among them, and warm hearts under
thick blue jerseys or brown overalls.
As Preston was, with unwonted slowness,
approaching the inn where he had often
made merry and proved a good customer, he
was hailed from a window above the principal
door. Looking up he saw Captain Brasnet,
with a big cigar in his mouth, nodding and
grinning in a way which was intended to
represent a most affable greeting. He was
the same short, square built man Berta and
her grandfather had seen crossing the Denes,
and for whom she had declared her dislike.
But he was a genial looking person, frank
in manner and cordial in address. He
always made that impression on strangers,
and it enabled him to make many valuable
acquaintances in the course of his frequent
journeys between London and the Continent.
The acquaintanceship was usually of brief
duration, and the advantage of it lay entirely
on the captain's side.
His title of "Captain" was generally
144 BEYOND COMPARE.
understood to have been obtained in the
service of the army of the " States ; " but
whether it was the North or South American
States nobody knew. He was supposed to
be well connected ; but owing to his roving-
habits and domestic disagreements he had
" cut his family," and never directly referred
to any member of it.
The flavour of mystery about the man
added much to his popularity with a certain
class of betting-men, and he was always to
be found at Epsom, Newmarket, and other
centres of the turf whenever any important
event was coming off
" How are you, dear boy ?" he exclaimed,
with arms extended, as Preston entered the
room. "Pretty spry, I think — though I
don't suppose you have got much of the
governor's treasure yet. Never mind —
there's a good time coming. Have a drink .-*"
He pointed to a supply of brandy and
soda which stood ready on a table, apparently
in anticipation of the visitor's arrival. He
OLD CHUMS. 145
was almost boisterous in his salutation, and
Preston, fancying that he understood his
friend thoroughly, guessed that this exces-
sive cordiality — excessive even for Captain
Brasnet — meant money. The captain, when
he was in funds, spent freely ; and when he
was without them considered his friends
bound to supply the deficiency. His free-
handedness made him a special favourite
amongst hotel servants wherever he went ;
but it made him rather a nuisance to any one
upon whom he had a real or imaginary claim.
Preston accepted the hospitable invitation
given to him, and helped himself liberally
to the brandy.
When he had done so he stared coldly at
his host, and said bluntly —
" What's up ? Have you had a run of ill-
luck ? "
" Quite the contrary, my dear boy," an-
swered the gushing captain. " Things
never looked better than at the present."
" Then why did you leave the gold mine ? "
VOL. I. L
146 BEYOND COMPARE.
" Because the gold mine happens to be in
this quarter."
" Here ! Then when did you leave Monte
Carlo ? "
" The same day as you did, dear boy, and
I was in London before you."
" That explains why the telegram was sent
on to me as a letter."
" Of course it does, as I specially directed
all teleerams to be sent in that manner,
because I had no expectation of any arriving
for you except from creditors, and I knew
you would be in no hurry to receive them.
But what's the matter with you ? Upon my
word, you don't look as if you were pleased
to see me, and that's unwise as well as un-
kind, as my journey was made more on your
behalf than my own, and I mean to share
my good luck with you."
" What is it ? "
" A little matter of business in which your
Sfovernor was concerned."
( ^M )
CHAPTER XI.
A QUEER BARGAIN.
Preston having in view very probable calls
on his finances had been inclined to treat his
old chum with a degree of stand-offishness,
and was not ready to alter his tone even
when assured that the captain was " in luck,"
for when the luck turned the calls were cer-
tain to follow. Besides, as he was about to
take his place as a county gentleman, he
would not have been sorry to discover some
plausible excuse for breaking off his associa-
tions with his once favourite companion.
The announcement, however, that the
captain was in a position to throw some im-
portant light on the affairs of the late owner
of Cleyton, not only excited his curiosity
148 BEYOND COMPARE.
and surprise, but caused him to moderate his
coolness considerably. Still, he was cautious,
and with a cunning which he believed to be
perfectly masked, endeavoured to force the
other's hand.
The captain stood grinning with delight at
Preston's amazement, until the latter spoke.
" Well, Brasnet, you are the cutest chap
I have ever met ; but you are the last man
in the world I would have expected to know
anything more about my governor's affairs
than you have learned from me."
" Aha, dear boy, that is precisely where
the play begins. What you told me inspired
in my breast a burning desire to make the
old gentleman's acquaintance. And my wish
was gratified."
" You made his acquaintance ! "
" Yes. Droll, isn't it ? "
" Why, he could not bear the mention of
your name ! "
" Exactly — that was on account of our
friendship."
A QUEER BARGAIN. I 49
" What rubbish are you talking ? " was
Preston's impatient ejaculation. " How could
yx)u have hidden this from me so long ? "
The captain laughed pleasantly at the
effect he had produced ; for he saw that
Preston, who fancied himself so wily, was
again under his thumb.
"JMow, dear boy, has it not always been
the most important precept I have tried to
teach you that in every game of chance the
odds are in favour of the player who has the
longest patience ? The reason for my silence
should have been obvious to a lonof-headed
fellow like you. Simply, it did not suit my
book to speak until now."
It amused the tutor to see the pupil who
believed he had outstripped his master so
completely taken aback. Preston saw his
mistake, and thought he could remedy it.
" Very well, old fellow," he said, with more
cordiality than he had yet shown, "since the
time has come for breaking silence, I suppose
you are here to expound all these conun-
drums you have puzzled me with ? "
150 BEYOND COMPARE.
" That's SO."
" Out with it, then, in your own way."
"On conditions." This was uttered with
a sienificant nod.
" Of course ; half of the gains to be made
out of this transaction, whatever it may be."
" No. My conditions are rather pecuHar,
and I might say dehcate, only you would
not believe me."
" Scarcely."
" You can judge for yourself when I tell
you that my conditions are that you bind
yourself to do all in your power, under my
directions, to enable me to marry a certain
person my mind is set on."
Preston opened his eyes, and then laughed
derisively.
" Are you under the impression that you
can catch me with that chaff?" he asked,
when he had recovered breath.
"No chaff at all, dear boy. Downright
fact. You shall keep your position as heir
to half of what your father has left on con-
A QUEER BARGAIN. 151
dition that you give me your help in my
matrimonial speculation."
- " You are in earnest ? "
** Most decidedly, though — to paraphrase
an oft-repeated quotation — by your smiling
you would not seem to think so."
" 'Pon my soul, Brasnet, you are not only
the ' cutest but the drollest card in the
world."
The captain bowed in acknowledgment of
the compliment.
" How much do you expect to net by
the speculation, and how do you expect me
to aid your cause ? "
" I expect enough to satisfy me for the
sacrifice of my liberty, and the help I require
from you will be explained afterwards."
" Who is the unfortunate woman ? "
" That's unkind," was the mock-pathetic
retort. " She is young and pretty. That is
enough for the present."
" And how does all this affect me, or my
father's affairs ? "
152 BEYOND COMPARE.
" You accept the terms ? "
"Well, if they are correctly represented
by you, and do not involve any very dis-
agreeable work on my part, or much danger,
whilst they secure for me advantages such as
you suggest, I suppose it is safe for me to
say, 'Yes.'"
" There will probably be a few disagree-
ables to swallow, but little danger ; and
presently you will understand that you gain
much by compliance, and lose all by refusal."
" Rather hard lines," rejoined Preston,
again possessed of his customary tone of
cynical levity ; " but I should like to know
how you come to have such power over my
fortune."
"We will take things in their due order,
dear boy. First, let us refresh ourselves."
The captain helped himself, passed the
bottle, and sat down in an easy chair, with
the air of a man who had rather pleasant
news to impart.
" Now we are ready for action ; and let
A QUEER BARGAIN. I 53
me at once tell you that I know everything
that has been going on at Cleyton since a
week before your father departed. I accom-
panied him in the train from London — at
least I sat in the next compartment. More,
I know something of his doings during the
last fortnight he spent in London."
" Vou must have had some very particular
interest in his proceedings."
" Of course I had — your interest, which I
regard as my own."
"Very kind indeed."
" You could have expected no less from
me. Now, about the will. The paper found
on the day of the funeral was, as you all,
except Madam Eldridge, promptly perceived,
a forgery. But the genuine article exists."
" Where is it, and how do you come by
this information ? "
" On these points, dear boy, ignorance
will be the highest bliss to you ; for I am
sure you would not like to have it produced."
" Perhaps you have it ? "
154 BEYOND COMPARE.
" No ; but don't try guessing. I can tell
you the chief items ol it, and you will find
them sufficiently interesting to make you
wish never to see it, or even hear of it again.
You are cut down to a hundred a year
because you have failed to fulfil the bargain
your father made with you."
" Come, that is better than the terms
offered me by the forger," commented
Preston, with a short ironical laugh.
"Yes, the fellow who perpetrated that
joke must be an ass, or he would have
understood that he bid too low for a big
fortune. I wonder how he could have been
such a fool."
" Maybe he did intend it for a joke."
" Rather a hazardous one to play, though.
But we need not waste words on him. The
next two points are that your brother gets
a big lump and the Eldridges a tidy bit."
" Curse them," muttered Preston, with
clenched teeth.
" So say I ; but you can cross their luck."
A QUEER BARGAIN. 155
Whilst this was being said Preston was
frowning, but he looked up with a smile.
_ " That's not a bad argument for striking
a bargain with you straight off. I admit
your terms are liberal for the light service
you require of me. But ? "
" Well, the but ? "
"The will is not unlike what my father
might frame to spite me. The But is — what
assurance can you give me that it may not
turn up at the wrong moment ? "
" Then the bargain is off, and I forfeit
a ' thou ' which I will to-morrow place in the
hands of any one or any bank you choose to
name. That's fair ? "
"Whew!" whistled Preston. "Then you
really have been in luck when you can give
such substantial guarantee of the genuine-
ness of your proposal."
" I said so. I will throw something in to
satisfy you, although, dear boy, I do not think
you should deal so suspiciously with me."
" The stake is considerable."
156 BEYOND COMPARE.
" Granted. Then I can describe the
will — it was written on a sheet of note-
paper by your father's own hand and duly
witnessed."
" That was how Hammond said my father
described it to him."
" Well, I don't suppose you imagine there
can be any collusion between the lawyer and
me," said Brasnet, laughing at the joke
which the idea of such a partnership
suggested.
" No ; but it makes me wonder, since
you know so much, if. you can tell us what
became of the proceeds of certain bonds that
Hammond is unable to trace."
** There is a mystery or a mare's nest
about that transaction. I know that your
father himself received the payments all in
gold — such was his humour. He had
brouo^ht a strono- box with him to hold the
treasure, and took it away with him in a
carriage. Maybe he has stowed it away
in some hiding-place in your old manor
A QUEER BARGAIN. 1 57
house. There are people who have notions
of that kind. Perhaps you will stumble
on it some fine day, and that would be a
haul ! "
" Bah ! — no nonsense of that kind ever
entered my governor's head. We'll have to
look elsewhere for it."
" J^ust so," replied Brasnet, with a curious
twinkle in his eyes ; " and I am delighted
to find that you still regard yourself as
heir to half the late Anthony Durrant's
property."
" I am, if you can get that accursed sheet
of note-paper burnt."
" You shall do it with your own hand on
the day of my wedding," was the cunning
but affable reply. " It is agreed, then ; and
no questions to be asked ? "
" None, unless the production of the will
breaks our contract."
" That, of course. And now let me tell
you about my acquaintance with your father.
I reserved this for the last, in order to let you
158 BEYOND COMPARE.
understand why he hated me. Your stories
of his ways reminded me much of a man
I knew years ago. Smith was his name,
and he had rooms in the house of a friend
of mine — a poor beggar of a soHcitor, who
had come to grief through stupid deahngs
on the' turf and the exchange. Green he
was called, and it was the right name for
him. But he had a clever, active wife, and
they let apartments."
" No uncommon resource for many
people."
" Smith had rooms ,in their house, which
he paid for as a regular lodger, although
he only occupied them at most irregular
intervals."
" What was he ? "
" That was unknown, but Green told me
in confidence that he believed him to be a
Croesus in disguise, who had enormous trans-
actions in the City. At any rate, he was
always careful to keep his own counsel, and
it was evident that he did not want any one
A QUEER BARGAIN. 1 59
to know what his business or antecedents
were."
" Sounds droll."
" He was so droll and contradictory that
he took my fancy. He had a dry humour
in his way of baffling inquiries, and he
seemed to find particular delight In the
curiosity which he excited. Now comes
the drollest part of my story. I thought it
best that you should not present me to
your father, and found another friend who
did. You may be astonished ; I was not.
Anthony Durrant was no other than my
eccentric friend of former days."
" What ! The governor passing under
another name ! " exclaimed the son, as much
amused as surprised. " I wonder what was
his little game."
" No use wonderinor what it miofht be
with such an odd character. I set it down
to one of his bits of fun in the bamboozling
way. He liked to laugh at other people,
but he did not like to be laughed at ; and
l6o BEYOND COMPARE.
his annoyance at my Identification of him
was so extraordinary that my interest in
him was intensified— on your behalf, dear
boy."
" I understand. You thought if he left
me out in the cold you would lose a chance
of some pickings, eh ? "
"You are frankness itself," rejoined the
captain, not in the least disconcerted by this
chaffing comment. " I did think of that, but
I also considered it a friendly act on my
part to see that you were not deprived of
your share of the spoMs when the time came,
especially as you were to be deprived of It
partly on my account. At any rate, my
interest In him led to the discovery of the
will — and its disappearance. How we do
not know, but the fact Is much to your
advantage."
" I admit that It Is — unforeseen accidents
excepted. Now, you must explain how my
assistance In your matrimonial speculation is
of such value as to purchase your silence."
A QUEER BARGAIN. l6l
" Because you have the power to compel
the lady to accept me."
" How, in the name of all that is evil ? "
" By telling her that if she refuses, you
will send the man she loves to penal ser-
vitude,"
VOL. I. M
I 62 BEYOND COMPARE.
CHAPTER XII.
BERTA,
From childhood Berta had breathed the air
of fresh, healthy life in which morbid heart-
burnings were unknown. The deeper work-
ings of the worser passions — envy, hatred,
jealousy, avarice — had not yet been revealed
to her. Sorrow enough she had seen when
boats went down and widows and fatherless
bairns were many in the village. But this
was always relieved b}^ the sunlight of
sympathy which shone warmly upon the
sorrowers.
In the simple household of Roger Skyles
there were no smouldering fires ready to
burst into fierce and unquenchable flames.
If Roger was angered by anybody or any-
BERTA. 163
thing, he "had it out, and was done with it."
No mahce lurked in secret corners. As for
Mother Skyles, she was too good tempered
and too stout to be long in a temper under
any provocation. Whenever something vex-
atious occurred she would say, " Dear, deary
me ! A pity it is ; but it'll be all the same
in a hunder years ! "
The gable of their low-roofed, square
cottage had a kindly expression, although
its face was of flint. No doubt something
of this was due to the reflection upon it of
the flower-beds and to the roses climbing up
the walls. The conspicuous horseshoe on
the door protected the inmates from all evil
influences, and they were accordingly happy.
As a child Berta had entire faith in that
horseshoe, and as soon as she got behind
it lost all fear of the bogles she was told
about by ancient gossips, who themselves
firmly believed in " the shrieking woman,"
" the white lady," "the shuck dog," and other
spectres, and who could give day and hour
164 BEYOND COMPARE.
for the occurrence of certain events — for
the most part deaths — as foretold by certain
omens.
She soon grew out of faith in these super-
stitions, and ceased to have any dread even
of the headless gentleman who was said to
drive through the ruins of the old tower
every night. When she openly declared
that she did not believe in ghosts, the old
dames shook their heads regretfully and
predicted that some evil would befall her
— all owing to this " eddication " Roger was
foolishly giving her, and that making her
believe she knew better than those who
were old enough to be her great-great-great-
grandmothers. When the gossips expressed
their views to Mother Skyles on the harm
that this " learnin' " would bring to the girl,
the only answer they got was —
" Dear, deary me, I hope not, because,
you see, Berta like it and is thrivin' on it,
and Roger say it is to be. So 'tain't no
use going against them, supposin' I wanted
BERTA. 165
to ; for when they've made up their mind
they will have their way."
Thus Mother Skyles relieved herself of
all responsibility in the matter ; but she was
at heart as proud of the progress their grand-
child was making in her schooling as Roger
himself.
She had expressed a fear that it might
spoil the girl, as some of the farmers' daugh-
ters around had been spoilt — getting their
heads full of French fal derals so that they
hardly knew a cow from a horse, and turned
up their noses at the idea of making the
butter, although their mothers and grand-
mothers had done it before them. But
though Skyles agreed with all that she
said, he kept to his point.
" No fear o' Beart ; she be too steady
a craft, for all the dainty build of her, and
I want to see to it that her riggin' be as
dainty as her build."
On this point of education Skyles was
a little inconsistent. He didn't believe it
1 66 BEYOND COMPARE.
was good for everybody, and thought that
the less schooHng a lad had the better he
managed a sail. He would cite examples
of lads who had been taught writing and
other things only to write themselves into
gaol and their friends into disgrace by sign-
ing their masters' names, or by trying some
other way than an honest one for making
a living ; whereas, if they hadn't known how
to write, they might have been decent
craftsmen.
His only clerkly attainments included
nothing more than the ability to sign his
own name and to spell out a bit of print.
Yet, see what he had done ! He was the
most successful man in the place, the owner
of smacks and house property, with a sub-
stantial balance at the bank, besides con-
siderable sums invested in safe securities.
All that was not achieved by reading and
writing, but by hard work and clear common
sense.
But education in regard to Berta ! — that
BERTA. 167
was another affair. He was crazed on the
subject. His only bother was how to set
about the execution of his project; for the
fittinof out of a maiden's head was a task he
had had httle experience in. So he sought
the advice of the vicar and his wife.
They first advised him to send Berta to a
eood boardinof-school in Norwich ; but the
old man shook his head.
" No, we don't want to lose the lass ; she
help mother, and keep us all straight and
cheerful. No, I couldn't do that, sir. If
she was to go, we would be havin' her back
before a week was over."
The vicar's wife came to the rescue. She
reminded her husband that there Vv^as living
in a cottaije in the villag^e a middle-a^ed
lady, who in her youth had been governess
in the family of a friend of theirs. She had
married a farmer, and on his death had retired
to live on a very small income at Sandybeach.
Owing to ill-health she had made no effort to
increase her income by teaching ; but when
I 68 BEYOND COMPARE.
the vicar's wife told her of Roger's desire
that she would undertake the education of
Berta, she readily assented.
For several years Berta spent a portion of
the day with Mrs. Greenacre, to the mutual
advantage of teacher and pupil. Berta's
bright young life brought freshness to the
lonely widow's house, while the girl had the
benefit of the companionship and instruction
of a woman of refinement and culture. It
was not, perhaps, an education which would
have prepared her to pass the Oxford or
Cambridge examinations, but it led her, not
only to love reading, but to be able to
form and express an opinion on what she
had read.
In the eyes of her doting grandfather she
was the most learned being in all the world
— the vicar himself not excepted. She was
his joy, and more ; she rendered practical
service to him. She kept his accounts, wrote
his letters, and read the news to him — such
news as he required being soon read ; for all
BERTA. 169
he cared to hear about was the state of the
fish market, and whether there was the like-
lihood of a war anywhere.
She knew exactly the items which would
interest him, and whilst she read he sat in his
big armchair, smoking placidly, and mother,
darning or sewing, sat opposite, both lovingly
admiring their gifted child. She more than
filled the place in their hearts of the daughter
who had gone to London against their will,
married a man they had never seen, and died
six weeks after Berta's birth, leaving the
child as a legacy to their care ; and the legacy
had turned out the greatest blessing of their
lives.
Berta was not only an indoor treasure.
She had much healthy exercise on the sea,
on the river, and the Broads. Before she
was far in her teens she could handle an oar
and sail or steer a boat with the dexterity
of an experienced waterman. In his pride
Roger would boastfully say —
" My Beart can handle a wherry with any
170 BEYOND COMPARE.
man going, and know the bearings of the
Broads better than most."
The waters and she were close friends, in
storm as well as calm. As a child she used
to dance with glee at the sight of the golden
stream the setting sun would make across
them ; and the silver stream of the moon
was associated in her mind with the ghostly
"White Lady" of the gossips' tales. This
was Wonderland when the moon shone, and
everything was doubled by the clear reflec-
tions in the water, whilst the shadows of
passing clouds were beautiful mysteries of
form. Then, when the wind was up, the
sail full, and the boat scudding along through
the laughing waters, there was a thrilling
sensation of being a part of the elements, air
and water, and yet having power over them.
These pleasures were enhanced when Elwin
came to share them with her. And that was
at an early date, for his boat-building pro-
pensities soon made him a favourite with the
smack owner.
BERTA. 171
The course of their love had run so smooth
that the sudden check which it now received
'was all the more violent.
The strangeness of Mrs. Eldridge's manner,
combined with the incomprehensible but ter-
rible warning she had given her, disturbed
Berta most because it affected Elwin so
closely. It was not merely a mother objecting
to the woman her son had chosen ; but a
mother pleading for her son to be saved from
some peril by the chosen one rejecting him.
The puzzle was too much for the girl, and
she sought refuge in her lover's sad words
that at times his mother did not know what
she was saying. Berta prayed that it might
be so now. The puzzle could only be solved
by circumstances and Elwin. Meanwhile
she would try to forget these hideous words
— " The bar of shame, disgrace, and crime."
Resolved to escape from her own thoughts
somehow, Berta v/ent into the dairy to see
what Kitton was doing. Kit had been work-
ing vigorously, dumping about with her short,
172 BEYOND COMPARE.
heavy steps, and doing very well until she
had accomplished the task for which her
mistress's instructions had, as it were, wound
her up. Then, after a few spasmodic efforts
at original exploits, she relapsed into helpless
chaos, and was standing the picture of open-
mouthed bewilderment when Berta came to
her assistance.
Mentally perplexed as she had never been
before, Berta found relief, as she had expected,
in giving her whole mind to the completion
of the clearance which Mrs. Eldridgre had
begun. Being a quick, methodical worker,
and accustomed to all household duties, she
speedily made chaos give way to order.
Kit, meanwhile, with every rub she gave to
a pan, stopped to stare in imbecile wonder at
her dexterity, and to exclaim —
" Eh ! but you can do it ! "
The work was just completed when Elwin
appeared, and Berta went out to meet him.
He was very pale.
" Yes, you were right, Berta," he said
BERTA. I "J^i
sadly ; " my mother is like uncle, and will
not believe in being nursed. But she has
consented to have Mrs. Dabb up to look
after the house."
Berta felt that this was his way of saying
that his mother refused her help ; and she
felt his pain in saying it.
" But that arrangement will do very well,
Elwin," she said softly. " Mrs. Dabb is a
good manager, and I will come up every day
to see if anything is wanted."
174 BEYOND COMPARE.
CHAPTER XIII.
THROUGH DARK TO DAWN.
Berta was just a little ashamed in her own
thoughts for feeling so much relieved by the
intimation that the service she had volun-
teered would not be required. She had
known that it would not be if Mrs. Eldridge
had her way ; but there had been the possi-
bility that Elwin might persuade her to
yield. Then fancy what it would be to
nurse a patient who was repugnant to every
touch, and took every draught, however
tenderly offered, as if it were poison ! The
girl shuddered at the idea of such a position ;
for she had an instinctive appreciation of the
conditions requisite to successful attendance
on the sick. The nurse must be sympa-
THROUGH DARK TO DAWN. 1 75
thetic in herself, in the first place, and, in the
next, she must have the confidence of the
patient. Otherwise every well-meant effort
to soothe is only another source of irritation.
So it was in all sincerity that Berta said the
arrangement for calling in Mrs. Dabb was
a very good one. She repeated that obser-
vation to Mrs. Eldridge when saying good-
bye, and took no notice of the restrained
acquiescence which was given to her promise
to come over and see if she could be of
any use.
As they made their way across the
meadows, Berta and Elwin, the sun was
going down in a rainy mist, and light drops
fell upon them, portending one of those
sudden storms which take the most expe-
rienced weather seers by surprise in the
country of the Broads. He made an effort
to shake off his gloom and failed, in spite
of the cordial seconding she gave him with
tender looks and words.
They halted at a gate which was formed
176 BEYOND COMPARE.
by two wooden bars resting in wooden
sockets attached to posts. The bars had
only to be Hfted from the sockets to give
passage across a few planks edged with moss,
which bridofed a narrow ditch into the next
field. As he was lifting the first bar he
nodded towards the west.
" Do you see that we are going to have
a storm ? " he said.
" Yes, we are likely to have some rain ;
and that is a good reason for hurrying home."
She purposely avoided taking notice of
the suggestion conveyed in the emphasis of
his tone. He understood.
" There is something in your eyes, Berta,
which makes me aware that I am a coward."
She would have interrupted him, but he
stopped her. "You need not speak — I
know it is not in your thoughts ; but I feel
it whenever I meet that kind look and think
of what a treasure has been given to me,
whilst I do nothing to make myself worthy
of it. But I mean to try."
TliROUGH DARK TO DAWN. I 77
He Uttered that determination in a low
tone, but the passionate earnestness of it
was the more intensified by his self-restraint.
Many things were passing through her mind
to which she could not give utterance. She
had no doubt that his bitter self-reproach
was due to something his mother had said
to him ; she could not tell him that ; and
she dared not bid him disregard any counsel
coming from that quarter. Neither could
she yet say that Mrs. Eldridge had spoken
to her in a way which produced the impres-
sion that some painful secret was distracting
her mind. But compassion for him she
could express, and the expression took a
very simple form.
" Dear Elwin ! "
That was all ; but the sound of her voice
and the pressure of her hand on his arm
brought light into his face again.
" For your sake, Berta, I will do what
ouf^ht to have been done loner aeo — break
through my mistaken bondage here, and try
VOL. I. N
178 BEYOND COMPARE.
what honest endeavour and such wit as I
possess can do to force fortune's favours.
There is not much bravery in the resolve,
for circumstances compel me to it ; and I
know that it oucrht to have been taken and
acted upon before."
" Everybody knows why you remained
here and how hard you have worked."
" And I dare say, everybody — except you,
darling — laughs at me for it. But every-
body could not know how much my poor
mother suffered ; how I dreaded that my
leaving her would be' a death-blow, and how
I hoped and hoped to put things straight,
so that I might start with a free hand in the
course which promised me success."
" But those who do know respect you for
the self-sacrifice you have made."
" Then I am one of those who, knowing
all, do not respect myself for what you call
the self-sacrifice. The real self-sacrifice
would have been to endure my mother's
reproaches ; to have taken things into my
THROUGH DARK TO DAWN. 1 79
own hands, and so averted the storm which
is now upon us in full fury. Things are
even worse than I thought."
" Do you think your mother is so very
ill ? "
" She is very ill ; but what makes her so
is the fact that in a few months — weeks, I
ought to say — days, perhaps — all that will
remain of Springfield to us will be a few
acres and the house. Maybe even these
must go."
"Your poor mother!" was all the girl
could say in response to this revelation of
a state of things ever so much more disas-
trous than she could have conceived. That
they had been long in grave difficulties she
knew ; but that they had been haneincr
over the edge of absolute ruin she had not
suspected. She now understood one source
of the widow's strange manner, and was
deeply sorry for her, whilst there was yet
a gleam of relief in learning that things were
so bad. For although she could not see
I So BEYOND COMPARE.
where the elements of " shame and crime "
came in, she could understand how this
proud woman, broken down by mental and
physical suffering, might exaggerate and
distort the real character of her own son's
position until she believed that it was such
as she had so wildly declared it to be.
Possibly, too, she might have been more
affected by the scandal which associated
El win with the forged will than any one
who knew him — apart from those who loved
him — oueht to have been. His next words
confirmed this view of the case.
" It is hard on mother," he said regret-
fully, " because she has held on to the place
so long, in spite of all experienced advice,
through a sentimental notion — the inspiration
of pride some might say — that she was bound
to preserve it somehow for me."
" The inspiration of her affection," Berta
said, in gentle correction.
" I know . . . poor mother ; it has been
her desperate ambition to give me the place
THROUGH DARK TO DAWN. l8l
free from encumbrances, and she counted
upon her brother paying what she beheves
to have been justly due to her in order to
accompUsh that object. Since this hope is
finally dispelled she seems to have lost heart
altogether."
" And can you wonder ? "
" No ; what I wonder at is that she so
obstinately held to those expectations. Of
course, we can have nothing to do with
that ridiculous will which Mr. Hammond
produced. Whether a forgery or not, I
should never agree to such terms."
" Do you doubt that it is a forgery ? "
He paused, and turned his face away
towards the setting sun as a twinge of pain
made his lips close tightly.
" No, I have no doubt of it," he answered
firmly. " If it be not, then, a curious expla-
nation has occurred to me — that this is the
last of those tantalizing jokes in which the
old man found his chief amusement. I mean
that he has enjoyed in anticipation the con-
I 82 BEYOND COMPARE.
fusion and vexation the discovery of such
a document would cause. . . . There, don't
scold me for my wicked fancy. The idea
only came to me in my endeavours to find
an explanation for the existence of such a
paper. Whatever the reason of it may be
matters little or nothing to us. The ex-
istence of it extinguishes my mother's hope.
At the same time, it has determined the
present holder of the mortgage over Spring-
field to foreclose. He waited for the in-
coming of uncle's legacy, and as there is
none to come he will wait no longer. He
says, ' Pay or give up.' As we can't pay,
we must give up."
" Then there is only one thing for you
to do now, Elwin," she said, courageously.
" You have done your best, and have nothing
to reproach yourself with. Now you have
come to the worst, look it in the face and
see if you cannot make something out
of it."
"That is what I mean to do," he answered,
THROUGH DARK TO DAWN. 1 83
with gleaming eyes and flushed cheeks, for
she had roused him out of his gloom and
his pulse throbbed with the desire for action.
He had so lonsf held himself in restraint that
the ruin which gave him freedom seemed to
come almost as a blessing rather than a
misfortune.
Tfie remainder of their way was passed
in much happier mood by both than the
beginning of it had been. They were busy
forming plans for the future, and building
such pretty castles in the air, that they
seemed to be living in them, and were so
impervious to outer things that when the
storm burst upon them they only quickened
their steps.
There was a sudden darkness, and the
dull, slate-coloured sky became black, form-
ing a curtain against which the broad sheets
of fire appeared the more vivid. Then the
thunder rumbled heavily along seaward, and,
as the sound gradually subsided, down came
the rain in a straight, stt^ady pour. Every
184 BEYOND COMPARE.
succeeding flash and roll of thunder unbur-
dened the heavy clouds and the rain fell
faster and heavier.
As they neared the village the lightning
flashes became less frequent, the sounds of
thunder, more distant, and the rain more
gentle. The sky suddenly cleared, and a
rainbow arched upward from the sea, making
all that had been so dull before brilliant
with colour. The storm had passed ; the
earth, the hedges, and the trees gave forth
a refreshing fragrance, and a pleasant twilight
calm succeeded.
" I take this as an omen, Berta," said
Elwin, hopefully, for the clearing of the
atmosphere had lifted some of the depres-
sion from his mind. " We shall weather the
storm together."
When he told Roger Skyles how matters
stood, that worthy man did not look at all
surprised, but he dipped his hands deep
down into his breeches pockets, nodded his
head, and looked straight at Elwin.
THROUGH DARK TO DAWN. 185
"That's bad news; but I've been on the
look out for it. How do you feel ? "
" Not very comfortable, as you may sup-
pose. At the same time it gives me the
chance to see what I can do in my own way.
Mother can get on fairly well with what is
left to her, and I hope to be able to make up
whatever is short as soon as I have eot a start."
Roger's broad face brightened, and he gave
him a congratulatory slap on the shoulder.
" Spoke like a man, and I know you'll
stick to your course once you've laid it
down. The one fault I've always had to
find with you, Elwin, is that you've allowed
yourself to be tied to your mother's apron
strings too long — meaning no disrespect to
her, poor lady, for she's a clever woman.
But you've got your chance. Now, strike
out, and do something ; turn the stuff that's
in you to account, and then you shall have
Beart. There ! She's a prize worth winning,
I should rather think."
Elwin smiled at the old man's enthusiasm,
I 86 BEYOND COMPARE.
and did not think it necessary to remind him
that the prize was already won, and that the
real matter to consider was how to build the
palace which would be worthy to receive it.
" Never you heed, deary, what my man
says about mother's apron strings," broke in
good-natured Mother Skyles ; " it would
be to the good of a many if they held on to
them fastenings a while longer nor they do
nowadays. You have time before you and
a blessing behind you, deary, in knowing that
you've done what you could to help the
mother."
Berta's approving smile was a fitting
accompaniment to these cheering words.
Elwin left the cottage that evening in a
calmer frame of mind than he had known
since the day of his uncle's funeral. As he
went in search of Mrs. Dabb, he was in-
different to the loss of Springfield, and for
a space unconscious of the shadow which
hung over him.
{ i8r )
CHAPTER XIV.
THE PUZZLE.
In the whole course of his experience of
family perplexities and individual eccentrici-
ties, Mr. Hammond had never had on his
hands such a troublesome business as this
of the late Anthony Durrant. That gende-
man had always been a difficult client to
deal with when alive, and it seemed that he
was to be more troublesome than ever now
that he was dead.
The advertisements for the missing will
had elicited a number of silly responses from
idle people who, fancying themselves gifted
with a keen sense of humour, tried to make
fun of a lawyer. Other answers were the
I 88 BEYOND COMPARE.
serious attempts of swindlers who professed
to know all about the matter, but claimed
an immediate remittance of one half of the
reward offered before they would give any
information. These were all expeditiously
deposited in the waste-paper basket.
There was one answer, however, which
Mr. Hammond did not dispose of in this
way. He kept it on his desk for several
days, and scrutinized the letter and the
envelope again and again, without being able
to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion regard-
ing it. The post-mark showed that the letter
had been posted at St. Martin's-le-Grand.
The address on the envelope and the con-
tents of the paper it enclosed were printed
by a type-writing machine, so that the pen-
manship could never afford any clue to the
sender of it. Without date, without siena-
ture, there was nothing to give the faintest
suggestion as to whence it came, and yet
this, amongst all the replies to the adver-
tisements, was the one over which the old
THE PUZZLE. 189
lawyer paused, with the conviction that it
was the key to the sohition of the whole
mystery.
This was what he read, until the words
came to him by rote.
" The will is quite safe ; but will never
be produced unless certain unforeseen and
improbable circumstances arise. Give up
the chase, and either deal with the estate
as that of an intestate or act on the forced
will in your possession. You will not take
the latter course unless you intend to send
Elwin Eldridge to prison. He was in the
house; he had the keys of Durrant's boxes
and bureau, and it could not be any one
but Eldridge who was heard in the dead
man's room during the night after the death.
Remember how much he and his mother
expected as their due from Anthony Durrant.
Question them if you want further infor-
mation.
*' One word more. Do not bother your-
self about the proceeds of the missing bonds
IQO BEYOND COMPARE.
and shares. Anthony disposed of them in
the way which pleased himself."
At the first reading of this singular
communication, Mr. Hammond ejaculated,
" Pooh ! — another hoax." At the second
he began to consider ; at the third he said
to himself—-
" Whoever has written this knows some-
thing about the business. Whether the
declaration that the missing will exists is
true or false, this accusation against young
Eldridge is absurd, although his position is
certainly an awkward one. But if neither he
nor his mother attempt to prove that will
nothing can come of it, except that Preston
will eet a ereat deal more than is his due."
The thought of Preston suggested to him
who his unknown correspondent might be;
for, although to his knowledge Preston had
not been absent from Cleyton for more than
a few hours at a time since his arrival, there
were easy means by which he could have
got this precious document posted in London.
THE PUZZLE. 191
So Mr. Hammond smiled at this attempt to
hoodwink him ; but he deemed it to be his
duty to ask the brothers to call upon him,
in order to decide what should be done.
Before the day appointed for this meeting,
however, he drove out to Springfield.
Mrs. Eldridge had been worse than even
the doctor suspected. When she went to
bed on the afternoon of Berta's visit she
could not rise again, in spite of her eager
desire to do so. She lay prostrate, with
parched lips and pallid face, but wild, rest-
less eyes ; and yet there were no specific
symptoms to guide Dr. Costessy in his treat-
ment. He could only recommend perfect
quiet, cooling drinks, and the administration
of a draught which he had prepared.
The indefiniteness of the malady was the
most distressing element of it. She had no
pain, although at intervals she would start
and sigh as if suffering the acutest agony.
Elwin questioned her, and always received
the same response.
192 BEYOND COMPARE.
" It is nothing — only a thought. Don't
worry about me, or you will make me
worse."
So he had to be silent, and as far as the
dismissal of Berta was concerned, to content
himself with the explanation already given
to him — that the ruinous state of their affairs
rendered it necessary for him to abandon
all thought of marrying the girl, at least for
a long time. Then she told him that every-
thing had gone from them, except the house
and the few acres, which would barely suffice
for a couple of cows,' That would not sup-
port them, and he would have to leave her.
He must leave her since things had turned
out so badly.
" But my brother is to blame, and he must
answer for the evil that has been done."
She would say no more. For days she
lay In absolute silence, and Mrs. Dabb was
worn out with her good-natured efforts to
coax her stubborn patient into speech.
When told that Mr. Hammond wanted
THE PUZZLE. 193
to see her on important business, new life
seemed to be instilled into her. She raised
herself, to the astonishment of Mrs. Dabb,
and said with a firm voice —
" I will see him."
In spite of all remonstrances she insisted
upon netting herself partly dressed, and, with
a sharvvl wrapped round her shoulders, took
her place in a big armchair near the window.
" I am delighted to find you able to be
up. ]\Irs. Eldridge," said the lawyer, as he
advanced to her with hand extended cordi-
ally. " This gives me hope that you will
soon be able to move about as you used
to do."
'.' I don't think there is much life left in
me, Mr. Hammond," she answered, with
a gloomy movement of the head ; " but
what there is of it I want to turn, as far as
in me lies, to the service of my son."
"Tut, tut, you must not speak in such
a desponding manner. You have years
before you — happy years, I have no doubt.
VOL. I. o
194 BEYOND COMPARE.
When disagreeable things happen we are all
apt to. take too gloomy a view of the future.
But things are never so bad as they seem."
" Tell me the worst, then, that you have
come to tell me," she said acridly, "so that
I may know the worst and have done
with it."
Mr. Hammond dropped his glasses, and
looked somewhat put out. A kindly motive
had prompted him in coming to the widow,
and she seemed to pull him up as sharply as
if he were her opponent in a case of breach
of the peace or even breach of promise. He
comforted himself with a pinch of snuff, and
cleared his throat as a matter of habit rather
than of necessity.
" The worst, my dear Mrs. Eldridge, is
soon told. So far as I can see at present,
there will be nothing for you out of your
brother's estate."
" He did not mean that — he could not
have meant it."
** I am convinced he did not ; but in the
THE PUZZLE. 195
absence of the will to which he referred
when speaking to me we are powerless."
" What about the one which you found
in his bureau ? " She put the question with
a steady voice, but her eyes were glistening
with eagerness for his answer.
" That brings me to the worst of the
case," said Mr. Hammond, so gravely that
his hand stopped half-way between the snuff-
box and his nostrils. " Let me ask you one
question. Do you mean to act upon that
document ? "
His eyes were fixed upon her with an
expression of compassionate inquiry. There
was a brief pause, during which her features
worked nervously, and she clutched the arms
of her chair spasmodically.
" You say it is a — a forgery," she replied
with much deliberation, although her voice
faltered a little. " If that be so, it would, of
course, be foolish to attempt to make use
Ot It.
" I am very glad to hear you say so — very
196 BEYOND COMPARE.
<Aa.d — because I am sure that nothino- could
be made of it. I have had special inquiries
made about the persons whose names are
attached to the paper as witnesses, and find
that there are no such addresses as those
given. I have widely advertised their names,
but have had no response. The conclusion
is obvious — that the whole thing is a fabri-
cation."
" You seemed to hesitate about its genuine-
ness at first," she muttered moodily.
" Quite so — as a mere matter of profes-
sional caution. I would not have been
surprised by its contents if it had not been
that Howard was cut off as sharply as
Preston ; for I think much was owing to
)^ou, and your brother did mean to acknow-
ledge his debt, although with his habitual
eccentricity he put it off until the last
moment."
" Then, if I say, and if Elwin says, that
we will not act upon it, there will be nothing
more heard of this paper ?"
THE PUZZLE. 197
" Of course not."
" Then, if you have got it with you, let
us do what Preston wanted me to do at first
— put it in the fire."
This was a prompt mode of doing business,
which was quite opposed to Mr. Hammond's
old-fashioned leisurely way of procedure.
" I have not got it with me, my dear
Mrs. Eldridge, and if I had we could not
dispose of such a document in the summary
way you propose. We must not only have
your consent and your son's, but also that
of Preston and Howard Durrant. You see,
if we agree that an attempted fraud has been
perpetrated, it may be necessary to trace the
criminal."
" Why ? "
The question was put so sharply that the
lawyer opened his eyes in surprise.
" In the interests of justice," he replied
sententiously. " But if you are all agreed to
allow the estate to pass as that of an intes-
tate, all we have to do is put this paper
1 98 BEYOND COMPARE
aside, allow Preston and Howard to inherit
as the nearest of kin ; and so we end the
matter for the present."
" Only for the present ? "
" Yes, for your sake I must retain this
paper, so that in the event of the real will
being- found I may be able to note the
difference. At the same time, I must say
that there is little prospect of the will being
found."
" At any rate, no use can be made of this
paper ? "
" None whatever, unless you decide to act
upon it."
" Then let it ofo. I shall do nothing.
Anthony has wronged me ; he has forgotten
the pledges he gave me. So let it be."
" You know that I think your brother has
not done his duty by you ; that is to say,
I think by some strange mischance his real
wishes are hidden from us. He was a strange
man, but I believe that he never intended his
property to go in the way it must go now."
THE PUZZLE. 199
"Yes, he was a strange man," she re-
sponded absently ; and as if there were only
one idea in her head, she added, " but you
must get that paper destroyed somehow."
" I will do what I can ; but there is little
likelihood that the brothers will desire to
preserve it."
" Surely not, when they know that I wish
it to be destroyed, and relinquish all claim to
a share in the estate."
She was exhausted, and Mr. Hammond,
observing this, presently took his leave.
As Mrs. Dabb was assisting the widow
to her bed, she heard her murmuring, "Saved !
saved ! "
200 BEYOND COMPARE.
CHAPTER XV.
MEDITATIONS.
Whilst Elwin was in the cottaee and in
presence of her grandparents on the evening
when he brought her home from Springfield,
Berta had carefully refrained from any refe-
rence to what had passed. But when he
had said good-bye to her at the garden gate,
she found it difficult to maintain the hopeful
spirit with which she had endeavoured to
comfort him.
A feeling of depression stole over her as
she stood for a moment listeninof to the
sound of his departing footsteps. She
shivered, and was conscious of a sense of
terror such as had come upon her when a
child, if left alone in the dark after hearine
MEDITATIONS. 20I
some tale of mysterious horror, and as she
moved towards the house she instinctively
o-fanced at the horseshoe to make sure that
it was in its place.
She felt as o-jad as of old to be safe behind
its sheltering presence. Within there was
a cheery welcome, which added to her feeling
of safety, and made her forget for a time the
disas^reeable thoughts and forebodino-s of evil
aroused by the scene of the afternoon.
Old Roger Skyles and his wife were
eagerly awaiting her re-entrance, for they
had a healthy country appetite for news,
and besides being anxious to hear about the
widow's illness, the newspaper lay unopened.
As soon as the girl crossed the threshold
Roger sang out —
" Hilloa, Beart, what have scared you
since you went out ? You look as if you'd
seen ' the white lady.' "
" Deary me, now," put in the mother,
before the girl had time to answer her
grandfather, "don't you be frighting her.
202 BEYOND COMPARE.
The poor dear only want a bit of some-
thing to eat. Wi' all the muddle an' that,
she haven't had anything to speak of, I
warrant. An empty stomach would make
even the parson shake going through the
churchyard. Eat a bit of supper, deary, and
you'll feel a wonderful deal the better of it."
Berta obeyed the affectionate order as
well as she could, while the smackowner
still continued to scan her countenance with
some anxiety. She could not tell the old
people all that had happened at Springfield ;
but presently she answered the inquiry in
her grandfather's eyes.
" I am well enough, dad, and I have not
seen a ghost. But maybe if I look scared
it is because Mrs. Eldridge was very queer
to-day ; she seemed hardly to know what
she was saying, and she does not like me,
and would not have me to nurse her."
" She must be queer in the head, if she
don't like you, deary. But, never mind ;
folks be queer enough in their ways when
MEDITATIONS. 203
they're ill, and she have trouble enough
beside to make her queer."
■" If that be all, Beart," said the old man,
much relieved, " then trim your sails and be
as brisk as a bee, for that'll right itself soon
enough. Maybe the poor woman will feel
a little bit jealous, for her heart's bound up
in her son, and no wonder. But wait you
till El win be gone away, and see if the wind
don't shift and blow from the 'zact opposite
quarter. Who'll there be so pleased to
talk about El win and hear of him as you,
eh, lass ? — and if that don't win the old
lady's heart, she's a tougher timber than the
departed Anthony himself."
" I hope you are right, dad," said Berta,
encouraged by the old man's heartiness, " and
maybe things will go as you say by-and-by.
But, you see, Elwin wanted me to help his
mother, and I would gladly do it for his sake,
but when she is not willing it is not easy."
" Of course it ain't," said Roger. " It
ain't ever pleasant to go where you're not
204 BEYOND COMPARE.
wanted ; and if Mrs. Dabb be to care for
the old lady, take you my advice, and don't
steer for the port o' Springfield no more till
the wind change. Never you fear, your lad
will soon come for you if you are wanted ;
and I've no doubt, wanted or not wanted,
anyway there'll always be a fair breeze of
an evening to help him toward ours."
The old smackowner chuckled, and patted
his pretty granddaughter on the cheek.
She unfolded the newspaper, and the old
couple settled themselves to enjoy her read-
ing. She did not read so well as usual, for
the words, " Bar of shame — disgrace — crime,"
would float before her eyes, and it was not
long before she bade her grandparents good-
night.
But although she went to her room, she
did not ofo to rest. From her window she
could look across the denes to the sea, and
she often liked to spend a quiet half-hour
gazing at the familiar prospect, and noting the
varying lights and colours of sky and wave.
MEDITATIONS. 205
The wind had risen, and clouds scudded
across the face of the moon — sometimes
fleecy and transparent, they veiled for a
moment her loveliness — again, black and
angry, they blotted out her beauty, and left
earth and sea in darkness ; a moment more
and she appeared again unveiled, while a
lake of gleaming silver far away on the sea
seemed, as it were, the bath prepared for the
pale Queen of the Heavens to descend into.
Berta did not heed these changes much,
for she was busy with the problem of Mrs.
Eldridge's strange words, and with thoughts
of the change that was coming to herself.
Her life hitherto had been peaceful and
beautiful as one of the Broads she loved so
much — gently stimulated now and again, it
might be, by the distant surgings of less
tranquil lives, as these quiet inland lakes
are agitated by the tides of the restless
ocean. Yet she had never found it a mono-
tonous life, as many girls would have done.
A superficial observer might have thought
206 BEYOND COMPARE.
it SO, just as a careless traveller, passing
through the country round her home on
a sunless day, would have called it flat and
uninteresting.
Perhaps one secret of her content lay in
the fact that her training had never made
her lose touch of her home interests and
occupations, and thus she had always so
much to do that she had no time to think
of sighing for far away and unattainable
pleasures.
Then Elwin had stepped into her heart
and taken possession, and there was no room
left for idle dreams to find a lodging. With
youth and health in her limbs, skill and ac-
tivity in her fingers, knowledge and thought
in her brain, and a loving heart well bestowed,
the days had passed on in happy sunshine.
Now trouble was coming. Elwin was
going away — perhaps for a long time — and
there was this dreadful business of the will
which had cast a cloud upon him. It was
not only that he would be absent, but that
MEDITATIONS. 207
she would have to fight his battles over and
over again, as the evil tongues would wag
faster when his back was turned. She had
heard them going often enough already, and
they had hurt her for his sake, and roused
her to such anger as she had never ex-
perienced before.
Again she thought with wonder of Dame
Eldridge's words. Was it possible that his
own mother could for one instant doubt the
son whom she loved so well, and whom every
one knew to be honest as the day ? No, no ;
it was not possible. Poor Elwin ; how sad
he had looked, and how she longed to do
more for him.
Yet he was going away — and her thoughts
turned to other girls in the village whose
sweethearts had left them and had never
come back. Some had perished at sea ; some
had been faithless — but Elwin would never
be that. She could trust him. And her
eyes filled with tears as she thought how
happy they had been together.
208 BEYOND COMPARE.
" Maybe that Is just it — we have been too
happy ; and maybe, like the king in Schiller's
poem that Mrs. Greenacre is so fond of, we
had better give up a little with a good will
for fear we lose all. But then, the king
got back his ring, and we can never get back
the time we shall be apart. Poor lady, I
must go and see her to-morrow. I begin
to feel the truth of what she says about life
being full of compensations, though I never
could see where her compensation came for
all the pain she has to suffer ; but, oh, I hope
Elwin and I will not have to be very miser-
able to make up for having been so happy ! "
Again the widow's ominous words echoed
in the poor girl's brain. Although at first
she had obtained some relief from the hope
that the words had only been the outcome of
an exaggerated view of the position of affairs,
her mind was not satisfied with the explana-
tion. For there was som.ethinof in Elwin's
manner and expression which made her
aware that he, too, was conscious of some
MEDITATIONS. 209
secret which he was keeping from her.
What could it be ?
'The girl's faith and pride in her lover were
too great to admit of even a momentary
thought of the possibility of there being a
stain on his honour ; but she could not help
wondering what kind of trouble it was that
he would not share with her.
Suddenly, when her brain was weary with
puzzling, a thought flashed upon her. Was
it possible that the widow, in a moment of
madness, had herself But no, it was
Elwin who had the keys, and he would have
known. Aye, but that was just the question.
Knowing, he could not speak, and that would
explain much.
Presendy Berta rebuked herself, saying —
" Poor woman, because she does not like
me, I can imagine her capable of such a
thought — but only if she did not know what
she was doing. What would Elwin think of
me :
Feeling ashamed of the thought, and vet
vol,. I.
2IO BEYOND COMPARE.
unable wholly to drive away what seemed at
least a plausible solution of the problem, she
tried to appease her conscience by resolving
to make every effort to help and comfort
Mrs. Eldridge after her son's departure ; but
she did not feel so sanguine as Roger Skyles
that she would succeed in the attempt to
overcome the widow's apparent dislike.
As Berta rested her weary head on the
pillow the pretty eyelids drooped, and sleep
put an end to puzzling thoughts. But she
dreamed that Elwin and she were sailing
together on a quiet lake, when somehow he
was struggling in the water, and his mother
forbade her to help him.
( 2^1 )
CHAPTER XVI.
THE DUELLISTS.
When Mr. Hammond, in his Yarmouth
office, announced to the brothers Durrant
that neither Mrs. Eldrido-e nor her son would
attempt to prove the will which had been
found in the bureau, the effect produced
on them was similar, but showed itself in
markedly different ways.
" A very wise decision on their part,"
observed Preston, jauntily ; " and it will save
us a lot of bother. All the same, we must
keep a look-out for the person who attempted
to play us this trick of foisting upon us such
a ridiculous settlement of the sfovernor's
affairs."
He was glad to find that Brasnet's pre-
212 BEYOND COMPARE.
diction had been fulfilled ; and his only regret
was that he had a brother. There was a
degree of consolation, however, in the re-
flection that there was only one.
Howard was not less selfish in his thouo^ht ;
but he veiled it under his usual mask of sub-
mission to the ways of Providence, whatever
they might be. He wished that the real will
had turned up, feeling certain that it would
have been to his advantage.
" I am glad that the Eldridges have taken
such a sensible view of the case," he said
mildly, rubbing his hands, which were as
usual clasped behind him. " But I presume
there will be a number of formalities to go
throuoh before we can divide the estate."
" Undoubtedly," said Mr. Hammond, with
some surprise that neither of the brothers
appeared to be disposed to make any sub-
stantial acknowledgment to their aunt ; " but
this — I must say generous — decision of Mrs.
Eldridge and her son simplifies matters con-
siderably."
, THE DUELLISTS. 213
" Can't see much generosity in it," said
Pneston, callously. " I dare say they had very
good reasons for coming to this decision, see-
ing that the forgery was so palpable, and con-
sequently so promptly detected."
" I do not think that a just remark," re-
joined the old lawyer. " They could have
no reason for renouncing the will except
their conviction — which you will remember
Elwin declared at once — that it was either
a forgery or a most unfair settlement."
" You are forgetting, Hammond, that if
they had attempted to prove the will, they
might have been charged with the forgery.
They were the only persons about the old
man who had any interest in manufacturing
such a document. They had the keys, and
it is known that some one was in the bed-
room in the small hours of the morninof after
his death."
" I do not forget these important possi-
bilities, Mr. Durrant ; but before we could
prove that they had entered into such a
214 BEYOND COMPARE,
nefarious conspiracy, they could involve
you in much litigation and heavy expenses.
I am not prepared to say decisively even
now that this signature might not have been
written by your father himself."
" Nonsense ! You know perfectly well that
it is not like his writing at all. The whole
thing is so clumsily constructed that nobody
in his senses could doubt its falsehood."
" The very clumsiness might tell in its
favour with people who knew all the circum-
stances and understood your father's peculiar
character. I agree with you that it was a
wise decision of your aunt and cousin not to
found any claim upon this document ; but,
considering all the expense and trouble it
has spared you, I think you should be grate-
ful to them. I think, in fact, you should
mark your appreciation of their conduct in
some other way than in words."
" All right," replied Preston, carelessly.
" A few hundreds would no doubt be useful
to them, and I am willing to show^ my grati-
THE DUELLISTS. 215
tude in that way if Howard agrees to go in
wjth me."
During this sharp encounter between the
lawyer and his elder brother, Howard had
been observing the latter closely. Something
in Preston's ready acceptance of the position
struck him as worthy of note. The careless
proposal to give the Eldridges a few hun-
dreds was too much in keeping with the
character of the spendthrift to be remarkable
in itself ; but he looked so prepared to take
things as they stood that a curious thought
occurred to Howard.
Could it be possible that Preston, knowing
how inflexible his father would be in regard
to his deliberate contempt of the agreement
made between them — or, perhaps, it should
be said his reckless indifference to it — and
suspecting that a will unfavourable to him
was sure to be made, had come to Cleyton
secretly and substituted for the real will the
paper now under discussion ? The thing
was easy enough of accomplishment to any
2l6 BEYOND COMPARE.
one knowing the Cleyton house and its ways.
Before the final outbreak with his father,
Preston had often made his way into the
house, at all sorts of hours, by the window
of the room in which his father had died.
The window-frame was old, the latch was
old, and the touch of a penknife, slipped
between the sashes, could move it without
noise. Strange to say, there were no shutters
— a peculiarity of the district, indicating much
faith in the honesty of its inhabitants, and
very useful to travelling burglars.
The lock of the bureau was an old-fashioned
one, but it could be picked without difficulty
by any one who had the slightest knowledge
of its construction. Then the will was so
framed that no one who had courage enough
to attempt such a fraud could expect that
it would ever pass current. The person who
made out that document must have been fully
aware that it would be immediately repudiated.
Who had so much reason to perpetrate a
trick of this kind as Preston ?
THE DUELLISTS. 2 I 7
Howard reserved these reflections for
further consideration. They were certainly
very starthng, and on that account not to
be hastily promulgated. For the present
he would hold his tongue ; but he would
carefully reserve the right to take what
action he might deem necessary in the
lieht of future events. Therefore he spoke
cautiously.
" I will be guided by anything Mr. Ham-
mond advises or recommends. I am of his
opinion that some acknowledgment should
be made to our aunt ; but the amount of it
must be determined after we are perfectly
assured of our own position."
" What assurance do we require ? " queried
Preston, who was not pleased with this hesi-
tation on the part of his brother. " There
is no will, therefore we inherit as a matter
of course."
Howard smiled as if compassionating his
brother's impetuosity; but he was more im-
pressed than before by the suspicion which
2l8 BEYOND COMPARE.
Preston's eagerness to get the business settled
on the terms proposed had aroused.
" I think Mr. Hammond will tell you," he
said softly, "that before we can take posses-
sion and divide the property, we must wait
until the Probate Court has decided to set
this will aside — or until the other one is
found."
" Well, I suppose there won't be much
difficulty on that score, as the people who
are benefited by this confounded paper de-
cline to act upon it, and, after all, due search
has been made for another will, and none
has turned up."
" Nevertheless, my dear Preston, we must
leave the matter at present entirely in Mr.
Hammond's hands."
" Very well, my dear Howard ; but never-
theless — as you say— somebody must supply
me with means for my present necessities."
"In regard to that, you can reckon upon
me for any reasonable amount, which, of
course, will be charged to your share of the
THE DUELLISTS. 219
estate when the affair is settled," said
Howard.
"All right, then," was the careless answer ;
" and I hope we shall not disagree as to
what is a reasonable amount. If we don't,
I shall do my best to forget that you were
not^so generous on other occasions."
" The circumstances were different," re-
joined the brother calmly; "and I think
we need not take up Mr. Hammond's valu-
able time any longer."
The brothers left the office together,
greatly to the lawyer's relief. He did not care
much about Howard, but he preferred him
to his brother. The selfishness which seemed
to be inherent in both was so marked that
it vexed even one who in his profession
was constantly brought into contact with that
quality wherever property was concerned.
Preston thought his brother had suddenly
become particularly friendly with him.
Formerly he had treated him with a be-
nevolent pity, and studiously declined to
2 20 BEYOND COMPARE.
comply with any of his appeals for pecuniary
assistance.
" Something" in the wind here," was his
mental comment ; " and while I am trying
to find ont what it is, it will be queer if
I don't get a haul from his money bags."
" By the way," said Howard, as they were
about to part, " I learn that your friend
Captain Brasnet has taken up his quarters
at Sandybeach."
Preston gave him a quick, searching glance
from beneath his heavy eyebrows, and then
answered, with affected indifference, but
truthfully enough — •
" Yes ; he took me rather by surprise.
But I understand he has some business in
the county. I don't suppose he came to
condole with me on our loss. Has he any-
thing to do with you ? "
" Certainly not ! " was the horrified ex-
clamation ; " any association with him would
ruin me for ever. I only mentioned his
name in order to express the hope that
THE DUELLISTS. 22 1
you have no intention of inviting him to
Cleyton."
* " I don't know. Much will depend on
how things turn out, and how soon I may
tire of my hermit life. At present, how-
ever, Brasnet appears to be so well con-
tent with his quarters at the White Horse
that he has not vet invited himself to the
house."
" So far so good, and I sincerely hope
for your sake that he will not think of doing
so. Have you any idea what the business
is which has brouofht him here ? "
The question was asked in such a casual
way that it seemed to arise quite naturally
out of the desire that his brother should
not associate with the man,
" Can't say," was the sharp reply, with
another searching glance at Howard's face.
" Maybe he is on the look out for horses
for the Government or for himself. Why
are you so curious ? "
" Because I should like to know that he
222 BEYOND COMPARE.
was a long way from you. However, I
know that you will take no advice regard-
ing him, and I say no more."
With a benign smile Howard turned away
in the direction of the Vauxhall station.
Preston, with his jaunty bearing, took his
way down the Market and Broad Rows.
But jaunty as his bearing was his mind was
not perfectly tranquil. He was not at all
satisfied about the delays which were ap-
parently to intervene between him and the
full possession of his inheritance. He was
curious as to what might be the meaning
of Howard's change of front in his treatment
of him, and at the same time he was eno-aeed
in what he regarded as a duel in the dark
with his friend Captain Brasnet.
He had agreed to the queer bargain
which the latter had proposed to him ; but
he was still ignorant as to how he was to
play the part assigned to him, or who the
victim was over whose fate he was to exer-
cise such terrible influence. But he knew
THE DUELLISTS. 2 23
that Brasnet never acted without a good
chance of winning at his command ; and
tHis was so dangerous a game that they
were playing that Preston resolved to ap-
pear as if he accepted everything in good
faith until the opportunity came when he
could destroy the will which had been de-
scribed to him, or turn upon his confederate
and denounce whatever plot he had formed.
Nothwithstandinof this determination he
&
was oroinor straio^ht to the Star Hotel to
meet Brasnet, who was waiting there for
him, to learn the result of the interview
with the lawyer and Howard.
2 24 BEYOND COMPARE.
CHAPTER XVII.
"is it the worst ?"
The visit of Mr. Hammond to Springfield
seemed in some way to have done Mrs. Eld-
ridge more good than all the doctor's visits,
advice, and physic put together. The im-
provement, although not rapid, was sufficiently
marked to cause Mrs. Dabb to exclaim to
Elwin —
" I do believe she be coming round finely
ever since lawyer Hammond was here. I
never had much of a notion of folk of his
trade, but he have been real useful to your
mother, and that'll score on the right side o'
his account. Here she have been up every
day since, a-settin' at the window gettin' a
taste of fresh air for two and three hours at a
"is it the worst?" 225
stretch. Bless his grey hairs, though he be
a lawyer, says I ! "
Elwin could understand that the medicine
which Mr. Hammond had administered was
that which relieved the mind. She had defi-
nitely agreed with her son to discard the
will in their favour ; and since they had done
so none of the smaller legatees would dream
of founding a claim on it, especially as the
principal two of their number would, by
right of birth, divide the property between
them.
He understood, too, why the benefit to her
was not even greater — why the face was still
haggard and anxious — the fatal paper was
not to be destroyed. It was to be preserved,
so that if opportunity occurred it might be
used for the conviction of its concocter.
There were causes enough in the state of
their immediate affairs to make her look
haggard and anxious. But of these matters
she now spoke with apathetic indifference.
She signed her name when required ; said
VOL. I. Q
2 26 BEYOND COMPARE.
" Yes " or " No " to any suggestions as to
the disposal of anything, and left the arrange-
ments entirely to her son. But the slightest
allusion to Cleyton made her eyes kindle with
suspicion and something like fear.
Merciful Heaven ! What a thought it was
for him that she had anything to fear ! Often
he had been on the point of telling her what
he had seen on the night of his uncle's death,
and asking an explanation ; but he could
not brine himself to do it. He had asked
what she knew, and she had answered. That
should be enough for him, and would be
enough. He would hold to his first explana-
tion of her conduct on that night, and believe
that she had been simply carrying out some
last instructions of her brother.
At present all suspicion pointed to himself :
there let it rest. The fear she manifested
must be on his account, as the crime, if she
had been capable of it, would have been
perpetrated on his account.
The face of Mrs. Eldridge was not only
"is it the worst? 227
haggard ; it was that of one who had lost all
faith In Divine justice. She sat at the window
day after day, gazing over the broad acres
which were no longer hers, and felt embit-
tered against humanity and fate.
Why should she, who had toiled so hard
throughout her life, be brought so low ? Why
should the things she had laboured for be
denied, and all the self-sacrifice and endeavour
of long years be turned to naught ? Worst
of all — why should she have been made the
instrument of destroying the prospects of the
son who was so dear to her, whilst believing
that she was furthering them ?
That was a bitter cup indeed. She looked
back on her own spoiled life, and now felt
that she had marred his also.
Believing that by proper management
Springfield would yield in time sufficient to
redeem all the mortgages upon it, and that it
would then afford a comfortable income for
her son, she had contrived to pay the heavy
interest on these bonds. But in several
2 28 BEYOND COMPARE.
recent years the cattle plague had again and
aeain devastated her herds, and bad harvests
piled loss upon loss, until at length she failed
in the struggle to retain the land. Believing
that her brother would ultimately acknow-
ledo-e his heavy obligations to her — he had
often said she was to keep an easy mind-
she had been the more eager to keep Elwin
with her. But In this expectation, too, she
had been disappointed.
It had been her ambition to see her son
established as a prosperous yeoman of the
county, as his forefathers had been for genera-
tions. Also — but she did not tell him this —
she had wished to see him married to a girl
she had chosen, who was a distant relative
of the Eldridges, possessed of a fair fortune
of her own, and prospects from an aunt, the
wealthy, childless widow of a brewer.
Elwin had reluctantly yielded to her wishes
that he should stay at home, and had thereby
sacrificed some of the best years of his life —
maybe had lost that opportunity which comes
*'IS IT THE WORST?" 229
to most men once at least, and would have
led him on to fortune.
What blunders — what woful blunders she
had made ! was her bitter reflection, as she
sat there powerless to retrieve them.
A sordid ambition this of Mrs. Eldridge,
maybe ; but it was as noble to her as the
attainment of the premiership is to the
politician, the woolsack to the lawyer, or
ereat victories to the soldier. She had
staked everything upon it, and had lost.
The young, even the middle-aged, can
bear failure, for they may begin again and
succeed. But when absolute failure comes
at the period in which there is no beginning
again, the case is different. To the pious
there is the blessing of calm resignation to
His will ; to the cynical the consolation of
seeing that others are in the same plight ;
but to the passionate nature, whose every
thought and hope have been concentrated
on the one object, there is nothing but grim
despair.
230 BEYOND COMPARE.
Mrs. Eldridge belonged to the latter class,
and saw no light anywhere. Even when
Elwin assured her that he did not regret
the turn events had taken, as it gave him
the opportunity he had long desired, and
pointed out that time was in his favour still
for success to be won, she only shook her
head, answering, gloomily —
" I shall not live to see it."
"At any rate, mother, you have seen the
worst," he said, trying to console her with
that final argument for hope always offered
to the despairing, " and things must mend."
"Is it the worst?" she asked, reearding-
him with that strange expression with which
he had noticed her at times watching- his
movements. " I would be glad to feel sure
of that."
" Then, be glad ; for there is little more
that can be taken from us, and I shall soon
be in a position to make that little safe."
" Your health may be taken from you."
Thus she refused to be comforted ; for
" IS IT THE WORST ? " 2^1
3
every hopeful prospect presented to her she
cliscovered clouds that darkened it. But
she did not thrust her misery upon any one.
Indeed, it was her silence which rendered
her condition most distressing to Elwin.
To Mrs. Dabb it was an absolute affliction.
That good woman, with her round, ruddy
face and corpulent person, had for years
regularly carried the produce of the Spring-
field dairy to market every Wednesday and
Saturday, and there had disposed of it to
the best advantage at a stall hired by Mrs.
Eldridgfe. On returninor Jq the evenino- she
had always found her mistress willing enough
to listen to the report of the prices and
bargains of the day ; and even a little gossip
had not come amiss. But now Mrs. Dabb
found that these things elicited no word of
satisfaction or the reverse, and that she
regarded as the very worst sign possible of
"breaking up."
Elwin had written to Messrs. Saunders,
Orwell, and Co., the shipbuilders with whom
232 BEYOND COMPARE.
he had served several years' apprenticeship.
The reply had been cordial and favourable ;
for he had been sending them from time to
time designs of various improvements in the
construction of vessels, which showed an
aptitude that might be turned to valuable
account. He was requested to make a
journey to Glasgow, in order to see the
firm, whose building-yards were on the
Clyde, and then they would settle what
arrangements could be made for him.
" Here is good news for us now, mother,"
Elwin said gladly, as he showed her the
letter.
" I suppose it must be," she muttered, after
a pause. " I hope it will turn out as well as
you expect."
That was all, and he was disappointed ;
for to him this letter represented the first
step on the ladder of success ; to her it was
another proof of the error she had committed,
and of the wrong she had done him.
"It will turn out something good, be sure ;
"is it the worst?" 233
but I would set about it with a lighter heart
if you would become reconciled to my going
away. You know that there is no choice left
us now."
He had never uttered a word of reproach
for the mistake she had made in regard to
himj and tried still to hide from her that he
all along felt his shackles very sore.
•' Yes, yes, it must be," she said hastily.
" Then, since you know it must be, why
not look at it hopefully, as I do ? You know
that Mr. Orwell, whenever he visited Yar-
mouth, encouraged me to persevere in this
kind of work, and he will see that I get a
fair chance of proving what I may be worth
at his place on the Clyde. Who knows, we
might yet be able to regain the lost acres
of Springfield ! "
This was so far-fetched a dream that he
laughed as he spoke of it. The mother let
it pass as a jest unworthy of notice.
His steps were buoyant as he hastened
to the villai^^e to tell Ucrta. She would
234 BEYOND COMPARE.
rejoice, as he did, at the prospect opening
out before him, however sorry she might be
that for a time they were to be separated.
From a distance he saw her in the act of
closing the garden gate behind her. She
was dressed, and held a basket in her hand,
indicating that she was going somewhere.
A plump little man crossed the road, and
addressed her with the air of an acquaint-
ance. Elwin recognized the man as Captain
Brasnet, the particular friend of Preston
Durrant.
The conversation was brief. The captain
lifted his hat, and bowed as respectfully as if
he had been taking leave of a duchess, and
walked towards the beach. Berta hurriedly
turned in the direction whence her lover was
coming.
Her eyes brightened when she saw him ;
but he observed that she was flushed, and
apparently much annoyed about something.
" What is the matter ? — anything that
gentleman was saying to you ? "
"is it the worst?" 235
"He was only asking where he could
find dad — Skipper Skyles, he always calls
him — and saying what a fine day it is.
But "
"Well ? There was no harm in that ; and
he seemed to be perfectly civil to you."
"Oh, yes ; he is always civil — a great deal
too civil to be agreeable," she said, flushing
acfain with a sense of irritation. "But I do
not like him, and wish I could avoid speaking
to him."
" That is easy — don't speak to him."
" How can I help it ? He has said nothing
that anybody would call offensive ; he has
made a friend of dad, who is often with him
now, although he didn't like him any more
than I did at first."
" What has made him change his mind i^ —
he doesn't often do that."
" I don't know yet ; but the man seems to
have got everybody in the place to side with
him. 7^hey say he is very rich, and has
bought some farm-lands hereabouts ; and he
2^6 BEYOND COMPARE.
■J
promises to do all sorts of things for every-
body. Even old Michael Sadd, who grumbles
so, has a good word for him,"
" I dare say rum and tobacco have some-
thing to do with it. But we can leave him
alone for the present. I have got the letter
from Mr. Orwell's firm."
" And do they accept your proposals ?"
" They ask me to go to Glasgow, and see
what arranorement can be made."
" I am glad and — and sorry." There was
a tremor in her voice which she presently
managed to control. " That must relieve
your mind, and we ought to be happy and
thankful. But — I know it is foolish to have
such feelings, but I cannot help them — I
feel as if something terrible was to happen
in your absence."
" I shall only be away for a week or so on
this first journey, and I can see no sign of
approaching danger. Here is the letter — a
very kind one,"
" Yes," she said, after reading it and com-
"is it the worst?" 237
prehending its full importance, "you will
succeed,"
She uttered the prophecy with an air of
confidence which inspired her lover with new
courage.
238 BEYOND COMPARE.
CHAPTER XVIII.
OPENING THE CAMPAIGN.
As Berta had said, the open-handed, genial
captain had made himself very popular
amongst the good folk of Sandybeach. They
were hospitable people, and a stranger who
had anything of respectability in his appear-
ance found a ready welcome amongst them,
without much questioning as to whence he
came. The women might be curious, and
gossip about the visitors, but the men took
each new-comer on his own merits, and acted
accordingly.
On his first arrival the captain had not
made himself prominent; but after the funeral
of Anthony Durrant he began to move about.
He chatted pleasantly with the men as they
OPENING THE CAMPAIGN. 239
spread their nets out on the denes in the
early morning to dry, or when they sat
mending them. He was not above joining
them in the bar or the tap-room, and having
a friendly glass with them, although, as
it became speedily understood somehow —
Brasnet never seemed to boast — he was a
man of means.
For the women he had always a friendly
salutation. He scattered coppers amongst
the swarms of children who were always
gambolling and romping about with goats
and dogs. His appearance amongst them,
therefore, soon became the signal for a
general shout of delight.
Roger Skyles was the only one who for a
time was rather shy of this free-and-easy
stranger ; but he, too, became on friendly
terms with him by-and-by. He found that
the captain was interested in the North Sea
fisheries, and they had much to say in
reference to the outrages of the Belgian
fishermen on the trawl nets.
240 BEYOND COMPARE.
Roger had lost considerably by the de-
struction of nets at sea, and felt keenly on
the subject. He was always glad to discuss
it earnestly with any one who was likely to
exercise an influence in checking what he
called the " devilment," in allusion to the
instrument called the " devil," used for tearing
the nets. Then the captain had certain ideas
about the rapid and cheap carriage of fish to
the markets of London and other large cities;
and, in short, he had something to say on
every subject which was of most interest to
Roger Skyles.
Having struck up such an intimate ac-
quaintance with her grandfather, it was
inevitable that the captain should have an
early opportunity of speaking to Berta. He
overtook them as they were walking together
towards the beach.
" Good morning, skipper. This is your
granddaughter, Miss Woodhouse, I presume,"
he said, respectfully raising his cap.
" Yes, this is Beart," answered Roger, a
OPENING THE CAMPAIGN. 24 1
little surprised that any one could be ignorant
of the fact.
" I am delighted to make your acquain-
tance," was the affable declaration of the
captain.
He was gallant, courteous, and not forward
in his manner ; but there was a kind of
admiration in his eyes which made the girl
uncomfortable.
" Good morning, sir," she said simply ;
and then, telling her grandfather that she
wished to see how" JNIrs. Greenacre was,
turned back.
After that casual introduction scarcely a
day passed without the captain accidentally
meeting her and having a brief conversation.
He was still desirous of appearing unobtru-
sive ; but to Roger he was enthusiastic in
his praises of her beauty and refinement of
manner. The subject seemed to be always
the one uppermost in his mind.
The old man was not loth to listen : his
pride in his grandchild was flattered and
VOL. I. R
242 BEYOND COMPARE.
gratified. Soon he began to repeat at home
some of the pretty things that he heard, and
they lost none of their embelHshments on his
hps. Berta was vexed, but could not stop
him, and he would always preface and con-
clude the phrases of adulation with a jocular
reminder that she was not to get too proud
or upsetting because a fine gentleman, who
was to become one of the landed proprietors
of the county, saw that she w^as a beauty.
He did not know how it got into his head ;
but the thought did get into it somehow that
if Elwin had not been in the way, Berta
might have mated with a squire — Roger con-
sidered her fit to mate with a prince. It
never entered into his calculations that this
was the very thought which Brasnet desired
to insinuate, and once it had got in, it stayed,
fostered daily by its prompter.
This was the position of affairs when
Elwin went away, and his journey would
have been considerably darkened had he
been aware of what was going on.
OPENING THE CAMPAIGN. 243
On the evening of his departure Brasnet
and Preston Durrant sat in the former's room
at the White Horse. Dinner was over, and
they were enjoying their cigars and wine.
Preston dined frequently with his friend now,
finding the cookery at the inn much more to
his Hking than that of old Betsy Klamb,
although she made strenuous exertions to
provide him with appetizing fare.
" Well, now, dear boy, what news of our
friend Howard ? "
" He is coming over to see me."
" That means he is oroina^ to arrancje terms
with you for the advances he is to make.
Careful man — takes care of his pounds as
well as his pence. That is the way to thrive,
though, sneer at it as we may."
" Yes. Pity we can't take a leaf out of
his book "
" His cheque-book ? I should like to if
it was signed."
"So should I. But about his visit. My
notion is that it is as much to fmd out what
244 BEYOND COMPARE.
you are doing here as to fix terms with
_ 5)
me.
" What I am doing ? "
" Yes ; he asked me if I knew."
"That is singular," observed Brasnet, and
there was a momentary wrinkle on his brow,
suggesting that he did not like to be inquired
about even by such a respectable person as
Howard Durrant.
" It is ; but maybe he only wants to appeal
to your generosity, not to pluck this poor
pigeon any more, but to go your wicked
ways and give me a chance to reform
mine."
At this satirical sally both laughed.
" We will assure him, dear boy, that we
have both reformed ; that we never play for
more than sixpenny points, and that you
always win ; that we have renounced horse-
flesh, the devil, and all his ways. Then we
can offer to bet him a pony on the next big
event without letting any of his pious friends
have an inkling of his little diversion."
OPENING THE CAMPAIGN. 245
This, too, was amusing ; but it was evident
-that the speal;er had some other thought in
his mind.
" We'll soon know what he wants, for he
comes to-morrow," said Preston.
"It will be a pleasure to meet him again ;
but I hope his coming will not interfere with
our arrancrements."
" What can he do ? "
" Not much ; but not believing in my con-
version, he might spread some unpleasant
reports regarding me ; and, however un-
deserved, they might have a bad effect in
the quarter where I most desire to stand
well."
" I don't think he will mention to anybody
that he has the slightest knowledge of you.
He said as much."
" Then I hope he meant it ; for the turn-
ing-point in my little matrimonial scheme
has come, dear boy, and I wish you to begin
immediately the performance of your share
of our bargain."
246 BEYOND COMPARE
" I am ready as soon as you show me how
I am to set about it."
The captain, with much dehberation, lit
another cigar, refilled his glass, and leaned
back in his chair. Preston chuckled, for
this was the customary performance of his
friend whenever he desired to convey an
impression that the matter in hand was of
unusual importance. Gravity of demeanour
was impossible to the captain ; his smooth,
beaming face repudiated any attempt at
solemnity. He could frown, and his eyes
could flash when he was angry, and he
could look very ugly indeed ; but that was
another thing.
" I will tell you how you are to set about
it, dear boy," he began, with an unctuous
smile. " You take for granted that it was
Eldridge who fabricated that absurd paper
which was supposed to represent your father's
will ? "
" Of course."
" Well, the lady I have set my mind on
OPENING THE CAMPAIGN. 247
marrying is the lady he has inveigled into
some sort of an enagfement."
" You don't mean old Skyles's grand-
daughter, Berta Woodhouse ? "
" I do."
" Phew !" whistled Preston. " I've known
her" ever since she was a mere chit, and she
certainly has grown into a pretty wench.
But I had no suspicion that she was so heavily
backed as to tempt a man like you to go in
for her. If I had Well, who knows.'*"
He concluded with one of his hoarse laughs.
Brasnet regarded him with peculiar compla-
cency, and at the last remark closed his eye-
lids, smiling as if mightily amused by some
passing fancy.
" Roger Skyles is a pretty warm man ; and
then the beauty, dear boy, the beauty of the
girl — is not that a treasure in itself?"
" The beauty be hanged ! You are not the
man to put a high financial value on that.
There is " But here Preston checked him-
self; he had been about to say, "There is a
248 BEYOND COMPARE.
great deal more in this than you are incHned
to let me know ; and, curse me, but I believe
it is somehow connected with the governor's
will." He just stopped in time to keep this
droll suspicion to himself; it might be the
clue to what he wanted to discover — the
hiding-place of the will. With a laugh he
continued, " There is a joke of some kind
here. What is it, old man, eh ? "
" No joke, believe me," was the answer
throupfh a cloud of smoke which concealed
the speaker's face.
" Well, what is to be my part in the farce ? "
" No farce either. It may even turn out
to be a tragedy ; but I hope it will continue
to be nothing more than serious comedy."
" Very serious, I should say, for Elwin is
not the chap to give the girl up without a
struoforle."
" Just so ; and in view of that fact I propose
to bring affairs into such a position that Miss
Woodhouse will give him up."
" How can you do that ?"
OPENING THE CAMPAIGN. 249
" You are to do that."
- " Me ! impossible."
" Not at all, dear boy. This is your part,
and it is not a difficult one. You are to con-
vince her that the only way to save Eldridge
from being instantly arrested on a charge of
forgery and attempted fraud is by giving her
consent to marry me."
250 , BEYOND COMPARE.
CHAPTER XIX.
A REPULSE.
It came upon Roger Skyles like a thunder-
bolt, and yet he had a guilty consciousness
that in a vague way he had half expected it.
The morning was bright, and there was a
sharp north-east wind, which made the waters
of the Bure ripple merrily; and a wherry
moored to the bank rocked gently. This was
one of Rogers wherries, laden with close-
pressed hay, and he was standing on the bank
giving the man in charge instructions when
he was joined by Captain Brasnet.
" Fine boat that, skipper," was the saluta-
tion.
" Ay, as fine a wherry as ever was on the
A REPULSE. 251
river ; but there ben't much for her to do
rrowadays. The railways have taken the
bread out of our mouths a' must,"
"You'll have to run with the times, and
turn her into a pleasure boat."
" Well, it may come to that," said the owner,
slowly and regretfully. Then, to the wherry-
man, " That's all now, and you'd better slip
down with the tide."
The man and his mate proceeded to hoist
the huge brown sail, and Roger let go the
fastenings. As the wherry was pushed off
the sail filled, and presently the boat was
gliding leisurely down the stream.
" Hope you are in good humour this morn-
ing, skipper, for I have a favour to ask."
" What may that be, captain ? "
"It will surprise you a little, I expect, but
I hope not disagreeably. Before you agree
to grant me the favour, I shall provide you
with every proof you may require of the
stability of my position and so forth. With-
out beating about the bush, I must blurt it
252 BEVOND COMPARE.
out at once — I want to marry your grand-
daughter, Berta."
Roger thrust his hands deep down into his
pockets, and stared at the smilino^ suitor.
" Want to marry my Beart ! — you ! " he
gasped.
" I trust you will raise no objection after
I have satisfied you "
"'Taint no manner o' use thinkingr about
it," interrupted Roger, hastily; "'taint no
manner o' use, and there's an end on't."
The rough energy with which Roger at
once declared Brasnet's proposal to be unac-
ceptable would have repulsed any ordinary
suitor, and convinced him that it was useless
to proceed further. But the captain was
neither an ordinary suitor nor was he found-
ing his hopes on an ordinary basis. He
would have laughed at anybody who sug-
gested that he sought to win the girl's affec-
tion. She might give that away wherever
she liked so long as he got her hand. He
did wish to win a little respect ; but he could
A REPULSE. 253
dispense with that, too, if it should prove
over-troublesome in the cultivation.
His method of procedure was founded on
"the good old plan that they should take
who have the power." He believed that he
had the power ; but it should be used at first
with gloved hands. Sympathy, consideration,
and respect were the sentiments which were
to be exhibited in the preliminary stages of
his wooing. Should they fail, then he would
adopt the other measures on which he relied
for success.
Whilst Roger continued to mutter " 'Tain't
no manner o' use," Brasnet walked silently
by his side as if abashed by this resolute
refusal of his suit. He fancied that the old
man was trying to prop his resolution and to
shut his eyes to the advantages which his
grandchild might derive from such a match
as that proposed, when compared with the
mere possibilities which were all that Elwin
had to offer.
Undoubtedly something of this sort was
2 54 BEYOND COMPARE.
passing through Roger's mind ; but so far
it had no effect upon his loyalty to the
absent lover. It made him angry with him-
self that such comparisons should get into his
head at all.
" I am sorry that you dismiss the matter
so determinedly," said Brasnet at length, in
his frankest and most friendly manner, " A
man like me does not make such a proposal
without having considered it well ; and you
might at least take time to think it over."
" Not a bit o' need to think of it. My
Beart has given her word to the man she
likes ; and she ben't the girl to take back her
promise, more especially when the man is in
trouble. No, no ; Beart always mean what
she say, and stick to it."
" May I inquire who is the lucky man ? "
said the captain, sounding as well as he could
a note of the disappointed rival-'s bitterness.
" Eh ? I thought everybody knew that.
Eldridge is his name."
" Oh ! " The exclamation was long drawn
A REPULSE. 255
out, and indicated much surprise. " I am
sorry to hear that."
"And why should you be sorry? He's a
brave lad and will do well yet, bad as things
look for him now. Why should you be sorry ? "
" It is not for me to explain, skipper. But
I am sorry for the man because he is in
trouble, and because I believe he has more
to come."
" Like enough, seeing that we all have
trouble to face ; and he'll meet his as a man
should."
" He is fortunate in havino- such a staunch
friend as you ; but that is no reason why you
should not be my friend also."
" Look here, captain," said Roger, facing
round, " I can't be the friend of any man
who want to step betwixt Beart and her lad."
" I shall not do so unless with her own
consent."
"Then you'll never do it, and I'd rather
we didn't say any more about it."
" For the present I shall say no more.
256 BEYOND COMPARE.
skipper, since it is your wish. But I won't
give up the hope that you will let me speak
of it some other day."
" I say 'tain't no manner o' use, and so let
that be the end on't"
"You will not be doing your duty to Miss
Woodhouse if you do not consider what is
best for her future. But, there, I shall not
say another word."
It was well that he did not, for Roger was
out of humour — for the most part out of
humour with himself, for he could not help
thinking of Berta being elevated to a position
equal to that of the squire's lady. He was
out of humour when he got into his own
house, and it was such a rare thing for him
to be so that both the mother and Berta
pressed him to explain the cause.
He had not intended to say anything about
what had passed between him and Captain
Brasnet ; but the women were importunate,
and at last he blurted out the substance of
the conversation.
A REPULSE. 257
Berta laughed contemptuously. She had
more than once felt uneasy in the captain's
presence and annoyed by his attentions ; but
now that he had declared himself, his pro-
posal was so ridiculous in her eyes that she
could afford to lauo-h.
" Dear dad," she said, "why should you be
fretted by the silly man ? You have given
him his answer, and if that is not enough,
why, you can give him the same answer
again. I don't think he will require a second
' no ' from me, if he is audacious enough to
speak to me after what you have told him."
"He seems earnest enouo;h about it to
do anything," Roger replied.
" Deary me ! " exclaimed the mother,
" there ben't no reason for being angry
with the gentleman. I dare say he can't
help hisself, for Berta would take any man's
fancy ; and being rich, belike he thought it
was a compliment to ask her. And maybe
it wouldn't ha been such a bad thine for
her if she had been free."
VOL. I, s
258 BEYOND COMPARE.
" Mother ! " exclaimed Berta, reproach-
fully, " surely you don't think that I could
ever have cared for such a podgy, grinning
little creature as that, even if Elwin had
never existed ? "
" There's no saying, deary ; our likings
don't always go by looks, or there would
be a lot more of us die maids."
"And a lot more of us die bachelors — eh,
mother ? " added Roger, with a laugh, which
showed that he was recovering his good
humour.
" I don't think you had anything to com-
plain of on the score o' looks, old man —
leastways, you used to say you hadn't."
" No more I had, mother, and I'll say
that to my dying day," and he gave her
a pat on the cheek to emphasize the words.
It was the touch of a lion's paw which
affection made as light as the flip of a
butterfly's wing.
So for the present ended the discussion
of the captain's pretensions. Berta imagined
A REPULSE. 259
that she could forget all about the matter,
and that if the man should attempt to force
his attentions upon her, it would not be
difficult to convince him of its futility. She
did not, however, believ^e that he would do
so after having been told by dad, who
spoke with authority, that she was betrothed
to Elwin. No man of rifjht feelintrs would
fail to respect such an engagement, and
hitherto Captain Brasnet had always acted
in the most respectful manner towards her.
She did not take into account that there
are men who believe that they are endowed
with " right feeling " when they use every
possible means within reach to accomplish
their own ends, without regard to what
others may feel or think. In blissful igno-
rance of such natures, she could laugh and
go on her way undisturbed.
The subject was not passed over so con-
temptuously by Mrs. Skyles. She was an
honest and kindly woman, and liked Elwin ;
but that did not prevent her from taking
26o BEYOND COMPARE.
what most parents would consider a sensible
view of the position. It would be a long
time before Berta's accepted lover could
feather a nest sufficiently comfortable to
please the grandam ; and a very long time
before he could attain such a position as
that which the captain already held.
Mrs. Skyles was in no way a worldly
minded woman ; but she did think that if
folk had a choice between a life of toil
and worry and one of ease and comfort,
the latter should be preferred. It stood to
reason that it should be so. She had not
the remotest idea of attempting to persuade
Berta to change her mind, as, besides being
useless, it would be unkind to poor Elwin,
and the old man would be very angry with
her. But she could not help saying to her-
self again and again — •
" A pity 'tis that the child is so bound
up in that young man."
Then there came a letter from Elwin,
and Berta was gladdened by the account
A REPULSE. 261
of his reception by the firm in Glasgow,
^nd the kindness of Mr. Orwell, who had
invited him to stay at his house until they
had definitely fixed the terms of his en-
gagement. The prospect was brighter than
he had dared to anticipate. One of his
plans was to be tested immediately, and
he was to have the sole supervision of the
work as it progressed.
"If it does turn out a success, my darling,"
he wrote, "as I. with a kind of trembling-
confidence, believe it will — then there is
an end of all fear and doubt as to the
future, for all the members of the firm seem
willing to deal most liberally with me. But,
if it should fail ! — that possibility is a night-
mare which haunts me whether wakinof or
sleeping. Indeed, it keeps me from sleep-
ing, and much of my night is occupied in
going over the plan, verifying my calcula-
tions as to measurements, etc., until I get
so confused as at times to question whether
two and two make four.
262 BEYOND COMPARE.
" But, you know, that is a common sen-
sation, experienced by every one who is
engaged in an experiment on which his
whole future depends. The anxiety takes
a good deal out of me, which is a pity,
as I oueht to be cool and clear-headed
during the progress of this test. However,
I think of you, and that steadies me, even
when my courage is at the lowest ebb. We
must succeed.
" I shall not be able to return so soon
as I expected, as it would be folly to leave
the place until this work Is completed. When
I do return, it will only be to say good-bye
for a longer period than last time. But
should all things go well, you will soon be
with me always."
Berta felt in every word the quivering
anxiety of her lover, notwithstanding the
tone of confidence in which he tried to
write. She had no doubt he would triumph,
and was so glad and proud that she felt
inclined to cry for joy. This weakness,
A REPULSE. 263
however, was only indicated by an unusual
4jlistening of the eyes as she told the good
news to dad and mother.
Roger was jubilant, and quite as confident
as Berta that the result of the experiment,
whatever it might be, would be a success
for'Elwin.
" I don't understand the new-fangled
notions about building sea-going craft," he
said heartily, "but Elwin do, and I'll be
surety for his turning out the smartest and
the cleverest bit of timber afloat."
" But it's not timber, dad ; it is iron he
has to deal with."
" Same thing, Beart, though it goes against
the grain of an old chap like me to talk
of iron afloat."
Mother Skyles was not so joyful as her
husband and grandchild at the good news,
and hinted that they were not to build their
houses in the air. To her all the prospec-
tive success of Elwin was a poor thing in
comparison with the present grandeur which
264 BEYOND COMPARE.
surrounded Captain Brasnet. She kept that
notion to herself, however, for Berta and
the old man were, as usual, of an opposite
opinion, and would have their own way.
Berta went off to Springfield as soon as
she could get ready.
As it was Wednesday Mrs. Dabb was at
the market. Kitton, who was supposed to
be within hearing of a hand-bell, had, by
some, ingenuity of stupidity, got away down
to the barn, where she could not hear either
bell or voice. So the widow was alone in
her room when Berta entered it.
Mrs. Eldridge looked vacantly at her for
a moment, and then frowned. The girl
advanced to her with quick, joyful steps
and a smiling face.
" I have a letter from Elwin," she said,
without heeding the coldness of her recep-
tion ; " and although I suppose he has
written the same thing to you as to me,
I thought you would be pleased to hear
about it."
A REPULSE. 265
The frown became more marked as the
.widow repHed slowly —
" It was very kind of you to think of it.
I have only had one letter from my son
to tell me that he arrived safely. You
probably have had more."
The mother's jealousy could not be hidden ;
but Berta made up her mind that she would
not take offence, no matter what provocations
might be given.
" Yes," she answered frankly, " I have had
more than one ; but this is the most im-
portant, for it shows that he is on the high
road to success. Shall I read it ? "
Mrs. Eldridge bent her head in token of
assent. She could not speak, owing to the
bitterness which filled her at the thouo-ht
that he should send to this girl the first
tidings of his good fortune rather than to
his mother.
Berta read the news the letter contained,
but carefully skipped every term of endear-
ment.
266 BEYOND COMPARE.
A cold " Thank you " was the only ac-
knowledsfment she received, and then followed
a silence which was not merely awkward
but painful to the girl. This treatment was
hard to bear, and all the harder because it
was inexplicable, except on the distressing
ground that the widow was labourinor under
some mysterious mental affliction.
" I wish I could do something to please
you — to comfort you," said Berta, breaking
the silence at length.
Mrs. Eldridge gazed at her questioningly,
as if to discover how far she was sincere
in her wish. Then, in a low voice, and
speaking with an effort, which appeared to
cause her much physical as well as mental
suffering —
" You can do both."
" Ah ! — only tell me how," was the quick
response, and Berta advanced a step as if
she would embrace her.
" You should understand. ... I have
A REPULSE. 267
already told you enough for you to under-
stand if }0u would. The only way you
can help me is by breaking off this engage-
ment with my son."
Berta drew back, chilled and disappointed.
She had expected a different answer.
" I can only do that," she said with quiet
firmness, " when Elwin himself asks me to
do it."
" Then there is no more to say."
And Berta again quitted the woman she
was so anxious to serve, so ready to make
any sacrifice for, with feelings of chagrin
and irritation. Dad had been wrono-. Elwin's
absence made no difference in his mother's
regard for her. She was as much opposed
to their union as ever. And this time she
had spoken without excitement, apparently
in full possession of all her faculties.
Berta had passed the first stile on her
way home, when she was startled by a
voice behind her.
2 68 BEYOND COMPARE.
" Pardon me, Miss VVoodhouse, but I beg
of you to allow me to tell you something
which nearly concerns a friend you esteem
highly."
It was Guyton Brasnet who spoke.
END OF VOL. I.
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