Madeline Payne, the Detective's Daughter

by Lawrence L. Lynch

  CHAPTER XLVI.

  CORA "STIRS UP THE ANIMALS."

  It was evening--the evening of the day on which Mrs. Ralston had madeher startling revelation. Madeline Payne stood alone in her own room,looking moodily out upon the leafless grove that was fast taking on acovering of snow.

  The storm that had been impending for days, had broken at last. Fortwo hours the snow had been falling thickly, steadily, in greatfeather-like flakes, which quickly covered the brown earth, andclothed the naked treetops with a fair, white garment.

  Madeline had been standing, motionless and moody, for many minutes.Her eyes were full of dissatisfaction, and her lips were compressed.She had been taking a mental review of the situation, and its presentaspect was far from pleasing.

  "What a knot," she soliloquized; "what a difficult, baffling,miserable knot! To be kept thus inactive just because the last knot inthe tangle will not come straight--good gracious, how like a pun thatsounds! How much longer must I smile upon these wretches? How muchlonger must I conceal my real feelings? I will put my forces intoaction, and make my last, desperate venture, for this is becomingintolerable. I must force, or buy, this secret from Edward Percy, atthe cost of his safety, or my fortune, if need be."

  She pressed her face against the frosted pane, peering down throughthe gathering night and the snow.

  "Mercy!" she ejaculated, "who on earth can be plowing through thisstorm? And on what errand? It looks like--and, as I live, it is, yes,it is, Mr. Edward Percy! He is too dainty to expose himself fornothing. I must look into this."

  While she was musing at the window, Cora, curled up behind one of thecrimson curtains of the red parlor, had become the possessor of avaluable secret.

  She had entered the room but a few moments before. Finding it dimlylighted, and heated to a Summer temperature, she ensconced herself _ala Sultana_ in one of the deep window embrasures, and lay sulkilywatching the flying snowflakes and the fast coming night. Presentlythe sound of approaching footsteps, and almost simultaneously theopening of the door, disturbed her quiet. With a quick movement, shedrew the curtains together and sat, a silent listener, to a briefdialogue.

  The new comers were Miss Arthur and Edward Percy. After a fewsentences had been interchanged, Percy left the room, and then it wasthat Madeline saw him take his way toward the village.

  Presently Miss Arthur also quitted the room; and going straightup-stairs, Cora knocked at Madeline's door. "Now, then," muttered she,"I'll stir up the animals."

  Madeline did not look especially gratified at sight of her visitor,but Cora entered with scant ceremony. Pushing the door shut withunnecessary emphasis, she turned upon her, saying, ratherungraciously:

  "I have made a discovery of which, I think, you will thank me fortelling you. And I am going to tell you because I can't spoil theirplans, but you can, and I want to see them spoiled."

  "Your frankness is commendable," said Madeline, ironically. "Go on!"

  "Percy and the old maid are going to be privately married to-morrowmorning."

  "How do you know?"

  Cora related the particulars of her ambush, and gave a concise reportof the conversation of the lovers.

  "He has gone to the village on that very business now," Cora said."She is to walk down to the clergyman's house, and he is to meet herthere. Then they will come back, and no one to be the wiser."

  Madeline laughed. "Be at ease," she said. "I will try and prevent thenecessity for such a disagreeable walk as that would be for so fragilea lady. We won't have a wedding just yet."

  "What a cool one you are!" cried Cora. "If you were not my enemy, Icould admire you vastly."

  "Don't, I beg of you," said the girl, gravely. "I am sufficientlyhumiliated by being obliged to deal with you as an enemy."

  Cora flushed angrily. "Then I should think the humiliation of beingmade love to by my brother, would overcome you," she sneered.

  "It does, almost," replied the girl, wearily.

  "Then let me do you another favor. Mr. Davlin is no more my brotherthan he is yours."

  Madeline's answer fairly took her breath away. "Madame, you are verygood, but I have known that from the first."

  "What!" gasped the woman; adding, after a moment of silence, "Is heyour lover as well as--"

  "Yours?" finished Madeline. "And what then, Mrs. Arthur?"

  "Then," hissed Cora; "then, I hate you both."

  Madeline laughed bitterly. "As you have told me a secret, and as Idon't want to remain in your debt, I will tell you one in return.Lucian Davlin _is_ my lover, but I am his bitterest foe!"

  Cora came closer and looked her eagerly in the face. "What has he doneto you?" she asked, breathlessly.

  "You may find out later; just now we are even. Understand, no word ofwarning to him, if you value your safety. Obey my wishes, and when Iam done with you, you may go free. Attempt any treachery, and I willgive you up to justice."

  "I shan't put myself in jeopardy for him now, whatever I might havedone. You may believe that."

  "I think I may," replied Madeline, dryly.

  When Cora retired to her own room, to chuckle over the discomfiture instore for the spinster and Mr. Percy, and to wonder wrathfully whatthe mystery concerning Miss Payne and Lucian could mean, Madelinestood for many minutes lost in thought.

  Finally she threw herself down upon a couch, uttering a half sigh, andlooking utterly weary and perplexed. A moment later, Joliffe enterednoiselessly, as usual, and the girl said to her:

  "When Miss Arthur retires for the night, which won't be for some time,do you see Mr. Percy when he is _alone_, mind, and tell him Miss Paynedesires him to wait her pleasure in the library."

  Joliffe bowed and went out again like a cat.

  When, at last, the other members of that incongruous family circlewere safely out of the way, Madeline, warned by the everpresent,soundless Joliffe, awaited in the library the coming of Mr. Percy.

  Wondering much what the haughty heiress could have to communicate tohim, and dimly hoping that the tide was turning in his favor, Mr.Percy entered the presence of the arbiter of his fate. Bowing like acourtier, he approached her.

  "Miss Payne has deigned to honor me with an interview," he said, inhis slowest, softest, most irresistible manner. "I can never besufficiently grateful."

  Madeline motioned him to a seat opposite her own, saying, with an oddsmile: "You shall, at least, have an opportunity for repaying yourdebt of gratitude, sir, and that immediately."

  Percy took the seat indicated and bowed gravely. "Command me, MissPayne."

  "It rests with you," Madeline began, "whether we shall be fromto-night neutral toward each other, or enemies."

  "Enemies!" he exclaimed. "Oh, that would be impossible."

  Madeline was full of inward rage. She longed to lean across the tableand dash her hand full in that smiling blonde face. But she looked athim instead quite tranquilly, and said, with a queer smile: "Then youwould do me a favor, even at your own personal--inconvenience, Mr.Percy?"

  "Would I not?" fervently. "Only command me, Miss Payne."

  "I will take you at your word, then. Mr. Percy, you will oblige mevery much by putting off your marriage with Miss Arthur one weeklonger."

  Here was a bomb-shell. It electrified the languid gentleman. He becamesuddenly animated by fear. "What--what do you mean, Miss Payne?"starting half out of his seat and nervously sitting down again.

  "Precisely what I say, sir. It does not please me to have my relativeleave my house to be married in this clandestine manner. There, don'task me how I discovered what you thought was a profound secret. Yousee I did discover it. Will you put off this romantic marriage--tooblige me?"

  Percy was trying very hard to think. If he could believe it wasbecause he had found favor in her eyes, that she asked this. But no;even his vanity could not credit that suggestion. Of late she hadopenly shown a preference for Davlin. What, then, could be her motive?Could it be that at the instigation of Cora she had sought thisinterview?

>   He rallied his forces and replied: "Miss Payne, you have taken me bystorm. If I may not ask how you made this discovery, may I not, atleast, beg to know why you make this demand?"

  "I have told you; it shocks my sense of propriety."

  "Pardon me if I say there must be another motive."

  "You are pardoned," coolly; "now, do you grant my request?"

  Percy arose from the table flushed and angry. "Pardon me, Miss Payne,you demand too much."

  "Nevertheless, I _do_ demand it."

  "And I beg to decline."

  "Then I must deal with Miss Arthur. The knowledge that you have onewife in the grave, and another under this very roof, may have thedesired effect upon _her_."

  Percy dropped back in his chair, pale as ashes. All was lost, then.Cora had betrayed him! But he resolved not to commit himself. PerhapsMadeline had only verbal information. While he was trying to frame aspeech, however, she knocked this last prop from under him.

  "I may as well assure you that parleying is useless. I have known,from the first moment you entered this house, just upon what terms youstood with Mrs. Arthur. Don't trouble yourself to ask how I know.Perhaps you have been puzzled to know why Mrs. Arthur and her brotherso suddenly became cordial and invited you to Oakley, where you somuch desired to be. Let me enlighten you. They fancied that you hadregained possession of important documents--two marriage certificates,in fact--for they had lost them."

  "What?" ejaculated Percy.

  "And--I found them," added Madeline.

  His countenance fell again.

  "They are in my possession," pursued she. "Shall I show them to MissArthur, or not?"

  "It can't make much difference now," said the man, sullenly.

  "Let us understand each other fully," said Madeline. "I am not actingin concert with Cora Arthur. She is even more in my power than youare. I have no desire to undeceive Miss Arthur. Neither do I wish youto leave Oakley. On the contrary, I want you here; you can be ofservice to me, by and by. And I pledge you my word that so long as youremain under this roof, those papers shall not be used against you."

  "And if I don't choose to remain?"

  Madeline laughed. "Then you must take the consequences," she said,carelessly.

  "And what will they be?"

  "Exposure and arrest."

  Percy drew pen, ink, and paper toward him. "What shall I write to theclergyman?" he asked, sullenly.

  "Whatever you choose. And I will send it. Make your peace with MissArthur, too, in your own way."

  "And when I leave Oakley, what then?" he grunted.

  "Then, if you have fulfilled the conditions, I will burn the papers inyour presence, and you are free henceforth."

  "There is the note," he said, flinging it toward her as soon aswritten. "After all, I may as well be in your power as in hers," andagain he arose to go from the room.

  "I am glad you take so sensible a view of it," retorted she, lookingup from her perusal of his note. "Good-night, Mr. Percy."

  And thus cavalierly dismissed, Mr. Percy bowed, somewhat lessgallantly than when entering, and left the room.

  "So, that is nipped in the bud," soliloquized Madeline, as she wentwearily to her own room once more. "When will this miserablecomplication unravel itself, or be unraveled?"

  Little did she dream how soon she would receive an answer to thisquestion.