CHAPTER VII
"UNEASY LIES THE HEAD"
Jessie crushed the paper carelessly in the palm of her hand. Her impulsewas, of course, to destroy the letter, seeing that the possession of itwas not unattended with danger, but there was no chance at present. Thething would have to be burnt to make everything safe.
"How long since the note came?" she asked the footman with an assumptionof displeasure. "Really, these tradespeople are most annoying."
The footman was understood to say that the note had only just arrived,that it had been left by the young person herself with an intimationthat she would return presently. To all of this Jessie listened with awell-acted impatience.
"I suppose I shall have to put up with it," she said. "You know where toask the girl if she comes. That will do. What were we talking about,Captain Hope?"
It was all admirably done, as Ronald Hope was fain to admit. But he didnot like it, and he did not hesitate to say so. He wanted to know whatit all meant. And he spoke as one who had every right to know.
"I can hardly tell you," Jessie said unsteadily. "Events are moving sofast to-night that they are getting on my nerves. Meanwhile, you seem toknow General Maxgregor very well--you say that you are anxious to obtaina post in the Asturian service. That means, of course, that you knowsomething of the history of the country. The character of the king, forinstance----"
"Bad," Hope said tersely, "very bad indeed. A drunkard, a _roue_, and atraitor. It is for the queen's sake that I turn to Asturia."
"I can quite understand that. Queen Margaret of Asturia seems veryfortunate in her friends. Look at this. Then put it in your pocket, andtake the first opportunity of destroying it."
And Jessie handed the mysterious note to Ronald, who read it again witha puzzled air.
"That came from Vera Galloway," the girl explained. "She is close by,but she does not seem to have finished her task yet. Why I am hereplaying her part I cannot say. But there it is. This letter alludes toGeneral Maxgregor, who is upstairs in one of the rooms in closeattendance on the King of Asturia, who is suffering from one of hisalcoholic attacks. Do you think that it is possible for anybody to seeinto the room?"
"Certainly," Ronald replied. "For instance, there are terraces at theend of the garden made to hide the mews at the back from overlooking thegrounds. An unseen foe hidden there in the trees, with a good glass, maydiscover a good deal. Vera Galloway knows that, or she would not havesent you that note. You had better see to it at once."
Jessie hurried away, having first asked Hope to destroy the note. Thedoor of the room containing the king was locked, and Jessie had to rapupon it more than once before it was opened. A voice inside demanded herbusiness.
"I come with a message from the queen," she whispered. She was in ahurry, and there was always the chance of the servants coming along."Please let me in."
Very cautiously the door was opened. General Maxgregor stood there witha bottle in his hand. His face was deadly pale, and his hand shook as ifhe had a great fear of something. The fear was physical, or Jessie wasgreatly mistaken.
"What has happened?" she asked. "Tell me, what has frightened you soterribly?"
"Frightened!" Maxgregor stammered. It seemed odd at the moment to thinkof this man as one of the bravest and most dashing cavalry officers inEurope. "I don't understand what you mean?"
With just a gesture of scorn Jessie indicated the cheval glass opposite.As Maxgregor glanced at the polished mirror he saw a white, ghastlyface, wet with sweat, and with a furtive, shrinking look in the eyes. Hepassed the back of his hand over his moist forehead.
"You are quite right," he said. "I had not known--I could not tell. AndI have been passing through one of the fiercest temptations that everlured a man to the edge of the Pit. You are brave and strong, MissGalloway, and already you have given evidences of your devotion to thequeen. Look there!"
With loathing and contempt Maxgregor indicated the bed on which the Kingof Asturia was lying. The pitiful, mean, low face and its frame of shockred hair did not appeal to Jessie.
"Not like one's recognized notion of royalty," she said.
"Royalty! The meanest beggar that haunts the gutter is a prince comparedto him. He drinks, he gambles, he is preparing to barter his crown fora mess of pottage. And the fellow's heart is hopelessly weak. At anymoment he may die, and the heart of the queen will be broken. Not forhim, but for the sake of her people. You see this bottle in my hand?"
"Yes," Jessie whispered. "It might be a poison and you--and you----"
"Might be a poisoner," Maxgregor laughed uneasily. "The reverse is thecase. I have to administer the bottle drop by drop till it is exhausted,and if I fail the king dies. Miss Galloway, when you came into the roomyou were face to face with a murderer."
"You mean to say," Jessie stammered, "that you were going to refrainfrom--from----"
"That was it, though you hesitate to say the word. I had only to get ridof the contents of that bottle and let it be tacitly understood that thepatient had taken his medicine. In an hour he would be dead--his heartwould have given way under the strain. The world would have been wellrid of a scoundrel, and I should never have been found out. The queenwould have regained her freedom at the loss of Asturia. And I would haveconsoled her--I could have healed her wound."
The last words came with a fierce indrawing of the speaker's breath. Oneglance at his face, and Jessie knew everything. She could feel for thelong-drawn agony of the strong man's temptation. She loved herself, andshe could realize it all. There was nothing but pity in her heart.
"I understand," she said. "Oh, I understand perfectly. I came in time tosave you. General Maxgregor, this matter must never be alluded tobetween us again. The temptation is past now, I am certain. A brave andgood soldier like you---- But I am forgetting. I did not come to youfrom the queen as I said, because the queen has already departed. Ihad an urgent message from some unknown friend who desires me to saythat you have left the blind up."
"Bless me! and is that really a fact?" Maxgregor exclaimed. "And it isquite possible for any one to see into this room from the terrace at theend of the garden. I used to play here as a boy. There are many spiesabout to-night. I am glad you reminded me."
Maxgregor crossed over to the window and laid his hand on the blind. Ashe stood there with the light behind him his figure was picked out clearand sharp. The blind came down with a rush, there was a little tinkle ofglass, and the general staggered back with his hand to his shoulder. Amoan of pain escaped him as he collapsed into a chair.
"What is it?" Jessie asked anxiously. "Pray tell me, what is the matter?That broken glass----"
"_'What is it?' Jessie asked anxiously._"]
"A bullet," Maxgregor whispered between his teeth, that were clenched inpain. "As I stood in the window somebody fired at me from the garden. Itmust have been a watcher hidden amongst the trees on the terrace. Alittle more to the left and my career had been ended."
The man had obtained a grip of himself now, but he was evidentlysuffering intense pain. A dark stain of red broke out on the left sideof his coat.
"I have been hit in the shoulder," he said. "I have no doubt that it islittle more than a flesh wound, but it is bleeding, and I feel faint. Ionce lay on the battlefield all night with such a wound, so that I canput up with it. Please leave me alone for a moment; do not think of meat all. It is just the time for the king to have another dose of thosedrops. There is no help for it now, Miss Galloway. You must stay andgive the king his medicine until it is all gone. Meanwhile, I can onlysit here and suffer. For Heaven's sake never mind me."
Jessie took the bottle from the hand of the stricken man and walked tothe bed. She marvelled at the steadiness of her own hand. The drops fellon the lips of the sleeping man, who was now breathing regularly. Halfan hour passed, and then the bottle was empty.
"I have done my task," Jessie said. "What next? Shall I call LordMerehaven----"
"Not for worlds," Maxgregor whispered fiercely. "He mus
t not know. Wemust wait till the house is quiet. There is no occasion ... how faintand giddy I am! If there was only one man whom I could trust at thiscritical moment!"
The Weight of the Crown Page 7