CHAPTER XXVIII
I FORCE BILLIE TO LISTEN
There was a narrow settee against the wall, and I sat down upon it, tothink and to wait for Hardy's return. Eager as I was to discover thecause of Le Gaire's death, yet it seemed almost more important thatBillie be brought to an understanding of conditions. Her father couldscarcely fail this time to relate in full the details of our encounter,and the girl would realize at once her injustice toward me. I hardlyknew what I dared hope as a result, but she was impulsive, warm-hearted,and would surely endeavor to make amends. Bell came back from the frontof the house.
"Some fight going on out there," indicating the north and east, "andseems to be drifting this way."
"Our fellows are driving you," I replied. "Have been noticing that allthe morning; looks as if your left and centre were giving way."
"Wait until Chambers gets up, and you'll hear another tune," his pridetouched. "What's the sergeant doing?"
"Evidently going to get a look at the attic." Then, decidingquickly,--"I am going to turn you all loose, and try to get back to ourlines, as soon as we can gain some understanding of this death mystery,Bell. It looks as though the battle would end up somewhere about here,and I can hardly expect to fight the entire Confederate army with tenmen and a sergeant. It's a dignified retreat for me. Where now?"
"To help your man. I am crazy to get away. I'm a soldier, Galesworth,and they're wondering out there why I am not in my place. The earlieryou say go, the better pleased I'll be."
He clambered out the window to where Miles was perched on the steeproof, and I was left alone, with no noise in my ears but the continuousfiring, the reverberations already jarring the house. I found itdifficult to collect my thoughts, or to reason out the situation.Everything had occurred so swiftly, so unexpectedly, as to leave meconfused--the surging of battle our way, the affair with Le Gaire, hisstrange death, the thought which had taken possession of Billie, theskulking murderer hid somewhere within the house--all combined to leaveme in a state of perplexity. I should have withdrawn my men beforedaylight; there was no sign of any Federal troops advancing up theravine, and probably my messenger had failed to get through. It lookedas though we were left to our fate. Every moment counted, and yet Icould not leave until this mystery was made clear, and Miss Willifredconvinced of my innocence. I was so involved in the tangled threads thatto run away was almost a confession, and must risk remaining, moment bymoment, in hope some discovery would make it all plain. Yet the longer Ithought the less I understood. Le Gaire had come to Billie wounded--buthow? His very condition had appealed to her as a woman. She had pitied,sympathized, and he had taken advantage of her natural compassion tofalsely charge me with the whole trouble. How far he had gone, what foulaccusation he had made, could not be guessed, yet he had sufficientlypoisoned her mind against me. Then circumstances had combined to makethe case still blacker. Doubtless to her it was already conclusive. Ihad been seeking the fellow alone, revolver in hand. She had overheardwhat must have sounded like a struggle, and there was the dead man, hisskull crushed by a blow. Everything pointed directly toward me from herpoint of view--motive, opportunity. Who else could it be? Even I,anxious as I was, could not answer that question. I had seen no one, wasnot aware the dead man had an enemy about the place, could discover noclue except that bit of damp clay on the stairs. Yes, and my own bootswere stained with it also--only I knew that lump never came from mine.These thoughts swept across my mind in lightning-like flashes, butbrought no solution to the problem. Then Major Hardy suddenly appeared,closing the door, and mopping his face with a handkerchief. His eyesmet mine.
"By Gad, Galesworth," he began, "woman is the hardest creature tocomprehend on this foot-stool. I've been trying to understand them forfifty years, and am still in the primary class. You'd never have thoughtthat girl of mine cared anything for Le Gaire to hear her talk lastnight, yet, now the fellow is dead, she is crazy. Lying in there on thebed, crying, and won't say a word. Only thing she asked me when I camein was what he had been killed with. I said it looked as if he had beenstruck from behind with a pistol butt, and then she collapsed. Couldn'tget a thing out of her--just cried, and begged me to go away; said she'dbe all right, if left alone. Blamed if I know what to do with a womanlike that--over such a fellow as Le Gaire too! By Gad, I supposed Billiehad more sense. When she wouldn't talk to me I proposed sending you into explain matters. You should have seen her eyes, Galesworth, throughthe tears. Mad! I never waited to hear what she was trying to say. Ireckoned the best thing to do was to leave her alone a while."
"You explained nothing?"
"No--what was there to explain?"
"Major," I said, every nerve braced for conflict, "with your permissionI am going in there and have a talk with your daughter--may I?"
"Certainly, as far as I am concerned, but I don't envy you the job."
"I'll assume all risk, but I am not willing to leave her like this.Perhaps I understand the situation better than you do. You stay where Ican call you if necessary, and look after the search for whoever got LeGaire. Bell and Miles are out on the roof trying for the attic. I won'tbe gone long."
I have gone into battle with less trepidation than I approached thatdoor, but never with greater determination to bear myself as became aman. Billie was going to know the truth just as clearly as I could tellit to her. I could not convince myself it was love for Le Gaire whichhad so affected her. I doubted if she had ever loved him. The fellow hadplayed upon her sympathy, her pity, and circumstances had conspired tocause her to believe I was his murderer. This was amply sufficient toaccount for her feeling of horror, her evident desire to escape furthercontact with me. Hardy had been blind and blundering--had made thingsworse, rather than better; now I must see what I could do. I rapped atthe panel, and thought I heard a faint response. A moment later I stoodwithin, and had closed the door behind me. She was on a couch at theopposite side of the room, but arose to her feet instantly, her facewhite, one hand sweeping back the strands of ruffled hair.
"You!" she exclaimed incredulously. "Why have you come here? I supposedit would be my father."
"Major Hardy told me how you were feeling; that he could do nothing foryou--"
"Did he understand I wished to confer with you?"
"No, but--"
"You decided to invade my room without permission. Do you not think youhave persecuted me quite long enough?"
"Why do you say persecuted?"
"Because your acts have assumed that form, Lieutenant Galesworth. Youpersist in seeking me after I have requested to be left alone."
"Miss Hardy," and my eyes met hers, "has it ever occurred to you thatyou may be the one in the wrong, the one mistaken? I am simply here toexplain, to tell you the truth, and compel you to do justice."
"Indeed! how compel? With the revolver in your belt?"
"No; merely by a statement of facts, to be proven, if necessary, by theevidence of your father and Captain Bell. I am not asking you to believeme, but surely they have no occasion for falsifying. Why have you notlistened to them?"
"Listened!" startled by my words. "I would have listened, but they havesaid nothing. They have seemed to avoid all reference to what hasoccurred. I thought they were trying to spare me pain, humiliation. Isthere something concealed, something I do not know?"
"If I may judge from your words and action the entire truth has beenkept from you," and I advanced a step or two nearer. "I am not the oneto come with an explanation, but your father has failed, and I am notwilling to go away until this matter is made clear. Whether you believe,or not, you must listen."
She stared at me, still trembling from head to foot, and yet there was adifferent expression in her eyes--puzzled doubt.
"You--you will have much to explain," she said slowly. "If--if I wereyou I should hardly attempt it."
"Which must mean, Miss Hardy, that you are already so prejudiced a fairhearing is impossible. Yet I thought you, at least, a friend."
A deep flush swept
into her cheeks, to vanish as quickly.
"You had reason to think so, and I was," earnestly. "I was deceived inyour character, and trusted you implicitly. It seems as though I amdestined to be the constant victim of deceit. I can keep faith in noone. It is hard to understand you, Lieutenant Galesworth. How do youdare to come here and face me, after all that has occurred?"
She was so serious, so absolutely truthful, that for the moment I couldonly stare at her.
"You mean after what you said to me last night? But I am not here tospeak of love."
"No," bitterly. "That is all over with, forgotten. In the light of whathas happened since, the very memory is an insult. Oh, you hurt me so!Cannot you see how this interview pains me! Won't you go--go now, andleave me in peace."
"But surely you will not drive me away unheard!--not refuse to learn thetruth."
"The truth! It is the truth I already know, the truth which hurts."
"Nevertheless you are going to hear my story. If I have done a wrong toyou, or any one, I want it pointed out, so it may be made right. Ishall not leave this room, nor your presence, until I have uttered mylast word of explanation. I should be a coward to turn away. Will yousit down and listen? You need not even speak until I am done."
She looked at me helplessly, her eyes full of questioning, yet, when Iextended a hand, she drew back quickly.
"Yes--I--I suppose I must."
She sank back upon the couch, these words barely audible, and I drew adeep breath, hardly knowing where to begin.
"I am a Federal officer, Miss Hardy, and my uniform is no passport toyour favor, yet that is no reason you should be unjust. I do not think Ihave ever been guilty of but one ungentlemanly act toward you, and thatwas unavoidable--I mean listening to your conversation with CaptainLe Gaire."
She shuddered, and gave utterance to a little cry.
"I loved you; with all my heart I loved you," I went on swiftly, drivenby a sudden rush of passion. "What you said then gave me a right totell you so."
"And was it because I was unwilling to listen that--that you did whatyou did later?" she broke in hastily.
"Did later! You mean that I consented to meet Le Gaire?"
"Yes--that you compelled him to fight you; that you--Oh, God! Why bringthis all up again?"
"Merely because nothing occurred of which I am ashamed. Without doubt itwas my love for you which caused the trouble. But I was not theaggressor. Did you suppose otherwise? Le Gaire deliberately struck meacross the face."
She rose again to her feet, her cheeks blazing.
"It was the answer of a gentleman to an insult given the woman he was tomarry," proudly.
"The answer to an insult! What insult?"
"You know; I shall not demean myself to repeat the words."
So this was what she had been told! Well, I could block that lie with asentence.
"Miss Hardy," I asked soberly, "are you aware that your father refusedto act for Captain Le Gaire, but went to the field as my second?"
"No," her whole expression indicative of surprise. "Impossible!"
"But it was not impossible, for it was true. Captain Bell had to be sendfor to second Le Gaire, and he did it under protest. Do you imagine yourfather would have taken my part if I had uttered one word reflectingupon you?"
She attempted to speak, but failed, and I took advantage of the silence.
"Major Hardy is in the hall, and will corroborate all I say. Perhaps Iought not to attempt my own defence, but this misunderstanding is toograve to continue. There is too much at stake in your life and mine.From what you have already said it is evident you have beendeceived--probably that deception did not end merely with thecommencement of the quarrel."
"Did--did Major Hardy truly second you?" she interrupted, apparentlydazed. "I--I can hardly comprehend."
"He did; he even volunteered to do so. Le Gaire charged you with beingunduly intimate with me, and your father resented his words. The manbegan threatening as soon as I entered the room, and finally struck meacross the face, daring me to an encounter. I am no duellist; this wasmy first appearance in that role; but I could never have retained myself-respect and refused to meet him."
"You--you forced him to accept pistols?"
"In a way, yes. Your father convinced him I was an expert swordsman, andconsequently he chose derringers, believing they would be to hisadvantage. The truth is, I am not particularly skilled in the useof either."
She looked at me a moment as though she would read clear down into thedepths of my soul; then she leaned over against the head of the couch,her face hidden in her arm.
"I--I will listen," she said falteringly, "to all you have to say."
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