Foul Play

by Charles Reade

  CHAPTER IV.

  SARAH WILSON left off crying, and looked down on the ground with a veryred face. General Rolleston was amazed.

  "Is she safe? Is who safe?" said he. "He means my mistress," repliedWilson, rather brusquely; and flounced out of the hall.

  "She is safe, no thanks to you," said General Rolleston. "What were youdoing under her window at this time of night?" And the harsh tone inwhich this question was put showed Seaton he was suspected. This woundedhim, and he replied doggedly, "Lucky for you all I was there."

  "That is no answer to my question," said the general sternly.

  "It is all the answer I shall give you."

  "Then I shall hand you over to the officer without another word."

  "Do, sir, do," said Seaton bitterly; but he added more gently, "you willbe sorry for it when you come to your senses."

  At this moment Wilson entered with a message. "If you please, sir, MissRolleston says the robber had no beard. Miss have never noticed Seaton'sface, but his beard she have; and, oh, if you please, sir, she begged meto ask him--Was it you that fired the pistol and shot the robber?"

  The delivery of this ungrammatical message, but rational query was like aray of light streaming into a dark place. It changed the whole aspect ofthings. As for Seaton, he received it as if Heaven was speaking to himthrough Wilson. His sullen air relaxed, the water stood in his eyes, hesmiled affectionately, and said in a low, tender voice, "Tell her I heardsome bad characters talking about this house--that was a month ago--soever since then I have slept in the tool-house to watch. Yes, I shot therobber with my revolver, and I marked one or two more; but they werethree to one; I think I must have got a blow on the head; for I feltnothing--"

  Here he was interrupted by a violent scream from Wilson. She pointeddownward, with her eyes glaring; and a little blood was seen to betrickling slowly over Seaton's stocking and shoe.

  "Wounded," said the general's servant, Tom, in the business-like accentof one who had seen a thousand wounds.

  "Oh, never mind that," said Seaton. "It can't be very deep, for I don'tfeel it;" then, fixing his eyes on General Rolleston, he said, in a voicethat broke down suddenly, "There stands the only man who has wounded meto-night, to hurt me."

  The way General Rolleston received this point-blank reproach surprisedsome persons present, who had observed only the imperious and iron sideof his character. He hung his head in silence a moment; then, beingdiscontented with himself, he went into a passion with his servants forstanding idle. "Run away, you women," said he roughly. "Now, Tom, if youare good for anything, strip the man and stanch his wound. Andrew, abottle of port, quick!"

  Then, leaving him for a while in friendly hands, he went to his daughterand asked her if she saw any objection to a bed being made up in thehouse for the wounded convict.

  "Oh, papa," said she, "why, of course not. I am all gratitude. What is helike, Wilson? for it is a most provoking thing, I never noticed his face,only his beautiful beard glittering in the sunshine ever so far off. Pooryoung man! Oh, yes, papa! send him to bed directly, and we will all nursehim. I never did any good in the world yet, and so why not begin atonce?"

  General Rolleston laughed at this squirt of enthusiasm from his staiddaughter, and went off to give the requisite orders.

  But Wilson followed him immediately and stopped him in the passage.

  "If you please, sir, I think you had better not. I have something to tellyou."

  She then communicated to him by degrees her suspicion that James Seatonwas in love with his daughter. He treated this with due ridicule atfirst; but she gave him one reason after another till she staggered him,and he went downstairs in a most mixed and puzzled frame of mind,inclined to laugh, inclined to be angry, inclined to be sorry.

  The officer had just arrived, and was looking over some photographs tosee if James Seaton was "one of his birds." Such, alas! was hisexpression.

  At sight of this, Rolleston colored up; but extricated himself from thedouble difficulty with some skill. "Hexham," said he, "this poor fellowhas behaved like a man, and got himself wounded in my service. You are totake him to the infirmary; but, mind, they must treat him like my ownson, and nothing he asks for be denied him."

  Seaton walked with feeble steps, and leaning on two men, to theinfirmary; and General Rolleston ordered a cup of coffee, lighted a cigarand sat cogitating over this strange business and asking himself how hecould get rid of this young madman and yet befriend him. As for SarahWilson, she went to bed discontented and wondering at her own badjudgment. She saw too late that if she had held her tongue Seaton wouldhave been her patient and her prisoner; and as for Miss Rolleston, whenit came to the point, why, she would never have nursed him except byproxy, and the proxy would have been Sarah Wilson.

  However, the blunder blind passion had led her into was partiallyrepaired by Miss Rolleston herself. When she heard, next day, whereSeaton was gone, she lifted up her hands in amazement. "What _could_ papabe thinking of to send our benefactor to a hospital?" And, aftermeditating awhile, she directed Wilson to cut a nosegay and carry it toSeaton. "He is a gardener;" said she innocently. "Of course he will misshis flowers sadly in that miserable place."

  And she gave the same order every day, with a constancy that, you mustknow, formed part of this young lady's character. Soup, wine and jellieswere sent from the kitchen every other day with equal pertinacity.

  Wilson concealed the true donor of all those things and took the creditto herself. By this means she obtained the patient's gratitude, and heshowed it so frankly she hoped to steal his love as well.

  But no! his fancy and his heart remained true to the cold beauty he hadserved so well, and she had forgotten him, apparently.

  This irritated Wilson at last, and she set to work to cure him withwholesome but bitter medicine. She sat down beside him one day, and saidcheerfully, "We are all _'on the keyfeet'_ just now. Miss Rolleston'sbeau is come on a visit."

  The patient opened his eyes with astonishment.

  "Miss Rolleston's beau?"

  "Ay, her intended. What, didn't you know, she is engaged to be married?"

  "She engaged to be married?" gasped Seaton.

  Wilson watched him with a remorseless eye.

  "Why, James," said she, after awhile, "did you think the likes of herwould go through the world without a mate?"

  Seaton made no reply but a moan, and lay back like one dead, utterlycrushed by this cruel blow.

  A buxom middle-aged nurse now came up and said, with a touch of severity,"Come, my good girl, no doubt you mean well, but you are doing ill. Youhad better leave him to us for the present."

  On this hint Wilson bounced out and left the patient to his misery.

  At her next visit she laid a nosegay on his bed and gossiped away,talking of everything in the world except Miss Rolleston.

  At last she came to a pause, and Seaton laid his hand on her armdirectly, and looking piteously in her face spoke his first word.

  "Does she love him?"

  "What, still harping on _her?"_ said Wilson. "Well, she doesn't hate him,I suppose, or she would not marry him."

  "For pity's sake don't trifle with me! Does she love him?"

  "La, James, how can I tell? She mayn't love him quite as much as I couldlove a man that took my fancy" (here she cast a languishing glance onSeaton); "but I see no difference between her and other young ladies.Miss is very fond of her papa, for one thing; and he favors the match.Ay, and she likes her partner well enough. She is brighter like, now heis in the house, and she reads all her friends' letters to him ever solovingly; and I do notice she leans on him out walking, a trifle morethan there is any need for."

  At this picture James Seaton writhed in his bed like some agonizedcreature under vivisection; but the woman, spurred by jealousy, and alsoby egotistical passion, had no mercy left for him.

  "And why not?" continued she; "he is young and handsome and rich and hedotes on her. If you are really her friend you ought to be gla
d she is sowell suited."

  At this admonition the tears stood in Seaton's eyes, and after awhile hegot strength to say, "I know I ought, I know it. If he is only worthy ofher, as worthy as any man could be."

  "That he is, James. Why, I'll be bound you have heard of him. It is youngMr. Wardlaw."

  Seaton started up in bed. "Who? Wardlaw? what Wardlaw?"

  "What Wardlaw? why, the great London merchant, his son. Leastways hemanages the whole concern now, I hear; the old gentleman, he is retiredby all accounts."

  "CURSE HIM! CURSE HIM! CURSE HIM!" yelled James Seaton, with his eyesglaring fearfully and both hands beating the air.

  Sarah Wilson recoiled with alarm.

  "That angel marry _him!"_ shrieked Seaton. "Never, while I live. I'llthrottle him with these hands first."

  What more his ungovernable fury would have uttered was interrupted by arush of nurses and attendants, and Wilson was bundled out of the placewith little ceremony.

  He contrived, however, to hurl a word after her, accompanied with a lookof concentrated rage and resolution.

  "NEVER, I TELL YOU--WHILE I LIVE."

  At her next visit to the hospital Wilson was refused admission by orderof the head surgeon. She left her flowers daily all the same.

  After a few days she thought the matter might have cooled, and, having apiece of news to communicate to Seaton with respect to Arthur Wardlaw,she asked to see that patient.

  "Left the hospital this morning," was the reply.

  "What, cured?"

  "Why not? We have cured worse cases than his."

  "Where has he gone to? Pray tell me."

  "Oh, certainly." And inquiry was made. But the reply was, "Left noaddress."

  Sarah Wilson, like many other women of high and low degree, had swiftmisgivings of mischief to come. She was taken with a fit of trembling,and had to sit down in the hall.

  And, to tell the truth, she had cause to tremble; for that tongue of hershad launched two wild beasts--Jealousy and Revenge.

  When she got better she went home, and, coward-like, said not a word toliving soul.

  That day, Arthur Wardlaw dined with General Rolleston and Helen. Theywere to be alone for a certain reason; and he came half an hour beforedinner. Helen thought he would, and was ready for him on the lawn.

  They walked arm-in-arm, talking of the happiness before them, andregretting a temporary separation that was to intervene. He was herfather's choice, and she loved her father devotedly; he was her maleproperty; and young ladies like that sort of property, especially whenthey see nothing to dislike in it. He loved her passionately, and thatwas her due, and pleased her and drew a gentle affection, if not apassion, from her in return. Yes, that lovely forehead did come very nearyoung Wardlaw's shoulder more than once or twice as they strolled slowlyup and down on the soft mossy turf.

  And, on the other side of the hedge that bounded the lawn, a man laycrouched in the ditch and saw it all with gleaming eyes.

  Just before the affianced ones went in, Helen said, "I have a littlefavor to ask you, dear. The poor man, Seaton, who fought the robbers andwas wounded--papa says he is a man of education, and wanted to be a clerkor something. _Could_ you find him a place?"

  "I think I can," said Wardlaw; "indeed, I am sure. A line to White & Co.will do it; they want a shipping clerk."

  "Oh, how good you are!" said Helen; and lifted her face all beaming withthanks.

  The opportunity was tempting; the lover fond. Two faces met for a singlemoment, and one of the two burned for five minutes after.

  The basilisk eyes saw the soft collision; but the owner of those eyes didnot hear the words that earned him that torture. He lay still and bidedhis time.

  General Rolleston's house stood clear of the town at the end of a shortbut narrow and tortuous lane. This situation had tempted the burglarswhom Seaton baffled; and now it tempted Seaton.

  Wardlaw must pass that way on leaving General Rolleston's house.

  At a bend of the lane two twin elms stood out a foot or two from thehedge. Seaton got behind these at about ten o'clock and watched for himwith a patience and immobility that boded ill.

  His preparations for this encounter were singular. He had aclose-shutting inkstand and a pen, and one sheet of paper, at the top ofwhich he had written "Sydney," and the day of the month and year, leavingthe rest blank. And he had the revolver with which he had shot the robberat Helen Rolleston's window; and a barrel of that arm was loaded withswan shot.