CHAPTER XXV
_The Conspirators_
The shadows were creeping down, and evening was approaching, as Bellewtook his way along that winding lane that led to the House ofDapplemere.
Had there been anyone to see, (which there was not), they might havenoticed something almost furtive in his manner of approach, for hewalked always under the trees where the shadows lay thickest, andpaused, once or twice, to look about him warily. Being come within sightof the house, he turned aside, and forcing his way through a gap in thehedge, came by a roundabout course to the farm-yard. Here, after somesearch, he discovered a spade, the which, (having discarded his stick),he took upon his shoulder, and with the black leather bag tucked underhis arm, crossed the paddock with the same degree of caution, and so, atlast, reached the orchard. On he went, always in the shadow until, atlength, he paused beneath the mighty, knotted branches of "King Arthur."Never did conspirator glance about him with sharper eyes, or hearkenwith keener ears, than did George Bellew,--or Conspirator No. One, wherehe now stood beneath the protecting shadow of "King Arthur,"--orConspirator No. Two, as, having unfolded the potato sack, he opened theblack leather bag.
The moon was rising broad, and yellow, but it was low as yet, and "KingArthur" stood in impenetrable gloom,--as any other thorough-going,self-respecting conspirator should; and now, all at once, from thisparticular patch of shadow, there came a sudden sound,--a rushingsound,--a chinking, clinking, metallic sound, and, thereafter, a crisprustling that was not the rustling of ordinary paper.
And now Conspirator No. One rises, and ties the mouth of the sack withstring he had brought with him for the purpose, and setting down thesack, bulky now and heavy, by Conspirator No. Two, takes up the spadeand begins to dig. And, in a while, having made an excavation not verydeep to be sure, but sufficient to his purpose, he deposits the sackwithin, covers it with soil, treads it down, and replacing the torn sod,carefully pats it down with the flat of his spade. Which thingaccomplished, Conspirator No. One wipes his brow, and stepping forth ofthe shadow, consults his watch with anxious eye, and, thereupon,smiles,--surely a singularly pleasing smile for the lips of anarch-conspirator to wear. Thereafter he takes up the black bag, emptynow, shoulders the spade, and sets off, keeping once more in theshadows, leaving Conspirator No. Two to guard their guilty secret.
Now, as Conspirator No. One goes his shady way, he keeps his lookdirected towards the rising moon, and thus he almost runs into one whoalso stands amid the shadows and whose gaze is likewise fixed uponthe moon.
"Ah?--Mr. Bellew!" exclaims a drawling voice, and Squire Cassilis turnsto regard him with his usual supercilious smile. Indeed Squire Cassilisseems to be even more self-satisfied, and smiling than ordinary,to-night,--or at least Bellew imagines so.
"You are still agriculturally inclined, I see," said Mr. Cassilis,nodding towards the spade, "though it's rather a queer time to choosefor digging, isn't it?"
"Not at all, sir--not at all," returned Bellew solemnly, "the moon isvery nearly at the full, you will perceive."
"Well, sir,--and what of that?"
"When the moon is at the full, or nearly so, I generally dig, sir,--thatis to say, circumstances permitting."
"Really," said Mr. Cassilis beginning to caress his moustache, "it seemsto me that you have very--ah--peculiar tastes, Mr. Bellew."
"That is because you have probably never experienced the fierce joys ofmoon-light digging, sir."
"No, Mr. Bellew,--digging--as a recreation, has never appealed to me atany time."
"Then sir," said Bellew, shaking his head, "permit me to tell you thatyou have missed a great deal. Had I the time, I should be delighted toexplain to you exactly how much, as it is--allow me to wish you a verygood evening."
Mr. Cassilis smiled, and his teeth seemed to gleam whiter, and sharperthan ever in the moon-light:
"Wouldn't it be rather more apropos if you said--'Good-bye' Mr. Bellew?"he enquired. "You are leaving Dapplemere, shortly, I understand,--aren'tyou?"
"Why sir," returned Bellew, grave, and imperturbable as ever,--"it alldepends."
"Depends!--upon what, may I ask?"
"The moon, sir."
"The moon?"
"Precisely!"
"And pray--what can the moon have to do with your departure?"
"A great deal more than you'd think--sir. Had I the time, I should bedelighted to explain to you exactly how much, as it is,--permit me towish you a very--good evening!"
Saying which, Bellew nodded affably, and, shouldering his spade, wentupon his way. And still he walked in the shadows, and still he gazedupon the moon, but now, his thick brows were gathered in a frown, and hewas wondering just why Cassilis should chance to be here, to-night, andwhat his confident air, and the general assurance of his manner mightportend; above all, he was wondering how Mr. Cassilis came to be awareof his own impending departure. And so, at last, he came to therick-yard,--full of increasing doubt and misgivings.
The Money Moon: A Romance Page 25