The Mynns' Mystery

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

  A DIFFICULT MISSION.

  Every one in the room uttered an ejaculation at the housekeeper'sannouncement, but the old lawyer remained calm.

  "I'll come and speak to him," he said. "Don't be alarmed," he turnedand whispered to Mrs Hampton. "Some mistake of the old woman's. Tryand keep her calm. A messenger, I think."

  As he reached the door, the old woman laid her hand upon his arm, andwhispered to him: "But it is not Mr George, sir."

  "No, of course not, woman. A message from him. Where is thegentleman?"

  "The dining-room things were not all cleared away, sir, and I showed himinto the study."

  Mr Hampton nodded, and in a quiet, business-like way went out, andcrossed the hall to the study, where the visitor, a tall, deeplysun-browned, frank-looking young man, who looked hollow-cheeked, as iffrom some long illness, rose from his seat.

  The lawyer bowed.

  "I want to see Miss Gertrude Bellwood," said the visitor.

  "I am her nearest friend, sir; and, I may say, I am deputed to hear yourbusiness. You come from Mr George Harrington, I presume?"

  "Well, no, sir. I only reached Liverpool yesterday, London thisafternoon. I am George Harrington."

  "What?"

  "You seem surprised. I received letters from my grandfather, asking me,urgently, to return to England. I had made my preparations forreturning, when I met with--an accident, and I have been dangerouslyill. When I recovered and reached San Francisco, I found another letterannouncing my grandfather's death, and I came on at once."

  The old man looked at his visitor curiously.

  "May I ask to whom I am speaking?" continued the young man.

  "My name is Hampton, sir. I was the late Mr Harrington's confidentiallegal adviser and executor."

  "Oh, indeed. Then that makes matters easy for me. You know everything,then?"

  "Yes, I know everything," said the lawyer, with a very searching look.

  "Then my cousin, sir--she has always been spoken of in letters as mycousin, though no relation."

  The lawyer raised his eyebrows a little.

  "I am, of course, under the circumstances, anxious to meet her."

  "May I ask under what circumstances, sir?"

  "I understood you to say you knew everything, sir. We are betrothed--Miss Gertrude Bellwood is to be my wife."

  Both started, for at that moment Gertrude, whom Mrs Hampton had beenunable to restrain, stood in the doorway, with the old lady at herelbow.

  She took a couple of steps forward, gazing wildly in the frank, handsomeface before her--a face which lit up with satisfaction as it encounteredthe earnest gaze of the young girl.

  "Are you Gertrude?" he exclaimed, advancing with extended hands.

  "Stop?" said the old lawyer, interposing, as he tried to master thedifficulties of his position. "You will excuse me, sir, but you comehere an utter stranger. You are, you say, Mr George Harrington."

  "Certainly. Who doubts it?"

  "We will not discuss that matter now, sir. Recollect we live in dayswhen impositions are practised."

  "Oh, I see. Of course. Quite right, my dear sir. As my grandfather'sexecutor, you are bound to be careful. Pray go on."

  "Mrs Hampton," faltered Gertrude.

  "Hush, my child; be calm," whispered the old lady.

  "Then, perhaps, sir, you will give me some proof that you are thegentleman you say."

  "Proofs? Are any needed?" said the young man laughingly, as if it wasabsurd that his word should be doubted. "Oh, well, then, first andforemost here I am, George Harrington, my father's son, happily in theflesh, though I have had a very narrow escape from death."

  "Very good, sir; now some other proof. Gertrude, my child, had you notbetter retire?"

  "No, Mr Hampton," said Gertrude firmly.

  "That's quite right," said the young man, giving her a keen, earnestlook, so full of pleased admiration that Gertrude trembled, and her eyesfell. There was something so new in that look. "If any one ought tostay here, Miss Bellwood, it should be you. Well, Mr Hampton, you wantproofs?"

  "Yes, sir--the letters, for instance."

  "I have only the one I received. The others were stolen from me."

  "Indeed!"

  "Yes, sir, with everything of value that I possessed. Hang it all, man,don't look so sceptical."

  "I beg pardon, sir. Go on. Of course you see I must have proof thatyou are the gentleman you represent yourself to be."

  "Well, let me see. I disposed of everything I had before I went upon ahunting expedition, all but a few necessaries, and bought other thingssuitable for my expedition. These, I regret to say, I have lost, andbut for the kindness of some people in the West, I should not have beenable to get here."

  "Then you have nothing you can show?" said the old lawyer.

  Gertrude looked wildly and inquiringly at their visitor, for vaguely itseemed as if some one had been holding out to her a hand to save herfrom a fate from which she shrank more and more as the hours glided by,but that, after all, this stretched-out hand was only a delusion and asnare.

  "Well, no," said their visitor, with his broad brow puckering up withperplexity. "You see,"--and he gave all a frank, half-smiling look,which won upon Mrs Hampton, though she received it in the most stonyway--"I came here to-night all eager, and expecting to be received withopen arms, and you all look like ice, and treat me as if I were animpostor. No, sir, I have no proofs; and, for the moment, I don't knowhow to establish my identity. Of course it will be all right. I canonly say now that I am George Harrington."

  Gertrude, in spite of herself, gave him a pitying glance, to which heresponded by one so bold and masterful that he felt for the moment as ifheld, and the colour, which had been absent from her cheeks for weeks,slowly began to mantle there.

  "Here, stop a bit, sir. This is The Mynns. I came and stayed hereonce."

  "Ah!" said the lawyer slowly; "then you recollect all about the place?"

  "No," said the young man thoughtfully, "I was such a little kidling.No; I don't recollect anything. I don't know, though; have you anyportrait of the old man? I might remember him."

  "Was that anything like him?" said the lawyer, pointing to an oilpainting of Gertrude's father, which was over the mantelpiece.

  "No; not a bit," said the young man shortly. "Not a bit."

  Gertrude's spirits rose a little, as in secret she began to wish thattheir visitor's words were true, though she did not doubt it herself.

  "Shall we walk into the dining-room?" said the lawyer; "there areseveral portraits there."

  "By all means. I want to clear my character, ladies. Rather hard on aman to be taken for a trickster and a cheat."

  "No one accuses you, sir, of being either," said the old lawyer gravely."I am one of the executors of Mr Harrington's will, and I have a duty,greater than you realise, to perform."

  He led the way to the dining-room, where their visitor immediately fixedhis eyes on the portrait of the late owner of The Mynns, to theexclusion of three other portraits on the walls.

  "That's more like what I should have taken the old man to be; but no,no, no. It would be a contemptible sham for me to pretend to recognisehim, so I give that up at once. Look here, sir, can't you--or can'tyou, Miss Gertrude, cross-examine me a bit about my father and mother,and our family history?"

  "Yes," said the old lawyer; and he put a series of questions, all ofwhich were instantly answered.

  "This is all very satisfactory, sir, but I want more proof. Let me see;the late Mr Harrington gave you a watch, did he not?"

  The question was asked in a slow, peculiar way, and Gertrude darted asearching look at the unmoved countenance before her.

  "A watch? Gave me a watch, sir? No. The boot was on the other foot."

  Gertrude's face lighted up again. She hardly dared to confess it, butshe wanted, more and more, for this one to prove that he was the trueGeorge Harrington whom she
was to love and honour.

  "Oh! You gave him a watch, I am to understand?"

  "Yes, with a chain made out of nuggets. The case was made of gold Ifound. I sent it because the old man always girded at my father forgold-hunting, and it was to show him what we could do. But will you notsit down, ladies?" he added, with a rather rough, but natural courtesy.

  "Perhaps you will take a seat, too, sir," said the old lawyer, who wasimpressed favourably by his visitor's manner, and felt a lingering hopethat his tale might be true, though all the while upon his guard againstimposition.

  "I will with pleasure, for I am tired. Stop a moment?" he criedexcitedly; "I recollect that old girl. She used to take lumps of sugar,melt them in a wax-candle, and let yellow drops of the sweet fall on apiece of writing-paper. You ask her presently. By Jove!" he criedlaughingly, "think of my remembering that."

  Gertrude's heart gave a great throb, and she dared not meet the frank,merry eyes directed at her.

  "Humph?" ejaculated the lawyer, scanning the face before him narrowly,and always to be met by a frank, manly look. "I find I am supposed tobe wrong, then, about the watch?"

  "Oh, yes, sir, you were wrong there. Why, by Jove! the old man wroteand told me he should leave me that watch."

  "There was the series of remittances then, sir," continued the lawyer."You will allow, then, that the late Mr Harrington made you anallowance?"

  "I agree that this is a trap, Mr Lawyer," said the young man; "but thatwas a thoroughly confidential matter, upon which we will not speak.Yes; have it your way if you like--the old man used to keep me."

  "Humph! I wish my co-executor was here," said the lawyer, after apause.

  "So do I, sir, if it would simplify matters. All this is veryunpleasant, of course."

  "More so, sir, than you imagine."

  "Well, pray tell me what to do. Here have I come to claim my heritageand my--I beg pardon," he said quickly, with an admiring look atGertrude, "my wife and my heritage, and the lady does not so much asshake hands with me."

  Gertrude, in spite of herself, gave him an apologetic look.

  "And you treat me as if I were a scoundrel."

  "I am compelled to look upon your claim, sir, with suspicion."

  "Well, sir, you are a lawyer; perhaps you will let me retain yourservices on my behalf."

  "Certainly not, sir. You are attacking, I am for the defence."

  "Very well then, sir, I must get another advocate, I suppose, and oustyou from your position."

  He paused for a few moments, and looked fixedly at Gertrude, and hisgaze intensified, not in boldness, but in respectful ardour, as heslowly rose, and, with a sigh of satisfaction, held out his hand to her.

  "Gertrude Bellwood," he said, "I am a rough man; I have lived a wildpioneering life where, for the most part, I have rarely seen woman, butI inherited from my sweet, dear mother's teaching a feeling ofveneration for her, as one whom it is our duty to look upon withchivalrous respect. Frankly, I came here to-night, ready to claim theproperty my grandfather has bequeathed me, and to set the lady he wishedme to wed quite free to follow her own bent. I feel it is my duty to dothis, but I shall wait a while; meantime, I venture to think that you donot look upon me as an impostor. I am George Harrington, and though Inow offer you my hand, it is only for the first friendly clasp. Youwill shake hands with me?"

  Gertrude's eyes were fixed on his, and held there as if fascinated. Shedid not speak, but looked at him wildly. But at last slowly, and in themidst of an utter silence, she said faintly:

  "I don't know what to think--you do not know. Mr Hampton, why do younot explain?"

  Then gathering strength and firmness, she raised her hand and placed itin the firm, strong palm which closed upon it with a pressure that waspainful, though it sent a thrill of pleasure through her, such as shehad never felt before.

  "No," she said; "no one who was an impostor could look and speak likethis."

  "God bless you, my darling!" he cried warmly, as the tears started tohis eyes; "and none but a true, sweet woman would have spoken likethis."

  "Stop!" said the old lawyer, coming between them, and holding themapart. "You have, sir, to make your pretensions good. Mr GeorgeHarrington is here in England, has claimed his own, and is this younglady's betrothed."

  "What? Then where is he? Bring us face to face."