Part 35 (1/2)

”Didn't you say you had some doc.u.ments you wanted me to sign?” she asked presently.

”Oh, yes; here is the thing,” and he pulled a paper out of his pocket; ”the lawyers write that it need not be witnessed.”

Mary glanced at it. ”Couldn't Morris have brought this?--he is your co-executor, isn't he?--and saved you the trouble?”

”Undoubtedly he could; but----”

”But what?”

”Well, if you want to know, my dear,” said the Colonel, with a grave countenance, ”just now Morris is in a state in which I do not care to leave more of this important business in his hands than is necessary.”

”What am I to understand by that, uncle?” she said, looking at him shrewdly. ”Do you mean that he is--not quite well?”

”Yes, Mary, I mean that--he is not quite well; that is, if my observation goes for anything. I mean,” he went on with quiet vehemence, ”I mean that--just at present, of course, he has been so upset by this miserable affair that for my part I wouldn't put any confidence in what he says about it, or about anything else. The thing has got upon his nerves and rendered him temporarily unfit for the business of ordinary life. You know that at the best of times he is a very peculiar man and not quite like other people.

”Well, have you signed that? Thank you, my dear. By Jove! I must be off; I shall be late as it is. I may rely upon your discretion as to what we have been talking about, may I not? but I thought it as well to let you know how the land lay.”

”Yes, uncle; and thank you for taking so much trouble.”

When the door had closed behind him Mary reflected awhile. Then she said to herself:

”He thinks Morris is a little off his head, and has come here to warn me. I should not be surprised, and I daresay that he is right. Any way, a new trouble has risen up between us, the shadow of another woman, poor thing. Well, shadows melt, and the dead do not come back. She seems to have been very charming and clever, and I daresay that she fascinated him for a while, but with kindness and patience it will all come right. Only I do hope that he will not insist upon making me too many confidences.”

So thought Mary, who by nature was forgiving, gentle, and an optimist; not guessing how sorely her patience as an affianced wife, and her charity as a woman of the world, would be tried within the hour.

From all of which it will be seen that for once the diplomacy of the Colonel had prospered somewhat beyond its deserts. The departed cannot explain or defend themselves, and Morris's possible indiscretions already stood discounted in the only quarter where they might do harm.

Half an hour later Mary, sitting beside the fire with her toes upon the grate and her face to the window, perceived Morris on the gravel drive, wearing a preoccupied and rather wretched air. She noted, moreover, that before he rang the bell he paused for a moment as though to shake himself together.

”Here you are at last,” she said, cheerfully, as he bent down to kiss her, ”seven whole minutes before your time, which is very nice of you.

Now, sit down there and get warm, and we will have a good, long talk.”

Morris obeyed. ”My father has been lunching with you, has he not?” he said somewhat nervously.

”Yes, dear, and telling me all the news, and a sad budget it seems to be; about the dreadful disasters of the great gale and the death of that poor girl who was staying with you, Miss Fregelius.”

At the mention of this name Morris's face contorted itself, as the face of a man might do who was seized with a sudden pang of sharp and unexpected agony.

”Mary,” he said, in a hoa.r.s.e and broken voice, ”I have a confession to make to you, and I must make it--about this dead woman, I mean. I will not sail under false colours; you must know all the truth, and then judge.”

”Dear me,” she answered; ”this sounds dreadfully tragic. But I may as well tell you at once that I have already heard some gossip.”

”I daresay; but you cannot have heard all the truth, for it was known only to me and her.”

Now, do what she would to prevent it, her alarm showed itself in Mary's eyes.

”What am I to understand?” she said in a low voice--and she looked a question.

”Oh, no!” he answered with a faint smile; ”nothing at all----”