Part 51 (1/2)

Nairn regarded him with carefully suppressed curiosity.

”Ye're over lang in coming,” he remarked. ”Where left ye your partner?”

Carroll sat silent a moment or two, his eyes fixed on Evelyn. It was evident that his sudden appearance unaccompanied by Vane, which he felt had been undesirably dramatic, had alarmed her. At first, he felt compa.s.sionate, and then he was suddenly possessed by hot indignation.

This girl, with her narrow prudish notions and dispa.s.sionate nature, had presumed to condemn his comrade, unheard, for an imaginary offense. The thing was at once ludicrous and intolerable; if his news brought her dismay, let her suffer. His nerves, it must be remembered, were not in their normal condition.

”Yes,” he said, in answer to his host's first remark; ”I've gathered that we have failed to save the situation. But I don't know exactly what has happened. You had better tell me.”

Mrs. Nairn made a sign of protest, but her husband glanced at her restrainingly.

”Ye will hear his news in good time,” he informed her, and then turned to Carroll. ”In a few words, the capital was no subscribed--it leaked out that the ore was running poor--and we held an emergency meeting. With Vane away, I could put no confidence into the shareholders--they were anxious to get from under--and Horsfield brought forward an amalgamation scheme: A combine would take the property over, on their valuation. I and a few others were outvoted; the scheme went through; and when the announcement steadied the stock, which had been tumbling down, I exercised the authority given me and sold your shares and Vane's at considerably less than their face value. Ye can have particulars later.

What I have to ask now is--where is Vane?”

The man's voice grew sharp; the question was flung out like an accusation; but Carroll still looked at Evelyn. He felt very bitter against her; he would not soften the blow.

”I left him in the bush, with no more than a few days' provisions and a broken leg,” he announced.

Then, in spite of Evelyn's efforts to retain her composure, her face blanched. Carroll's anger vanished, because the truth was clear. Vane had triumphed through disaster; his peril and ruin had swept his offenses away. The girl, who had condemned him in his prosperity, would not turn from him in misfortune. In the meanwhile the others sat silent, gazing at the bearer of evil news, until he spoke again.

”I want a tug to take me back, at once, if she can be got. I'll pick up a few men along the waterfront.”

Nairn rose and went out of the room. The tinkle of a telephone bell reached those who remained, and a minute or two later he came back.

”I've sent Whitney round,” he explained. ”He'll come across if there's a boat to be had, and now ye look as if ye needed lunch.”

”It's several weeks since I had one,” Carroll smiled.

The meal was brought in, but for a while he talked as well as ate, relating his adventures in somewhat disjointed fragments, while the others sat listening eagerly. He was also pleased to notice something which suggested returning confidence in him in Evelyn's intent eyes as the tale proceeded. When at last he had made the matter clear, he added:

”If I keep you waiting, you'll excuse me.”

His hostess watched his subsequent efforts with candid approval, and looking up once or twice, he saw sympathy in the girl's face, instead of the astonishment or disgust he had half expected. When he finished, his hostess rose and Carroll stood up, but Nairn motioned to him to resume his place.

”I'm thinking ye had better sit still a while and smoke,” he said.

Carroll was glad to do so, and they conferred together until Nairn was called to the telephone.

”Ye can have the Brod.i.c.k boat at noon to-morrow,” he reported on his return.

”That won't do,” Carroll objected heavily. ”Send Whitney round again; I must sail to-night.”

He had some difficulty in getting out the words, and when he rose his eyes were half closed. Walking unsteadily, he crossed the room and sank onto a big lounge.

”I think,” he added, ”if you don't mind, I'll go to sleep.”

Nairn merely nodded, and when he went silently out of the room a minute or two afterward, the worn-out man was already wrapped in profound slumber. Nairn just then received another call by telephone and left in haste for his office without speaking to his wife, with the result that Mrs. Nairn and Evelyn, returning to the room in search of Carroll, found him lying still. The elder lady raised her hand in warning as she bent over the sleeper, and then taking up a light rug spread it gently over him. Evelyn, too, was stirred to sudden pity, for the man's att.i.tude was eloquent of exhaustion. They withdrew softly and had reached the corridor outside when Mrs. Nairn turned to the girl.

”When he first came in, ye blamed that man for deserting his partner,” she said.