Part 17 (2/2)
”So it seems,” I observed. ”Well, and what then?”
”Well, they occupied the four upstairs rooms, the two younger men occupying one room. They were thin-faced, dark-eyed fellows, whom I never liked at all, they seemed so sly and cunnin', always whispering to themselves in their own language. If anybody chanced to come up 'ere I saw how alarmed they all were. That's what first aroused my suspicions.”
”Why didn't you speak to the constable at Brigstock?”
”And lose my five poun'? Not likely! They did me no harm, even if they were forriners. Well,” he went on, ”they all five of 'em remained 'ere, and like the men d.i.c.k and Ben, hardly ever went out in the day-time.
The servant, an ugly old woman, did their cookin' an' looked after 'em while the three men amused themselves very often by playin' cards for 'ours and readin' their forrin' papers. I've kept some of 'em--'ere they are,” and he took from a chair several well-thumbed newspapers, which I saw were the Italian _Avanti_, and other Continental journals of advanced socialistic policy.
”They had no letters?”
”Only one. The man Logan received it about four days ago.”
”But the young lady. Was she English?” I asked.
”I suppose so. But she would talk with the forriners just like one o'
themselves. I rather liked 'er. She was very kind to my missus, and seemed quite a lady, much more refined than that big bullyin' fellow who said he was her father.”
”They gambled, you said, merely to kill time--or for money?” inquired Pink.
”I never saw 'em play for money. They used to play a forrin' game and I could never make anythin' out of it. After some little time the young lady went back to London for a day or two. While she was absent the man d.i.c.k called. He was differently dressed and took Logan out for a walk in the wood, in order to talk, I suppose. Logan came back alone, and I saw from his face that 'e was in a vile temper, so I suppose the two 'ad quarrelled. Howsomever, next day the young lady, who was known as Miss Alice, rejoined her friends, and that night they sat talkin' together till very late. I listened at the door, and 'eard 'em one by one a-arguin', it seemed, in their forrin language. It was just as though they were 'olding a council about something, but the tone of their voices showed that something alarmin' had happened. What it was, of course, I didn't know. But when I went up, I told my old woman that there was something unusual in the wind. Nothin' happened, however, till last night.”
”And what happened last night?” I asked quickly.
”Well, as you'll remember, it was a beautiful evening, and after supper they all four went out for a walk, leaving the servant at home with us.
When they'd been gone nearly two hours, I saw Logan return in the moonlight across the gra.s.s-field from the wood, smoking 'is pipe leisurely. When he saw me sittin' in the shadow outside the door, 'e said 'e'd missed the others and been wandering about the wood in the dark for more'n 'arf a hour. This struck me as rather peculiar, but I went inside with 'im, and presently went up to bed. I 'adn't been there long afore I 'eard a great scufflin' and whisperin', and on lookin' out o' my door saw the two forriners a carryin' Miss Alice upstairs to her room! I inquired what was the matter, but they said she'd only fainted and 'ud be better presently. So I went back to bed. Logan, howsomever, seems to 'ave gone out to old Jim Pywell's cottage down the hill and sent him for a doctor, telling 'im not to get one close at hand, but from a distance. Pywell called you, sir,” he added turning to Pink, ”and the first time I knew that anythin' was wrong was after you'd gone and the poor thing began to cry out and say that an attempt had been made to kill 'er. Both me and my ole woman are a bit 'ard o' hearin', an' they brought you very quietly up the stairs that I'd no idea you were in the 'ouse.”
”And what occurred afterwards?” Pink inquired eagerly.
”They were evidently frightened lest what the poor girl had said in 'er ravings might arouse your curiosity a bit too much, for they were early astir this mornin', and by eleven they paid me and all of 'em left, walkin' by separate ways over to Oundle station, Jim Pywell a-takin' in their trunks on a wagon.”
”But the young lady?” the doctor exclaimed. ”Was she well enough to walk?”
”Yes. She was bandaged, of course, but she 'ad one o' them big feather ruffles that 'id her throat an' the lower part of 'er face. When she said `good-bye' to me she looked like a corpse--poor thing.”
”Then she said nothing about Logan's attack upon her?” I asked. ”She appeared anxious to get away with the others?”
”Very,” replied the old farmer. ”She seemed to fear that she had said somethin' which would reveal what they were all tryin' to keep secret.”
”Now tell me, Mr Hayes,” I said, facing him very seriously. ”Tell me one thing. Have you ever heard any of your mysterious visitors mention the name of Lejeune?”
The old fellow leaned heavily on his stick, scratched his white head and thought hard a moment.
”Ler--june,--Ler--june,” he repeated. ”Why, I believe that's the name by which the gentleman called d.i.c.k addressed the young lady when he came to see Mister Logan the other day! I recollect quite distinctly now.
I've been a-tryin' an' a-tryin' to remember it--an' couldn't. Yes. It wor Ler--june--I'm certain. Do you happen to know her, sir?”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
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