Part 81 (2/2)
It was only necessary to add, that Mrs. Glenarm had left the neighborhood of Perth, in order to escape further annoyance; and had placed herself under the protection of friends in another part of the county. Mr. Geoffrey Delamayn, whose fair fame had been a.s.sailed (it was needless, the correspondent added in parenthesis, to say how groundlessly), was understood to have expressed, not only the indignation natural under the circ.u.mstances but also his extreme regret at not finding himself in a position to aid Captain Newenden's efforts to bring the anonymous slanderer to justice. The honorable gentleman was, as the sporting public were well aware, then in course of strict training for his forthcoming appearance at the Fulham Foot-Race. So important was it considered that his mind should not be hara.s.sed by annoyances, in his present responsible position, that his trainer and his princ.i.p.al backers had thought it desirable to hasten his removal to the neighborhood of Fulham--where the exercises which were to prepare him for the race were now being continued on the spot.
”The mystery seems to thicken,” said Arnold.
”Quite the contrary,” returned Sir Patrick, briskly. ”The mystery is clearing fast--thanks to the Glasgow newspaper. I shall be spared the trouble of dealing with Bishopriggs for the stolen letter. Miss Silvester has gone to Perth, to recover her correspondence with Geoffrey Delamayn.”
”Do you think she would recognize it,” said Arnold, pointing to the newspaper, ”in the account given of it here?”
”Certainly! And she could hardly fail, in my opinion, to get a step farther than that. Unless I am entirely mistaken, the authors.h.i.+p of the anonymous letters has not mystified _her._”
”How could she guess at that?”
”In this way, as I think. Whatever she may have previously thought, she must suspect, by this time, that the missing correspondence has been stolen, and not lost. Now, there are only two persons whom she can think of, as probably guilty of the theft--Mrs. Inchbare or Bishopriggs. The newspaper description of the style of the anonymous letters declares it to be the style of a Scotchman in the lower ranks of life--in other words, points plainly to Bishopriggs. You see that? Very well. Now suppose she recovers the stolen property. What is likely to happen then?
She will be more or less than woman if she doesn't make her way next, provided with her proofs in writing, to Mrs. Glenarm. She may innocently help, or she may innocently frustrate, the end we have in view--either way, our course is clear before us again. Our interest in communicating with Miss Silvester remains precisely the same interest that it was before we received the Glasgow newspaper. I propose to wait till Sunday, on the chance that Mr. Crum may write again. If we don't hear from him, I shall start for Scotland on Monday morning, and take my chance of finding my way to Miss Silvester, through Mrs. Glenarm.”
”Leaving me behind?”
”Leaving you behind. Somebody must stay with Blanche. After having only been a fortnight married, must I remind you of that?”
”Don't you think Mr. Crum will write before Monday?”
”It will be such a fortunate circ.u.mstance for us, if he does write, that I don't venture to antic.i.p.ate it.”
”You are down on our luck, Sir.”
”I detest slang, Arnold. But slang, I own, expresses my state of mind, in this instance, with an accuracy which almost reconciles me to the use of it--for once in a way.”
”Every body's luck turns sooner or later,” persisted Arnold. ”I can't help thinking our luck is on the turn at last. Would you mind taking a bet, Sir Patrick?”
”Apply at the stables. I leave betting, as I leave cleaning the horses, to my groom.”
With that crabbed answer he closed the conversation for the day.
The hours pa.s.sed, and time brought the post again in due course--and the post decided in Arnold's favor! Sir Patrick's want of confidence in the favoring patronage of Fortune was practically rebuked by the arrival of a second letter from the Glasgow lawyer on the next day.
”I have the pleasure of announcing” (Mr. Crum wrote) ”that I have heard from Miss Silvester, by the next postal delivery ensuing, after I had dispatched my letter to Ham Farm. She writes, very briefly, to inform me that she has decided on establis.h.i.+ng her next place of residence in London. The reason a.s.signed for taking this step--which she certainly did not contemplate when I last saw her--is that she finds herself approaching the end of her pecuniary resources. Having already decided on adopting, as a means of living, the calling of a concert-singer, she has arranged to place her interests in the hands of an old friend of her late mother (who appears to have belonged also to the musical profession): a dramatic and musical agent long established in the metropolis, and well known to her as a trustworthy and respectable man.
She sends me the name and address of this person--a copy of which you will find on the inclosed slip of paper--in the event of my having occasion to write to her, before she is settled in London. This is the whole substance of her letter. I have only to add, that it does not contain the slightest allusion to the nature of the errand on which she left Glasgow.”
Sir Patrick happened to be alone when he opened Mr. Crum's letter.
His first proceeding, after reading it, was to consult the railway time-table hanging in the hall. Having done this, he returned to the library--wrote a short note of inquiry, addressed to the musical agent--and rang the bell.
”Miss Silvester is expected in London, Duncan. I want a discreet person to communicate with her. You are the person.”
Duncan bowed. Sir Pa trick handed him the note.
”If you start at once you will be in time to catch the train. Go to that address, and inquire for Miss Silvester. If she has arrived, give her my compliments, and say I will have the honor of calling on her (on Mr. Brinkworth's behalf) at the earliest date which she may find it convenient to appoint. Be quick about it--and you will have time to get back before the last train. Have Mr. and Mrs. Brinkworth returned from their drive?”
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