Part 18 (1/2)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
THE TENTH NIGHT.
”It might be,” thought Capel, as he dwelt upon the adventure of that night.
Katrine had descended to breakfast the next morning, and he fancied she blushed slightly as he pressed her hand; but she looked so frankly in his face that he could not but think that she was ignorant of what had taken place.
The days slipped by, and in company, by a private understanding, Capel and the old lawyer searched every article of furniture that could possibly have been made the receptacle of the lost treasure.
”I'll help you, of course, my dear sir,” said the old man, ”if you wish it; but I really think we shall do no good.”
There had been several talks about breaking up the party, but Capel, as host, had always begged that his companions would stay, urging Mr Girtle to back him up by proposing that there should be no change until the whole of the business of the will was completed so far as the others were concerned.
”I shall find my share at last,” Capel said, laughingly. ”And besides, I have the house.”
One afternoon, when Artis had accompanied the ladies for a drive, and the search was about to be recommenced, Mr Girtle sat down by his little table in the drawing-room and said:
”I have a little news for you, Mr Capel.”
”What, have you found the clue?”
”Not yet,” said the old man, quietly; ”but I have found an angel.”
”A what?”
”An angel. You did not know we had one in this house.”
”Indeed, but I did,” cried Capel.
”Ah, yes,” said the old man, looking at him thoughtfully; ”but I'm afraid we are not thinking of the same.”
”Indeed, but we are,” said Capel, warmly. ”No one who has seen Miss D'Enghien--”
”Could hesitate to say that she is a very handsome woman,” said the old lawyer, ”but I was referring to Miss Lawrence.”
”A lady for whom I entertain the most profound esteem,” said Capel.
”Which will be strengthened, sir, when I tell you that she came to me and made a proposition that--”
The old lawyer's communication was checked by the announcement of a visitor for Mr Capel, and the doctor, Mr Heston, was ushered in.
His visit was not productive of much, for he had only to announce that he was more and more sure in his own mind that he was right, the result being that Capel asked him to wait before taking any further steps, and Dr Heston went away rather dissatisfied in his own mind.
”If he does not follow up my proposals,” he said to himself, ”I shall begin to think that he has some reason of his own for keeping the matter quiet.”
The ladies returned directly the doctor had gone, and Artis, in pursuance of his instructions, made himself so agreeable to Capel that he did not leave him alone with the old lawyer, while at dinner and during the evening no opportunity was likely to occur for a private conversation.
”I'll see you directly after breakfast to-morrow morning, Mr Capel,”
the old man said. ”I should prefer a quiet business chat with you, for the matter is important.”