Part 8 (1/2)

”If he promised you any money,” the other interjected, ”you won't get it.”

Daniel took no notice. ”I won't trouble you with the first pages of the letter,” he remarked. ”They just tell an old man's disappointment in his son, and his fears that you will not only ruin yourself, but also sully the name and squander the estate. 'Now, Daniel,' he writes, 'I am going to put the matter entirely into your hands, and to rely on your honour to carry out my wishes. In spite of my son's shortcomings I love him for his mother's sake, and it is my earnest desire that he should be a worthy representative of our line. If, however, you find that he is hopelessly going to the bad, I herewith place the doc.u.mentary evidence in your hands by means of which you can turn him out in favour of yourself.'”

”What's he mean?” exclaimed his cousin, half rising from his chair.

”It's forgery-it's a trick or something!” His voice was unsteady.

Daniel, pipe in mouth, continued quietly to read: ”'I regret to say that, as these papers will show, my son was born out of wedlock. You are aware, no doubt, that I met my wife in South Africa, when I had a farm there, some years before I even expected to come into the t.i.tle; but, except you and I, no living person knows that Charles was born six months before our marriage. I now leave the secret entirely in your discretion, knowing that you will only reveal it if you feel that I should wish you to do so.'”

”It's a lie!” shouted Lord Barthampton. ”It's blackmail!”

”No,” said Daniel. ”There's no getting over it. The doc.u.ments are all in order. You're only Lord Barthampton on sufferance.”

His cousin sank back in his chair. His cigar had gone out, and he flung it on the ground. Then he leant forward and rested his head in his hands, scratching his red ear with one finger. In this att.i.tude he appeared fat, unpleasant, and altogether devoid of dignity.

At length he looked up, sullenly, with a sort of cunning in his face.

”How much do you want for those papers?” he asked.

Daniel sucked at his pipe for a few moments. ”I want rather a stiff price,” he declared at length.

”What?” said his cousin, in a dull voice.

Daniel fixed his eyes upon him. ”Your reformation,” he said.

”Oh, go to h.e.l.l!” was the reply, and Daniel rather liked him for it. He felt uncomfortable in a mentorial role.

”Look here,” he said, ”let's understand what your father meant.”

Charles Barthampton got up and mixed himself a whiskey-and-soda. ”If that letter's genuine,” he muttered, ”there's no understanding him.”

”Oh, yes, it's simple enough,” replied Daniel. ”You are his son, whether you're legitimate or not; and he didn't want to have your name, or his, or especially your mother's, dragged through the mud by letting out his secret. So he wished you to inherit. But at the same time, he had a very Spartan sense of duty; and, as he was good enough to trust me, he thought I would act as a bit of a brake on you, if you knew that I could have you fired out if you didn't behave yourself.”

”A dirty trick!” the other grunted, pacing up and down the room, his fists clenched, and much of the colour gone from his face. He swung round on his heel, and stared at Daniel with fierce, bloodshot eyes.

”Oh, it'll be easy enough for you to find a pretext for outing me. I can see already I'm done for. You've only got to say the word, but, by G.o.d!

if you do turn me out”-he shook his fist in his cousin's face-”I'll send a bullet through you.”

Daniel put his hand to his hip-pocket, from which the b.u.t.t of his revolver protruded. ”I'm not a bad shot myself,” he replied.

”Oh, really!” Barthampton e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, with an explosive splutter, and, darting to the table, he pulled open a drawer and dived his hand into it.

Instantly Daniel whipped out his revolver and covered him. ”Stand back from that table!” he called out, and there was something very terrible in his voice.

His cousin's hand fell to his side, and he took a pace back. Still covering him, and not taking his eyes from him, Daniel leaned over the table and felt for the revolver which lay there. Having found it, he slipped it into the pocket of his jacket.

”Now don't behave like a d.a.m.ned fool,” he said. ”Understand me: I am not going to turn you out. I haven't the slightest wish to do so. I don't want the beastly estates, and I much prefer to be plain Daniel Lane. By law I'm Lord Barthampton, not you; but by something that's above law, I mean fair-play, you are your father's son and the heir he wanted. And nothing short of your utter d.a.m.n-foolery will ever make me turn you out.

D'you understand? But, mind you,” and his voice resumed its gravity, ”you've got to turn over a new leaf. You've got to give up your drink and your pig ways, and your gambling, and your tantrums, and your women.