Part 21 (1/2)

ACTON'S WARNING

It was with somewhat natural misgivings, the next afternoon, that Nasmyth strolled forward along the _Tillic.u.m's_ deck toward the place where Mrs. Acton was sitting. Immaculately dressed, as usual, she reclined in a canvas chair with a book, which she had been reading, upon her knee. As Nasmyth approached her he became conscious that she was watching him with a curious expression in her keen, dark eyes. The steamer had dropped anchor in a little land-locked bay, and Nasmyth had just come back in the dinghy, after rowing one or two of the party ash.o.r.e. Mrs. Acton indicated with a movement of her hand that he might sit upon the steamer's rail, and then, turning towards him, looked at him steadily. She was a woman of commanding personality, and imperiously managed her husband's social affairs. If he had permitted it, she probably would have undertaken, also, to look after his commercial interests.

”I wonder why you decided not to visit the Indian settlement with the others?” she inquired.

Nasmyth smiled. ”I have been in many places of the kind,” he answered.

”Besides, there is something I think I ought to tell you.”

”I almost fancied that was the case.”

”Then I wonder if you have connected me with Martial's disappearance?”

”I may admit that my husband evidently has.”

”He told you, then?” And Nasmyth realized next moment that the faint astonishment he had displayed was not altogether tactful.

”No,” said Mrs. Acton, with a smile, ”he did not. That was, I think, what made me more sure of it. James Acton can maintain a judicious silence when it appears advisable, and there are signs that he rather likes you.”

Nasmyth bowed. ”I should be very pleased to hear that you shared his views in this respect,” he observed.

”I am, in the meanwhile, somewhat naturally rather uncertain upon the point,” she returned.

”Well,” confessed Nasmyth humbly, ”I believe I am largely responsible for your guest's sudden disappearance. It was, of course, almost inexcusable, and I could not complain if you were very angry with me.”

”I should, at least, like to know exactly what you did.”

”That,” said Nasmyth, ”is a thing I would sooner you did not urge me to explain. After all, I feel I have done Martial sufficient injury, and I do not think he would like you to know. There are,” he added somewhat diffidently, ”one or two other reasons why I should prefer not to say anything further, but I would like to a.s.sure you that the explanation one of your friends suggested is not the correct one. I ventured to make this, at least, clear to Miss Hamilton.”

Mrs. Acton regarded him with a suggestive smile. ”Mr. Martial was not effusively pleasant to you. The affair was premeditated?”

”My one excuse is that the thing was done on the spur of the moment. I should never have undertaken it if I had reflected.” Nasmyth made a gesture of submission. ”I am in your hands.”

Mrs. Acton sat silent for perhaps a minute gazing at the woods that swept round three sides of the little bay. Great cedars and pines and hemlocks rolled down to the water's edge, and the stretch of smooth green brine between them and the steamer flashed like a mirror.

”Well,” she said, after a long pause, ”I must admit that at first I was angry with you. Now”--and her eyes grew a bit scornful--”I am angry with Martial, instead. In fact, I think I shall wash my hands of him. I have no sympathy with a man who allows himself to be placed in a ludicrously painful position that reflects upon his friends.”

”Especially when he has the privilege of your particular favour,”

added Nasmyth.

Mrs. Acton laughed. ”That,” she returned, ”was a daring observation.

It, at least, laid a certain obligation on Martial to prove it warranted, which he has signally failed to do. I presume you know why he took some little pains to make himself unpleasant to you?”

Nasmyth fancied that she was really angry with Martial, and that he understood her att.i.tude. She was a capable, strong-willed woman, and had const.i.tuted herself the ally of the unfortunate man who had brought discredit on her by permitting himself to be shamefully driven from the field. It was also evident that she resented the fact that a guest from her husband's yacht should have been concerned in any proceedings of the nature that the schooner's deck-hand had described.

”I think I suspect why he was not cordial to me,” Nasmyth admitted.

”Still, the inference is so flattering that one would naturally feel a little diffident about believing that Martial's suppositions were correct.”

”That,” replied Mrs. Acton, ”was tactfully expressed.” She looked at the young man fixedly, and her next remark was characterized by the disconcerting frankness which is not unusual in the West. ”Mr.