The Solitary Farm Page 17

  CHAPTER XVII

  A CONFESSION

  On the way home from the common, Cyril and Bella agreed that it would bewise to say nothing about her true parentage. In the first place, itwould benefit no one to be thus candid, and in the second, such astatement would lead to questions being asked which might get Durgo intotrouble. After all, the lovers argued, since Pence, as the chief party,did not move in the matter, it was useless for them to fight hisbattles. The more particularly when Durgo had acted so generously insurrendering the jewels. The black man had behaved in a way for whichCyril would not have given him credit. Few members of the boasting whiterace would have done as much.

  According to the arrangement which the lovers came to, Bella was toremain Miss Huxham to the world until such time as Edwin Lister could befound, and the truth of Huxham's death became known. Of course, withjewels valued at forty thousand pounds, the girl was quite an heiress,and she proceeded to build castles in the air for the advancement ofCyril, when he became her husband. The young man did not say much, as hedid not wish to damp her ardour, but he privately thought that if hisfather were in possession of the jewels he would not surrender themeasily. If Durgo was generous, Edwin Lister, as his son knew, was not,and since he had risked his neck to get the treasure he would certainlynot hand it over to a girl whom he did not know, for a mere sentimentalwhim. That the girl was to be his son's wife, and that the son wouldbenefit by the sale of the jewels, would make no difference.

  On the way back to the cottage, Bella recovered her self-control and herspirits. It was a wonderful relief to her to learn that she was not thedaughter of the gruff old mariner, whom she had never liked. Lookingback on her life at Bleacres, Bella no longer wondered that her supposedfather had never shown her any affection, and she shuddered when sherecalled the terrible fact that his hands were red with blood. Onconsideration, however, she gave Huxham full credit for the way in whichhe had acted towards her. He had come to England a thief and a murderer,it is true, but he could easily have left her in the care of the peoplewho looked after her in a little Croydon house. Bella could scarcelyremember that house or the woman who stood to her in the place of amother, her own being dead.

  Almost her earliest recollection was being taken from Croydon by CaptainHuxham and placed with some friends of his at Shepherd's Bush until shewas nine years old. Then she lived with Huxham for a few years, andultimately was sent to the Hampstead boarding-school, whence shereturned to Bleacres at the age of twenty. Thus the captain had educatedher and had looked after her, and in his own coarse way had provedhimself to be generous to a certain extent. Badly as he had acted inrobbing her of her heritage, he might have behaved infinitely worse. Andby her heritage Bella meant the jewels. With the property and the incomeleft to Mrs. Coppersley, now Mrs. Vand, she had nothing to do, and sheno longer grudged the woman what she had schemed to get. But it wasprobable that had Mrs. Vand not so schemed, Huxham, for very shame,might have given his adopted daughter his nefarious earnings.

  "I must not be hard on Captain Huxham," said Bella, when Cyril broughther to the gate, "for, in his own strange way, he acted kindly. But I amglad that he did not leave me anything, as I am certain he earned hismoney in some shady manner."

  "A kind of Captain Kidd," assented Lister gravely. "I agree with you.But the old ruffian had a soft spot in his heart for you, my dear."

  "No," said Bella, shaking her head, "I would not say that exactly. Hesuffered from remorse and therefore looked me out when he came toEngland. I did not find him an affectionate father by any means. But hewas just, in a grim way, and even generous. He grudged me nothing saveready money. I wonder if Mrs. Vand knows the truth."

  "You said yourself that she did not," replied Lister quietly, "and I aminclined to think so too. A tyrant like Mrs. Vand would have been onlytoo glad to tell you the unpleasant truth."

  "Unpleasant? Why, it is a delightful truth!"

  "Unpleasant from Mrs. Vand's point of view, since, had she known thatyou were not her brother's daughter, in no way could you claim themoney."

  Bella shrugged her shoulders. "I am very, very glad that she has got themoney, and much good may it do her. But I am thankful that CaptainHuxham did not reveal the truth about me to her. Now she need neverknow."

  "It matters very little whether she knows or not," retorted Cyril. "Shecannot gain possession of the jewels. Those are clearly yours."

  "How are we going to gain possession of them?" asked Bella lingering.

  Cyril looked hopelessly up to the blue sky. "Heaven only knows! Thefirst thing to be done is to find my father and see if they are in hispossession. And now that we are parting, Bella, and you feel better, Idon't mind telling you that I don't think my father will give themup--if indeed he has them."

  "But to me, his son's future wife----"

  "My father is quite unbiassed by sentimental considerations," said Cyrilvery dryly. "What he holds, he keeps. However, there is plenty of timeto talk of this matter when we meet my father. Meanwhile, what will youdo?"

  Bella shook the bundle of papers which she carried. "I am going to mybedroom to read these," she said seriously. "I wish to learn everythingthat concerns my true parentage. I may have relatives, you know."

  "If you have," said Lister emphatically, "I only trust that you willleave them severely alone. I don't care for relatives; they askeverything and give nothing."

  "Well," said Bella smiling, for she had quite recovered her spirits, "solong as I have you, I need no sisters or cousins or aunts. Good-bye,dear. No, don't kiss me; someone may be looking on."

  "What of that? Everyone knows that we are engaged."

  "It doesn't do to emphasise the engagement in public," said the girlseriously, and ran into the cottage. At the door she turned. "I shalltell you all that I read in these papers," she called out, and vanished,while Cyril returned home to think over the strange turn which eventshad taken. And things were strange, for in striving to solve one mysterythey had solved another. In seeking for Huxham's assassin they had foundthe true father of Bella.

  Dora had not yet returned, so Bella, in the seclusion of her bedroom,felt relieved. She did not wish, as yet, to share her secret even withthe little school-mistress, good friend as that amiable woman had provedto be. Locking her door she sat down and unrolled the bundle. Itconsisted of many sheets of foolscap, and appeared to be a kind of roughdiary kept by Jabez Huxham, when he was in Africa. The script was in hiscrooked painful writing, but was legible enough, and after some practiceBella managed to read it fairly easily. Seated on her bed, she perusedwhat was set down, and found the reading extremely interesting.

  The sheets seemed to have been torn from a manuscript book, for thediary both commenced and ended abruptly and dealt entirely with MaxwellFaith and his doings. The old pirate had evidently ripped the pages fromthe diary which he kept and had placed them in the carved chest, whichMrs. Tunks had found in the attic. There also, according to Durgo'sstory, the jewels had been stored, so apparently Huxham had used thechest--which had belonged to Faith--as a repository for all thatconcerned the dead trader. But Edwin Lister could scarcely have gone tothe garret to seek the chest and get the jewels, since he did not knowhis way about the old mansion. It was, therefore, evident that Huxhamhad kept the jewels in his study safe, and had removed the chestcontaining the torn-out leaves to the attic. Afterwards he hadapparently placed the papers in the safe also, where Pence had probablyfound them. But Bella did not pause to think out these matters. She wasto much interested in the story which was set down.

  Huxham stated abruptly that he met Maxwell Faith at Calabar, and hadbeen engaged by him to transport certain goods up the Cross River,Nigeria, as far as Ogrude, when they were to be taken in canoes up toYahe on the stream of that name. The goods were for Kawal, Durgo'sfather, with whom Faith appeared to have had many dealings. Faith andHuxham--so the writer said--got on very well, and the former told thelatter much about himself and his past. The trader declared that he wasthe son of a wealthy Hunt
ingdon Quaker, but had been disowned by hisfamily and by the Society of Friends, because he had married a lady whowas a Roman Catholic. There was one daughter, who had been born inLondon and had cost the mother her life. Faith said that he had placedhis daughter Isabella with some friends of his at Croydon, and had cometo Nigeria to make money for her. From what Bella could gather, herfather appeared to have been desperately fond of her.

  Afterwards Huxham and Faith parted, but met again in the Hinterland atthe chief town of Kawal and again became friendly. Then the trader toldHuxham that because he had supplied the chief with guns and ammunition,and had proved his friendship in many ways, he had received ancientjewels to the amount of forty thousand pounds. He was going home to hisdaughter with the money. At this part of the diary a portion of themanuscript was torn away, apparently that which dealt with the murder ofFaith by Huxham.

  The story commenced abruptly again with the statement that the writerwas going to England with his earnings and with the jewels; andintending to seek out Faith's little daughter and adopt her. Huxham gaveno reason for doing so in his diary; but Bella, reading between thelines, guessed that the man was overcome with remorse--a strange thingfor so hardened a sinner as Huxham undoubtedly was. Then came hastynotes of Huxham's fears lest he should be robbed for the sake of thejewels, and reference to an unknown man who was dogging his steps.Ogrude, Afikpa, Obubra and Calabar were towns mentioned as having beenthe scene of adventures with this man, whose name was not given.Afterwards the hasty notes detailed the finding of Faith's littledaughter at Croydon, her adoption by the writer and her removal toShepherd's Bush. A few remarks were made relative to the fears ofHuxham, and of his determination to find some place in the country wherehe would be safe from pursuit. The final page was torn off in themiddle, and Bella could read no more.

  Putting away the bundle in her box, she reflected on what she had read.It was easy for her to find her Quaker relatives, as the name andaddress of the family were given. Evidently these same relatives wererich, but very stiff-necked in Quaker traditions. Bella, however,thought very little of this at the moment. Her brain was employed inwondering if Huxham had met with his death at the hands of the unknownman who had dogged his footsteps in Nigeria. Without doubt this man knewof the existence of the jewels, and that Huxham had murdered Faith toget them. It might be that he determined to get the jewels, and, havingtraced Huxham to England after long years, had killed him and so gainedhis end. And this man--Bella asked herself the question earnestly--wasthis man Edwin Lister? She resolved to tell Cyril and to give him thepapers to read. He could decide better than she, and probably Durgocould throw much light on the subject.

  But there was no doubt that Huxham had bought the Solitary Farm, and hadplanted the corn thickly, and had mounted the search-light on the roofof Bleacres, so that he might defend himself from robbery and possiblyfrom death. But all his precautions had been in vain, and he had beenstruck down at last in his very fortress. And by Edwin Lister! Bellafelt certain that, as Edwin Lister had been many years in Nigeria andhad been a close friend of Kawal's, he must be the unknown man to whomHuxham had so often referred. Lister was the assassin; there could be nodoubt on that point.

  Very thoughtfully the girl locked up the papers, and descended to thedrawing-room to wait for the return of Dora. She greatly wished to speakto her friend about what she had discovered, but such a confidence wasnot to be thought of, as many things had to be done first. Until EdwinLister was discovered, Bella felt that she would have to be silent. Buther thoughts on this subject were brought to an abrupt conclusion whenshe opened the drawing-room door, for she unexpectedly beheld SilasPence.

  "I came to see you, Miss Faith," he said, using her true name, "and Itold the servant not to announce me. I waited here till you came."

  Speaking in this jerky, nervous manner, the young man did not attempt torise, as he appeared to be ill and exhausted. His face was haggard andhis head was bound up in a white cloth. Anything more weird than hislooks Bella had never seen, and she recoiled on the threshold of theroom, only anxious to escape from his unwelcome presence.

  "Have you come to persecute me again?" she asked.

  "No! no! no!" said Pence weakly, and yet with great relief in his tone."I have come to ask your pardon for the way in which I have behaved. Iwas mad to trouble you as I did, but now I have recovered my reason."

  "What do you mean exactly?"

  Pence smiled in a ghastly manner. "Can you not guess," said he, touchingthe linen rag round his head. "The blow I received when I fell on thefender has changed my feelings towards you."

  "But how can a blow do that?" asked Bella, relieved but puzzled.

  "I cannot say," faltered Pence, resting his aching head on one thinhand. "I really cannot say; my brain won't think just now."

  "Then don't think and don't talk," said Bella, kindly placing a plumpcushion at his back. "Rest quietly and I'll make you a cup of tea."

  "You give me good for evil," said the preacher, flushing painfully.

  "No, no!" replied the girl hastily, and remembering her share in histrouble. "You did me great honour in asking me to be your wife, thoughyou were a trifle difficult in some ways. But now----"

  "It is all gone; it is all gone. I assure you it is all gone!"

  "What is all gone?"

  "All my love for you; all my desire; all my mad infatuation. I like youas a friend, Miss Faith--I shall always like you as a friend--but I cannever, never worship you again in the way I did."

  "Thank heaven for that!" said Bella fervently. She knew no more than didSilas how the change had come about. But it was evident that the blow onhis head had suddenly rearranged his ideas.

  "Up to ten o'clock last night I loved you madly, despairingly, and wouldhave risked my soul to gain your hand. But since I fell"--he passed hishand across his forehead in a bewildered manner--"everything haschanged."

  "And for the better," Bella assured him. "Come, don't think anythingmore about the matter. I have rung the bell for tea."

  "I rung the bell also last night. It brought in Mrs. Queen, veryfortunately, or I might have bled to death, Miss Faith."

  "Why do you call me Miss Faith?" asked Bella abruptly.

  "Because you are Miss Faith," said the preacher, lifting his haggardface to her own in some surprise. "Did not the black man tell you?"

  "How do you know that I have anything to do with the black man?"

  "I have seen Mr. Lister with him. I saw you all three talking on thecommon. Oh, Miss Faith, you don't know how I have followed and spied onyou!" and the man flushed with shame and dismay.

  "Did you listen?" asked Bella abruptly.

  "No; I did not fall so low as that, but I followed and watched."

  "Why?"

  "Because I loved you. That is all over now; I shall never follow orwatch you again. I am glad that the black man threw me down last night.When I found this morning that my prayers had been answered and that Ino longer suffered from this mad passion, I resolved to say nothingabout what had taken place."

  "And so invented the story of the epileptic fit?"

  "Yes; but the truth is----"

  "I know the truth: Durgo told everything to me and to Mr. Lister thismorning, or rather this afternoon; also Durgo gave me the papers. I haveread them, and know that I am not Captain Huxham's daughter. By theway"--Bella looked sharply at the preacher--"are we friends?"

  "Yes, if you will have me for a friend," said Pence meekly.

  "By all means, now that you love me no longer. Be my friend,"--she heldout her hand, which Pence grasped feebly--"and tell me how you got thosepapers."

  "From your father's--I mean from Captain Huxham's safe."

  "Then you were in the room on that night?"

  "Yes. I saw the body."

  "And you said nothing."

  "No. Had I done so, I should have incriminated myself. When I enteredthe study Captain Huxham was lying dead under the desk."

  "Did you see anyone about?"

&
nbsp; "I saw no one, not even Mr. Lister, whom I had followed into the house."

  "Just explain precisely what you did see," said Bella, anxiously.

  Pence thought for a few moments. "I was watching the house as usual onthat night because I loved you," he said, in a slow, feeble way, for hewas still weak from loss of blood. "I beheld Mr. Lister coming towardsme. He brushed past me, and entered the Manor by the front door. Iwatched for his return, intending to speak to him. But he never cameout."

  Bella sat up alertly. "He never came out?"

  "No. I don't know how long I watched; but finally I grew tired, andstole up to the house. The front door was ajar. I saw that the studydoor was also open, so I went in. Then I saw Captain Huxham lying deadand bleeding, with the safe open and the papers in disorder. In thesafe, or, rather, tumbled on the floor before the safe was a bundle ofbank-notes. The Accuser of the Brethren tempted me," said Silas, withthe perspiration beading his high forehead, "and I snatched up thenotes, for I thought that if I had money I could marry you. I then sawthat bundle which the black man took from me, and thinking there mightbe more notes in the bundle, I snatched that up also and fled."

  "Why did you fly?" asked Bella, following this story with greatinterest.

  "I thought I heard a noise, and feared lest I should be accused ofkilling Captain Huxham. I ran out of the study, and out of the house,and down the path between the standing corn, as though the devil wasafter me. But he was not after me," wailed Pence, standing up, "he wasin my heart. Here is the money for which I sold my precious soul," andhe threw a packet of bank-notes on the table with feverish eagerness."It was all for your sake!"

  Bella took up the notes. "The man you mistook for Mr. Lister was hisfather," she said quietly; "did you not see him in the room?"

  "I saw no one. Did Lister's father kill Captain Huxham?"

  "Can't you tell?" asked the girl, looking at him straightly.

  "I have told everything," said Pence, with an air of fatigue; "now Idie," and before she could help him he fell full length on the floorquite insensible. The interview had proved too much for him in his weakstate.