The Mynns' Mystery

“Yes, yes, Denton; but please say no more now.”

“Only one word, my dear, and it’s about you. If the other comes back and wants you to side with him, and be his wife, don’t listen to him. You shall not. I’d sooner kill him than he should ever take you in his arms.”

“Denton!”

“I’ve done, my dear. It was only my love for the little girl I helped to bring up that made me speak. Don’t be angry with me, dear. I forget sometimes that I’m only a servant. That’s right. If you only smile at me like that you make me feel so happy again.”

Gertrude returned to the dining-room, to find that a discussion was going on, and the doctor speaking.

“Then you feel it is our duty to remain silent?”

“Most decidedly. Whatever your feelings may be you must recollect that we have accepted this gentleman as James Harrington’s heir. The pretender – ”

“Pretender!” echoed Mrs Hampton.

“Yes. I must call him so, my dear. The pretender must make good his claim.”

“Then we can do nothing till Mr George Harrington Number one comes back?”

“Nothing.”

“And you have a latent feeling that we shall not see him again?”

“A feeling that the telegram has strengthened. It seems to me that if – mind, I say if – he is an impostor, he may have had a hint that the genuine George Harrington was, after all, alive and coming back. He had foresight enough to possess himself of a large sum of money, and with this he has escaped. Good Heavens! There it is again.”

Dr Lawrence had started from his seat, as once more a long, low howl seemed to come from close at hand.

“It is only Bruno,” said Gertrude. “Poor fellow! he must have made his way out of the stable. Don’t stir, I’ll send him back.”

She ran out of the room, to find Denton coming to meet her.

“Bruno, my dear. He has managed to get over into the house.”

“Where is he?”

“I don’t know, my dear; I only heard him howl.”

A short search was sufficient, and the dog was found in the study, standing on the hearthrug, though his legs seemed hardly able to bear his weight, and sniffing and looking about in a curiously uneasy way.

Gertrude’s coming was sufficient to take his attention directly, and he suffered himself to be led back to his quarters.

“I seem very rude,” was on Gertrude’s lips as she reached the dining-room door, but the words were not spoken, for she stood, chained, as it were, to the spot, listening to the doctor’s words.

“No, Hampton,” he said, “we medical men know too much of nature to be superstitious; but I have known cases where a dog has seemed to have a strange presage of death.”

A sudden giddiness seized upon the trembling girl, as the thought occurred to her: Suppose these two young men should meet. What would be the consequence? Would it mean death, and to which?

Gertrude’s heart seemed to stand still.

Chapter Thirty

Why Saul Came Back

Saul Harrington went down one day from his chambers, and walked up to The Mynns from the station with his arm in a sling.

“You, Mr Saul!” said Denton.

“Yes, old lady. Who did you think it was? Anybody at home?”

“Yes, sir, Miss Gertrude is upstairs. But what’s the matter with your arm?”

“Mere nothing; slipped on the ice inflamed. The Hamptons still here?”

“Oh, yes, sir.”

“Shall I fasten the gate? There you are. One moment, though: Master Bruno was never very fond of me. Dog had his teeth in me twice. Is he chained up?”

“Poor Bruno,” sighed Denton. “I dare say it was only in play.”

“Poor Bruno! What do you mean? Not dead, is he.”

“Oh, dear no, sir. Getting quite strong again.”

“Indeed,” said Saul drily.

“Yes, sir; somebody tried to kill him, but Miss Gertrude has nursed him back to life.”

“Poor dog! Somebody tried to kill him. What for? Biting?”

“I don’t know, sir. He crawled in one morning half dead; and, for a long time, I thought he wouldn’t get over it. But he’s nearly well now.”

“And chained up?”

“No, sir; but shut up in the stable. We can’t have him in the house, he howls so.”

Saul Harrington made no answer, for they were at the top of the steps; and directly after he was shown into the drawing-room, where every eye was fixed upon his arm.

“Ah, Gertrude! my dear,” he cried, shaking hands. “Mrs Hampton, too. Glad to see you.”

“It’s a big story,” said the old lady below her breath, as she shook hands in the most cold and limp manner ever perpetrated by woman. “Is your arm bad?” she said aloud.

“Slipped on a glacier. Nothing very much. Got your letter, Mr Hampton, and came on at once. Nothing wrong, is there?”

The old lawyer coughed.

“Rather a mysterious document. ‘Come on at once; important business.’ Why, hang it all, sir, you haven’t found a later will, have you?”

“No, sir,” said the lawyer coldly, “it is not that.”