CHAPTER XIII
_The Stork and the Cranes_
In spite of Elise's declaration that she would see him again, Firmstonedropped her from his mind long before he reached his office. She hadbeen an unexpected though not an unpleasant, incident; but he hadregarded her as only an incident, after all. Her beauty and vivacitycreated an ephemeral interest; yet there were many reasons why itpromised to be only ephemeral. The Blue Goose was a gambling, drinkingresort, a den of iniquity which Firmstone loathed, a thing which, inspite of all, thrust itself forward to be taken into account. How muchworse than a den of thieves and a centre of insurrection it was he hadnever stated to himself. He, however, would have had no hesitancy incompleting the attributes of the place had he been asked. The fact thatthe aegis of marriage vows spread its protecting mantle over theproprietor, and its shadow over the permanent residents, would neverhave caused a wavering doubt, or certified to the moral respectabilityof the contracting parties. Firmstone was not the first to ask if anygood thing could come out of Nazareth, or if untarnished purity coulddwell in the tents of the Nazarenes. It occasionally happens that astork is caught among cranes and, even innocent, is compelled to sharethe fate of its guilty, though accidental, associates.
Thus it happened that when Elise, for the second time, met Firmstone atthe falls he hardly concealed his annoyance. Elise was quick to detectthe emotion, though innocence prevented her assigning it its truesource. There was a questioning pain in the large, clear eyes lifted toFirmstone's.
The look of annoyance on Firmstone's face melted. He spoke even morepleasantly than he felt.
"Well, what I can do for you this time?"
"You can go away from my place and stay away!" Elise flashed out.
Firmstone's smile broadened.
"I didn't know I was a trespasser."
"Well, you are! I had this place before you came, and I'm likely to haveit after you are gone!" The eyes were snapping.
"You play Cassandra well." Firmstone was purposely tantalising. He wasforgetting the cranes, nor was he displeased that the stork had otherweapons than innocence.
Elise's manner changed.
"Who is Cassandra?"
The eager, hungry look of the changing eyes smote Firmstone. Thebantering smile disappeared. It occurred to him that Elise might beoutdoing her prototype.
"She was a very beautiful lady who prophesied disagreeable things thatno one believed."
Elise ignored the emphasis which Firmstone unconsciously placed on_beautiful_. She grew thoughtful, endeavouring to grasp his analogy.
"I think," she said, slowly, "I'm no Cassandra." She looked sharply atFirmstone. "Daddy says you're going; Mo-reeson says you're going, andthey put their chips on the right number pretty often."
Firmstone laughed lightly.
"Oh, well, it isn't for daddy and Morrison to say whether I'm to go ornot."
"Who's this Mr. Hartwell?" Elise asked, abruptly.
"He's the man who can say."
"Then you are up against it!" Elise spoke with decision. There was asuggestion of regret in her eyes.
"These things be with the gods." Firmstone was half-conscious of a lackof dignity in seeming to be interested in personal matters, not intendedfor his immediate knowledge. Several times he had decided to end theepisode, but the mobile face and speaking eyes, the half-childishinnocence and unconscious grace restrained him.
"I don't believe it." Elise looked gravely judicial.
"Why not?"
"Because God knows what he's about. Mr. Hartwell doesn't; he is onlyawfully sure he does."
Firmstone chuckled softly over the unerring estimate which Elise hadmade. He began gathering up the reins, preparatory to resuming his way.Elise paid no attention to his motions.
"Don't you want to see my garden?" she asked.
"Is that an invitation?"
"Yes."
"You are sure I'll not trespass?"
Elise looked up at him.
"That's not fair. I was mad when I said that."
She turned and hurriedly pushed through the matted bushes that grewbeside the stream. There was a kind of nervous restlessness whichFirmstone did not recall at their former meeting. They emerged from thebushes into a large arena bare of trees. It was completely hidden fromthe trail by a semicircle of tall spruces which, sweeping from the cliffon either side of the fall, bent in graceful curves to meet at themargin of the dividing brook. Moss-grown boulders, marked into miniatureislands by cleaving threads of clear, cold water, were half hidden bythe deep pink primroses, serried-massed about them. Creamy cups ofmarshmallows, lifted above the succulent green of fringing leaves, hidthe threading lines of gliding water. On the outer border clusteredtufts of delicate azure floated in the thin, pure air, veiling modestgentians. Moss and primrose, leaf and branch held forth jewelled fingersthat sparkled in the light, while overhead the slanting sunbeams brokein iridescent bands against the beaten spray of the falling water. Theair, surcharged with blending colours, spoke softly sibilant of visionsbeyond the power of words, of exaltation born not of the flesh, ofopening gates with wider vistas into which only the pure in heart canenter. The girl stood with dreamy eyes, half-parted lips, an unconsciouspose in perfect harmony with her surroundings.
As Firmstone stood silently regarding the scene before him he wasconscious of a growing regret, almost repentance, for the annoyance thathe had felt at this second meeting. Yet he was right in harbouring theannoyance. He felt no vulgar pride in that at their first meeting he hadunconsciously turned the girl's open hostility to admiration, or atleast to tolerance of himself. But she belonged to the Blue Goose, andbetween the Blue Goose and the Rainbow Company there was open war.Suppose that in him Elise did find a pleasure for which she looked invain among her associates; a stimulant to her better nature thathitherto had been denied her? That was no protection to her. Even herunconscious innocence was a weapon of attack rather than a shield ofdefence. She and she alone would be the one to suffer. For this reasonFirmstone had put her from his mind after their first meeting, and forthis reason he had felt annoyance when she had again placed herself inhis path. But this second meeting had shown another stronger side in thegirl before him. That deep in her nature was an instinct of right whichher surroundings had not dwarfed. That this instinct was not to bedaunted by fear of consequences. She had evidently come to warn him ofpersonal danger to himself. This act carried danger--danger to her, andyet she apparently had not hesitated. Perhaps she did not realise thedanger, but was he to hold it of less value on that account? Was he toaccept what she gave him, and then through fear of malicious tonguesabandon her to her fate without a thought? The idea was revolting, butwhat could he do? His lips set hard. There must be a way, and he wouldfind it, however difficult. In some way she should have a chance. Thischance must take one of two forms: to leave her in her presentsurroundings, and counteract their tendencies by other influences, or,in some way, to remove her from the Blue Goose.
Firmstone was deeply moved. He felt that his course of action must beshaped by the calmest judgment, if Elise were to be rescued from hersurroundings. He must act quickly, intelligently. If he had known of herreal parentage he would have had no hesitancy. But he did not know. Whathe saw was Elise, the daughter of Pierre and Madame. To him they wereher parents. Whatever opportunities he offered her, however much shemight desire to avail herself of them, they could forbid; and he wouldbe helpless. Elise was under age; she was Pierre's, to do with as hewould. This was statute law. Firmstone rebelled against itinstinctively; but it was hopeless. He knew Pierre, knew his greed forgold, his lack of scruple as to methods of acquiring it. He did not knowPierre's love for Elise; it would not have weighed with him had heknown. For he was familiar with Pierre's class. Therefore he knew thatPierre would rather see Elise dead than in a station in life superior tohis own, where she would either despise him or be ashamed of him. It wasuseless to appeal to Pierre on the ground of benefit to Elise. Thisdemanded unselfish sacrifice, and Pie
rre was selfish.
Firmstone tried another opening, and was confronted with another danger.If Pierre suspected that efforts were being made to weaken his hold onElise there was one step that he could take which would forever thwartFirmstone's purpose. He had threatened to take this step. Firmstone'spulses quickened for a moment, then calmed. His course was clear. Thelaw that declared her a minor gave her yet a minor's rights. She couldnot be compelled to marry against her own wishes. Elise must be savedthrough herself. At once he would set in motion influences that wouldmake her present associates repugnant to her. The strength of mind, thehunger of soul, these elements that made her worth saving should be themeans of her salvation. Should Pierre attempt to compel her marriage,even Firmstone could defeat him. Persuasion was all that was left toPierre. Against Pierre's influence he pitted his own.
"Where is Zephyr?" Elise broke the silence.
"Why do you ask?" The Blue Goose was in the ascendant. Firmstone wascasting about for time. The question had come from an unexpecteddirection.
"Because he is in danger, and so are you."
"In danger?" Firmstone did not try to conceal his surprise.
"Yes." Elise made a slightly impatient gesture. "It's about the stage.They will kill him. You, too. I don't know why."
"They? Who are they?"
"Morrison and Daddy."
"Did they know you would meet me to-day?"
"I don't know, and I don't care."
"You came to warn me?"
"Yes."
Firmstone stretched out his hand and took hers.
"I cannot tell you how much I thank you. But don't take this risk again.You must not. I will be on my guard, and I'll look out for Zephyr, too."He laid his other hand on hers.
At the touch, Elise looked up with hotly flaming cheeks, snatching herhand from his clasp. Into his eyes her own darted. Then they softenedand drooped. Her hand reached for his.
"I don't care. I can take care of myself. If I can't, it doesn'tmatter." Her voice said more than words.
"If you are ever in trouble you will let me know?" Firmstone's handcrushed the little fingers in a tightening grasp.
"Zephyr will help me."
Firmstone turned to go.
"I cannot express my thanks in words. In another way I can, and I will."
The Blue Goose Page 13
