The Mynns' Mystery

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER EIGHT.

  "MR GEORGE HARRINGTON."

  "Who's that? What's that?" cried Saul Harrington sharply, as he saw byGertrude's agitation that there was something particular on the way.

  "It's Master George come, sir," said the old housekeeper.

  "What?" he roared; and his face turned sallow. "Impossible!"

  Gertrude stood trembling, with the card in her hand, the name thereonseeming to play strange tricks, and growing larger and then dying away,till it seemed to be hidden in a mist, while a chaos of thoughts ranconfusedly through her brain. At one moment she looked upon the comingof this stranger with dread, for a stranger he was to her; the next herheart began to beat, and her cheeks flushed, as she recalled that he washer affianced husband, and that he had come to protect her from thisman, and that henceforth she would be safe.

  She was brought back to the present by the old housekeeper, who, for thesecond time, touched her arm.

  "Miss Gertrude, ma'am, don't you hear me?" she said. "What shall I tellhim?"

  "I--I--"

  "Stop!" cried Saul sharply. "You are a young unprotected girl, and asthe executors are not here, Gertie, I look upon it as my duty to seeafter your welfare. How do we know that this is George Harrington? Letme look at that card."

  He snatched the card from the trembling girl's fingers, and scowled ashe read the inscription, though he could gather nothing from that.

  "Here, I'll go down and see what he's like. It may be some impostor."

  He had reached the door when Gertrude flushed up, and seemed in herdecisive action to have changed from girl to woman.

  "Stop, Mr Harrington!" she said; "this would not be the way to welcomemy poor dead guardian's grandson, and I think it is due to me that youshould refrain."

  "What!" he cried, staggered for the moment by her manner and bearing, asshe crossed to a writing-table. "Nonsense, girl; you know nothing ofthe ways of the world. I'll meet this man, and see what he is like."

  Gertrude took no notice, but wrote two telegrams, and handed them to thehousekeeper.

  "Send them at once," she whispered, and she turned to the door, whereSaul's hand was raised to stop her, but there was a low growl from closeat hand, Saul started and shrank away, leaving the door free; but beforeGertrude was half way to the room, with the dog close at her heels, Saulhad followed, and entered the dining-room just as the keen-looking,sun-browned, and well-dressed man, who had stood gazing at oldHarrington's portrait, turned quickly and advanced to meet the agitatedgirl.

  "How do you do?" he said, in a sharp decisive way, as he held out bothhands, Gertrude placing hers within them, to be retained, as thestranger looked at her searchingly, and evidently with satisfaction."There you need not tell me," he continued, "you're Gertrude, I know. Isay, quite a shock to me to come back too late. That's the old man, Isuppose?"

  He nodded towards the portrait as, without moving her eyes from his,Gertrude replied:

  "Yes, that is uncle's--I mean dear guardian's portrait."

  "Like him?"

  "Oh, so very like," replied Gertrude, "I can almost fancy sometimes heis looking down at me from the wall."

  "Ah," exclaimed the other, giving a quick glance up at the picture andback to Gertrude, whose hands he still held, and pressed warmly. "Ofcourse I don't remember. Quite a little shaver when I went overyonder."

  Saul, who stood glowering at the pair, half mad with rage anddisappointment, winced at these words, but setting his teeth hard, hesaid quietly:

  "Have you just arrived?"

  "Reached Liverpool last night. Came on this morning. Very roughpassage. Who are you?"

  "I," said Saul, forcing a smile--"well, I am--here is my card."

  He did not finish his sentence, but drew a card from his case.

  "Mr Saul Harrington," read the stranger. "Let's see, I think I haveheard of you?"

  "Well, I should presume so," replied Saul stiffly.

  "I was right up the country when grandfather's last letter came," saidthe new-comer hastily, "but I got back to 'Frisco, and then across toNew York, and took boat soon as I could, and here I am. Didn't stopabout much luggage, so as to be quick. Can I stay here?"

  "Stay here?" said Gertrude, withdrawing her hands. "Oh, yes, it is yourown house."

  "Ah, to be sure, I suppose so," cried the young man sharply; and as hespoke his dark eyes were running from one to the other, and then to thedog, which kept on sniffing at him uneasily. "Won't bite, will he?"

  "Oh no. Lie down, Bruno," cried Gertrude hastily.

  "Don't know so much about that," said Saul; "he can bite sometimes."

  "Well, he'd better keep his fangs out of me," said the young man, withan involuntary movement of the hand beneath the back of his morningcoat.

  "You'll excuse me," interposed Saul, taking a step forward, "but you area perfect stranger to us, sir."

  "Natural-lee," said the young man. "Never met before, of course."

  "Then will you be good enough to give me some proofs that you are thegentleman whose card you sent up."

  "Eh? Proofs? Oh, yes. No, I won't. Look here, sir, this is a curiouswelcome; pray, who are you?"

  "I gave you my card, sir."

  "Yes, of course, Saul Harrington--Mr Saul Harrington. But that don'texplain--yes, it does, you're a cousin. The old man said somethingabout you in his last letter."

  "And in the others," said Saul sharply.

  "Of course."

  "Have you the letters?"

  "I told you I had, didn't I? Am I to show them to you?"

  "Stop," cried Gertrude quietly.

  "Eh? Stop!" cried Saul fiercely. "How do we know that this is not animpostor?"

  "A what," roared the young man fiercely.

  "Stop, if you please," said Gertrude. "Mr Saul Harrington is only avisitor here, Mr George, and has no right to make such a demand ofyou."

  "Mind what you are saying," cried Saul angrily.

  "I am minding what I am saying, sir. You have no right to ask suchquestions."

  "What? Not in your behalf?"

  "No, sir," interposed their visitor sharply, as he took his cue fromGertrude; "no right at all."

  "I was not speaking to you," said Saul roughly; and the two men stoodglowering at each other, Saul having rather the best of it, tillGertrude spoke hastily, in dread of a quarrel:

  "If there is any need for Mr George Harrington to prove his identity,it should be to Mr Hampton and Doctor Lawrence."

  "Who are they?" said the young man sharply.

  "My dear guardians," replied Gertrude.

  "Seems rather a strange thing," said the young man, giving Gertrude areproachful look, and then metaphorically setting up his hackles as heturned defiantly upon Saul, "that I come back to England, at mygrandfather's invitation, to my own place, and find some one, who has noright, beginning to dictate to me as to what I am to do."

  "I don't know about dictating," said Saul, who grew more calm as thestranger became excited; "but you don't suppose, sir, that I, as myuncle's representative, am going to stand by and let a perfect strangerenter upon the place, and take possession. What proof have I that youare George Harrington?"

  "Proof? Didn't I send up my card?"

  "Card!" cried Saul contemptuously.

  "Oh, if that isn't enough I can give you plenty more proofs," cried theyoung man quickly.

  "Stop, Mr George Harrington," said Gertrude, warmly espousing hiscause. "Mr Saul Harrington assumes too much. I am my guardian'srepresentative at The Mynns till his grandson comes and takespossession. I decline, then, to let you be treated in this uncalled-forway."

  "Thank you, my dear, thank you," cried the young fellow sharply. "Now,Mr Saul Harrington, what have you got to say to that?"

  "Gertrude, you'll repent this," cried Saul, whose jealous rage anddisappointment swept away the calm manner he had assumed.

  "Perhaps so. But if she does, I suppose it's no business of yours, sir.He has no righ
t to bully you, has he, my dear?"

  Gertrude flinched a little at this over-friendly, familiar way; but shethought to herself that George Harrington had led a rough life out inthe West, and it was well meant. She could not help leaning, too,towards the man who had, she felt, a right to champion her, and he hadcome now to protect her and defend her against one whom now sheliterally loathed.

  She replied then eagerly:

  "None whatever, Mr George. This is your home, too, and he has no rightto interfere upon your taking possession."

  She held out her hand to him, and looked him frankly in the eyes, as shesaid quickly:

  "I'm very glad you have come."

  "Thank ye, my dear, thank ye. I'm rather rough, but you must not mindthat. Been hunting, and gold-digging, and living in camp. Soon rub offthe corners. It's very nice and kind of you to speak so well as youhave."

  He took the hand she held out, drew it through his arm, and kept it inquiet possession, as he turned with an insolent look of triumph uponSaul.

  "Now, Mr What's-your-name, do you live here?"

  "No," said Saul sharply, and he returned the other's defiant look, andfelt hard pressed to keep back his jealous rage as he saw Gertrude restcalmly, with her hand in that of the new-comer. "No--not yet," he addedto himself.

  "Well, then, my dear sir, as I do--in future--and as I have come a verylong journey, and am tired and hungry, and want to talk to miss here,perhaps you'll be good enough to take your hat and get out."

  Saul's eyes flashed, and his cheeks became of an uglier pallor, as helistened to this speech, which bore a strong resemblance to that of oneof the late Mr Chucks, the boatswain, of "Peter Simple" fame. For itwas all refinement at the beginning, and wandered off into argot thatwas the very reverse.

  "I am not accustomed to be ordered out of this house, sir," said Saul ina low voice, full of suppressed rage; "and I refuse to go until I haveseen your credentials."

  "What!"

  "And I'm not going to be bullied," said Saul. "Your cowboy mannersdon't frighten me; and if it wasn't for the lady here, whom, in spite ofher preference for an utter stranger, I am bound to protect, I'd justtake you and show you how to behave in an English house."

  "Would you, sir? Then look here. Out in the West, from where I came,we have no policemen and magistrates at every corner, ready to do allour dirty work. We do it ourselves, and carry with us all that is readyand necessary for the job."

  He advanced menacingly towards Saul; and as he took his first step, hishand dropped Gertrude's, and he put it behind him.

  "George Harrington! For Heaven's sake?"

  "Yes, yes, of course," he cried laughingly, taking her hand, laying itupon his arm, and stroking it gently. "I forgot. He riled me, and Ifelt as if I was back among the roughs out yonder. There, I don't wantto quarrel, Mr Saul Harrington. I suppose we are uncles and cousins orsomething of the kind. Shake hands, and let's have a glass of somethingto show we are not bad friends. I suppose there is something in thehouse--eh, my dear?"

  "Yes, but--"

  "Look here, sir," cried Saul, ignoring the proffered hand, "I am notfrightened by your Yankee, bullying ways, and I tell you what it is--"

  Saul Harrington did not tell the new-comer what it was, for the dooropened, and Doctor Lawrence came in hastily.

  "What's the matter?" he cried. "Some one ill?"

  "Yes, old gentleman," said the stranger banteringly. "This chap--MrSaul Harrington I think he calls himself--has got a fit."

  Doctor Lawrence gazed sharply at the speaker, and then placed hisglasses upon his nose, as Gertrude withdrew her arm and hurriedlycrossed to the doctor's side.

  "Yes, sir," cried Saul fiercely, "a fit of indignation. I refused to--"

  "Oh, look here, let's have an end of this. I don't know who you are,old gentleman."

  "My name is Lawrence."

  "Well, then, Mr Lawrence--Oh, I know; you are my grandfather'sexecutor."

  "One of them, sir."

  "Well, I've come home at my grandfather's wish, and I find he's dead,and this man ready here to bully, and order, and insist upon my showingmy papers."

  "Hum, my dear, don't be alarmed," said the doctor quietly; and then heturned to the last speaker. "You come as a stranger, sir, and it willbe quite necessary for you to give ample proof that you are Mr GeorgeHarrington."

  "Of course, old gentleman, of course."

  "To me and my colleague, Mr Hampton; but I think Mr Saul Harringtonmight have waited till those who have a right to question come upon thespot. Lucky I came down."

  "You got my telegram?" said Gertrude.

  "Telegram? No, my dear. I left home two hours ago. Now, Mr Saul,what have you to say?"

  "Oh, I do not want to interfere," said Saul quickly. "But there was noone here to protect Miss Bellwood."

  "Surely she needed no protection?" said the doctor, looking from one tothe other.

  "How do you know that, sir, when a man comes here assuming to be mycousin."

  "Assuming!" cried the new-comer very fiercely.

  "Yes, assuming, sir. You refused to show any credentials."

  "Oh, no, I didn't, and I don't. But when a fellow begins to bully me,and to come the high-handed, I hit back. Look here, Mr Lawrence, hasthis Mr Saul Harrington any right to insist upon my clearing up tohim?"

  "None whatever, sir."

  "That's enough. As to my refusing--not such a fool. Only we learn toomuch out in the West to begin opening out to every one who says, `I'mthe proper moral custom-house officer: give up your keys.'"

  "I only interfered as the executors were not present," said SaulHarrington. "If this gentleman is what he professes to be, I shall onlybe too glad to give him the hand of welcome."

  "Thank ye for nothing. Now then, I'm hungry, so don't let's have anymore jaw."