Swept Out to Sea Part 3

"When I hear your mother say this----"

"This is a matter which my mother will not have to decide," I a.s.sured him, and without looking at her although I had returned to my place by her side.

"And why should we obey your behest, young man?"

"If you don't leave I shall go out at once and swear out a warrant against Paul for a.s.sault with this knife. And I'll have the warrant served, too."

"Oh, Clinton!" sobbed my mother. "Don't think of such a thing."

"As sure as I live it shall be done, unless they go."

"Think of the publicity!" said my mother, clinging to my hand.

"Yes," I rejoined, bitterly. "And think what might have happened if he'd got me with that knife."

"You--you----" gasped Mr. Downes. "You are your father right over again!"

"Thank you; I consider that a compliment."

"You wouldn't consider it such if you knew as much about him as I do,"

he muttered.

"Now that will do!" I exclaimed, losing my self-control on the instant.

"I've heard enough insinuations regarding father from Paul tonight. I won't stand any more of that talk, I warn you both!"

"Clinton!" murmured mother, with a very white face, while Downes turned upon his son in a sudden rage.

"What have you been saying--you fool?" he snarled. Paul was quite cowed before his sudden wrath.

"Paul may be diffident about saying," I observed. "But I'll tell you. He says my father committed suicide, and that if he hadn't done so my mother and I would be paupers today."

I never saw a man's countenance express such changes of emotion within so short a time. From anger to fear--and back again--was such a swift transition that it startled me. I began from that moment to wonder very much what the mystery was which surrounded my father's death fourteen years before!

But the next instant my attention was recalled to my mother. For a moment she sat motionless. Now she started up from her chair with a little cry.

"What is it, mother?" I cried, in alarm. Had I not caught her she would have fallen to the floor.

"Now, see what you have done!" snarled Mr. Downes. "You have over-excited her. Get out of the way, boy----"

I gave him a look that halted him. Had he touched my mother then I would have been at his throat! Exerting all my strength I picked her up bodily and carried her to the nearest couch. The bell push was at hand and I rang for her maid. The woman responded immediately and James was right behind her in the hall.

"Attend to your mistress, Marie," I said. "And James!"

"Yes, sir," said the big butler, coming to the door.

"Order the carriage at once and see that Mr. Downes' bags are brought down. They are leaving immediately."

The butler's face was perfectly impa.s.sive. Mr. Downes broke into a nasty laugh.

"James will do nothing of the sort," he said. "I think too much of my sister to leave the house while she is so unwell. What do you think, Marie? Is it serious? Shall I telephone for Dr. Eldridge?"

"I do not know, Monsieur," replied the French woman, anxiously. "She has been frightened--ees eet not?"

"This young reprobate would frighten anybody!" cried Mr. Downes, bl.u.s.teringly.

"James," I said again, "do as I have told you. Tell Ham to bring the carriage around inside of half an hour and to drive wherever Mr. Downes shall direct. The ferry is not running at this hour, or I would not trouble him."

The butler glanced from my mother's death-white face to Mr. Downes. He did not so much as favor me with a look, but with sphynx-like composure left the room. To tell the truth I hadn't the least idea whether he would obey me, or Mr. Downes.

CHAPTER IV

IN WHICH HAM MAYBERRY REVEALS HIS SUSPICIONS

Mr. Downes continued to bl.u.s.ter and Paul hung sullenly about the drawing room. I had got through with both of them, however. Whether the butler--and the other servants--backed me up, or not, I believed that I had the whip-hand.

Marie helped me bear my mother to her room. It troubled me greatly to see her pretty face so pale and deathlike, and her eyes closed. I hurried to the telephone and called up Dr. Eldridge, who was an old friend of our family as well as our physician. I felt better when I heard his voice over the wire and knew that he would soon be at the house.

Then I turned to get my hat and coat. I looked into the drawing room to give Mr. Downes one more chance. He had been talking to his son in a low voice, but with emphasis; and I could see by Paul's countenance that the "calling down" he had received from his father was a serious one.

"I warn you for the last time, Mr. Downes, that I am going to Justice of the Peace Ringold just as soon as the doctor gets here to attend my mother," I said.

"You don't dare do any such thing, you young scoundrel!" roared Mr.

Chester Downes, and he actually sprang across the room at me. He was a tall and bony man and I knew very well that I should fare ill in his hands. I dodged back, found the imperturbable James in my way and as I sidestepped him, too, Mr. Downes came face to face with the impa.s.sive butler in the doorway.

"Beg pardon, sir," James said, quietly. "Hamilton has the horses harnessed and awaits your pleasure, sir."

"You--you--" stammered Mr. Downes, evidently as much surprised that the butler had obeyed me as _I_ could possibly be!

"The carriage is waiting, sir," explained James, just as though the occasion was an ordinary one. "Shall I bring down your bags, sir?"

"No! I don't want our bags brought down!" cried Mr. Downes. "This is an outrage. And let me tell you, you dunderhead," he added to James, "this will cost you your position."

The butler's voice did not change in the least. "Shall I bring down your bags, sir?" he asked once more.

"Yes!" cried Mr. Downes, changing his mind very suddenly. "We will go up and pack them. But this is a sorry day for this house when we leave it in such a way," he said, his threat hissing through his clenched teeth as his glowing eyes sought my face in the hall. "And it is a sorry day for _you_, you young villain! Remember this."

"You threaten a good deal like your son, Mr. Downes," I said, unable to resist a mild "gloat." "But he couldn't carry out his threat; I wonder if you will be better able to compa.s.s your revenge?"

He said nothing further, but dashed up stairs. Paul lagged behind him and James, without a word to me, and with the att.i.tude and manner of the well-trained servant, followed sedately and stood outside of their rooms waiting for the bags.

I stepped out upon the side porch and saw Ham Mayberry, our coachman (he had driven my father in his little chaise the two years that he had practised in Bolderhead) sitting upon the box of the closed carriage.

Of all the people who worked for mother about the Bolderhead cottage, I knew that Ham would take my part against the Downeses. Ham and I were old cronies.

And I believed that I could thank Ham for the butler's espousal of my cause on this present occasion. Ham had a deal of influence with the other servants, having been with us before mother was willed the great Darringford property.