The Ashiel mystery: A Detective Story Page 20

  CHAPTER XX

  It did not occur to Juliet to deny that she had overheard their talk. Shehad been found in the act of spying on them, and it was inconceivablethat they should believe she had not done so. Besides, she was raging atthe thought of what she had heard, and her anger gave her a courage shemight otherwise have found it hard to maintain.

  "I have been there all the time," she declared stoutly. "I heard all yousaid, you wicked, wicked man. A murderer! Oh, how horrible it all is!"

  Julia laid a hand on Mark's arm.

  "She will tell what she knows," she said, trembling.

  "She shall not," Mark stammered furiously. He seemed to be halfsuffocating with rage. "She shall not go unless she swears to saynothing. Swear it, I say!"

  He seized Juliet by the shoulder and shook her violently to emphasizehis words.

  "I won't swear anything of the kind," she retorted, trying to break fromhis grasp. "Do you suppose you can kill me, too, without being found out?There is a detective here now, and Sir David Southern is not at hand tolay the blame on. You coward! How dare you touch me!"

  The truth of her words seemed to strike home to Mark, for he left go ofher suddenly, and stood, biting his nails and scowling, the picture ofirresolution and malignance.

  Juliet lost no time in following up any advantage she might have gained.

  "I can't help knowing that you care for him," she said, addressingherself to Julia, "though I wouldn't have listened to that part if Icould have helped it. But how can you? How can you? I can't understandhow you can feel as you do about killing people, but at least if you didsuch a thing you would imagine it was for the good of your country, whilethis man thinks of nothing but his own selfish ends. Money, that is allhe wants! How can you condone such a crime as his? To kill Lord Ashiel,that good, kind man who had treated him like a son all his life, who dideverything for him. And just for the sake of money! It's not even as ifhe wanted it really. He's not starving. He had everything, in reason,that he wanted. If he needed more, urgently, I believe he had only totell his uncle, and it would have been given to him. Oh, it is beyond allwords! He must be a fiend."

  Indignation choked her. She spoke in bursts of trembling anger, her wordssounding tamely in her own ears. All she could say seemed commonplace andinadequate beside the knowledge that this man was her father's murderer.

  Even Julia, indifferent to every aspect of the case that did not touchupon her relations with her lover, was shaken by the scornful disgustwith which the broken sentences were poured forth; and, if herinfatuation for Mark was too complete to allow her to consider anyaction of his unjustifiable, still she realized, perhaps for thefirst time, the feelings with which other people would view the thingthat he had done.

  "You don't understand him," she faltered. "He didn't want money forhimself alone. It was for me he did it. He was too proud to ask me tomarry a poor man. You could never understand his love for me. How can Iblame him? How many men would run such risks for the girl they loved? Iam proud, yes proud, to be loved like that!"

  "You believe his lies," Juliet cried contemptuously. "You believe heloves you so much? Why it is not two days since he came to me and askedme to marry him."

  "What!" Julia spoke in a panting whisper. Her face had suddenly lostevery particle of colour. "Say it's not true," she begged, turningmiserably to the man.

  He made an effort to deny the charge.

  "Of course. Not a word of truth in it. Damned nonsense," he blustered.

  But his eyes fell before Juliet's scornful gaze, and Julia was notdeceived.

  "It can't be true, oh, it can't," she moaned. "No man could be so vile."

  "No other man could," Juliet amended. In spite of herself she was sorryfor the girl, whose stricken face showed plainly the anguish she wasundergoing. "Forget him, Julia; he is not worthy to tie your shoe-lace.He came to me after they had taken David away, and asked me first if Iwould take his inheritance even though I couldn't prove my birth, whichhe must have known perfectly that I should never dream of doing, and thenproposed I should marry him, saying that he was very fond of me, and thatin that way justice would be done as regards Lord Ashiel's money,however things turned out for me. I thought it honourable and generous atthe time, and so did Lady Ruth when I told her--oh yes, she knows aboutit and can tell you it is true--but now I see that all he wanted was tobe on the safe side, and, if I had accepted him and had turned out tohave no claim upon his uncle's fortune, he would have broken theengagement on some easy pretext. Can you deny it?" she demanded of Mark.

  But he could not face her, though he made an effort again tobrazen it out.

  Every word she had spoken seemed to strike Julia like a blow. She shrankquivering away, and threw herself down on to a chair, her face hidden inher hands. Juliet went to her and touched her gently on the shoulder.

  "Don't think of him any more," she said. "Presently you will hateyourself for having cared for a murderer. Just now, I know, your love forhim makes you gloss over his crimes, but when you are yourself you willsee how odious they are. Poor Julia, I hate to hurt you so, but it isbetter, isn't it, that you should know? You will forget this madness. Heis not worth your wasting another thought on. Think how shamefully he hasdeceived you. Think of all his lying words, of how he told you he hadnever looked at another woman."

  Julia raised her head and showed a face, white as chalk, in which thegreat brown eyes seemed to burn like fires of hatred.

  "Yes," she said in a hard, even voice. "I am thinking of it. I shall notforget him. No. Instead, I shall think of him day and night, be sure ofthat. I shall laugh as I think of him; laugh at the thought of him inhis place in the dock, or in his prison cell. I shall laugh when I givemy evidence against him, and most of all I shall laugh on the day when heis hanged. If his grave is to be found, I shall dance upon it. Oh, itwill be a merry day for me, that day when the cord is tightened round hisfalse neck!"

  She went near to Mark, and hissed the last words into his face, leaningforward, with one hand on her own throat. But he seemed to shrink lessbefore her vindictive passion than he had under the colder scorn ofJuliet's denunciations.

  "Come, Juliet," said Julia, calming herself a little, although hate wasstill blazing in her eyes, "let us leave this place. We must send forthe police."

  "Julia," said Mark, stepping forward, and speaking with some of hisformer assurance, "you condemn me unheard. Why should you believe thisgirl before me? It is not like you, Julia. It is not like the girl Ilove. For I do love you, darling, in spite of what you may think; and,till a few moments ago, I thought you loved me too. But I see now whatyour love is. One whiff of suspicion, one word of accusation, and withoutproof or evidence you condemn me, and your so-called affectiondisappears. Julia, I think you have broken my heart."

  Juliet gave vent to a derisive sound which can only be called a snort;but it was plain that his words, and more especially the manner of sadyet tender reproach in which they were uttered, were not without theireffect on the other girl. Her eyes wavered uneasily; she twisted and toreat her handkerchief.

  "I have heard what you have to say," she murmured. "I saw that you couldnot deny what Juliet told me."

  "I did deny it. But what is the use of talking to you when you are insuch a state? You are determined beforehand to disbelieve me. And I haveno wish to justify myself to Miss Byrne, though I am willing to swallowmy pride and do so to you."

  "Well," she said after a moment's hesitation, "justify yourself if youcan. No one shall say I would not listen. God knows I shall be gladenough if you can clear yourself."

  "To begin with," said Mark, "I admit that, superficially, there is truthin what you have heard. But only superficially, for the person I deceivedwas not yourself but this young lady. I certainly, as she suggests, neverhad the slightest intention of marrying her. For one thing I wasabsolutely certain she would refuse me, but it seemed a goodprecautionary move to make what might appear a generous proposal, and atthe same time get a sort of mandate from the p
ossible heiress herself tostick to my uncle's fortune. You may be sure I should never have given itup, in any case, but it is as well to keep up appearances. The businesswas only a move in the game I am playing, and no more affects thesincerity of my love for you than any of the social equivocations we allfind necessary from time to time. I love you, Julia, and you alone. Howcan you doubt it? I love you so much that I am willing to overlook yourwant of confidence in me, and to forgive the cruel things you said justnow. Darling, how can I tell you, before a third person, what I feel foryou? You are everything to me; and, if you no longer love me, I don'tcare what happens. Give me up to the police if you like. The gallows isas good a place as another, without your love."

  Long before he had finished, all traces of resentment had vanished. Whenhe ceased speaking, she gave in completely, and threw herself upon hisbreast, sobbing passionately, and begging his forgiveness for havingdoubted him for an instant, while he soothed and comforted her in a lowtone. Juliet did not know what to do or which way to look. The two stoodbetween her and the door, and she felt an absurd awkwardness about tryingto pass them. Was it likely she would be allowed to go out free todenounce them? She was afraid of trying.

  At last Julia was calm again, and there came a silence, during which thepair glanced at Juliet and then at each other.

  "What's to be done?" Julia asked at length, and then suddenly, withoutwaiting for an answer, "I have an idea, Mark, that will save you. If hermouth can be stopped for a time, will you be able to get clear away?"

  "I shall have to try, I suppose," he replied, with a trace of his formersulkiness. "To think that everything should miscarry because of a slipof a girl!"

  "You had better go to Glasgow and get on board some ship there which willtake you to a place of safety. I shall have to stay behind till thematter of the list is settled one way or the other. But then, when I havereported to my superiors, I can join you, and we can begin life togetherin some far-off country. I shall be as happy in one place as in anotherwith you, Mark; are you sure you will be, too, with only me?"

  Mark hastened to reassure her on that point, but his tone as he said itdid not carry conviction to Juliet. Julia, however, seemed satisfied.

  "Miss Byrne can choose," she continued. "Either she swears not to say aword till we are both safe away, or else we can shut her in the dungeonof the castle. I know where it is, in the wall of this tower. She willnever be found there, and I can take her food from time to time till I amready to join you. Isn't that a good plan?"

  Mark considered.

  "I don't think we will give her the option of swearing not to tell," hesaid presently.

  "As if I would ever promise such a thing!" Juliet interrupted, indignant.

  "But," he went on, ignoring this outburst, "otherwise I think your ideais good. Where is this dungeon? We may be disturbed at any minute, andenough time has been wasted already."

  "I will go first and show the way," said Julia. "I have an electrictorch," and she stepped into the clock and lowered herself through thetrap-door.

  Mark motioned to Juliet to follow.

  "Ladies first," he said with a sneer.

  Juliet turned and made a dash for the door.

  "I won't go! I won't! I won't!" she cried desperately, though in herheart she knew she could not resist if he chose to use force. Perhaps ifshe screamed, some one would hear. Oh, where was Gimblet? Why did heleave her to the mercy of these people? "Help! Help!" She lifted up hervoice and shrieked as loud as she could.

  With a vicious scowl Mark sprang upon her, and clapped a hand over hermouth. Then, as she still continued to produce muffled sounds ofdistress, he stuffed his handkerchief in between her teeth and, liftingher bodily in his arms, thrust her before him into the clock, andpushed her roughly down the hidden stair. Half-way down she lost herfooting, and fell to the bottom, where Julia was standing with herlittle lamp in her hand.

  Mark was following close behind, and between them they picked her up andhurried her, limping and bruised, along the narrow passage. She wasallowed to take the handkerchief out of her mouth, for no cry couldpenetrate the immense thickness of these blocks of stone. At the pointwhere there was a break to right and left in the walls of the passage,Julia came to a standstill.

  "Here it is," she said, turning her light on to the opening in the wallon the left-hand side. "The door is gone, so you will have to fetchsomething to block it up with."

  It seemed to be a small, cell-like chamber, built into the side of thetower. It may have contained a dozen cubic yards of space, and hadneither door nor window.

  "There are some slabs of stone at the end of the passage," said Julia."They are heavy, but you are strong, you will be able to bring them. Wemust leave a little space at the top of the door to admit some air, andfor me to pass food through to our prisoner." She laughed with a feverishmerriment. "It will be like feeding the animals at the Zoo," she said.

  Mark signified his approval by a nod.

  "And is this the way?" he asked, turning round and starting off in theopposite direction.

  "No, no!" Julie cried, laying a detaining hand upon his arm. "I don'tknow what there is down there. I think it is a well. See, you are on thevery edge."

  She cast the light on to a round dark opening in the ground some six feetin front of and below them. From where they stood the floor began toslant suddenly and steeply downward, so that if Mark had taken anotherstep, it looked as if nothing could have prevented his sliding down intothe gaping circle of blackness at the bottom.

  Julia shuddered violently.

  "Oh," she cried, "if you had gone over! Come away, do come away!"

  "It's a funny sort of well," he said, "Looks to me like something else.Did you ever hear of _oubliettes_, Julia?"

  Juliet, as she heard him, grew white with terror.

  "Julia, Julia," she cried, "you won't let him throw me down there?"

  "No, no," said Julia. "He would not. There is no reason.... Mark," sheurged, "come away from here."

  But he only laughed shortly.

  "Don't be so hysterical," he said, and continued to bend his gaze uponthe hole at the bottom of the slope. It seemed to have a sort offascination for him. Finally he picked a piece of loose mortar from thewall and threw it down into the gap. A second later there was a dullsound which might have been a splash. "Perhaps it is a well after all.Did you think it sounded as if it had fallen into water?"

  "Yes," said Julia, "I am sure it did. Do come away. I hate being here."

  And indeed she was shivering from head to foot, and not Juliet herselfseemed more anxious to leave the place.

  "Just one more shot," said Mark. "Here, Julia, stoop down, and roll thatbit of stone slowly down the slope, while I hold on to our prisoner. Weshall hear better that way. Give me your lamp."

  Anxious to satisfy him, Julia picked up the fragment he had knockedfrom the rough wall, and stooping down stretched out her hand to set thestone in motion. But, as she did so, Mark loosened his grip on Juliet,and bending quickly behind this poor girl who loved him seized her bythe shoulders and threw her forward on to her face. The steep pitch ofthe floor finished what the impetus given by his onslaught had begun.Julia shot head first down the slope, and disappeared into the blackchasm of the well.

  One long agonized scream came up to them out of the darkness, and rolledits echoes through the lonely passages.

  Then the distant sound of a splash; and silence.

  Back against the wall, Juliet cowered, her whole body shaken by greatsobs. She was petrified with terror of this fiendish man, but her fearsfor herself gave way before the horror of what she had seen.

  "Oh, what have you done, what have you done?" she wept.

  Mark tried to summon up a jeering smile. The lantern threw no light uponhis white and twitching face.

  "You don't suppose I meant to let her go free, after the taste she gaveme of her temper?" he asked, in a voice he could not keep from shaking alittle. "Do you suppose I like having to do these things? Yo
u women havenever the slightest sense of common justice. The whole thing is perfectlybeastly to me. But how could I live with a girl who would be ready tothreaten me with the gallows every time she got out of bed wrong footfirst? It's not fair to blame me for other people's faults."

  He spoke querulously, with the air of a much-injured man. Though Julietwas beyond any coherent reply, he seemed afraid of meeting her eyes, andlooked resolutely away from her, his glance shifting and wavering fromthe walls to the floor, from the floor to the stones of the low roof; up,down, and sideways, but never resting on her. At last, as if drawn thereirresistibly and against his will, they fell once more on the dark circleof the mouth of the pit, and he started back, shuddering violently.

  "As if I hadn't enough to bear without being saddled with hideousmemories for the rest of my life!" he cried with bitter irritability. "Ifyou had an ounce of common fairness in your composition you would admit Icould do no less. Why, any day she might have got jealous, or something,and flown into a passion again, and denounced me to the police. Besides,I have no wish to be obliged to fly the country. Why should I? She wasthe only person who knew the truth; except you. That is why you mustfollow her."

  "No, no!" cried Juliet despairingly, but without avail, for her feeblestrength could offer him no effective opposition, and he thrust hereasily on to the slope. She felt instinctively that at that angle themerest push would make her lose her balance, and sank quickly to herknees, catching him round the ankle with one hand, and clingingdesperately.

  He swore furiously, and bent down to unclasp her fingers from his leg.Then he flung her hand away from him; and cut off from all assistance shebegan instantly to slide backwards, slowly but irresistibly.