Out of a Labyrinth Page 11

  CHAPTER XI.

  A CUP OF TEA.

  It was growing dusk before I saw Carnes again that day. I had remainedin my room since dinner, wishing to avoid as much as possible the gossipand natural inquiry that would follow the denouement of the raid againstDr. Bethel, lest some suspicious mind should think me too muchinterested, considering the part I had taken in the affair.

  Carnes came in softly, and wearing upon his face the peculiar knowinggrin that we at the office had named his "Fox smile." He held in hishand a folded slip of paper, which he dropped upon my knee, and thendrew back, without uttering a comment, to watch my perusal of the same.

  It was very brief, simply a penciled line from Dr. Barnard, asking me totea at seven o'clock. It was almost seven as I read.

  "Where did you get this?" I asked, rising with sudden alacrity, andbeginning a hurried toilet. "Read it Carnes, if you haven't already; Ishould have had it earlier."

  Carnes took up the note, perused it, and tossed it on the bed, then,seating himself astride a chair, he told his story, watching myprogressing toilet with seeming interest the while.

  "After my tender parting with Briggs, I sherried over and made myselfagreeable to Jim Long, and as I was uncommon respectful and willin' tobe harangued, he sort o' took me as handy boy, an' let me stay an helphim tidy up Bethel's place. He cleared out the multitude, put the yardinto decent order, and then, while he undertook to rehang the doctor'sfront door, I'm blest if he didn't set _me_ to pilin' up the hay stack.Don't wear that beast of a choker, man, it makes you look like alaughing hyena."

  I discarded the condemned choker, swallowed the doubtful compliment, andCarnes continued, lapsing suddenly into broad Irish:

  "Prisintly he comes out to the shtack, as I was finishin' the pile,tellin' me as he must have some new hinges to the doctor's door, an'axin would I shtay an' kape house till he wint up fer the iron works. Iconsinted."

  "Yes!" eagerly.

  "And I made good use of the opportunity. I wint over that place in a wayto break the heart of a jenteel crook, an' I'm satisfied."

  "Of what, Carnes?"

  "That there's no irregularity about the doctor. If there was a track asbig as a fly's foot wouldn't I have hit it? Yes, sir! There ain't notrace of the detective-in-ambush about those premises, Tom Briggs to thecontrary notwithstanding. He's a regular articled medical collegegraduate; there's plenty of correspondence to prove him Dr. Carl Bethel,and nothing to prove him anything else."

  "Quite likely," I replied, not yet wholly convinced; "Bethel is not theman to commit himself; he'd be very sure not to leave a trace of his'true inwardness' about the premises, if he _were_ on a still hunt. Howabout the note, Carnes?"

  "Oh, the note! Well, when Jim came back, about fifteen minutes ago, orso, he gave me that, saying that he called at Dr. Barnard's to ask forinstructions from Bethel, and was handed that note to leave for you. Jimsays that he forgot to stop with the note; but I'm inclined to thinkthat he wanted to dispose of me and took this way to avoid hurting myfeelings."

  "Well, I shall be late at Dr. Barnard's, owing to Jim's notions ofdelicacy," I said, turning away from the mirror and hurriedly brushingmy hat. "However, I can explain the tardiness. By-by, Carnes; we willtalk this day's business over when I have returned."

  Dr. Barnard's pleasant dwelling was scarce five minutes' walk from ourhotel; and I was soon making my bow in the presence of the doctor, hiswife and daughter, Miss Manvers, and Dr. Bethel.

  As I look back upon that evening I remember Louise Barnard as at oncethe loveliest, the simplest and most charmingly cultivated woman I haveever met. Graceful without art, self-possessed without ostentation,beautiful as a picture, without seeming to have sought by artifices ofthe toilet to heighten the effect of her statuesque loveliness.

  Adele Manvers was also beautiful; no, handsome is the more appropriateword for her; but in face, form, coloring, dress, and manner, a moredecided contrast could not have been deliberately planned.

  Miss Barnard was the lovely lady; Miss Manvers, the daintily clad, fairwoman of fashion.

  Miss Barnard was tall, slender, dazzlingly beautiful, with soft fairhair and the features of a Greek goddess. Miss Manvers was a triflebelow the medium height, a piquant brunette, plump, shapely, a triflehaughty, and inclined to self-assertion.

  Miss Barnard wore soft flowing draperies, and her hair as natureintended it to be worn. Miss Manvers wore another woman's hair indefiance of nature, and her dress was fashion's last conceit,--a"symphony" in silks and ruffles and bewildering draperies.

  Miss Barnard was dignified and somewhat reticent. Miss Manvers wastalkative and vivacious.

  They had learned from Jim Long all that he could tell them concerningthe part I had taken in the affair of the morning. The elder physiciandesired to express his approbation, the younger his gratitude. They hadsent for me that I might hear what they had to say on the subject of thegrave robbery, and to ask my opinion and advice as to future movements.

  All this was communicated to me by the voluble old doctor, who wassitting in an invalid's chair, being as yet but half recovered from hisneuralgic attack of the morning. We had met on several occasions, but Ihad no previous knowledge of his family.

  "There will be no further trouble about this matter," said Dr. Barnard,as we sat in the cool, cosy parlor after our late tea. "Our people haveknown me too long to doubt my word, and my simple statement of myabsolute knowledge concerning all of Bethel's movements will put out thelast spark of suspicion, so far as _he_ is concerned--but," bringing thepalm of his large hand down upon the arm of his chair with slowemphasis, "it won't settle the question next in order. _Who are theguilty ones?_"

  "That I shall make it my business to find out," said Dr. Bethel,seriously, "I confess that at first I was unreasonably angry, at thethought of the suspicion cast upon me. On second thought it was butnatural. I am as yet a stranger among you, and Trafton evidentlybelieves it wise to 'consider every man a rogue until he is provedhonest.'"

  "From what I have heard since coming here," I ventured, "I should sayTrafton has some reason for adopting this motto."

  "So she has; so she has," broke in the old doctor. "And some one had areason for attempting to throw suspicion upon Bethel."

  "Evidently," said Bethel. "I am puzzled to guess what that reason canbe, and I dispose of the theory that would naturally come up first,namely, that it is a plot to destroy the public confidence in me, set onfoot by rival doctors, by saying, at the outset, that I don't believethere is a medical man in or about Trafton capable of such a deed. Ihave all confidence in my professional brethren."

  "Why," interposed Miss Manvers, "the sentiment does you honor, Dr.Bethel, but--I should think the other doctors your most natural enemies.Who else could,"--she broke off abruptly with an appealing glance atLouise Barnard.

  "I think Dr. Bethel is right," said Miss Barnard, in her low, clearcontralto. "I cannot think either of our doctors capable of a deed soshameful." Then turning to address me, she added, "You, as a strangeramong us, may see the matter in a more reasonable light. How does itlook to you?"

  "Taking the doctor's innocence as a foregone conclusion," I replied, "itlooks as though he had an enemy in Trafton," here I turned my eyes fullupon the face of Bethel, "who wished to drive him out of the communityby making him unpopular in it."

  Bethel's face wore the same expression of mystified candor, his eyesmet mine full and frankly, as he replied:

  "Taking _that_ as a foregone conclusion, we arrive at the point ofstarting, Who are the guilty ones? Who are my enemies? I have beenuniformly successful in my practice; I have had no differences,disagreement, or disputes with any man in Trafton. Up to to-day I couldhave sworn I had not an enemy in the town."

  "And so could I," said Dr. Barnard. "It's a case for a wiser head thanmine."

  "It's a case for the detectives," said Dr. Bethel, firmly. "If thisunknown foe thinks to drive me from Trafton, he must try other measures.I intend to remain, and to solve this mys
tery."

  A moment's silence followed this decided announcement.

  The old doctor nodded his approval, his daughter looked hers.

  Miss Manvers sat with eyes fixed upon a spot in the carpet, bitingnervously at her full red under lip, and tapping the floor with the toeof her dainty boot.

  I had no desire to take a prominent part in the discussion whichfollowed, and became as much as I could a mere observer, but, as afterevents proved, I made very good use of my eyes that night.

  Having exhausted the subject of the grave robbery without arriving atany new conclusions, the social old doctor proposed a game of whist,cards being his chief source of evening pastime. The game was made up,Miss Manvers taking a seat opposite Dr. Barnard, and Dr. Bethel playingwith Mrs. Barnard.

  After watching their game for a time, Miss Barnard and myself retired tothe piano. She sang several songs in a tender contralto, to a soft,well-rendered accompaniment, and as I essayed my thanks and ventured topraise her singing, she lifted her clear eyes to mine, saying, in anundertone:

  "Don't think me odd, or too curious--but--will you answer aquestion--frankly?"

  I promised, recklessly; and she ran her pretty fingers over the keys,drowning our voices, for other ears, under the soft ripple of the notes,while she questioned and I replied.

  "As a stranger, and an unprejudiced person," she began, "how does thisshameful charge against Dr. Bethel appear to you? Judging him as menjudge men, do you think he _could_ be guilty of such a deed?"

  "Judging him by my limited knowledge of human nature," I replied, "Ishould say that Dr. Bethel is incapable of baseness in any form. In thiscase, he is certainly innocent."

  She looked thoughtfully down at the white, gliding fingers, and said:

  "We have seen so much of Dr. Bethel since he came to Trafton, that heseems quite like an old friend, and because of his being associated withfather, it makes his trouble almost a personal matter. I do hope it willend without further complications."

  She looked up in my face as if hoping that my judgment accorded with herwish, but I made no reply, finding silence easier and pleasanter thanequivocation when dealing with a nature so frank and fearlesslytruthful.

  The game of whist being at an end, Miss Manvers arose almost immediatelyand declared it time to go. She had sent her phaeton home, her housebeing less than a quarter of a mile from Dr. Barnard's, and according tothe custom of informal Trafton, I promptly offered myself as escort, andwas promptly and smilingly accepted.

  "What a day this has been," said Miss Manvers, as the doctor's iron gateclosed behind us. "Such a terrible charge to bring against Dr. Bethel.Do you really think," and, spite her evident intention to make thequestion sound common-place, I could detect the genuine anxiety in it,"Do you really think that it will--injure his practice to the extentof--driving him from Trafton?"

  "You heard what he said, Miss Manvers."

  "Oh, yes--but if I am rightly informed, Dr. Bethel is, in a measure atleast, dependent on his practice. Is not this so?"

  "You are better advised than I, Miss Manvers; I know so little of Dr.Bethel."

  "And yet you were his warmest champion to-day."

  "I assure you I felt quite cool," I laughed. "I should have done as muchfor the merest stranger, under the same circumstances."

  "Then you are not prejudiced in his favor?"

  "I am not prejudiced at all. I like Bethel."

  "And so do I," replied the heiress, heartily, "and I like the spirit heshows in this matter. Is not this--a--exhuming of a subject, a frequentoccurrence?"

  "Undoubtedly."

  "I mean--is it not often done by medical men?"

  "By them, or persons employed by them. I suppose so."

  She drew a little nearer, lifting an earnest face to meet my gaze.

  "Candidly, now," she said, "as if I were not Miss Manvers, but a man tobe trusted. Do you think it impossible that Dr. Bethel has done thisthing? Viewed from a scientific and practical standpoint, does such adeed appear to you to be the horrible thing _some_ seem to think it?"

  "Candidly, now," she said, "as if I were not MissManvers, but a man to be trusted. Do you think it impossible that Dr.Bethel has done this thing?"--page 129.]

  What spirit prompted my answer? I never knew just what impelled me, butI looked down into the pretty, upturned face, looked straight into thedark, liquid eyes, and answered:

  "Candidly, Miss Manvers--as you are certainly as much to be trusted asif you were a man--when I went to Bethel's defense, I went supposingthat, for the benefit of science and the possible good of hisfellow-beings, he _had_ exhumed the body."

  She drew a short, quick breath.

  "And you have changed your opinion?" she half asserted, half inquired.

  I laid the fingers of my gloved left hand lightly upon hers, as itrested on my arm, and bent lower toward the glowing brunette face as Ianswered:

  "I have not said so."

  She dropped her eyes and mused for a moment, then--

  "Do you think he will _actually_ call in a detective--to--to make hisinnocence seem more probable?"

  "I hope he will not," I replied, sincerely this time, but with a hiddenmeaning.

  "I don't think that Mr. Beale will desire further investigation. Thematter will die out, undoubtedly. Mr. Barnard is a man of powerfulinfluence in the community, and 'Squire Brookhouse will use _his_influence in behalf of Dr. Bethel, I am sure." Then, looking up again,quickly: "Do you not admire Miss Barnard?"

  "Miss Barnard is 'a thing of beauty,'" I rejoined, sententiously; then,with a downward glance that pointed my sentence, "I admire all lovelywomen."

  She laughed lightly, but said no more of Miss Barnard, or Dr. Bethel,and we parted with some careless badinage, supplemented by her cordialhope that I would prolong my stay in Trafton, and that she should see meoften at The Hill.

  Going slowly homeward, through the August darkness, I mentally voted thetreasure-ship heiress a clever, agreeable, and charming young lady, andspent some time in trying to decide whether her delightful cordialitywas a token that I had pleased, or only amused her. Such is the vanityof man!

  I found Carnes wide awake, smoking and waiting.

  "Have ye done wid yer gallivantin'?" queried he, the instant I made myappearance. "Now, thin, be shquare; which is the purtyest gurl?"

  "How do you know there were two, sir?"

  "Inshtinct," he retorted, shamelessly. "I knew by the peculiar feelin'av the cords av me arums. I say, what a thunderin' lot o' snarly bushesold Barnyard kapes about his windys!"

  "What! you were up there?" I cried, in astonishment.

  "Worrunt I," he retorted, complacently. "_An' I wasn't the only one!_"

  "Carnes!"

  "Och, take off yer mittens an' sit down," he said, grinning offensivelyat my mighty efforts to draw off a pair of tight and moist kid gloves."Warn't I up there, an' I could ave told ye all about the purty galsmysilf, an' what sort av blarney ye gave till em both, if it had notbeen fer the murtherin' baste of a shnake as got inter the scrubberyahead av me."

  I threw aside the damp gloves, and seated myself directly in front ofhim.

  "Now, talk business," I said, impatiently. "It's getting late, andthere's a good deal to be said."

  Carnes reached out for the pipe which he had laid aside at my entrance,lighted it with due deliberation, and then said, with no trace of hisformer absurdity:

  "I don't know what sent me strolling and smoking up toward Dr. Barnard'splace, but I did go. My pipe went out, and I stopped to light it,stepping off the sidewalk just where the late lilacs hang over the fenceat the foot of the garden. While I stood there, entirely hidden by thedarkness and the shade, a man came walking stealthily down the middle ofthe road. His very gait betrayed the sneak, and I followed him,forgetting my pipe and keeping to the soft grass. He seemed to know justwhere to go for, although he moved cautiously, there was no hesitation.Well, he passed the gate, climbed the fence, sneaked up to the front ofthe house, skulking be
tween the trees and rose bushes directlyunderneath the parlor window. I took the bearings as well as I couldfrom a distance, and I made up my mind that the fellow, if he heardanything, could hardly catch the thread of the discourse, and I reckon Iwas right in my conclusions for, after a good deal of prospectingaround, he sneaked away as he came, and I followed him back to Porter'sstore."

  "Well he passed the gate, climbed the fence, sneaked upto the front of the house, skulking between the trees and rose bushesdirectly underneath the parlor window."--page 132.]

  "And you knew him?" I questioned, hastily.

  "I used to know him," said Carnes, with a comical wink, "but recentlyI've cut his acquaintance."

  For a moment we stared at each other silently, then I asked, abruptly:

  "Old man, do you think it worth our while to go into this resurrectionbusiness?"

  "What for?"

  "To satisfy ourselves as regards Bethel's part in it."

  "You needn't go into it on my account," replied Carnes, crossing hislegs and clasping his two hands behind his head; "I'm satisfied."

  "As how?"

  "He never did it."

  "Ah! how do you reason the case?"

  "First, he isn't a fool; second, if he had taken the body he would havemade use of it that night; it was fast decomposing, and before to-nightwould be past pleasant handling. Then he, being called away, if he hadinstructed others to disinter the body, would never have instructed themto hide it on his own premises, much less to disrobe it for no purposewhatever. Then, last and most conclusive, there's the pick and spade."

  "And what of them?"

  "This of them," unclasping his hands, setting his two feet squarely onthe floor, and bringing his palms down upon his knees. "You know oldHarding, the hardware dealer?"

  I nodded. Old Harding was the elder brother of the Trafton farmer whohad excited my eagerness to see Trafton by discussing its peculiaritieson the railway train.

  "Well," leaning toward me and dropping out his words in stiff staccato."After the crowd had left Jim Long and myself in possession of thedoctor's premises, old Harding came back. I saw that he wanted to talkwith Jim, and I went out into the yard. Presently the two went into thebarn, and I skulked around till I got directly behind the window wherethose tools were found. And here's what I heard, stripped of oldHarding's profanity, and Jim's cranky comments. Last year Harding'sstore was visited by burglars, and those identical tools were taken outof it along with many other things. You observed that they were quitenew. Harding said he could swear to the tools. Now, if others hadexhumed the body _for_ the doctor, they would not have left their toolsin his stable and in so conspicuous a place. If the doctor exhumed it,how did he obtain those tools? _They were stolen before he came toTrafton._"

  "Then here is another thing," I began, as Carnes paused. "A man ofBethel's sense would not take such a step without a sufficient reason.Now, Dr. Barnard, who certainly is authority in the matter, sayspositively that there were no peculiar symptoms about the child'ssickness; that it was a _very_ ordinary case; therefore, Dr. Bethel, whocan buy all his skeletons without incurring disagreeable labor and risk,could have had no motive for taking the body."

  "Then you think----"

  "I think this," I interrupted, being now warm with my subject. "Dr.Bethel, who is certainly _not_ a detective, is suspected of being one,or feared as one. And this is the way his enemies open the war upon him.I think if we can find out who robbed that little girl's grave andsecreted the body so as to throw suspicion upon Bethel, we shall be in afair way to find out what we came here to learn, viz., what, and where,and who, are the daring, long existing successful robbers that infestTrafton. This is their first failure, and why?"

  "It's easy to guess _why_," said Carnes, gravely. "The old head was outof this business; for some reason it has been entrusted to underlings,and bunglers."

  "But won't old Harding give these rascals warning by claiming his stolenproperty?" I asked, dubiously.

  "Not he," replied Carnes. "Harding's too cute and too stingy for that.He reasons that the thieves, having begun to display their booty, maygrow more reckless. He is one of the few who think that the body was notplaced in the hay by the doctor's hirelings; he intends to keep silentfor the present and look sharp for any more of his stolen merchandize."

  "Then, Carnes, we have no bars to our present progress. To-morrow we getdown to actual business."

  Again we sat late into the night discussing and re-arranging ourplans, only separating when we had mapped out a course which we, in ouregotistical blindness, felt assured was the true route toward success;and seeking our slumbers as blissfully unconscious of what really was totranspire as the veriest dullard in all Trafton.