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Elmsdale opened it as wide as the chain would permit, and asked who was there. I told him, and, grumbling a little at the unconscionable hour at which I had elected to pay my visit, he admitted me. "He was out of temper. He had hoped and expected, I knew, to find payment of the cheque refused, and he could not submit with equanimity to seeing me slip out of his hands.
The witness found, however, he could more easily raise the larger than the smaller sum. There had been a little unpleasantness between him and Mr. Elmsdale with reference to the demand for money made so suddenly and so peremptorily, and he bitterly regretted having even for a moment forgotten what was due to so kind a friend. He knew of no reason in the world why Mr.
"And my sister's child left no better off than a street beggar," suggested Miss Blake. "Come, come," remonstrated Mr. Craven; "matters are not so bad as all that comes to. Upon three hundred a year, you can live very comfortable on the Continent; and " "We'll go," interrupted Miss Blake; "but it is hard lines not that anything better could have been expected from Robert Elmsdale."
Craven there ensued a serious disagreement. She insisted he should not "send that clerk of his" to the house again, and suggested if Mr. Craven were too high and mighty to attend to the concerns of Miss Elmsdale himself, Miss Blake must look out for another solicitor. "The sooner the better, madam," said Mr.
Elmsdale had elected to put a pistol to his head, I found at last the account of the inquest, which I copied out in shorthand, to be able to digest it more fully at leisure; and as it was growing dusk, wended my way back to Buckingham Street. As I was walking slowly down one side of the street, I noticed a man standing within the open door of a house near Buckingham Gate.
I saw him turn round and open the other purse, and he put something in, if I didn't mistake. Then he looked in again. 'I'm afraid I'm rather impertinent, says he, 'but your face, Miss ah Elmsdale, thanks reminds me of some one in another world the one I once lived in. Allow me to enjoy the souvenir and to return your effects. No thanks; that smile is ample payment.
"Under Miss Blake's insolence I had writhed; and once, when my usual prudence deserted me, I told Mr. Elmsdale I had been in Ireland and seen the paternal Blake's ancestral cabin, and ascertained none of the family had ever mixed amongst the upper thousand, or whatever the number may be which goes to make up society in the Isle of Saints.
"Then you will not do what I ask," she cried, almost despairingly. "I cannot," was my reply. "Miss Elmsdale, you would not have a soldier turn back from the battle. I have undertaken to find out the secret attached to your old home, and, please God, I shall succeed in my endeavours." "But you are exposing yourself to danger, to " "I must take my chance of that.
Even from the receipts, however, one thing was clear, viz., that he had, since his marriage, spent a very large sum of money; spent it lavishly, not to say foolishly. Indeed, the more closely Mr. Craven looked into affairs, the more satisfied he felt that Mr. Elmsdale had committed suicide simply because he was well-nigh ruined. Mortgage-deeds Mr.
But true as it was, I only answered that I would get her acknowledgment; and taking my hat, I walked off to Hunter Street. Arrived there, I found, to my unspeakable joy, that Miss Blake was out, and Miss Elmsdale at home. When I entered the shabby sitting-room where her beauty was so grievously lodged, she rose and greeted me with kindly words, and sweet smiles, and vivid blushes.
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