CHAPTER XVIIISETTING A TRAP

Mallien, by telling his daughter a half truth instead of the whole truth, had made her very nervous, and although she asked for a more detailed explanation he had refused to give it to her. Dorinda was therefore much relieved when Sophy conducted her to The Big House and hidden matters were made more plain. When in possession of facts she quickly recognized that the position of her father was highly dangerous, should Carrington speak to the police. But the girl agreed with Rupert that he would not do so, until all chance of getting money for his silence had disappeared. Even if Mallien was willing, such money could not be obtained until the property passed from the Squire to his cousin, so if Rupert refused to give up the same, Carrington would be forced to wait. It was not likely that he would kill the goose with the golden eggs by speaking prematurely.

And there was, as Rupert pointed out to Dorinda, a grave doubt whether he would speak at all, when informed that his presence in Barship on the night of the murder was known. Hendle intended to question the barrister on this point and hear what defense he could offer, but before doing so, desired to see his cousin and enlist his aid. It was even more to Mallien's interest than to Rupert's to bring Carrington to book, and only by the cousins joining forces could they accomplish their end. And that was, to learn for certain who had murdered the vicar. It assuredly seemed as though the barrister was the guilty person, and should the crime be brought home to him, his evil scheme to acquire money by blackmail would be frustrated. Instead of accusing Mallien to the police, it was probable that Carrington would be forced to fly lest Lawson should lay hands on him. Dorinda returned home in a much more comfortable frame of mind, since Rupert thus placed matters in a better light. She was also more content because affairs were in her lover's hands. He, if anyone, would be able to make the crooked straight.

One of Hendle's last injunctions to the girl was that she should say nothing to her father about her visit to The Big House. He warned her not to repeat what she had heard, and not to question her father in any way regarding his dealings with Carrington. Rupert arranged matters thus because he intended to call on his cousin next day and have a complete understanding with him. Mallien therefore was much annoyed, and very illogically so, when his daughter no longer implored him to be plain with her. On Sunday evening and Monday morning she saw him looking gloomy and disturbed, yet made no effort to cheer him, or, as he put it, to bear his burden. Dorinda laughed outright when her father made this last remark.

"Really, father, you are unreasonable," she observed, when putting on her hat to go shopping in the village. "How can I bear your burden when you won't tell me what it is?"

"I have told you," growled the little man crossly, "that blackguard Carrington dares to accuse me of murdering Leigh."

"Well," said Dorinda lightly, "as you didn't murder him what does it matter?"

"You talk rubbish. Carrington can tell serious lies which may endanger my liberty."

"What are those lies, father?"

"I shan't tell you," snapped Mallien.

Dorinda shrugged her shoulders and took up her sunshade. "Then how can you expect me to bear your burden, as you put it? You tell me enough to make me anxious, yet not enough to enable me to help you."

"You can't help me."

"In that case there is no more to be said."

This speech was so unanswerable that Mallien could find no reply and retreated to his own particular room, feeling--rather inconsequently--that he was not receiving the attention and sympathy which was his due. It never seemed to strike him that his daughter could scarcely administer to his comfort while she was ignorant of necessary information. But nothing irritates an unreasonable man more than being treated reasonably, and Mallien scowled blackly when he saw from the window Dorinda tripping lightly in the direction of the village. He was quite sorry for himself.

"I did think that my own daughter had some decent feeling in her," he meditated sadly; "but she's like everyone else--selfish in the extreme. Oh, it's no wonder that I hate everyone. People think only of themselves. Now what the dickens do you want? Hang you!"

This last question he asked aloud, being still at the window, he saw Rupert open the little garden gate and walk briskly up to the door. As Dorinda had gone one way and Rupert had come another, Mallien never dreamed that there was any understanding between them, or that his daughter had departed so as to afford her lover a chance of speaking to her very egotistic parent. This had been arranged between the two on the previous day, and to carry out the scheme Hendle knocked at the door of his cousin with the will in his pocket. Before he left the cottage he was determined to force Mallien into plain speaking. Things were much too dangerous to permit any further beating about the bush.

"Well, and what do you want?" said Mallien, repeating his former question as he opened the door to the visitor.

"I want to see you," said Hendle very pointedly. "It is time we had an explanation."

"About what?"

"About this," and Rupert pulled the soiled and crumpled parchment out of his pocket--"the will of John Hendle."

"Oh! So you have it. And how did you get it, may I ask?"

"You can ask in your own room," said Rupert politely. "I can scarcely give you an explanation on the door-step."

"Afraid of consequences to yourself," grumbled Mallien, nevertheless yielding so far as to lead the way into his sanctum.

"Oh, dear me, no," replied the visitor, seating himself. "Afraid of consequences to you."

"To me!" Mallien dropped into a chair before his desk. "What do you mean?"

"I think you know very well."

"I don't," said the man doggedly and determined to leave all necessary explanation to his cousin. "You speak in riddles."

"We must solve them together." Rupert spoke dryly, then thrust the will under Mallien's nose, "Read that, and tell me what you think."

Out of sheer contrariety the host would have refused, but his curiosity and greed got the better of him, and he eagerly read the document to learn if indeed the Hendle property would come to him. The Squire leaned back in his chair, filling his pipe and watching the various emotions expressing themselves on Mallien's face. Doubt, amazement, satisfaction and exultation all appeared in turn, and when he had mastered the will, he looked at Rupert with an expression of triumph. Mallien felt that he was top-dog at last, and took a malicious delight in emphasizing the agreeable position.

"The property comes to me," he said, beaming with self-satisfaction. "There isn't the least doubt about it."

"So I gather after reading that will," answered Rupert calmly. "John Hendle certainly left everything to Eunice and her descendants. Frederick was illegally in possession of the property."

"And it follows that you are illegally in possession."

"I admit that. But of course as the younger branch, represented by me, has been in possession of the estates for nearly one hundred years, it is quite within my rights to take advantage of the Statute of Limitations."

"Oh, no, you shan't," said Mallien, rolling up the will and thrusting it into his desk, "I am not going to be done out of my rights."

"Am I the man to try and do you out of them?"

"Yes, you are," retorted the other unjustly, "since you talk about this Statute of Limitations."

"Why should I not take advantage of the Statute, when I run a chance of being made a pauper, and not through my own fault?"

"Because it isn't honest," said Mallien virtuously. "You and yours have been wrongfully in possession of what belongs to me. I'm going to have my own, if I spend the last sixpence in the law-courts. I thought you were honourable, Rupert, yet here you talk of putting me to a lot of expense to get my own estates."

Hendle stared at the greedy heir, for such selfishness in taking advantage of an innocent person's misfortune was inconceivable to him. But he knew only too well that argument was useless. Mallien could only see things in his own way, and did not care who suffered so long as he benefited. However, he made one effort "Put yourself in my place, Mallien," he remarked mildly. "Would you surrender everything without a struggle?"

"That is not the question," retorted Mallien, evading a reply after his usual fashion. "The property is mine, and I intend to have it. I shall keep the will, as it is not safe in your hands."

"Indeed. Why not?"

"You would benefit too much by its destruction."

Rupert laughed. "I could have destroyed it while it was in my possession and without your knowing anything about it. Instead of doing so, I have brought it to you. Does that look like dishonesty on my part?"

"You bring it to me because you are aware that I know all about it," said Mallien doggedly. "Mrs. Beatson told me about the will, as you know. If she hadn't, you would have thrown it into the fire."

"Oh, would I? Well,"--Rupert shrugged his big shoulders,--"you are such a misanthrope that you can believe no good of your fellow-creatures, so have it your own way."

"How can I believe any good when everyone is so selfish?" said this amazing man. "Even Dorinda leaves me to bear my troubles alone. I wanted her to comfort me this morning, and she went out shopping."

"How could she comfort you when you refuse to explain things to her?"

"What things?" demanded Mallien alertly and frowning. "How do you know that I have anything to explain?"

"I know more than you think," replied Hendle dryly. "I know that you told her how Carrington was threatening you and--hold on--yet refused to supply details. How then can you expect her to sympathize with you and help you when there is not perfect confidence between you?"

Mallien did not answer directly, as he was too surprised by his cousin's mention of the barrister. "Who told you that Carrington threatened me?"

"Dorinda told me yesterday, and for that reason I arranged that she should go out this morning and allow me to have an uninterrupted conversation with you. Now don't lose your temper, Mallien. I am here to have an explanation, and I don't leave this place until I get it."

"I shall make no explanation," shouted the other savagely; "and Dorinda had no right to tell you about my private affairs."

"She told very little, as she knows very little."

"I don't care how much she knows, or how much she doesn't know," raged the angry little man, shaking with wrath. "I shan't have you meddle in my affairs."

"Will you prefer Lawson to meddle instead of me?"

"Lawson won't dare," answered Mallien, but in a more subdued tone.

"Oh, yes, he will, when Carrington tells him what he knows."

"Carrington knows nothing."

"He does. If he didn't he would scarcely have had that interview with you at The Hendle Arms after I kicked him out."

"You kicked him out, did you?"

"Yes, I did, because he wanted me to bribe him into holding his tongue about the will. Failing getting the money from me, he attempted to get it from you at that interview. Dorinda told me that you had one, since you informed her about Carrington's threats. Come now, Mallien, the time has come for plain speaking if you wish to keep your liberty. Did Carrington ask you for five thousand pounds? That was the sum he asked from me."

Mallien was forced to give in, and did so sullenly. "He did ask for that sum."

Rupert nodded. "I thought so. And what did you say?"

"I didn't say anything. I have taken a week to think matters over."

"I see," Rupert pondered; "and at the end of the week, if you don't agree to give Carrington five thousand pounds when you get the property, he will tell Lawson that you murdered Leigh."

"He says he will, but how can he prove it?" sneered the other uneasily.

"Well, you see, you lost that opal in the matrix which I found on the verge of the hole where the will had been buried."

"What does that prove?"

"That you were in the grounds of the vicarage on that night."

"I might have lost it on another occasion," argued Mallien desperately.

Rupert smiled dryly. "I don't think Lawson will be of that opinion. Come now, don't you think it is best for us to join forces and crush Carrington? For Dorinda's sake I don't want you to get into trouble."

"If we join forces, what will you ask for your services?" demanded Mallien, suspiciously. "That I should surrender my claim to the property, I suppose?"

"I ask nothing. What do you take me for?" Rupert looked highly indignant. "Do you think that everyone is so sordid as you are, Mallien? We can fight out the question of the will on its own merits. But, for Dorinda's sake, I wish to save you from Carrington's machinations. It is little use your getting the property if you are in danger of arrest."

"I am not."

"You are. Carrington is aware that Mrs. Beatson told you about the will; he was with me when we found the opal. He says that you are guilty, and when in London sent that anonymous letter--but I forgot you don't know about the letter."

"Yes, I do," snarled Mallien, wiping the perspiration from his forehead. "Carrington was very explicit at the interview." He paused for a moment, then continued: "I may as well tell you everything, since you know so much. But I warn you, Rupert, that nothing you can say or do to crush Carrington and help me will prevent my claiming the property."

Hendle waved his hand lightly. "That's all right. I am aware that you are a thoroughly ungrateful man. Let that pass."

"I am not ungrateful," cried Mallien hotly. "What have I to be grateful for?"

"In the first place for many sums of money I have given you; in the second for my offer to save your liberty and perhaps your life. Were it only for your own sake, Mallien," added Rupert with scorn, "I should leave you to Carrington's tender mercies. As it is, I must consider Dorinda. Now, no more talk, if you please. Let me know exactly what took place between you and that blackmailing thief."

Mallien did not argue further. Not that he felt any shame, but he saw that Rupert was too strong for him, and felt that his cousin had right on his side. Mallien would never have admitted the right, as his nature was too ungracious to ascribe honor to anyone but himself. In a sulky manner, and as if Rupert was trying to do him harm instead of good, he related what had passed between himself and the barrister at The Hendle Arms. The Squire thus learned for the first time that Mallien had been in the Vicarage grounds on the night of the murder, and had lost the opal ornament during the struggle with the unknown man in the avenue. "And I believed that the fellow was you," protested Mallien earnestly. "You had every right to murder Leigh."

"Every right," echoed Rupert angrily.

"I mean every reason," said Mallien, correcting himself hurriedly, "and, after the man ran away, I went to look in through the Vicarage windows. There was a light in the study, and, as you know, the window had neither curtains nor blinds. I saw Leigh lying dead on the floor, and went home without saying a word, lest I should be accused."

"You acted the part of a brave man, I must say," said Rupert contemptuously, "but it appears that you didn't murder Leigh."

"No, I certainly did not. Why, I only left this cottage as the church clock chimed eleven, and, as Leigh was murdered at that hour, he must have been dead before I reached the Vicarage. I expect the man was hunting for the will, and only managed to escape with it when I ran up against him in the avenue."

"But who was he? I don't suppose Mrs. Beatson dressed herself as a man to----"

"No! No! That is ridiculous. Mrs. Beatson was made a catspaw by the same man to get the will without throwing suspicions on him."

"I didn't write that anonymous letter, if that is what you mean," said Mallien tartly and uneasily.

"I am aware of that. It was Carrington who----"

"Carrington!" Mallien started to his feet. "Impossible! He was in town on the night of the murder."

"He was in Barship, and he was the man you ran across in the avenue," said Rupert grimly. "No wonder he pointed out your opal on the verge of the hole wherein the will had been buried. He dropped it there while my back was turned and allowed me to find it, so as to incriminate you."

Mallien was thunderstruck. "Carrington!" he muttered, sitting down again. "Oh, it is impossible."

"Not at all. Dr. Tollart came down with Carrington in the train which arrives at Barship shortly after nine. He wasn't with him, you understand; but he saw him both at Liverpool Street and at Barship."

"Then why didn't Tollart say so at the inquest?"

"Why should he? Tollart never connected Carrington with the crime. He believed that he came down to see me, and, as Carrington was with me the next day, of course that gave color to Tollart's belief. However, he mentioned the matter to Sophy, and she told me and Dorinda. For that reason Dorinda came to see me yesterday, and we arranged that I should see you. Now you can understand, Mallien, that we must join forces to have Carrington arrested. I have not the least doubt but what he murdered Leigh to get the will and extort money for it, either from you or from me."

"The scoundrel!" cried Mallien, highly indignant; "and to think that he should have dared to accuse me--me--me!"

"I was in equal danger of being accused," observed Rupert coolly.

"Oh, I don't care about you," retorted the other selfishly. "I must look to myself. I shall see Lawson and have Carrington arrested."

"If you do you are sure to make a mess of things," warned Hendle, accepting his cousin's egotism with a shrug. "We must lay a trap for Carrington and get him down here. Otherwise he may escape and then matters concerning the murder will never be cleared up."

"What sort of a trap?"

"You must write to Carrington asking him to come down here--to The Big House--for an interview with yourself and with me. Say that you and I wish to adjust the rights of the property. Carrington knows that you cannot give him his pound of flesh until we are agreed about the will. Also he will never suspect that he was seen in Barship on the night of the murder, or that we have put two and two together regarding the opal. He will come down."

"Will he enter The Big House seeing that you have kicked him out?" asked the host doubtfully.

"Oh, Carrington has no shame where his own interests are concerned, Mallien," replied the Squire quietly. "He wants money, and is prepared to go to any lengths to get money. Let us get him to ourselves and force him to confess. Meanwhile, we will send Kit to Tarhaven for Lawson, and when the Inspector arrives we can have Carrington arrested. Do you understand?"

"Yes," said Mallien, in a rather subdued tone, for Rupert dominated him at the moment. "I shall write as you suggest, and you may be sure that I shall so word my letter as to trap the beast. What a scoundrel," cried Mallien in a state of virtuous anger, "to try and accuse me of a crime which he has committed himself."

"He looks after Number One, as other people do, Mallien."

"Self! Self! Everyone is eaten up with self, Rupert. No wonder I hate the human race. When I get the money, I shan't give anyone a single penny."

"Oh, I am aware of that," rejoined Hendle, contemptuously; "and I shouldn't throw stones at other people if I were you, seeing in what a glass house you live yourself, Mallien. Now don't argue, but do what I tell you. If you don't, I shall wash my hands of the whole affair, and leave you to extricate yourself as best you can."

Mallien grunted an assent and scowled as Rupert left the cottage. He was not in the least grateful for the help thus afforded, as he hated the idea of his cousin doing anything for him. Besides, being extraordinarily vain, Mallien never liked anyone to be sharper than himself. And Rupert had proved to be sharper, as he had so cleverly solved the mystery of the vicar's murder.

"You think you are a fine fellow, don't you?" growled Mallien, shaking his fist at the retreating form of his cousin; "but you won't get a penny out of me, and you shan't marry Dorinda if I can help it. I'm not going to have you crowing over me"; and thus grumbling ungratefully he retired to his room to write the letter which was to trap Carrington.

Meanwhile, Rupert returned toward The Big House through the village in the hope of meeting Dorinda. He came across her just near his own gates, and in a few words reported all that had taken place. The girl listened attentively, and when her lover mentioned some of Mallien's selfish speeches she looked pained.

"I wonder you do anything for my father," she said sadly.

"I don't do anything for him, dear. I do it for you. Besides," added Rupert with a shrug, "how can one be angry with a child--and a greedy child at that."

"Will you give up the property, Rupert?"

"I fear I shall have to, dear. However, we can discuss that matter when this question of Carrington's guilt is settled."

"Father shall do you justice, Rupert," said Dorinda determinedly. "I shall not allow him, if I possibly can prevent it, to leave you without a penny. And, then"--she broke off with a shrug--"well, it doesn't matter. As you say, we can talk of these matters later. Just now I have something to tell you Rupert. I met old Titus Ark."

"Yes!"

"You know that he was Mr. Leigh's shadow. Well, he tells me now that he was lurking about the Vicarage on the night of the murder and that he saw Mr. Carrington there."

"The deuce! Why didn't he say so before?"

Dorinda shook her head. "He refuses to say."

"I shall question him myself, then," said Hendle briskly; "anyhow, he will be a new and important witness. I am afraid Carrington's goose is cooked."

"Poor creature!" sighed Dorinda, always tender-hearted. "Oh, poor creature!"