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A SON OF ISHMAEL.
A SON OF ISHMAEL.
“I die before my work is completed,” he said; “but leave it to you.”— Frontispiece. A SON OF ISHMAEL A Novel BY L. T. MEADE AUTHOR OF “THE MEDICINE LADY,” “HEART OF GOLD,” “NOBODY’S NEIGHBOR,” ETC. NEW YORK NEW AMSTERDAM BOOK COMPANY 156 FIFTH AVENUE London—F. V. WHITE & CO. Copyright, 1896, by New Amsterdam Book Company...
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CHAPTER I. DR. FOLLETT’S SECRET
CHAPTER I. DR. FOLLETT’S SECRET
Not many years ago in the neighbourhood of Andover stood a lonely house, which went by the name of the Grange. It was enclosed in walled-in gardens, and people who passed by on the high road saw nothing of it. The house itself was squarely built—its windows were small, with old-fashioned latticed panes, and its thick walls were closely covered with ivy and other creepers of the hardy species. It was a lonely place, standing solitary and bleak all the year round, its sole inhabitants being an old
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CHAPTER II. HIS WILLING BRIDE.
CHAPTER II. HIS WILLING BRIDE.
Rowton left the house, clinking his spurs as he did so; Nancy listened to the sound he made with a beating heart. “Suppose father hears,” she thought; but then she remembered that the old man was lying in a state of stupor, which, in all probability, would end in death. He could not, therefore, hear. So far she was safe. Why did her father hate her lover? Why had he cursed the man whom she loved? Well, he was dying, and dead men were powerless to interfere with those who lived. Rowton’s strong w
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CHAPTER III. THE PACKET ON THE UPPER SHELF.
CHAPTER III. THE PACKET ON THE UPPER SHELF.
As Nancy seated herself on the edge of the bed, her face grew startlingly livid. “You cannot surely mean what you are saying, father,” she replied. “I mean,” said Dr. Follett in a steady and strong voice, “exactly what I say. I have failed to avenge your brother’s death; you must finish my work.” “I am sorry,” said Nancy. “I am sorry at an hour like this to have to refuse you anything, but I cannot do what you ask.” “I will not die until you promise,” replied the doctor. “For six years I have do
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CHAPTER IV. AT THE BUNGALOW.
CHAPTER IV. AT THE BUNGALOW.
Meanwhile Adrian Rowton had gone quickly back to the Bungalow. It was a truly bare and comfortless place. He kept only one servant, the rough-looking man who has been already described. Hearing his horse’s steps on the path outside, the man, Samson by name, came out to meet his master. He was a middle aged, strongly-built, square individual; his hair, which had once been red, was now turning to a grizzly grey; it grew thick on his low forehead and was cut very short, so short that it stood up li
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CHAPTER V. A WILD WOOER.
CHAPTER V. A WILD WOOER.
Instead of replying indignantly to her excited words, Rowton gave Nancy a long, attentive and very searching glance. “When did your father die?” he asked at last. “Towards morning. He had gone through a terrible night, but towards morning he dozed off and the nurse who was with him said he passed away in his sleep. He looked quite peaceful in the end; I think he trusted me fully.” “With his secret?” said Rowton. “Yes,” replied Nancy, “with his secret.” “And you think,” continued the young man, a
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CHAPTER VI. LONG JOHN.
CHAPTER VI. LONG JOHN.
When an hour later Rowton returned to the Bungalow, Samson met him in the porch. “Scrivener has come,” he said. “Scrivener! I did not expect him to-day,” said Rowton, a frown gathering between his thick brows. “He has come, sir, and he wants to see you; he is waiting in the dining-room. There is a good bit of excitement about him—I cannot tell what the news can be.” “Well, I’ll go to him,” said Rowton; “don’t keep me, Samson.” “When will you want the horse saddled, sir? You are going to catch th
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CHAPTER VII. THE WEDDING NIGHT.
CHAPTER VII. THE WEDDING NIGHT.
Adrian Rowton kept his word to the letter. His iron will seemed to bend all things to his wishes. Nancy Follett forgot her father’s dying injunctions. Long John in his lair in London remained passive. Samson did not dare to utter a word. Rowton went backwards and forwards day by day from London to Andover. The special licence was procured—the rector was asked to come to church to perform his duty; and on a certain dull morning early in December, when the snow lay on the ground and the world was
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CHAPTER VIII. AT THE OPERA HOUSE.
CHAPTER VIII. AT THE OPERA HOUSE.
The next day, true to his word, Rowton took Nancy to the shops. They went to the Bon Marché, and to many other places where finery the most fascinating, dresses the most bizarre , articles of toilet the most chic in the world, were to be found. Rowton consulted one of the shopwomen whose taste was supposed to be absolute: she brought out one costume after another and fitted them on Nancy, while her husband looked on and criticised and admired. Morning dresses, afternoon dresses, tea gowns, eveni
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CHAPTER IX. THE ROSE-COLOURED BEDROOM AND THE NEW MAID.
CHAPTER IX. THE ROSE-COLOURED BEDROOM AND THE NEW MAID.
The honeymoon was over; the four weeks all of pure gold had come slowly but surely to an end. Nancy had forgotten much during this time. The look of trouble, of anxiety, had absolutely left her face: it bloomed into greater and greater beauty in the new atmosphere. Rowton, too, appeared to be a different man. A great deal of his harshness and roughness had left him. He could be polished when he chose. In the early days of his life he had only associated with gentlemen; he was of good birth, and
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CHAPTER X. THE BOY ON THE HEARTH.
CHAPTER X. THE BOY ON THE HEARTH.
When Nance entered her drawing-room Rowton was waiting to receive her. He was standing by the hearth. A great fire burned in the grate. Nance, as she entered at the extreme further door, saw a picture which caused her to give an exclamation of fresh delight; she looked down a long vista of lovely furniture, of knick knacks, of small tables, of flowering plants which filled the air with a subtle perfume, and saw her husband’s noble figure in evening dress as he waited for her. She scarcely notice
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CHAPTER XI. THE QUEEN ANNE WING AND GARDEN.
CHAPTER XI. THE QUEEN ANNE WING AND GARDEN.
Nancy lay long awake that night. Her husband slept soundly by her side, but sleep seemed determined not to visit her; she was agitated, alarmed, depressed. All the glory of that summer moon through which she had lived had faded not only into autumn, but into winter. What were Adrian’s secrets? Why was he cruel to his own sister? What was the mystery which hung over him? The burden Nance had herself to carry was quite sufficiently heavy to daunt most women, but just at present she seemed to have
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CHAPTER XII. SILVER.
CHAPTER XII. SILVER.
These words had scarcely passed Rowton’s lips before he abruptly turned and saw a little man crossing the lawn to meet him. “Scrivener! by all that is unpleasant,” he muttered under his breath. He turned to Nancy who, very white and frightened, stood by his side. “Go into the house now,” he said; “go up to your room and unpack your things, or sit by the fire in the library and enjoy a right good read of one of the many novels which are scattered about. I want to speak to that man who is coming a
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CHAPTER XIII. LONG JOHN.
CHAPTER XIII. LONG JOHN.
Rowton nodded to one or two, and then going straight to the other end of the room, where a man was seated by a desk, bent down over him. “Here I am,” he said; “you have sent for me. I am in a great hurry, as I want to take an early train back to Pitstow. What’s up, Piper? Why did you require me to come in such a hurry?” The man addressed as Piper raised himself slowly and fixed two steady, luminous grey eyes on the speaker. He had an extraordinary face, with a certain marked power about it. The
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CHAPTER XIV. THE BUTLER’S PANTRY.
CHAPTER XIV. THE BUTLER’S PANTRY.
Nancy spent an almost sleepless night, and awoke the next day with a headache. She got up earlier than usual, and went downstairs. Murray was waiting for her in the hall—as usual, the boarhound, Roy, accompanied him. “Roy wants to make friends with you, auntie,” said the child. “Come, Roy, come forward, do allegiance.” The dog turned his eyes on the bright childish face, then he walked straight up to Nancy, lay down at full length at her feet, and tried to lick her shoe with his tongue. “There,
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CHAPTER XV. LEAH.
CHAPTER XV. LEAH.
Nance could read faces very quickly. “What is the matter?” she said, looking at her husband. He hesitated for a moment. It seemed cruel to tell her before Lady Georgina; but after all it might be the best way. “I was telling this good old friend of mine,” he said, “that I am obliged to leave Rowton Heights in a few minutes. I was asking her to be good to you during my absence.” Nance had a good deal of pride, and also much latent strength of character. Had Rowton given her this information when
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CHAPTER XVI. THE LADY IN THE WOOD.
CHAPTER XVI. THE LADY IN THE WOOD.
True to her promise Lady Georgina arrived at nine o’clock the following day to take Nance for a ride. They had an hour and a half of vigorous exercise, and Mrs. Rowton returned home with spirits raised in spite of herself. A letter from her husband awaited her—it was dated from a big London hotel and was written late the evening before. She seized it, opened it eagerly, and with eyes full of passionate love and anxiety, devoured the contents. The letter was short, and although every word breathe
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CHAPTER XVII. CROSSLEY.
CHAPTER XVII. CROSSLEY.
The woman whom Nance had seen the night before came forward with quick strides. “None of this folly, Mrs. Cameron,” she said in a powerful voice. “Leave that young lady alone this minute, or you know perfectly well what will happen. Now take my arm. You have disobeyed me and you know you must be punished.” The miserable creature seemed to shrink and collapse into herself. She gave Nance a piteous look. Nance’s kind heart was immediately touched. “Do not be hard on her,” she said, speaking to Lea
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CHAPTER XVIII. THE TORN LETTER AND THE MARK.
CHAPTER XVIII. THE TORN LETTER AND THE MARK.
Crossley heaved a sigh, took his handkerchief out of his pocket, wiped some drops of moisture from his brow, and then began to speak in a dry, business-like tone. “You know how very slight our clues have been up to the present?” he said after a pause. “Your brother was murdered in a café in Paris; murderer unknown; motive of the crime unknown. A man who is now in his grave appeared on the scene half-an-hour after the murder was committed. He found close to the body of the murdered man half a she
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CHAPTER XIX. THE SILVER SCHOOL.
CHAPTER XIX. THE SILVER SCHOOL.
About a month after the events recorded in the last chapter, some men who went by the name of the Silver School, or Mob, assembled for an important meeting. The Silver School had existed now for several years, doing its mysterious work effectually and quietly, and never exciting suspicion, except in the minds of certain individuals in New Scotland Yard. They had meeting places all over England, and not only in England, but also in many parts of the world. They knew each other by a certain code o
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CHAPTER XX. A BLACK DIAMOND.
CHAPTER XX. A BLACK DIAMOND.
Early the next morning Rowton returned home. Nance was standing in the garden when she suddenly saw her husband cross the lawn; he had walked over from Pitstow. Nancy, whose face was very pale, and under whose eyes were large black shadows, looked, when she suddenly beheld his face, as if a ray of the spring had got into her heart. She uttered an almost inarticulate cry of joy, and sprang into his arms. “At last,” she panted, “at last. Oh! how cruelly I have missed you.” “And I you, sweetheart,”
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CHAPTER XXI. THE RATS IN THE QUEEN ANNE WING.
CHAPTER XXI. THE RATS IN THE QUEEN ANNE WING.
The new footman’s name was Jacob Short. On his arrival he had specially requested that he might be called by his Christian name. Nance saw no objection to this. The man, to outward appearance, was harmless in every way. Unlike his name he was somewhat tall of stature—this was his ostensible reason for making the request that he might be called Jacob. “I am lanky and long and thin,” he said to the maids, “and when I am spoken to as Short, it’s like inviting you all to make fun of me.” He quickly
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CHAPTER XXII. THE MAN WITH THE MARK.
CHAPTER XXII. THE MAN WITH THE MARK.
The Rowtons now entered on a very gay time. They accepted every invitation which came to them. No night passed which did not find them either dining out or attending large evening receptions. The ball at Pitstow turned out an immense success, and Nance was the acknowledged belle of the occasion. She wore one of her most beautiful Paris dresses, which gave her all that diaphanous and somewhat cloudy appearance which best set off the delicate style of her beauty. Nance wore diamonds on this occasi
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CHAPTER XXIII. DAME ROWTON.
CHAPTER XXIII. DAME ROWTON.
Jacob Short returned the next day to Rowton Heights, and almost immediately afterwards the excitement and confusion incident to the great ball began. Many fresh servants were engaged for the occasion; a string band from London was secured; in short, no expense was spared to make the occasion a worthy one, and to render the ball as brilliant as possible. The old ball-room was too magnificent in itself to require much decoration. The carved oak, which covered it from ceiling to floor, was re-polis
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CHAPTER XXIV. THE BLACK DIAMOND AGAIN.
CHAPTER XXIV. THE BLACK DIAMOND AGAIN.
While Hester was busy dressing Nancy’s hair Lady Georgina seated herself near, and began chatting volubly as usual. “By the way,” she said, after a moment’s pause, “I am told there has been another robbery in the neighbourhood. The burglars broke into Belton Priory last night. Fortunately they were heard before they committed much mischief.” Nance listened to this information with somewhat languid interest, but Hester, who was sweeping some of her mistress’s beautiful hair over a high pillow, st
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CHAPTER XXV. KIDNAPPED.
CHAPTER XXV. KIDNAPPED.
The great house-warming at Rowton Heights was never forgotten by anyone who was present at it. The merry ball was not only remembered on account of the grand festivity itself, but because of that mystery and tragedy which immediately followed it. At the time it went, as Rowton had prophesied, without a single hitch. Rowton was now a king, and Nance was a queen. The king had come in for his own again, and the county rejoiced. Pretty Nance, or Dame Rowton, as the guests called her on account of he
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CHAPTER XXVI. A “PLANT.”
CHAPTER XXVI. A “PLANT.”
Until the daylight dawned in the far east the merry ball went on. Even with daylight the happy dancers were scarcely willing to give up such glorious fun; but the happiest times must come to an end, and at long length the sound of the last carriage wheels was heard to die away upon the gravel outside the old house. The guests who were staying in the house retired to their various rooms, and Nance, Lady Georgina, and Rowton found themselves for a moment alone together. “I am dead tired, of course
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CHAPTER XXVII. INVISIBLE INK.
CHAPTER XXVII. INVISIBLE INK.
Nance left the room. The moment she closed the door behind her the master of the Heights went straight to his desk. His brow was like thunder; his face was white with an awful grey shadow over it. “Long John has gone one step too far,” he muttered. “The robbery was planned and carried out to perfection. It was done as a blind, and as a blind it will succeed admirably; but this—this blow was aimed at me. I have threatened to throw up the sponge. If I do, it will mean so much that all will be up w
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CHAPTER XXVIII. HESTER.
CHAPTER XXVIII. HESTER.
Jacob witnessed the parting between his master and mistress in the great hall of the old house. Without apparently noticing anything, he yet saw with vivid distinctness the queer grey pallor on Adrian Rowton’s face; he noticed how Nance bit her lips, how tightly her hands were locked together; he saw a look in her eyes which touched him in spite of himself. The look was one of agony. As Nance bade a voiceless good-bye to her husband, her soul seemed to look straight into his. Jacob saw it all wi
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CHAPTER XXIX. “CALL ME DAWSON.”
CHAPTER XXIX. “CALL ME DAWSON.”
Scrivener walked down a narrow winding path, and Hester followed him. They presently found themselves under some oak trees in a little dingle, where they were completely sheltered from view. Hester stood up to her knees in undergrowth, but Scrivener, supporting himself against the trunk of one of the trees, twisted his arm round a lower branch, and so raised himself out of the brushwood. In this position he could look down on the pale and trembling girl. Hester’s agitated face showed distinctly
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CHAPTER XXX. MRS. LARKINS.
CHAPTER XXX. MRS. LARKINS.
George Morton, of ⸺, Redcliffe Square, was supposed by his many friends to be a retired solicitor. He was a man who lived in a comfortable and respectable way, who gave largely to charities, who was a good Church member, an affectionate father, and a kind husband. He was much respected and looked up to in the neighbourhood, and no one would suspect him of having anything to do with that disgraceful thing, an alias. Nevertheless, Long John, of the Silver School, and George Morton, of Redcliffe Sq
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CHAPTER XXXI. A SUMMONS.
CHAPTER XXXI. A SUMMONS.
Nance received Crossley’s letter about noon on the following day. Lady Georgina was, of course, still with her. Nance and this lady were standing by the drawing-room window when Jacob brought in the letter. Before he left the room, he perceived the death like hue which spread over his young mistress’s face. “When all is said and done, mine is an odious calling,” he muttered to himself. He went straight to the housekeeper’s room. “Mrs. Ferguson,” he said, “even at the risk of incurring your displ
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CHAPTER XXXII. A RED TRACK.
CHAPTER XXXII. A RED TRACK.
When the train arrived at King’s Cross, Crossley was waiting on the platform. A quick glance showed him Nancy’s pale face in the window of a first-class compartment. He went forward to meet her. “Thank you for answering my letter so promptly, Mrs. Rowton,” he said. “I have a carriage outside; may I take you at once to my house?” At this moment Lady Georgina touched Nancy on the arm. “Introduce me to the gentleman,” she said. “Mr. Crossley, Lady Georgina Strong,” said Nance. Crossley bowed. Lady
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CHAPTER XXXIII. “IF NOT, LIE TO HIM.”
CHAPTER XXXIII. “IF NOT, LIE TO HIM.”
When Long John arrived at the club in the street off the Chelsea Embankment he found several members of the School waiting to receive him. They were all assembled in a large room on the first floor of the house. As usual, they were smoking, and as the chief entered the dense smell of reeking tobacco filled the air. Scrivener was amongst the men present. He looked pale and excited. The other members of the School wore their habitual expressions, some of surly indifference, some of bravado, not a
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CHAPTER XXXIV. A TOAST.
CHAPTER XXXIV. A TOAST.
Absorbed in his own disturbed thoughts, Rowton never knew that he was followed. Simpkins saw him enter the little hotel off the Strand which has been mentioned in an earlier part of this story. At an early hour on the following morning, as Rowton was having breakfast in the coffee room, Scrivener was announced. The landlord brought in the information. “There’s a man of the name of Dawson outside,” he said to Rowton, “he’ll be glad to speak to you for a minute.” “Show him in,” said Rowton, noddin
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CHAPTER XXXV. WAGES.
CHAPTER XXXV. WAGES.
The moment Rowton spoke Long John rapped his hand loudly on the board. He rose and spoke in a clear and penetrating voice. “Silence, men,” he said, “I have something to say.” Every tongue was instantly arrested. “I wish to state a fact,” continued Long John, just glancing for a moment at Rowton, who, white to his lips, was standing near. “Our gentleman leader, Adrian Rowton, of Rowton Heights, in Yorkshire, otherwise known to this school by the name of Silver, has been in debt to us to the tune
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CHAPTER XXXVI. THE DARKNESS BEFORE THE DAWN.
CHAPTER XXXVI. THE DARKNESS BEFORE THE DAWN.
Nance fell on her knees by the dying man. She took one of his cold hands in hers. “Little woman,” said Rowton. “Come close to me, Nance,” he continued in an almost inaudible whisper; “hold my hand tighter—I cannot feel your clasp.” She put both her hands round it, fondling it close to her breast. “Are we alone, Nancy?” “Yes, darling, quite alone.” “That is—good. I have much to say to you.” “Darling, don’t talk if it gives you pain. I can guess your thoughts, I know you so well.” “Heavens! She kn
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