Alban ran to meet her. She dropped on the grass before he could cross the short distance which separated them. As he raised her in his arms she looked at him wildly, and murmured and muttered in the vain attempt to speak. 'Look at me again,' he said. 'Don't you remember the man who had some talk with you to-day?' She still stared at him vacantly: he tried again. 'Don't you remember Miss Emily's friend?'
As the name passed his lips, her mind in some degree recovered its balance. 'Yes,' she said; 'Emily's friend; I'm glad I have met with Emily's friend.' She caught at Alban's arm—starting as if her own words had alarmed her. 'What am I talking about? Did I say 'Emily'? A servant ought to say 'Miss Emily.' My head swims. Am I going mad?'
Alban led her to one of the garden chairs. 'You're only a little frightened,' he said. 'Rest, and compose yourself.'
She looked over her shoulder toward the house. 'Not here! I've run away from a she-devil; I want to be out of sight. Further away, Mister—I don't know your name. Tell me your name; I won't trust you, unless you tell me your name!'
'Hush! hush! Call me Alban.'
'I never heard of such a name; I won't trust you.'
'You won't trust your friend, and Emily's friend? You don't mean that, I'm sure. Call me by my other name—call me 'Morris.''
'Morris?' she repeated. 'Ah, I've heard of people called 'Morris.' Look back! Your eyes are young—do you see her on the terrace?'
'There isn't a living soul to be seen anywhere.'
With one hand he raised her as he spoke—and with the other he took up the chair. In a minute more, they were out of sight of the house. He seated her so that she could rest her head against the trunk of a tree.
'What a good fellow!' the poor old creature said, admiring him; 'he knows how my head pains me. Don't stand up! You're a tall man. She might see you.'
'She can see nothing. Look at the trees behind us. Even the starlight doesn't get through them.'
Mrs. Ellmother was not satisfied yet. 'You take it coolly,' she said. 'Do you know who saw us together in the passage to-day? You good Morris,
In the shadows that were round them, Alban could just see that she was shaking her clinched fists in the air. He made another attempt to control her. 'Don't excite yourself! If she comes into the garden, she might hear you.'
The appeal to her fears had its effect.
'That's true,' she said, in lowered tones. A sudden distrust of him seized her the next moment. 'Who told me I was excited?' she burst out. 'It's you who are excited. Deny it if you dare; I begin to suspect you, Mr. Morris; I don't like your conduct. What has become of your pipe? I saw you put your pipe in your coat pocket. You did it when you set me down among the trees where
She started to her feet. It occurred to Alban that the speediest way of pacifying her might be by means of the pipe. Mere words would exercise no persuasive influence over that bewildered mind. Instant action, of some kind, would be far more likely to have the right effect. He put his pipe and his tobacco pouch into her hands, and so mastered her attention before he spoke.
'Do you know how to fill a man's pipe for him?' he asked.
'Haven't I filled my husband's pipe hundreds of times?' she answered sharply.
'Very well. Now do it for me.'
She took her chair again instantly, and filled the pipe. He lighted it, and seated himself on the grass, quietly smoking. 'Do you think I'm in league with her now?' he asked, purposely adopting the rough tone of a man in her own rank of life.
She answered him as she might have answered her husband, in the days of her unhappy marriage.
'Oh, don't gird at me, there's a good man! If I've been off my head for a minute or two, please not to notice me. It's cool and quiet here,' the poor woman said gratefully. 'Bless God for the darkness; there's something comforting in the darkness—along with a good man like you. Give me a word of advice. You are my friend in need. What am I to do? I daren't go back to the house!'
She was quiet enough now, to suggest the hope that she might be able to give Alban some information 'Were you with Miss de Sor,' he asked, 'before you came out here? What did she do to frighten you?'
There was no answer; Mrs. Ellmother had abruptly risen once more. 'Hush!' she whispered. 'Don't I hear somebody near us?'
Alban at once went back, along the winding path which they had followed. No creature was visible in the gardens or on the terrace. On returning, he found it impossible to use his eyes to any good purpose in the obscurity among the trees. He waited a while, listening intently. No sound was audible: there was not even air enough to stir the leaves.
As he returned to the place that he had left, the silence was broken by the chimes of the distant church clock, striking the three-quarters past ten.
Even that familiar sound jarred on Mrs. Ellmother's shattered nerves. In her state of mind and body, she was evidently at the mercy of any false alarm which might be raised by her own fears. Relieved of the feeling of distrust which had thus far troubled him, Alban sat down by her again—opened his match-box to relight his pipe—and changed his mind. Mrs. Ellmother had unconsciously warned him to be cautious.
For the first time, he thought it likely that the heat in the house might induce some of the inmates to try the cooler atmosphere in the grounds. If this happened, and if he continued to smoke, curiosity might tempt them to follow the scent of tobacco hanging on the stagnant air.
