Bright Arrows (20 page)

The matron worked fast. She got the whole force on the job at once, and then she went back to get those trays ready for the hungry prisoners and take out the rest of the corn bread before it was burned to a crisp. As the whole force was on the job she had no doubt but the fugitive would soon be found. She simply couldn't have got far away. But she knew, too, that her own time of reckoning would come. Oh, what a fool she had been! To trust that sly woman! Of course she was not glad to stay. She must have been watching every moment for a chance to get away. She with her son at large and both of them now free to carry on their machinations. She recalled suddenly that some of the police force thought that the message from the child asking for red beads might have been a communication from the son, and now she was convinced it was, for she recalled the look in the woman's face when she showed it to her, so furtive. The matron was in sore trouble now lest she was going to lose her own job. It had been an easy one in a way, and one that she could not afford to lose.

And so for the second time Mike came to the Thurston home with his crew and got permission to look around the house for any possible hiding place. A few minutes later Mr. Worden was notified and promptly sent his right-hand man, Lance Lorrimer, over to spend the evening with Eden and keep her from finding out what had occurred, or at least keep her from worrying if it became necessary to tell her.

Eden had been with Tabor, reading a bit of the news and his evening chapter to him, and she came to meet her guest with a shining face, aglow from Tabor's daily thanks for her kindness. It seemed a happy time. And now to have Mr. Lorrimer come and settle down as if he were going to stay awhile made her feel very glad.

He took both her hands in his two hands as he greeted her, and held them for just a second as if he, too, were glad, and smiled, deep into her eyes.

"Do you mind my coming just to see you?" he asked, almost shyly.

"Oh, did you do that really,
just
to see me? How wonderful! I can't think of anything nicer you could do to please me," she said, with that ripple of welcoming joy in her voice that sounded so genuine. "And you won't hurry right off somewhere in a few minutes, this time, will you? You're always so busy, and a lot of stupid other people always have so very much time to stay and bore me."

He smiled.

"Why, I thought you had a lot of wonderful friends," he said, studying her face wistfully. "They said some came down from New York, old friends."

Eden laughed.

"Now, where did you get that gossip? Surely you haven't been interviewing the kitchen maids?"

He laughed.

"Why, if I remember rightly, it came to Mr. Worden through Mike, who, I think, did get it from your own kitchen perhaps. I don't know that I would exactly call it gossip!"

"Why, no, of course not," she laughed. "Well, it was pleasant seeing them, but that was all. That has nothing to do with my being glad to see you. You see, there is one difference. You talk about real things and they talk about frills and nonsense. Yet, of course, they are very nice people, and I like them a lot. But there is another thing, too: you understand about Tabor and are in sympathy with him, and all my other friends keep pitying me for having him in the house while he is getting well. They think I ought to send him to a hospital or a nursing home or something! 'Only a
servant
!' they say with a sneer, and that makes me wild. They don't know what he's always been to all of us. But you have seemed to understand. Even Mr. Worden understands a little, I think, for he has never suggested that I send Tabor away. Of course, I wouldn't, even if he had."

"Yes," said Lorrimer with a light in his eyes. "I understand, and I think your feelings in the matter are beautiful. And I am sure that from what little I know of your wonderful father, he would have understood, too. Perhaps he knows now and is pleased."

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear you say so," she said eagerly. "I was almost sure you understood."

"Thank you for understanding me so well," said the young man, smiling. "And by the way, how is Tabor tonight?"

"Oh, he is getting well rapidly now, the doctor says, and he seems so happy. The doctor says it has made a big difference having him here. That Tabor would have been very lonely and despairing if he had been taken away. He knows he is getting old, and I'm afraid he has been feeling that his time of usefulness is almost past. I couldn't have stood it to have him go away, and I know he is being cared for as well as he could possibly be in a hospital. We have a wonderful nurse and doctor, and it isn't as if we need any equipment that we could not easily procure."

"I am so glad you feel that way," said Lorrimer. "Do you know, it was that in you that first made me feel you were different from other girls? You were more kindly and thoughtful, more loyal to those who were devoted to you."

Eden's face glowed with this bit of praise.

"It is good to hear you say that," she admitted shyly, "because so many have talked another way and almost made me hate them, only I knew they didn't understand."

Then just at that point Janet came to the door, with her deprecating air that she had to interrupt.

"Miss Eden," she said, "sorry to interrupt, but Tabor was wantin' tae know if that was Mr. Lorrimer in here, and if so, might he be seein' him for a wee while. He'll not keep him ower lang."

"Why, yes, of course," said Eden. "Mr. Lorrimer, you asked about Tabor, and now he wants to see you. Do you mind?"

"Of course not," said the young man, springing up. "You'll excuse me for a few minutes, Eden?"

"Of course," she said and started to go with him then stepped back as she saw Janet wanted to speak to her.

"That's all right," said Lorrimer. "I know the way to Tabor's room." And he hurried down the hall.

"Ye'll be needin' a tray in a wee while?" Janet asked in a low tone. "Anything special ye'll be wanting?"

"Oh, I'll leave that to you, Janet. Your trays are always grand! But, Janet, wasn't there somebody else in to see Tabor? I thought I heard another voice. Had I better go and see? Tabor mustn't have too much company at once."

"It's joost Mike drapped in fer a chat. Tabor's all richt! Better let thim have their talk, Miss Eden."

Eden gave a quick suspicious look at Janet. She was well acquainted with her tone of voice whenever Janet was trying to evade a question, so she spoke quickly:

"Has something happened, Janet? What is Mike here for? He ought not to worry Tabor. The doctor said we must keep him quiet."

"Tabor's all richt!" said Janet quickly, an anxious smile in her eyes.

"I must go and see," said Eden, and in spite of Janet's earnest "No, no, Miss Eden, best leave thim talk alane," she hurried out into the hall and down to the far door where Tabor lay. She appeared just in time to hear Mike say: "I think she oughtta be told, Mr. Lorrimer. She's a sensible lady, and she'll be much safer if she knows all. She should stay in the house, which will be well guarded until we can locate the old un. No tellin' what that bird might not try if she's desperate, an' I think she is. Of course, we'll put a strong guard around the place tonight."

Then there was Eden standing at the door and facing Mike.

"Yes? What is it, Mike, that I ought to be told? You tell me. I won't mind what it is. I know you folks will take care of me."

"Yes, my lady," put in Tabor's voice most earnestly, with all the quaver gone and a look as if he were going to get right up and guard her. "You mustn't go out of the house until Mike says it's safe, Miss Eden! And that's straight! You needn't get worried."

"Of course, Tabor," said Eden quickly. "I'll do what I'm told, but I'm not worried. Now what is it all about, Mike?" She looked directly at the embarrassed policeman, who hadn't an idea she had been within hearing while he was talking.

"Why, beggin' yer pardon, miss, it's just that the old un played her cards well with our matron, and she's got out again, an' we don't know but she might come this way. We're not lettin' you out of our sight till we're sure where she is."

"Oh!" said Eden, looking startled, and then regaining her composure. "But she won't come this way again. At least, I don't think so. She won't take the same chance twice."

"But she might, that," said Mike gruffly. "She knows there was clothes hangin' in that there toolshed. She might take a chance to see if they is there yet. Ya see, she has only prison clothes and knows they might be noticed. She has got only what she had on when she got away, the matron's apron an' her own dress. We know what to watch for, unless she can get a change. She did take the blanket off the grocery boy's delivery truck. She might wrap that around her, but she'd likely take any chance to get those clothes she hid behind the last time."

"Well, maybe," said Eden, looking thoughtfully at Mike. "But, really, I think we ought not to stand here in Tabor's room talking. The doctor said I was to be very careful that he didn't get excited."

"The doctor knows we're here, Miss Eden," explained Mike. "He knew we needed to ask Tabor some questions, and he said we might come."

"Oh," said Eden, looking from one to another of the men. "That's all right, then, I suppose. Have you asked your questions?"

"Yes, Miss Thurston, we found out all we need to know about the one that stabbed Tabor, and he saw the old un take refuge in the toolhouse the last time. He tried to stop her. That's how Tabor got hurt."

"All right," said Eden cheerfully. "I'm sorry you had to be dragged into this, but I think we ought to get right out and let Tabor go to sleep. It's past his sleeping time now, isn't it, Nurse?"--to the nurse who had entered with a worried look, and she nodded in answer to Eden's question.

"Well then, we'll say good night and go. Tabor, you needn't worry about me. I'll do just what Mike and Mr. Lorrimer tell me I ought to do; and if I have to go out anywhere, I'll take somebody with me, but I won't go until Mike says I can. And now, Tabor, you and I will remember that verse we read tonight, 'The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.' Just rest on that, Tabor." And Eden gave the old servant's hand a little pat, and a smile, and led the others away.

They all came out following her as if they had been attending some kind of religious service, and even the policeman walked more softly, spoke in a lower tone to Lorrimer, and kept his anxious gaze downward.

Lorrimer and Mike lingered by the side doorway for a minute or two while Mike outlined the plan of defense and jotted down one or two directions that seemed important. Then Lorrimer came back to Eden in the living room.

"Too bad we have to have that interruption in our pleasant evening," said the young man as they sat down again, with a graver expression on his face than when he had left the room a few minutes before.

"It's all right," said Eden quietly, with a faint smile. "Somehow I've felt all along that we were not through with this business yet. I'm not surprised at anything. But I certainly am glad you were here."

"So am I," said the young man with a tender smile. "But you certainly are a brave girl. Most young women I know would be terribly upset by finding all this out. They told me not to let you know what was going on. They sent for me to make sure I would understand in case we heard shots or footsteps walking around the house, and it doesn't seem to worry you at all."
"Well, why should I be worried with so many good friends to guard me? I realize, of course, that Mrs. Fane is an unscrupulous woman, and rather desperate, and wouldn't stop at anything if she were cornered. But I think she is a coward. Perhaps I'm wrong, but she wouldn't do anything wild like shooting somebody, or kidnapping, unless she was very sure she could get away with it. I think her role is to act like a wealthy woman who was doing a kindly deed. At least, that is the way she made her approach here when she arrived."

"Yes," said Lorrimer thoughtfully, "that may be the way she makes her approach, innocent and kindly, but I wouldn't be too sure she isn't familiar with the ways of guns and the like. So please just act as if you know she were the worst criminal living. That will make it easier for the rest of us."

"Oh, I will," said Eden earnestly. "It is wonderful to be taken care of again. But I'm not afraid, truly."

"Well, of course, it is grand to have courage, but remember we are taking no chances on just courage."

He gave her a smile that made her heart feel all warm and happy, and her face grew bright with a grateful smile of her own.

"Now," he said as he drew up two chairs in front of the fire, "where is that poem you promised last week you would read to me? I've been looking forward to hearing it ever since."

"I'll get it," said Eden, turning to the bookcase between the windows and selecting a bright volume with leaves that looked as if they had had much use.

She turned to the old lovely words:

 

"Where the quiet-coloured end of evening smiles,

Miles and miles,

On the solitary pastures where our sheep

Half-asleep

Tinkle homeward thro' the twilight, stray or stop

As they crop--

Was the sight once of a city great and gay,

(So they say). . .

Held his court in, gathered councils, wielding far

Peace or war."

 

And so they were off to a pleasant enjoyment and discussion of Browning.

When she had finished the reading, his eyes showed his appreciation.

"Yes, I had read the poem long ago," he said, "but you have made it live again and painted the picture of that colored evening as I never conceived it before. And, too, it gives such a broad outlook on the world, going on through the centuries, doing all the things we are doing today, building cities, enjoying happy times, living, sinning, fighting, loving as we do now, and dying. It makes the world seem so small after all, to think how many years it has been going on and yet our thoughts and impulses are much the same. Still the old Adam cropping up and bringing on wars."