the continued disappointment, which was no disappointment but only the fall of a fancy, a bubble of fond imagination in which there was no reality at all—happened once more, while these two ladies sat together and listened. and then the shadow of a man crossed the open window—a little man—who, not knowing he was seen, paused to wipe his bald head and recover his breath before he rang the bell at the open door. the house was all open, fearing nothing, the sunshine and atmosphere penetrating everywhere.
“it is mr somerville, my man of business. it will only be something about siller,” mrs ogilvy said in a low tone.
“i will go away, then,” said susie. she paused a little, holding her old friend’s hands. “and if it’s any comfort,” she said, “when you’re sitting alone and thinking, to mind that there is one not far away that is thinking too—and believing—{49}—”
“it is a comfort, susie—god bless you for it, my dear——”
“well, then, there are two of us,” she said, with a smile beaming out of the tearfulness of her face, “and it will be easier when this weary month is past.”
susie, in her fresh summer dress, with her sweet colour and her pleasant smile, met, as she went out, the old gentleman coming in. she did not know him, but gave him a little bow as she passed, with rural politeness and the kindness of nature. susie was not accustomed to pass any fellow-creature without a salutation. she knew every soul in the parish, and every soul in the parish knew her. she could not cross any one’s path without dropping, as it were, a flower of human kindness by the way, except, of course, when she was in edinburgh or any other large and conventional place, where she only thought her goodwill to all whom she met. the visitor, coming from that great capital and used to the reticences of town life, was delighted with this little civility. he seized his hat, pulling it once more off his bald head, and went into the hewan uncovered, as if he had been going into the presence of the queen. it gave him a little courage for his mission, which, to tell the truth, was not a very cheerful mission, nor one which he had undertaken with any alacrity. it was not that mrs ogilvy’s income had sustained any diminution, or that he had a tale of failing dividends and bad investments{50} to tell. what she had was invested in the soundest securities. it did not perhaps bring her in as much as would now be thought necessary; but it was as safe as the bank of england, and the bank of scotland, and the british linen company, all rolled into one. her income scarcely varied a pound year by year. there was very little for her man of business to do but to receive the modest dividends and send her the money as she required it. she would have nothing to do with banks and cheque-books. she liked always to have a little money in the house—but there was little necessity for frequent meetings between her and the manager of her affairs. he would sometimes come in on rare occasions when he had taken a long walk into the country: but mr somerville was not so young as he once had been, and took long walks no more. therefore she looked at him not with anxiety but with a little curiosity when he sat down beside her. she was far too polite to put, even into a look, the question, what may you be wanting? but it caused a little embarrassment between them for the first moment. she, however, was more at ease than he was—for she expected nothing more than some question or advice about money, and he knew that what he had to say was something of a much more troublous kind. this made him prolong a little the questions about health and the remarks on the weather which form the inevitable preliminaries of conversation with such old-fashioned{51} folk. when they had complimented each other on the beautiful season, and the young crops looking so well, and new vegetables so good and plentiful, there came a little pause again. mrs ogilvy was leaning back a little in her chair, very peaceful, fearing no blow, when the old gentleman, after clearing his throat a great many times, began—
“you will remember, mrs ogilvy—it is a thing you would be little likely to forget—a commission that you charged me with, in confidence—it is now a number of years ago——”
she raised herself suddenly in her chair, and drew a long breath. the expression of her countenance changed in a moment. she said nothing, nor was it necessary: her look, the changed pose of her person leaning towards him, her two hands clasped together on the arm of her chair, were enough.
“you must not expect too much, my dear lady—it is perhaps nothing at all, perhaps another person altogether; but at least, for the first time, it appears to me that it is something in the shape of a clue. i have been very cautious, according to your directions, but all the same i have made many inquiries: and none of them have ever come to anything.”
“i know, i know.”
“this, if there’s anything in it, is no credit of mine, it is pure accident.” mr somerville paused here to feel in his pockets for something. he tried{52} his breast-pocket, and his tail-pockets, and all the other mysterious places in which things can be hidden away. “i must have left it in my overcoat,” he said. “one moment, if you permit, and i’ll get it before i say more.”
mrs ogilvy made no movement, while she sat there and waited. she closed her eyes, and there came from the depths of her bosom a low sigh, which was something like the breath of patience concentrated and condensed. she was perfectly still when he went back again, full of apologies: after having made a great rustling and searching of pockets in the outer hall, he came back with a newspaper in his hand.
“we have a good deal of business with america,” he said. “i can scarcely tell you how it began. one of our clients had a son that went out, and got on very well in business, and one thing followed another; what with remittances home, and expenses out, and money for the starting of farms, and so forth,—and then being laid open to the temptation of american investments, which, as a rule, pay very well, and all our poor customers just give us no peace till we put their money on them. this makes it very necessary for us to know the state of the american stock market, and how this and that is going. you will not maybe quite understand, but so it is.”{53}
“i understand,” mrs ogilvy said.
“and this one, you see, was sent to us a day or two ago with this object. it’s from one of the towns in what’s called the wild west, just a ramshackle sort of a place, half built, and not a comfortable house in it. but they’ve got a newspaper, such as it is. and really valuable to us for the last week or two, showing the working of a great scheme.”
would the man never be done? he laid the newspaper across his knee, and pointed his words with little gestures made over it. a glance would have been enough to show her what it was. but no, let patience have its perfect work. by moments she closed her eyes not to see him, and spoke not a word.
“well, you see, the business of overlooking these american investments comes upon me; and i get a great many of their papers to glance at—trashy things, full of personal gossip, the most outrageous nonsense. i don’t often look beyond the share lists. but this morning, when i first came into the office, this thing was lying on my table. i had glanced at it, and taken what was of use in it yesterday. it’s just a wonder how it got there again. i gave another glance at it by pure chance, if you’ll believe me, as i slipped on my office-coat. and my eye was caught by a name. well, it was{54} only an alias, among a lot of others; but i’ve been told that away there in these wild places you can never tell which may be a man’s real name—as like as not the fifth or sixth alias in a long line.”
he looked up at her by chance, and it seemed to him as if his client had fainted. her face was drawn and perfectly white, the eyes half closed.
“bless me!” he cried, starting up; “it’s been more than she could bear. what can i do?—some water, or maybe ring the bell.”
he was about to do this when she caught him with one hand, and with the other pointed to the paper. something like “let me hear it,” came from her half-closed lips.
“that i will! that i will!” he cried. it was a relief that she could speak and see. he took up the paper, and was—how long—a year? of finding the place.
“it’s just this,” he said; “it’s an account of a broil in which some of those wild fellows got killed: and among the lot of them that was present, there was one, an englishman they say—but that’s nothing, for they call us all englishmen abroad. our fathers would never have stood it; but what can you do? it’s handiest when all’s said—an englishman that had been about a ranch, and had been a miner, and had been a coach-driver, and i don’t know all what; but this is his name, ‘jim smith, alias horse-breaking jim, alias james jones, alias bob{55} the devil, alias,’” here he held up his finger to arrest her attention, “‘robert ogilvy. it is suspected that the last may be his real name.’”
mrs ogilvy was incapable of speech. she signed for the paper, raising herself a little in her chair.
“that is just all there is: you would not understand the story. i’ve just carefully read it to you. well, madam, if you will have it.” the old gentleman was much disturbed. he let her take the paper because he could not resist it, and then he went of his own accord and rang the bell. “will ye bring a little wine, or even a drop of brandy?” he said, going to meet janet at the door, “if your mistress ever takes it. she has had a bit shock, and she’s not very well.”
she had got the paper in her hands. the touch of that real thing brought her back more or less to herself. she sat up and held it to the light, and read it every word. there was more of it than mr somerville had read. it was an account of a tumult at which murder had been done—no accident, but cold-blooded murder, and the names given were of men more or less involved. the last of these, perhaps, therefore, the least guilty, was this man of many names, robert ogilvy—oh, to see it there in such a record! the bonnie name, all breathing of youth and cheerful life, with the face of the fresh boy looking at her through {56}it!—robbie, her robbie, alias jim, alias bob, alias—— she clasped her hands together with the paper between them, and “o lord god!” she said, in tones wrung out of her very heart.
“just swallow this, swallow this, my dear lady; it will give you strength. she has had a bit shock. she will be better, better directly. just do everything you can for her, like a good woman. i was perhaps rash. but she’ll soon come to herself.”
“i am myself, mr somerville, i am not needing any of your brandy. i cannot bide the smell of it. janet, take it way. i have got some news that i will tell you after. mr somerville, i will have to take time to think of it. i cannot get it into my mind all at once.”
“no, no,” he said, soothingly, “it was not to be expected. i was too rash. i should have broken it to you more gently: a wee drop of wine, if you will not have the brandy?—though good spirit is always the best.”
“i want nothing,” she said; “just give me a moment to think.” and then out of that bitterness of death there came a low cry—“oh, his bonnie name, his bonnie name!”
“ay,” said the old gentleman, full of sympathy, “that is just what i thought—my old friend’s name, douce honest man! that never did anything to be ashamed of in all his days.”{57}
the blood came back to her face with a rush.
“and how can you tell,” she said, “whether there’s anything to be ashamed of there? you said yourself it was a wild place. they cannot be on their p’s and q’s as we are, choosing their company. i am a decent woman myself, and have been, as you say, all my days; but who could tell what kind of folk i might have got among had i been there?”
she rose up and began to walk about the room in sudden excitement. “he would interfere to help the weak one,” she said. “if there was a weak side, he would be upon that; he would be helping somebody. him—murder a man! you were his father’s friend, i know; but did you ever see robbie ogilvy, my son?—and, if not, man! how daur you speak, and speak of shame and my laddie together, to me?”
mr somerville was so taken by surprise that he could not find a word to say. “i thought,” he began—and then he stopped short. had not shame already been busy with robbie ogilvy’s name? but however much he had been in possession of his faculties and recollections, silence was the wiser way.
“there is one thing,” mrs ogilvy said; “if this be true, and if it be him—there will be a trial, and he will need defence. he must have the best defence, the best advocate. you will send somebody{58} out at once without losing a day. oh, i’m old, i’m weak, i’m an old woman that knows nothing! i’ve never been from home. but what is all that. what is all that to my robbie? i think, mr somerville, i will go myself.”
“you must not think of that,” he cried. “a wild unsettled country, and miles and miles, in all probability, to be done on horseback, and no certainty where to find him—if it is him—on one side of the continent or the other. for, you will see, none of them were taken. not the chief person, who will doubtless be a very different sort of person, nor—any of the others. they will all be away from that place like the lightning. they will not bide to be put through an interrogatory or stand their trial. i will tell you what i will do. i will write to our correspondents most particularly. i will bid them employ the sharpest fellow they can find about there to follow him and run him down.”
“run him down!” she cried, with a mixture of horror and indignation,—“my boy! you use words that are ill chosen and drive me out of my senses,” she added, with a certain dignity. “but you are well meaning, mr somerville, and not an injudicious person in business so far as i have seen. you will write to no correspondents. there must be sharp fellows here, and men that have been about the world. you will send one of them. if i go myself{59} or not, i will take a little time to think; but without losing a day or a moment you will send one of them.”
“it will be a great expense, mrs ogilvy—and the other way would be better. i might even cable to our correspondents: that means telegraph. it’s another of their new-fangled words.”
“the one need not hinder the other. you can do both. cable, as you call it——”
“it is very expensive,” he said.
“man!” cried mrs ogilvy, towering over him, “what am i caring about expense?—expense! when it’s him that is in question. it will be the quickest way. cable or telegraph, or whatever you call it; and since there’s nothing that can be done to-night, send the man wherever you may find him—to-morrow.”
“you go very fast,” he cried, panting as if for breath.
“and so would you, if it was your only son, your only child, that was in question. and i will think. i will perhaps set out to-morrow myself.”
“to-morrow is the sabbath-day,” said mr somerville, with an indescribable sensation of relief.
this damped mrs ogilvy’s spirit for the moment. “it’s not that i would be kept back by the sabbath-day,” she said; “for him that was the lord of the sabbath, he just did more on that day than any{60} other, healing and saving: and would he put it against me? oh no! i ken him too well for that. but since it’s not a lawful day for travelling, and there’s few trains and boats, send your cable to-night, mr somerville. let that be done at least, if it is the only thing we can do.”
“there will still be time; but i will have to hurry away,” said the old gentleman reluctantly, “to edinburgh by the next train.”
and then there ensued a struggle in the mind of the hostess, to whom hospitality was second nature. “i did not think of that; and you’ve had a hot journey out here, and nothing to refresh you. forgive me, that have been just wrapped up in my own concerns. you will stay and take—some dinner before you go back.”
“no, no,” he said; “it’s a terrible thing for you to refuse a dinner to a hungry man. you never did the like of that in your life before. but it’s best i should go. there’s a train in half an hour. i’ll take a glass of the wine you would not take, and i’ll be fresh again for my walk to the station. it’s not just so warm as it was.”
“you will stay to your dinner, mr somerville.”
“no; i could not swallow it, and you could not endure to see me eating it and losing time.”
“then andrew shall put in the pony, and drive you down to eskholm,” mrs ogilvy said. this{61} was a relief to her, in the unexampled contingency of sending a visitor unrefreshed from her house—a thing which perhaps had never happened in her life before.
she went out to her habitual place outside a little later, at her usual hour. she was not capable of saying anything to janet, who followed her wistfully, putting herself forward to bring out her mistress’s cushion, her footstool, her book, her knitting, one after another, always hoping to be told what mrs ogilvy had promised to tell her after. but not a word did her mistress say. she did not even sit down as she usually did, but walked about, quickly at first, then with gradually slackening steps, sometimes pausing to look round, sometimes stooping to throw away a withered leaf, but always resuming that restless walk which was so unlike her usual tranquillity. she had her hand pressed upon her side, as one might press a handkerchief upon a wound. and indeed she had the stroke of a sword in her heart, and the life-blood flowing. robert ogilvy, robbie ogilvy, the bonnie name! and after the silence of fifteen years to hear it now as in the ‘hue and cry,’ at the end of all that long string of awful nicknames. it was only now that she had full time to realise it all. yesterday at this time what would she not have given for any indication that he was living and where he was! she{62} would have said she could bear anything only to know that he was safe, and to have some clue by which he could be found. and now she had both, and a wound gaping in her heart that required both her hands to cover it, to prevent her life altogether from welling away. robert ogilvy, robert ogilvy—oh, his bonnie name!
after a while, her forces wearing out, she sat down in her usual place, but not with her usual patience and calm. was that what could be called an answer to her prayers?—the sudden revelation of her son, for whom she had cried to god for all these years night and day, in anguish and crime and danger? oh, was this an answer? her eyes wandered by habit to the landscape below and the road which she had watched so often, the white road, white with summer dust, upon which every passing figure showed. there was a passing figure now, walking slowly along as far as she could see. on another day she would have wondered who the man was. she took no interest in him now, but saw him pass and pass again as if it were the merest accident. it was not until she had seen him pass three or four times that her attention was roused. a big figure, not one she could identify with any of the usual passers-by, strangely clad, and carrying a cloak folded over one shoulder. a cloak? what could a man like that want with a cloak—an old-fashioned cumbrous thing. whatever{63} he wanted, he kept his face towards the hewan. sometimes he passed very slow, lingering at every step; sometimes very fast, as if he were pursued. other figures went and came—the farmers’ gigs, a few carriages of the gentry going home. it was late, though it was still so light. what was that man doing loitering always there? her attention was more and more drawn to the road. at last she saw that nobody except this one man was within sight, not a wheel audible, not a creature visible. the figure seemed to hesitate, and then all at once with a dart approached the gate, which swung at his touch. was he coming here? who was he? long, long had she watched and waited. was he coming home at last this june day,—this night of all nights? and who was he, who was he, the man that was coming? it will only be some person with a message—it will only be some gangrel person, mrs ogilvy said to herself.