Doctor Forenti

Front matter

a BY HENRY GRIMSHAWE Hontron DIGBY, LONG & CO., Publishers 24 Bouverie Street, Fleet Street, E.C. THIS WORK IS 2>e&lcate& BY KIND PERMISSION TO The Honourable PHILIP STANHOPE, M.P. CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. Galveston, ..... I II. A Visit to Houston, . . . 16 III. An Important Discovery, . 28 IV. The Return from Houston, . . 40 V. Clifton leaves Charleston, . . 54 VI. FORENTI AND GREEDLY, ... 68 VII. A Snake amongst the Flowers, . . 80 VIII. Poison, ..... 91 IX. Death of Priscilla, . . . 105 X. New Links, . . . . .118 XI. A Fishing Expedition, . . . 128 XII. Harry in Paris, .... 137 XIII. Barlen visits Forenti, . . 147 XIV. Barlen goes to Para, . . 158 XV. Barlen 's Fears, . . . .167 XVI. Sam to the Rescue, . . . 178 XVII. The Lost Ring, .... 193 XVIII. The Ring and the Diamonds, . . 207 XIX. Wedding Bells, ....

Chapter I Galveston

' Has the child come yet ? ' ' No, mas'r,' returned the old negro servant, who, a very few years before, had been made free by the war between the North and South, which put an end to slavery. ' Well, bring him to me as soon as he arrives.' Such were the words of Dr Forenti, who was practising as a physician in the beautiful city of Galveston. Galveston is a busy city, upon an island in the Gulf of Mexico, and is A joined to the continent of North America by a bridge two miles long. The orange and myrtle, the rose and richly-coloured blossoms of a tropical land, shower their wealth upon it. In the morning the air is heavy with the perfumes of the blossoms, and in the evening the light, to northern eyes, is intense and enchanting. A few steps would take one from an oleander grove to the shell-strewn beach.

One who had seen Venice would be instinctively reminded of that beautiful Italian city when crossing from the mainland of Texas to this island city of Galveston. There are evidences, near the Texan end of the bridge, which connects the city with the continent, that the war reached even to the very shores of the Gulf of Mexico. The island upon which Galveston is Galveston 3 situated is some thirty miles long, and a great part of it is altogether neglected. Cattle wander freely about. The ' strand ' is the chief business thoroughfare, and this has been twice destroyed by fire, but has again sprung up into a magni ficent thoroughfare. The heat in Galveston is never dis agreeably intense, for a cool breeze blows over the island both night and day, but the occasional outbreaks of yellow fever render many a midsummer memorable.

Whence it comes is a mystery ; yet there could not be imagined a more delightful seaside resort than Galveston during at least four months of the year. The time at which our story opened was February, and the air of a northern June fanned the waves. The residence of Dr Forenti was a spacious one, near the primitive-looking jail. From the balcony of the doctor's residence could be seen the common looking two-storey jail, surrounded by high walls garnished with glass set in cement. The jailer had just let the prisoners out of their oven-like cells, and there they were, a motley crew, white and black, young and old, male and female, stretched upon the scant grass, and half-a-dozen negroes, hideous in filth and rags, lolling at a distance. Close by was the Court-house, whence could frequently be seen legal-looking gentlemen furiously chewing tobacco.

It was just upon time for lunch that the negro servant came to tell his master of the arrival of the child for whom he had been inquiring. ' Bring him here, then,' said the doctor, sharply. 'Will I bring Auntie Moll as well?' 'Who's Auntie Moll?' Galveston 5 ' De ole nigger woman dat bin brung 'im, mas'r.' Yes, bring them both The old negro departed, and soon returned, followed by a little boy of three years of age, with beautiful curly hair and merry blue eyes, a direct con trast to his tall, dark-eyed, Italian uncle. In the boy's eyes could be seen nothing but candour, whilst in the almost jet black orbs of Dr Forenti there was a look of cunning and deceit. It needed but a very short inspection of the doctor's countenance to show that he would stop at no villainy, so that his own ends were served.

It was, then, to the tender mercies of this man that little Harry Coventry was committed before his mother's death. Marguerita Coventry was the younger sister of Dr Forenti. She had married an English merchant, who was travelling in Italy. They had then gone to re side in London, where Mr Coventry died shortly after the birth of their only child, leaving Marguerita and her child without a friend in England. The widow determined to go to Galveston where her brother resided. She died shortly after going out, leaving Dr Forenti, to be the guardian of her child. An ample fortune had been left for the child, the interest of which was to be used for his maintenance and education. In case the child should die before he came of age, the whole of the fortune was to pass to Dr Forenti. ' And so you are come to stay with your uncle ? ' said the doctor. ' I don't want to stay.' ' And why not ? ' ' I want mother.' ' But you will never see mother again.' Galveston 7 ' Yes I shall, because she said I should if I was a good boy.' 'You will stay with me until you see her again, won't you ? ' ' No ! ' said Harry, decidedly. ' You'll be quite happy here, Harry.' ' Mother said that I must always keep away from bad men ? ' ' That's right, my boy ; but you don't call me a bad man, do you ? ' ' Yes.' ' Why ? ' ' Because I once saw a picture of a bad man, who had killed another, and his eyes were like yours.' 'And now, you darkey,' said Forenti to Auntie Moll, ' when are you going away ? ' Auntie Moll said that her mistress had wished her to stay and nurse Master Harry.

Dr Forenti knew that this was right, and that unless he acted up to the pro visions of the will in this respect the old negress might make some trouble for him. ' You may take your young master away,' said the doctor. As soon as they were gone Forenti had a conversation with his elder sister, Priscilla Griffin, also the widow of an Englishman. Priscilla was now acting as her brother's housekeeper. ' What's to be done about this boy ? — I mean about his education.' ' Leave that to me,' said Priscilla. ' He has evidently taken a great dis like for me, already,' said Forenti. And that kind of thing cannot be permitted here.' 'I'll soon take that out of him. He shall learn to show proper respect to you and me.' Forenti knew perfectly well that he Galveston 9 had a reliable auxiliary in Priscilla Griffin, and although he had not as yet unfolded his designs to her, he felt sure that he could rely upon her aid.

Priscilla was a tall, gaunt woman of some forty-five years. She had never had any children of her own, and when she heard that her sister had given birth to a son, her jealousy knew no bounds. It may therefore be taken for granted that Harry Coventry would fare badly at her hands. The following morning, at breakfast, Dr Forenti opened up the subject of the boy's education to his sister Priscilla. ' I trust you'll begin at once to teach that boy his manners, Prissy.' ' I intend to commence this morning ; and it won't be my fault if I don't get the upper hand of him at once.' ' That's good ! Poor Marguerita has evidently spoiled him, but we must see that all that nonsense is taken out of him once for all.' ' Trust me,' said Priscilla. At this moment Harry was brought into the room, and placed at the table. 'Where shall I sit?' asked he. 'Sit?' cried Priscilla in astonishment. ' Why, boy, we cannot allow you to sit at table.' ' I always used to sit at table with mother,' said the boy. ' But you'll stand here,' said Priscilla.

Nothing was left for the poor little fellow but to obey ; and thus he stood there, eating his none too sumptuous meal in silence. ' I'm tired of standing, may I — ' ' Silence ! ' from Priscilla. The poor child burst into tears at this rebuke, and, child-like, between his sobs called for his mother. ' Oh, do come back to me, mother, I Galveston 11 am so unhappy, and uncle and auntie are so unkind ! ' As he did so, he turned his eyes towards heaven, where his old nurse, Auntie Moll, had told him his mother was. ' Leave the table, and go to Auntie Moll ! ' said Priscilla, severely. Harry was glad to escape, and soon he was happy in the company of his faithful old nurse. Well for him that he could so soon cast off his unhappiness, or his life at Dr Forenti's home would have been bitter indeed.

Presently however, the bell rang, and the servant was bidden to bring Harry to Priscilla's room. The light footsteps of the boy were soon heard bounding along the passage, beside the old negro servant. He had forgotten his trouble of the breakfast table, and was now chatting merrily as he went along. Thinking probably that he was going to his mother's room, the little, rosy-cheeked fellow suddenly burst open the door of his aunt's room, but his countenance dropped when he saw her standing there with an exceedingly severe countenance. ' Harry, Harry ! is this the way you have been taught to enter a room ? ' said she. 1 1 thought mother was here,' said the now frightened boy. ' You must learn, once for all, that your mother is dead, and that you will never see her again,' was the cruel response of the hardened woman.

The poor boy burst into a fit of un controllable sobbing, and as a punish ment for this he was bidden to stand in a corner of the room for the next half hour. At the end of the half-hour Aunt Galveston 13 Priscilla returned to the room and com menced her operations upon the brain of little Harry. She took her seat in an old-fashioned armchair, and called the boy to her. Harry came with hesitating steps towards where she sat, and when he was well within reach, she seized him somewhat roughly by the arm and drew him to wards her. ' Have you said your prayers this morn ing ? ' asked she. ' Yes, auntie. Did you ? ' ' Good gracious, boy ! Whoever taught you such manners ? ' ' I always said my prayers with my mother. I had no one to say them with me this morning.' ' You must do that for yourself.

I can't trouble about such things.' ' Now, let me see what you know.' Priscilla tried him with the alphabet and words of two or three letters, and found that he had a satisfactory know ledge of these, but when she tried to make him say his tables, that was another question. ' I have never done tables before,' pleaded the boy in extenuation of what his stern teacher evidently looked upon as a crime. ' So it seems, and more shame for those who have neglected it,' said she, never losing the opportunity of having a sneer at Harry's mother for her own satisfaction. ' Now, don't forget to say all this table for me to-morrow morning, or I shall have to punish you severely.' She then went on to show him how to learn his lesson. ' Twice one are two,' etc., and she went all through the table for the edification of the unhappy little figure by her side.

Harry was then dismissed for the day, Galveston 15 with strict injunctions to know his lesson by the next day, but the moment he was out of sight of his aunt, both she and the lessons dropped completely out of his mind. How could one expect otherwise, seeing that hitherto he had been reared in the lap of love and kind ness ? His first thought was to seek out Auntie Moll, who took him down to the beach to gather some of the beautiful shells which abound there as in hardly any other place.

Chapter II

A VISIT TO HOUSTON Harry Coventry had now been residing with Dr Forenti for about a month, and the rigorous treatment which he had re ceived at the hands of his uncle and aunt had told their tale upon his health. Day by day he gradually failed, and the merry laughter of the child had given way to drowsiness and disinclination for the games which he was won't to indulge in. Auntie Moll had noticed, with pain, that Harry's health had been failing for some time, and she had assiduously kept up the walks to the beach for the benefit of the cool, sea air; but she was at last obliged to give up. Priscilla also noticed, not without some anxiety, the state of the boy's health, and decided that it might be well to call in the assistance of a neighbouring doctor. This doctor, after carefully examining the boy, gave it as his decided opinion that he should be sent away from Gal veston for a complete change of air. ' I don't like the idea of his going away from here,' said Forenti to his sister, after the other doctor had gone. 1 What can't be cured, must be en dured,' said Priscilla, quietly. ' I do believe, Prissy, that you have taken to the boy.' ' Nothing of the kind ; but dislike him as I may, I do not care to stand pas sively by while he may be dying.' ' Ah ! ' said Forenti to himself, ' I thought I could have relied upon Priscilla more than this.

However, I must play my B cards carefully, and, after the boy gets away, I must try and bring her to my way of thinking.' Then aloud to his sister, 'Yes, Prissy, he had better be sent away as soon as possible. But who's going to take him ? ' ' It would be better for Moll to go with him, as she understands him so well.' 'Very well. Make your own arrange ments then,' said Forenti. Priscilla made arrangements for Auntie Moll and her little charge to visit Hous ton for a few weeks. It was the night of the next day when the two stepped from the cars, and went to the lodging which had been provided for them. The sky reminded one strongly of Italy. The stillness, the warmth, the delicious dreaminess, the delicate languor, were almost intoxicating. A faint breeze, with the slightest perfume in it, came through the window at which they sat resting after their fatiguing journey.

The magnolias seemed to bid them welcome ; the roses, the thick beds of the most fragrant blossoms, poured out their greeting. The Bayou, which leads from Galveston to Houston, overhung with lofty magnolias, could be seen from where they sat, and at the season when they blossom, it is possible to sail for miles along the channel with the rich fragrance of the queen flower wafting about one. 'I am so glad to be here with you, Auntie Moll,' said the child. ' Shall we always stay here ? ' ' No, Mas'r Harry, we soon go back,' said the nurse. ' I don't want to go back to Auntie Priscilla, she makes me unhappy.' ' Try to be good, Mas'r Harry, try to be good, an' mebbe Auntie Prissy '11 be good to you.' Harry made no reply to this ; but rest ing his head upon Auntie Moll's breast, he soon fell asleep.

The following morning they were un able to go out, as a very strong north wind swept down the streets. The ' Norther,' as it is familiarly called, seemed almost to threaten to tear off the housetops. Just before this outburst of wind the air was clear, and the sun was shining, although it was somewhat cold. This 'dry Norther' was the revulsion after the calm and sultry atmosphere of the previous night. Immense clouds ap peared in the north, and then the ' Norther ' himself — Upon the wings of mighty winds Came flying all abroad. To anyone with a stronger constitu tion than that of Harry Coventry, the wind would have been glorious and ex hilarating. After raging for a couple of hours the ' Norther ' was over. In that district, this wind is called the ' Physician ' of a malarious locality, purg ing them thoroughly from time to time.

Sometimes houses, trees and walls are blown down, and the beasts on the surrounding plains huddle together for safety. It is a matter for congratulation to find the coloured inhabitants of Houston — who, but a very short time previous to that of which we write, were sunk in that depravity which seemed to form so fundamental a part of the system of slavery — now peaceable and well-be haved, and even taking no small part in the government of the city where they dwell. On the second day after their arrival at Houston, Auntie Moll was able to take Harry into the city, and he was much amused by watching the differ ent phases of street-life, which indeed were interesting enough. There is the negro on his light cart, racing good-humouredly with others like himself, and the auctioneer's ' young man,' with a large bell and brazen voice, giving out the notices of the sales to be carried on by his employer.

Whilst walking along the streets one day, Auntie Moll espied her son, a creole of about sixteen years of age. He was employed at one of the rail road depots, or rather got employment where he could from immigrants, tourists or speculators, to carry their luggage or assist them in any way. He was coming up from the Bayon, carrying a bundle of magnolia blossom. His mother, Auntie Moll, at once recognised his saucy face, and embraced him with that somewhat rough, but none the less affectionate manner which was so prevalent amongst those of her own class. He was introduced to Harry as ' young Mas'r Harry,' and, by way of ingratiating himself, presented the ' young Mas'r ' with his bunch of blossom. A few days after the departure of Harry and his nurse from Galveston, Dr Forenti went to his sister's room with a letter which he had received from the lady with whom the child and nurse were staying in Houston.

It contained the intelligence that Harry was progressing very favourably, and was very happy. The writer also suggested that there should be no haste in recalling them to Galveston. ' The latter part of this does not seem very complimentary to you, Prissy.' * In what way? ' ' Now, Prissy, can you conscientiously say that the boy was happy here ? ' ' Far from it.' ' Good ! Now we are coming to the > point. ' Still, I don't understand you.' ' I think you do though,' said Forenti, with a cynical laugh. ' Drop this mystery, pray, and let me know your meaning.' ' You own that he was not happy here. Now, do you know the cause?' 'No!' 'Well, then, I'll tell you. This boy dislikes you as much as he can possibly do, and is glad to be away from you.' ' Allow me to return the compliment,' said Priscilla, with exasperation. ' I accept the impeachment, but I can hardly believe that you will be very kindly disposed towards him after this.' ' You know that I never have cared for him, and short of doing him personal injury, he will gain no favours from me.' ' Ah !

I see you have a soft corner in your heart still.' ' I hope I'm not stone.' Dr Forenti saw that the conversation was drifting away from the point at which he aimed, and so took another tack. ' Fancy, how wealthy we might have been, had it not been for this young life coming in the way,' said he. ' The boy can't help that.' ' Perhaps not, but he is far from strong, and I don't think he'll live long. He would miss a great deal of suffering were he to die early.' ' I trust he may live, although I must confess that his death would not break my heart.' ' Neither would it break mine. On the other hand, I should be able to give up a good deal of the more disagreeable part of my practice.' ' You are mercenary to the very core,' said Priscilla. 'And you would not object to a little of the "filthy lucre," would you ? ' ' I confess that a little more would be useful.' ' I thought so,' said Forenti, laughing.

The conversation dropped for the time being, but Forenti felt that by carefully harping upon the probability of wealth, he might in time bring Priscilla over to his way of thinking. The doctor, who had seen Harry Coventry before he was taken away, paid a visit to Houston, and saw his little patient. He found him in the company of Auntie Moll and her creole son Sam. He was very pleased with his progress and said that they would be able to return to Galveston at the end of the following week. Auntie Moll had heard before she left Galveston that Dr Forenti required a boy for the house and garden, and she now begged Harry's doctor to do his utmost to secure Sam's appointment to the post, taking care, however, that it should not be known that he was her son.

CHAPTER I

I I AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY On the day following the physician's visit to Harry, Auntie Moll took him out for his usual walk by the side of the Bayou, where Sam met them. It was Auntie Moll's delight to deck herself out in all her finery upon these occasions, and as she walked along one could almost imagine her saying to her self, by the manner in which she looked upon other negroes, — ' I'se a good deal better dan dem niggers, an' I knows a heap more'n dey do.' ' You's a clever boy, Sam,' said Auntie Moll. ' I know dat. It was borned in me ; so it's no kinder use to say dat dere.' ' I'se proud ob you.' ' Ef you isn't, you oughter be, mudder.' 'Tears to me, Sam, as missis can't trust me, an' keeps me 'way from Mas'r Harry at Galveston.' ' Do you fink Mas'r Fenti (Sam's pronunciation of Forenti) will hab me ? ' ' I'se 'opin' dat he will, for I wants you to watch 'em bofe.' Auntie Moll looked at her son, and fancied that he was not noticing what she said, so she began in an angry tone, — ' You jist wake up now, an' listen to what I'se sayin'.' ' I am listenin', mudder, I was jist finkin'.' ' What was you finkin' ? ' I was finkin' about watchin' Mas'r Fenti.' Yes, Sam, dey dun bofe want watchin', for I'se sure dey wants Mas'r Harry's I money. ' Is dey gwine to steal it ? ' ' Dat ain't it.

You's a big dunce. Dey want's to kill Mas'r Harry.' ' Oh, Lordie ! ' said Sam in amaze ment. ' I don't 'zactly see what dey wants to kilji 'im for. Dey can take de money from a little coon like dat widout killin' 'im.' ' You ain't smart. I want's you to see dat dey don't kill Mas'r Harry, but I'se feared you'll make a hash ob it.' ' Better make a " hash " ob it, dan do noffin' at all, and let dem kill Mas'r Harry. Dar ! ' ' Don't let Mas'r Fenti know you's my boy, Sam.' ' All right, dar ; you jist rest on dat. I'se fix it all in de splendidest way you's eber learn,' returned Sam with a knowing wink. Little Harry, who had been running about enjoying himself by the side of the Bayou, now came up and asked Sam to be his horse. ' Here I is, Mas'r Harry, put de reins on,' said Sam. ' I won't hurt you, Sam,' said Harry. ' I un'stan', Mas'r Harry.

Nobody but a nigger like Sam wouldn't un'stan' > you. Sam was in a most cheerful humour, and trotted about, and pranced to the intense delight of Harry, who held the reins. It was now time to return for their mid-day meal, but Harry would not part with Sam until he had extracted a promise that he would be his horse the next morning. In the evening, after Auntie Moll had seen her charge safely to bed, she opened one of the packages contain ing Harry's clothing, and in taking out some articles of clothing for the child's use on the morrow, she was surprised to see a long legal-looking document fall from the folds of one of the garments. Auntie Moll took up the paper, and examined it in every possible way, holding it at full arm's-length from her, and getting the light upon it in every direction, the poor creature became more and more mystified at every turn. ' I wonders what dis yer means,' said she.' Mas'r Harry hab not wore dese yer clothes since poor Missie Coventry died, so dat bin how Mas'r Fenti not know ob dis paper.

I'se can't read, but I'se b'lieve dat it bin somefin' dat good Missie Coventry means for Mas'r Harry. I'se show it to Sam in de mornin'. He bin a smart un, becos Missie Coventry pay de money for his eddication.' Thus saying, the good old nurse put the paper carefully away in her box, being fully convinced that if Harry's mother had intended it for the eyes of Dr Forenti she would not have been so careful, before her death, to have it thus wrapped up among his garments. Poor soul ! In her ignorance and simplicity Auntie Moll thought that there was no possibility of Harry's be longings being searched if Forenti or Priscilla had been so minded. Never theless, the fact remains that they had not done so, and thus the document had fallen into the hands of the good old negress. The following morning Harry woke up early, and was all anxiety for the time to arrive when he should be able again to put the reins on Sam, and c scamper and frolic about the banks of the Bayou.

The time at last arrived, and Auntie Moll and Harry went out as usual. The old nurse's mind, however, was full of anxiety with regard to the document which she now carried in her breast. She was confident that her creole son, who was so well ' eddicated,' would be able to unravel the mystery. Sam met them at the appointed place, and the old nurse requested her son to read the inscription on the back of the sealed document. Sam took the paper carefully in his hands, and read in a low voice, in tended only for the ears of his mother, the words, — 'To be opened when Henry Coventry attains the age of twenty-one.' ' I keep's dat dar paper,' said Auntie Moll. ' I ain't gwine to give it to Mas'r Fenti. It bin somefin' good for Mas'r Harry, and de pore chile shall hab it when he dun grow up.' ' Dat letter don't 'long to Mas'r Fenti, an' I says, keep it, mudder ! ' ' He ain't goin' to hab it from dis nigger,' said Auntie Moll, jokingly.

Dar is somefin' good in it for Mas'r Harry, an' I ain't goin' to hab it stealed away. The old negress replaced the paper securely within her breast, and Sam went off to fulfil his engagement with Mas'r Harry. The reins were soon about Sam's strong arms, and for the time being the matter of the document passed from the Creole's mind. In the afternoon, Sam, who was dis engaged, wandered into the picturesque market — a market which strongly re minded one of similar scenes in Spain or Italy. On the curbing of the sidewalk, and even on the stones in the middle of the square, dozens of negro women were seated before baskets containing vegetables or other goods of a trivial description. One venerable negress, whose weight might have been any where about two hundred and forty pounds, had her large chignon covered by a dilapidated beaver, and was smok ing a black-looking clay pipe.

Many of the younger women were clean and tidily dressed, and had folded back the huge flaps of their starched sun-bonnets, so that they seemed to imi tate the head-dresses of Italian maidens. There were plenty of coloured people, basket in hand, making their purchases, and going from one dealer to another, talking in high-pitched voices. After wandering aimlessly about the square for some time, Sam was return ing to his lodging, when he was tapped upon the shoulder from behind. He looked up quickly at the person who had thus followed him, and recognised in him an old acquaintance whom he would rather not have met. However, here he was, and he made the best of the situation. The new comer was a tall, thin man, with an air of shabby gentility about him. His demeanour was affable in the extreme, but there was a mysterious something in his dark eye, and in the grip of his hand, which instinctively told one that, though his skin was white, his heart was of the blackest hue. ' I'm glad I've met you, Sam,' said the man, whose name was Greedly, ' And I suppose you, too, are glad to meet an old friend.' 'No, I ain't dat neider, so dats clar,' said Sam. 'Well, never mind that, Sam.