Mr. Bryant's Mistake

Front matter

MR. BRYANT'S MISTAKE ME. BKYANT'S MISTAKE BY KATHARINE WYLDE AUTHOR OF 'A DREAMER,' 'AN ILL-REGULATED MIND,' ETC. IN THREE VOLUMES— VOL. Ill LONDON RICHARD BENTLEY & SON, NEW BURLINGTON ST. publisfjcts in ©rtinarg to pjet Ætejertjj tfjc ©u«n ' God help us and enlighten us for the future, that we may not stand in our own way so much, but may have clear notions of the consequences of things. ' CONTENTS

PART IX PAOE

An Extinct Volcano ...... 1

Chapter I

' I won't think,' Nannie told herself again next day ; and really she did not think very much. She went about like a thing in a dream, conscious of a never ceasing ache in her heart, but not probing it ; another person from the resolute girl she had been yester day. She could hardly believe she was not a phantom, while her real self was sitting docilely at Faverton by Maria's side — Maria, who no doubt was in a dreadful fright, even though unaware that her charge had run away in a carriage with a blush ing young clergyman. ' I don't care ! ' thought Nannie ; ' it won't hurt her to be anxious a little while. I have been anxious too, and I am alive still and very healthy. To-morrow I will write.' To-morrow. Nannie was still disposed to defer everything till to-morrow. She heard in the morn ing of Mr. Randle's death, but the pain of bereavement had not come to her yet ; rather she had a shocked feeling of relief.

How could she have met him again now she knew she was not his daughter ? To-morrow she would go to John and learn about it. She could not meet John to-day. And to-morrow — she must find some way of giving his ring back to Sir Vincent. Ah no ! she could not give it up to-day ! She was too sad to day. And to-morrow, perhaps, she would have another message to send with it — a message to tell him — ' Ah ! ' sighed Nannie, ' he will understand that I had to do it. The ring must go back, and without one word, one look — only not to-day, not to-day.' And it came to pass that, unseen, Nannie saw him when he was standing outside Tanswick station, talking to Mrs. Bryant and Georgina. Nannie had been wandering about, trying to get some authentic tidings of Alick, and now she had strayed to Tans wick.

There were trees about the station, and Nannie hid among them and looked hungrily upon the man she loved, and whom she was giving up for ever. Her eyes filled, for she was lonely and miser able. Mrs. Bryant, who was not, it seemed, a good woman, might talk to him on equal terms, and shake his hand ; and her rival might smile up in his face unreproved, while she herself, whose lips he had often kissed, was cowering away from his sight, and would never feel the touch of his dear hand again. And then Georgina jumped out of the pony carriage, and she and Vincent disappeared into the station together. Nannie felt her heart tighten suddenly. ' Yes,' she said to herself, ' the ring must go back. It is all quite over and done with, and she can do more for him than ever I could. And he — perhaps he has had to do it.' For she had caught a glimpse of her lover's face, and she saw, alas ! only too clearly, that, looking at Georgina (who was all love and pleading, poor thing, as any one could see) there was none of the rapture, the tender ness, the joy unspeakable, which she had known in his smile when he had gazed at herself. ' He looked at her,' said Nannie, with a great sob, ' as I shall look at Alick — as I shall look at Alick ! ' Much later on the same day, when she had achieved nothing, and could hardly endure herself for weariness and grief, Nannie was still lingering about the cliffs, watching the fall of the twilight, and wondering at the traces of the storm.

She had not in the morning visited that horrible precipice where she had last seen Alick ; but a spirit in her listless feet turned her thitherward now, and with a sort of dreary pleasure in reviving hateful emotions that at least might waken her from the ' wan and heartless mood ' into which she had fallen now. ' If I could even be angry with Alick as I was then ! ' she said to herself. But it was not to be angry with Alick that Nannie had come hither to-day. ' My God, my God ! ' said the girl, with a little cry, carried away by the blast unheard into the falling gloom, ' Alick is there ! ' It had come suddenly at the last, the moment she had been expecting; for which she had given up lover, and home, and brethren, her hope, and her happiness. She had found Alick ; and she knew only too well what significance the fact would have for him.

He was there on the dangerous, narrow, little path below Dr. Verrill's house, overhanging the sea. And a great repugnance and a great fear overpowered her ; she turned to flee noiselessly and unperceived by the man she had come to save. At any moment AUck might see her, and there would be no escape. She looked round, but no one was in sight. She had cut herself adrift from her lover ; had given him no knowledge of her extremity. No rescue that was not too late could reach her now. Vincent was not there ; nor any one. Nannie crushed herself against the rock, and looked fearfully at Alick again. "Why was he there on the edge of the cliff where it overhung a boiling flood lashed to fury by the barrier which the crumbling rock still offered to its advance ? A fall there meant death. It had been death to Dick Boulter's lass long ago ; it had near been death to Nannie herself not many days since.

Such things were done at Everwell ; the place was handy for drowning folk ! Nannie did not know the part that overhanging precipice had long played in Alick's unbalanced imagination ; but she realised at once that now, leaning over, his arms extended, his head thrown back, his eyes closed, he was at this moment in danger. Had not Nannie feared that deserted, despairing, distraught, his conscience seared and his courage gone, Alick was the man to destroy himself for grief ? Thank God — oh, thank God, she had come in time ! Yet what to do ? How to rescue without startling him out of all self-possession into the very evil she sought to avert ? She could not tell what was going on in his mind — what thoughts he was thinking of herself even. ' He may hate me — think me a curse. If I call, if he sees me, he may flee, he may slip — and there on the cliffs edge — Oh, God, I should throw myself after him.

I should not be able to bear it !' Nannie crushed herself back into the shadow where he could not see her without coming away a httle from the precipice. Her limbs were quivering, and she was white as any leaf ; but she steadied her lips, and with voice harsh indeed but true and clear, she sang the first thing that came into her head — ' My Father's house on high, Home of my soul, how near, At times, to faith's far-seeing eye Thy golden gates appear ! ' Alick moved his head. He had heard and re cognised the song — the voice perhaps. He was listening. Nannie sang on, gaining confidence — ' Here in the body pent, Absent from Thee I roam ; Yet nightly pitch my moving tent, A day's march nearer home.' The songs of Zion had become memories to Alick ; the golden gates a dream, the body a dungeon of torment.

With a long heart-piercing groan, his arms crossed upon his breast, he sank on his knees to listen. Nannie could see his face now — worn and wasted, his eyes lost in dark caverns. She sang again, her voice stronger and sweeter now — ' For ever with the Lord ! Amen, so let it be : Life from the dead is in that word, 'Tis immortality.' And again the sweet, sad refrain, with its yearning repetition at the close — ' Nearer home ! A day's march nearer home ! ' ' Nannie !' said Alick, in a soundless voice, which yet reached her somehow. She moved a little, detaching herself from the shadow, her hands held out and a welcoming smile in her soft eyes — an angel of healing and hope. ' Are you there, Alick ? Did you hear me sing ing our dear old hymn ? ' He came to her then. Nannie took his hands in hers and led him to the quiet shadow.

She sat on a low rock, and he sank at her feet, his hand still in hers. And for long neither of them spoke. The waves plashed sullenly at the foot of the rocks, and Nannie could see the fishing-boats putting out to sea under the wild clouds of a doubtful evening. After a time Alick stirred a little and let her see his face, already more natural in expression and hue. She smiled down at him. ' Hast thou forgiven me, Nannie ? ' asked Alick. ' Ay, dear lad,' said Nannie, all except that suffering face receding from her memory. ' Art thou my lassie ? ' he questioned, hesitat ingly, but with a flush coming on his cheek and a flickering light in his dull eyes. 'Ay,' said Nannie. He raised himself on his elbow and looked at her. ' Thou wilt not leave me ? Thou art my lassie — my sweetheart ? ' ' Ay.

Thou may'st kiss me, Alick, if thou wilt.' Never was a more quiet, chastened kiss, but it meant her doom to Nannie, though not a change came to her pitying, steadfast face. And then again there was silence, and together they watched the cobles going out to sea under the stormy clouds.

Chapter II

' Come, Alick, let us go home. You are starved with cold, lad, and so am I.' He rose without a word and stepped beside her. He looked fairly like himself now, and Nannie's fright had subsided. ' Thou art sure thou art my lassie ? ' he repeated, smiling at her. ' Yes, Alick,' replied Nannie, gravely. ' Then it were fitting I should thank God,' he said, stopping and uncovering his head. ' A deal can happen all of a moment, Nannie,' said Alick presently. ' I have been in darkness and sore trouble, but I have won out into His light again ; and I have heard His voice saying, " Thou hast been faithful, poor sinner, in a few things, and now I have brought thee an exceeding great reward." And I had not heard His voice for many a day, Nannie.' ' Dear Alick ! ' ' I thought I saw a gleam of a white angel's wing this morning.

I might have known I was winning through. "When I heard thee sing, Nannie, I understood then as He had brought me back.' ' From where, dear lad ? ' ' I have fared like my Master, Nannie. I have been driven into the wilderness to be tempted of Satan.' I think you are sick and hungry, Alick. You have been starving in the wilderness. You may have a good plain loaf now and a butter pat, as a reward for not turning the stones into food.' But her smiles were a little too soon. ' There were worse temptations nor that,' muttered Alick ; and she heard his teeth grating on each other. The gloom that suddenly enwrapped him, even as the stormy clouds had settled upon the sea, renewed Nannie's anxiety. ' What were the temptations, lad ? ' she said, thinking he would tell her the drinking story, and that she would be able to pronounce absolution.

There was a long silence. Nannie glanced at her companion half nervously. At last Alick spoke. ' The devils drove me down the town, Nannie, where I had laboured and preached the Gospel, and they showed me the men I would have died to save, cursing me, and sinning, and cursing God. They never saw me ; I was close to 'em many a time ; and my heart was broke and bleeding.' ' Why do you say devils drove you ? It would have been better to show yourself and speak to the men ; but what you did had no sin in it.' ' Ay, it was devils. They kept telling me how the men had thrown stones at me, and had chased me from them, till I could scarce keep my hands from throwing stones at them. There was a little lad — Tim Laverick — I found alone one day asleep on the scar. I stood a long time over him, Nannie.

He had led off in cursing me and throwing mud at me. And he had a little throat ' ' Don't, Alick. I don't like it.' ' The little lad never waked, Nannie. But I came away and did him no harm.' Again Nannie glanced at her cousin nervously. Yet this talk of devils was merely his old trick learned from the Pil grim's Progress and his eye for making weird pictures. ' But the parson were the worst,' muttered Alick under his breath, looking round suspiciously. ' Who ? ' asked Nannie, frightened and not catching the name. ' The devil who moved me against him was mighty. I have followed him and laid plots against him. Nannie, have I not cause to hate yon man ? ' ' No, Alick, you mustn't go over it ! I don't know what man you mean, but ' 'Him,' said Alick, jerking his thumb in the direction of the church ; or of the Heights. ' Sir Vincent ? ' cried Nannie.

Alick started as if he had been struck, and walked away a few steps. Nannie, aware of her folly, went up to him and drew his arm again round her. ' I have done with yon man, Alick ! Never thou trouble thy head about him no more. It is thou I will have, and will be loving to all the days of thy life. There is no call for thee to be angry with Sir Vincent, or to make never a single plot against him. Alick, promise me. Oh, I love thee, lad. Kiss me as often as thou wilt, and promise me ! ' She protested too much, and Alick saw through her. He laid his head on the rock and there was a groan in his voice as, after a long shuddering silence, he rephed brokenly — ' I warn't thinking of thy Vincent, lass. Don't thou be fearful of me, Nannie ; I have won through.' Nannie was no miracle of self-possession, and disabling and blinding panic was invading her, though she preserved her outward calm. ' Dear lad, I do think you have been very ill,' she said, ' and the first thing it is right for us to do is to climb up that little path together and get Dr. Verrill to feel your pulse, and say where we are to go, and what we must do, and what I'm to get for your supper.

Come, Alick, come, my own dear Alick.' 'I will not go to Dr. Verrill,' said Alick, gloomily. He sat down again and let her hand drop. ' I see Sir Vincent's horse go along the road towards Tanswick,' said Alick, under his breath ; ' I'm thinking he'll be coining back from the train. And I will wait here, to see him,' 'What dost thou want to say to Sir Vincent ?' cried Nannie. ' Thou canst go home, lassie,' replied Alick, bitterly ; ' I can do my errand to Sir Vincent easier without thee, who art a darling to the two of us.' ' Oh, Alick, what clo you mean ? ' groaned the girl. There was silence again ; Alick's head buried in his hands, and Nannie praying for some one to help. Presently he resumed in a loud voice, of which the agitation sounded like fury to Nannie. ' I dragged myself to his house to-day to have it out with him.

He was gone to Faverton, seeking thee, I'm thinking. I had to wait ; and now maybe there's less need, now thou hast given thyself to me. But he's coming along this road, and before I dare take my happiness — it's maybe my duty — I will stop him and do it now. But I will not have thee by, Nannie. Go thy ways, lassie, and him or me shall tell you the end of it.' Nannie sprang to her feet, seizing his hands and pressing them to her breast. 'AUck! sweetheart — husband! I cannot leave thee alone here with Sir Vincent ! ' she cried with terror-stricken eyes. ' Don't be hindering me, girl,' shouted Alick with sudden rage ; ' it was not for that I told thee. Go and leave me to pray for strength.' ' Oh, AUck, Alick ! ' moaned Nannie. He turned from her and lay with his face on the ground, murmuring, ' Go, lassie, for kindness' sake.

It will burst my heart to do it with thy sweet self by.' It occurred to Nannie that her best hope was in running herself towards Tanswick to warn Sir Vincent. ' He will tell me what to do ! ' she thought ; ' but oh ! what a way of meeting him ! ' She left her cousin hastily, climbing up the steep path. But AUck, all his senses alive, divined her intention, and quick as thought followed and over took her. ' Dost thou think, lass, I cannot run quicker nor thou along the Tanswick road?' asked Alick with a laugh, holding her trembhng form with a grasp of iron, and swaying her backwards and forwards with a gentleness which at any moment might change to fury. Nannie turned obediently. Dr. Verrill was her only hope now. Then Alick went back to his lair in the shadow of the little path's turn, and Nannie, looking down, could see him crouching there, his eyes fastened on the narrow hemmed -in road above, along which she would have had to pass to give warning, and along which, in a few moments now, Sir Vincent would come trotting carelessly on the bay horse Pegasus.

Nannie was too much frightened to know exactly what she feared. She made for the pink -painted cottage with the gaunt windows and the scientific garden. Over the uneven ground sped Nannie, as fast as fear would suffer her ; the three minutes seemed ten to her terror, and as she ran she cried aloud for help. It was nearly dark now, and the road was deserted. 'Lord have mercy, Nannie, whatever's the matter ? ' cried fat Mrs. Blake, the baker's wife, who was alone in the post-office. But Nannie heeded nothing ; she dashed across the doctor's garden, pulled the door-bell, and rapped desperately with her knuckles. ' Doctor ! oh Dr. Verrill, come out ! ' cried the girl ; but there was no answer. Never, in an emergency, was a more useless man than Dr. Verrdl. Nannie fancied she heard voices behind the house, and went round, edging her way rashly, for the pink cottage had little space between it and the precipice.

She looked down, shuddering, to see that Vincent had not yet come, and that Alick was stiU waiting. But certainly, yes ! two persons had appeared in sight, walking along the short cut towards Tanswick. The first moment of relief was so great that Nannie's eyes were blinded with tears, and she thanked Heaven aloud. Then she swept her hand across her eyes, and strained her sight to see who the people were, and if there were really good prospect of help in them. Ah ! one was Mr. Bryant. Again she felt relieved ; a gentle man like Mr. Bryant would know what to do, nor would he pass AUck without greeting. Nannie noticed without heeding it that the voices of the two men were angry, and that they were in terrupting each other as if in dispute. Once — could it be possible ? — her own name floated up to her. ' Who is that other man ? ' thought the girl ; 'it is like the gentleman who spoke to me at the Heights.

But oh ! help has come ! ' She might have gone down again now, but to say the truth, repugnance filled her at the thought of returning to that miserable Alick. No ; she would linger till Sir Vincent came ; and she could watch and see what the gentlemen would do to her cousin. But the two men were entirely engrossed in their disagreeable conversation, and they stopped to finish it instead of walking on past Alick and up into the road again. Nannie could see them plainly now ; Mr. Bryant flushed and angry and agitated, his voice loud and his dignity forgotten ; Mr. Kane angry and nervous too, but cool enough. And Nannie saw something more; that Alick had for gotten Sir Vincent, and, unobserved and stealthy, had crept quite close to the pair, and unseen by vol. in them, was listening to their talk.

And they were standing just at the most dangerous part of that dangerous track ; the very place where she had found Alick an hour ago ; where the rock overhung and the angry waves of the rising tide boiled below. Some of the conversation reached her. Her own name again. Mrs. Bryant's. Nannie felt that for her to intrude now was impossible. Good heavens ! could the gentleman be telling Mr. Bryant that ? And then the waves roared again, and Nannie, who had heard nothing connected, heard no more. But Alick heard. Something intolerable, — some slander ing lie about his Nannie, flung desperately from the clergyman's Ups ; Nannie, spotless in her integrity and purity, but who was to be submerged now in the inky overthrow of her mother's shame ; Nannie, who was to be labelled ' worthless,' that none should soil his fingers by investigating her name, her history, her birth.

With a yeU that tore the air, AUck threw himself upon the liar. Alas for Nannie ! What followed was never distinct to her memory. Mercy blinded her aching eyes and deafened her straining ears. She had no power of comprehension for the scene. ' Alick ! Alick !' she shrieked, but she was far above, and her voice was drowned in the roar of the billows, and the groan of the night wind storming round the cliffs. Mr. Bryant was a large and powerful man, but the blow had been too startling for effectual resist ance. He fell upon the path, striking his head against the waU of rock with sufficient violence to render him for a moment helpless. Mr. Kane in terfered ; but it was an instant's work for the strength of distraction to seize the hght slender figure of this man, who had confessed vile things in the hearing of the uncompromising prophet of righteousness. ' Alick !

AUck ! ' shrieked Nannie from above ; but the thing was done, and Frederick Kane's old sins had met their reward. He and his interference had disappeared, and Alick had turned again upon Mr. Bryant. The two men rolled together on that narrow ledge of rock ; Nannie fled towards them, but her agony could avail nothing. She was the first to see Sir Vincent, how ever. He had leaped from his horse upon hearing the cries from below. He had seen his uncle's fall had understood aU at a glance, and was ready to act. But Nannie intercepted her lover. ' No — no — no ! ' she screamed, throwing herself across his way, ' not you ! I cannot bear it ! cannot bear it ! cannot bear it !' ' Nannie, for God's sake let me go !' said Vin cent, and then by force he unlaced her clasp upon his arms and flung her aside. ' Oh my own darling !' he said in a choked voice of Love's remorse, as Nannie tottered and fell. But he left her and descended swiftly to the scene of struggle.

Chapter III

Mr. Bryant's strength was pretty well used up, and when Alick, unresisting now, had been securely bound so as to be altogether powerless, Vincent sent the clergyman to Tanswick for assistance. He had himself looked over the cliff and seen that Mr. Kane's figure, still moving a little, had rested on a ledge close to the seething waves, and in danger soon to be swept off by them. Vincent turned doubtfully to Nannie, who had crept down to his side. ' I must go and see what has happened to my uncle,' he said ; ' will you be afraid to stay here for a few minutes ? He cannot move, you know,' he added, in a low voice. ' I am not afraid,' said Nannie. ' You will call if you want me ? Alick, listen ; you will not say or do anything to frighten Nannie till I come back.' Vincent lingered, in his heart afraid to abandon the defenceless girl.

Then Alick opened his hoUow eyes and looked up. He had quickly given way before Vincent, recognising a master. ' I'm myself again now, sir,' he said ; and added brokenly, ' God knows I was fearing something of this sort. Nannie will teU you I had gone this day to pray you to shut me up for fear. And I was waiting here now to ask you to do it. God knows why it never came into my head to give myself up to none but you. And I suppose it's the gallows will be the end of it now,' groaned Alick. Vincent looked at him with the silence of great compassion. ' If you had come five minutes sooner, sir ' murmured Alick again ; ' I was waiting to give myself up to you. I had told my Nannie. And I sent the lassie away, lest I should falter for the love of her.' ' Oh, AUck, and I did not understand you ! ' mourned Nannie, laying her hand on the poor bound, shaking fingers. ' We'U soon have you yourself again, Alick,' said Vincent, gently. ' Yes, I wish I had been five minutes sooner, my poor friend !

But we mustn't be too downhearted. I daresay my uncle is little the worse. Wdl you and Nannie take care of each other, while I go and help him up after his tumble ?' He left them unwilhngly, climbing down to the edge of the waves. 'Nannie,' murmured AUck, 'if the man isn't much hurt, wilt thou forget it, lassie ? They was saying evil things of thee, Nannie, and I could not bear it. And thou hadst just kissed me of thine own free wdl and given thyself to me. If the man isn't much the worse, Nannie — Nannie — wilt thou be my lassie stdl ? ' ' I will, Alick,' said Nannie, sadly. He closed his eyes again, and Nannie sat beside him while the darkness descended and folded them in its wdd embrace. It seemed long before Sir Vincent returned, looking himself now much agitated and shaken. ' Is he asleep ? ' he asked, glancing at Alick. ' I don't know.

Well ? The gentleman ' Is dead,' said Vincent, in a low voice. It was raining, and they sat together drearily without speaking, and watching Alick, who had opened his eyes as the last words were uttered, and who kept them open now with a strange expression of dumb anguish. Vincent took off his coat and wrapped it round Alick's starved and quivering form, but no one spoke again. When at last the sound of help from Tanswick was heard above, Vincent touched Nannie's hand for a moment and raised her to her feet. ' Leave us now,' he said ; ' there is no more you can do.' Nannie looked at the stricken Alick with grieving eyes. Then she pressed his cold forehead with her lips. As she moved slowly away, she stopped and looked back at her lover, who was leaning over AUck and speaking to him ; but feeling her glance, Vincent raised his head for a moment, and for the first time his eyes and Nannie's met.

Vincent never told any one till long afterwards, the full detad of what he had witnessed down there on the edge of the waves ; for the wretched sufferer had died in his arms, but not without involuntary and uncontrolled horror at the roaring waves en croaching upon the narrow ledge which had checked his faU. The place and the manner of that end were appalling, even without the few semi-conscious sentences, which were surprising and revolting to Vincent yet the germ of explanation and wild hopes for Nannie and himself. And when the Arch Fiend had suddenly ended the final struggle, and the corpse had been with difficulty sheltered and secured from desecration by the waves, Vin cent stood shuddering and looking at the dead man, alone there on the margin of the storm, hardly daring to avert his eyes from the ghastly sight, or to induce himself to abandon it to the rain and the spray and the din of the obstructed waves.