the bittermeads mystery-第28部分

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Abbey；　and　Walter　to　whom　had　been　entrusted　the　task　of　defeating
and　capturing　them。　　It　was　Walter　from　whom　Ella　stood　in　most
danger　if　her　action　that　morning　had　been　observed；　and　it　was
Walter　to　whom　he　had　given　the　task　of　protecting　her。

At　this　thought；　he　turned　and　began　to　run　as　fast　as　he　could　in
the　direction　of　Bittermeads。

At　all　costs　she　must　be　saved；　she　who　had　exposed　the　whole　awful
plot。　　For　a　hundred　yards　or　so　he　fled；　swift　as　the　wind；　till
on　a　sudden　he　stopped　dead　with　the　realization　of　the　fact　that
every　yard　he　took　that　way　took　him　further　and　further　from　Ottam's
Wood。

For　there　was　danger　there；　too　…　grim　and　imminent　…　and　sentences
in　Ella's　hasty　letter　that　bore　now　to　his　new　knowledge　a　deep
significance　she　had　not　dreamed　of。

As　when　a　flash　of　lightning　lights　all　the　landscape　up　and　shows
the　traveller　dreadful　dangers　that　beset　his　path；　so　a　wave　of
intuition　told　Dunn　clearly　the　whole　conspiracy；　so　that　he　saw
it　all；　and　saw　how　every　detail　was　to　be　fitted　in　together。　　His
father；　General　Dunsmore；　was　to　be　murdered　first　at　the　Brook
Bourne　Spring；　to　which　he　was　being　lured；　and　afterwards；　when
Dunn　arrived；　he　was　to　be　murdered；　too。　　And　on　him；　dead　and
unable　to　defend　himself；　the　blame　of　his　father's　death　would　be
laid。　　It　would　not　be　difficult　to　manage。　　Walter　would　arrange
it　all　as　neatly　as　he　had　been　accustomed　to　arrange　the　Dunsmore
business　affairs　placed　in　his　hands　for　settlement。

A　forged　letter　or　two；　Dunn's　own　revolver　used　to　shoot　the　old
man　with　and　then　placed　in　Dunn's　dead　hand　when　his　own　turn　had
come；　convincing　detail　like　that　would　be　easy　to　arrange。　　Why；
the　very　fact　of　his　disguise；　the　tangled　beard　that　he　had　grown
to　hide　his　features　with；　would　appear　conclusive。　　Any　coroner's
jury　would　return　a　verdict　of　wilful　murder　against　his　memory　on
that　one　fact　alone。

Walter　would　see　to　that　all　right。　　A　little　false　evidence
apparently　reluctantly　given　would　be　added；　and　all　would　be
kneaded　together　into　the　one　substance　till　the　whole　guilt　of
all　that　happened　would　appear　to　lie　solely　on　his　shoulders。

As　for　motive；　it　would　simply　be　put　forward　that　he　had　been　in
a　hurry　to　succeed　his　uncle。　　And　very　likely　some　tale　of　a
quarrel　with　his　father　or　something　of　that　sort　would　be　invented；
and　would　go　uncontradicted　since　there　would　be　no　one　to
contradict　it。

And　most　probably　what　was　contemplated　at　Wreste　Abbey　was　no
ordinary　burglary；　but　the　assassination　of　old　Lord　Chobham；　of
which　the　guilt　would　also　be　set　down　to　him。

Very　clearly　now　he　realized　that　this　tremendous　plot　was　aimed；
not　only　at　life；　but　at　honour　…　that　not　only　was　his　life
required；　but　also　that　he　should　be　thought　a　murderer。

With　the　realization　of　the　danger　that　threatened　at　Wreste　Abbey
he　turned　and　began　to　run　back　in　the　direction　where　it　lay；　that
he　might　take　timely　warning　there；　but　he　did　not　run　a　dozen
strides　when　he　remembered　Ella　again；　and　paused。

Surely　he　must　think　of　her　first；　alone　and　unprotected。　　For　she
was　the　woman　he　loved；　and　besides；　she　had　summoned　him　to　her
help；　and　then　she　was　a　woman；　and　at　least；　the　others　were　men。

All　this　flood　of　thoughts；　this　intuitive　grasping　of　a　situation
terrible　beyond　conception；　almost　unparalleled　in　bloody　and
dreadful　horror；　passed　through　his　mind　with　extreme　rapidity。

Once　more　he　turned　and　began　to　run　…　to　run　as　he　had　never　run
before；　for　now　he　saw　that　all　depended　on　the　speed　with　which
he　could　cover　the　eight　miles　that　lay　between　him　and　Ottam　's
Wood；　whether　he　could　still　save　his　father　or　not。

The　district　was　lonely　in　the　extreme；　there　was　no　human
habitation　near；　no　place　where　he　could　obtain　any　help　or　any
swift　means　of　conveyance。　　His　one　hope　must　be　in　his　speed；　his
feet　must　be　swift　to　save；　not　only　his　own　life　and　his　father's；
but　his　honour；　too；　and　Ella　and　his　old　uncle　as　well；　and　all
　…　all　hung　upon　the　speed　with　which　he　could　cover　the　eight　long
miles　that　lay　between　him　and　Brook　Bourne　Spring　in　Ottam's　Wood。
Even　as　he　ran；　as　he　thought　of　Ella；　he　came　abruptly　to　a　pause；
wrung　with　sudden　anguish。　　For　each　fleet　stride　he　was　making
towards　Brook　Bourne　Spring　was　taking　him　further　and　further　away
from　Bittermeads　just　as　before　each　step　to　Bittermeads　had　been
taking　him　further　from　Ottam's　Wood。

He　began　to　run　again；　even　faster　than　before；　and　it　was　towards
Ottam's　Wood　that　he　ran；　each　step　taking　him　further　from
Bittermeads　and　further　from　the　woman　he　loved　in　her　bitter　need
and　peril；　who　looked　to　him　for　the　help　he　could　not　give。　　With
pain　and　anguish　he　ran　on；　ran　as　men　have　seldom　run　…　as　seldom
so　much　was　hung　upon　their　running。

On　and　on　he　sped；　fleet　as　the　wind；　fleet　as　the　light　breeze　that
blew　lightly　by。　　A　solitary　villager　trudging　on　some　errand　in
this　lonely　place；　tells　to　this　day　the　tale　of　the　bearded；
wild…eyed　man　who　raced　so　madly　by　him；　raced　on　and　down　the　long；
straight　road　till　his　figure　dwindled　and　vanished　in　the　distance。

A　shepherd　boy　went　home　with　a　tale　of　a　strange　thing　he　had　seen
of　a　man　running　so　fast　it　seemed　he　was　scarcely　in　sight　before
he　was　gone　again。

And　except　for　those　two　and　one　other　none　saw　him　at　all　and　he
ran　his　race　alone　beneath　the　skies；　across　the　bare　country　side。

It　was　at　a　spot　where　the　path　ran　between　two　high　hedges　that　he
came　upon　a　little　herd　of　cows　a　lad　was　driving　home。

It　seemed　impossible　to　pass　through　that　tangle　of　horns　and　tails
and　plunging　hoofs；　and　so　indeed　it　was；　but　Dunn　took　another　way；
and　with　one　leap；　cleared　the　first　beast　clean　and　alighted　on　the
back　of　the　second。

Before　the　startled　beast　could　plunge　away　he　leaped　again　from
the　vantage　of　its　back　and　landed　on　the　open　ground　beyond　and
so　on；　darting　full　speed　past　the　staring　driver；　whose　tale　that
he　told　when　he　got　home　caused　him　to　go　branded　for　years　as　a
liar。

On　and　on　Dunn　fled；　without　stay　or　pause；　at　the　utmost　of　his
speed　every　second　of　time；　every　yard　of　distance。　　For　he　knew
he　had　need　of　every　ounce　of　power　he　possessed　or　could　call　to
his　aid；　since　he　knew　well　that　all；　all；　might　hang　upon　a　second
less　or　more；　and　now　four　miles　lay　behind　him　and　four　in　front。

Still　on　he　raced　with　labouring　lungs　and　heart　near　to　bursting
　…　onward　still；　swift；　swift　and　sure；　and　now　there　were　six
miles　behind　and　only　two　in　front；　and　he　was　beginning　to　come
to　a　part　of　the　country　that　he　knew。

Whether　he　was　soon　or　late　he　had　no　idea　or　how　long　it　was　that
he　had　raced　like　this　along　the　lonely　country　road　at　the　full
extremity　and　limit　of　his　strength。

He　dared　not　take　time　to　glance　at　his　watch；　for　he　knew　the
fraction　of　a　second　he　would　thus　lose　might　mean　the　difference
between　in　time　and　too　late。　　On　he　ran　still　and　presently　he
left　the　path　and　took　the　fields。

But　he　had　forgotten　that　though　the　distance　might　be　shorter　the
going　would　be　harder；　and　on　the　rough　grass　he　stumbled；　and
across　the　bare　ground　damp　earth　clung　to　his　boots　and　hindered
him　as　though　each　foot　had　become　laden　with　lead。

His　speed　was　slower；　his　effort　greater　if　possible；　and　when　he
came　to　a　hedge　he　made　no　effort　to　leap；　but　crashed　through　it
as　best　he　could　and　broke　or　clambered　or　tumbled　a　path　for
himself。

Now　Ottam's　Wood　was　very　near；　and　reeling　and　staggering　like　a
man　wounded　to　the　death　but　driven　by　inexorable　fate；　he　plunged
on　still；　and　there　was　a　little　froth　gathering　at　the　corners　of
his　mouth　and　from　one　of　his　nostrils　came　a　thin　trickle　of　blood。

Yet　still　he　held　on；　though　in　truth　he　hardly　knew　any　longer　why
he　ran　or　what　his　need　for　haste；　and　as　he　came　to　the　wood　round
a　spur　where　a　cluster　of　young　beeches　grew；　he　saw　a　tall；　upright；
elderly　man　walking　there；　well…dressed　and　of　a　neat；　soldier…like
appearance。

〃Hallo　…　there　you　are　…　father　…　〃　he　gasped　and　fell　down；　prone
unconscious。



CHAPTER　XXVII

FLIGHT　AND　PURSUIT


When　he　came　to　himself　he　was　lying　on　his　back；　and　bending　over
him　was　his　father's　familiar　face；　wearing　an　expression　of　great
surprise　and　wonder；　and　still　greater　annoyance。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　General　Dunsmore　asked　as　soon　as　he　saw　that
his　son's　senses　were　returning　to　him。　　〃Have　you　all　gone　mad
together？　　You　send　me　a　mysterious　note　to　meet　you　here　at　three；
you　turn　up　racing　and　running　like　an　escaped　lunatic；　and　with　a
disgusting　growth　of　hair　all　over　your　face；　so　that　I　didn't　know
you　till　you　spoke；　and　then　there's　Walter　dodging　about　in　the
wood　here　like　a　poacher　hiding　from　the　keepers。　　Are　you　both
quite　mad；　Rupert？〃

〃Walter；〃　Rupert　repeated；　lifting　himself　on　one　hand；　〃Walter
　…　have　you　seen　him？〃

〃Over　there；〃　said　the　general；　nodding　towards　the　right。　　〃He　was
dodging　and　creeping　about　for　all　the　world　like　some　poaching
rascal。　　I　waved；　but　he　didn't　see　me；　and　when　I　tried　to　overtake
him　I　lost　sight　of　him　somehow　in　the　trees；　and　found　I　had　come
right　out　of　my　way　for　Brook　Bourne　Spring。〃

〃Thank　God　for　that；〃　said　Rupert　fervently　as　a　picture　presented
itself　to　him　of　his　unsuspecting　father　trying　in　that　lonely　wood
to　find　and　overtake　the　man　whose　murderous　purpose　was　aimed　at
his　life。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　snapped　the　general。　　〃And　why　have　you　made
such　a　spectacle　of　yourself　with　all　that　beard？　　Why；　I　didn't
know　you　till　you　spoke　…　there's　Walter　there。　　What　makes　him
look　like　that？〃

For　Walter　had　just　come　out　of　the　wood　about　fifty　yards　to　their
right；　and　when　he　saw　them　talking　together　he　understood　at　once
that　in　some　way　or　another　all　his　plans　had　failed。

He　was　looking　at　them　through　a　gap　in　some　undergrowth　that　hid
most　of　his　body；　but　showed　his　head　and　shoulders　plainly；　and
as　he　stood　there　watching　them　his　face　was　like　a　fiend's。

〃Walter；〃　the　general　shouted；　and　to　his　son　Rupert　he　said：　〃The