The Vagrant Duke Page 4

  CHAPTER III

  THE OVERALL GIRL

  They stood for a long moment regarding each other, both in curiosity;Peter because of the contrariety of the girl's face and garments, thegirl because of Peter's bow, which was the most extraordinary thing thathad ever happened in Burlington County. After a pause, a smile whichseemed to have been hovering uncertainly around the corners of her lipsbroke into a frank grin, disclosing dimples and a row of white teeth,the front ones not quite together.

  "Could you tell me," asked Peter very politely as he found his voice,"if this road leads to Black Rock?"

  She was still scrutinizing him, her head, birdlike, upon one side.

  "That depends on which way you're walkin'," she said.

  She dropped her "g" with careless ease, but then Peter had noticed thatmany Americans and English people, some very nice ones, did that.

  Peter glanced at the girl and then down the road in both directions.

  "Oh, yes, of course," he said, not sure whether she was smiling at orwith him. "I came from a station called Pickerel River and I wish to goto Black Rock."

  "You're _sure_ you want to go there?"

  "Oh, yes."

  "I guess that's because you've never been to Black Rock, Mister."

  "No, I haven't."

  The girl picked a shrub and nibbled at it daintily.

  "You'd better turn and go right back." Her sentence finished in a shrug.

  "What's the matter with Black Rock?" he asked curiously.

  "It's just the little end of nothin'. That's all," she finisheddecisively.

  The quaint expression interested him. "I must get there, nevertheless,"he said; "is it far from here?"

  "Depends on what you call far. Mile or so. Didn't the 'Lizzie' meet thesix-thirty?"

  Peter stared at her vacuously, for this was Greek.

  "The 'Lizzie'?"

  "The tin 'Lizzie'--Jim Hagerman's bus--carries the mail and papers.Sometimes he gives me a lift about here."

  "No. There was no conveyance of any sort and I really expected one. Iwish to get to Mr. Jonathan K. McGuire's."

  "Oh!"

  The girl had been examining Peter furtively, as though trying vainly toplace him definitely in her mental collection of human bipeds. Now shestared at him with interest.

  "Oh, you're goin' to McGuire's!"

  Peter nodded. "If I can ever find the way."

  "You're one of the new detectives?"

  "Detective!" Peter laughed. "No. Not that I'm aware. I'm the newsuperintendent and forester."

  "Oh!"

  The girl was visibly impressed, but a tiny frown puckered her brow.

  "What's a forester?" she asked.

  "A fellow who looks after the forests."

  "The forests don't need any lookin' after out here in the barrens. Theyjust grow."

  "I'm going to teach them to grow better."

  The girl looked at him for a long moment of suspicion. She had taken offher hat and the ruddy sunlight behind her made a golden halo all abouther head. Her hands he had noted were small, the fingers slender. Hernose was well shaped, her nostrils wide, the angle of her jaw firmlymodeled and her slender figure beneath the absurd garments revealed bothstrength and grace. But he did not dare to stare at her too hard or toquestion her as to her garments. For all that Peter knew it might be thecustom of Burlington County for women to wear blue denim trousers.

  And her next question took him off his guard.

  "You city folk don't think much of yourselves, do you?"

  "I don't exactly understand what you mean," said Peter politely, markingthe satirical note.

  "To think you can make these trees grow better!" she sniffed.

  "Oh, I'm just going to help them to help themselves."

  "That's God's job, Master."

  Peter smiled. She wouldn't have understood, he thought, so what was theuse of explaining. There must have been a superior quality in Peter'ssmile, for the girl put on her hat and came down into the road.

  "I'm goin' to Black Rock," she said stiffly, "follow me." And she wentoff with a quick stride down the road.

  Peter Nichols took up his bag and started, with difficulty getting to aplace beside her.

  "If you don't mind," he said, "I'd much rather walk with you than behindyou."

  She shrugged a shoulder at him.

  "Suit yourself," she said.

  In this position, Peter made the discovery that her profile was quite asinteresting as her full face, but she no longer smiled. Her reference tothe Deity entirely eliminated Peter and the profession of forestry fromthe pale of useful things. He was sorry that she no longer smiledbecause he had decided to make friends at Black Rock and he didn't wantto make a bad beginning.

  "I hope you don't mind," said Peter at last, "if I tell you that youhave one of the loveliest voices that I have ever heard."

  He marked with pleasure the sudden flush of color that ran up under herdelicately freckled tan. Her lips parted and she turned to himhesitating.

  "You--you heard me!"

  "I did. It was like the voice of an angel in Heaven."

  "Angel! Oh! I'm sorry. I--I didn't know any one was there. I just singon my way home from work."

  "You've been working to-day?"

  She nodded. "Yes--Farmerettin'."

  "Farmer----?"

  "Workin' in the vineyard at Gaskill's."

  "Oh, I see. Do you like it?"

  "No," she said dryly. "I just do it for my health. Don't I look sick?"

  Peter wasn't used to having people make fun of him. Even as a waiter hehad managed to preserve his dignity intact. But he smiled at her.

  "I was wondering what had become of the men around here."

  "They're so busy walkin' from one place to another to see where they canget the highest wages, that there's no time to work in between."

  "I see," said Peter, now really amused. "And does Mr. Jonathan McGuirehave difficulty in getting men to work for him?"

  "Most of his hired help come from away--like you----But lately theyhaven't been stayin' long."

  "Why?"

  She slowed her pace a little and turned to look at him curiously.

  "Do you mean that you don't know the kind of a job you've got?"

  "Not much," admitted Peter. "In addition to looking after the preserve,I'm to watch after the men--and obey orders, I suppose."

  "H-m. Preserve! Sorry, Mr. what's your name----"

  "Peter Nichols----" put in Peter promptly.

  "Well, Mr. Peter Nichols, all I have to say is that you're apt to have ahard time."

  "Yes, I'm against it!" translated Peter confidently.

  The girl stopped in the middle of the road, put her hands on her hipsand laughed up at the purpling sky. Her laugh was much like hersinging--if angels in Paradise laugh (and why shouldn't they?). Thenwhile he wondered what was so amusing she looked at him again.

  "_Up_ against it, you mean. You're English, aren't you?"

  "Er--yes--I am."

  "I thought so. There was one of you in the glass factory. He alwaysmuffed the easy ones."

  "Oh, you work in a glass factory?"

  "Winters. Manufacturin' whiskey and beer bottles. Now we're goin' dry,they'll be makin' pop and nursin' bottles, I guess."

  "Do you help in the factory?"

  "Yes, and in the office. I can shorthand and type a little."

  "You must be glad when a summer comes."

  "I am. In winter I can't turn around without breakin' something. Theydock you for that----"

  "And that's why you sing when you can't break anythin'?"

  "I suppose so. I like the open. It isn't right to be cooped up."

  They were getting along beautifully and Peter was even beginning toforget the weight of his heavy bag. She was a quaint creature and quiteas unconscious of him as though he hadn't existed. He was just somebodyto talk to. Peter ventured.

  "Er--would you mind telling me your name?"

  She looked at hi
m and laughed friendly.

  "You must have swallowed a catechism, Mr. Nichols. But everybody inBlack Rock knows everybody else--more'n they want to, I guess. There'sno reason I shouldn't tell you. I don't mind your knowin'. My name isBeth Cameron."

  "Beth----?"

  "Yes, Bess--the minister had a lisp."

  Peter didn't lack a sense of humor.

  "Funny, isn't it?" she queried with a smile as he laughed, "bein' tiedup for life to a name like that just because the parson couldn't talkstraight."

  "Beth," he repeated, "but I like it. It's like you. I hope you'll let mecome to see you when I get settled."

  "H-m," she said quizzically. "You don't believe in wastin' your time, doyou?" And then, after a brief pause, "You know they call us Pineys backhere in the barrens, but just the same we think a lot of ourselves andwe're a little offish with city folks. You can't be too particularnowadays about the kind of people you go with."

  Peter stared at her and grinned, his sense of the situation more keenlytouched than she could be aware of.

  "Particular, are you? I'm glad of that. All the more credit to me ifyou'll be my friend."

  "I didn't say I was your friend."

  "But you're going to be, aren't you? I know something about singing.I've studied music. Perhaps I could help you."

  "You! You've studied? Lord of Love! You're not lyin', are you?"

  He laughed. "No. I'm not lying. I was educated to be a musician."

  She stared at him now with a new look in her eyes but said nothing. SoPeter spoke again.

  "Do you mean to say you've never thought of studying singing?"

  "Oh, yes," she said slowly at last, "I've thought of it, just as I'vethought of goin' in the movies and makin' a million dollars. Lots ofgood _thinkin'_ does!"

  "You've thought of the movies?"

  "Yes, once. A girl went from the glass factory. She does extra ladies.She visited back here last winter. I didn't like what it did to her."

  "Oh!" Peter was silent for a while, aware of the pellucid meaning of her"it." He was learning quite as much from what she didn't say as fromwhat she did. But he evaded the line of thought suggested.

  "You do get tired of Black Rock then?"

  "I would if I had time. I'm pretty busy all day, and--seehere--Mr.--er--Nichols. If I asked as many questions as you do, I'd knowas much as Daniel Webster."

  "I'm sorry," said Peter, "I beg your pardon."

  They walked on in silence for a few moments, Peter puzzling his brainover the extraordinary creature that chance had thrown in his way. Hecould see that she was quite capable of looking out for herself and thatif her smattering of sophistication had opened her eyes, it hadn't muchharmed her.

  He really wanted to ask her many more questions, but to tell the truthhe was a little in awe of her dry humor which had a kind of primitiveomniscience and of her laughter which he was now sure was more _at_,than with, him. But he had, in spite of her, peered for a moment intothe hidden places of her mind and spirit.

  It was this intrusion that she resented and he could hardly blame her,since they had met only eighteen minutes ago. She trotted along besidehim as though quite unaware of the sudden silence or of the thoughtsthat might have been passing in his mind. It was Beth who broke thesilence.

  "Is your bag heavy?" she asked.

  "Not at all," said Peter, mopping the perspiration from his forehead."But aren't we nearly there?"

  "Oh, yes. It's just a mile or so."

  Peter dropped his bag.

  "That's what you said it was, back there."

  "Did I? Well, maybe it isn't so far as that now. Let me carry your bag awhile."

  Thus taunted, he rose, took the bag in his left hand and followed.

  "City folks aren't much on doin' for themselves, are they? The taxisystem is very poor down here yet."

  Her face was expressionless, but he knew that she was laughing at him.He knew also that his bag weighed more than any army pack. It seemed toothat she was walking much faster than she had done before--also thatthere was malicious humor in the smile she now turned on him.

  "Seems a pity to have such a long walk--with nothin' at the end of it."

  "I don't mind it in the least," gasped Peter. "And if you don't objectto my asking you just one more question," he went on grimly, "I'd likeyou to tell me what is frightening Mr. Jonathan K. McGuire?"

  "Oh, McGuire. I don't know. Nobody does. He's been here a couple ofweeks now, cooped up in the big house. Never comes out. They say hesees ghosts and things."

  "Ghosts!"

  She nodded. "He's hired some of the men around here to keep watch forthem and they say some detectives are coming. You'll help too, I guess."

  "That should be easy."

  "Maybe. I don't know. My aunt works there. She's housekeeper. It'sspooky, she says, but she can't afford to quit."

  "But they haven't _seen_ anything?" asked Peter incredulously.

  "No. Not yet. I guess it might relieve 'em some if they did. It's onlythe things you don't see that scare you."

  "It sounds like a great deal of nonsense about nothing," muttered Peter.

  "All right. Wait until you get there before you do much talkin'."

  "I will, but I'm not afraid of ghosts." And then, as an afterthought,"Are you?"

  "Not in daylight. But from what Aunt Tillie says, it must be somethingmore than a ghost that's frightenin' Jonathan K. McGuire."

  "What does she think it is?"

  "She doesn't know. Mr. McGuire won't say. He won't allow anybody aroundthe house without a pass. Oh, he's scared all right and he's got most ofBlack Rock scared too. He was never like this before."

  "Are you scared?" asked Peter.

  "No. I don't think I am really. But it's spooky, and I don't care muchfor shootin'."

  "What makes you think there will be shooting?"

  "On account of the guns and pistols. Whatever the thing is he's afraidof, he's not goin' to let it come near him if he can help it. AuntTillie says that what with loaded rifles, shotguns and pistols lyin'loose in every room in the house, it's as much as your life is worth todo a bit of dustin'. And the men--Shad Wells, Jesse Brown, they allcarry automatics. First thing they know they'll be killin' somebody,"she finished with conviction.

  "Who is Shad Wells----?"

  "My cousin, Shadrack E. Wells. He was triplets. The other two died."

  "Shad," mused Peter.

  "Sounds like a fish, doesn't it? But he isn't." And then more slowly,"Shad's all right. He's just a plain woodsman, but he doesn't knowanything about making the trees grow," she put in with prim irony."You'll be his boss, I guess. He won't care much about that."

  "Why?"

  "Because he's been runnin' things in a way. I hope you get along withhim."

  "So do I----"

  "Because if you don't, Shad will eat you at one gobble."

  "Oh!" said Peter with a smile. "But perhaps you exaggerate. Don't youthink I might take two--er--gobbles?"

  Beth looked him over, and then smiled encouragingly.

  "Maybe," she said, "but your hands don't look over-strong."

  Peter looked at his right hand curiously. It was not as brown as hers,but the fingers were long and sinewy.

  "They are, though. When you practice five hours a day on the piano, yourhands will do almost anything you want them to."

  A silence which Peter improved by shifting his suitcase. The weight ofit had ceased to be amusing. And he was about to ask her how muchfurther Black Rock was when there was a commotion down the road ahead ofthem, as a dark object emerged from around the bend and amid a whirl ofdust an automobile appeared.

  "It's the 'Lizzie'," exclaimed Beth unemotionally.

  And in a moment the taxi service of Black Rock was at Peter's disposal.

  "Carburetor trouble," explained the soiled young man at the wheelbriefly, without apology. And with a glance at Peter's bag--

  "Are you the man for McGuire's on the six-thirty?"

  Pe
ter admitted that he was and the boy swung the door of the tonneauopen.

  "In here with me, Beth," he said to the girl invitingly.

  In a moment, the small machine was whirled around and started in thedirection from which it had come, bouncing Peter from side to side andenveloping him in dust. Jim Hagerman's "Lizzie" wasted no time, once itset about doing a thing, and in a few moments from the forest theyemerged into a clearing where there were cows in a meadow, and a view ofhouses. At the second of these, a frame house with a portico coveredwith vines and a small yard with a geranium bed, all enclosed in apicket fence, the "Lizzie" suddenly stopped and Beth got down.

  "Much obliged, Jim," he heard her say.

  Almost before Peter had swept off his hat and the girl had nodded, the"Lizzie" was off again, through the village street, and so to a woodenbridge across a tea-colored stream, up a slight grade on the other side,where Jim Hagerman stopped his machine and pointed to a road.

  "That's McGuire's--in the pines. They won't let me go no further."

  "How much do I owe you?" asked Peter, getting down.

  "It's paid for, Mister. Slam the door, will ye?" And in another momentPeter was left alone.

  It was now after sunset, and the depths of the wood were bathed inshadow. Peter took the road indicated and in a moment reached two stonepillars where a man was standing. Beyond the man he had a glimpse oflawns, a well-kept driveway which curved toward the wood. The man at thegate was of about Peter's age but tall and angular, well tanned byexposure and gave an appearance of intelligence and capacity.

  "I came to see Mr. McGuire," said Peter amiably.

  "And what's your name?"

  "Nichols. I'm the new forester from New York."

  The young man at the gate smiled in a satirical way.

  "Nichols. That was the name," he ruminated. And then with a shout tosome one in the woods below, "Hey, Andy. Come take the gate."

  All the while Peter felt the gaze of the young man going over himminutely and found himself wondering whether or not this was the personwho was going to take him at a gobble.

  It was. For when the other man came running Peter heard him call thegateman, "Shad."

  "Are you Mr. Shad Wells?" asked Peter politely with the pleasant air ofone who has made an agreeable discovery.

  "That's my name. Who told you?"

  "Miss Beth Cameron," replied Peter. "We came part of the way together."

  "H-m! Come," he said laconically and led the way up the road toward thehouse. Peter didn't think he was very polite.

  Had it not been for the precautions of his guide, Peter would have beenwilling quite easily to forget the tales that had been told him of BlackRock. The place was very prettily situated in the midst of a very finegrowth of pines, spruce and maple. At one side ran the tea-coloredstream, tumbling over an ancient dam to levels below, where it joinedthe old race below the ruin that had once been a mill. The McGuirehouse emerged in a moment from its woods and shrubbery, and stoodrevealed--a plain square Georgian dwelling of brick, to which had beenadded a long wing in a poor imitation of the same style and a garage andstables in no style at all on the slope beyond. It seemed a most prosaicplace even in the gathering dusk and Peter seemed quite unable tovisualize it as the center of a mystery such as had been described. Andthe laconic individual who had been born triplets was even lesscalculated to carry out such an illusion.

  But just as they were crossing the lawn on the approach to the house,the earth beneath a clump of bushes vomited forth two men, like thefruit of the Dragon's Teeth, armed with rifles, who barred their way.Both men were grinning from ear to ear.

  "All right, Jesse," said Shad with a laugh. "It's me and the newforester." He uttered the words with an undeniable accent of contempt.

  The armed figures glanced at Peter and disappeared, and Peter and Mr.Shad Wells went up the steps of the house to a spacious portico. Therewas not a human being in sight and the heavy wooden blinds to the lowerfloor were tightly shut. Before his guide had even reached the door thesound of their footsteps had aroused some one within the house, the doorwas opened the length of its chain and a face appeared at the aperture.

  "Who is it?" asked a male voice.

  "Shad Wells and Mr. Nichols, the man from New York."

  "Wait a minute," was the reply while the door was immediately shutagain.

  Peter glanced around him comparing this strange situation with anotherthat he remembered, when a real terror had come, a tangible terror inthe shape of a countryside gone mad with blood lust. He smiled towardthe bush where the armed men lay concealed and toward the gate wherethe other armed man was standing. It was all so like a situation out ofan _opera bouffe_ of Offenbach.

  What he felt now in this strange situation was an intense curiosity tolearn the meaning of it all, to meet the mysterious person around whomall these preparations centered. Peter had known fear many times, forfear was in the air for weeks along the Russian front, the fear ofGerman shells, of poison gas, and of that worst poison of all--Russiantreachery. But that fear was not like this fear, which was intimate,personal but intangible. He marked it in the scrutiny of the man whoopened the door and of the aged woman who suddenly appeared beside himin the dim hallway and led him noiselessly up the stair to a lightedroom upon the second floor. At the doorway the woman paused.

  "Mr. Nichols, Mr. McGuire," she said, and Peter entered.