The Herapath Property Part 20

CHAPTER XVI

NAMELESS FEAR

If Triffitt had stayed in Kensal Green Cemetery a little longer, he would have observed that Mr. Frank Burchill's presence at the funeral obsequies of the late Jacob Herapath was of an eminently modest, una.s.suming, and retiring character. He might, as an ex-secretary of the dead man, have claimed to walk abreast of Mr. Selwood, and ahead of the manager and cas.h.i.+er from the estate office; instead, he had taken a place in the rear ranks of the procession, and in it he remained until the close of the ceremony. Like the rest of those present, he defiled past the grave at which the chief mourners were standing, but he claimed no recognition from and gave no apparent heed to any of them; certainly none to Barthorpe Herapath. Also, like all the rest, he went away at once from the cemetery, and after him, quietly and un.o.btrusively, went a certain sharp-eyed person who had also been present, not as a mourner, but in the character of a casual stroller about the tombs and monuments, attracted for the moment by the imposing cortege which had followed the dead man to his grave.

Another sharp-eyed person made it his business to follow Barthorpe Herapath when he, too, went away. Barthorpe had come to the ceremony unattended. Selwood, Mr. Tertius, Professor c.o.x-Raythwaite, and Mr.

Halfpenny had come together. These four also went away together.

Barthorpe, still alone, re-entered his carriage when they had driven off. The observant person of the sharp eyes, hanging around the gates, heard him give his order:

"Portman Square!"

The four men who had preceded him were standing in the study when Barthorpe drove up to the house--standing around Peggie, who was obviously ill at ease and distressed. And when Barthorpe's voice was heard in the hall, Mr. Halfpenny spoke in decisive tones.

"We must understand matters at once," he said. "There is no use in beating about the bush. He has refused to meet or receive me so far--now I shall insist upon his saying plainly whatever he has to say. You, too, my dear, painful as it may be, must also insist."

"On--what?" asked Peggie.

"On his saying what he intends--if he intends--I don't know what he intends!" answered Mr. Halfpenny, testily. "It's most annoying, and we can't----"

Barthorpe came striding in, paused as he glanced around, and affected surprise.

"Oh!" he said. "I came to see you, Peggie--I did not know that there was any meeting in progress."

"Barthorpe!" said Peggie, looking earnestly at him. "You know that all these gentlemen were Uncle Jacob's friends--dear friends--and they are mine. Don't go away--Mr. Halfpenny wants to speak to you."

Barthorpe had already half turned to the door. He turned back--then turned again.

"Mr. Halfpenny can only want to speak to me on business," he said, coldly. "If Mr. Halfpenny wants to speak to me on business, he knows where to find me."

He had already laid a hand on the door when Mr. Halfpenny spoke sharply and sternly.

"Mr. Barthorpe Herapath!" he said. "I know very well where to find you, and I have tried to find you and to get speech with you for two days--in vain. I insist, sir, that you speak to us--or at any rate to your cousin--you are bound to speak, sir, out of common decency!"

"About what?" asked Barthorpe. "I came to speak to my cousin--in private."

"There is a certain something, sir," retorted Mr. Halfpenny, with warmth, "about which we must speak in public--such a public, at any rate, as is represented here and now. You know what it is--your uncle's will!"

"What about my uncle's will--or alleged will?" asked Barthorpe with a sneer.

Mr. Halfpenny appeared to be about to make a very angry retort, but he suddenly checked himself and looked at Peggie.

"You hear, my dear?" he said. "He says--alleged will!"

Peggie turned to Barthorpe with an appealing glance.

"Barthorpe!" she exclaimed. "Is that fair--is it generous? Is it just--to our uncle's memory? You know that is his will--what doubt can there be about it?"

Barthorpe made no answer. He still stood with one hand on the door, looking at Mr. Halfpenny. And suddenly he spoke.

"What do you wish to ask me?" he said.

"I wish to ask you a plain question," replied Mr. Halfpenny. "Do you accept this will, and are you going to act on your cousin's behalf? I want your plain answer."

Barthorpe hesitated a moment before replying. Then he made as if to open the door.

"I decline to discuss the matter of the alleged will," he answered. "I decline--especially," he continued, lifting a finger and pointing at Mr.

Tertius, "especially in the presence of that man!"

"Barthorpe!" exclaimed Peggie, flus.h.i.+ng at the malevolence of the tone and gesture. "How dare you! In my house----"

Barthorpe suddenly laughed. Once again he turned to the door--and this time he opened it.

"Just so--just so!" he said. "Your house, my dear cousin--according to the alleged will."

"Which will be proved, sir," snapped out Mr. Halfpenny. "As you refuse, or seem to do so, I shall act for your cousin--at once."

Barthorpe opened the door wide, and as he crossed the threshold, turned and gave Mr. Halfpenny a swift glance.

"Act!" he said. "Act!--if you can!"

Then he walked out and shut the door behind him, and Mr. Halfpenny turned to the others.

"The will must be proved at once," he said decisively. "Alleged--you all heard him say alleged! That looks as if--um! My dear Tertius, you have no doubt whatever about the proper and valid execution of this important doc.u.ment--now in my safe. None?"

"How can I have any doubt about what I actually saw?" replied Mr.

Tertius. "I can't have any doubt, Halfpenny! I saw Jacob sign it; I signed it myself; I saw young Burchill sign it; we all three saw each other sign. What more can one want?"

"I must see this Mr. Burchill," remarked Mr. Halfpenny. "I must see him at once. Unfortunately, he left no address at the place we called at. He will have to be discovered."

Peggie coloured slightly as she turned to Mr. Halfpenny.

"Is it really necessary to see Mr. Burchill personally?" she asked with a palpable nervousness which struck Selwood strangely. "Must he be found?"

"Absolutely necessary, my dear," replied Mr. Halfpenny. "He must be found, and at once."

Mr. Tertius uttered an exclamation of annoyance.

"Dear, dear!" he said. "I noticed the young man at the cemetery just now--I ought really to have pointed him out to you--most forgetful of me!"

"I have Mr. Burchill's address," said Peggie, with an effort. "He left his card here on the day of my uncle's death--the address is on it. And I put it in this drawer."

Selwood watched Peggie curiously, and with a strange, vague sense of uneasiness as she went over to a drawer in Jacob Herapath's desk and produced the card. He had noticed a slight tremor in her voice when she spoke of Burchill, and her face, up till then very pale, had coloured at the first mention of his name. And now he was asking himself why any reference to this man seemed to disturb her, why----

But Mr. Halfpenny cut in on his meditations. The old lawyer held up the card to the light and slowly read out the address.

"Ah! Calengrove Mansions, Maida Vale," he said. "Um--quarter of an hour's drive. Tertius--you and I will go and see this young fellow at once."