The Wings of the Morning Part 54

"I believe there is some _secret_ in their lives. Colonel Anstruther used to be in the army--he is now in command of our local yeomanry--and although his name is 'Robert,' _tout court_, I have often heard Mrs. Anstruther call him 'Jenks.'

Their boy, too, is christened Robert _Jenks_ Anstruther.' Now, my dear Helen, _do_ make inquiries about them in town circles.

I _particularly_ wish you to find out who is this person 'Jenks'--a most vulgar name. I am sure you will unearth something curious, because Mrs. Anstruther was a Miss Deane, daughter of the baronet, and Anstruther's people are well known in Yorks.h.i.+re. There are absolutely no Jenkses connected with them on either side.

"I think I can help you by another _clue_, as a very _odd_ incident occurred at our hunt ball last week. The Anstruthers, I must tell you, usually go away for the winter, to China, or to their fabulous island. This year they remained at home, and Colonel Anstruther became M.F.H., as he is certainly a most liberal man so far as _sport_ and _charity_ are concerned.

"Well, dear, the Dodgsons--you remember the Leeds clothier people--having _contrived_ to enter county society, invited the Earl of Ventnor down for the ball. He, it seems, knew nothing about Anstruther being M.F.H., and of course Mrs. Anstruther _received_. The moment Lord Ventnor heard her name he was very angry. He said he did not care to meet her, and left for London by the next train. The Dodgsons were _awfully_ annoyed with him, and Mrs. Dodgson had the bad taste to tell Mrs, Anstruther all about it. And what do you think _she_ said--'Lord Ventnor need not have been so frightened. My husband has not brought his hunting-crop with him!'

"I was not there, but young Barker told me that Mrs. Anstruther looked very _impressive_ as she said this. 'Stunning!' was the word he used, but young Barker is a _fool_, and thinks Mrs. A.

is the most beautiful woman in Yorks.h.i.+re. Her dress, they say, was _magnificent_, which I can hardly credit, as she usually goes about in the _plainest_ tailor-made clothes. By the way. I forgot to mention that the Anstruthers have restored our parish church. The vicar, of course, is enraptured with them. I dislike people who are so free with their money and yet reserved in their friends.h.i.+p. It is a sure sign, when they _court_ popularity, that they dread something leaking out about the _past_.

"_Do_ write soon. Don't forget 'Jenks' and 'Lord Ventnor'; those are the lines of _inquiry_.

"Yours,

"MATILDA.

"PS.--Perhaps I am misjudging them. Mrs. Anstruther has just sent me an invitation to an 'At Home' next Thursday.--M.

"PPS.--Dear me, this letter will never get away, I have just destroyed another envelope to tell you that the vicar came in to tea. From what he told me about Lord Ventnor, I imagine that Mrs.

Anstruther said no more than he deserved.--M."

NOTE.--Colonel Anstruther's agents discovered, after long and costly inquiry, that a s.h.i.+elds man named James Spence, a marine engineer, having worked for a time as a miner in California, s.h.i.+pped as third engineer on a vessel bound for Shanghai. There be quitted her. He pa.s.sed some time ash.o.r.e in dissipation, took another job on a Chinese river steamer, and was last heard of some eighteen months before the _Sirdar_ was wrecked. He then informed a Chinese boarding-house keeper that he was going to make his fortune by accompanying some deep-sea fishermen, and he bought some stores and tools from a marine-store dealer. No one knew when or where he went, but from that date all trace of him disappeared. The only persons who mourned his loss were his mother and sister. The last letter they received from him was posted in Shanghai. Though the evidence connecting him with the recluse of Rainbow Island was slight, and purely circ.u.mstantial, Colonel Anstruther provided for the future of his relatives in a manner that secured their lasting grat.i.tude.