"Jack knows a lot about literature; he admires "Illusion" immensely, Mark," added Trixie, thinking in her innocence that this would enlist his sympathy at once. "He wants to know you dreadfully."

"Well, Trixie," said Mark paternally, "you must bring him to see me.

We mustn"t have you doing anything imprudent, you know. Let me see what I think of him. I hope he"s a good fellow?"

"Oh, he _is_," said Trixie; "if you could only see some of his sketches!"

A day or two later, Mark had an opportunity of meeting his intending brother-in-law, of whom he found no particular reason to disapprove, though he secretly thought him a slightly commonplace young man, and too inclined to be familiar with himself; and shortly after he started for the Black Forest, whither Caffyn had prevailed upon him to be his companion. He thought it would be amusing and serve to keep his vengeance alive to have his intended victim always at hand, but the result did not quite come up to his hopes. Mark had so lulled his fears to rest that the most artfully planned introduction of Holroyd"s name failed to disturb him. He thought chiefly during their wanderings of Mabel, and her smile and words at parting, and in this occupation he was so pleasantly absorbed that it was impossible to rouse him by any means short of the rudest awakening. And by-and-by a curious change took place in Caffyn"s feelings towards him; in spite of himself the virulence of his hatred began to abate. Time and change of scene were proving more powerful than he had antic.i.p.ated; away from Mabel, his hatred, even of her, flagged more and more with every day, and he was disarmed as against Mark by the evident pleasure the latter took in his society, for the most objectionable persons become more bearable when we discover that they have a high opinion of us--it is such a redeeming touch in their nature. And besides, with all the reason Caffyn had for cherishing a grudge against Mark, somehow, as they became more intimate, he slid gradually into a half-contemptuous and half-affectionate tolerance. He began to think that he would find satisfaction in standing by and letting events work themselves out; he would let this poor fellow enjoy his fool"s paradise as long as might be. No doubt, the luxury of secretively enjoying the situation had a great deal to do with this generosity of his, but the fact remains that, for some reason, he was pa.s.sing from an enemy to a neutral, and might on occasion even become an ally, if nothing occurred to fan his hatred to flame in the meanwhile.

Towards the end of their tour, they arrived at Triberg late one Sat.u.r.day evening, and on the Sunday, Caffyn, having risen late and finding that Mark had breakfasted and gone out alone, was climbing the path by the waterfall, when, on one of the bridges which span the cascade, he saw a girl"s figure leaning listlessly over the rough rail. It was Gilda Featherstone, and he thought he could detect an additional tinge in her cheeks and a light in her eyes as he came towards her. Her father and mother were in one of the shelters above, and Mrs. Featherstone"s greeting when she recognised him was the reverse of cordial. This young man might not have followed them there, but it looked extremely like it, and if she could not order him out of the Black Forest as if she had taken it for the summer, she would at least give him no encouragement to stay.

Unfortunately, her husband behaved with an irritating effusiveness; he liked Caffyn, and besides, had not seen an Englishman to talk to familiarly for some days. They were going home next day, he had better come with them. Well, if he could not do that (Mrs. Featherstone having interposed icily, "Mr. Caffyn has just told you, Robert, that he is with a friend!") he must come to them the moment he returned to England, and they would give him some shooting. Mrs. Featherstone had to hear this invitation and Caffyn"s instant acceptance of it with what philosophy she might. It was useless to remonstrate with her husband on his blindness, he had democratic views which might even bear a practical test, and she could only trust to chance and her mother-wit to prevent any calamity; but she was unusually silent as they walked down the winding path back to the hotel where they were all staying.

There was a midday _table d"hote_, where the proprietor, a most imposing and almost pontifical personage, officiated as at a religious ceremonial, solemnly ladling out the soup to devout waiters as if he were blessing each portion, after which he stood by and contented himself with lending his countenance (at a rather high rate of interest) to the meal. Caffyn"s chair was placed next to Gilda"s, and they kept up a continuous flow of conversation. Mark saw them both looking at him at one time, and wondered at the sudden change in Caffyn"s face, which (unless his fancy misled him) had a frown on it that was almost threatening. But he was not allowed much time to speculate on the causes, for Mrs. Featherstone (perhaps to emphasise her disapproval of his companion) distinguished Mark by engrossing his entire attention.

That afternoon Mark was sitting outside the hotel, taking his coffee at one of the little round iron tables, by the inevitable trio of scrubby orange trees in green tubs, when Caffyn, whom he had not seen since leaving the table, came up and sat down beside him without a word.

"Have you come out for some coffee?" asked Mark.

"No," said Caffyn shortly, "I came out to have a few words with you."

The Featherstones had all gone off to attend the English afternoon service; there was no one very near them, though in the one broad street there was a certain gentle animation, of townspeople promenading up and down in Sunday array, spectacled young officers, with slender waists and neat uniforms, swaggering about; a portly and gorgeous crier in a green uniform, ringing his bell over a departed purse; little old walnut-faced women, sitting patiently by their fruitstalls, and a band of local firemen in very baggy tunics, the smallest men of whom had crept inside the biggest silver helmets, preparing to execute a selection of airs.

"You look uncommonly serious about something, old fellow," said Mark, laughing lightly; "what is it?"

"This," said Caffyn, with a smouldering fire in his voice and eyes; "I"ve just been told that you--_you_ are engaged to Mabel Langton. Is it true?"

Mark was not displeased. This coupling of Mabel"s name with his, even though by a mere rumour, sent a delicious thrill through him; it seemed to bring his sweetest hopes nearer realisation. The gay little street vanished for an instant, and he was holding Mabel"s hand in the violet-scented drawing-room, but he came to himself almost directly with a start.

"Who told you that?" he said, flushing slightly.

"Never mind who told me. Is it true? I--I warn you not to trifle with me."

"What on earth is the matter with you?" said Mark. "No, it"s not true; as far as I know at present, there is not the remotest possibility of such a thing coming to pa.s.s."

"But you would make it possible if you could, eh?" asked Caffyn.

"I don"t want to hurt your feelings, Caffyn," said Mark, "but really you"re going a little too far. And even if I had been engaged to Miss Langton (which is very far from the case), I don"t exactly see what right you have, after--under the circ.u.mstances, you know--to go in for the fire-eating business."

"You mean I"m out of the running, whoever wins?" said Caffyn. "I daresay you"re right; I"m not aware that I ever entered for the prize.

But never mind that. She has taken a dislike to me, but I may be allowed to feel an interest in her still, I suppose. I should like to see her happy, and if you could tell me that you were the man, why then----"

"Well?" said Mark, as the other paused with a curious smile.

"Why, then I should feel at ease about her, don"t you know," he said gently.

"I only wish I could ease your mind for you in that way," said Mark, "but it"s too soon for that yet."

"You _do_ mean to ask her, then?" said Caffyn, with his eyes on the little brown-and-yellow imperial _postwagen_ which had just rattled up to the hotel, and the driver of which, in his very unbecoming glazed billyc.o.c.k hat with the featherbrush plume, was then c.u.mbrously descending from his box. Mark had not meant to confide in Caffyn at all; he had only known him a short time, and, although their intimacy had grown so rapidly, with a little more reflection he might have shrunk from talking of Mabel to one whom, rightly or wrongly, she held in abhorrence. But then Caffyn was so sympathetic, so subdued; the temptation to talk of his love to somebody was so strong, that he did not try to resist it.

"Yes, I do," he said, and his dark eyes were soft and dreamy as he spoke, "some day ... if I dare. And if she says what I hope she will say, I shall come to you, old fellow, for congratulations."

He looked round, but Caffyn had started up abruptly and he was alone.

"Very odd of him," thought Mark, until he saw him meeting the Featherstones on their way back from the service.

Some minutes later, as Gilda and Caffyn were in a corner of the exhibition of carved work at the lower end of the town, she took advantage of the blaring of two big orchestral Black Forest organs, each performing a different overture, and of the innumerable cuckoo cries from the serried rows of clocks on the walls, to go back to their conversation at the _table d"hote_. "Have you asked him yet?

Mabel is not engaged to him after all?" (her face fell as she gathered this). "It is all a mistake, then? Of course it was a great relief to _you_ to hear that?"

"Was it?" was Caffyn"s rejoinder; "why?"

"Why? Because--oh, of course you would be relieved to hear it!" and Gilda made a little attempt to laugh.

"Shall I tell you something?" he said gravely. "Do you know that I"ve just begun to think nothing would give me greater satisfaction now than to hear that the rumour you told me of was an accomplished fact."

"And that Mabel was engaged to Mr. Ashburn? Do you really _mean_ it?"

cried Gilda, and her face cleared again.

"I really mean it," said Caffyn smiling; and it is just possible that he really did.

"Gilda, you"re not helping me in the least!" said Mrs. Featherstone, coming up at this juncture; "and there"s your father threatening to get that big clock with a horrid cuckoo in it for the hall at the Grange. Come and tell him, if he _must_ have one, to buy one of the long plain ones." And Gilda went obediently, for she could feel an interest in clocks and carvings now.

CHAPTER XXV.

MABEL"S ANSWER.

The wet autumn had merged into a premature season of fog and slush, while a violent gale had stripped off the leaves long before their time. Winter was at hand, and already one or two of the hardier Christmas annuals, fresh from editorial forcing-houses, had blossomed on the bookstalls, and a few masks and Roman candles, misled by appearances, had stolen into humble shop-fronts long before November had begun. All the workers (except the junior clerks in offices, who were now receiving permission to enjoy their annual fortnight) were returning, and even idlers, who had no country-house hospitality to give or receive, were glad to escape some of their burden amongst the mild distractions of a winter in town. Mrs. Langton, who detested the country, had persuaded her husband to let their place "Glenthorne" for the last two winters, and she and her daughter had already returned to Kensington Park Gardens after a round of visits, leaving Mr. Langton to enjoy a little more shooting before the Courts reopened.

Caffyn was now away at the Featherstones" country seat, somewhere in the Midlands, and Mark, who remained in town after their return from Germany, had taken the earliest opportunity of calling on the Langtons, when Mabel seemed more frankly glad to see him than he had dared to hope, and in one short half-hour the understanding between them had advanced several months. She showed the greatest interest in his wanderings, and he described the various petty adventures in his most effective manner, until even Mrs. Langton was roused to a little indulgent laughter. When Dolly came in later, Mark was embraced enthusiastically. "I was so afraid you wouldn"t be back in time for my party," she said. "You will come--now won"t you? It"s to-morrow week; my birthday, you know." And of course Mark was delighted to promise to come, as Mabel seconded the invitation.

"We"re quite at a loss to know how to amuse the children," she said a little later. "Perhaps you can help us to an idea?"

"We could have the Performing Pigmies," said Mrs. Langton, "but the boys might tread on them, and that would be so expensive, you know."

"Don"t have any performing things, mother," pleaded Dolly; "have only dancing."

"Most of the boys hate dancing," said Mabel.

"Some of them don"t a bit," urged Dolly, "and those who do can stay away; _I_ don"t want them. But don"t have entertainments; they always leave a horrid mess that takes hours to clear away after them."

"It"s all very well for you, Dolly," said Mabel, laughing, "but I shall have to keep the boys in order; and last time they played at robbers, tramping about all over the house, and when everyone had gone there was one of them left behind upstairs, Mr. Ashburn, howling to be let out of the cupboard!"

"Bobby Fraser, that was," said Dolly; "stupid little duffer. We won"t have him this time. And, mother darling, I want to dance _all_ the time; and it"s my own party. Dancing is enough--it is _really_," she pleaded in a pretty frenzy of impatience. And Dolly got her own way as usual.

Mabel was a little surprised at her own pleasure in seeing Mark again.

She had looked forward to meeting him, but without being prepared for the wild joy that sprang up in her heart as he pressed her hand, and with that unmistakable delight in his eyes at being in her presence.

"Do I care for him as much as that?" she asked herself, and the question answered itself as such questions do.