The Mynns' Mystery Part 32

"Denton!"

"Well, miss, come up and look. The bed's just as I turned it down, and the pillows all of a puff."

"That will do," said Gertrude gravely. "Your master is not bound to consult anybody if he chooses to go out."

"No, miss."

"Mrs Hampton, shall we go into the drawing-room?" said Gertrude quietly, "or would you like a walk?"

"I think we will stay in, my dear," was the reply; and they went into the drawing-room, where after closing the door they stood looking in each other's eyes.

"Gertie," said Mrs Hampton at last, and she took her young companion's hand.

"No, no," said Gertrude, shrinking.

"I was not going to preach, my dear--only help," said Mrs Hampton, smiling cheerfully. "Are you thinking what I am?"

"I feel that I must be," cried Gertrude. "You think that George has repented of what he said to Saul Harrington, and has joined him, or followed him to Paris."

"Exactly. That is what I do think."

"Well," said Gertrude slowly, "he might have told us. Stop," she added quickly, "he must have left a note for us in the study."

"Of course," cried Mrs Hampton; and they went quickly into the little library, which the new master had affected as soon as he took possession of the place.

A particular odour of spirits and some drug attacked their nostrils as soon as they entered the little room, and their eyes met in an anxious look, but only to be averted as each sought for a letter.

"No," said Gertrude sadly, "he has not written."

"It was a sudden thought, my dear, and we shall have one, or a telegram, before long. He is sure to send."

"He is sure to send," said Gertrude involuntarily, as a curious chill ran through her, and she turned ghastly pale; for at that moment there came the long, low howl of a dog as if from a great distance, though they felt and knew that it was the faint cry of the wounded beast, and from close at hand--the mournfully strange howl uttered by a dog when it displays that mysterious knowledge of impending or neighbouring death.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

KITCHEN OPINIONS.

The cry was so peculiar, and impressed its hearers so painfully, that they stood looking at each other, Gertrude with blanched cheeks, and Mrs Hampton, who had not outgrown the superst.i.tious dread common to most natures suffering from a nervous tremor that she had not felt for years.

She was the first to speak with a.s.sumed cheerfulness.

"Why, it's that dog," she said. "I declare for the moment it quite startled me?"

"Yes," said Gertrude, with her voice sounding husky and strange, "it was the dog."

But neither moved to do what was most natural under the circ.u.mstances: to go and pat and pacify the poor animal, neither did they discuss the possibility of how it was injured, but stood listening for its next cry, and both started violently as the door was opened and Mrs Denton, white and trembling, hurried into the room.

"Did--did you hear that, Miss Gertrude?" she said in an awe-stricken whisper.

"Do you mean poor Bruno's howl?"

"Yes, miss," said the old woman in the same low tone of voice.

"The poor thing is in pain, I suppose."

"No, miss, it isn't that," said Denton slowly. "If he was hurt, he would yelp sharply. He has got something on his mind."

"Don't be such a ridiculous old woman, Denton!" cried Mrs Hampton impatiently, to cover her own dread. "Dogs have no minds. They howl sometimes because it's their nature to."

"Yes, ma'am," said the old housekeeper respectfully, but speaking in a very slow, impressive tone; "because it is their nature to howl when they know there's death on the way."

"Gertrude, my dear, for goodness' sake don't you be superst.i.tious. It's absurd. It is what you have just heard--an old woman's tale. Why, if dogs howled because there was death about, they'd pa.s.s their days doing nothing else, and wouldn't have time even to wag their tails."

"Denton, you are old enough to know better."

"Yes, ma'am, I'm seventy years and three months old, and I suppose I ought to know better, but I don't."

"There is nothing to mind, Denton," said Gertrude gently. "Poor Bruno quite startled me for the moment, but he has settled down now, and--"

She stopped short, for the dog again uttered the same long, low howl--a cry which sounded more impressive than the one they had heard before.

Gertrude's face looked ghastly, and for a moment she reeled and caught at Mrs Hampton's trembling hand, while the old housekeeper sank upon her knees and buried her face in her ap.r.o.n.

Gertrude was the first to recover her presence of mind.

"How childis.h.!.+" she said, as she crossed to the old woman where she knelt. "Denton, dear, don't think so seriously of such a trifle. There is no truth in these old superst.i.tious ideas."

"No truth, my dear?" said the old woman, taking and kissing the hand laid upon her shoulder. "Was there no truth in my shutting poor Bruno up in the shed, and his getting out by tearing his way under the side, and howling in the garden the night poor dear master died? I know what you will both say to me, that I am a silly old woman; but I have seen and heard strange things in my time, and I hope, with all my heart, that this is not a sign of ill having come to some one we know, whether it's to young master or Mr Saul. But, mark my words, we shall hear something terrible, and before long."

"Yes, we shall all hear bad news, Denton, if we live long enough," said Mrs Hampton, who was quite herself again. "Let's go and see how your patient is, Gertrude, my dear."

She crossed to the door, and Gertrude followed her quickly, leaving the old housekeeper hesitating as to whether to go or stay, and ending by slowly following the others into the hall.

Bruno had not moved from where he had been left, but lay with his head between his paws, and eyes closed, apparently asleep, till Gertrude stood over him, when he half opened his eyes and looked up at her.

"Poor old dog, then!" she said gently, as she went down on one knee and softly stroked his neck.

The dog closed his eyes and responded to her caress by giving a few raps upon the floor with his tail, after which he lay perfectly still, as if asleep.

"I wonder how he was hurt," said Gertrude gently.

"Some brute must have struck him, and he ought to be punished."

"Bruno would not hurt anyone except those he hates," said Mrs Denton slowly, as she came and stood close by them.

"Poor thing!" said Mrs Hampton. "Well, we can do no more. He will soon get better. Come, Gertrude."