<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</SPAN></span></p>
<div class="break">
<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER XX</h2>
<p class="pch">DICK BRACKNELL LEARNS THE TRUTH</p>
<p class="drop-cap03"><span class="beg">“WE MUST</span> find out what has happened!”
said Joy, looking at Bracknell.</p>
<p>“Yes,” he said slowly, “but you must
not go alone. If you will wait a moment I will
accompany you.”</p>
<p>“But your cough——” Joy began, a tone of
solicitude in her voice.</p>
<p>“My cough!” Dick Bracknell laughed bitterly.
“That is nothing to what may lie before us, and
in any case it is not safe for you to go alone.”</p>
<p>Something in his voice and manner convinced
her that he was not speaking idly, and that he had
his own reasons for apprehension.</p>
<p>“Very well,” she said, “we will wait for you.
We will go down the creek together.”</p>
<p>He turned back into the hut, and the two girls
looked at each other. They were used to the stillness
of the forest, but somehow the silence that
prevailed seemed ominous of fateful things. Both
of them were conscious of vague forebodings, and
as Babette looked at her foster-sister, and saw the
light of apprehension in her eyes, she whispered,
“What do you think, Joy? What do you think has
happened?”</p>
<p>“I do not know, but I feel that it is something<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</SPAN></span>
dreadful and I am afraid.” She looked towards
the cabin, and added, “He is afraid also. You can
see that!”</p>
<p>“Yes! That is very clear.”</p>
<p>They stood waiting until Dick Bracknell appeared,
and then without speaking all three started
down the creek. A few minutes walking brought
them in sight of the main trail, and suddenly Joy
gave a cry, and pointed ahead. The figure of a
man was lying prone in the snow, and as he caught
sight of it, Dick Bracknell broke into a feeble run.
For a moment the two girls stood quite still, looking
each at the blanched face of the other, then they
followed, slowly, the premonition of tragedy mounting
in their hearts.</p>
<p>When they reached Bracknell they found him
stooping over the figure, with a look of consternation
in his eyes.</p>
<p>“Do you know him? Is it your——”</p>
<p>“Oh!” cried Babette. “It is George!”</p>
<p>“George! Who is——”</p>
<p>“He was my father’s man, and he is mine!”
said Joy, staring at the fallen Indian with stricken
eyes.</p>
<p>“No,” said Dick Bracknell quietly, “he is yours
no longer! He has gone to the happy hunting
grounds.”</p>
<p>“Dead?” cried Joy, as the truth broke upon her.
“George dead! But how? What——”</p>
<p>Bracknell looked up at her, moved by the
anguish in her tones, then he pointed to what she
had not seen, a feathered arrow head, half hidden
by the crook of the arm.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>“Oh!” she sobbed. “He has been killed.
He——”</p>
<p>“But where is Jim? Where are the dogs?”
cried her foster-sister. “Both have been here!
See, here are the tracks, and there goes the trail
northward!”</p>
<p>It was as she said, and as Dick Bracknell looked
down and read the signs a dark look came on his
face. Babette looked from her foster-sister, sobbing
in the snow, to the man who was her husband.</p>
<p>“What do you think has happened?” she asked.</p>
<p>He looked from her to Joy commiseratingly. “I
can only guess,” he said in a troubled voice. “I
think the Indian who was with me is responsible for
this, the man who brought you to my shack—you
know. When you came to the cabin he had instructions
to look out for your men at the mouth of the
creek. I—I am afraid he exceeded my instructions.
I think that he must have attacked your men——”</p>
<p>“But why should he do that, if you did not tell
him?”</p>
<p>As Joy flung this question at him, a troubled look
came upon his face.</p>
<p>“I think he wanted your dogs and outfit, that we
might get away from here!”</p>
<p>“Our dogs and outfit?”</p>
<p>“Yes. He is devoted to me, but twice lately I
have had trouble on that point. Once when my
cousin Roger Bracknell came——”</p>
<p>He broke off suddenly as Joy sprang to her feet.
“Your cousin Roger has been here?” she cried.
“He is alive then?”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>As she flung her questions at him eagerly, impetuously,
the man’s face clouded, and again a jealous
light came in his eyes. It was a moment before he
answered the questions, and to Babette, watching
him it appeared that he was struggling hard for
self-mastery.</p>
<p>“Yes,” he replied, at last, in a hoarse voice.
“He is alive! He came to my cabin by accident.
He had broken his leg, and had lain in an Indian
encampment for weeks. There he had heard news
which had sent him hot foot on the trail of a man
who was responsible for your father’s death!”</p>
<p>“For my father’s death?” as she cried the words
Joy’s face was white as the snow about her. “But—but——”</p>
<p>Her voice faltered, and guessing what she would
have said, Bracknell explained. “I am afraid it
will come as a shock to you even after these three
or four years, but it appears to be the fact that
your father’s death was not altogether accidental.</p>
<p>“My cousin had a very circumstantial story of the
affair, and he was on the trail of the man who
was responsible for the crime, the same man, as he
believes, who shot me on the night when I had
arranged that meeting with you at North Star.”</p>
<p>“But who is the man?” asked Joy quickly.</p>
<p>“My cousin gave me no name, indeed he declined
to do so. But he had his theory, and he went so
far as to tell me that not only did the Indian who
was with him know the man, but that he himself
believed that he knew him.”</p>
<p>“Ah!” cried Joy.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>Her husband looked at her. “You also guess?”</p>
<p>“Yes!” she answered. “I guess—but no more
than guess!”</p>
<p>“Who is the man?” asked Bracknell quickly.</p>
<p>“His name is Adrian Rayner!”</p>
<p>“Rayner!” cried Bracknell excitedly. “The son
of old Rayner, your guardian?”</p>
<p>“Yes! He is in the North now. I believe
that he is looking for Roger Bracknell.”</p>
<p>“God in heaven!”</p>
<p>“What is the matter?” asked Joy. “You look
as if something had occurred to you!”</p>
<p>“Yes!” he said simply. “Something has—something
very significant. Two or three days
after Roger left the shack a stranger arrived——”</p>
<p>“Mr. Bracknell,” interrupted Miss La Farge,
“don’t you think we had better postpone explanations
for a little time? If we remain talking here
we shall freeze. And there are things to be done.
There is Jim to find—and there is the team and the
outfit. Then we must bury George. We can’t
possibly leave him lying here for the wolves!”</p>
<p>“Yes,” answered Bracknell. “I was forgetting.”
He considered a moment and then spoke again.
“The sled tracks run up the river. If you two were
to follow a little way, till you get to that spur there,
you will have a long view of the trail, and possibly
you will be able to see something of the team and
your man. But don’t go too far. It won’t be safe.
Whilst you are away, I will arrange tree-burial for
this poor fellow. And when you return we can
discuss the situation. Do you agree?”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>“Yes,” answered Joy.</p>
<p>“Then I will waste no time, nor, I hope, will
you.”</p>
<p>He turned and began to walk up the creek in a
way that revealed what an effort it was for him,
and for a second or two Joy watched him with
pitying eyes, then as her foster-sister spoke, she
turned, and without answering began to follow the
sled tracks.</p>
<p>After they had trudged a little way, Babette
spoke.</p>
<p>“Dick Bracknell is a strange man. Two hours
ago he was within an ace of violence towards you,
and now I believe he is really solicitous for your
welfare.”</p>
<p>“Yes,” answered Joy. “He is full of contradictions.
There are many men like him, I suppose.
When he is good he is very good, and when he is
bad he is almost satanic. When I first met him he
was a gentleman, an attractive one; and but for
unfortunate influences he might have continued—but
now——”</p>
<p>“Now he is a wreck, physical and moral,” answered
Babette, and then asked sharply, “Suppose
we do not find Jim and the dogs, Joy?”</p>
<p>“We must find them!”</p>
<p>“But suppose we do not? What then?”</p>
<p>“Then we shall have to take refuge in the cabin.”</p>
<p>She said no more, and Babette asked no more
questions. In half an hour they reached the wooded
spur round which the river turned, and as they
reached the further side, both came to a standstill
and looked at the frozen waste.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>For two or three miles the course of the river was
visible between low, wooded banks. Snow was
everywhere, and nowhere was the white surface
broken by any moving figure. It was a land of
death—death white and cold. Babette shivered as
she looked on it.</p>
<p>“They are not here, Joy,” she whispered.
“Neither Jim nor the dogs.”</p>
<p>“No,” answered Joy stonily.</p>
<p>“We shall have to go back to the cabin to—to—your
husband.”</p>
<p>“Yes, there is no other way!” A sob broke from
her, then she bit her lip, and added, “It is a
strange irony that now my safety should depend on
him.”</p>
<p>“Dare you trust him—Joy?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” answered Joy thoughtfully. “I can trust
him—now. As you have seen he is a very sick
man, and in spite of the way in which he raved
in the cabin, I believe that now he is greatly concerned
for my safety, and yours. Did you notice
the sudden change in his attitude after I had mentioned
Adrian Rayner’s name?”</p>
<p>“Yes, he was startled. His manner completely
altered. Something struck him with your mention
of the name. I wonder what it was?”</p>
<p>“I do not know. I cannot even guess, but no
doubt we shall hear presently. There is nothing
for us to do but to return to the cabin.”</p>
<p>Her foster-sister nodded thoughtfully. “Yes,
we shall have to do that. We can do nothing else.”
She paused a moment and then asked, “You don’t
think George’s son has deserted us, Joy?”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>“No!” answered Joy emphatically. “Something
has driven him away. But he will return—if he
can. I am sure of that!”</p>
<p>They turned in their tracks and slowly retraced
their way to the cabin. Dick Bracknell was standing
at the door, evidently waiting for them, and as
they approached he flashed a look of inquiry at Joy.
She shook her head.</p>
<p>“No,” she said quietly. “There is nothing to be
seen anywhere.”</p>
<p>“I am sorry,” answered Bracknell simply. “You
must wait here. Perhaps your other man will
return, or if he does not my man may.”</p>
<p>He opened the door and held it for them to pass
in.</p>
<p>“You can take off your furs,” he said, as they
entered. “I have blocked the window with snow,
and stretched a blanket over it. I am afraid that
it will be rather dark, but that is unavoidable.”</p>
<p>The two girls followed his suggestion and seated
themselves by the stove. For a little time no one
spoke, and the red glow of the fire shining on their
faces showed them very thoughtful. At last, Joy
broke the silence.</p>
<p>“You were saying that two or three days after
your cousin left here a stranger arrived. Who was
it? Do you know?”</p>
<p>Dick Bracknell laughed mirthlessly. “I do not
know for certain. I can only guess.”</p>
<p>“And you guess——”</p>
<p>“That it was old Rayner’s son—Adrian, I think
you called him. Of course he didn’t tell me who
he was, but he let out that he was looking for my<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</SPAN></span>
Cousin Roger, and posed as a lawyer’s clerk. I’m
morally certain, however, that he was young
Rayner!”</p>
<p>Joy remembered his sudden change of manner
when she had said that Adrian Rayner was in the
North, looking, as she believed for Roger Bracknell,
and after a moment, urged by something deeper
than curiosity, she spoke, “You hinted that something
very significant had occurred to you. What
was it?”</p>
<p>Dick Bracknell hesitated, and it was evident that
he was wondering whether to tell her or not. Then
he laughed bitterly. “You may as well know all
the kinds of fool I am. This stranger pitched a
yarn about you and Roger, and I was fool enough
to believe him.”</p>
<p>He broke off and looked at Joy, whose face was
flaming. Even in the red glow of the firelight the
flush revealed itself to him, but though he frowned
a little, he continued in an even voice. “He told
me that my brother Geoffrey was dead, and that
as I was either dead or as good as dead, Roger
quite naturally was reckoned as the heir to Harrow
Fell. He said further that you knew of this and
that you were looking for Roger with the news and
with the intention of marrying him.”</p>
<p>“Oh!”</p>
<p>As the exclamation broke from her, Joy abruptly
hid her face in her hands, Bracknell coughed a
little and then resumed—</p>
<p>“He claimed to be the agent of old Rayner, and
declared he was looking for Roger Bracknell in
order to warn him of your previous marriage, and<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</SPAN></span>
to give him warning that I was alive, in case you—a—should
not regard that marriage as binding.”</p>
<p>He looked at Joy again. Her face was still hidden
in her hands.</p>
<p>“As I said, I was fool enough to believe him, and
that accounts for my amiable reception of you just
now. It even accounts for your presence here, for
when my man Joe brought news that you were out
in the Northward trail, the trail that Roger was
following, I was morally certain that you were out
upon his track, and I set out to trap you. You
must own that your unexpected presence did give
colour to Rayner’s story, and that I had some excuse
for——”</p>
<p>“I <i>was</i> looking for your cousin Roger,” interrupted
Joy, suddenly lifting her face, and meeting his
questioning gaze.</p>
<p>He looked at her but did not immediately reply.
And in the silence that followed Miss La Farge rose
from her seat and began to put on her furs.</p>
<p>“I am going outside,” she said. “It is better
that I should. You two have things to say to each
other that should only be said between you.”</p>
<p>She passed out, shutting the door behind her,
and after a little time, Dick Bracknell spoke again.</p>
<p>“You say you were looking for my Cousin Roger?
That is a very damaging admission, is it not? It
would seem that, after all, that fellow Rayner was
not far off the mark.”</p>
<p>“You do not believe that?” answered Joy, meeting
his gaze with steady eyes.</p>
<p>He laughed shortly. “No,” he admitted. “I<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</SPAN></span>
do not believe it—now, but I will own that I am
a little curious as to the reason why you should
follow on my cousin’s trail. It is—er—a little
unusual.”</p>
<p>“I was following him, as I believed, to save him.
Adrian Rayner wanted to marry me, and I had
accused him of trying to kill you at North Star.
He knew all about my marriage to you, though how
he got the knowledge I cannot tell——”</p>
<p>“That is simple enough!” broke in her husband.
“I wrote to old Rayner and told him——”</p>
<p>“But my uncle did not know, I am sure he did
not know. He himself wanted me to marry Adrian,
and I can’t believe he knew.”</p>
<p>“Perhaps not,” admitted Bracknell thoughtfully.
“It is possible that young Rayner got hold of my
letter to his father and that the old man never
saw it at all. But what has this to do with my
cousin!”</p>
<p>“This! Adrian Rayner told me that he was
coming here in order to prove that you were dead
but I was morally certain that he was coming here
to find your cousin Roger and to—to——”</p>
<p>“To shoot him, hey? Why should he want to
do that?”</p>
<p>“Because he knew that your cousin suspected
him of that attempt on your life at North Star!”</p>
<p>“Wanted to get rid of a witness, I suppose. And
you were following Roger to warn him.”</p>
<p>“Yes! That was one reason.”</p>
<p>“Um! It’s a nice coil, for sure. I entertain the
man who tried to murder me, and I set him on the<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</SPAN></span>
trail of my cousin who was trying to bring him to
justice. That is about as pretty a kettle of fish
as——”</p>
<p>“But you did not tell Adrian Rayner where
Roger had gone?” cried Joy, springing to her feet.
“Surely you did not tell him?”</p>
<p>“At that time,” answered Bracknell slowly, “it
seemed to me that I had little cause to love my
Cousin Roger. You are to remember that I was
in ignorance of much that I have learned this
morning.”</p>
<p>“You told him?” cried Joy.</p>
<p>“I certainly put him on the track,” answered the
man.</p>
<p>“Then God forgive you! God forgive you!”
cried Joy in anguished tones.</p>
<p>Dick Bracknell’s face set hard, and only by an
effort was he able to control himself. But after a
moment he replied quietly, “As I have said, I
did not know Rayner. I had no inkling of his
game.”</p>
<p>“No!” said Joy stonily. “I understand that.”</p>
<p>“You hinted that there was another reason,”
said Bracknell, watching her closely. “I wonder if
you would mind telling me——”</p>
<p>“Oh, I don’t mind at all,” broke in Joy impulsively.
“Your brother Geoffrey was killed whilst
I was in England. Indeed, I was the one to find
him dead. No one knew whether you were alive
or dead, even I did not know, and Roger was regarded
as the heir. But I knew that when he left
North Star that he was going to try and learn what
had really happened to you, and I was afraid that if<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</SPAN></span>
there was a collision between you, and anything
dreadful happened, people might say that he—that
he——”</p>
<p>She broke off, and hesitated.</p>
<p>“I understand,” said her husband. “You need
not say it. I dare say you are quite right. This
world is full of Christian charity.”</p>
<p>“I cabled him and tried to get in touch with
him. I learned that he was missing. I came out,
and at Regina I discovered that nothing whatever
had been heard about him, but I discovered also
that Adrian Rayner had been making inquiries,
that he was on his trail. Then I was certain of
his evil purpose, and when I reached North Star
and found Adrian there, I accused him, for I was
very sure of his intentions. As soon as I could I
started to look for your cousin myself——”</p>
<p>“You seem very anxious about my cousin,” broke
in her husband quietly.</p>
<p>“Oh, how can I help being?” cried Joy.</p>
<p>Dick Bracknell took a step forward, and put a
hand on her shoulder. She did not shrink, and as
his eyes searched her face, she met his gaze steadily.
They stood there silent for what seemed a long time,
then Bracknell dropped his hand.</p>
<p>“I think I understand,” he said wearily, “and I
do not blame you. And I am sure that both
Roger and you have played the game! Well, I’m
crocked, and——”</p>
<p>He broke off and laughed harshly. Then his
haggard face grew suddenly convulsed with rage.
“That—Rayner! If only I could meet him
again I think I could die happily!”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>Joy looked at him, her heart wrung with pity
for him. She stretched a hand impulsively, and
was about to speak when the door was flung open
violently, and Miss La Farge rushed in, hastily
barring the door behind her.</p>
<hr class="chap" /></div>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />