"Then where is it?"
"I don't know--I cannot tell. And if I did know I would never tell, missy. Enough sorrow and trouble has come about over that necklace--the accursed thing! I--I----" Durban broke down, and, with a groan, fairly ran away, leaving the amazed Beatrice mistress of the field.
[CHAPTER XVI]
AN INTERRUPTION
There was certainly enough to think about. Beatrice retreated to her room, and proceeded to reason out the meaning of all she had heard. It was evident that both Vivian and Durban were in some way connected with criminality in connection with Mr. Alpenny's vocation of "fence," since both refused to speak. Waterloo, apparently, was a member of the Black Patch Gang, and had come down the other day to see Vivian. Beatrice remembered now how Vivian had hinted that he was connected with rogues and vagabonds, and how he appeared to be fearful as to what Major Ruck might say. Ruck himself probably was a member of this criminal association. In any case, as Durban had confessed, he was a decoy duck to lure the unwary into the late Mr. Alpenny's nets.
But the question which now presented itself to the puzzled girl was, whether, Alpenny being dead, the organisation would end. The old usurer had been extremely clever, and, wanting his brains, this association might disband for want of a competent head. Ruck certainly,--as he appeared to have some authority,--might become the moving spirit; but from what Beatrice had seen of him, she did not think he was capable of handling such difficult matters. And she did not much care. All she desired was to learn what Paslow had to do with these rascalities,--if Durban was implicated in the rogueries,--and, if so, to rescue both. She could not believe that either of these kind men, and whom she loved so dearly, would act in a blackguardly way. In some manner the two had become entangled in Alpenny's nets, and knowing this, Ruck was making capital out of the knowledge. This was the conclusion which Beatrice arrived at, and she determined to force Vivian to explain.
"I love him dearly," she assured herself, as she stared at her pale drawn face in the looking-glass; "but I cannot marry him until I know exactly what part he has taken in all these terrible doings." With this resolve she went down to dinner, and found Vivian there in a very happy state of mind. Lately the cloud had passed away from his brow, and he seemed more like his old self, of the days when she had never guessed what an abyss there was under her feet--under their feet, indeed, as she could not separate herself, even in thought, from Vivian Paslow.
"My dear Beatrice," he said, coming towards her with a smile: and then, when he saw her face, he stopped short, just as Durban had done. "Why, my darling, what have you been doing with yourself?"
"Nothing," replied Beatrice quietly. "After dinner I'll tell you."
"Then there is something," said Paslow, seeing how she contradicted herself, and trying to make her speak out.