Haskins smiled once more, very significantly. He quite believed that if Rebb could have shut up Mavis as a lunatic he would have done so long ago. But, in the first place, it would be difficult to get two doctors to certify to her insanity, and in the second, if the case became known, the use of the girl's money by Rebb might be questioned. The Major had just made sufficient of the story public to save himself from awkward questions, and Gerald foresaw that to extricate Mavis from her false position was a more difficult task than, he had reckoned upon.
However, notwithstanding that things looked thus black, he held to his determination of having an explanation with Major Rebb, and as the evening was pleasant he walked to Denleigh at his leisure. There was more chance of catching the Major at this hour, since it was probable that he would always return to the Devon Maid for dinner. As he was starting, Mrs. Jennings came up to him at the door.
"If you see Major Rebb, sir," she said, in a low voice, "you might tell him that Mr. Arnold has come back."
"Who is he?" asked Gerald, forgetting what Mavis had said.
"A small clever gentleman, with a long beard, who looked after that poor girl for a time. He went away to some foreign port months ago but returned to this neighborhood during the last two or three days. I haven't seen Mr. Arnold myself," ended Mrs. Jennings, "but others have seen him, and I want the Major to know."
"Why?" asked Haskins, looking at her keenly.
"Mr. Arnold behaved very badly to Major Rebb," explained the landlady, "and went away without giving notice. Major Rebb wants to see him, and ask why he left him in the lurch, as you might say."
"I'll tell him," said Haskins, nodding. "Where is this Mr. Arnold now?"
"I can't say, sir, save that he is in the neighborhood."
Haskins walked away, pondering over what had been said. He then remembered how Mavis had called this dwarf Arnold by the name of Schaibar, and said that he had gone to Australia. Apparently he had acted as a kind of companion to Mavis, and possibly as a tutor, although he had not been allowed by Rebb to teach his pupil reading or writing. It occurred to Gerald that the scholar was friendly to Mavis. In that case, he certainly would be hostile to her guardian, as he could not fail to know from personal observation that the girl was perfectly sane, and was illegally detained. The young man felt very certain that Rebb wished to see this Mr. Arnold, not to ask him questions as to the reason for his sudden departure, some months back, but to bribe him into silence regarding the truth. "I shall hunt up Arnold," thought Gerald, as he mounted the rising road to Denleigh, "he may be able to help Mavis and myself. And heaven knows that we shall need all the help and friendship that we can obtain."