"Only one man can help her," interrupted the woman gruffly, "and he must be her lover, who will stand against these devils on her behalf. But she never sees a man, since Mr. Arnold went away, unless old Matthew counts, so what chance has she! There," she ended abruptly, "I have told you more than I ought to. The drink! the drink! Geary would kill me if he knew. Curse Geary and curse the drink!" and she returned slowly to the inn, striking her forehead and repeating: "the drink, the drink, the drink!"
Haskins remained on the bridge for a few minutes and then retired to bed, not to sleep but to think deeply. He had enough to occupy his thoughts throughout that long summer night. Mrs. Geary, as the saying goes, had given the show away. From the remark about the motor car Gerald felt certain that Mrs. Geary had meant a loss of money. Apparently, if Mavis escaped from the Pixy's House, Rebb would lose an income, which rightfully belonged to the girl. But of this the young man could not be sure, and until he had more information he could do nothing. Still his suspicions had certainly proved to be correct. The negro was Rebb's creature, and had been posted in Denleigh village to guard the Pixy's House and its occupants. Haskins felt that he was on the track of the mystery, but could not follow it up until he talked it over with another person. Two heads were better than one, in this instance, and Tod Macandrew was very shrewd. Therefore Haskins fell asleep with a resolution to explain matters to the lawyer when he went to London. Meanwhile he had to meet Mavis in the moonlight on the ensuing night, and that thought alone was sufficient to fill his mind to the exclusion of less romantic matters.
Next morning Geary was as suave and obedient as usual. Evidently he had neither found, nor had he heard, anything to awaken his suspicion while visiting the Pixy's House. Haskins watched him closely, and weighed every look, every inflection of the voice; but in every case he was satisfied that the negro had not the slightest idea that his guest had stormed the Enchanted Castle. When the time came for Haskins to drive to Silbury the negro himself appeared on the box of the trap.
"Hullo," said Gerald, climbing in, and seeing that his portmanteau was all right, "this is an honor. Geary."
"Oh no, sah," said the negro, showing his splendid teeth, "you ver' good pusson, sah, to hab at de Devon Maid. I wish you to come here again an'--an' tell odder jemplem ob dis place."
"I'll tell everyone," said Gerald, when the trap started, "and I'll be back soon."
"To stay wid me, sah?"
"For a few days. I must then get on to St. Ives, as a friend is awaiting me there. What I miss about Denleigh, Geary," added the young man, in a careless tone, "is, that there are no pretty girls."
"No, sah, no. You hab to see Jamaica for de pretty gals, sah."
"You come from Jamaica then?"