"And Mr. Hest? What do you know of him?"
"Nothing more than that he is the brother of my talented pupil. He came with the message from his sister, who is at her ancestral halls in Yorkshire, to the effect that she would return in a month, or perchance earlier, to fulfil certain engagements which I have procured her. I invited him to stay here during his stay in town."
"Why did you?" asked the Colonel, speaking for the first time. Gail looked embarrassed, but Mrs. Gail spoke for him. "Mr. Hest, we know, is very rich," she said frankly, "and both my husband and myself wish to have a theatre of our own. We thought that if we showed him some hospitality he might finance us. I must say," she added, looking puzzled, "that I wondered that such a rich man was content to accept our humble lodgings instead of going to a swell hotel. But he seems to be easily pleased."
"It was not that, Hettie," said the Professor quickly. "Mr. Hest simply remained here so that he could persuade me to induce my talented pupil to give up reciting, as he dreaded lest she should go on the stage. And she ought to be an actress, in my humble opinion, for her capabilities are of a very high order. As Lady Macbeth, or in any of Sardou's characters, such as La Tosca, Fedora, and the rest, she would produce a sensation."
The speech of both man and wife seemed frank enough, and they appeared to be a couple of simple people devoted to their profession and quite ignorant of evil. Vernon glanced at Towton and saw from the expression of the Colonel's face that he thoroughly believed them. Still, so as to be quite sure of his ground, he asked another question: "Miss Hest as a reciter or an actress may be all that can be desired, but do you and Mrs. Gail like her personally; do you think she is what we call--well--er--straight?"
"Yes," cried the woman forcibly; "Miss Hest is one in a thousand. She is a kind-hearted lady who sympathises with those who struggle."
"Hettie is quite right," said the Professor with dignity. "Many a time has Miss Hest assisted us when tradespeople have worried. I am sure that she would have persuaded her brother to enable us to enter into management in the long run, as she has every confidence in my capabilities."
"And in mine," said Mrs. Gail jealously. "She said that my Emilia in 'Othello' was the best performance she had ever seen. But now, gentlemen," the actress rose to give effect to her words, "may I inquire why you ask these questions, and why you come here to fire pistols in a peaceful home?"
At the beginning it had been in Vernon's mind to tell the whole story right out and to tax the couple with complicity. But they really seemed to be entirely ignorant of Hest's true character, and evidently had only lately met Maunders. He therefore did not think it wise to reveal what he and the Colonel knew lest the Gails should gossip about the matter. And until he had consulted Drench the young man did not desire that this last unusual affair should become public. He therefore shot a warning glance at the Colonel and answered cautiously:
"It is only a private matter, Mrs. Gail, which is not worth explaining. The pistol-shot was an accident."