When the Sea Gives Up Its Dead: A Thrilling Detective Story

by Mrs. George Corbett

“Come, Briny, I want you to go out with me. We have some work to do this morning, and I have an appointment for three o’clock this afternoon.”

This was all the answer vouchsafed to Mr. Staines, beyond another bewildering glance as Miss Stratton hurriedly quitted the room, followed by the faithful Briny. But he understood its meaning perfectly, and knew that he might rely upon getting the pleasant walk he had proposed.

“Rather quick work,” he mused, stroking his well-waxed moustache, and indulging in a smirk of gratified vanity. “I’ve never gone in for lady-killing much. But it seems to me that I can have things pretty much my own way with women, if I like to lay myself out to please them. First the pretty young widow, and then the beautiful artist. And I had half a notion of marrying the widow! What a fool I should have been to-day if I had been already booked! Good Lord! this girl isn’t fit to leave home by herself. She’ll be like wax in my hands, and I can clear out when I get tired of her, unless she proves to have plenty of money, in which case I shall make it my business to get hold of it, sooner or later.”

Meanwhile, the subject of his complaisant musings was in her own room, with the door locked, and was walking backwards and forwards in an agony of passion such as would have surprised him, if he could have seen it. She rubbed her right hand violently with her pocket handkerchief, and gave vent to short inarticulate cries of fury.

“I thought I could bear it,” she panted, hoarsely, “I believed I could endure anything for Harley’s sake, and to bring this perjured thief and murderer to justice. I have overrated my strength, for the contamination of his touch has nearly driven me mad. And yet I acted so well that I really believe that he imagines me to have fallen hopelessly in love with him! I am sure he also thinks me infatuated and pliant enough to be a willing tool in his hands. Upon my word, it doesn’t take much manœuvring to throw dust in the eyes of a vain man.”

Miss Stratton muttered a good deal more to the same purpose, and then, having calmed down a little, began to wash her hands, for she was not satisfied with merely rubbing off Mr. Staines’ touch. Then, having made sure that her toilet and disguise were all perfect, she ascertained from Mrs. Dollman the time at which she would be expected in to lunch, and, carrying a portfolio with her, went out, ostensibly to sketch. Her real purpose, however, was to hunt about until she found a shop in which she could buy or order a few local sketches, as nearly in the same style as some English sketches that she had brought with her as possible. She was fortunate enough to secure just what she wanted, and at a price, too, which made her wonder how the artist could possibly make a living at that sort of work.

Returning to the house, she found that it was near lunch time, and that Mr. Staines, contrary to his usual custom, intended to grace the board with his presence. But he was very cautious in his behaviour, and Mrs. Dollman’s sharp eyes could not detect more admiration on his part for the beautiful stranger than was consistent with the fact that she was a previously unknown new arrival. On her side Miss Stratton was a pattern of discreetness, and bestowed nearly all her attention upon the pretty little mistress of the house.

After lunch was over Mrs. Dollman begged to see Miss Stratton’s sketches. The portfolio, therefore, was fetched out, and the little drawings it contained were duly admired. The local views were not shown yet. They were intended to account for time that Miss Stratton expected to devote to other pursuits than sketching, and would not be shown at all if events developed themselves as quickly as she hoped. Truth to tell, she was not very clever with pencil or brush, and such artistic achievements as she was able to show were due to the “amour propre” of her drawing master. He, knowing that in nineteen cases out of twenty it is usual for young ladies to discard their school pursuits as soon as their education is pronounced complete, thought it a pity that they should not have something to show their fond parents for all the money spent upon them, and made a point of doing their work himself if he found that his pupils showed no special aptitude for it. In this way he built himself a fine reputation as an art teacher, for the vanity of the majority of his pupils forbade them to betray the fact that they had really had very little to do with the production of the pictures bearing their signature. Miss Stratton had not started upon her present enterprise without having first matured her plans, and she had even taken the precaution to change the initials of the little pictures with which she meant to support her assumption of the role of an artist. But, all used as she was becoming to the necessity for a certain amount of deception, she felt very uncomfortable when listening to the praises lavished upon work to which she could lay very little claim.

When this little farce was over there was a general adjournment, and Miss Stratton betook herself to her own room to prepare for the intended excursion, in the rôle of a complaisant inamorata, with her mortal enemy. The latter, after meeting her outside, as per arrangement, did all in his power to amuse his companion, and was highly pleased with his afternoon’s entertainment. When he was once more left alone, at the end of the street leading to Mrs. Dollman’s house, he was vainer than he had ever been in his life before, and anticipated not the slightest drawback to the success of the love affair upon which he had just entered.

But Miss Stratton’s feelings ran in a different groove. While apparently quite happy in the company of Mr. Staines, she was careful not to agree to any scheme of enjoyment that involved retirement from the public thoroughfares. While there she felt herself safe, and did not hesitate to befool Mr. Staines so egregiously that he already regarded her as his willing prey. She was, however, by no means quite satisfied with her day’s work so far. During the course of her conversation she had casually mentioned her desire to inspect Gibraltar under pleasant guardianship. But the gentleman showed such a decided aversion to the idea of visiting that place that the prospect of luring him there seemed as yet but a remote one.