The Heart of a Mystery

by T. W. Speight

Doctor Hazeldine was quite of the Major's opinion, that a final appeal ought to be made to Miss Pengarvon. "It has seemed to me, when considering the matter," he went on to observe, "that possibly there may have been a doubt lurking in Miss Pengarvon's mind all these years, as to whether her sister was really married, in which case one can readily understand her determination to keep everything connected with the affair a profound secret. She comes of a stock which have always been known round about as 'the Proud Pengarvons,' and of which the family motto is, 'Pride I Cherish.' This seems to me a factor in the affair which ought not to be overlooked. May I ask whether you happen to have your son's marriage certificate by you?"

"It is in my portmanteau upstairs. I brought it with me, thinking that I might possibly be called upon to produce it."

"Then, if you will allow me to say so, why not take it with you to Broome to-morrow? In your place, I should insist on seeing Miss Pengarvon, and on laying the certificate before her as evidence which not even she can doubt or cavil at. If, after that, she should still persist in maintaining her present attitude, I agree with you in thinking that nothing more can be done."

"What you urge is certainly worthy of a trial," said the Major, "and to-morrow shall see it put to the test."

Barney Dale had happened to mention that since her late attack Miss Pengarvon seldom rose before noon, so it was not till between four and five o'clock the following afternoon that Major Strickland, his granddaughter and Clement found themselves at Broome. Miss Brancker, feeling that she might perhaps be in the way, had stayed behind, and Clement would have followed her example had not the Major insisted on his accompanying them.

Earlier in the day, Clem had sent Barney a note by messenger, so that he was prepared for their arrival. This time they drove up to the front entrance, and, in response to the Major's summons, Barney flung open the massive oaken door, which since Sir Jasper's death had so rarely turned on its hinges to admit anyone.

"This young lady is my granddaughter and Miss Pengarvon's niece," said the Major. "We are about to leave Stavering in the course of a few hours, but are desirous of seeing Miss Pengarvon before doing so. Be good enough, please, to lead the way to her room, and announce our arrival to her."

At any other time Barney would have refused admittance to the Major until he had obtained his mistress's permission, but Clem in his note had told him the object of their visit--it was "all for Hermia's sake," he had written--so now he simply bowed and held wide the door for them to enter. Then having shut the door, he motioned to them to follow him, all without a word, and led the way to the Green Parlor. The Major and Hermia obeyed his mute directions, but Clement stayed behind in the entrance hall.

Barney--the Major and Hermia a little way behind him--knocked with his knuckles on the door of the Green Parlor, and bent his ear for the familiar summons to enter. But none came. Presently he knocked again, louder than before. Still no response. The only sound that broke the strained silence was the fluting of a blackbird somewhere outside the Hall. Then, after a scared look at the others, Barney opened the door and made one step forward into the room. Next moment a cry that was half a wail broke from the old man's lips; the Major, followed by Hermia, hurried into the room.

There, in her high-backed chair, with its empty fellow chair facing her on the opposite side of the table, with her glazed eyes staring straight before her, and a look of awe unutterable on her ashen-grey face, sat Miss Pengarvon, stone dead. On the table in front of her were scattered a number of yellow, time faded letters, which she had apparently been engaged in looking over at the moment the Great Captain touched her suddenly on the shoulder, and beckoned her to follow him.