LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1454, 14 October 1878, Page 3

LITERATURE.

DR. GAEKICK, By M. E. Brandon. [From "All the Year Round."] (Continued.) CIIAI'TER IV. —MR TREGONNELL WAKES HIS WILL. While the acquaintance between Mr Tregonnell and Hester Kushton thus ripened gradually into a very cloro friendship, Dr Carriok was too busily occupied by his daily round of professional work to be aware of the change. He was away from home all d'iy. V\ hen he saw his cousin and his patient in the evening, he perceived no more than that they got on very well together. This was as it should be. He wished lis patient to be comfortable in his house, Mr Tregonnell had now been with him three months, and had pressed a second cheque for a hundred pounds upon his acceptance. 'I his was very well, and Dr Carrick felt that if it could go on for ever his fortune would be made. But how could he hope that the thing would last ? Eustace Tregonnell's fitful temper was proverbial. Some morning he would feel the old longing for the wide salt sea, and be off and away in hi" yacht, leaving the doctor as desolate as Dido. Dr Carrick's only wonder was that his patient had stayed so long It never entered into his mind that Hester Rushton's iuazel eyes and gentle child-liku ways could 'have any influence upon Mr Tregonnell, Even the

valet noticed the change which his new mode of life had wrought in his master. He talked of it in the village, and lauded Dr Carrick's skill.

1 He's the first doctor that ever did Mr Tregonnell any good,' he said, leaning over the counter of the chief shopkeeper in St Mildred grower, chemist stationer, and posttnantor fon a comfortable gossip. ' I never saw anybody so tamed down and quieted as master. He used to be all fits and starts, and as restless as if life was a burden to him. Now he seems to find pleasure in the simplest things.' «Ah,' said the shopkeeper, « he's been a wild one, I reckon The Tregnnnells always were wild. It's in the blood. But he hasn't been taking any more chloroform, I hope. That's a dangerous habit.' * What do you mean ?' asked David. ' Why, he's been in the habit of taking chloroform for pains in his head. You must know that, surely. Dr. Carrick warned me not to sell him any, if he should come here for it.' ' I don't know anything about his taking chloroform,' said David. 'I know he's taken all sorts of things on board his yacht, to make him sleep ; but I never heard of his taking chloroform in particular. He's got a little bottle in his medicine chest, but I don't believe he's ever taken the stopper out.' 'Ah,' said the village trader, 'that's all you know about it. Dr Carrick warned me against letting him have chloroform, and there was that in the doctor's manner which made me think it was a serious matter.' David Skelter ruminated upon this disclosure of the shopman's. His sturdy English self-respect was offended at the idea of Dr Carrick's interference with his master's liberty. That any man should go behind Mr Trogonnell's back, and warn a shopkeeper against treating him as a reasonable being, roused the faithful David's indignation It was treating the master of Tregonnell Manor like a lunatic. That evening, after he had arranged his master's room for the night, David looked at the medicine chest, which had been brought from the manor with Mr Tregonnell's effects, and stood on the dressing-table, unlocked. There was a little bottle of chloroform, three-parts full. David remembered his master sending him to get it at a chemist's in Genoa, three years ago, when he was suffering from spasmodic pains in the head. The bottle was carefully stoppered. ' I don't believe master has ever opened it since we left Genoa,' David said to himself. A few days after this Mr Tregonnell began to talk of hie yacht, ominously for Dr Carrick. It was just the weather for a cruise, neither too cold nor too hot. * I shan't go far afield,' said Mr Tregonnell ; ' bat 1 feel that a breath of the sea would do me good. I shall go on a cruise about the Scilly Isles, for a week or so. or perhaps sail as far as Madeira, and then comeback and settle down again." David, who was of a roving temper, was delighted at the idea of getting to sea again. His master sent him to Falmouth next day, to buy certain things that were wanted on boar 1 the Water Fay.

Mr Tregonnell went to hia room a little earlier than usual upon the evening after David's departure He had ridden a long way that day, and his horse had been restive and troublesome. He had come home late in the afternoon, much fatigued. 'Oh, by the way, Hester,' said Dr Carrick, after his cousin had wished him goodnight, ' 1 must ask you not to go to bed just yet, and you can tell Betsy to wait up for an hoar or so. I shall want you both in Mr Tregonnell's room for a minute or two, to witness a deed he is going to execute.' Eester looked puzzled. ' Mr Tregonnell did not say anything—,' she began. ' No ; he forgot that the deed would require to be witnessed. He is not very business like in his habits. The fact is, Het-ter —it would be a foolish delicacy to withhold the truth from you—Mr Tregonnell has taken a very noble view of the services I have rendered him. He ia going to make his will before he goes to sea, and he intends to put me in for a handsome legacy. Of course, taking into consideration the difference in our ages, it is to the last degree improbable that I shall live to profit by his generous intention, but I am not the less grateful.' 'lt is very good of him, said Hester, thoughtfully; ' but I wonder that he, who is so careless about all business matters, and so indifferent to money, should think of making his will. ' It is a thing that every man ought to do, and which a man must be an idiot if he neglects to do Especially a man in Mr Tregonnell's position, whose property would go to some remote heir at law, or possibly to the Crown. Eemember he is the last of his race I'

* How sad that seems !' sighed Hester. She, too, had every reason to helieve herself the last frail sprig upon a withered tree. She knew of no kinsman living, save this distant cousin vi ho had sheltered her. An hour later, Dr Carrick summoned Hester and the servant B-,tsy to Mr TregODnell's sitting-room. Eustace Tregonnell was seated in front of the table at which he usually read and wrote. The shaded read-ing-lamp threw its light on the papers lying on the table, and left all things else in a shadow. Dr Carrick stood beside his patient. ' Now sign,' he said, with his lingers laid lightly on Mr TregonnelPs wrist. Mr Tregonnell signed the paper before him. 'This is Mr Tregonnell's will,' said Dr Carrick to the two girls, ' written entirely in his own hand, upon a smgle sheot of paper. Yon, Hester Rushton, and you Betsy Thomas, are now to sign as witnesses.' He then showed them where they were to put their names, still standing by his patient's chair. Hester had not seen Mr Tregonnell's face since she entered the room. She signed her name as the doctor directed and Betsy signed after her. ' You acknowledge this as your will," said the doctor to Mr Tregonnell. ' I acknowledge this as my will,' repeated the patient. • That is all. Oood-night Hester ; goodnight, Betsy. Itemamber you are neither of you to mention this business of to night to anybody. Mr Tregonnell doesn't want it talked about.' Chapter V.— Mystery, That night scene in Mr Tregonnell's room made a curious impression upon Hester. She was angry with herself for dwelling upon it so continually, angry at the weakness of mind which made her look back upon the occurrence with a kind of superstitious horror. What was more natural than that a man should make his will! What more praiseworthy than that a grateful patient Bhou d reward his physician with a legacy ! Could she blame Dr Carrick for accepting such a boon! Assuredly not. Yet the memory of her kinsman's conduct that night troubled her. It seemed to her as if Mr Tregonnell, though to all appearance a free agent, had been acting under the inlluence of the doctor. She felt that to doubt Dr Carrick's honor was to be guilty of base ingratitude, and hated herself for her formless sua-. picions. ' What would have bpcome of ffie without his help !' she asked herself, ' I might have starved. Eustace Tregonnell smcl not a word about the will, and this puzzled her ; for, as their friendship ripened, he had fallen into the habit of confiding all his thoughts to her attentive ear. He had told her much about himself of late. She had listened tearfully to his story of that early blight which had ruined his life—his first and only love, ' There was a time when I thought shat I could never love again,' ho »aid to her one day ; ' but God lu good, Hester, and now I begin J v o hope that even for me there may be jumc deep uuHiieakablo joy waiting in the future. I would not hasten, or anticipate the hour of its coming. 1 would not rush impetuously to meet my fate. I would

rather let my happiness come gently, by degrees, like the morning light. And those are the brightest days, you know, on which the dawn creeps over the hill-tops gradually, with no sudden burst of treacherous sun shine ' One afternoon the conversation turned unawares upon Dr Carrick. • I don't think I can ever be half grateful enough to him,' exclaimed Mr Tregonnell; ' he has made a new man of me.' ' There are few patients so grateful as you,' said Hester, ' How do you mean ?' ' Do you forget the will you made the other night P' ' What will! I make a will I Why, Hester, I never did such a thing in my life —I never even thought of such a thing, though I ought to think of it. If I were to die unmarried, my estate would go to some remote next-of-kin; some Mr Snooks, perhaps, who would call himself Snooks Tregonnell, and come and lord it over my Cornish tenantry. The idea is hateful. I'll go up to Plymouth next week, see my lawyer, and make a will that shall, at any rate, shut out all possible Snookses.' Hester turned her face towards the rose bush she was clipping, to hide her sudden pallor. All her doubts, all her fears, all her vague horror of that unforgotten scene in Mr Tregonnell's room, came back upon her with new force. In this quiet nature of hers there were latent powers which had never been exercised. This gentle creature was a woman of strong will. She determined to question Dr. Carrick, and get to the bottom of this mysterious business, at any risk of offending her benefactor. Next morning, when she was pouring out the tea at Dr Carrick's early breakfast, she attacked the subject boldly. ' Do you know that Mr Tregonnell denies that he ever made a will ?' she said. I happened to speak to him about it yesterday by accident.' ' You had no right to speak to him about it,' exclaimed the doctor, white with anger —Hester had never seen such a look in his face before. ' I told you that the subject was not to be mentioned.' ' Not to other people, but my speaking of it to him could not matter.' l lt does matter a great deal. Men are sensitive about such things. He chose to make his will, but he may not choose to be reminded of it.' ' He most distinctly denied having made a will.' ' He chose to deny it.' ' What, he chose to tell a deliberate lie 1 No. Dr Carrick; I would never believe that of Eustace Tregonnell. ' You would not believe, indeed ; and pray what do you know of Eustace Tregonnell or of psychology ? What do you know of the eccentricities of the human intellect? Mr Tregonnell is extremely eccentric. There are people who call him mad.' Rester was pale as dea'.h. Mad! That awful word froze her young blood. Might not that be indeed the clue to the mystery ? She had heard Eustace Tregonne'l acknowledge that will with the same lips which afterwards denied having made it. There could be no cheat, no juggle there. His own voice had declared the fact. 'lf he is mad, the will is useless,' she said. You are a clever lawyer, no doubt, young lady. I suppose you have never heard of testamentary capacity, which may exist in a patient subject to intervals of mania. A holograph wi J, executed by a madder man than Eustace Tregonnell, would stand against stronger opposition than is likely to be offered to aDy will of his.' 'He is not mad,' protested Hester. 'His brain is as clear as mine ' ' Very likely. He merely reproves your impertinence in speaking of a forbidden subject, by denying that he ever made a will.' Hester was more unhappy, after that conversation with Dr. Carrick, than she had been before. She had formed a high estimate of Mr Tregonnell's character. The idea that he could tell a deliberate falsehood was horrible to her. 5 etit was almost worse to think of him as a madman. And who but a madman would have looked her calmly in the face, and denied a fact which she had seen with her eyes, and attested with her signature ? ' If he is mad,' she said to herself, 'my poor woman's wit must keep watch for him.' And then, for the first time; a secret that had lain hidden in her heart for many days past came boldly forth into the light, and looked Hester Itushton in the face. She loved him—she, the obscure orphan, the dependant on a poor man's charity, blest with neither beauty nor accomplishments, a humble household drudge—she loved Eustace Tregonnell, the proudest and richest landowner in that part of the country. She blushed rosy red, and hid her face from the bold glad sunlight, abashed and stricken by the discovery, how could she dare to lift her eyes to that perfect face, to think of Eustace Tregonnell as a being on the same level with her insignificant self ? 'But I don't th'nk of him as my equal,' she said to herself; ' not for worlds would I have him come down to my level. He is my bright particular star. I o<dy want to kok up to him, and worship him all the days of my life.' The idea of some evil mystery in that scene of the will haunted her perpetually. She began to have a horror of the house that sheltered her—that strange old house, with its long narrow passages, winding stairs, queer little closets, many doors, and ghostly reputation. She began to have a horror of her benefactor, Dr. Carrick. Dear as Eustace Tregonnell's society wa3 to her, she longed for him ta depart upon Lis yachting expedition June began with stormy winds and driving rains acd the yachting expedition was put off. Indeed, Mr Tregonnell secme.l in no hurry to leave St Hildred House He appeared perfectly happy, idling in the garden while Hester weeded her flowerbeds, or reading to hor while she worked in her favourite seat by a window that looked seaward. One evening, however, he announced his intention of running up to Plymouth at the end of that week. ' I want to see my lawyer. Can you guess what I am going to do, Dr. Carrick ?' ' I havn't the least idea,' answered the doctor, sipping his tea. Hester and the doctor were seated at the lamplit tea table. Mr Tregonnell was landing with his back to the empty lire-place, looking down at them. 'I am going to make my will. It's a disagreeable operation, and reminds one unpleasantly of one's mortality. But I suppose every man ought to go through it. I shan't forget you, doctor ; nor you, Hester. Let me see : a moumiog ring, I suppose, will be an appropriate mark of my gratitude to you, doctor; and a silver thimble will form a pleasing memento of my friendship for you, Miss Eushton." D- Carrick joined in Mr Tregonnell's cheery laughter, but he cast a furtive glance at Hester, who sat looking downward, very pale in the lamplight. {To be continued.)