The Pagan's Cup

"Your mother?"

"She is no more mother of mine, Sybil. She told me she hated me; called me a thief, and turned me out of the castle. I shall never enter it again – never! Last night I slept at Pratt's. He was a good Samaritan and took me in. This morning I went to see Hale."

Sybil clapped her hands. "Oh, then it is all right!" she cried joyfully. "I could have told my father that you had got the money from him, but I thought it better you should do so yourself."

"I can't do that without Hale calling me a liar."

"Leo! What do you mean?"

"That in the eyes of the people here I am both a liar and a thief. Hale, whom I saw this morning, denies having given me the money."

"Has he spread that all about the town?" asked Sybil, scarcely able to believe her ears.

"No, he is too clever for that. Now I know, Sybil, why he gave me the money in gold. So that he might be able to deny the debt if occasion arose, as it has done. Had he given me a cheque his signature would have given him the lie."

"But what does he mean by denying that he lent you the money?"

"Well, I'll give you Pratt's theory. I believe it is the true one," and the young man rapidly repeated the conversation he had had with the American on the previous evening. "So you see you were right, Sybil."

"I knew it," said Sybil in low tones. "Do you remember how I told you on the day of Mrs Bathurst's picnic? What is to be done now?"

"There is nothing to be done save to fight," said Leo, fiercely, "and fight I shall. I had intended to enlist, but I shall not do that until I have cleared my name. To leave here now would be to give colour to the lies that are being told about me. I shall stay with Pratt. He is my friend, and you, Sybil, also. We three will fight it out."

"Mr Raston is also your friend, Leo. He says he does not believe for one moment that you did what you are accused of doing."

"Thank God for that! How can anyone who knows me believe me guilty of so terrible a crime? To rob a church! Think of it, Sybil. Your father? Does he believe I did this vile thing?"

"He suspends his judgment, Leo, until he has heard your defence."

"Alas, Sybil, what defence can I make save state that I am innocent? I cannot make Hale confess that he lent me the money, and I cannot prove, independently of him, that he did so. This morning he coolly denied all knowledge of the loan, but said that for my sake he would not speak of the visit I had made or the threats I had used."

"Did you use threats, Leo?"

"I am afraid I did, dear. But is it not enough to make an honest man's blood boil to be placed in such a position? I threatened to give him a thrashing. But when I remembered that he was a cripple, of course I could not do that. But for all his physical weakness, he is a venomous beast. No, Sybil, without Hale I can do nothing." He paused for a moment, and then went on. "I think the best way to do is to wait," he said. "If this is a plot on Hale's part he will continue to carry it out – that is, he will make some proposition to me about giving you up. I don't suppose he will want me to marry his sister, now that I am called a thief."

Sybil placed her hand over his mouth. "You must not be so bitter, Leo. I will not have you revile yourself in this way. Don't you think you had better see my father?"

"What good would that do, my dear? I can only tell the story I tell you, and as I have no evidence to prove its truth, he probably will not believe me. No, Sybil. It is best for me to remain quietly with Pratt, and wait until Hale makes some move. Besides, Pratt is a clever man of the world, and can guide me. No doubt everyone will be disagreeable, but I must put up with that. I refuse to go away, as though the charge against me were true. You will see me sometimes, Sybil?"

"Whenever I can," she replied; "but it will not be easy. When my father hears that you are back he will be more particular than ever to keep me from meeting you."

Leo mused. "I wonder why he has changed so, Sybil? He used to like me."

"I think Mrs Gabriel said something which has turned him against you."

"Very probably," replied Leo, bitterly; "for some reason she hates me. But all is at an end between us. I wait here, Sybil, to vindicate my character, and afterwards I shall carry out my plan of enlisting. I may be years away from you, but you will be true, I know."

"I swear to be true, Leo! I marry no one but you."

"Not even Hale," whispered Leo, straining her to his breast.

Sybil laughed. "If I disliked him before, think how I hate him now!" she said. "He is acting a mean part. But his punishment will come. Now go, Leo, for my father may come at any moment."

The two lovers embraced and parted. Leo went away much comforted by the belief Sybil had in his innocence. He returned to The Nun's House, and spent the day with Pratt talking over the position of affairs. It was a disagreeable position, and at the present moment he could see no way of mending it. Hale alone could prove his innocence, and Hale refused to speak out. Bitterly did Leo regret that he had ever been tempted to believe in this fox.

The days went by, and the position remained much the same as it was. By this time the excitement consequent on the loss of the cup had died out. Leo remained mostly within doors, as he did not care about meeting the cold looks of those he had known from childhood. Mrs Gabriel gave no sign, but secluded herself within her own grounds. Once or twice Pratt saw her on Leo's behalf, but he could do nothing with her. However, he told Leo to keep up his spirits, that all would come right. But how this alteration was to be brought about he did not say. Pratt knew when to keep his own counsel.

Towards the end of the week Mrs Jeal returned. Her father was much better, she said, and she had come back to look after Pearl. The mad girl was now out of bed, but, as yet, unable to leave the cottage. Someone had conveyed to her the news of the loss – Raston shrewdly suspected Joan Barker – but, strange to say, she was not so upset about it as had been expected.

"The Master has taken His cup to use in heaven," she told the curate, who often came to sit with her. "When he thinks fit he will bring it back again to the altar."

Raston was puzzled by this queer view, but as it prevented the girl from fretting he outwardly agreed with her. Having settled the matter thus, Pearl rarely referred to the loss. She was quite content to wait until the cup was restored. Taking a hint from Raston, Mrs Jeal never discussed the matter. All the same she knew more about the missing cup than the Colester people knew. And it was in this way she explained the matter to Harold Raston.

"Sir," she said one day shortly after her return, "I want you to get me speech with his reverence. I wish to make a statement to him."

"Indeed, Mrs Jeal! What is the statement?"

"It is about the cup, sir. But I prefer to speak to the vicar and to Mr Haverleigh. I hear he is staying with Mr Pratt."

"I believe he is. Some foolish people accuse him of having stolen the cup, Mrs Jeal. I hope you will be able to give us some information likely to lead to its discovery, so that Mr Haverleigh's character can be cleared."

Mrs Jeal screwed up her mouth, and sent out a flash from her wicked eyes. She absolutely refused to speak save in the presence of Mr Tempest and Leo. Therefore, after a consultation with the vicar, Raston went to see Leo, and asked him to come to the Vicarage. Leo was surprised at the summons, and not very willing to obey it. He resented the way in which he had been treated by Mr Tempest. Still, from what was hinted by Mrs Jeal, he fancied that she might be able to clear his character, so he accompanied Raston to the place of meeting.

Mrs Jeal was already in the study, seated beside the vicar's desk. She was dressed in her best, and looked demure as any cat. Tempest reddened when he saw Leo, and held out his hand. Leo refused to take it. "No, sir," he said coldly; "you have not treated me well. I thought you were my friend, but I find you believe me to be a thief."

"Pardon me," replied Tempest, suddenly growing hard, "I do not say that you took the cup. I refuse to believe anything against you until I hear what you have to say in your own defence."

"I make no defence, Mr Tempest," rejoined Leo. "Sybil believes me guiltless; so does Pratt; Raston also is my friend. I can only wait until I am vindicated by time. Or perhaps Mrs Jeal will prove to you that I did not steal the cup," and Leo looked at the crafty face of the woman.

Mrs Jeal at a nod from the vicar, rose and folded her hands. "I can prove that you did steal it, Mr Haverleigh," she said. "I saw you pawn the cup in London."

CHAPTER X

THE PRICE OF SILENCE

For a few moments there was a dead silence. Tempest looked gravely shocked. Mrs Jeal triumphant, and the curate much disturbed. He had been so certain of Leo's innocence that this precise evidence took his breath away. Leo was thunderstruck, and passed his hand across his eyes to make sure that he was not dreaming.

"You saw me pawn what I never had in my possession!" he said quietly.

Mrs Jeal shrugged her plump shoulders. "I can say no more than I know," she said. "Of course, I quite expected you would deny my story."

"I have not heard it yet," replied the accused man, slowly; "and I shall be glad to hear it. At the present moment, I declare most solemnly that I never took the cup. I did not even know it was stolen until I returned from London."

"Where you had pawned it," finished Mrs Jeal.

The vicar interposed. He was struck by Leo's calmness, which was not that of a guilty person. "I think you had better tell your story, Mrs Jeal," he said; "then we can hear Mr Haverleigh."

"I thank you for giving me a fair trial, Mr Tempest," said Leo, quietly, and sat down with his eyes on the face of the woman.