The Pagan's Cup

"I have been here ever since the night I fled from Raston's house. It was Adam who went on to London and cut the wire."

"And the letter in which you said you had stolen the cup?"

"I wrote that here and posted it to Adam that he might send it from London. Mrs Gabriel helped me to hide. No one knows that I am in this house save herself, and now you are a sharer in our secret."

"It must be difficult to keep your presence here a secret from the servants," said Leo, wondering how the man had forced Mrs Gabriel to help.

Here the lady herself interfered. "It is not difficult at all," she said in her most offensive tones. "You know nothing of what you are talking about. Pratt is up in the tower room, and I take him food myself from my own meals. It is impossible that anyone can guess."

"Well, my dear aunt," said Haverleigh, emphatically, "I know that Pratt is here. I think, therefore, you had better behave towards me in a more civil manner."

"Ha!" scoffed Mrs Gabriel, folding her arms and looking defiant. "You would not dare to state the truth."

"How do you know that?" said Leo, dryly. "Pratt is wanted by the law. He committed a theft here and allowed me to lie under suspicion. Why should I not give him up and accuse you of being an accessory to his concealment?"

Mrs Gabriel frowned and her black eyes flashed, but Pratt, who had taken a seat, did not move. He merely laughed. "I don't think you will give away, Leo," he said. "I admit that Mrs Gabriel is enough to irritate a saint; but if you punish her you punish me also."

"And you deserve punishment," retorted Leo.

"Probably I do; but I have my own opinion of the matter. All I ask you to do is to hold your tongue until such a time as I can get away."

"When are you going away?"

"Soon, I hope," cried Mrs Gabriel, spitefully. "I am rather tired of having a jail-bird in my house."

"Oh! you refer to that American affair," said Pratt, airily. "I had quite forgotten it. Well, my dear lady, I do not intend to burden you with my presence after to-morrow. By this time no one will be watching for me hereabouts, as I am supposed to be in London. I shall go to-morrow night and return to my London quarters, where Adam awaits me. By the way, Haverleigh, has that fool of a detective gone?"

"He is going to-morrow," said Leo in a surly tone.

"All the better. We can travel to London together. Ah, you smile, my dear Leo, but I assure you that if I chose to travel with Marton I should do so. I can disguise myself so effectively that even he would not know me. It is not the first time I have baffled him."

"Look here, Mr Pratt, or whatever you choose to call yourself," said the young man, calmly, "you have been kind to me in your own way, and I do not want to take advantage of your present unfortunate position. At the same time, you are a thief and a criminal, and I want to have nothing to do with you. Mrs Gabriel may approve of your company, but I do not wish to have you for a friend. I shall hold my tongue, but I recommend you to leave this place as soon as possible."

Mrs Gabriel glared at Leo, as she could ill brook his references to herself. She half rose as though she would have flown at him, but a glance from Pratt quelled her, and she sat down with more meekness than could have been expected from such a redoubtable termagant. Pratt, still keeping his temper, turned to Leo. "It is very good of you to interest yourself in my movements," he said in silky tones, "but I can look after myself. It is a grief, my dear fellow, a great grief, that I should be compelled to leave this neighbourhood. I like the place, and the people are fairly agreeable. I was nicely settled in The Nun's House, and – "

"Surrounded with stolen goods," interrupted Leo, wrathfully.

Pratt sighed. "I had some charming things," he said; "how I shall miss them! I am too old to make another such collection. I suppose they have all returned to the people I took them from, I fear the stupid creatures will not appreciate them as I have done."

Pratt's impudence was so consummate that Leo could not help laughing, but Mrs Gabriel rose in a black fury and shook her fist in the man's face. "How dare you boast of your iniquities in my house?" she cried.

"In your house, my dear lady?" queried Pratt, blandly. Mrs Gabriel got very white and sat down again. Apparently Pratt had some power over her, which she was afraid he might use. Leo had never seen the woman so cowed.

"Well, well," continued Pratt, stretching his legs; "I have to go, thanks to that wretched man Marton. How was it he appeared so unexpectedly?"

"Raston sent for him to London to find out who committed the robbery."

"Ah!" Pratt laughed. "I hope Mr Marton is satisfied now. My letter should have pleased him."

"It pleased me more," said Leo, bluntly; "my name is now clear! And you will be glad to hear," he added, turning to Mrs Gabriel, "that Hale, in the presence of Marton and his sister, confessed that he lent me the money. I am afraid your plot against me has failed, my dear aunt."

"Hold your tongue!" said Mrs Gabriel, angrily.

"No. The time has passed for that. I am no longer in your power. I intend to make my own way in the world."

"With assistance from Mrs Gabriel," said Pratt, quietly. "She will start you with a thousand pounds, my dear Leo."

"I won't give one penny," said Mrs Gabriel, glaring. "You can do your very worst, Pratt. I have been your milch cow long enough."

"I would not take anything from her," said Leo, interposing; "and I'll thank you, Mr Pratt, to leave my affairs alone. If you will persist in meddling with them, I shall not keep my promise of silence."

"Oh, yes, you will!" chimed in Pratt, fixing him with his eye. "You dare not betray me, Leo."

"Dare not!" echoed the young man, angrily.

"Not unless you want to be called an unnatural son, my boy!" Leo stared, not taking in the meaning of this speech. "For you are my son, Leo," added Pratt in low tones, his eyes never leaving Haverleigh's face.

"Your – your – Great Heavens!"

Mrs Gabriel burst into a taunting laugh. "Ah, you know it at last!" she cried triumphantly. "And he has told you after threatening me with all sorts of things to keep me silent."

"It's – it's not true!" gasped Leo.

"It is perfectly true," said the woman, jeeringly. "You are the son of the cleverest thief in the three kingdoms."

"Hold your tongue, you hag!" shouted Pratt, angrily, for Leo was as white as ashes and his face wore an expression of terrible agony.

"I won't be quiet. You told him yourself, and now he shall know all – as the vicar does," finished Mrs Gabriel, laughing fiercely.

Leo started to his feet. "Sybil!" he cried out, staring at his enemy. "I know now why the vicar will not let me marry her. You – you – "

"Told him you were an illegitimate son," said Mrs Gabriel, rapidly. "I did not say who was your father, but now that Pratt's true character is known I shall tell Tempest everything. Then we shall see if he will let you speak to Sybil again."

"You dare say a word, Mrs Gabriel, and I – "

But the woman was not to be stopped. She turned like a fury on Pratt, who had risen angrily. "Hold your tongue," she said savagely; "I have had about enough of you and your precious son. You made me take him to my home and tell everyone that he was the son of my dead brother. A lie, as you well know. And you," she added, turning on Haverleigh, "you know now why I have hated you all these years. That man knows a secret of mine and he forced me to do his bidding. I took you here. I brought you up, I gave you money, and I let you take a position to which you were not entitled. Position!" Mrs Gabriel laughed scornfully. "Your position should be in the gutter, where you were born. You are no kith or kin of mine, thank God!"

"And I do thank God," said Leo, vehemently. "You are a bad, evil-minded woman. Although my father is a thief, I would rather be his son than connected with you in any way. For years you have made my life a hell on earth with your vile temper. Terrible as is what you have told me, I prefer the thief to the righteous woman."

The mistress of the castle recoiled aghast before this outbreak of anger. Never had the usually good-tempered young man spoken so fiercely to her. As he advanced towards her she believed that he was going to strike her, and put up her arm with a look of terror in her eyes. For once the bully was cowed.

"Bravo, my boy!" cried Pratt, laughing at her discomfiture, and clapping Leo on the back. The young man started away.

"Don't touch me," he said harshly. "Is it not enough that I should have the shame of being your son, but that you should approve of any action I do? But I do not believe that you are my father. Where is the proof?"

"In London," said Pratt, very quietly, and wincing at the tone of Leo's speech. "If you come with me to London I can show you sufficient proof to make you believe."

"My mother?" Leo, with a sudden thought, cast a look at Mrs Gabriel.