The Millionaire Baby | Page 9

in connection with
Gwendolen. If what I have to tell leads to her recovery, you can be
trusted, I know, to do what is right toward me. Mr. Trevitt, the man
who stole her from her couch and carried her away through Mrs.
Carew's grounds in a wagon or otherwise, is a long-haired, heavily
whiskered man of sixty or more years of age. His face is deeply
wrinkled, but chiefly marked by a long scar running down between his
eyebrows, which are so shaggy that they would quite hide his eyes if
they were not lit up with an extraordinary expression of resolution,
carried almost to the point of frenzy; a fearsome man, making your
heart stand still when he pauses to speak to you."
Startled as I had seldom been, for reasons which will hereafter appear, I
surveyed her in mingled wonder and satisfaction.
"His name?" I demanded.
"I do not know his name."
Again I stopped to look at her.
"Does Mrs. Ocumpaugh?"
"I do not think so. She only knows what I told her."
"And what did you tell her?"
"Ah! who are these?"
Two or three persons had entered the station, probably to wait for the
next train.
"No one who will molest you."

But she was not content till we had withdrawn to where the time-table
hung up on the opposite wall. Turning about as if to consult it, she told
the following story. I never see a time-table now but I think of her
expression as she stood there looking up as if her mind were fixed on
what she probably did not see at all.
"Last Wednesday--no, it was on the Wednesday preceding--I was
taking a ride with Gwendolen on one of the side roads branching off
toward Fordham. We were in her own little pony cart, and as we
seldom rode together like this, she had been chattering about a hundred
things till her eyes danced in her head and she looked as lovely as I had
ever seen her. But suddenly, just as we were about to cross a small
wooden bridge, I saw her turn pale and her whole sensitive form quiver.
'Some one I don't like,' she cried. 'There is some one about whom I
don't like. Drive on, Ellie, drive on.' But before I could gather up the
reins a figure which I had not noticed before stepped from behind a tree
at the farther end of the bridge, and advancing into the middle of the
road with arms thrown out, stopped our advance. I have told you how
he looked, but I can give you no idea of the passionate fury lighting up
his eyes, or the fiery dignity with which he held his place and kept us
subdued to his will till he had looked the shrinking child all over, and
laughed, not as a madman laughs, oh, much too slow and ironically for
that! but like one who takes an unholy pleasure in mocking the happy
present with evil prophecy. Nothing that I can say will make you see
him as I saw him in that one instant, and though there was much in the
circumstance to cause fear, I think it was more awe than fright we felt,
so commanding was his whole appearance and so forcible the
assurance with which he held us there till he was ready to move.
Gwendolen cried out, but the imploring sound had no effect upon him;
it only reawakened his mirth and led him to say, in a clear, cold,
mocking tone which I hear yet, 'Cry out, little one, for your short day is
nearly over. Silks and feathers and carriages and servants will soon be a
half-forgotten memory to you; and right it is that it should be so. Ten
days, little one, only ten days more.' And with that he moved, and,
slipping aside behind the tree, allowed us to drive on. Mr. Trevitt,
yesterday saw the end of those ten days, and where is she now? Only
that man knows. He is one man in a thousand. Can not you find him?"

She turned; a train was coming, a train which it was very evident she
felt it her duty to take. I had no right to detain her, but I found time for
a question or two.
"And you told Mrs. Ocumpaugh this?"
"The moment we arrived home."
"And she? What did she think of it?"
"Mrs. Ocumpaugh is not a talkative woman. She grew very white and
clasped the child passionately in her arms. But the next minute she had
to all appearance dismissed the whole occurrence from her thoughts.
'Some socialistic fanatic,' she called him and merely advised me to stop
driving with Gwendolen for the present."
"Didn't you recall the matter