"‘There goes old England,' I said"(page 143).
Стр.1
A CROSS THE WORLD
FOR A WIFE
BY
GUYBOOTHBY
Author of
"Doctor Nikola"
"The Beautiful White Devil"
Etc., Etc.
Illustrated by..
J. Ambrose Walton
LONDON:WARD. LOCK & CO.
LIMITED, NEW YORK AND
MELBOURNE. 1898+++
1
Стр.2
ACROSS THE WORLD FOR A WIFE
INTRODUCTION
W
HEN old Constantine Blake, of Burwell Court, in the county of Hertfordshire, gentleman,
nominated my father and myself executors of his will, and trustees of his son and daughter's
fortunes, it is quite certain he had no idea of the trouble he was raising up for one of us in the
days to come. How was he to know that some day I should be chasing half round the world,
combating all sorts of dangerous people, and penetrating into the most extraordinary places in the interests
of his family affairs?
Two years after we had taken up the trust imposed upon us my father died, and the management
of the various affairs connected with his decease devolved upon me. In Constantine Blake's place, another
executor had to be appointed, and it became my duty to make the selection. For politic reasons I
chose the family solicitor, and regretted it the moment he had set his signature to the deeds. He was essentially
a man of business, which I never was, a dry as dust lawyer of the old school, who was prepared
at a moment's notice to create mountains out of the most insignificant mole-hills, and would not
expend a sixpence in the interest of the estate until he had weighed all the pros and cons, and consulted
me upon them. I have known brighter and more humorous trustees than old Humphrey Vargenal, yet
never one for whom I feel a greater affection or entertain a more sincere respect.
My wards at that time I had never seen. The boy, Godfrey, had attained his twentieth birthday
when my father died; the girl, Mildred, was a year or eighteen months his junior. When therefore Vargenal
had been associated with me some ten months or so, the boy came into his estate, a charming old
place in Hertfordshire, five miles from the county town, purchased a yacht, and disappeared from England
forthwith. For upwards of three years we heard nothing of him. Then one day Vargenal called
upon me with a letter dated from San Francisco, in which the youth asked that twenty thousand pounds
might be at once despatched to him. The old fellow had passed a sleepless night over it before calling
upon me, and was of opinion that such extravagance must inevitably bring ruin and disgrace upon the
family.
"Nonsense, my dear fellow," - I answered, scarcely able to refrain from laughing at his long
face. "You needn't worry yourself. The lad has, in all probability, made a fool of himself, and is now
being called upon to pay the piper. Besides, he can well afford the amount. With the excellent McDermott
as bailiff-in-charge in the country, and you his solicitor at the other end of the tow-rope in London,
there should be savings alone of nearly double that amount standing to his credit. Arrange the necessary
formalities with the bank people, and don't worry yourself about it any more than you can help."
Next day the money was accordingly despatched to the address mentioned, but not without serious
misgivings on Vargenal's part. Two months later an acknowledgment arrived, and this time the
letter was dated from New York.
The young man was then engaged, so he desired it to be understood, in perfecting a gigantic
mining speculation, which was to keep him some time employed, and was to bring him in, at the very
lowest computation, a fortune of a million pounds. From that day forward he wrote no more, nor was
he ever heard of again. Meanwhile his sister stayed on in the old home at Bur well, leading a quiet
country life, visiting her poor, assisting in the management of the parish and estate, and waiting and
hoping always for her brother's return.
2
Стр.3
ACROSS THE WORLD FOR A WIFE
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................... 2
CHAPTER I SOME UNEXPECTED CALLERS ................................................................................................. 4
CHAPTER II A PROBLEM TO SOLVE............................................................................................................. 10
CHAPTER III BURWELL COURT..................................................................................................................... 19
CHAPTER IV CAPTAIN MORGRAVE GIVES ME SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT........................... 30
CHAPTER V I COMMENCE OPERATIONS.................................................................................................... 38
CHAPTER VI WE START UPON OUR TRAVELS.......................................................................................... 45
CHAPTER VII AT SEA......................................................................................................................................... 51
CHAPTER VIII THE ARGENTINE. A GREAT SURPRISE ........................................................................... 57
CHAPTER IX WE OBTAIN A CLUE................................................................................................................. 68
CHAPTER X FAREWELL TO BUENOS AYRES............................................................................................. 78
CHAPTER XI FOUND AT LAST ........................................................................................................................ 88
CHAPTER XII THE ESCAPE............................................................................................................................ 100
CHAPTER XIII BLAKE TELLS HIS STORY................................................................................................. 109
CHAPTER XIV BLAKE FINISHES HIS STORY............................................................................................ 117
CHAPTER XV THE END................................................................................................................................... 126
3
Стр.4
ACROSS THE WORLD FOR A WIFE
CHAPTER I
SOME UNEXPECTED CALLERS
genal, and supposing it was he, invited him to enter. The door was forthwith opened, and, to my astonishment,
two ladies stood before me. My humiliation may be better imagined than described, for it
must be remembered I was upon my hands and knees on the hearthrug, with the coal shovel still in my
hand, the room being lit only by the dancing flames.
"Would you be so kind as to tell us which is Mr. Cuthbert Brudenell's room?" said the younger
I
of the two, in a tone of inquiry.
"You are standing in it," I answered, scrambling to my feet, and thrusting the shovel back into
its home behind the coal scuttle," and I am Cuthbert Brudenell."
Thereupon I turned up the light, and examined my visitors more closely. The elder of the pair
was a tall, austere-looking woman of the companion type, dressed entirely in black, and having each
side of her face ornamented with bristling corkscrew curls. Having made myself conversant with her
appearance, I turned to her companion, and as I did so I felt a thrill of admiration run through me,
which, as a confirmed bachelor, for so I then thought myself, was a sensation I had not experienced for
more than fifteen years.
A more beautiful girl could not have been discovered in a long day's march. She was tall, considerably
above the average height of her sex, I should say, and carried herself with an easy grace that
spoke of perfect health, and the vigorous training of a country life
Her eyes were grey, so I discovered on another occasion, and her hair just that happy shade
between gold and brown that catches every gleam of sunshine and yet never seems to be twice the same
colour
At my invitation they seated themselves, and as soon as I had taken my place in what I was
wont, somewhat sarcastically, to designate my business chair, I inquired in what way I could be of
service to them.
"As you have never seen me before, Mr. Brudenell," the younger lady began," you do not, of
course, recognise me. I am Mildred Blake.
"Can it be possible?" I cried in astonishment, at the same time rising and shaking hands with
her. "It seems rather late in the day to say that I am pleased to make your acquaintance, but I will do so
nevertheless. We have had so many dealings together in the past, that it is strange we should never have
met before."
"I am afraid I am to blame for that," she continued. "You see we live so very quietly, and you
have always been so busy. As you have been so kind in the past, I expect you will think I am giving
you poor proof of my gratitude when I say that I have come here in the hope that I may be able to induce
you to help me again."
"You may be sure I will do all in my power to serve you," I answered. "Pray what is the nature
of the business that brings you to me for assistance?" "Mr. Brudenell, I am in terrible trouble." "I am
sorry to hear that," I answered. "And may I ask what form the trouble takes?"
She paused for a moment, and tapped upon the carpet with the point of her umbrella, as if she
were wondering how she had better broach the subject to me.
"To be plain with you, I want news of my brother," she said at last.
4
T was a cold, dreary winter's afternoon, and by the time the hands of the clock upon my mantelpiece
joined forces and stood at twenty minutes past four, my chambers were well-nigh as
dark as midnight. I remember that I was in the act of banking up my fire, to use an engineering
phrase, and was wondering in a dreamy sort of fashion, what the authorities would say if I were
to burn the building down, when a knock sounded at the door. I was expecting a visit from Var
Стр.5