A Search For A Secret (Vol 1 of 3)

th a benevolent expressive face, very sunburnt; a broad forehead, a well-defined mouth, and a soft, thoughtful eye

his mother, as all the Harmers were dark: his face, too, was much less bronzed than his father's, the year he had spent in England having nearly effaced the effects of the Indian sun. He was of about middle height, and well formed; but he had a languid, listless air, which detracted much from the manlin

an empty coffee cup, when a sudden exclamation from hi

s the m

h had so strangely excited him. He presently laid the paper down on his knees, seemed lost f

motion and mystery, "what in the name of goodness is the matter? You quite

d; a very sad affair. You

Jo

again; and then, seeing that his father was not disposed to say more, the young man stret

shore. A telescope being brought to bear upon it, it was at once seen to be either a large spar or a boat bottom upwards, with a human figure still clinging to it. In spite of the fury of the gale, a band of noble fellows put off in one of the large fishing-boats, and succeeded in bringing off the only survivor of the five men who had embarked in the ill-fated craft. He proved to be the sailor who generally managed Mr. Harmer's little yacht. He is a one-armed man, and this fact, singularly enough, was the means of his life being saved; for he had succeeded in fastening the hook at the end of his wooden arm so firmly in the keel of the yacht, that, even after his strength had failed, and he could no longer have clung on, this singular contrivance remained secure,

d asked. "Do we get the propert

s in their hands. No, there is not the least chance of that. I do not say that it would not have been useful had it been otherwise; for, as you know, owing to the troubles and riots I lost a good deal of money the last three years we were in India; and although I

down to the funer

w." After a pause, Mr. Harmer added, "I shall get Ransome to go down with me to be present at the reading of the will. I know it is of no use, as everything is sure to be done in legal form; still, as I have no desire to lose even the remotest chance of saving f

in the way of being snubbed, perhaps insulted, and only to see a fine prope

now be called, took his seat on the top of the Canterbury coach, wi

rew up at the "Fountain," at that time one

night, gentlemen?"

answered. "I want a conveyance in half an

o be in readiness, Mr. Harmer prepared to start, saying, "I am afraid I shall meet no warm welcome, Ransome. I think you ma

eturned to his old home after so long an absence, he could assuredly expect to be received with no pleasure, with no warm welcome. His sisters he remembered but faintly; he had not seen them more than three or four times, and they were then slim, pale girls, unnaturally constrained in manner, with thin pinched lips and downcast eyes. It was a short drive: in a quarter of an hour or

he driver. "I may return

faint light streamed out.

y the faint light which the servant carried in his hand, was even blacker and more gloomy than he remembered it as a boy. He followed the man, who in silence led the way a

ng an abnegation of self, indeed, but without that love and charity for others which should have taken the place of self. Faces thin and pale, as by long vigil and fasting; and eyes which seemed at times to reach your very thoughts, and then to droop to avoid the answering glance which might seek to fathom theirs. Habitually, perhaps from a long residence in convents abroad, their heads were slightl

t looking at their brother, but waiting for him to speak. As he did not, Cecilia the eldest broke the silence in a

the house you have disgraced, to the home you hav

want nothing; I am come only to att

d you dare to follow those who died faithful to their God? They cast you of

theirs. We shall each answer before our Maker. Why should we make earthly quarrels about heavenly matters? Rather let us be friends, let us fo

en the elder sister again spoke, but in a changed ton

ou must feel sorrow to know that the old walls which have held the Harmers so long, will, at our death, hold them no longer. For I tell you, brother, that it will be so. He who has gone has left us a life interest

ne would ever dwell here. Still, I owe it to myself and my son to be present when that w

h will take place at half-past eleven to-morrow. You are

r with me; I should wis

has been done in perfectly legal form.

oached the door, near which they were standing. He stopped befor

meet and part thus? Can we not be friends? Can we not yet love each

heir lives, they obtained a glimpse of what life might have been to them, but was not and now never could be; the floodgates of the hearts of those two cold, self-re

reasserted their power, and they stood before

taken. If, as will probably be the case, after to-morrow we should not see you again-for our present intention is at once to retire from the world-we shall always think of you wi

u to-morrow?" M

funeral." And

in the carriage, and returned

solicitor alighted from a carriage at the lodge gates, and,

service will last at least two hours. You had much bett

ds. I see there are a good many people about, and I am sure t

direction,-an old man, in a rough sailor's suit, with only one arm. When he came up to them he stopped, looked Mr. Harmer full in the fac

d. "I am indeed glad to see you, old friend. This, Mr. Ransome, is a very

and heard you had been up at the house in the evening; so I thought you would be co

wn to the 'Fountain' this afternoon, and ask for me; we must have a long talk over old times, and I will see what can be

. God knows, I would hav

hem? I remember now that the account said it was a one-armed sail

h; but don't let me keep you now. I will

r, who had, from the instant when the man said he had been pres

say you have nothing particular to do, so walk down with me to the village; we shall be able, I have no

mechanically he took the place assigned to him there, and listened to the solemn service. As in a dream he saw the chapel hung with black, and the catafalque containing the coffins of his dead brothers, and the two black figures kneeling beside them; as if it were some strange thing in which he had no part or share. His thoughts went far back, through long years, to the time when he had last heard those solemn chants and smelt the faint odour of the incense, the tears welled up in his eyes,

the propriety and justice of the deed, they were yet sorry at heart for the coming sentence which was to cut off their only surviving brother from all share in the old family property. Miss Harmer then shortly introduced her brother to those pr

a quiet business-looking man, evidently a solicitor, approached the table with a legal document in his hand. It was the will of the l

that the estate should be sold, and that the proceeds, together with all other property whatsoever of which he should be possessed-and the amount was large, as the Harmers had not for

he folded up the will, and,

drawn up by me some years since at the request of the testator, who was in good health, mentally a

gravely; "the contents of the will are preci

use, and the l

that there is anything fur

ntention of saying farewell, when he was surpri

half of Mr. Harmer in reference to th

er being more astonished than any one present, an

to the payment of the legacies to the Misses Harmer. In the event of Robert not surviving him, he makes other dispositions of his property. These it is not necessary to enter into, as that contingency has not arisen. For, gentlemen, I am in a position to prove to you

o one moved, no one spoke, a stupor of blank dismay had fallen upon all present. Their faces, which when the will was read, were bright with irrepressible exult

. Harmer, and who was the sole survivor of those who embarked in her. Miss Harmer knows that this is correct. Be so g

t was Mr. Robert Harmer. I looked round again, and thought I saw an arm come up for a moment, but that was all I saw of any of them, and I don't think one of them ever came up after she upset. Mr. Robert Harmer was very weak, but he clung with me for nigh ten minutes, sometimes washed nearly off, and getting weaker and weaker every minute, and I saw he could not last long. We did

re was another long silence,

sion of the fact; I am sure, therefore, that Mr. Harmer will not wish to force upon you any sudden decision; but I would submit to you that no question can arise either in the point of law or fact. I would suggest to him that he should retire for an hour and then return for your answer

ered sufficiently from their dismay to utter a word, he took

on deliberation and further advice it should be thought right to bring the case to trial, to do so. And so they all went away, and Mr. Harmer took possession of the home of his father; but not immediately, for his sisters asked him to leave them a week to make their arrangements. He

s empty, and Herbert Harmer e