drawing-room, even a lady's drawing-room, except for some boxes of cigars
and bottles of wine that were stacked with books and magazines on a side
table. A second glance showed him that the more masculine fittings were quite
recent, and that the more feminine background was quite old. His eye caught a
strip of faded tapestry, which startled him into speech, to the momentary
oblivion of bigger matters.
"This place was furnished from the great house," he said.
"Yes," replied the other, "and I think you know why."
"I think I do," said Horne Fisher, "and before I go on to more extraordinary
things I will, say what I think. Squire Hawker played both the bigamist and the
bandit. His first wife was not dead when he married the Jewess; she was
imprisoned on this island. She bore him a child here, who now haunts his
birthplace under the name of Long Adam. A bankruptcy company promoter
named Werner discovered the secret and blackmailed the squire into
surrendering the estate. That's all quite clear and very easy. And now let me go
on to something more difficult. And that is for you to explain what the devil
you are doing kidnaping your born brother."
After a pause Henry Fisher answered:
"I suppose you didn't expect to see me," he said. "But, after all, what could
you expect?"'
"I'm afraid I don't follow," said Horne Fisher.
"I mean what else could you expect, after making such a muck of it?" said
his brother, sulkily. "We all thought you were so clever. How could we know
you were going to be—well, really, such a rotten failure?"
"This is rather curious," said the candidate, frowning. "Without vanity, I
was not under the impression that my candidature was a failure. All the big
meetings were successful and crowds of people have promised me votes."
"I should jolly well think they had," said Henry, grimly. "You've made a
landslide with your confounded acres and a cow, and Verner can hardly get a
vote anywhere. Oh, it's too rotten for anything!"
"What on earth do you mean?"
"Why, you lunatic," cried Henry, in tones of ringing sincerity, "you don't
suppose you were meant to win the seat, did you? Oh, it's too childish! I tell
you Verner's got to get in. Of course he's got to get in. He's to have the
Exchequer next session, and there's the Egyptian loan and Lord knows what
else. We only wanted you to split the Reform vote because accidents might
happen after Hughes had made a score at Barkington."