human
My mother died when I was young, said Cyril, after a pause,
gpt
Poor Cyril!
human
Thank you, dear! he said, taking her hand.
gpt
My aunt did everything for me out of her small income, and I don't think my father gave one penny towards my education.
human
But surely----
gpt
No, dear! said Cyril, interrupting her;
human
He was working to make your fortune in Nigeria,
gpt
So he said when he came home, but I have not seen that fortune yet. Well, to continue; my aunt sent me to a public school, and afterwards to Oxford. I then became a journalist, and my aunt died, leaving me a trifle of money on which to live. My father came to London and borrowed that money--the principal of my small income--for one of his wild schemes, and I was left without one penny.
human
It was your duty to assist your father,
gpt
quoted Cyril, with a side glance--
human
I am a Christian,
gpt
So am I, in a way. However, I must get on with my confession. I saw my father at various intervals, and meanwhile earned my bread by reporting and writing articles, and all the rest of it. My father appeared at intervals, like the rolling stone which gathers no moss, and always borrowed. I did not grudge him the money, and he always said that he was about to make his fortune, which he never did.
human
He will make it this time, said Durgo vigorously;
gpt
Yes, when! scoffed Cyril.
human
I don't believe in my father's schemes, I tell you. The last time he came home was five months ago.
gpt
With me, said Durgo gravely;
human
That sounds like my father, he said, with a shrug;
gpt
--Cyril hesitated--
human
he broke off abruptly,
gpt
I can't tell you just now. But he wanted the sum of one thousand pounds, which I tried to get for him.
human
Oh, Cyril! was that the money you mentioned?
gpt
Yes. The sum for which you thought I had killed your father, said Cyril, nodding; then seeing that she looked pained, he hastily added,
human
Never mind, dear, that is all over, and we understand one another thoroughly. I went to Paris, as you know, to get the money. When I returned I heard of the murder, and when I called at my father's lodgings in the West End could learn nothing of his whereabouts. When you mentioned the double, Bella, it was forced on my mind that my father must have been that person. But, as I could see no connection between my father and Captain Huxham, I refused to believe this. However, from what Durgo says, there seems to be no doubt but that my father did come by stealth to the Manor on that night, with the idea of getting the loan of money. Perhaps he and Captain Huxham quarreled, but it seems clear that my father did commit the murder with that sacrificial knife, since it came, as he did, from Nigeria.
gpt
I never saw that knife,
human
You did not see many things, said Cyril, rising, for he felt somewhat cramped.
gpt
My father was probably as secretive with you as he was with me. You are well educated, Durgo, and have your wits about you. Ask yourself if it is possible for two men to have come, on this particular occasion, from Nigeria, and----
human
Two did come, interrupted the negro--
gpt
Quite so; but if you are innocent, my father must be guilty.
human
For myself I think very little of killing anyone, said he gruffly,
gpt
Oh! Cyril clenched his hand and grew pale.
human
Do you not think that I would give the world to believe him innocent? I love Miss Huxham, and this murder by my father places a barrier between us. If you knew all --here Cyril broke off hastily, as he remembered that he was speaking to a black man. Already he regretted that he had said so much, but he had been carried away by the tide of his emotion.
gpt
The matter stands like this, he said, abruptly changing the subject.
human
My father has killed Captain Huxham, and has disappeared with one hundred pounds.
gpt
But I thought that Mr. Pence----
human
He is innocent, said Cyril hastily.
gpt
On the face of it, he is innocent. I go by the evidence of the knife from Nigeria, where Pence has never been, and by the fact that you saw my father, whom you mistook for me, enter the Manor about the time the crime was committed.
human
I dare say you are right, said Bella vaguely, and regretted that she had so hastily condemned the preacher. After all, the truth of the legacy left by his aunt was not a fiction.
gpt
But what will you do now?
human
I ask the same question, remarked Durgo, sharply.
gpt
We are no nearer the truth than we have been.
human
We must work together to learn the whereabouts of my father, he said wearily, passing his hand across his forehead.
gpt
It will be necessary to get him out of the country, if what we believe is correct. But it may be, that my father has crossed the Channel.
human
If that is so, he will write to me, commented the negro; he paused, and then asked abruptly,
gpt
If you learn that your father is guilty?
human
I shall do my best to get him away from England. Why do you ask?
gpt
I thought, from what you hinted, that you would not be sorry to see your father hanged.
human
Don't talk rubbish, man, said Lister sharply.
gpt
My father is my father, when all is said and done. I only trust that we are mistaken, and that he is not guilty of this brutal crime.
human
As to that, I care very little. From what I have heard of Captain Huxham in my own country, he was not a good man. He is better out of the world than in it.
gpt
You speak of my father,
human
I ask your pardon, missy! Then he turned to Cyril ceremoniously.
gpt
I am stopping at 'The Chequers Inn,' at Marshely, he informed him;
human
Yet I like him, commented Cyril half to himself;
gpt
--here he was interrupted by a low sob at his elbow, and turned to find Bella in tears.
human
My dearest, what is the matter?
gpt
Can you ask? she moaned despairingly.
human
If what you think is true, we must part for ever.
gpt
Don't look at the worst, but hope for the best, he entreated;
human
You contradict yourself,
gpt
I wish I could; I am trying to think that my father is innocent. But I do not know. My father has been my evil genius all my life.
human
Why did your father require one thousand pounds?
gpt
I did not like to speak out before Durgo, he said hesitatingly,