Chapter 19

A STORY OF THE PAST

"Tamaroo!" repeated the negro, showing a good set of teeth for so old a man. "I come about the letter."

Eustace looked at him, and remembered a certain negro who had been waiting for Anchor at the time the miner was shot. Evidently Anchor had been about to explain that the man was waiting, when the bullet struck him. "Tamaroo!" murmured Eustace. "I might have guessed that so queer a name would be connected with something barbaric. Come in!"

In a few minutes they were seated in the study. Jarman, since the departure of Miss Cork, had not sought out another housekeeper, so he had no fear of eavesdroppers. Denham was likely to be engaged with Mildred for at least an hour, so the interview between himself and Tamaroo would not be interrupted. He observed that the negro was much above the ordinary class. He had a certain dignity about him, wore none of the barbaric colours in which his race delight, and, moreover, spoke surprisingly good English. Occasionally he lisped in the true nigger fashion, but on the whole his speech would not have disgraced a moderately educated white man. As soon as he sat down, Tamaroo gravely mounted a pair of spectacles, and took out a bundle of papers tied up with red tape.

"One moment!" said Eustace, loading his pipe, as he thought he could talk better while smoking. "Was it you who pasted the town with the Scarlet Bat?"

"Yes. It was me, sir." Tamaroo did not say "sah" as an ordinary negro would have done. "I wanted to know where you were, and as you were hiding I could do nothing else to make you know that I wanted to see you."

"Hold on!" said Jarman, seeing the mistake. "How do you know I am Frank Lancaster?"

"You could not have written this letter if you were not, sir," said Tamaroo, decisively. "My old master gave a direction to the lady aunt who looked after you, and it was to be given to you on--"

"On the twenty-fifth of September. It's not the date yet."

"No, sir. But I thought you might get the letter before. The mark on your arm, sir, would draw your attention to the Scarlet Bat on the walls, and you would ask for the letter."

"But I say, Tamaroo, why do you come along before the time?"

"There is danger, sir--great danger--and I want to save you."

"Not me. You wish to save Frank Lancaster."

Tamaroo looked up quickly, and replaced the bundle of letters in his breast-pocket. "And you, sir?"

"I am the friend of Mr. Lancaster. You can show me the--"

Tamaroo was on his feet before Eustace finished, and in his right hand he held a revolver.

"Keep back!" he cried shrilly. "You have trapped me, but I fight--yes, I fight."

Jarman maintained his seat and smoked coolly. "There's no need for you to fight, man," he said soothingly. "Should I know about the Scarlet Bat and that letter if I were not Mr. Lancaster's friend?"

"Others know, and they are not friends," said the negro, doubtfully, but lowering the revolver.

"Captain Banjo Berry and his niece?"

"Huh!" Tamaroo grunted in true nigger fashion. "You know them?"

"Rather," replied Jarman, flinging himself back. "And I know much more about them than they like. They got poor Lancaster into this trouble."

Tamaroo groaned. "I know it," he said, "and if I had only come to England sooner it would not have happened. I arrived just after the trouble, and heard that my young master was accused."

"You do not believe him guilty, then, Tamaroo?"

"No, sir. Certainly I do not. Captain Berry came to England to try and get my young master hanged."

"For what reason?" asked Eustace, wondering to find his suspicions verified. "I always thought he did; but why?"

Tamaroo touched his breast-pocket. "That is told here," he said, "but I cannot speak save to my master."

"But I am his friend. I may as well tell you that after he got into trouble he came to me. He stopped for a time, then, being in danger of discovery, he fled."

"You do not know where he is?" asked the negro, disappointed.

Eustace looked at him keenly. "Well I do," he admitted, "but he is in such danger that I dare not tell. Can't I see the papers?"

Tamaroo moved towards the door. "No, sir," he said sternly; "my old master told me to read them and to give them to Mr. Lancaster alone. Oh! tell me where he is, I beg you, sir?"

Eustace looked perplexed. He had no reason on the face of it to doubt the good faith of the man, and the sealed letter being answered in this way was a guarantee that Tamaroo was the emissary of the elder Lancaster. But it behoved him to be cautious, as he was surrounded on all sides by snares and pitfalls. Captain Berry was not the man to stop short of any crime to gain his end--witness the death of Starth and his pursuit of Frank.

"Do you know why Berry is pursuing Lancaster?" he asked, forgetting that the negro might see fit to keep his own counsel for the same reasons.

"To get him hanged to said Tamaroo, quietly.

"You said that before. But the reason?"

In his turn Tamaroo replied: "You said that before, sir. It is in the papers which I carry."

"And they will explain the whole business?"

"They will. They contain the whole story of the Scarlet Bat and of the Indian treasure--"

"Ah!" interpolated Eustace with grim satisfaction. "I knew there was a treasure. How much, Tamaroo? A million?"

"Nearly that. But you can see from the will."

"The will! Have you the will of Mr. Lancaster?"

Tamaroo nodded. "I have the will."

"And is Mr. Lancaster the elder dead?"

"Yes, sir," said the negro with emotion. "He died a year ago. And I could not see him die, alas!" he added, much moved.

"Why not, were you away?"

Tamaroo again shook his head and looked mournful. Then, sinking his voice to a whisper, he said: "My master was a leper."

Eustace jumped up with an ejaculation of disgust and pity. "For how long was he a leper?" he asked, thinking of the money.

"From the time he sent my young master to the lady aunt. It was for that reason he parted with him. I remained, but my master would not let me attend to him, lest I also should take the disease--and I had this to do." He again touched his breast-pocket.

"So it was you who sent the money from 'Frisco?"

"It was I, sir. My master told me to send it, till I could give up the fortune to my young master."

"And you have come to do that?"

"Yes, sir. But only to him will I tell the story and give the papers."

Jarman reflected. The old man was evidently most trustworthy, seeing he wished to fulfill his mission with the utmost exactitude. He could safely be told of Frank's hiding-place.

"To-night I shall lead you to Mr. Lancaster," said Jarman, quietly.

"Thank Heaven--oh, thank Heaven!" cried Tamaroo, and the tears rolled down his black face. "It has been a care to me this trust. I wish to give it to my young master and be at rest."

"Oh, that's all right," replied Eustace, patting the old man on the back. "And we'll be able to baffle this conspiracy?"

"Yes," cried Tamaroo, wiping his eyes, "we will save my master."

"By the way," asked Jarman, suddenly, "do you know a young fellow called Natty Denham?"

Tamaroo nodded. "I do, sir. He is the son of my master's partner."

"What!" Jarman looked puzzled. "Partner in what?"

Again the negro became obstinate. "It is in the papers," he said.

"That means I'll learn nothing until Frank does," said Jarman, good-humouredly. "You are a faithful messenger, Tamaroo. Has young Denham seen you?"

"No, sir. I do not think he knows of my name, unless Captain Berry--"

"Oh, he's told him as little as he could. But, I say, does Berry know of the contents of those papers?"

"Yes, sir, He learnt them from--" Here the negro hesitated.

Eustace laughed and nodded. "You needn't worry," he said, "I know of that. Mrs. Anchor, who is now called Miss Berry, learnt about the fortune from her husband."

Tamaroo smiled grimly, and then with an ejaculation smote his hands together, looking in a startled way at Eustace. "I know you now, sir. You were said to have killed Mr. Anchor in San Francisco."

"Yes. But I suspect that Berry killed him. And you were the negro who was waiting at his house for him."

"I did not wait at the house," said Tamaroo, quietly. "Mr. Anchor was a friend of my master, and had some of the papers connected with the fortune of the Scarlet Bat. When he was going after his wife he told me to come and get them. Then he thought he would give them to you, and I waited while he visited you. But I grew weary, and followed. I saw you speaking to Mr. Anchor, and heard the shot!"

"Who fired it?"

"Captain Berry. He was then called--"

"Sakers. I know. But the knife wound?" Tamaroo looked oddly at Eustace. "I know nothing of that, sir," he said. "But we can talk again of this. I will tell you all I know in the presence of Mr. Frank. And now--"

There was a sound of laughing outside. Mildred suddenly appeared at the window and tapped on the glass to be let in. She usually did this when impatient. Tamaroo saw her face and started. Jarman went to the door and admitted her. She was with Denham.

"I have come to ask you a question," said Mildred, entering the room. "Oh!" She started back. "Who is this?"

"This," said Eustace, waving his hand, "is Tamaroo."

"What!" cried Denham, "the name on the bills?"

"Yes," put in Tamaroo, quietly; "and this"--he bowed to Mildred--"is Miss Starth."

"How do you know me?" asked Mildred, puzzled by the recognition. "It was I who gave you the paper at the inquest," said the negro. She uttered an exclamation. "Then you know that Frank is innocent?"

"Yes," said Tamaroo, with a hanging head. "But I cannot prove it."

"Don't you think Lancaster killed Starth?" asked Natty, eagerly.

"No sir," he replied, looking strangely at the young man; "but who killed him I cannot say."

"Captain Berry," suggested Eustace.

Tamaroo shook his head. "It was not Captain Berry."

After this he refused to say any more, and sat down, seemingly quite worn out. Jarman, who wished him to be prepared for the interview with Frank, insisted that he should lie down. So the negro went to the bedroom formerly occupied by the Irish secretary. He locked the door when he entered, apparently fearful for the safety of his papers. Eustace smiled approvingly. Every action of Tamaroo's showed how devoted he was to Frank Lancaster. He returned to the room where Mildred still waited with the American.

"What is your question?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter just now," she replied, with a glance at Denham. "Later I can talk of it. This arrival of Tamaroo has driven all else out of my head."

"But do you know anything of the man?"

"I know all that Frank could tell me," she replied. "My dear Eustace, Frank has told me all of your doings since he came to you. You don't mind my calling him Frank, do you?" she said, pleadingly, as she saw him frown. "He is in such difficulties, and I am so sorry."

Jarman looked at her a little sadly, seeing that she was slipping away from him. "No," he replied, quietly, "I don't mind. Have you told Mr. Denham anything?"

Mildred uttered an exclamation. She had quite forgotten the presence of the American, and dreaded lest she had betrayed Frank. But Natty came forward with a smile.

"You need not be afraid, I guess," he said, nodding. "I'm square, and on your side."

"I thought you were friendly to--"

"To the Berrys? Not much. I've chucked them. They have been making use of me, and have been trying to get Lancaster hanged--"

"And are trying," interrupted Eustace, quickly. "It's all right, Mildred. So sure am I of Denham that I intend to trust him."

"You need have no fear," said Denham, colouring with pleasure. "I'm straight all through. Don't you trust me, Miss Starth?"

Mildred looked at him with her innocent eyes, and he met her gaze without dropping his own.

"Yes, I trust you," she said, "thoroughly."

"In that case," said Eustace, rubbing his hands, "Mr. Denham can be present when Tamaroo explains to Frank."

"Explains what?"

"The whole business of the conspiracy. It concerns Frank, and also you, Denham. Tamaroo says that your father was the partner of the late Mr. Lancaster."

"I've heard him mention Lancaster's name," said Natty, slowly; "but Tamaroo never came along."

"He lay low, as your countrymen say. But it will all be explained to-night--in this room."

Mildred uttered an exclamation. "Do you think that is wise?"

"Yes. No one is likely to come here."

"What about Captain Berry?" asked the girl, doubtfully.

"He least of all," said Denham. "He doesn't know where I am, and if by chance he does turn up, I'll keep him going till we can smuggle back Lancaster to his hole."

So it was agreed, although Mildred was still anxious. It seemed risky to her to take Frank from his safe hiding-place, and expose him to a chance of capture. However, she implicitly trusted in Jarman, and went back to tell Frank of the arrival of the negro.

"How is it you speak English so well?" Eustace asked Tamaroo.

"I was educated at a negro university," replied the man. "I am better educated than many a man of your colour, sir. But later on I will tell you my story. To-night I must relate what I know of his father to Mr. Lancaster."

And so it came about. Leaving Natty and Tamaroo together, Eustace repaired to the summerhousetomoee about nine o'clock, and found Frank waiting for him in a state of subdued excitement. Mildred had told him everything, and he needed no explanation. The night was particularly dark, so the two men left the garden arm in arm. Mildred was walking on the lawn and watched them go, and Mrs. Perth in the house kept Jane employed lest she might learn too much.

In a few minutes Frank was in the Shanty and shaking hands with Tamaroo. The old man was much affected at the sight of his master's son.

"You are not at all like your father, sir," he said, "but like your dear mother, Heaven bless her!"

"You knew my mother?"

"She died in my arms," said Tamaroo, quietly, and then took out his bundle of papers.

Denham, Frank, and Eustace waited anxiously to hear how the old negro would begin. Tamaroo untied the bundle and selected a long, official-looking paper. "The will," he said. "By this, Mr. Frank, you inherit close on a million if you are not hanged!"

"Hanged?" uttered all three in sheer astonishment.

"Hanged," repeated Tamaroo, "before the age of twenty-five."