"What an old beast!" said Montrose. "If I were that fisherman I'd screw
his neck."
"Don't put such ideas into Job's head," cried Alice rebukingly. "He is
angry enough as it is!"
"All the worse for Don Pablo, my dear!" and so they left the matter,
which was of less importance then than it became afterwards.
CHAPTER XIII
FURTHER SMALL BEER CHRONICLES
When the young people went to church, Enistor took the opportunity of
paying a visit to Narvaez. The effort to keep up an appearance of
friendship for a man he hated was not easy, and the Squire wished to
unbend in the society of one who knew his true sentiments. Also he
greatly desired to learn what were Don Pablo's plans regarding the
restoration of the fortune, for the Spaniard did not seem to be moving
in the matter at all, and valuable time was being wasted. And since
Enistor was anxious to get rid of Montrose as speedily as possible, he
thought it was just as well to suggest that the scheme--whatever it
might be--should be completed as soon as could be conveniently managed.
The master of Tremore wanted to handle the coveted income; he wished to
see his daughter married to Narvaez, and finally he desired to learn the
nature of this danger at which Don Pablo hinted so frequently. Of course
the marriage with the Spaniard, by making possible the training of
Alice's clairvoyant powers, would soon disclose this last.
Enistor walked leisurely over the moor to where the evil mount with its
crown of monoliths was indistinctly outlined against the grey sky. As it
was now autumn, the heavens had lost their summer azure, and the earth
had been stripped of its flowering splendour. He wandered through a
ruined world, where the red and brown and yellow of the dying bracken
were veiled in chilly mists. The ground was sodden, the herbage was
dripping wet, and the cries of the birds sounded mournful, as though
they were regretting the passing of warm weather. That Enistor should
see the prostrate body of a man lying amidst the fantastic colours of
the moorland seemed to be so much in keeping with the general air of
decay and sadness that he did not even start when he bent over the still
form. But he did utter an ejaculation when he looked at the white face
and recognised Julian Hardwick.
Why the artist should be here in an unconscious condition Enistor did
not pause to inquire. He was above all a man of action, and as it was
necessary to revive Hardwick, he hastened to fill his cap with water at
a convenient pool. The chill of the fluid on the white face flushed it
with returning life, and when Enistor loosened the collar, and shook the
body, Julian opened his eyes languidly. In a half-dazed way he murmured
something about brandy, a hint which the Squire acted upon by searching
the artist's pockets. He soon found what he looked for, and a drink of
the generous liquor revived Hardwick so speedily that he was soon able
to sit up and talk.