Chapter I. The “Final”

The Final for the Hospital Cup was being fought out between Guys and Barts, and the usual crowd of joyful medicos were making their way to the ground, dressed in every fantastic garb, ringing bells and waving hideous ear-splitting rattles. The crowd watched good humouredly, as here a coster’s cart passed with donkey and “Bill” and “Liza,” here the ex-Kaiser with carrots behind his ears, and Joan of Arc and Humpty-Dumpty, and clowns with balloons and Dilly and Dally, and the rest. The police had seen it all before, and shepherded them along with firmness and good temper.

The ground was in a state of pandemonium till the whistle blew, when silence fell on the spectators, as the teams got down to serious work.

Each was well balanced, but contained particular stars, the darlings of their supporters; here was Histon the international wing “three,” who had scored the only try for England in that great tussle with Ireland, and Blackett the Scottish forward whose name was terror.

Not least among them was Sefton, now in his last year, who was in the running for his International Cap, on the left wing, a deadly straight runner, who might easily win the match if properly fed by his centre. And so they ran through the names, and weighed the chances, while thirty young Britons in the pride of perfect fitness strove for the mastery, as many of them had fought in the Great War, with a single purpose, to win or perish as became them.

Half time came with no score, and the rattles clattered like machine guns, and the hooters hooted, and drums beat.

Then the struggle became fierce and desperate. Time after time the grand Barts pack went through with a rush, only to be stopped by the intrepid Jacks, at full back, who hurled himself on the ball regardless of life and limb, or so it seemed to the more tender of the crowd.

Time and again a passing movement on the old Welch lines, en echelon, with perfect timing nearly let the Guys’ “threes” in, but still the lines were uncrossed. Histon had tried his dangerous drops, and all but won between the posts, and Sefton with his marvellous pace had run right through, to be tackled magnificently by Barron the full back, and so the tide had veered amidst the wildest excitement on the part of the spectators.

Time was running out, and many a looker-on glanced at his watch expecting a replay, when Guys’ scrum half “sold the dummy,” and cross kicked. Sefton’s inside took it superbly, and ran straight. There was one chance, and young Sefton took it, crossing inside, he took a pass at full speed, and raced in between the posts, in a scene of wild shouting and every noise that could be made.

The match was over, and Sefton was carried shoulder high to the Pavilion, in a never to be forgotten moment of triumph.

A glorious sense of exhilaration filled him. This was a fitting ending to his career, he hoped later to get his degree, but what was that compared to having won the cup.

In the dressing room his hand was nearly wrung off, as he got rid of the mud of the match.

His one regret was that his sister Ena, who had promised to come to the match, had not put in an appearance, and the thought of this disturbed him in an unaccountable manner.

As he came from the dressing room, one of the doctors met him, with a grave face, which gave him a sense of impending disaster, and drew him into a small side room.

“I am sorry to say, Sefton, I have some very bad news for you. This telegram came during the match, and we did not like to give it to you then. I opened it in case I could answer it for you.”

The words were terrible enough when Sefton read them:

“Come at once Father dying. Ena.”

In the silence of the room, the shouting and cheering outside could be heard, and a great feeling of bitterness came over Sefton at the contrast between the happy throng outside, and his own misery. He wanted to run out and tell them to stop. It was unseemly to cheer when his father was dying. Then he turned on the doctor angrily.

“Why did you not give me this at once? I suppose you thought I would leave the ground. Now I may get there too late.”

The doctor laid his hand on his shoulder kindly.

“No my boy, but there was only ten minutes to go, and knowing how keen you were on the match, we thought you would rather we kept it for that short time.”

“Forgive me, the news has upset me. Of course if I had got it then we should not have won, it was selfish of me.”

“I have a taxi here all ready for you,” said the doctor, and he led Sefton out by the back way, and put him inside.

“I will tell the others,” he said.

The misery of the journey Sefton never forgot.

He knew his father had been in failing health for some time, but had not expected any sudden failure.

Sefton’s Mother was dead, and his young sister had only left school the summer before to look after the house.

It was an ugly bleak house in Finchley that the doctor occupied, too big and poorly furnished, for he had never made a success of his practice, being far too much occupied with research. When his wife had been in full health, he had taken in one or two patients who were on the borderline of insanity, and treated them himself, but his wife’s breakdown in health put a stop to this source of income, and if she had known it, of brilliant discovery.

When Sefton arrived, and had got rid of the taxi, he was met by Ena, on whose face were marks of tears.

“Oh I am so glad you’ve come, father had been asking for you, the doctor has just left but is coming back.”

“How is father?” he asked.

“Bad, very bad I am afraid. He had a heart attack, quite suddenly, after lunch, and I thought he had died, but he rallied. Of course, I could not leave him, and wired for you.”

Jack Sefton went straight in to his father. There had never been much love lost between these two, for the doctor had been engrossed in some research work, and did not seem to understand his son, or take any interest in his career except to urge him on to get qualified. Perhaps he knew his own days were numbered.

He was propped up with pillows and looked ghastly, with a blue tinge about his face.

“I can’t talk much, Jack,” he said slowly “and I know the next attack will be the end, but I must have a word with you alone. I am afraid I have some bad news to tell you, the fact is I have neglected my business so much lately that the practice has gone to pieces. And I have been so careless in collecting accounts that I have had to dip into the little sum I had stored away for you and Ena. I am afraid there is little left.” He sighed.

A feeling of bitterness came to Jack. “Do you mean that we shall be penniless,” then he realised what this meant “that I shall have to leave the hospital without qualifying.”

“I am afraid so, my boy, unless you can borrow …”

“Borrow, who could I borrow from? Why could you not have told me before?”

“I was afraid to, and I had hoped to have made some money.”

Jack turned away with a movement of impatience.

“Don’t be angry with me now, Jack. I shall not be here much longer, and I have tried my best. And I have something I must tell you before I go, come here. It is less strain for me to whisper.”

The doctor spoke earnestly, and Jack bent over him while he told what had to be said. At intervals, Jack gave him teaspoonfuls of brandy, for he was weakening. When he had finished he lay back and closed his eyes. “Better fetch Ena,” he said in a tired voice. Jack went out quickly and summoned the girl who came in dry-eyed and anxious. Jack telephoned in haste for the doctor, but before he arrived the end had come, and Jack and his sister were left to face the world alone.

The days that followed were full of wretchedness for the young people. There was the funeral, and the settling up, when Jack found that things were worse than even his father had thought. The house was only rented and this was behind, and there were debts to be met, even Ena’s last school bill being still unpaid.

Then he went to see the Hospital authorities, who were very kind as far as sympathy went, but adamant with regard to the future. Fees were owing already, and it would be impossible for him to go on for the next two terms to complete, unless payments were made. They were very sorry but the rules were strict. Perhaps he could find work, and later come back and complete his course, and so on.

Jack came away in utter dejection, to the house from which most of the furniture had been removed, and which they had to vacate the next day with nowhere to go.

The one bright star was Ena, who faced the situation with splendid bravery, and refused to despair.

When Jack came in, she met him with a cheery smile, and listened to his story with sympathetic interest.

“You poor boy,” she said, “you must feel it very much, but perhaps some day in the near future, things may get better, and you will be able to get qualified.”

Jack felt ashamed of his despair in face of her pluck.

“I have tried everything, but apart from becoming a professional in the Northern Union, if I was good enough, I can’t see any hope. How do we stand?”

She knew what he meant, as she it was who had gone through the accounts, and settled the bills, as soon as the lawyers had done their part and taken their heavy toll.

“We shan’t have much, dear, about fifty pounds I reckon, perhaps a little more, couldn’t you possibly manage on that?”

“Impossible, and you have to live as well, remember,” and he smiled at her. “No, there is only one thing. If I can get away to some quiet place, I may be able to do something, there is just a chance. Father told me a secret before he died, and there may be something in it, or it may be that his brain was weakening, and that he was imagining things.”

She looked at him questioningly, but understood he did not wish to say anything further.

And then the post brought a letter from a school friend of Ena’s, one of the few with whom she had kept in contact. It was to say that her parents had a summer bungalow at Portham-on-Sea, which they did not use in the winter, and that if the Seftons cared to make use of it they were quite welcome. The key was with the agent, and so on.

“There,” said Ena gaily, “I told you something would turn up.”

“Where is this Portham, I’ve never heard of it?”

“It’s on the South Coast, my friend has often told me of it, shall we go there?”

“I suppose so, we haven’t much choice, but I should imagine it’s pretty bad this weather. We can’t stay here, so had better try.”

“Oh! let’s get away from here,” said Ena, in a voice which showed how the strain was telling on her.

Jack came round and put his arm round her. “Poor old girl, you have had a wretched time, and all the worry has come on you; let’s get out of it.”

There was little to pack, and the same afternoon saw them on their way to Portham Junction, and as the dreary bungalow town opened before them, hideous and forbidding, their hearts sank within them. Even Ena’s spirits were damped, and she clung to Jack for a moment.

“I’m afraid, I don’t know why,” she said, “but I feel as though we were going into a black tunnel, ever so deep and long.”

“Never mind, dear,” he said to reassure her “as long as there’s an opening the other end.”

So Fate plays havoc with our lives.

Chapter II. The Coming of the Stranger

Ena Sefton was returning from the local grocer, who carried on a desperate, and fortuitous existence during the winter months, hoping to reap a harvest in the summer. The place now was derelict, like a show when the season has finished, and the few inhabitants wandered round like the survivors of a plague.

Some of the bungalows had wooden shutters nailed over the windows to save the glass, and looked like houses of the dead. Others showed through the uncurtained windows dim suggestions of deck chairs, and furniture covered with sheets. Pebbles and sand covered the verandas, and pools of discoloured water stood in the rutted road.

There was no symmetry or order about the bungalows; some more pretentious than others, showed marks of distinction, such as a ship in full sail over the roof, as a wind-vane, or a conservatory where languid flowers and shrubs waited for the spring. These were the aristocrats of Bungalow Town. Nestling between two such, would come a chubby democrat, quite unashamed of his appearance, made of two railway carriages with a pent roof over them, and a notice stating that “This Desirable Bungalow” was “to be Let Furnished.”

In the summer all alike would be crowded with happy people, but now they were ruinous and depressing.

Ena made her way down the road, stopping now and then as a fierce blast struck her and a blinding spindrift nearly choked her.

Progress was difficult against the wind bitter with salt and driven sand, carrying a heavy shopping basket. The stranger almost collided with her, and drew on one side with apologies. He glanced at the girl, and then politely asked if he might carry the basket, and with quiet insistence took it from her.

“The storm is very bad just here between the bungalows,” he said. “I will come with you for a little way if I may.”

With his cultured tone there was a note of determination, and Ena was glad of his help, besides being amused at his presumption. He walked beside her regardless of the pools of water, sheltering her from the worst of the storm, till they came to her bungalow, which was all dark and forbidding.

“This is where we live,” she said “but my brother is evidently not back yet; won’t you come in and wait for the rest of the storm to blow over, he cannot be long.”

“My name is Halley,” said the man, bowing slightly. “I am staying here for a short time, but I think I had better get back; I shall have the wind behind me, you see.”

Ena glanced at him, and noticed in the dim light that he was tall and fragile-looking.

“Are you afraid of coming in?” she asked with a mocking laugh, “or is it merely a question of convention?”

“Neither, Miss …” he began.

“Sefton is my name … Ena Sefton, and my brother’s name is Jack.”

Her manner was refreshing and he judged her very young.

“I will certainly do so if you ask me in that way, but an invitation in these circumstances is often a matter of form, to be refused like a dinner invitation when one knows there is nothing to eat.”

They both laughed, and Ena opened the door. Her life was so lonely that she was rather enjoying the chance of talking to one who was evidently a gentleman.

He carried the basket in for her, helped her light a lamp, and an oil stove, which had gone out and had been smoking horribly.

“My brother will be back soon, and you must let me make you a cup of tea. You see there is something to eat from the weight of the basket.” He saw a merry smile come to her mouth, and a pair of trusting blue eyes looked into his.

Soon they were sitting over the oil stove, now giving out a welcome heat, and had started to thaw.

“I wonder where Jack can have got to?” she said. “He went out for a walk some time ago.”

Halley thought to himself “And left you to carry the supplies,” but he left the remark unsaid.

“He has taken lately to these long walks, and I find it rather lonely. I would like you to see him.”

“I shall be delighted,” answered Halley, amused at her naïve manner. “I am a stranger here, perhaps the air will do me good.”

She glanced at him, and thought he looked ill, though straight and very handsome. She imagined he had suffered in health or through some secret sorrow, and her girlish fancy was already building a romantic past round him.

The silence was becoming awkward. Outside the rain was streaming from the roof, and the wind moaned with sullen fury.

“How do you like this place?” she asked, to say something.

“It is quiet, and suits me, but …”

“What?”

He glanced at her. “Well, this horrible murder at the castle has rather upset things.”

She gave a nervous shudder. “It has upset us all. I get quite frightened, my brother is out so much, and I sit here and listen to the wind, and imagine all sorts of things.”

“You poor girl!” he said so gently that it took all the familiarity from the remark.

“The villagers, what there are of them, declare there is a curse on the Reckaviles,” she said and shivered.

“You don’t believe that?”

“I don’t know, I went and looked at the castle—it’s a dreary place, and one can picture anything happening there.”

He glanced at her anxiously, this morbid conversation must stop before he went: he heartily cursed the brother for leaving this sweet little creature alone.

“May I smoke?” he asked to change the talk.

“Why, certainly,” she said, and bit her tongue with vexation as she realised she had nothing to offer, but Halley produced his case.

“You don’t?” he asked offering it to her.

“No, that’s not one of my vices,” she laughed.

“Do you know I am so glad; I suppose I am old-fashioned, but I can never get used to girls smoking, especially young girls.”

“I’m twenty-one,” she said bridling.

“I beg your pardon, Miss Sefton, I was not thinking of any special case.”

She did not know whether to be annoyed or not, so changed the conversation.

“The wireless set is our only amusement, but I am afraid it is out of order.”

He walked across and examined it.

“It is a very good set, but there is something wrong. May I have an examination?”

“It is not ours you know; it belongs to the house, we only have the use of it while we are here.”

She watched him under the lamplight, his keen alert face and deft fingers suggested the artist. He fixed the ear phones to his head and began juggling with screws and wires in skillful manner. Ena watched him with the fascination a novice always feels for the expert, till the boiling kettle drew her to her duties with the teapot.

Halley removed the ear phones, and switched on the loud speaker, when a faint sound of music came forth.

“There is something wrong,” he said, “but I think I can put it right for you, if you will allow me to come again.”

“Why, certainly, but come and have a cup of tea now.”

They were soon sitting like old friends over the oil stove, discussing the place, and again she resorted to the gruesome crime which had fallen on the village—the murder of Lord Reckavile in his castle. Seeing that she was bent on discussing it he let her have her way.

“Did you ever see him?” he asked quietly.

“No, you know he very seldom came here. He had only been back from abroad quite a short time. It is altogether a mystery, but you know they say there is a curse on the family. No one will go near the castle now, even in the daytime, and you could not get anyone in the village to go there at night for any sum of money.”

“He was stabbed, wasn’t he? I read the bare account of the inquest.”

“Yes, in the back, and there was no one in the room,” she glanced uneasily round the lounge, and listened to the breaking of the waves and the wash of the sea outside.

His anger rose against her brother for leaving her alone, and though he knew he had no right to presume on her invitation, he stayed on as long as he possibly could.

At last he rose.

“I must really go,” he said. “I will come round and put your set right, and perhaps I can see your brother then.”

“Thank you so much. It has been so good of you to keep me company,” and there was a wistful look in her eyes.

She came with him to the door, and as he opened it a blast of the storm struck them, making the lamp flare up. Halley reeled against the door-post with a quick gasp of pain.

“What is the matter?” she asked anxiously.

“Nothing, just a touch of giddiness, an old wound which troubles me sometimes.”

She watched him down the rough road, bending with the fierce gale, and came in with a sigh.