Part 29 (1/2)
”Oh, if Charley would only come back! I've often thought since I've been here what a nice thing it would be if only you could see him. You couldn't help loving him, he is so handsome; and I've often thought of what a beautiful couple you would be. La me, wouldn't you s.h.i.+ne, though, goin' out together? But, la me, maybe he's married afore this, or he may be dead. Oh, if I jest knew. What do you think? Do you suppose he's dead?”
”Really, I have no way of knowing anything at all about it. He may be dead, or he may come back to you and make you happy the rest of your days.”
”You hain't forgot what you promised, have you,” she said one day, ”that you would try to help me to find him?”
”No, I have not forgotten.”
”P'r'aps you better keep his picture, or you might forget how he looks.”
”No, I shall not forget; I never forget a face which once I have seen.”
”And do you think you would know him if you should see him?”
”If he looks like his picture I shall certainly know him.”
”Well, he does, for all the world.”
”I have been thinking, Mrs. Morris, that when Spring comes you and I will change our place of abode, and perhaps go into the country, at least for a while.”
”But maybe I wouldn't find my boy there.”
”You would be just as likely to find him there as anywhere.”
”Oh, I s'pose I would,” said Mrs. Morris, dropping her work and looking steadily down at the carpet. ”Here is your letters,” she said, as a violent ring of the bell brought her to the door. ”My, what a lot of 'em.”
Miss Elsworth tore open the seals, one by one, perusing their contents. There was evidently something very pleasing in the last one opened, for Miss Elsworth, after reading it carefully twice through, folded and replaced it in its cover, smiling, and with sparkling eyes.
”I am very glad,” she said.
”Of what?” Mrs. Morris asked.
”My last work is meeting with a very rapid sale, so my publisher tells me, and I shall no doubt make a snug little sum.”
”So you're gettin' rich, are you? Well, I hope you will. P'r'aps you might look around a little for my boy. You're sure you'd know him?”
”Quite sure.”
”Oh, I wish you could find him, and I can't help thinkin' how nice it would be if you two was to get married.”
”I shall probably never get married,” said Miss Elsworth, while a strange light came into her eyes. ”But I shall be glad to help you to be happier, if I can.”
”You are an angel, anyway.”
”A very wicked angel,” said Miss Elsworth, as she turned to her desk.
Blanche Elsworth finished her writing, and turning to Mrs. Morris she said:
”Mrs. Morris, I shall expect you to keep very quiet in regard to my business. I am really obliged to entrust to your knowledge some things which I must ask you to keep entirely to yourself.”
”La me, I don't know anybody to tell anything to, and I'd never tell if I did. I'm sure I wouldn't do anything mean, when you've took such an interest in my son. Whereabouts in the country do you think you'll go?”