Part 12 (1/2)
”Why, Major Miller! Colad to see you”
”What! Is Nellie here?” he asked, and stepping into the parlor, the gloo eyes, heforth to hiile hand
”Why, bless your heart, little lady! I'ain,” he cheerily said ”We've all been in the dumps ever since you were taken ill and remanded to bed And now I suppose you and Janet here have been condoling with each other With McLean invalided and Hatton on the war-path, I fearin tears Hah! Blushi+ng? Well, well, I only wish I were Mac or Hatton either Enviable fellows, both of the for their mishaps But all the same, don't you lose your hearts to those boys; neither of 'e quizzical and arch
”Indeed, Major Miller,” retorted Miss Bruce, with reddening cheeks and spirited h I'm not a whit asha them boys, Mr Hatton is ten years older than you hen you were married,--Mrs Miller told me so,--and Mr McLean has been too ly Have you heard how he is this e frolance at his half-averted face as she questioned
”Not for two hours I had hoped to find Dr Bayard here Do you knohere he is, Miss Nellie?”
”He said he was going to the hospital, major,” was the hesitant reply, ”but I think he stopped at Bedlam,--at Mrs Forrest's, perhaps”
”Ah--yes, I reet well rapidly Has Miss Forrest been over to see you since you came down-stairs?”
”She called, but papa had desiredto me, and she went to the door and saw her”
Thein the enial He re with theuor and lack of interest in Nellie Bayard's drooping eyes and the unns of anxiety and trouble in her sweet face ”My wife is right,” he s at least,”--for withverdict as to a woman's infallibility ”There is small chance here for Hol McLean were out of his troubles” And the doctor's hearty voice was heard without, and the tread of feet, and the nexta visitor Miller saw the glance that passed between the girls and the instant cloud of distress that overspread Nellie's face It was Roswell Holet back?” exclai ”We had no idea of this I supposed you would go direct to Cheyenne from the ranch”
”It was rave courtesy, ”but letters I received made it preferable that I should co-place Excuse me,” and he passed the major by and went on and bent over the sofa and took Miss Bayard's hand and greeted her with tender intonation in every word, even while he bowed pleasantly to Miss Bruce
”Quite a surprise, wasn't it?” asked Dr Bayard frolad to see you here this h she isn't able to play the hostess just yet We'll have her up and about in a day or two, though Hol your traps in the hall now I've had that latch tinkered up since the night--the night of the dinner Whoever opened it that night will get fooled on it the next time he tries I had quite a roith Robert about it, and the conceit was taken out of him not a little”
”Why, hoas this, doctor?” asked Miller, with immediate interest ”I had not heard Are there--have there been any new develop his voice as he asked, theof consequence, major Of course we all felt uncomfortable when it was known that Holmes had lost a porte- here on the rack that night Though he protests there was nothing in it, the thing ht the hall-door had been opened during our dinner I believe I was telling some story or other at the time,--bad habit of mine,--and we sent Robert out to look He caht shut, and couldn't have been open, because he had fixed it so that the latch could not be turned from outside But Holmes showed us next day that it could be”
”Then you think it had been taot in?”
”Well, that's what Holh you can't see a scratch or ato indicate that such means had been used No, major,” and the doctor shook his head ominiously ”I--I have another theory, but it's one too shadowy, too unsubstantial to speak of It is nothing but suspicion”
And Miller would not ask hi hi short of amaze that the old soldier now heard him speak After all his wife had told him, whom could Bayard ed the subject, even while thinking how in his own experience he had had recent opportunity to realize the truth of what the doctor said Soht he sat there in the diht of the doctor's library,--somebody who evidently expected to enter as readily as before, and had worked ineffectually for severalthe attely to repudiate the same
”Bayard,” said the major, ”I am the last ement of affairs, but there's a matter I want to ask you about while we are out here What is the reason Dr
Weeks refuses to let Mrs Miller go in and see McLean? She has been always very fond of him, and naturally wants to be of service now Of course, if there be any good and sufficient reason, I've nothing to say, but I think I've a right to know”
Bayard hesitated a moment ”Come out here on the piazza, major,” he presently said ”I don't want theether the two officers walked over to the wooden railing and stood there looking at each other It was evident to the post coeon had to tell was so, further
Bayard's eyes fell before thehow to put his information fairly and without prejudice Suddenly he looked up
”First, while we are on the subject, let me finish about this latch business, major It is not entirely--entirely irrelevant to the other matter You see I had to tell Robert e made such particular inquiries about the door Now the boy has been with me for years, and came to me with a most unblemished character Why, he was body-servant for the adjutant and quartermaster of the First Artillery in the lively old days at Fort Hamilton, and had unlientlemen said he was simply above suspicion But he is sensitive, and it worried him fearfully lest Mr Holmes should think he or so those pockets Noas simply on his account--to convince him it was somebody from outside that surreptitiously entered the hall while ere all at dinner--that Holmes took the trouble to test the latch, and with a little bit of stiff wire he showed us how Robert's device could be circumvented”
”And Holmes has no doubt it was so accomplished?” asked the major, tentatively