Part 33 (1/2)
”The heir of Hastings' Hall,” said Theodore, briefly and sadly.
Winny looked both startled and shocked
”Oh, Theodore! not Pliny Hastings?”
”Yes, Pliny Hastings. The admiration of half the young ladies in the city, and they are industriously helping him to be what he is.
Good-night, Winny. Don't, for pity's sake, study any later,” and Theodore ran lightly up stairs and entered his own room on tiptoe. The room was utterly unlike Tode Mall's early dream. No square of red and green and yellow carpet adorned the spot in front of the bed--instead a soft thick carpet of mossy green covered the floor, and Theodore had pleased himself in gathering many a dainty trifle with which to beautify this one room that he called home. To-night the drop-light was carefully shaded, and in the dimness Theodore had to look twice before he distinguished McPherson mounted on guard in the rocking-chair beside the bed, while on it lay, sunken in heavy sleep, Pliny Hastings.
”Well!” was Theodore's brief greeting.
”Yes!” was Jim's equally laconic reply.
”What did you think had become of me that I could not attend to my own business?” asked Theodore, dropping wearily into the nearest chair.
”Tommy said you were putting three policemen in jail, or something.”
”It was _something_, sure enough,” answered Theodore, smiling faintly; and then he gave a rapid and condensed account of the midnight scene, interrupted by many exclamations of horror and amaze from his listener.
”Had you much trouble in this quarter?” he asked presently, going to the bedside and looking long and earnestly at Pliny.
”Very little. Tommy had some difficulty before they reached me; but he is a plucky little chap, and was firmly resolved upon carrying out your instructions to the letter, so he gained the day. Isn't it remarkable that he should have been the one to a.s.sist in the rescue of Mr.
Hastings' son?”
”Isn't it?” said Theodore, emphatically. ”And Mr. Hastings would not lift one finger to a.s.sist in _his_ rescue.”
”What in the world are you going to do next?” said Jim. ”In this case I mean,” nodding his head toward Pliny.
”Going to keep on doing, and when I have done all that I can, give myself up to patient waiting and hopeful praying,” was Theodore's solemn answer.
When he spoke again it was in a slightly hesitating tone, with a glance at his watch.
”There is just one thing more which ought to be done to-night, Jim.”
”All right,” said Jim, promptly. ”There's no special use in going to bed to-night, or rather this morning. Too late to pay, so bring on your business. What comes next?”
”They ought to know at Hastings' Hall where this young man is.”
”Ho!” said Jim, with an astonished and incredulous air, ”I don't imagine there will be many sleepless eyes in that house if they don't hear of his whereabouts until he appears again. I fancy they are too much accustomed to it.”
”There is one member of the family who will wait for him, nevertheless.”
”Who?”
”His sister. He remembered it himself, as bad as he was.”
Jim looked searchingly at the half-averted face of his friend for a moment; then seeming to have come to some conclusion, arose and began to don his overcoat.
”Then if I understand you, Mallery, you think that his sister ought to be apprised of his safety, and you judge it would be well, if possible, to do so without disturbing any other members of the family?” This he said after having waited a moment in vain for his friend to speak again.