Part 13 (1/2)
”I understand the revenue men made another haul last night,” he said, a watchful eye on his brother-in-law.
”You don't say?” Drake calmly extended his cup and saucer to Ann, to be handed to George, and from him to Mrs. Drake, for a filling. ”Whose place was it?”
”Don't know whose still it was,” Webb answered, ”but they landed the whole shootin'-match--sour mash, kegs, barrels, jugs, demijohns, copper b'ilers, worms, a wagon or two, and some horses.”
”Who did they ketch?” Drake asked. ”I reckon it happened when I was t'other side the mountain.”
”n.o.body, it seems,” Webb answered. ”The gang was too slick for 'em.
They must have had sentinels posted around the whole shebang.”
Drake apparently found no further interest in the subject, for he began to talk of other matters. He had heard that Saunders was expected to spend the day at his farm, and added to Mostyn: ”I reckon you will see 'im an' get news of business.”
”I almost hope he won't mention it,” the banker smiled. ”I have scarcely thought once of the bank. I never allow my mind to rest on it when I am off for a change like this.”
”Fine idea,” Drake said, ”but I don't see how you can help it, 'specially if you are concerned in the rise and fall of market-prices.
But I reckon you've got that down to a fine point.”
Mostyn made some inconsequential response, but Drake's remark had really turned his thoughts into other channels. After all, he reflected, with a sudden chill of fear, how could he know but that some of his investments were not so prosperous as when he had left Atlanta?
He became oblivious of the conversation going on around him. He failed to hear the cautious dispute over some trifle between George and Ann.
A little later, Mostyn was walking to and fro on the lawn in front of the house when Dolly came down-stairs. She had on the pretty pink dress he had admired so much the day she had tried it on for the first time.
He threw down his cigar and went to the steps to meet her, his troubled thoughts taking wing at the sight of her animated face.
”Why have you not worn it before?” he said, sweeping her slender figure from head to foot in open admiration.
”For the best reason in the world,” she laughed. ”I only got the cash to pay for it yesterday, and I would not wear it till it was mine. I collected some money a man owed me for giving private lessons to his children and sent it right away to the dressmaker.”
”It is simply wonderful,” he said, glad that no one else was present.
”I'm proud of you, little girl. You are the most beautiful creature that ever lived.”
”Oh, I don't know!” She shook her head wistfully. ”I wish I could think so, but I can't. There are so many other things that count for more in the world than good looks. Do you know I didn't sleep more than an hour last night?”
”I'm sorry,” he said. ”What was the matter?”
She glanced through the open door into the house as if to see if any one was within hearing. Then she came nearer to him, looking down on him from the higher step on which she stood, her pretty brow under a frown. ”I was bothered after I went to bed,” she said, frankly. ”I don't think I ought to--to have kissed you as I did there at the gate.
I would have scolded Ann for the same thing, even if she were as old as I am. I trust you--I can't help it--and last night I was so happy over Tobe's message that--Tell me honestly. Do you think that a man loses respect for a girl who will act as--as boldly as I did? Tell me; tell me truly.”
”Not if he loves her as I do you, Dolly,” he said, under his breath, ”and knows that she feels the same way. Don't let a little thing like that trouble you. It is really your wonderful purity that makes you even think of it.”
She seemed partially satisfied, for she gave him her glance more confidingly. ”It is queer that I should have let it worry me so much,”
she said. ”It was as it some inner voice were reproving me. All sorts of fears and queer ideas flocked about me. I--I am just a simple mountain girl, and you now know what my--my people are like. Why, if my father were now in prison I could not refuse to--to stick to him as a daughter should, and for a man in your position to--to--” She broke off, her eyes now on the ground.
”You mustn't think any more about it,” he managed to say, and rather tardily. ”You can't help what he does.” Mostyn's pa.s.sionate gaze was fixed on her again. ”How pretty, how very pretty that dress is!” he flared out. ”Are you going to church this morning?”
”Oh yes,” she replied, half smiling down into his eyes. ”I must set a good example to Ann and George.”
Burning under the memory of her kiss of the night before, Mostyn told himself that he must by all means see her alone that day. He must hold the delicious creature in his arms again, feel the warmth of her lips, and capture the a.s.surance of a love the like of which was a novelty even to him.