Part 26 (2/2)

Then Mrs. Markham said their friends and neighbors were coming in on the Tuesday evening following, to congratulate them, and would Mrs.

Ridgeley let them send for her? The gathering would be informal and neighborly. But Mrs. Ridgeley begged to be excused. Julia wanted to see the boys, and they came in from the garden--Ed shy, quiet and reserved; George, das.h.i.+ng, sparkling and bashful. Julia went up and shook them by their brown hands, and acted as if she would kiss George if he did look very much like Bart. She talked with them in her frank girl's way, and took them captive, and then mother and daughter drove away.

The gathering at the Judge's was spontaneous almost, and cordial. The whole family were popular individually, and the young girls especially gathered about Julia, who was a real heroine and had been rescued by a brave, handsome young man;--the affair was so romantic!

They wondered why Bart should go away; and wouldn't he be there that night? They seemed to a.s.sume that everything would be a matter of course, only he behaved very badly in going off when he must know he was most wanted. Of course he would come back, and Julia would forgive him; and something they hinted of this. Kate and Ann, and sweet Pearly Burnett, who had just come home from school, and was ent.i.tled to rank next after Julia, with Nell and Kate, were very gus.h.i.+ng on the subject.

Others took Bart to account. His sudden and mysterious flight was very much against him, and his reputation was at a sudden ebb. Why did he go? Then Greer's name was mentioned, and Brown, and New Orleans; and it was talked over that night at Markham's with ominous mystery, and one wouldn't wonder if Bart had not gone to Jefferson, at all--that was a dodge; and another said that at Painesville he stopped and went west to Cleveland; or to Fairport, and took a steamer; and Greer went off about the same time.

Julia caught these whispers and pondered them, and the Judge looked grave over them.

In the morning Julia asked him what it all meant. She remembered that he had spoken of Bart in connection with Greer, when he came home from the Cole trial, which made her uneasy; she now wanted to know what it meant.

The Judge replied that there was a rumor that Bart was an a.s.sociate of Greer, and engaged with him. ”In what?” He didn't know; he was a supposed agent of Brown's, and a company. ”What were they doing?”

n.o.body knew; but it was grossly unlawful and immoral. ”Did anybody believe this of Bart?” He didn't know; things looked suspicious. ”Do you suspect Bart of anything wrong?” He did not; but people talked and men must be prudent. ”Be prudent, when his name is a.s.sailed, and he absent, and no brother to defend him?” ”Why did he go?” asked the Judge, ”and where did he go?”

”Father!”

”I don't suspect anything wrong of him, and yet the temptation to this thing might be great.”

Julia asked no more.

The next morning she said that she had long promised Sarah King to pay her a visit, and she thought she would go for two or three days. Sarah had just been to Pittsburg, and had seen Miss Walters, and she wanted so much to hear from her. This announcement quite settled it. She had recently taken the possession of herself, in a certain sweet determined way, and was inclined to act on her own judgment, or caprice. She would go down in the stage; she could go alone--and she went.

The morning after, the elegant and leisurely Mr. Greer, at the Prentiss House, Ravenna, received a dainty little note, saying that Miss Markham was at Mr. King's, and would be glad to see him at his early leisure. He pulled his whiskers down, and his collar up, and called. He found Miss Markham in the parlor, who received him graciously.

What commands had she for him?

”Mr. Greer, I want to ask you a question, if you will permit me.”

Anything he would answer cheerfully.

”You know Barton Ridgeley?”

”Yes, without being much acquainted with him. I like him.”

”Have you now, or have you ever had any business connection with him?”

”I have not, and I never had.”

”Will you say this in writing?”

”Cheerfully, if you wish it.”

”I do.”

<script>