Part 38 (2/2)
”Why doesn't he take off his hat to Mrs. Yocomb as if she were a d.u.c.h.ess?” I growled. ”That trunk that fills half the rockaway doesn't look as if he had come to spend Sunday only. Perhaps we are destined to make a happy family. I wonder who the little girl is?”.
The banker was given what was known as the parlor bedroom, on the ground floor, and I heard Adah taking the little girl to her room.
Miss Warren did not glance at my window on her return. ”She would have been happy enough had I remained here and sighed like a furnace,” I muttered grimly. ”Well, idiot! why shouldn't she be?”
She had evidently lingered to say something to Mrs. Yocomb, but I soon heard her light step pa.s.s up to her room.
”Now's my chance,” I thought. ”Mrs. Yocomb is preparing for supper, and all the rest are out of the way,” and I slipped down the stairs with noiseless and rather unsteady tread. Excitement, however, lent me a transient strength, and I felt as if the presence of the banker would give me sinews of steel. I entered the parlor un.o.bserved, and taking my old seat, from which I had watched the approach of the memorable storm, I waited events.
The first one to appear was the banker, rubbing his hands in a way that suggested a habit of complacency and self-felicitation. He started slightly on seeing me, and then said graciously:
”Mr. Morton, I presume?”
”You are correct, Mr. Hearn. I congratulate you on your safe arrival.”
”Thanks. I've travelled considerably, and have never met with an accident. Glad to see you able to be down, for from what I heard I feared you had not sufficiently recovered.”
”I'm much better to-day, sir,” I replied, briefly.
”Well, this air, these scenes ought to impart health and content. I'm greatly pleased already, and congratulate myself on finding so pleasant a place of summer sojourn. It will form a delightful contrast to great hotels and jostling crowds.” I now saw Miss Warren, through the half-open door, talking to Mrs. Yocomb. They evidently thought the banker was conversing with Mr. Yocomb.
Instead of youthful ardor and bubbling happiness, the girl's face had a grave, sedate aspect that comported well with her coming dignities.
Then she looked distressed. Was Mrs. Yocomb telling her of my profane and awful mood? I lent an inattentive ear to Mr. Hearn's excellent reasons for satisfaction with his present abode, and in the depths of my soul I thought, ”If she's worrying about me now, how good-hearted she is!”
”I already foresee,” Mr. Hearn proceeded, in his full-orbed tones, ”that it will also be just the place for my little girl--safe and quiet, with very nice people to a.s.sociate with.”
”Yes,” I said emphatically, ”they are nice people--the best I ever knew.”
Miss Warren started violently, took a step toward the door, then paused, and Mrs. Yocomb entered first.
”Why, Richard Morton!” she exclaimed, ”what does thee mean by this imprudence?”
”I mean to eat a supper that will astonish you,” I replied, laughing.
”But I didn't give thee leave to come down.”
”You said I could come to-morrow, so I haven't disobeyed in spirit.”
Miss Warren still stood in the hall, but seeing that I had recognized her, she came forward and gave me her hand as she said:
”No one is more glad than I that you are able to come down.”
Her words were very quiet, but the pressure of her hand was so warm as to surprise me, and I also noted that what must have been a vivid color was fading from her usually pale face. I saw, too, that Mr. Hearn was watching us keenly.
”Oh, but you are shrewd!” I thought. ”I wish you had cause to suspect.”
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