Part 28 (2/2)
”I've done pretty well,” was the evasive reply. ”And I'm going out of business, too. It seems a good time to quit.”
Mr. Weil made a suitable answer to this statement and the two men talked together for some time. After awhile the conversation took a wider turn.
”Where's your young friend, Roseleaf?” asked Mr. Fern, to whom the matter did not seem to have occurred before. ”I don't believe I have seen him at Midlands for a month.”
”No, he doesn't come,” replied Archie, growing darker. ”If you wish a particular reason, you will have to ask it of your daughter.”
Mr. Fern looked as if he did not understand.
”He became very fond of her,” explained Archie, ”and for some reason, he does not know what, she has evinced a sudden dislike to him.”
Mr. Fern looked still more astonished.
”Millie is a strange girl,” he ventured to remark. ”But I supposed--I was almost sure, her affections were engaged elsewhere; and, really, I thought he knew it.”
Mr. Weil stared now, for it was evident his companion was far from the right road. He was also interested to hear that Miss Fern had anything like a love affair in mind, for he had supposed such a thing quite impossible.
”I was not speaking of Miss Millicent, but of Miss Daisy,” he said.
The wool merchant rose from his chair in the extremity of his astonishment.
”You meant that--that Mr. Roseleaf--was in love with Daisy!” he said.
”And that she seemed to reciprocate his attachment?”
”I did. And also that a few weeks ago she asked him to cease his visits, giving no explanation of the cause of her altered demeanor. He is a most excellent young gentleman,” continued Weil, ”and one for whom I entertain a sincere affection. Her conduct is a great blow to him, especially as he does not know what he has done to deserve it. I trust the estrangement will not be permanent, as they are eminently suited to each other.”
The face of Mr. Fern was a study as he heard this explanation.
”If he was an honorable man, why did he not come to _me_?” he asked, pointedly.
”He was constantly seeking Miss Daisy's permission to do so,” replied Archie. ”Which she never seemed quite willing to give him.”
”She is too young to think of marriage,” mused Mr. Fern, after a long pause.
”He is willing to wait; but her present att.i.tude, giving him no hope whatever, has thrown him into the deepest dejection.”
From this Mr. Weil proceeded to tell Mr. Fern all he knew about Roseleaf. He said the young man was at present engaged on literary work that promised to yield him good returns. He had a small fortune of his own beside. Everything that could be thought of in his favor was dilated upon to the fullest extent.
”I don't believe I can spare my 'baby,'” said Mr. Fern, kindly, ”for any man. You plead with much force, Mr. Weil, for your friend. How is it that _you_ have never married. Are you blind to the charms of the s.e.x?”
For an instant Archie was at loss how to reply.
”On the contrary,” he said, at last, ”I appreciate them fully. I have had my heart's affair, too; but,” he paused a long time, ”she loved another, and there was but one woman for me. Perhaps this leads me to sympathize all the more with my unfortunate young friend.”
Mr. Fern said he would have a talk with Daisy, and learn what he could without bringing in the name of his informant.
”We fathers are always the last to see these things,” he added. ”It would be terrible to give her up, but I want her to be happy.”
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