The Opened Shutters: A Novel
Page 4
CHAPTER III
A RAILWAY TRIP
The speculator on a large scale feels no more elated over the rescue ofa fortune from anticipated loss than did Miss Lacey in the recovery ofher one thousand dollars. In the expansion of ideas which it caused shedetermined to celebrate by taking a chair in the parlor car for Bostonon Wednesday morning.
John Dunham boarded the train just as it was pulling out of thestation, and as he approached his seat suddenly heard himselfgreeted:--
"It _is_ Sir Walter," said a pleased voice. "I wasn't sure till youtook your hat off."
The young man paused in the act of hanging up his hat and looked downupon the occupant of the next chair. She was regarding him withinterest.
"Why, good-morning, Miss Lacey," he responded, and perhaps his smilewould not have been so pronounced but for the quick consideration ofJudge Trent's situation had he not transferred his ticket this morning.
Dunham even wondered if Miss Lacey might not have learned in some waywho it was that had engaged this chair and made her arrangementsaccordingly. However, the surprise with which she recognized him wascertainly genuine.
"Aren't these seats comfortable?" she went on as he sank into his. "Inever traveled in one before. I'm just being reckless this morning."
Her triumphant, half-defiant regard did not indicate that she waslaboring under any disappointment.
Upon Dunham's acquiescence she continued: "Perhaps, being in theoffice, you know about my windfall?"
"I hadn't heard, but I'm glad there was a windfall."
Miss Martha scrutinized the speaker's countenance approvingly. "He'sabout as pleasant-looking a man as I ever laid eyes on," she thought.
"It isn't exactly a windfall, because it's only my own come back to me;but it's money I never expected to see again, and if Cal--if JudgeTrent wasn't a good deal smarter than the average I never should have,either."
"Not many people can get ahead of him," returned Dunham.
"I guess not," said Miss Lacey, and she bridled proudly in a manner notlost upon her neighbor. "So I just said to myself this morning, 'What'sthe use of always being so careful?' Said I, 'I believe I'll see foronce how it feels to go to Boston like a nabob.'"
Dunham smiled and nodded, perceiving that Miss Martha felt that herextravagance must be explained even if it could not be justified.
The extra alertness of her look suffered a slight cloud as shecontinued: "One thing that made me feel reckless was that affairs aretaking a turn that may make me be more careful and more economical thanI ever was before, and I just thought before I found out I'd have onegood time!"
As she finished, the defiant expression returned, and she cast a glanceat her companion which seemed to challenge his disapproval. "I noticeyou don't--I notice lots of folks don't mind the extravagance."
"Ah, but Judge Trent pays my expenses, you see."
Miss Lacey drew herself up under the smiling regard. "He came very nearpaying mine," was her unspoken thought, and she would have beenastonished to know how close her companion came to reading it.
"Of course that makes a difference," she returned, and she regarded herneighbor curiously, wishing she knew just what his business arrangementwas with the judge.
"And I would have known, too, if I'd married him," she thought.
Dunham had been handling a magazine, watching for the moment when hecould open it; but gaining more and more the impression that Miss Laceyfelt his companionship to be a perquisite which rendered morereasonable the price of her chair, he dropped the periodical in hislap.
"Well, for my part, Miss Lacey," he said, leaning his head backdefinitely, "I think some well-distributed extravagance isn't sodisreputable."
"Perhaps not," she returned, "but if you were a lone spinster without abank account you might have your doubtful moments."
There was a hint of childlike excitement in the speaker's manner whichDunham found rather touching.
"Don't pretend to me that you ever have doubtful moments," he said,regarding the alert face with curiosity as to how it had appeared inthose days when Judge Trent had wanted "just that one girl."
"My!" exclaimed Miss Lacey. "I'm having a doubtful moment right now;not one, but dozens! I'm on the most ticklish errand of my life. That'swhat I called on Judge Trent about the other day."
"That's right," commented Dunham gravely. "Never move without legaladvice."
"And if I'd had any idea I was going to meet _you_, I'd have broughtyour handkerchief. I've done it up as smooth as satin."
"How good of you!"
"And it's pretty near as fine as satin, too; and that worked monogramis a beauty; but it's lucky you're a lawyer, for it would take one tofigure out what the letters are;--but you needn't tell your sweetheartI said so."
Dunham laughed. "I won't. It would break her heart."
"Don't you ever wipe off chairs with it again. It's wicked," declaredMiss Lacey emphatically.
"Then don't you ever come into the office and give me heart failure byyour unkind comments."
"I don't know as I ever shall," returned Miss Lacey, suddenly pensiveand looking into space. "The other day I was clear out of Judge Trent'soffice and into the street, and it was too late to go back, before Irealized that I'd scarcely got three words from him that were reallydefinite or any use to me. Has he mentioned to you anything about aniece of his who has come to Boston? I suppose he hasn't."
"Yes, he has."
"Indeed? Well, she's mine, too, and this minute I'm on my way to seeher." Miss Lacey made the declaration impressively. "He ought to behere himself. But I won't shirk my duty if he does his. She's comeclear from Illinois, and I don't know what for. I wish I was like somefolks and could let her shift for herself; but she isn't twenty yet,and I haven't got the heart. I haven't been smart, I saw thatafterward; for if I'd gone to Judge Trent and just said I was too poorto do anything for Sylvia and stuck to it, and carried matters with ahigh hand and told him I wasn't going near her, he'd have had to. I seethat as plain as day now, but he came at me with the good news about mymoney, and kind of sidled me toward the door, and while I was gaspingand trying to realize it, the first thing I knew I was downstairs."
Dunham received her injured look with a nod as she paused.
"I live all alone," she went on, and John wondered who then customarilyreceived her flow of conversation; "and all this sudden business is agreat disturbance to me. I've laid awake over the matter, and prayedover it, and here I am, not knowing yet what I'm going to do."
She fell silent. She could not tell this stranger that it was thene'er-do-well character of her only brother which caused her panic atthe mere hint of taking the responsibility of his daughter, many yearsmotherless and the companion of his wholly slipshod methods of life. Inyears past Calvin Trent had been wont to say it was like pouring waterinto a sieve to endeavor to help Sam Lacey.
While Miss Martha was indulging in a resume of the dismal situation hercompanion took a folded memorandum from an inside pocket and scannedit.
* * * * *
"Girl at Hotel Frisbie.
"Name Sylvia Lacey.
"Age nineteen.
"Her mother, my sister, dead for ten years.
"Her father, recently deceased, an alleged artist, a rolling stone and a scapegrace all his life.
"Be present at interview between Miss Martha Lacey and the girl.
"Let Miss Martha take the lead."
* * * * *
There were a few further instructions, but Miss Lacey here broke inupon the reading.
"I'm going to ask you to do one more gallant thing for me, Sir Walter."
"I'm ready."
"Put me on the right car for Hotel Frisbie. The Boston street-cars area hopeless muddle to me,--always were and always will be."
"I'll escort you to the hotel."
"Oh, that's too kind!" exclaimed Miss Martha. "I'm not qu
ite _noncompos_. I can get out all right. It's the getting _in_ that's thepuzzle."
"But I have to go there myself. Judge Trent thought you might need alieutenant. He has sent me to help you."
The color rushed to Miss Martha's face. Calvin was thinking of her,after all. Her eyes glistened with sudden hope.
"What is he willing to do?" she demanded.
"Nothing--that is, very little," responded Dunham hastily. "You, Isuppose, are acquainted with this young lady?"
"Indeed I'm not!" Miss Martha repudiated the charge with energy. "AndI'm not nearly as well able to help her as Calvin is. So he sent you.He has a conscience about it, after all. I don't suppose he'd consentto her living with him?"
"Not for one moment," returned Dunham quickly. "Whatever course youconsider, that idea must be dismissed."
"Whatever course I consider," repeated Miss Lacey bitterly. "JudgeTrent has no business to leave all the considering to me. It'scowardly, and it's mean, and I don't care one bit if you tell him Isaid so!"
"I shan't," returned Dunham. "He has sent me. He is prepared to dosomething, anything in reason that you think best."
After this Miss Lacey's problem descended heavily upon her, and sheaverted her head and looked gloomily at the flying landscape; so Dunhamopened his magazine and read until they reached Boston.