by Tere
It returned its attention to the inn, lira easy to deduce that that building dominated the town. To the bottom it had a adicional wing, in a part older but conserved well of the edificio. All the windows were limpísimas; all the postigos, just painted, and while Farrell observed, much people entered and left the prosperous establishment.
It returned to remove from its pocket an article from newspaper. The article affirmed that one Mrs. Regan Slanford and Brandy so Dutton, one solterona, were prácticamente owners of everything: a town in Pensilvania. To principio, Farrell had thought impossible that it was same Regan that it had looked for during so many years, but sent a man a that town and this one returned with a description that only could correspond to Regan that he knew.
Again, it thought about that night, almost five years back, when Jonathan Northland had thrown to his sobrina of its own house. The poor woman and Regan innocent never had understood who the Weston house was hers and that, instead of living on the income of its uncle, as Jonathan said that night, was Northland that lived on the intereses of the fortune of Regan. Farrell smiled and it was asked if Northland would have imagined sometimes who it had put on warning the executors of the goods of Regan about which his uncle had done. It was a slight but appropriate revenge by the things that it said to Northland on him the night in which the executors threw to Jonathan of Weston house without a single penny. Six months later, found to Jonathan Died Northland to stabs in a harbor tavern, and to the aim was completed revenge of Fanell.
With running of the months and the years, Farrell it began to think more and more about the fortune of Regan, depo-
sitada in a bank, that grew to newspaper thanks to capable handling of its executors. It began to look for Lina handcuffs, somebody that it had tunero sufficient to maintain it to him and his property, but any young person it had as much money as Regan Weston. The rich women did not want to have nothing that to see with a horseman without title, a penny and with doubtful habits.
After an unfruitful search of two years, Fanell was convinced that when planting it Regan its reputation had arruinado with the women. Therefore, which corresponded to make era look for it, to marry with her and to leave the money repaired its reputation.
It had had been a time to find to him to the old one servant of Regan, that lived in Scotland with familiares. The old one suffered out of position the permanent pain one mandíbula, because Jonathan had to him broken the bone when she tried to respond the questions of an American about a girl who had encontrado.
Speaking with great difficulty and drinking constantemente in order to extinguish the pain, the old one caused as much disgust to him to Fanell that hardly it supported to be near her. Their memories were uncertain, and Farrell took several hours in averiguar what wished to know, but it started off with certain idea of where it had to look for.
Following the answers that it obtained, soon averiguó that Regan had left to America. It was not easy to make the decision from to follow it, but supposed that after several years in that uncivilized country, girl would be anxious to return to England.
North America was greater of which it had imaginado and there were some isolated points of civilization, but people were repugnant. They never relied on its social level; all were believed members of the royalty.
Estaba on the verge of returning to England when it saw the small article in a newspaper. When hombre a returned who it contracted to go to Scarlet Springs, it described to a very similar woman to Regan, although it did not seem to be the ingenuous girl that he remembered.
It crossed the turf oval that separated the two main streets and entered the inn.
There was a great lobby with white walls. In that moment, several men and women entered a habitación that was to right, and Farrell followed them. Trataba of one more a greater room still, with comfortable sotas and chairs and, on a wall, a great home of stone. All muebles had new upholsteries of flat sure dull rose and verde to rays. Next to that room there was a bar that rustic him pareció, with its tables and chairs of oak, although it was obvious that there was much movement there. In front of the room common there were an enormous public dining room and two private ones. Finally it returned to the front of the inn, without arriving at the old part, and it was shown to a cosy one library that smelled of leather and tobacco. To the other side of the lobby there was a room of reception, where a courteous employee assigned a room to him deprived in second plant. -- How many rooms have? -- a dozen -- it responded employee --. More two with room and, of course, the rooms deprived of owners.
-- Clear. I suppose that refere to the two ladies. -- Yes, Sir: Regan and Brandy. Regan lives down, at the end of the old part, and Brandy it is above, just upon her. -- and they are the ladies who, according to says themselves, they are dueñas of most of the town? -- Farrell asked. The employee laughed between teeth.
--El preaching says that the only building that is not of they are the church, but all we know that it pagaron to they. And they have mortgages of all the other buildings. If a lawyer arrived, Regan gave him money to construir a house and it remained; soon a doctor, and thus this place soon got to be a town.
-- Where I can find Mrs. Stanf'ord? -- Farrell asked; it did not favor to him that that man called it by his name of it pounds.
In any part -- it responded quickly, because llegaba a pair to register --. It is everywhere at the same time.
Farrell, that it did not want to cause a scandal, ignored impoliteness whereupon the employee had left of prestarle attention. Later it would have to speak with the manager was the one who was.
Its room was clean well and furnished, and the sun it entered by the window. On a wall home was pequeño. One changed clothes of the trip and lowered to the dining room. It irritated it to eat in the public hall, but it knew that there it would be more probable to see Regan. The menu was extensive: they servían seven types of meat, three of fish, cold plates, salsas, vegetables, meats of hunting and one it lists impressive of pies and puddings. The food was served quickly, hot, it was well prepared and delicious.
While call proved something "pie moravo ", a woman entered the hall and all the glances, masculine and feminine, they became towards her. They did not watch it only after its extraordinary one beauty, but by its presence, its personalidad. That slight woman, with exquisite dress of green muselina, knew who was. It walked with seguridad and it talked easily with and others. Parecía an elegant lady receiving invited in its house. In a table a plate stopped, observed and it sent from vuelta to the kitchen. In another table, two women put themselves of foot and they embraced briefly, and during a little while one seated with them and she laughed, happy.
Farrell could not separate the eyes from her. In the superficial, it looked like the clumsy girl that he had known. The eyes were of the same one color; the hair, of the same tone castaño, but that woman, with its firm ones curves and their facilidad of deal with people, were not looked absolutely like chiquilla easily frightened with that was been comprometido once.
Farrell recostó in the chair and was expected with calm that Regan approached him. It smiled when seeing it, but not it reconoció. A moment later, when it was talking with a pair near him, it raised Vista and found the eyes of Farrell. It watched it a little while, and Farrell directed his to him sonrisa more charmer. It enjoyed much when seeing to give it returned average and to leave the room quickly. He was sure that it was
in her some feeling, good or bad, related with. Hatred or love, did not matter to him which outside, provided it remembered it.
-- Regan, you feel well? -- desde asked to Brandy another one barked of the great table of oak of the kitchen, donde supervised to three cooks.
-- Clear -- Regan in sharp tone responded. Luego took breath and smiled --. It is only that I finish seeing a ghost.
[.ace two women watched themselves and Brandy took to Regan a a corner of the great room. -- the father of J
ennifer? --No -- Regan responded in low voice. Sometimes it seemed to him that it did not have a little while of its life in which no it thought about Travis. Whenever it watched the great brown eyes of Jenniter, it saw it him. Sometimes, when hearing strong steps in the stairs, the heart gave him an upset.
-- you remember the man with who I was it jeopardize for years? Farrell Batsford? --No were secrets between the friends.-- It is in dining room.
—¡That gangster! -- Brandy, indignant --. exclaimed What requested? I will put poison to him. Regan laughed.
-- Supongo that I also would have to feel thus, but me I ask if somebody can forget the first love. When seeing it, they returned many memories. I had so much miedo of everything, she was so anxious to please, and so enamored with him... It seemed to me the most good looking man and elegant than it had sight. -- and how it is now?
-- Good, he is not nothing bad -- Regan responded, with one smile --. I suppose that it would have to invite it to my oficina to talk. It is less than I can do.
-- Regan noticed Brandy to him --, ten well-taken care of. It is not here by chance.
-- I am safe of that, and I have enough idea of which it looks for. In less of a month I will fulfill twenty-three years, and then the money that me they left my parents will be mine.
--No you forget it ot even for a moment advised to him
Brandy.
Regan went to its office, contiguous to the kitchen, and one seated in the leather chair, before the writing-desk. It was not that Farrell it had affected so much, but that with him they had returned many memories. Like a water big wave tría, remembered the horrible night in which the truth knew on its uncle and his fiance'. A memory after another one: Travis abrazando it, Travis saying to him what to do, Travis doing to him the love, and Regan constantly terrified. In the last cuatro years had seated to write hundreds to him of times to speak to him of its daughter and to say to him that both were well.
But always it was become frightened. And if Travis him respondía that it did not matter to him, which was most probable since never there were it looked for? With the years, it had aprendido to be worth single, but she could to do it with Travis? It would again turn he the tearful girl and easily frightened
that it had been?
A call to the door gave back it to the present. To his answer, Farrell opened the door.
-- Espero not to interrupt -- it said, smiling; its eyes they revealed much that cheered to see it it.
In absolute -- it responded. One put of foot and him tendió hand --. Exactly a message went to enviarte stops
that you came.
Farrell lowered to the head > it kissed the hand to him with ardor.
-- Perhaps you did not support enfrentarte to me so pronto -- it murmured --. After all, we meant much the one for other a long time ago.
It was a luck that Farrell could not see the face of Regan then. The expression that it acquired was of absolute stupor. ¡What patán vain!, it thought. Realmente thought that she did not remember that frightful night, that did not remember the reason for which it wanted to marry with her?
When Farrell returned to raise the head, Regan it smiled. It had not gotten to be rich having shown its sentimientos.
-- Yes -- it said --. sweetly Tiempo has passed much. Siéntate, please. I can ofrecerte something to drink?
-- Whiskey, if you have.
Regan served a glass to him as Irish whiskey and smiled with innocent air when seeing the surprise of Farrell. Acomodó in front of him in one chair and asked:
-- How he is my uncle?
-- Temo that passed away.
Regan did not respond, uncertain of its feelings. A to weigh of everything what hahía done to him, was even to him of its family.
-- Porqué you have come, Farrell?
Farrell took a little in responding.
-- By a fault feeling -- it said to aim --. Although no I had true participation in which it did your uncle that night to you, it felt to me something responsible. In spite of which you have believed to hear, I yes wanted to him. Me it worried that you were so young, and it displeased to me that your uncle mantuviera you in so much ignorance. -- Rio' as if one was a private joke. -- You must admit that no eras very inspirada as accompanying in the supper. It never pleased the idea to me of to marry to me with a creature. Perhaps to other yes they like.
-- and now? -- Regan asked, with a seductive smile
-- you have changed. You... no longer you are a girl.
Before Regan could respond, it was opened door and Jennifer entered running, with ramillete of flores without stem in his dirty hand. She was a beautiful girl of three years, slight like Regan and with the eyes and cabello of Travis. It had also inherited the security of its father; no she was easily frightened like Regan to its age.
--Te I brought flowers, mami -- it said, smiling.
—¡What candy of your part! Now if I know that it arrives spring -- Regan responded, to the time that embraced with force its daughter.
Jennifer, without being frightened, observed a openly Farrell.
-- Who is he? -- it asked with a very audible whisper.
-- Farrell, I present/display my Jennifer daughter. He is viejo friend mine, Mr. Batsford.
Jennifer managed to say "' pleased Much" before to leave with the same haste whereupon had arrived.
Regan watched with adoration the door that its daughter acababa to close it gives a blow; and soon it returned to watch Farrell.
-- Temo that you have seen my daughter as much time as anyone of us. It can walk freely by posada and takes advantage of each moment.
-- Who is its father? -- Farrell asked, without perder time.
Regan responded with the lie of always: that it was widow; but, perhaps because that day had thought so much about Travis, its eyes they exposed. It noticed the glance of Farrell but it did not say anything not to debilitate deceit.
-- I must leave you continue working -- Farrell said. -- You would want to have supper tonight with me?
Still disturbed because it had discovered his mentira, Regan accepted immediately.
-- Until tonight, then -- Farrell said, and it marched.
Farrel went directly to the kitchen to ordenar a very special supper. When they presented/displayed to him to Brandy and it saw the hostility in their eyes, knew that Regan was counted everything to him. Right away, it assumed its modales more encantadores and requested to him that it showed the town to him. Brandy aceptó, incapable to refuse, and it passed one of the agradables afternoons of his life. If there were one thing that Farrell had learned to do years in the last, in its search of a wealthy wife, was to captivate the women. The dusk already had convinced to Brandy that he had been an innocent victim of the greed of Jonathan Northland. It told a long and complicated history him of everything what it had made to find to Regan, of its remorses in all those years. When returning to the hotel, Brandy was enchanted with him. But Farrell had conseguido of her more than that: the name and the whereabouts of the husband of Regan. For the hour of the supper, already it had despachado to a man towards Virginia, so that it found out the truth on Travis Stanford.
Travis was supported in the counter of a house of fashions of Richmond, hoping with patience mientras Margo proved another one dress.
-- What seems to you this one, affection? Margo asked to him, to to leave the vestidor. The dress of muselina color rusts left very little of its great chests librado to imagination --. Very it is not dared, or yes? -- prosiguió in low voice, while one approached him and him acariciaba the chest.
Pretty --Es -- Travis, impatient --. responded You do not have bought already sufficient? It wanted to arrive at house before the dusk.
—¡To house! -- Margo protested, frunciendo lips --. Almost nonsalts of that plantation. Before you took to me to dance. Before... you did many things with me.
Travis separated the hands from Margo of its chest and it watched i
t with fatigue.
-- Then he was not a married man.
—¡Married! -- Margo --. exclaimed ¡Your wife left to you! It demonstrated that it did not want to you. What another man follows faithful their wife, is with she or no?
--- From when I am like the others? -- Travis talked back, with a warning glance. They had already discutido that often.
The tintineo of the bells when opening itself the door of the store interrupted the following words of Margo. Both became and they saw enter Ellen Backes. She was neighboring and friend of the family of Travis.
--Me it seemed verte, Travis -- it said --. gladly Margo --la saluted with coldness, without hiding its opinion of the siege of Margo to a man married.
Rilen did not know Regan, but it had references of she on the part of Nicole, the wife of Clay. Since conocía to Travis from many years ago, it believed to know why Regan had fled.
-- Acaba happening something very peculiar -- Ellen --. continued I was in the church, giving fresh flowers for Sunday, and a man of rather badly aspect he began to make questions on you.
Perhaps -- it is looking for work -- Travis supposed, without to give importance him.
--Yo also I thought that in the beginning, and although it was not paying attention, it would swear that I heard it mention to Regan.
Right away, Travis was gotten up.
-- Regan? -- it whispered.
-- Pense' to hope to that the shepherd finished, but had fear which before you left.
Without one more a word, Travis left the store, raised to a vehicle and it worried to the horses so that they occurred
haste.
—¡Curse! -- Margo with vehemencia --. exclaimed You had that to come to ruin the day to me.
--Lo I feel much -- Ellen with a radiating one responded smile while Margo returned, angry, you see-tidor. Ellen became towards the window and said in silence so that Travis managed to find out something on his wife.
