frances waldeaux-第24章

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ware。　　He　stood　up　suddenly；　his　jaws　pale　as　if　he　had　been　struck。　　What　money　there　was　in　it！　　He　had　forgotten。　　She　was　a　great　heiress。

She　came　out　at　the　moment。　　He　scanned　her　fiercely；　the　plain；　costly　gown；　the　ruby　blazing　on　her　ungloved　hand。　　Then　he　glanced　down　at　his　own　shabby　Sunday　suit。　　She　was　the　richest　woman　in　Delaware；　and　he　had　not　a　dollar　in　his　pocket；　and　no　way　to　earn　one。

He　went　up　to　her；　courteously　took　her　hand　when　she　held　it　out；　blushing　and　dimpling；　bowed　to　her　aunt；　saying　that　he　had　merely　walked　over　to　put　her　into　her　carriage；　and；　having　shut　the　door；　looked　after　them；　hat　in　hand；　smiling　when　she　glanced　shyly　back　at　him。

Then　he　laughed　loudly。　　If　he　had　the　salary　that　she　paid　her　negro　driver　he　would　be　lucky！　　And　he　had　meant　to　marry　her。　　He　laughed　again　and　took　his　way　homeward。


CHAPTER　XIX

His　mother　was　waiting　to　give　George　his　breakfast。　　Whether　he　chose　to　lie　in　bed　until　noon　or　to　walk　twenty　miles　at　dawn；　she　smiled　a　joyful　approval。　　But　neither　the　crisp　toast；　nor　the　fried　chicken；　nor　any　of　her　funny　stories；　would　penetrate　the　blackness　of　his　gloom。

〃Oh；　by　the　way！〃　she　said；　〃here　is　a　letter　that　came　by　last　night's　mail。　　I　forgot　to　give　it　to　you。〃

He　glanced　at　the　envelope。　　〃Great　Heavens！　　It　is　life　and　death　to　me；　and　you　forget　it　to　tell　Jack's　pert　sayings！〃　　He　read　the　letter　and　threw　it　down。

〃What　is　it；　George？〃　she　asked　humbly。

〃Burnett　&　Hoyle　offer　me　a　place　in　their　house。〃

〃Mr。　Hoyle　is　an　old　friend　of　mine。　　I　wrote　to　him。　　What　is　the　salary；　George？〃

〃Forty　dollars　a　week。　　I　could　earn　more　as　a　coachmanfor　some　rich　heiress。〃

〃But　George　dear　　It　would　be　a　beginning。　　They　are　brokers；　and　there　are　so　many　short　cuts　to　fortune　in　that　business！　　Do　try　it；　my　son。〃

〃Of　course　I'll　try　it。　　Do　you　think　I'm　a　fool？　　It　will　keep　me　from　starving。　　But　I　want　something　else　in　life　than　to　be　kept　from　starving；　mother。〃

He　stretched　out　his　arms　with　a　groan；　and　walked　to　the　window。　　She　followed　him　with　wretched；　comprehending　eyes。　　Why　did　not　Lucy　give　him　her　fortune？　　Any　woman　would　be　honored　who　could　give　George　her　fortune。

〃I　always　have　heard　that　brokers　know　the　short　cuts　to　wealth；〃　she　said　calmly。　　〃You　go　on　the　Street　some　day；　and　come　back　a　millionaire。〃

〃That　is　a　woman's　idea　of　business。　　Instead；　I　will　sit　on　a　high　stool　and　drudge　all　day；　and　on　Saturday　get　my　wages；　and　after　three　or　four　years　I'll　make　a　fight　for　ten　dollars　more　a　week；　and　thank　God　if　I　get　it。　　‘A　short　cut　to　fortune！'〃

Mrs。　Waldeaux　carefully　averted　her　eyes　from　him。　〃You　may　marry；〃　she　said；　〃and　it　may　happen　that　your　wife　also　will　have　some　little　income〃

〃Mother！　　Look　at　me！〃　he　interrupted　her　sternly。　　〃I　will　never　be　dependent　on　my　wife；　so　help　me　God！　〃

〃No；　George；　no！　　Of　course　not。　　Don't　speak　so　loud。　　Only；　I　thought　if　she　had　a　small　sum　of　her　own；　she　would　feel　more　comfortable；　that's　all。〃


In　spite　of　his　ill　temper　George　threw　himself　into　his　work　with　zeal。　　After　a　couple　of　months　he　came　home　for　a　day。　　He　was　dressed　with　the　quiet　elegance　which　once　had　been　so　important　in　his　eyes。

His　mother　noted　it　shrewdly。　　〃A　man　has　more　courage　to　face　life；　decently　clothed；〃　she　said　to　herself。

He　did　not　come　again　until　winter。　　Lucy　happened　to　be　spending　the　day　with　Mrs。　Waldeaux。　　There　were　no　liveried　servants；　no　priceless　rings；　no　Worth　gown　in　sight。　　She　was　just　the　shy；　foolish　girl　whom　he　had　once　for　an　hour　looked　upon　as　his　wife。　　George　talked　about　Wall　Street　to　her；　being　now　wise　as　to　stocks；　took　her　out　sleighing；　and　when　in　the　evening　she　took　Jack　in　her　arms　and　sang　him　to　sleep；　sat　listening　with　his　head　buried　in　his　hands。　　Mrs。　Waldeaux　carried　the　boy　up　to　bed；　and　Lucy　and　George　were　left　alone。　　They　talked　long　and　earnestly。

〃She　consulted　me　about　her　affairs；〃　he　said；　after　she　was　gone；　his　eyes　shining。

〃I　am　afraid　she　does　not　understand　business！〃　Mrs。　Waldeaux　replied　anxiously。

〃Oh；　like　a　woman！　　That　is；　not　at　all。　　Her　whole　property　is　in　the　hands　of　The　Consolidated　Good　Faith　Companies。　　I　reminded　her　of　the　old　adage；　‘Never　put　all　of　your　eggs　into　one　basket。'〃

〃But　that　is　so　sound　a　basket；　George！〃　〃Yes。　　It　is　thought　so；〃　with　a　shrug。

〃Poor　child！　　She　needs　a　guardian　to　advise　her。〃

Waldeaux's　countenance　grew　black。　　〃She　should　employ　an　attorney。　　It　certainly　will　never　be　my　duty　to　advise　Miss　Dunbar；〃　he　retorted　irritably。


George　showed　himself　shrewd　and　able　in　his　work。　　Mr。　Hoyle　was　a　powerful　backer。　　Before　spring　his　salary　was　doubled。　　But　what　was　that？　　The　gulf　between　him　and　the　great　heiress　gaped；　impassable。

Lucy　spent　much　time　with　her　old　friend；　and　Frances　at　last　broke　the　silence　concerning　him。

〃The　boy　never　before　knew　what　love　was。　　And　it　is　you　that　he　loves；　child。〃

〃He　has　not　told　me　so；〃　said　Lucy　coldly。

〃No。　　And　never　will。　　It　is　your　wealth　that　makes　him　dumb。　　I　wish　it　was　gone；〃　said　Frances　earnestly。　　〃Gone。　　You　would　be　so　happy。　　What　is　money　compared　to　being〃

〃George's　wife？〃　Lucy　laughed。

〃Yes。　　George's　wife。　　I　know　what　he　is　worth；〃　his　mother　said　boldly。　　〃You　might　give　it　away？〃　looking　eagerly　in　the　girl's　face。　　〃In　charity。〃

〃I　might　do　so；〃　said　Miss　Dunbar　tranquilly。


One　morning　in　April　Mrs。　Waldeaux　saw　George　coming　up　from　the　station。　　She　ran　to　meet　him。

He　was　pale　and　breathless　with　excitement。　　〃What　is　it？　　What　has　happened？〃　she　cried。

〃Hushh！　　Come　in。　　Shut　the　door。　　No　one　must　hear。　　The　Consolidated　Companies　have　failed。　　They　have　robbed　their　depositors。〃

〃Well；　George？　　What　have　we　Oh；　Lucy！〃

〃Yes；　Lucy！　　She　is　ruined！　　She　has　nothing。　　It　was　all　there。〃　　He　paced　up　and　down；　hoarse　with　agitation　and　triumph。　　〃She　mustn't　know　it；　mother；　until　she　is　safe　in　another　home。〃

〃Another　home？〃　〃Oh；　surely　you　understand！　　Hereif　she　will　come。　　Poor　little　girl！　　She　has　not　a　dollar！　　I　am　getting　a　big　salary。　　I　can　work　for　you　all。　　My　God！　　I　will　have　her　at　last！　　Unless　　　Perhaps　she　won't　come！　　Mother；　do　you　think　she　will　come？〃　　He　caught　her　arm；　his　jaws　twitched；　the　tears　stood　in　his　eyes；　as　when　he　used　to　come　to　her　with　his　boyish　troubles。

〃How　can　I　tell？〃　said　Frances。　　〃Go　and　ask　her。〃



CHAPTER　XX

In　July　Miss　Vance　returned　unexpectedly。　　Her　charges　had　tired　of　travel；　and　turned　their　backs　upon　India。　　She　dropped　them　in　Chicago；　and　came　to　Weir　for　rest。　　The　evening　of　her　arrival　she　strolled　with　Frances　through　the　park；　listening　to　the　story　of　George's　sudden　wooing；　and　the　quiet；　hurried　wedding。

〃It　had　to　be　quiet　and　hurried；〃　said　Mrs。　Waldeaux；　〃in　order　to　keep　her　ignorant　of　her　change　of　fortune。　　He　took　her　to　the　Virginia　mountains；　so　that　no　newspapers　could　reach　her。　　They　are　coming　to…morrow。　　It　won't　trouble　her　to　hear　that　her　money　is　gone　when　she　is　here　with　us　all；　at　home。　　As　for　me；〃　she　went　on　excitedly；　〃I　am　beginning　to　advertise　the　summer　resort。　　I　must　put　my　hand　to　the　plough。　　I　don't　mean　that　she　shall　miss　any　comfort　or　luxury　as　George's　wife。〃

Miss　Vance　looked　at　her。　　〃Frances；　give　up　your　planning　and　working。　　Let　George　work　for　you　and　his　wife；〃　she　said　curtly。　〃It　is　time　for　you　to　stop　and　rest。〃

〃And　why　should　I　stop　and　rest；　Clara？〃　said　Frances；　amazed。

〃Surely　you　know；　dear。　　You　are　not　as　young　as　you　once　were。　　Your　eyes　are　weak；　and　your　hearing　is　a　little　dulled；　and〃

Frances　threw　out　her　hand　eagerly。　　〃You　think　I　am　growing　old！　　It　is　only　my　eyes　and　ears　that　are　wearing　out。　　_I_　am　not　deaf　nor　blind；〃　she　said　earnestly。　　〃_I_　am　not　old。　　I　find　more　fun　and　flavor　in　life　now　than　I　did　at　sixteen。　　If　I　live　to　be　seventy；　or　a　hundred；　I　shall　be　the　same　Frances　Wal…　deaux　still。〃

Clara　gave　an　annoyed　shrug。　　〃But　really；　_I_　make　the　thought　of　death　my　constant　companion。　　And　you　are　older　than　I。〃


　　〃‘After　the　busy　day　　　Comes　the　calm　sleep　of　night；'〃


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