Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-11-07
CHAPTER VI
A CRISIS

Two months had gone by before Maj
Cnawshaw entered the huge caravansary
again. It was six in tho evening when he
commenced his dinner there; it was half
mast eight ere he had finished. It was q
quarter 10 nine when he took the liberty Of
proceeding to the counting house, which
Miss DAILY was thinking of closing for the
night as he appeared.
Good evening, Miss DAILY. l trust you
will excuse so late a visitor.
Certainly, major"
They shook hands together, and then Ruth
DAILY asked if he had been in the country or
abroad.
GWhy should you think thatf' he asked,
almost peremptorly.
u thought you dine3 here very frequently
at least | understood you TO say So" re-
marked Miss Daily.
At did say 50. / used to dine here very
frequently said the major; "but l have
altered my habits lately"
Indeed"
Besides" lie added, with a ~suddenness
which made Miss Daily jump, Al did not
want to be a spy again upon you and my
nephew. II thought if he choSs to come
here, and had mad9 up his mind to come
here. | had better keep away, and leave you
TO yourselves"
That was very kind Of you" said Miss
DAILY, quietly; but his people would have
been very much alarmed, and not at all
obliged TO you"
II don't care said the major, blufiiy.
@Oh, but you did care once"
ETm not afraid now of your making a fool
of nv nephew, or of my nephew's being able
10 make a fool of you" he said. SAud it has
struck me that if he were really in love with
YOU he could not have a more sensible wife,
and the sooner you settled the matter the
better, if it's coming round to that. There"
Thank yOu," said Miss Daily.
sAnd if be has said anything to you-he's
Internally sly, and l can't make him out at
ALL should ike"
Il have not spoken 10 Nj. Todd. That
gentleman does not know l am at the IntOr-
national" interrupted Miss DAILY.
Not yeti" exclaimed the major. "Aud
you don't want him to know, perhaps}'
Il should leave the place ut once if me
knew I was here. and if no became as foolish
a fellow as he was at the Junction" replied
Miss DAILY, firmly.
Il thought of telling him you were here.
-
eff you do, I will never speak to you
again. cried Miss Daily.
The major looked astonished; but he took
her hand, promised not to tell young Todd,
hoped he had not offended her, and went his
way.
He came very regularly to the Interna-
tional after this: he altered his habits again.
He was evidently a man not very long OF
ono mind. thought Miss Daily. h Old
Cronies' club, Pail Mall, saw very little OF
him once more. It's peace and rest, its
capacious arm chairs in the smoke room, its
snug dining room, where the viands were TO
his taste, and the walters not hungry for
fees, were all deserted for the stir and hustle
of the flash establishment at Lambeth Bridge,
and the mixed assembly which poured into
its mammoth dining room every evening at
six. and talked and laughed loudly, and went
out red-faced and staring into the streets.
The major did not speak to Miss DAILY on
every occasion that no patronized the In
ternational: on the contrary, he kept his dis
lance TO an inordinate extent, and was con-
ten with a good evening once n week. He
knew she was in the counting house-safei in
the counting house-and that no young o
was hanging about the doors, and that was
enough for him and his purpose. For his
purpose, thought Miss DAILY, a little indig-
nantlv, now and then. was 10 keep his eve
upOn her, 10 suspect her; his mission in life
was to keep guard on his nephew and her
self, despite all that she had said. As II she
were not to b. believed and trusted; as If he
had any right 20 watch her in this odd,
meaningless fashion; as il it answered any
good purpose, or would have been OF any
use, had she been disposed to assert her
rights, and elude his old-faShicnNd vigilance.
And vet he was not n spy, and scarcely
acted like one. He had expressed his horror
Of playing the spy even, and seemed an earn
est, thoughtful, grave gentleman at most
times. She wondered why he came so often
to the International, for she was sure he did
not like the hotel. and she could not under
stand WHY he put himself out OF the way so
frequently to exchange a few words with
Mr.. Freshwater, she being also sure that he
did not like Mr.. F~reshwater, whose manner
were obtruSive and @loud." and whose head
had been not a little turned by the success OF
his mammoth establishment He must
come to make sure his nephew was not
UONkFlUE uDbNlL SLlAls Quiet lst lutlt a
to be no valid reason why he should take so
much pains to render himself uncomfort
able.
One day he came to the hotel before eleven
IN the morning. dressed in n new surtout
coat, with a flower in his buttonhole and a
hat so glossy that he might have shaved
himself in it. He marched to the counting
house, Gas il the place belonged to him."
said the head waiter to a subordinate.
ado you know what to-day is, Miss DalyF'
he inquired
Tuesday. is It notl"
~Tut! tutl | mean what suspicious days."
"N-no,r said Miss DAILY. Then she looked
at his new coat and shiny hat, and thought
he was going to be- married. She felt sorry
he was Caught" and sure in her heart that
il was by a designing widow with money in
the funds, and some half a dozen grown-up
sons and daughters by way Of family en-
cumbranco.
ii am going to a wedding"
SIndeed.7
EMy nephew's wedding. Mr.. Todd enters
the holy state this morning. 1 am his best
man
He watched her very closely, with his clear
gray eyes fixed and u~nblinking, and Ruth
DAILY objected to his stare, and felt herself
reddening beneath his gaia.
This is n surprisn." she remarked
~YeS He's married this morning." he
said, in a tone almost too triumphant to
please Miss DAILY. l. seemed to say, Il have
won the game; you are out OF the reckoning
at last and there's an end of it and you.
Il hope he has made a wise choice said
she.
II think so. She is not a chit Of a girl,
but a woman Of mind, who will look after
him and the money she brings him"
"You are satifedF
perfectly satisfied"
@That IS all right, them" she murmured,
in so dry q tone that he looked at her very
sharply.
Al supposs you think that when I am salts
fed everybody ought TO be, Miss Dalyi' he
said; cor, rather, you think that Think soF
Miss Daily laughed
Il cannot say l have considered the mat
ter very deeply" she replied; con the con-
trary, my thoughts have been wandering
somewhat strangely
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