CHAPTER XXVII.
When Martin and Carden reached the office of the London representativesof the New York house, in or by which the former's entire fortune wasinvested, they found quite a gathering about the doors, and inside anexcited crowd of investors clamoring for information.
Martin was well known to the clerks as being heavily interested, and hiscoolness commanded sufficient admiration to procure him an interviewwith a member of the firm.
"Better go to the hotel and wait for me, Fred," he said, as he passedinto the private office.
When he emerged at the end of ten or fifteen minutes, his unmovedappearance, and the quiet smile with which he greeted the clerks withwhom he was acquainted, did much to re-assure those who had watched hisentrance. Carden, too, was deceived on meeting him.
"It's all right, I suppose?" he said.
"No, not exactly, but I suppose there will be enough recovered out ofthe wreck to pay my debts. You know I have been speculating a little onmy own account, and I don't know how I stand."
Martin spoke slowly and thoughtfully, as though considering hisposition, and Carden looked at him in amazement so great, that before hecould speak, Martin was continuing: "Of course, Fred, I shall have toleave at once, by the next steamer."
"Dick, it can't be possible that you have lost everything!" exclaimedCarden, excitedly.
"Looks like it. They tell me it's the worst smash in twenty years."
Carden looked disheartened, much more so than his friend, and asked whenthe next steamer sailed.
"The day after to-morrow, the next fast one, so we will have a day toourselves before we part, Fred."
Martin spoke cheerily, which caused his friend to brighten a little andask if it would not be well to start back at once to Hanley Hall.
"No, Fred, not to-night. Perhaps I may be able to get there to-morrow ifI can arrange to leave then."
The two friends separated shortly afterwards--Carden returning to HanleyHall, where his arrival, and subsequent narration of Martin's troublecaused great sympathy.
"Surprises are becoming the usual thing here. I wonder what will comenext!"
Mr. Stafford said this during a break in the conversation, but an answercame sooner than he expected, and from an unexpected quarter.
"Papa, don't you think that, under the circumstances, Fred and I shoulddo something to help Mr. Martin out of this trouble? He has spent largesums of money, I'm sure, in recovering those papers, and doubtless inother matters."
It was Kate who spoke, and all looked at her in surprise. Not ablushing, embarrassed girl, but a calm collected woman met their gaze.
"Of course, I know nothing about these matters," continued she, "but itwould seem that an immediate advance of a large sum would be likely tobe of assistance."
"I am afraid Dick would not care to accept assistance from friends,"said Carden, slowly. "If he would, I should have proffered everything Ipossessed, while in London, but I know he would accept nothing--at leastfrom _me_."
There was a marked emphasis in the last words, and significance in thelook accompanying them, but the effect was not visible. Kate simplybowed in acquiescence, and said it was a pity they could not find a wayto aid him, and that ended the matter for the night--that is, in thedrawing-room.
Later, up-stairs, Miss Fleming entered Kate's room on some pretext, andafter a few minutes' conversation arose to leave, but before goingrelieved herself of the object of her visit as follows:
"Kate Stafford! If any one should have told me that you were thecold-blooded thing you are, I would have done something wicked to them!"
Miss Fleming was a brave little woman, but she was badly frightened, fora moment, after she had finished speaking.
Maids were plentiful enough at Hanley Hall, but the two girls usuallydispensed with them when visiting each other.
Kate had just loosened her long black hair preparatory to brushing whenher friend finished, and as she swung around from the glass it fell inmasses about her. She looked like an angry Juno as she towered overlittle Miss Fleming.
"Jennie," she cried, fiercely, "don't you dare torture me about that manany more!"
Startled, frightened, Jennie cowered under the outburst, but the nextinstant was playing the comforter and telling Kate she "didn't mean aword of it!" for the latter suddenly sank into a chair, and began tocry and sob as though her heart would break.
And through all the tears and all the comforting Jennie only obtained aslight clue to the cause. It was when Kate said, with her head restingon the other's breast:
"Jennie! Jennie! I can't give him another chance to throw back my love,and I can't meet him kindly unless I do!"
* * * * *
Next morning's mail brought a letter from Martin, written after Carden'sdeparture, and addressed to the latter, and after perusing it himself heread it to the others after breakfast. It ran as follows:
"My dear Fred: I have changed my mind about going to New York and have cabled people there to see what can be got out of the wreck. I am a young man yet, Africa is looming up as a place to make something quickly, and there is a ship sailing for the Cape to-morrow night, or early next morning. I met the captain after you left, and have made arrangements for my passage. I will, of course, have to get a good many things, and this will take all the time I have to spare, so I cannot go to Hanley Hall as agreed. You must, therefore, say good-bye for me. It will, also, take nearly all I possess at present. I must, also, therefore, ask you to do something for me, and I believe you will get it back soon from the "wreck." Make Julia a wedding present of five hundred pounds for her goodness to me. I know you will do it gladly enough, and the bank people surely ought to pay L500 on L200,000."
Julia, who since her arrival at Hanley Hall, had been made one of thefamily, and was sitting facing the reader, here entered a vehementprotest:
"No, no, Mr. Carden, never! To think of him, with all his trouble,thinking of me!
"That's worth five hundred more--just to hear it!" exclaimed Carden;"and now let me get on, for we have no time to spare."
"I am sorry, Fred, I cannot be at your wedding," he continued; "but you know, that even if circumstances permitted, it would not be pleasant for your cousin. I can't understand it--you know what I mean--but as it is with me now, it is fortunate it is so. Not that I would be afraid with her with me, but it is fortunate for her at any rate.
"You can read part of this, if you like,--just enough to account for my failure to appear, and come and see me before we get away.
"Say good-bye to every one for me, for I am neither good as a writer or talker, and I should not like either your aunt or uncle, Miss Fleming, Julia, or O'Brien, or the doctor too--or anyone else, to think I parted without regret at not seeing them--yet, Fred, I don't believe I could stand it if I did.
"It's a long letter, my boy, but it may be the last--it's certainly the longest I've ever written."
Carden folded up the letter and placed it in his pocket. His eyes werenot exactly dry--nor were any others at the table--little Miss Flemingand Julia were actually sobbing; Mr. Stafford, Doctor Fox and O'Brienwere vainly endeavoring to look through the open window; and Kate satdry-eyed, aye, and dry-lipped too, gazing intently before her, andCarden became angry.
"I've violated Dick's confidence," he said, in hard tones and lookingstraight at his cousin,--"only to show you the kind of a man we arelosing--for he's going to certain death, I firmly believe!"
Carden stopped and sprang up quickly, but not quick enough to preventKate from falling heavily to the floor.
* * * * *
All was bustle and confusion aboard _The Albatross_. It lacked only anhour of sailing-time, and still all the cargo was not aboard. Thecaptain was swearing at the stevedores, and they in turn at the men,
butit was all in vain, and the part of the cargo still to be stowed was sovaluable that the captain hated to leave it.
Whilst the captain was hesitating, a hansom came tearing down to thepier.
Leaning over the taffrail of _The Albatross_ was Martin, and, evenbefore the cab door was thrown open, he murmured "Fred!"
"I was afraid something serious had happened, and you could not come!"he said, returning the warm grasp of his friend.
"Something serious has happened!" replied Carden, "and you must comeback with me at once! It's just a matter of life or death with Kate, andFox says it depends on you! Come Dick! Why, what's the matter with you?Come on! Hang the outfit! Let's get away!" and he dragged Martin ashore.
It was a week after the sailing date of _The Albatross_ when Doctor Foxcame into the dining-room just as dinner was being served, to say:
"Somebody might go up-stairs now and allow Julia to come down, for Ishall need her again by-and-by," looking straight at Martin, whoinstantly arose and left the room.
It had been an anxious week at Hanley Hall, and at times Doctor Foxdespaired of saving the life of the patient.
"She will get along all right now," continued the doctor after Martinleft the room. "The fever has gone, and time and care will, I believe,do the rest."
There was general rejoicing over this glad intelligence, but the doctorforbade any undue excitement--"for a day or two."
Meantime Martin had reached Kate's room, and was admitted by Julia. Kateturned her head on hearing him enter, and smiled as he approached andtook her hand.
"You came back on my account," she said.
"Yes," he answered, "but----"
"And you will not go away to that place?" she interrupted.
He wanted to tell her that he was now a poor man and could not afford toact as he wished, but he had been warned of the result of argument. Shewas very weak, and spoke scarcely above a whisper, but in her weaknesslay her strength, and he hesitated and she understood him. Her handstill lay in his, and with a gentle pressure she drew him nearer tocatch her whisper:
"We have enough for both. You must not go away! Will you?" and he meeklyanswered that he would not.
"Then you may kiss me," she whispered, and Julia came down-stairslooking so radiantly happy that all felt the necessity of asking her thereason.
* * * * *
Martin's affairs were not in such bad condition as he had been led tobelieve, for when the day set for his wedding and that of Carden's andO'Brien's, arrived, he was again quite wealthy. His own privatespeculations had far surpassed his highest hopes, and aside from thisthe financial crash was not so great as at first reported.
Hanley Hall, with its seven miles of enclosing walls, is no longer theproperty of the Staffords, having passed into the hands of the BritishGovernment, and is now devoted to the amusement and instruction of thepeople; but the Martins, and the Cardens, and their descendants, arestill in the vicinity.
THE END.
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