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Viola and her aunt were again in the room where Viola had been revived from her indisposition caused by the shock of Bartlett's testimony. Colonel Ashley, who, truth to tell, had been expecting some such summons, went with Dr. Lambert. "Oh, isn't it terrible, Colonel?" began Viola. "Have they a right to to lock him up on this charge?"
An old mountaineer, named Baker, once told Powell of a party of men starting down the river and named Ashley as one, and this story, which referred undoubtedly to the real Ashley party, became confused with some other wherein the survivors probably did strike for Salt Lake and were helped by the Mormons.* At any rate, the rapids which had wrecked the earlier party and swallowed up the No-Name were appropriately called Disaster Falls.
"No," said Bloomfield, "he won't tell me." "The cad!" exclaimed Game. "Why ever not?" "He says he's not sure, that's why," said Bloomfield; "but it's my private opinion he's shielding some one or other." "Of course he is," said Ashley. "I shouldn't wonder if he's known who it is all along." "Anyhow," said Tipper, "he ought to be made to clear it up, or else pay up for it.
Colonel Ashley, roused from his reverie as he sat in his club, gazing out on the busy, fashionable, hurrying, jostling, worried, happy, sad, and otherwise throngs that swept past the big Fifth avenue windows, shifted himself in the comfortable leather chair, and looked at his cigar. It had gone out, and he decided that it was not worth relighting. "Cigars, too!" ordered Bruce Garrigan.
Riddell saw he must brave it out; and that being settled, he felt more comfortable, and listened to all the unpleasant things that were said in a composed manner which greatly perplexed his adversaries. Ashley, who seconded Game's motion, was hardly so fortunate in his remarks as his predecessor. "I second the motion, gentlemen," he said. "It's time we made a stand against this sort of thing."
He missed, however, the support of his principle to be Rupert Ashley at his best. That guiding motto seemed to have lost its force owing to the eccentricities of American methods of procedure. If he was still Rupert Ashley, he was Rupert Ashley sadly knocked about, buffeted, puzzled, grown incapable of the swift judgment and prompt action which had hitherto been his leading characteristics.
I'm on my way to the Temples'." Once more Ashley slipped his arm through Davenant's, but they walked on in silence. The silence continued till they were on the Embankment, when Ashley said: "On second thoughts, I sha'n't tell you what I was going to just now." "That's all right," Davenant rejoined; and no more was said till they reached Rodney Temple's door. "Good-by." Ashley offered his hand.
Game was First Lord of the Admiralty, Wibberly, War Secretary, Ashley, Home Secretary, and Strutter, a comparatively obscure boy, Premier.
He went without another look at her. She steadied herself with the tips of her fingers on the tea-table, in order not to swoon. She knew she wouldn't swoon; she only felt like it, or like dying. But all she could do was limply to pour herself out an extra cup of tea and drink it. In the library Ashley was taking heart of grace.
"And now, Shag, that we're left to ourselves " said Colonel Ashley, when Viola and Miss Carwell had departed the day following the funeral, "now that we are by ourselves " "I reckon as how you'll fix up as to who it were whut done killed de gen'man, an' hab him 'rested, won't yo', Colonel, sah?" asked Shag, with the kindly concern and freedom of an old and loved servant.
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