United States or Réunion ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Considerably bewildered, that gentleman left the hospital to report the affair to the Honourable Hilary, who, at intervals during the afternoon, found himself relapsing into speculation. Inside of a somewhat unpromising shell, Mr. Zeb Meader was a human being, and no mean judge of men and motives.
"If I could see old Flint, I'd tell him what I thought of him usin' wimmen-folks to save 'em money," said Mr. Meader. "I knowed she wahn't that kind. And then that other thing come right on top of it." "What other thing?" "Say," demanded Mr. Meader, "don't you know?" "I know nothing," said Austen. "Didn't know Hilary Vane's be'n here?" "My father!" Austen ejaculated.
"And now I'm quite sure you have missed your vocation, Mr. Meader," said Victoria. "You would have made a fortune on the stage." "Me a play-actor!" exclaimed the invalid. "How much wages do they git?" "Untold sums," she declared, "if they can talk like you." "He kind of thought that story funny same as you," Mr. Meader ruminated, and glanced up. "Drat me," he remarked, "if he ain't a-comin' now!
Meader, although he had not been able to work since his release from the hospital, had been able to talk, and the interest taken in the case by the average neglected citizen in Putnam proved that the weekly newspaper is not the only disseminator of news. The railroad's side of the case was presented by that genial and able practitioner of Putnam County, Mr.
But he came of a stock which had for generations thrust its roots into the crevices of granite, and was not easily killed by steam-engines. Austen Vane called twice, and then made an arrangement with young Dr. Meader as soon as he was able to sustain a conversation. Dr. Tredway, by the way, was a bachelor, and had been Austen's companion on many a boisterous expedition.
"And now I'm quite sure you have missed your vocation, Mr. Meader," said Victoria. "You would have made a fortune on the stage." "Me a play-actor!" exclaimed the invalid. "How much wages do they git?" "Untold sums," she declared, "if they can talk like you." "He kind of thought that story funny same as you," Mr. Meader ruminated, and glanced up. "Drat me," he remarked, "if he ain't a-comin' now!
"Well, I don't know," continued Mr. Meader, thoughtfully, "the woman here tells me she comes regular in the summer time to see sick folks, but from the way she made up to me I had an idea that she wanted something. But I don't know. Thought I'd ask you. You see, she's railrud." "Railroad!" "She's Flint's daughter." Austen laughed. "I shouldn't worry about that," he said. "If Mr.
Meader's bedside a basket of fruit which looked too expensive and tempting to have come from any dealer's in Ripton. "A lady came with that," Mr. Meader explained. "I never was popular before I was run over by the cars. She's be'n here twice. When she fetched it to-day, I kind of thought she was up to some, game, and I didn't want to take it." "Up to some game?" repeated Austen.
In spite of a somewhat natural embarrassment, Austen could not but acknowledge to himself that Mr. Meader was right. With a womanly movement which he thought infinitely graceful, Victoria leaned over the bed. "Mr. Meader," she said, "I'm beginning to think it's dangerous for me to come here twice a week to see you, if you talk this way.
"Wanted they should know you," said Mr. Redbrook. "They've all heard of you and what you did for Zeb." Austen flushed. He was aware that he was undergoing a cool and critical examination by those present, and that they were men who used all their faculties in making up their minds. "I'm very glad to meet any friends of yours, Mr. Redbrook," he said. "What I did for Meader isn't worth mentioning.
Word Of The Day