Read Ebook: Good for evil by Leslie Madeline

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Ebook has 1058 lines and 42415 words, and 22 pages

"Good old Hannah has never been dignified with that title. She is manager general of the farm, house and grounds and can't be expected to have much time to devote to Gerty's education, even if she were competent to direct it."

He was silent for a few minutes when he added earnestly, "Excuse myself as I may, by my absence from home, I feel keenly that I have not done my duty toward my sister. I remember now how disappointed she was when I wrote that I should not be at home all last summer. Well, it's too late to help that; and I shall be near enough to Rose Cottage to return there every Saturday night; and next winter I will have her attend one of the best schools in New York."

Paul smiled at the idea of his fastidious chum escorting through the streets a little, wild Gypsy, in short clothes; her cheeks as brown as a nut, and her black hair flying in every direction.

Hurrying through New York they took passage in a North River boat which would land them within a mile of their destination. Nearly half the passage had been accomplished, when a gentleman who had for some minutes been promenading the deck came toward them and offering his hand to Edward exclaimed eagerly:

"I think I cannot be mistaken. You are young Wallingford, son of my old friend."

"Yes, and you are Mr. Winslow. I am more than glad to meet you."

The gentleman then turned to Paul and offered his hand, saying:

"From your resemblance to the family I conclude you are a relative, though I have never seen you before."

The young lawyers both laughed. "We have often been mistaken for brothers," Edward explained. "Our only connexion is, that we have been room-mates the last six years. My friend's name is Paul Dudley; and like myself he expects his fame as a lawyer and statesman to ring through the land."

"You are indeed very like," murmured the stranger as if speaking to himself while his eye glanced kindly at the stalwart forms before him. "And yet," he added after an earnest gaze into Paul's eye, "there is a difference."

Both the young men wore heavy whiskers, trimmed like their hair in the same fashion, which fact greatly increased the resemblance; but the gentleman's thought was:

"Wallingford has his father's calm, truthful eye, which wins the confidence at once. Dudley's gaze shrinks from meeting yours. He may, or may not, become a villain."

Edward urged his old friend to accompany him to Rose Cottage, if only for a night; insisting that he and his sister had a claim on the kindness of their father's friend, for the sake of old times, but Mr. Winslow was obliged to decline.

"My destination is the same as yours," he explained; "but I have to wait an hour for a stage coach to take me back into the country. If you can remain with me during that time I should like to converse with you concerning your future prospects."

"Of course I can," cried Edward, who had been longing for just such a disinterested friend. "I will find an opportunity for Paul to ride and carry the valises and I will walk home after I see you safely off."

On landing, Edward hailed a young countryman named Biles, who had been disappointed in the company he expected; and engaged him to take his friend to Rose Cottage, or as far as he went in that direction; after which, leaving his own trunks and boxes in the care of the baggage master till sent for, he passed an hour profitably in relating his plans for the future to his father's friend; and in receiving much useful counsel from Mr. Winslow's lips.

Gertrude's name was mentioned; and after some thought, the gentleman said, "I must go and see her. If she is as ignorant and unformed as you state, she must be placed in a good family school; but I cannot tell what is best till I hear her plead her own cause."

In the meantime Mr. Dudley having accepted a seat in an open wagon by the side of a good-natured looking farmer, began to gaze about him. On every side the most picturesque views met his eye;--the majestic river white with sails, varied now and then by a huge iron chimney, puffing and belching forth its smoke, rolled calmly on its course to the sea. The high bluffs, a continuation of the Highlands, rising, and breaking against the sky;--the pretty villas dotting the banks of the river;--the patches of cultivated land varied by the richest green sward; each in turn rivetted his attention, and called forth an exclamation of delight.

"I reckon you're a stranger in these parts," the countryman said, after having surveyed his companion from head to foot.

"Yes."

"Going to stop a spell?"

"Uncertain, how long."

"Going to Rose Cottage, hey? Wall I hope Hannah Goldby knows she's going to have visitors."

Paul's curiosity was roused and overlooking the familiarity of the driver, which a moment before had excited his disgust, he asked with a smile:

"Is a visitor at Rose Cottage a very uncommon event?"

"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed the man, leaning back to enjoy the joke. "Uncommon? ha! ha! ha! why there hasn't been a visitor at Rose Cottage, to my knowledge, since the young man went off to college better'n a year ago. Hannah wont have 'em." He shook his head in a mysterious manner, conveying the idea that he could tell strange things if he had a mind.

Paul mentally resolved that his stay should be very brief. After a pause he remarked:

"The woman takes charge of the little girl, I suppose."

This speech caused another burst of merriment. When he recovered himself the man said, "I 'spose she don't. The little girl takes care of her, more likely. She's a regular--"

Here a terrible jolt broke up the sentence, and presently, a man hailed the driver, and asked how far he was going.

Before he was answered, the stranger was subjected to a survey that would have done honor to a detective; then squirting a mouthful of tobacco juice beyond the wheel, he said to Dudley:

"There's Rose Cottage just behind that clump of linden trees; 'tisn't more'n a quarter of a mile. I think it's likely I shall turn off here."

After offering payment for the accommodation, which was answered by another:

"Ha! ha! ha! 'tisn't likely I want pay for such a trifle," Mr. Dudley descended from the wagon by an elastic spring over the wheel; and taking one carpet bag in each hand he started off in the direction indicated.

THE RECEPTION.

THE sun was unclouded and the young man soon found the heat intolerable. He leaped the wall into a newly mown field and took a direct line for the stone cottage, becoming every moment more visible. At the distance of two or three hundred rods from the house was the grove of lindens the driver had pointed out. On one side was a patch of delicious green turf, soft and smooth as velvet, where in the shade formed by a cluster of young spruces, lay a couple of Jersey calves, chewing their cuds as they calmly viewed the magnificent prospect.

These creatures were so tame that they did not move when the stranger approached and patted their heads; they only raised their meek eyes wishfully to his face.

Approaching the front door, which stood wide open, not a sign of life was visible about the premises. Even the stranger's loud ring brought no one to answer his summons. Tired of waiting, he ventured into a wide hall which the air from the river rendered deliciously cool. This hall extended through the centre of the house uninterrupted by staircase; and was hung with fine old pictures, and maps. A large mahogany table, with spread leaves, and claw feet, stood near the back door which was of glass and opened upon another plateau of grass, interspersed with small beds of well cultivated flowers.

The table was covered with a handsome woollen cloth; and upon it stood a silver ice pitcher on a huge salver; which also supported two silver goblets.

Laying his bags in one of the heavy leather-covered chairs, our traveller took a long draught of the ice water with which the pitcher had been lately filled; and having smoothed his locks by the small mirror set in the hat-rack made his way into an open room on the left hand of the hall.

Here he found additional evidence of refinement and taste. On one side of the spacious apartment was an elegantly carved book case; and through the glass in front, rows of well bound volumes were visible. Between the windows a long mirror descended from the roof to a marble slab about two feet from the floor, upon which slab lay a child's hat, tied with blue ribbons. On the marble mantel; on the tables; and every where that they could be placed, stood vases of flowers exquisitely arranged. The fragrance of roses, heliotrope, mignionette and other varieties, would have been oppressive but for the air which stole in through the Venetian blinds.

A well pleased smile played about the mouth of the stranger, as he gazed leisurely around. "A fancy nook Ned has here," he said to himself. "If I had another like it, and a wife to welcome me home after the trials of the day, I'd ask nothing more of fortune."

Leaning back in the luxurious chair which held out its arms so invitingly, he began to wonder how it happened that no one was at home. Gradually his thoughts became more indistinct, and he slept.

His dreams were interrupted by a vision so exactly in accordance with them, that for a moment, he supposed himself still the sport of an illusion.

Just in front of him stood a young girl apparently not more than fifteen years whose laughing eyes were gazing into his own, while her sweet rosy mouth was parted in a bewitching smile.

"When did you come? How long have you been here?" exclaimed a clear, ringing voice. "Why didn't you tell me you were growing this?" playfully pulling his beard.

"Am I awake?" murmured Paul, trying to rouse himself, and sitting forward in his chair; his gaze still rivetted on the beautiful vision.

"Hannah! Hannah!" called out the young girl. "Ned has come, and fallen asleep in the parlor."

A middle aged, motherly looking woman, speedily answered the summons, and was hurrying across the hall, when the real Ned appeared at the door.

"Ah, Hannah!" he said cheerily. "You're in good health I see. How's Gerty? I suppose my friend has come, as I see our valises are here."

For one moment Gertrude stood in the centre of the floor bewildered, blushes mantling her cheeks as she realized that she had made a mistake; then with one bound she flew into the outstretched arms of her brother.

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