"Look here, I am going. Good-by. You"ve got to get rid of them, you know, before your wife comes. I"m glad you are not going to send for her now."
"I didn"t say I wasn"t."
"I wouldn"t."
"Oh, you don"t know what you"d do," said Richling.
The little preacher eyed him steadily for a moment, and then slowly returned to where he still sat holding his knee.
They had a long talk in very quiet tones. At the end the rector asked:--
"Didn"t you once meet Dr. Sevier"s two nieces--at his house?"
"Yes," said Richling.
"Do you remember the one named Laura?--the dark, flashing one?"
"Yes."
"Well,--oh, pshaw! I could tell you something funny, but I don"t care to do it."
What he did not care to tell was, that she had promised him five years before to be his wife any day when he should say the word. In all that time, and this very night, one letter, one line almost, and he could have ended his waiting; but he was not seeking his own happiness.
They smiled together. "Well, good-by again. Don"t think I"m always going to persecute you with my solicitude."
"I"m not worth it," said Richling, slipping slowly down from his high stool and letting the little man out into the street.
A little way down the street some one coming out of a dark alley just in time to confront the clergyman extended a hand in salutation.
"Good-evenin", Mr. Blank."
He took the hand. It belonged to a girl of eighteen, bareheaded and barefooted, holding in the other hand a small oil-can. Her eyes looked steadily into his.
"You don"t know me," she said, pleasantly.
"Why, yes, now I remember you. You"re Maggie."
"Yes," replied the girl. "Don"t you recollect--in the mission-school?
Don"t you recollect you married me and Larry? That"s two years ago." She almost laughed out with pleasure.
"And where"s Larry?"
"Why, don"t you recollect? He"s on the sloop-o"-war _Preble_." Then she added more gravely: "I aint seen him in twenty months. But I know he"s all right. I aint a-scared about _that_--only if he"s alive and well; yes, sir. Well, good-evenin", sir. Yes, sir; I think I"ll come to the mission nex" Sunday--and I"ll bring the baby, will I? All right, sir.
Well, so long, sir. Take care of yourself, sir."
What a word that was! It echoed in his ear all the way home: "Take care of _yourself_." What boast is there for the civilization that refines away the unconscious heroism of the unfriended poor?
He was glad he had not told Richling all his little secret. But Richling found it out later from Dr. Sevier.
CHAPTER XLIV.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
Three days Mary"s letter lay unanswered. About dusk of the third, as Richling was hurrying across the yard of the bakery on some errand connected with the establishment, a light touch was laid upon his shoulder; a peculiar touch, which he recognized in an instant. He turned in the gloom and exclaimed, in a whisper:--
"Why, Ristofalo!"
"Howdy?" said Raphael, in his usual voice.
"Why, how did you get out?" asked Richling. "Have you escaped?"
"No. Just come out for little air. Captain of the prison and me. Not captain, exactly; one of the keepers. Goin" back some time to-night." He stood there in his old-fashioned way, gently smiling, and looking as immovable as a piece of granite. "Have you heard from wife lately?"
"Yes," said Richling. "But--why--I don"t understand. You and the jailer out together?"
"Yes, takin" a little stroll "round. He"s out there in the street. You can see him on door-step "cross yonder. Pretty drunk, eh?" The Italian"s smile broadened for a moment, then came back to its usual self again. "I jus" lef" Kate at home. Thought I"d come see you a little while."
"Return calls?" suggested Richling.
"Yes, return call. Your wife well?"
"Yes. But--why, this is the drollest"-- He stopped short, for the Italian"s gravity indicated his opinion that there had been enough amus.e.m.e.nt shown. "Yes, she"s well, thank you. By-the-by, what do you think of my letting her come out here now and begin life over again?
Doesn"t it seem to you it"s high time, if we"re ever going to do it at all?"
"What you think?" asked Ristofalo.
"Well, now, you answer my question first."
"No, you answer me first."
"I can"t. I haven"t decided. I"ve been three days thinking about it. It may seem like a small matter to hesitate so long over"--Richling paused for his hearer to dissent.
"Yes," said Ristofalo, "pretty small." His smile remained the same. "She ask you? Reckon you put her up to it, eh?"
"I don"t see why you should reckon that," said Richling, with resentful coldness.
"I dunno," said the Italian; "thought so--that"s the way fellows do sometimes." There was a pause. Then he resumed: "I wouldn"t let her come yet. Wait."
"For what?"
"See which way the cat goin" to jump."
Richling laughed unpleasantly.
"What do you mean by that?" he inquired.