"Have you any idea at what hour Mr. Rockharrt will return, dear?"
inquired Mrs. Stillwater, in her most dulcet tones.
"Not the slightest."
"I think he said something about going down to Wall Street to see after the forming of a syndicate in connection with his grand speculation.
What is a syndicate, dear?"
"I don"t know--it may be an agency or a company--"
"Or it may be something connected with the building of the new synagogue, which it is said is to be constructed of iron."
Cora was surprised into the first laugh she had had in two years. But the mirth was very short-lived. It came and pa.s.sed in an instant, and then a pang of remorse seized her heart that she could have laughed at all. She was thinking of her lost Rule, and of her own guilty share in his tragic fate. If she had not let her fancy and imagination become so dazzled by the rank and splendor of the British suitor as to blind her heart and mind for a season, as to make her think and believe that she really loved this new man, and that she had never loved, and could never love, Ruth Rothsay, though she must keep her engagement with him and marry him--had she not broken down and given way to her emotions on that fatal evening of their wedding day--then Rule would never have made his great renunciation for her sake--would never have wandered away into the wilderness to meet his death from murderous hands. How could she ever laugh again? she asked herself.
"What is the matter with you, dear?" inquired Rose, surprised at the sudden change in Cora.
But before she could be answered the door opened and old Aaron Rockharrt came in, looking weary and careworn.
"How have you amused yourselves to-day?" he inquired of the two young women.
Cora was slow to speak, but Rose answered discreetly:
"I do not think we either of us did much but loll around and rest from our journey."
"Not been out?"
"No; I did not care to do so; nor did Cora, I believe."
Dinner was served. Afterward the evening pa.s.sed stupidly.
Aaron Rockharrt sat in the large arm chair and slept. Cora, looking at him, thought he was aging fast.
As soon as he waked up he bade his companions good night and went to his apartment. The two others soon followed his example.
As this day pa.s.sed, so pa.s.sed the succeeding days of their sojourn in the city.
Mr. Rockharrt went out every morning on business connected with that great scheme which was going to quadruple his already enormous wealth.
He came home every evening quite worn out, and after dinner sat and dozed in his chair until bedtime.
Cora watched him anxiously and wondered at him. He was aging fast. She could see that in his whole appearance. But what a strange infatuation for a man of seventy-seven, possessed already of almost fabulous wealth, to be as hotly in pursuit of money as if he were some poor youth with his fortune still to make! And what, after all, could he do with so much more money? Why could he not retire on his vast riches, and rest from his labors, leaving his two stalwart sons to carry on his business, and so live longer? Cora mournfully asked herself.
On Sunday a strange thing happened. Old Aaron Rockharrt announced at the breakfast table his intention of going to a certain church to hear a celebrated preacher, whose piety, eloquence and enthusiasm was the subject of general discussion; and he invited the two ladies to go with him. Both consented--Cora because she never willingly absented herself from public worship on the Sabbath; Rose because it was her cue to be amiable and to agree to everything that was proposed.
"We need not take a carriage. The church is only two blocks off," said Mr. Rockharrt, as he arose from the table.
The party was soon ready, and while the bell was still ringing, they set out to walk. As they reached the sacred edifice the bell ceased ringing and the organ pealed forth in a grand voluntary.
"You see we are but just in time," said Mr. Rockharrt, as he led his party into the building.
The polite s.e.xton conducted the strangers up the center aisle and put them into a good pew. The church was not full, but was filling rapidly.
Our party bowed their heads for the preliminary private prayer, and so did not see the great preacher as he entered and stood at the reading desk. He was an English dean of great celebrity as a pulpit orator, now on a visit to the United States, and preaching in turn in every pulpit of his denomination as he pa.s.sed. He was a man of about sixty-five, tall, thin, with a bald head, a narrow face, an aquiline nose, blue eyes and a gray beard. He began to read the opening texts of the service.
""If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.""
At the sound of his voice Rose Stillwater started violently, looked up and grew ghastly white. She dropped her face in her hands on the cushioned edge of the pew before her, and so sat trembling through the reading of the texts and the exhortations. Afterward followed the ritualistic general confession and prayer, during which all knelt.
When at the close all arose Mrs. Stillwater was gone from her seat. Mr.
Rockharrt looked around him and then stared at Cora, who very slightly shook her head, as if to say:
"No; I know no more about it than you."
How swiftly and silently Rose Stillwater had left the pew and slipped out of the church while all the congregation were bowed in prayer!
Old Aaron Rockharrt looked puzzled and troubled, but the minister was p.r.o.nouncing the general absolution that followed the general confession, and such a severe martinet and disciplinarian as old Aaron Rockharrt would on no account fail in attention to the speaker.
Nor did he change countenance again during the long morning service.
At its close he drew Cora"s arm within his own and led her out of the church.
As they walked down Broadway he inquired:
"Why did Mrs. Stillwater leave the church?"
"I do not know," answered his granddaughter.
"Was she ill?"
"I really do not know."
"When did she go?"
"I do not know that either, except that she must have slipped out while we were at prayers."
"You seem to be a perfect know-nothing, Cora."
"On this subject I certainly am. I did not perceive Mrs. Stillwater"s absence until we rose from our knees."
"Well, we shall find her at the hotel, I suppose, and then we shall know all about it."
By this time they had reached the Blank House.
They entered and went up into their parlor.
Rose was not there.
"Bless my soul, I hope the poor child is not ill. Go, Cora, and see if she is in her room, and find out what is the matter with her," said old Aaron Rockharrt, as he dropped wearily into the big arm chair.
Cora had just come from church, from hearing an eloquent sermon on Christian charity, so she was in one of her very best moods.