Mr. Ricaby looked at her in silence, a wistful expression on his face.
Had he dared, he would have gone forward and taken her in his arms, telling her hotly that he loved her, and asking her to let him henceforth be her natural protector. But there was no response in the girl"s face to the tumult that raged in his own heart. Her thoughts were not of him. He checked the ardent words that rushed to his lips, and, as usual, was silent.
"Won"t you have some tea?" she asked carelessly, quite unconscious of what was pa.s.sing in his mind. Before he could reply there was a sharp rap at the door, which half opened.
"May a fellow come in?" called out a cheerful voice.
The next instant Tod Chase poked his head in the room. Paula rose.
"Come in-- I"m very glad to see you," she said, advancing with outstretched hand. The flush of pleasure that covered her cheek was proof enough of the genuineness of her cordiality.
Tod came in, good humored as usual, and with a broad grin on his face.
All in one sentence he blurted out:
"Hope I don"t intrude--looks kind of cozy in here. Been trying to come round for a week, but our factory"s been working overtime these days--greatest rush you ever saw--a fellow"s kept on the jump--how have you been? You look just right. Howdy, Mr. Ricaby?"
He stopped to take breath. Paula laughed. It was the first laugh in weeks. It did her good.
"Take a seat, won"t you?" she smiled.
Tod laid down his hat and drew up to the little circle.
"I wonder you look at me after what"s happened," he said, as he drew off his gloves. "Anybody connected with our branch of the family ought to be kicked. Of course, you understand it isn"t my fault. My sympathy is all yours. You see, Jimmy had looked upon this money as his own. He"s sore, Cooley"s sore, everybody"s sore. I don"t care a rap myself. I"m making an honest living for the first time in my life. I don"t need your money.
Why don"t they leave you alone? The money"s yours--that"s all there is to it."
"I suppose you know that they wanted Miss Marsh to go and live at your stepfather"s house?" interposed Mr. Ricaby.
Tod nodded.
"Yes--another pipe dream. That was Cooley"s suggestion. I heard them talking about it. The day you turned Jimmy down he came home mad as a hornet."
"All I ask is to be let alone," cried Paula.
"Haven"t you heard from them since?" inquired Tod.
Mr. Ricaby looked up quickly.
"No--we"ve heard nothing. What is it--some new nefarious scheme?"
Tod was silent, and looked at Paula. Noticing his hesitation, she was at once filled with apprehension. He had heard something and did not wish to cause her anxiety.
"Tell me," she said quickly, "what do you know of their plans? If you are my friend you will conceal nothing."
"Yes," chimed in Mr. Ricaby. "It would be a kindness to let us know."
Tod looked from one to the other in a perplexed sort of way. Evidently there was something on his mind that troubled him. Finally he said:
"I don"t know a thing--honest I don"t. They have some idea that I don"t approve of their actions, so they tell me nothing. Only----"
Again he hesitated.
"Only what?" said Paula eagerly.
"There"s a lot of talk going on," continued Tod. "Cooley"s at the house every night, and they have long conferences in the library behind closed doors. Last night my curiosity got the better of my manners. I glued my eye to the keyhole and listened. Jimmy and Cooley were sitting at the table in silent consultation. There was another man present--Dr.
Zacharie. You know Dr. Zacharie--the nerve specialist. I think he"s a humbug and a charlatan myself, but he gets himself talked about, the women crowd his consulting rooms, and he"s making piles of money.
Suddenly your name was mentioned. I tried to hear what was said, but they spoke in low tones. Every now and then Cooley turned to Dr.
Zacharie and asked something, whereupon the doctor nodded."
Paula looked at Mr. Ricaby.
"What does this mean?" she asked.
The lawyer shrugged his shoulders.
"How should I know? I wouldn"t pay any attention to it, if I were you.
Your uncle can surely have friends at his home without our getting alarmed over it."
"Mr. Ricaby"s dead right," burst in Tod. "It"s a bally shame that I told you. I wouldn"t have said a word if you hadn"t pressed me. The meeting probably had nothing to do with you----"
Mr. Ricaby looked thoughtful.
"Birds of a feather flock together. I"ve known Dr. Zacharie for years.
He always had a bad name. One day he will be shown up as the scoundrel that he is. If he"s in with Cooley and Jimmy Marsh it"s for no good.
Still, as Mr. Chase says, it may have nothing whatever to do with us."
Paula shook her head apprehensively.
"I don"t know Dr. Zacharie," she said. "But I don"t like his name. A chill came over me when I heard it. I"m dreadfully nervous."
Tod seized her hand.
"Now, Miss Marsh--say one word more and I"ll go and kill him! Dismiss Zacharie and all the others from your mind. Why--they are not worthy to breathe the same air as you. If you don"t brighten up and forget all about them I"ll do something desperate. Anyhow, I came here to-night on a desperate errand. It was to remind you of a promise."
"A promise--what promise?"
"Didn"t you say that you would take me down to the slums one day?"
"Yes, I did."
"Well, I"m ready to go. When shall it be?"
The young girl hesitated a moment. Then she said:
"To-morrow"s an interesting day. There are cla.s.ses at the Settlement home and house visits among the poor." Holding up a finger, she added warningly: "Mind, it isn"t exactly fun. You"ll see a new phase of life, something you do not know--the appalling misery and sordid wretchedness of a great, careless city."
"That"s immense!" cried Tod, rising enthusiastically. "I"ll come for you to-morrow. What time?"
"About eleven o"clock," she smiled.