"Yes, a good deal better," was answered. And the words were truly spoken; for this unlooked-for, kind, even tender reception, had wrought an almost instantaneous change. He had come home with a feeling of despair tugging at his heart. Nothing appeared before him but ruin. Now the light of hope, feeble though were the rays, came glimmering across the darkness of his spirit.
"I am glad to hear it!" was the warm response of Cara. "Oh! it is so wrong for you to neglect your meals. You confine yourself too closely to business. I wanted you to come home to-day particularly, for I had prepared for you, just in the way you like it, such a nice dish of maccaroni."
"It was very thoughtful in you, dear. I wish I had been at home to enjoy it with you."
Tea being announced, Mrs. Ellis arose and said:
"Come; supper is on the table. You must break your long fast."
"First let me wash my hands and face," returned Ellis, who wished to gain time, as well as use all the means, to restore his countenance to a better expression than it wore, ere meeting Cara under the glare of strong lamp light.
A basin was filled for him by his wife, and, after washing his hands and face, he left the chamber with her, and went to the dining-room.
Here Cara got a distinct view of her husband"s countenance. Many lines of the pa.s.sion and suffering written there during that, to him, ever-to-be-remembered day, were still visible, and, as Cara read them without comprehending their import, a vague fear came hovering over her heart. Instantly her thoughts turned to what she had been doing, and most sincerely did she repent of the act.
"I will confess it to him, this very night," such was her mental resolution,--"and promise, hereafter never to do aught against his wishes."
Notwithstanding Ellis had taken no dinner, he had little appet.i.te for his evening meal; and the concern of his wife was increased on observing that he merely tasted his food and sipped his tea.
The more than ordinary trouble evinced, as well in the whole manner of Ellis as in the expression of his face and in the tones of his voice, oppressed the heart of Cara. She felt that something more than usual must have occurred to disturb him. Could it be possible that any thing was wrong in his business? The thought caused a low thrill to tremble along her nerves. He had frequently spoken of his affairs as not very prosperous; was always, in fact, making a "sort of a poor mouth." But all this she had understood as meant for effect--as a cover for his opposition to her wish to spend. What if it were all as he had represented?
Such thoughts could not but sober the mind of Mrs. Ellis, and caused her manner towards her husband to a.s.sume an air of tenderness and concern to which it had too long been a stranger. How quickly was this felt by Ellis! How gratefully did his heart respond to his wife"s gentler touches on its tensely strung chords!
That evening Henry Ellis spent at home. Not much conversation pa.s.sed between him and his wife; for the mind of each was too heavily burdened with thoughts of its own to leave room for an interchange of ideas. But the manner of Cara towards her husband was subdued, and even tender; and he felt it as the grateful earth feels the strength-giving impression of the gentle rain. Leaving the past, to the future both their thoughts turned; and both strengthened themselves in good resolutions.
Cara resolved to be a better wife--to be more considerate and more yielding towards her husband. And Ellis resolved to abandon, at every sacrifice the vicious habits he had indulged,--habits which, within a day or two, had led him aside from the path of safety, and conducted him to the brink of a precipice, from which he now started back with a thrilling sense of fear.
More than twenty times during that evening was Cara on the eve of telling her husband about the carpet. But she shrank from the confession.
"In the morning I will do it," was her final conclusion; thus putting off the evil hour. But morning found her no better prepared for the task.
CHAPTER XVI.
ALL through the night, the mind of Ellis was haunted with troubled dreams; but, on waking, he felt calm, and good purposes were in his heart. The manner of Cara still being tender and considerate, he went forth feeling the strength of her love, and resolving, for her sake, and the sake of his children, to free himself from his present entanglements, cost what it would.
Seven hundred dollars was the sum he had lost at the gaming-table and for over five hundred of this, Carlton held his obligations, payable on demand. Besides this, he owed on account of temporary loans, from business friends, about an equal amount. Moreover, on that day, a note of three hundred dollars fell due; and in the coming ten days, about a thousand dollars had to be paid into bank. The aggregate of all these obligations, to be met within two weeks, was two thousand three hundred dollars.
As Ellis looked at this formidable amount, and calculated his resources, he felt, for a time, utterly discouraged. But a reaction from this state of feeling came, and he set his mind vigorously to work in devising means for the pressing emergency.
"There is one thing certain," said he to himself, as he pondered the matter. "Carlton will have to wait. So there are five hundred dollars pushed ahead. I received no value in the case, and shall not hurry myself to make payment."
Even while Ellis thus spoke, a man called and presented the due-bills he had given to the gambler.
"I can"t take these up now," was the prompt reply.
"My directions are to collect them forthwith," said the man.
"Mr. Carlton will have to wait my convenience." Ellis spoke with considerable irritation of manner.
"Shall I say so to him?" was asked, in a tone that involved a warning of consequences.
"You can say to him what you please," answered Ellis, sharply.
"Oh! very well!"
The man turned away, and walked towards the door. He paused, however, after going a short distance; stood, as if reflecting, for some moments, and, then came back.
"You had better think over this a little;" said he, in a conciliatory voice. "The debt is, I need not remind you, one of _honour_; and it is neither wise nor safe for a man of business to let such a debt be handed over for legal collection. You understand, I presume?"
The suggestion caused Ellis to start, involuntarily. He saw, at a glance, the dangerous position in which he stood. Only by retaining a fair credit would it be possible for him to surmount his present difficulties; and his credit would be instantly blasted if a suit were brought against him by a man he had now good reasons to believe was known in the community as a gambler.
"You understand me?" repeated the collector, in a tone of marked significance.
Ellis tried to regain his self-possession, and affect indifference. But his feelings were poorly disguised.
"Just say to Mr. Carlton," he replied, "that it is not my purpose to give him any trouble about this matter. I will take up the due-bills.
But I have some heavy payments to make, and cannot do it just now."
"When will it be done?"
"That I am unable, just now, to say."
"Can"t you give me a part of the money today?"
Ellis shook his head.
"I have notes in bank, and they must take the precedence of all other payments."
"To-morrow, then?"
"I have five hundred dollars to pay to-morrow."
The man"s countenance began to lower.
"Just go to Mr. Carlton, if you please, and tell him what I say. He"s a man of common sense;--he will listen to reason."
"My orders to collect were imperative," persisted the man.
"Tell him that you can"t collect to-day. That I must and will have time. There now! Go! I"ve something else to do besides arguing this matter fruitlessly."
The collector turned off with an angry, threatening look. A few minutes after he was gone, and ere the mind of Ellis had recovered its balance, a customer called in and paid a bill of a hundred dollars. This awakened a feeling of confidence; and, in a hopeful spirit, Ellis went forth to make arrangements for the balance of what was wanted for the day. He found no difficulty in procuring the sum he needed, which was four hundred dollars. After taking up his note, he called upon his friend Wilkinson with the two hundred dollars he had failed to return the day before, when, after apologizing for his neglect, he asked him how he would be off in regard to money matters during the ensuing two weeks.
"Tight as a drum," was answered.
"I"m sorry to hear that," replied Ellis, showing more disappointment than he wished to appear; "for I have made some calculation on you. I have nearly two thousand dollars to take care of in the next ten days."