CHAPTER XXXIII.
The old Brown House Deserted—The Pearl and Diamond Ring—Mr. and Mrs. Marsden's Conjectures.
he old brown house was desolate; the doors bolted, the shutters closed, and not a sound to be heard within its walls. The stable too, was deserted, for now Black Hawk freely roamed in the pastures of his former master.
But in more ways than one had he done our heroine good service. Day after day, during that unhappy Spring she had, while striving to banish thought, ridden him through the wildest of wild forest paths, reckless alike of her own safety and his. The noble animal forded swollen streams, floundered through treacherous sloughs, leaped over fallen trees and climbed rocky precipices, and had not heaven ordained it otherwise, both horse and rider must have fallen a prey to the dangers of the way.
Although indulging in this abandonment of feeling, Little Wolf neglected none of her duties. Indeed, she seemed determined never to let a moment escape unoccupied. While Daddy was confined to his room, and Mrs. Peters lived, she faithfully supplied their wants, but after the former became convalescent, and started for his wife, and the latter went to her last rest, blessing her benefactress with her latest breath, she had no one but Fanny on whom to bestow her care, except, indeed, Mrs. Peters' grandson Charley, for whom she soon obtained a desirable situation.
About this time, she received repeated and pressing invitations from her much loved school friend, Miss Marsden, to accompany herself and brother on a tour to California, upon which they expected to set out sometime in June. The marriage of Sorrel Top, with whom she had made arrangements for Fanny Green to remain, until such times as Daddy and his wife should return and take possession of the old homestead, and the charge of the child was most opportune: for she was now at liberty to avail herself of the change so affectionately urged upon her.
In addition to the allusions before made to Alfred and Annie Marsden, we will here simply state, that the brother and sister were orphans, and heirs of considerable property, a part of which consisted in an elegant city residence. Here they had lived since the death of their parents, which occured a short time previous to the period when Little Wolf and their daughter left school together.
The son, a bachelor of about thirty, had, a number of years before, visited Minnesota in quest of health. His proclivity for hunting and fishing led him to the vicinity of Chimney Rock, and he it was, who, when she was a small child, rescued Little Wolf from the hands of Bloody Jim.
But this was his own secret most carefully guarded from our heroine, who, during her former visit had learned to regard him in the light of an elder brother; but, as will be seen hereafter his feelings towards her were of a warmer character.
Having, therefore, paid a flying visit to St. Paul, and wept her adieus upon the bosom of her sympathizing friend, Mrs. Tinknor, having pouted at Tom, and made her financial arrangements with the Squire, we now behold Little Wolf in the embrace of one, who had so long stretched forth her arms to receive her.
The first raptures over, we hear Miss Marsden saying, "we will never part with our Little Wolf again, will we, brother?"
The response is, "Not if I can help it."
We know not why, it may have been that these words of affection, brought suddenly to her mind all that she had loved and lost, or she might have intuitively divined young Marsden's sentiments towards her, we only know that her lip quivered, and she trembled and grew pale and sank helpless upon the sofa.
Her extreme agitation created in her friends no little alarm, but it soon passed off, and as they could not but observe that any futher allusion to the matter was annoying to her, the brother and sister exchanged expressive glances which, being interpreted, signified, "resolved that the subject be indefinitely postponed." But it was again mooted on the first occasion of the absence of their guest; Miss Marsden being the first to bring it under consideration.
"O, it was only fatigue," said her brother, in reply to her various surmises.
"No, it was not fatigue," she insisted with an arch smile. "It is my opinion she was laboring under some powerful emotion. I once saw her almost as much agitated in one of our school exhibitions, in which she was to act a prominent part; but she went through it splendidly, the determined little thing."
"O well, it might have been excess of joy at meeting you."
"At meeting me, do you say, sir? Now brother, don't try to crawl out of it, for I have determined to extort the truth from you. Was she not overjoyed at meeting you?"
"Well, then, my dear sister, the truth is, I think not. You must have noticed she takes special pains to address me as brother, and always to treat me as such, and you young ladies rarely faint at the sight of a brother."
"O, but you are only an adopted brother,"—slyly.
"That's all," sighed the young man.
"I think her father's death has changed her a little. She appears more thoughtful and womanly: don't she brother?"
"I wouldn't be surprised if she were in love," suggested the other.
"O fie, brother, she's not in love, unless it be with you; or she would have confided it to me. Moreover," she continued, seeing an incredulous smile playing upon her brother's lips, "you must yourself admit that it would be a very strange freak for a young lady in love to voluntarily put the ocean between herself and the object of her affections. I verily believe our Little Wolf is more anxious if possible, to start on the tour than we are."
"Yes, so do I," admitted her brother, "and I can't account for it."
"O, it is simply to run away from Mr. Alfred Marsden," was the ironic reply.
"I do assure you, sister, that you greatly mistake our mutual sentiments."
"Not yours, certainly, brother, and I think not hers; but I'll find out."
"For Heaven's sake, don't broach the matter to her, sister," said young Marsden in alarm, "It would spoil all the pleasure of our trip. Indeed, I know she would not go at all."
"Nonsense, brother, do you think me a goose? I would not be so indelicate; no indeed. There are more ways than you have dreamed of, for ferreting out a love secret."
"O yes, I know such secrets develope themselves in a thousand forms, and if there is anything of that nature in her breast it will transpire in due time."
"It was not long before the young man's prediction came near proving true, and thus it happened.
"The two young ladies, Annie and Little Wolf were out shopping, and becoming wearied, they stepped into a fashionable place of resort for rest and refreshment. While waiting, a small party, two ladies and a gentleman, came in and were seated at a table not far removed from their own. Little Wolf's back was to the party, but Annie, being opposite her friend, faced them.
At the first sound of their voices, Little Wolf turned partly round, and behold there was Edward Sherman with his wife and sister. Her movement not having been observed, she was unrecognized by the trio. But so violently did she tremble and so deathly was her countenance, that Annie would have betrayed her by an exclamation of alarm, had not a warning gesture from Little Wolf stayed the word upon her lips.
In a moment Little Wolf recovered herself sufficiently to write upon her tablets, "Do not speak to me, Annie, I do not wish to be known by the party opposite."
"Annie read the request, and returned the answer, "You will faint, let me order wine."
"No, I shall not faint," wrote Little Wolf's trembling fingers, and her erect little figure involuntarily drew itself up.
"Poor things, they are mutes;" said Louise, compassionately regarding the means of communication between the silent young ladies.
Mrs. Sherman assented, and the lively young bride's acting on this supposition, imposed no restraint upon their conversation. They talked about the past, and unveiled their future plans; sipped their fancy drinks and ate cake while Little Wolf and Miss Marsden vigorously plied their pencils.
Edward alone remained unoccupied except indeed, the use he was making of his eyes, and they were riveted upon Little Wolf. He was watching those busy little hands, and there came over him a strange feeling of heart sickness, as he saw on one dimpled finger a well remembered ring, a golden hoop with diamonds uniquely set in pearls. It was a relic of the past, having been presented to Little Wolf's mother on her wedding day. He knew well it's history, for the present owner had told it to him, and blushed when he said to her, "My Little Wolf will wear another on her wedding day."
Then, in the thought there was bliss, now, naught but anguish.
The longer he gazed, the more he became convinced that it was none other than Little Wolf whom he saw, and anxious to conceal the fact from his wife and sister, he made a hasty movement to leave.
"Why, Edward, what possesses you?" exclaimed his wife, "going already, and your wine untasted. I believe you are crazy. Sit still a moment, I'm not ready. The stimulant hasn't got into my feet, but I feel it going down. Come, do drink a little, you look as pale as a ghost."
"Do, brother," chimed in Louise, "I feel a great deal brighter; but don't tell the doctor I have been taking anything strong."
"Strong," repeated Clara, "I hope you don't call a little light claret, strong."
"O no, I don't, but the doctor does, and I may as well keep his mind easy," replied Louise.
Edward had risen to his feet, and waited silently but evidently impatiently.
"Can't I persuade you to take a little before we go? Do; you look so pale this morning," persisted Mrs. Sherman, herself lifting the goblet towards her husband.
Determined not to have any more words, Edward hastily drank the proffered beverage, and immediately left the place.
When they had fairly disappeared, Little Wolf sank back in her chair, and breathed hard as if awaking from a terrible night mare.
"O, I was so afraid they would discover me," she gasped. "They were once good friends of mine," she continued with an effort at composure, "but you won't care will you, dear good Annie, if I don't tell you how it came to be otherwise?"
Annie looked a little disappointed, but she magnanimously put Little Wolf at her ease by saying, "No indeed, for I'm sure it was no fault of yours."
In absence of evidence, Annie of course, put her own construction on what had occured, and mentally voted Edward a villain, and his wife and sister his accomplices. This opinion she expressed to her brother, when in an hour of confidence, she glowingly pictured the scene.
"I think the young man must be at the bottom of the mischief," she said, "for he was even more agitated than Little Wolf. He had recognized her from the first, although I cannot devine how, for she sat with her back to them."
"I would have known her among a thousand," cried young Marsden, enthusiastically.
"O, then, I suppose he must have been an old lover," said his sister mischievously.
