Miss Conyers turned to Judith, who was standing with Tom McAlpine by her side.
“Judith,” said the young lady, “will you go with me to the hotel for the present?”
“No, thank you kindly, ma’am. When the carriage comes, and I see ye into it, sure Tom will take me to my aunt’s. And whin I’ve seen her, I can go back to the ship and find out from Mr. Martin where yez are stopping. And I will come up this evening to take leave iv yez.”
“Very well, Judith,” said Miss Conyers, with the tears starting in her eyes, for the companionship of more than two years had very much attached her to the girl.
In a few moments the sailor returned with the carriage, and Justin put Britomarte into it, followed her, and gave the driver an order to drive to a certain hotel, where he had once been in the habit of stopping.
It was a quiet, respectable house, in a comparatively still neighborhood, and it happened to have some pleasant rooms vacant and at the disposal of our party.
As soon as Justin had seen Britomarte comfortably ensconced in her apartment, he went down and dispatched the sailor back to the ship with his address for Lieutenant Ethel.
Then Justin started out on foot to visit his uncle, Friedrich Rosenthal, the great importer, at his place of business in Chambers street. Besides his earnest desire to see a kinsman whom he sincerely loved and esteemed, he felt a great anxiety to hear such news of his father and sister as Mr. Friedrich Rosenthal would probably be able to give him, and also he needed funds to defray his hotel bill and his expenses to Washington, and which his wealthy uncle would readily advance to him.
Justin walked rapidly down the street, sharply turning the corners at the imminent risk of upsetting old ladies and running over little children, until he turned into Chambers street, where every step that brought him nearer to his uncle’s house, and to certain news of his beloved relatives, increased his anxiety and took away his breath.
He came in sight of the house and looked up. A strange name occupied the signboard: