“If she did she made a miserable mistake. But I do not think she did. I don’t believe she ever had the chance. I cannot fancy Stuart ever having been enslaved by any woman before his lovely wife, to whom he is perfectly devoted!” replied Ran.
“Ah! well, I may have been mistaken. He was very much in society. So was Miss Leegh. They were frequently together. But tell me how you found them.”
“Through that advertisement, of course.”
“Oh, yes, I know. But how?”
“Well, Stuart answered my advertisement by coming in person to my hotel; finding me out, he left a note with his address, asking me to call there. I got that note when I came in, and immediately started out to see my cousins. I found them in an elegant little flat, their rooms almost as charming as themselves. I spent the afternoon with them, dined with them, went to the theater with them, supped with them, and only left them in the ‘wee sma’ hours’ of the morning. And I could not sleep for happiness in the thought of having found my kindred, and such delightful kindred! Then as soon as possible this morning I came to tell you the good news.”
“I am very glad to hear it, Mr. Hay! I have lost sight of Mr. Stuart for the last six months.”
“That is just as long as they have been married. They were married on the first of May last, and spent the whole season at some place up the Hudson, and have only been in town for a few weeks. And I do not think she knows a soul here!” said Ran with a pleading look in his soft, dark eyes that said as plainly as words could have spoken:
“Won’t you please to take the dear little one under your wing?”
Mrs. Walling replied just as if he had spoken his plea.
“Yes, certainly, I will call on Mrs. Stuart with great pleasure if you will give me her address.”