Le sighed profoundly, but did not answer.
“Le,” said the squire, in a low voice, to change the subject, “have you told old Grandiere why it is that Roland will not give evidence against the pirate captain, even to save himself?”
“Yes; I have told him that Roland has been persuaded by Silver, that he, Silver, is his, Roland’s, father.
“He said that he didn’t believe one word of it. He said that when the villain was down in Maryland he must have heard the story of the young man having been saved in his infancy from the wreck of the Carrier Pigeon, without a mark on person or clothing to point to his parentage, and taken advantage of the circumstance to claim Roland as his son, and get him in his power.”
“I think Grandiere was right,” said Abel Force.
When they reentered the parlor they found all their party present, idle and silent, because, in fact, they could settle themselves to neither occupation nor conversation while their minds were so full of anxiety.
Le went and sat down beside Odalite.
Mr. Force lingered a few moments in the room to bid his troubled daughters to trust in Providence and hope for the best. Then, telling them he was going up to sit in the room he had engaged adjoining their mother’s, and that he might be found there if wanted, he left the parlor and went upstairs.
First he stopped at the door of the side room and tapped lightly.
The nurse came to answer the summons.