“Good-by, Roy Pell. You have made me think better of my kind to-day. In fact I think you have made a changed man of me. Would you—would you mind coming up to see me to-morrow?”
“No, of course I wouldn’t mind. I’ll come. I hope you’ll be better in the morning. Good-night,” and Roy went off with the doctor.
“Well, Roy,” said the latter, as they drove away, “you are to be congratulated. You have brought your family into a nice little inheritance if all our miserly old friend says is true.”
“Perhaps it isn’t,” returned Roy, “so please don’t congratulate me or say anything about it just yet.”
Roy was so tired when he got home that he did not give very spirited answers to the questions his family showered upon him. He went to bed very shortly and was asleep before Rex came to take his place beside him.
All in the household were locked in slumber when Sydney let himself in with his key about eleven. He did not retire. He went into the library, got out some law books, and sitting down at the table, appeared as if about to do some work. But he did not pick up the pen. He sat there, his head sunk on his chest, with a look of misery on his face that was pitiable to see.
CHAPTER IV
THE TWIN BROTHERS
The Pells breakfasted early so that Sydney might catch the 7:30 express for the city. On the morning following the events narrated in the preceding chapter the entire family were gathered at the table with the exception of Rex, who was invariably late, and Sydney himself.
“It’s very strange,” remarked Mrs. Pell “He is always on time. He can barely catch his train now. I wish you, Roy, would run up to his room and see what is the matter. He may be ill.”
Roy soon ascended the two flights of stairs to the apartment with the dormer window that had always been Syd’s. The door was open and the room was empty. The bed had been slept in, but the suit Syd had worn the day before was not about. He had evidently dressed and gone.