CHAPTER XXIX.
IN THE HOUSE AT LINDEN FELLS.
An entire week had passed since the arrival of the steamer which brought the Dantons home to America, and during that time not a single sign of Paul Rogers or his following had been made manifest.
Nick Carter’s watchfulness did not, however, abate in the slightest degree, for he reasoned that the conspirators were merely biding their time, and he smiled to himself also, when he recalled the conversation he had held with Red Morgan in which that worthy had informed him of the numerous oaths against his life.
“If any of the gang are looking for me, it must puzzle them to guess where I have gone,” he mused. “It never occurred to me that in coming here and playing the part of butler, I was, in effect, killing two birds with one stone—getting out of their way on the one hand, and getting in their way on the other.”
For Nick had been the “butler” at Linden Fells an entire week. Chick had in the meantime filled the post of valet to Mr. Danton, for whom, as Mercedes had predicted, he never once had a service to perform. The old man thoroughly despised valets, and would not have one near him. He argued that his wife and daughter merely required the services of an extra person in the house and that they chose to hire that person under the name and guise of a valet for him—which, as a matter of fact, was not far wrong.
Patsy filled the rôle of extra stable-boy during this interim—and Patsy enjoyed it.
“Sure,” he said, “there’s nothin’ I’d ruther do on earth than shake hands wid a hoorse!” and it was true. He loved all horses and preferred their society to men.
During the week there had been moments when Nick had found opportunity of exchanging a few words with Mercedes Danton, but for the most part she had held herself entirely aloof, and had treated him exactly as his ostensible position demanded that he should be treated.
Indeed, Nick had insisted on that point, and he often smiled to himself at the literal manner in which she had taken him at his word.
During the week, also, Reginald had returned; but he was rarely at home, and he took no more notice of the new butler than he would have taken of a post, had it been stationed in the front hallway of the house—probably not as much, for the post would have been out of place there while a butler was a part and parcel of the furniture.