But propriety had held her back and made her far more reserved toward
him than she had ever been before. Terribly jealous where she was
concerned, Hugh was quick to notice the change, and the gloomy shadow on
his face was not caused wholly by 'Lina's sad death, as many had
supposed. Hugh was very unhappy. Instead of learning to love him, as he
had sometimes hoped she might, Alice had come to dislike him, shunning
his society, and always making some pretense to get away if, by chance,
they were left alone; and now, as the closing act in the sad drama,
Irving Stanley was coming to carry her off forever.
Hugh's heart was very sore as he sat there waiting for Alice to finish
that letter, and speak to him about it. What a long, long time it took
her to read it through--longer than it needed, he was sure, for the
handwriting was very plain and the letter very brief.
Alice knew he was waiting for her, and after hesitating a while, she
went up to him, and laying her hand on his shoulder, as she had not done
in weeks, she said: "You will be glad to see your cousin?"
"Yes; I suppose so. Shall you?"
He turned partly around, so he could look at her; and this it was which
brought the blood so quickly to her face, making her stammer as she
replied: "Of course I shall be glad. I like him very much; but--"
Here she stopped, for she did not know how to tell Hugh that she was not
glad in the way which he supposed.
"But what?" he asked, "What were you going to say?" and in his eyes
there was a look which drove Alice's courage away, and made her answer: "It's queer the doctor did not tell him anything except that 'Lina was
sick."
"There are a great many queer people in this world," Hugh replied,
rather testily, while Alice mildly rejoined.
"The letter has been delayed, and he will be here day after to-morrow.
Did you notice?"
"Yes; and as I am impatient to go for Adah, the sooner he comes the
better, for the sooner it will leave me at liberty. Would it be very
impolite for me to go at once, and leave you to entertain him?"
"Of course it would," said Alice. "Adah's claim is a strong one, I'll
admit; but the doctor and Mr. Murdock are doing their best; and I ask,
as a favor, that you remain at home to meet Mr. Stanley."
Now Hugh knew that nothing could have tempted him to leave Spring Bank
so long as Irving Stanley was there; but as he was just in a mood to be
unreasonable, he replied that, "if Alice wished it, he should remain at
home until Mr. Stanley's visit was ended."