She did not speak of Alice Johnson, but she thought of her. John, too,
thought of Alice Johnson, wondering how she would look to him who might
have married the daughter of a count. He had not told Anna of this, and
he was about preparing to leave her, when, changing the conversation,
she said: "Did we ever write to you--no, we didn't--about that mysterious
stranger, that man who stopped for a day or two at the hotel, nearly two
years ago, and made so many inquiries about us and our place, pretending
he wanted to buy it in exchange for city property, and that some one had
told him it was for sale?"
"What man? Who was he?" John asked; and Anna replied: "He called himself Bronson."
"Describe him," John said, settling back so that his face was partly
concealed in the shadow.
"Rather tall, firmly-knit figure, with what I imagine people mean when
they say a bullet-head, that is, a round, hard head, with keen gray
eyes, sandy mustache, and a scar or something on his right temple. Are
you cold?" and she turned quickly to her brother, who had shuddered
involuntarily at her description, for well he knew now who that man was.
But why had he come there? This John did not know, and as it was
necessary to appear natural, he answered to Anna's inquiry, that he
thought he had taken cold, as the cars were badly warmed.
"But, go on; tell me more of this Bronson. He heard our house was for
sale. How, pray?"
"From some one in New York; and the landlord suggested it might have
been you."
"It's false. I never told him so," and John spoke savagely.
"Then you did know him? What was he? We were half afraid of him, he
behaved so strangely," Anna said, looking wonderingly at her brother,
whose face alternately flushed and then grew pale.
Simple little Anna, how John blessed her in his heart for possessing so
little insight into the genuine springs of his character, for when he
answered: "Of course I don't know him--I mean that I never told any one that
Terrace Hill was for sale."
She believed what he said, and very innocently continued: "Had there been a trifle more of fun in my nature, I should, have teased
Eudora, by telling her he came here to see her or Asenath. He was very
curious for a sight of all of us."
"Did he come here--into the house?" John asked; and Anna replied: "Why, yes. He was rather coarse-looking, to be sure, with marks of
dissipation, but very gentlemanly and even pleasing in his address."
Anna went on: "He was exceedingly polite--apologized for troubling me,
and then stated his business. I told him he must have been misinformed,
as we never dreamed of selling. He took his leave, looking back all the
way through the park, and evidently examining minutely the house and
grounds. Mother was so fidgety after it, declaring him a burglar, and
keeping a watch for several nights after his departure."