The Circular Staircase - Page 63/154

We had discovered Louise at the lodge Tuesday night. It was Wednesday

I had my interview with her. Thursday and Friday were uneventful, save

as they marked improvement in our patient. Gertrude spent almost all

the time with her, and the two had grown to be great friends. But

certain things hung over me constantly; the coroner's inquest on the

death of Arnold Armstrong, to be held Saturday, and the arrival of Mrs.

Armstrong and young Doctor Walker, bringing the body of the dead

president of the Traders' Bank. We had not told Louise of either death.

Then, too, I was anxious about the children. With their mother's

inheritance swept away in the wreck of the bank, and with their love

affairs in a disastrous condition, things could scarcely be worse.

Added to that, the cook and Liddy had a flare-up over the proper way to

make beef-tea for Louise, and, of course, the cook left.

Mrs. Watson had been glad enough, I think, to turn Louise over to our

care, and Thomas went upstairs night and morning to greet his young

mistress from the doorway. Poor Thomas! He had the faculty--found

still in some old negroes, who cling to the traditions of slavery

days--of making his employer's interest his. It was always "we" with

Thomas; I miss him sorely; pipe-smoking, obsequious, not over reliable,

kindly old man!

On Thursday Mr. Harton, the Armstrongs' legal adviser, called up from

town. He had been advised, he said, that Mrs. Armstrong was coming

east with her husband's body and would arrive Monday. He came with

some hesitation, he went on, to the fact that he had been further

instructed to ask me to relinquish my lease on Sunnyside, as it was

Mrs. Armstrong's desire to come directly there.

I was aghast.

"Here!" I said. "Surely you are mistaken, Mr. Harton. I should think,

after--what happened here only a few days ago, she would never wish to

come back."

"Nevertheless," he replied, "she is most anxious to come. This is what

she says. 'Use every possible means to have Sunnyside vacated. Must

go there at once.'"

"Mr. Harton," I said testily, "I am not going to do anything of the

kind. I and mine have suffered enough at the hands of this family. I

rented the house at an exorbitant figure and I have moved out here for

the summer. My city home is dismantled and in the hands of decorators.

I have been here one week, during which I have had not a single night

of uninterrupted sleep, and I intend to stay until I have recuperated.

Moreover, if Mr. Armstrong died insolvent, as I believe was the case,

his widow ought to be glad to be rid of so expensive a piece of

property."

The lawyer cleared his throat.