Kitty's Conquest

by Charles King

  CHAPTER XV.

  Two days elapsed and Frank Amory failed to get better with the rapidityso slight an attack of fever should have permitted; and when it isconsidered that my language had been, or ought to have been, veryreassuring as regarded his other troubles, there seemed to me smallwarrant for the doctor's ascribing his slow rally to mentalperturbations. It was beginning to dawn upon me that the doctor lookedupon me as something of a sick-room nuisance ever since my interviewwith his patient about Peyton, and that only his politeness preventedhis saying that that interview had been a decided set-back. At allevents, two days passed without my again seeing Mars. He was sleepingwhen I called, or had had a restless night, and was not to be disturbed.Yet Parker saw him twice, and brought favorable accounts; he seemed tohave the luck of getting around at times when Amory was awake, and,being a cavalryman himself, the aide-de-camp had taken charge of thetroop and was able to bear Amory daily bulletins of its well-doing.Vinton was rapidly improving and able to sit up a few moments each day.Pauline was radiant with hope and love; and Kitty--whom I had not seenfor nearly two days, when we met again at Moreau's--Kitty once morelooked pale, anxious, and wistful; I saw it the instant her eyes metmine.

  Harrod told me that he had seen fit to say nothing to her of Peyton'slatest escapade. It would not help matters at all and could only causeher distress. Pauline had been told in confidence, and he himself hadwritten full particulars to the judge. The police had made no arrests ordiscoveries; but twice I had received visits from members of thedetective force asking for further description of the burly man who waswith Peyton the night of the chase. The younger man, they seemed tothink, had got away to Texas, but for some reason they seemed hopeful ofcatching the other party, who was apparently "wanted" for something forwhich he could properly be held.

  It was two nights after the theatre party, and once again we were diningat Moreau's; this time reinforced by Pauline and by Major Williams. Itwas a lovely evening in the early spring. Already the breezes from theSouth were freighted with the faint, sweet fragrance of theorange-blossoms; windows were thrown open, and four of us at least wereplacidly enjoying the spirited scene on the street below. Pauline andthe major were in the midst of a pleasant chat; Harrod and I dreamilypuffing at our cigars; and over on the sofa Kitty and her now absolutelyenslaved Turpin were oblivious to all other objects. He, poor fellow,was bending towards her, his whole soul in his eyes, his whole heart onhis lips; speaking in low tones, eagerly, impetuously. She, withfeverish flush on her soft cheeks, her eyes veiled by their white lidsand fringed with their sweeping lashes, was nervously toying with hergloves, yet listening, painfully listening. Harrod studied them aninstant, then looked significantly at me.

  "It is too bad," he said, with a shrug of his shoulders. "I suppose yousee poor Turpin's woe?"

  I nodded. It was hard for the boy, and Kitty was by no means blameless,but just now her conduct was the source of absolute comfort to me. In myfondness for Amory I was glad to see that now that it came to actuallove-making,--now that Turpin was undoubtedly enmeshed and fluttering inher toils, the little coquette was distressed by his vehemence. She wasthinking of another, and my hopes for my own young knight were high.There could be no doubt of the situation, for had we not gathered inhonor of the major and his gallant young adjutant? Were we not there tobreak bread once more before parting,--to wish them _bon voyage_ withour stirrup-cups? Their orders had come. Quiet restored to the CrescentCity, Major Williams's little battalion was to return forthwith to theirstation in Kentucky. They were to start that night, and Turpin wasfacing his fate.

  It was soon time to walk down "homeward," as we had learned to think ofNewhall's rooms on Royal Street. Harrod and I led the way. MajorWilliams followed, escorting Pauline. Kitty and Turpin silently tooktheir places in the rear, and before we had gone three squares they wereout of sight behind. At the steps the major said his farewells, withmany a hope that we might all meet again in our wanderings. "Say good-byto Miss Carrington for me," he added, with a smile half sad, halfmischievous. "I fear poor Turpin leaves his heart here. Tell him for meto take his time; he won't be needed for an hour yet." And with a waveof his hand the soldierly fellow strode down the street.

  Then, even as we stood there, Turpin and Kitty arrived. With her firstglance at them Pauline's sympathetic heart seemed to realize thesituation. She signalled to us to follow her, and entered at once.Unaccustomed as ever to the interpretation of feminine signals, Iblunderingly stayed where I was, and Harrod hovered irresolutely in thedoorway.

  "Won't you come in?" we heard her say timidly, almost pleadingly, as sheheld out her little hand.

  "No, thank you, not this time; I must catch Williams. Say good-by forme, please." He grasped her hand, and seemed to wring it hard aninstant, then, pulling his cap down over his eyes, dashed away.

  Kitty stood one moment looking sorrowfully after him, then slowly passedus, and went in without a word. She did not appear again that evening solong as I was there.

  Early next morning a note reached me from Harrod. A telegram had justreached him from Sandbrook. "Father says he will be here to-morrow. Mrs.Amory--Frank's mother--coming on same train." And, leaving everythingundone that I ought to have done at the office, I hastened up to Amory'slodgings to see what that might mean. He was sitting up, partiallydressed, and would be glad to see me, said the orderly; and, stumblingup the stairs, I was shown to his room.

  Very pale and rather thin looked our Mars, but his face was brighter andhis eyes far clearer. He was far from strong, however, and apologizedfor not rising, as he held out his hand.

  "Mother is coming," were almost his first words.

  "So I heard. Judge Summers telegraphed Colonel Harrod that he would behere to-morrow,--at noon, I suppose,--and that Mrs. Amory was on thetrain. What a very pleasant surprise for all!"

  "Yes. When she heard from me how ill Vinton was, and that I could notget away, the little mother must have made up her mind to come to me. Itis a surprise, yet a very glad one. Where can we put her? This house isno place, and yet, it may be two or three days before I can get out, andI hate to have her alone at the St. Charles."

  "Why not with the Summers' at Colonel Newhall's place? There are one ortwo rooms vacant, and the landlady seems very pleasant."

  Mars flushed to the temples.

  "I think not," he said, hesitatingly. "It--it's too far away. She wouldrather be up here with me, or near me. She wants so much to know Vinton,too,--has such an admiration for him; but she could not see him justnow, I suppose. How is he to-day?"

  "Very much better last night. So much so that Miss Summers went over anddined with us at Moreau's,--a little dinner to Major Williams andTurpin, you know," said I, soothingly, and with calm note of the twingewhich seemed to shoot over Amory's features at the mention of the party."They went back to Kentucky last night, I suppose you know," I added.

  "They? No, I didn't!" said Mars, with sudden animation. "I wanted to seeTurpin, too. He was here twice, but they said I wasn't well enough, orsomething, and he went away. Did he go back with the battalion?" heinquired, eagerly.

  "Certainly. He came around to say good-by last evening."

  Mars settled back in his chair with an expression of absolute relief.

  Now, thought I, is the time to have a few words about Bella Grayson. Itwas just about time to look for the coming of her reply to my diplomaticletter, and very positively did I want to know just how matters stoodbetween her and my cavalryman. Meddling old Polonius that I was, itseemed to me perfectly right and natural that Mars should reciprocate mywarm interest in him, that he should want to tell me about Bella, andthat the fact of my relationship to her should give me an added lustrein his eyes. This last, perhaps, was realized. He was more inclined tobe very courteous and semi-confidential in his tone, yet he was not atease.

  It was at the tip of my tongue to make some genial, off-hand,matter-of-fact inquiry, such as "Heard from Bella, lately?" by way ofputting him entirely out of all embarrassme
nt, when, fortunately, theorderly entered, saying a gentleman asked to speak a moment with Mr.Brandon. Going out in some surprise to the landing, Mr. Brandon thereencountered one of the detectives whom he had recently learned to know.

  "Can you come down to the office, sir? We have one of your birds, if notboth," was the extent of his communication. And dropping Amory;forgetting Bella; I went.