The Cleverdale Mystery; or, The Machine and Its Wheels: A Story of American Life
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CHAPTER XXII.
SAD FAREWELLS.
George Alden improved slowly, his back having received serious injuries,from which Dr. Briar feared he would never fully recover. His faithfulnurses were in constant attendance at his bedside, bestowing everyattention that skill could suggest or loving hands perform. For manyweeks he could not be moved. He became much emaciated, paroxysms of painbeing of frequent occurrence and making opiates necessary.
Weeks passed, and spring was near at hand. Allowed to sit up for a shorttime each day, Alden looked from the window upon the street, enjoyingevery movement with delight known only to those confined for monthsupon beds of sickness and pain. Belle sat beside him reading aloud froma book, the patient watching her constantly, seemingly in a trance ofworshipful devotion. His eyes sent forth sympathetic and tender glances,his heart catching every word that fell from the beautiful lips.Forgetting himself, he was held in transports of love, soon, alas! tobe broken, leaving him a poor worshipper, removed far from his idol.Enjoying these precious hours, and watching the expression of love andhappiness gathering upon the face of his young wife, he little thoughtshe was to be the victim of the ambition and lost fortunes of two othermen.
"Ah, Belle!" he said one day, "during all my sickness and suffering, Ihave passed many happy hours; will it always last?"
"I hope so, my dear husband; and when you recover we will publish ourmarriage, and then renew these happy moments without the attendantsuffering."
"But must I be a cripple? Oh, the thought is agony to me. What should Ido, a helpless person entirely dependent upon those I love? Even withall the precious hours I could enjoy with you and my dear sister, Ishould pray God to take me away."
"Do not talk of that. Dr. Briar says you will again be able to walk.Do for the present let your mind rest and be contented; your recoverydepends entirely upon this."
"Yes, I know it, and were it not for my two good and loving nurses mymind long ere this would have given way. I am truly happy, yet I am sooften reminded of the danger surrounding me that I cannot dispel thethought that I may be permanently helpless."
Belle, rising from her chair, approached him lovingly, placed her armabout his neck, and laughingly said:
"No more of such gloomy forebodings. If you wish to get well you mustbe happy and contented; if not your nurses will retire and send twosnuff-taking, herb-giving hospital women to take care of you. How wouldyou like that, my impatient prisoner?"
"That being too great a punishment, I will promise to obey my nurses,providing they will remain with me."
Week after week passing, the later spring began to send forth its balmybreezes. The snows of winter long since gone, and the birds returnedfrom southern homes, the trees began taking on their garb of emerald,while the apple blossoms were bursting forth, soon to expand their germsinto luscious fruit.
The factory had not been rebuilt, and much suffering had beenexperienced among families whose members were thrown out of employmentby the disastrous fire of the previous fall.
The heavy loss to the Cleverdale Woollen Company forced several of itsstockholders into bankruptcy, and the business interests of the villagewere more or less affected by the disaster. Naturally, everybody thoughtSenator Hamblin too solid financially to be disturbed by the loss of onehundred thousand dollars--the amount of his stock in the company--buthad they seen him in the solitude of his office or home meditating overthe critical condition of his business affairs, they would have formeda far different opinion. During the winter he had been obliged to raiselarge sums of money to prevent his own bank paper from going to protest,but with an unlimited credit he could command almost any desired amount.Men with funds lying idle were glad to place their money in the hands ofas safe a man as they supposed him to be. Widows and factory operativesfelt secure, could they induce the president of the Cleverdale Bank totake their savings and pay them interest. In this way Senator Hamblinsucceeded in averting the calamity that would otherwise have overwhelmedhim.
He borrowed heavily from the bank on the notes of his friends.
The limited amount a bank may loan to any one individual--as regulatedby the National Banking law--is one tenth of its capital stock, buton notes of his friends President Hamblin had already borrowed threequarters of the bank's capital. Thus keeping himself apparently solvent,the people of Cleverdale looked upon him as the wealthiest man in thecounty, and being a shrewd actor in life's drama, by his conversationand general demeanor he succeeded in making good the impression of hiswealth, bestowing gifts upon charitable objects with more liberalitythan ever before. The Hamblin Guards were his especial pride; hecontributed largely to the company's support when occasion affordedopportunity for the organization to do credit to its patron. At theState Capitol he was the leader in numerous projects, and his power wasfelt on many occasions, when important bills had to be carried throughboth houses. He returned to his home nearly every Saturday, remaininguntil Monday. While appearing happy and at ease before the public, inprivate he was discontented and miserable. Inevitable ruin staring himin the face, he planned to avert the calamity by the assistance ofWalter Mannis.
He delayed making final arrangements for disgracing the cashier, hopingthe latter would die, but as months passed and the obstinate fellowrefused to play the part assigned him, Senator Hamblin became petulantand cross because he was so long in getting well.
He constantly chided Belle for confining herself so closely to thesick-room.
"You must go away from home for a time. Your mother and yourself hadbetter make preparations immediately for the long-talked-of visit toyour aunt in Philadelphia," said he. "You need rest and recreation, mydaughter."
"I cannot leave home at present; perhaps I may be able to go next month.George is improving rapidly and begins to walk about the room, and eventalks of soon resuming his work at the bank."
"Tell him to hurry up, for I want to see the roses back again in yourcheeks. You must have rest and at once."
As he turned and left the room, he failed to hear his daughter remark:
"What would Papa say did he know I was the wife of George Alden?"
Two weeks later George Alden, riding for the first time since hisillness through the streets of the village, received many demonstrationsof the esteem in which he was held. Not only were kind expressionsuttered by men, but the "God bless you" of many an old woman reachinghim touched his heart-strings. Each day's drive gave him new force, hegrew stronger, and the danger of being crippled for life finally passedaway.
One day, after he had returned from his drive, Belle sat at his side,where she had passed so many anxious hours.
"Belle, my darling," he said, "you look tired and careworn, your brightcolor has entirely vanished, and you need a change of air and scene. Iam improving so rapidly now, you ought to go away for a while."
"Do you think so, George? Papa said the same thing to me a short timeago. He wants Mamma and me to visit his sister at Philadelphia, but Icannot endure the thought of leaving you."
"I am much better, and by another week hope to be able to resume myduties at the bank. Although I should greatly miss you, nevertheless youmust promise to go, for you need it."
Fannie entering the room at that moment, her brother appealed to her."Fannie, I am trying to persuade Belle to leave home for a short time.Her father also desires her to visit his sister; and she needs rest.Come, Fannie, be as decided with her as you have been with me, and shewill not dare disobey."
Fannie laughingly replied, "Yes, my dear Belle, you must go, for it willgreatly benefit your health. Get ready to go at once, for George willsoon be able to go into the bank."
Belle consented, and returning home, told her mother of herdetermination. Mrs. Hamblin readily fell in with the arrangement; sodressmakers were called, and everything was done to make the ladiesready for the journey.
One week later George Alden declared himself able to resume his duties,but postponed returning to the bank until after the departure of hiswif
e. Naturally enough he and Belle were constantly together, and wereas one in dreading the separation.
"I am sorry, George, I promised to go," said Belle one day. "I cannottell why I feel so badly about leaving you. I am not superstitious, butI fear something will occur to keep us apart."
"It is all for the best," said George. "Go, my precious wife, for achange is what you need. I shall resume my work at once, and while youare absent will write you each day. Returning you will be better able tomeet your father, and tell him of our marriage."
The two were together several hours the day before the departure, butthere was an indescribable feeling in the minds of both that somethingwould occur affecting their happiness.
Telling their fears to Fannie, she laughed and said:
"Nonsense; lovers always feel that way when they part. Nothing islikely to occur affecting your happiness, unless it will make you bothmiserable to see the roses again in bloom upon Belle's cheeks."
But the final parting was full of sad forebodings, and as the train boreaway Mrs. Hamblin and daughter, the tears shed in silence by the latterwould not have ceased so soon had she known that her cup of happinesswas to be replaced by one so full of trouble that its very bitternesswould almost drive her into eternity.