Part 38 (1/2)

Roseleaf seemed partially convinced by this outburst. He left his chair, and began slowly to arrange his attire before the mirror.

”If you are sincere,” he said, ”I will accompany you. I will also do my best to discover the resting-place of this young woman. You must remain with me till she is found. If we do not see her before to-morrow morning, we will walk into her presence at Midlands together. Do you agree to this?”

”With all my heart!” was the joyous reply.

In ten minutes they entered the carriage at the door, and were driven to the station from which the telegram had been sent.

CHAPTER XXIV.

”THIS ENDS IT, THEN?”

There was nothing to be learned at the telegraph office. As near as could be remembered a boy had brought the message, paid for it and vanished. Only one discovery amounted to anything. The original dispatch was produced and proved to be in Daisy's handwriting. Roseleaf attested to this, and he knew the characters too well to be mistaken.

It was not advisable, in Mr. Weil's opinion, to go to the police, after the receipt of this word from the missing girl. It would only add to the notoriety of the family in case the press got hold of the news. But he did think it wise to go to see Isaac Leveson and find a man named Hazen, whose reputation as a detective was great. He could rely on the absolute silence of both of them. The ride to Isaac's was consequently made next, and by good fortune Hazen happened to be in. He listened gravely to the situation as it was outlined by Mr. Weil, but expressed his opinion that nothing would be gained by doing anything before the next day.

”That telegram is genuine,” he said. ”It follows that, unless she is detained forcibly, she will be at home to-morrow. The writing in this message is not like that of a person under threats, like one compelled to send a false statement. Your best way is to wait till she comes home, providing it is not later than she indicates, and hear her story.

Perhaps it will explain the mystery. If she declines to do this, I will undertake to probe it to the bottom, if you wish.”

Mr. Roseleaf took no part in this discussion. He was becoming convinced that Archie Weil was innocent of any complicity in this affair, but he was still disinclined to talk much.

”Where shall we go now?” he asked, when they came out of the restaurant.

”To the Hoffman House?” said Weil, interrogatively. ”I believe with Hazen that we can do nothing to-night.”

Very well, to the Hoffman House they would go. But they had not been in Weil's room five minutes when a boy came up with a telephonic message from Mr. Fern, stating that Daisy was safe at Midlands.

”Let us return without delay,” said Weil, enthusiastically. ”We should not lose a moment in removing this terrible cloud! Come, s.h.i.+rley, we can catch the six o'clock train if we hasten.”

Mechanically the younger man followed his companion through the hall, down the elevator and into a carriage at the door. Forty minutes later they alighted from the train at Midlands and were soon in the familiar parlor at Mr. Fern's. A servant who had admitted them, stated that Miss Daisy had been home about two hours but that she was now lying down. He would inquire whether she would receive the visitors.

What seemed an interminable time followed before the appearance of Mr.

Fern and his daughter. When at last they came in together, leaning on each other, they were two as forlorn objects as one can imagine. The sight of his sweetheart's woe-begone face smote Roseleaf like a blow. He regretted to the bottom of his heart the cruel things he had thought and said of her.

”Daisy!” he exclaimed, stepping forward. ”Daisy--my--”

He could get no further, for Mr. Fern, with a majestic motion of his hand, waved him back. The presence of the intended bridegroom was evidently not agreeable to the old gentleman.

”Sit down,” said Mr. Fern, in a quavering voice, addressing himself wholly to Weil. ”I telephoned _to you_ that my daughter had returned, for I knew _you_ would be anxious.” He bore with special stress on the word ”you.” ”I--I did not know that you intended to bring--any other person.”

The allusion to Roseleaf was so direct, that he could not help attempting some kind of a reply.

”Who could be more anxious than I?” he asked, in a tone that was very sweet and tender; in vivid contrast, the old man thought, to his manner of the preceding evening. ”No one has a greater interest to learn where she has been these long, desolate hours.”

Mr. Fern abandoned his intention not to recognize the fact that Roseleaf was present, and turned upon him with a fierce glare in his sunken eyes.

”What right have _you_ to ask questions?” he demanded, pressing the trembling form of his daughter to his own. ”You were the first to doubt her--even her innocence--this lamb that would have given her life for you only yesterday! She has returned to _me_, and henceforth she is _mine_! You could not have her though you came on your knees! You wish to know where she has been! Well, you never _will_! She will not tell you! It is her own affair. I am speaking for _her_ when I say that we desire no more of your visits to this house; we are through with you, thank G.o.d!”

It would be hard to tell which of the two men who listened to this was the more surprised. Mr. Weil felt his heart sink as well as did Roseleaf. Daisy clung to her father, without raising her eyes, and there was nothing to indicate that she disputed his a.s.sertions.