, adjusting her
eye-glasses. "These dreadful American dailies!" she exclaimed, as
she scanned the pages; "one never knows where to find anything. Ah,
here it is, and just what we want! The 'Campania' sails Thursday,
at three o'clock. That will suit us exactly."
"To-morrow! so soon!" exclaimed two or three voices.
"Certainly," she replied, rising. "I shall have the maids begin
packing at once; and, Mr. Thornton, I shall instruct Wilson to
attend directly to your luggage, for you would never think of it
until within an hour of sailing."
Her departure seemed the signal for the breaking up of the little
company. Mr. Whitney lingered a few moments at Miss Carleton's
side, with a few murmured words of regret that she was to leave so
soon, to which she listened courteously, though making little
response. After he had gone she remained standing where he had
left her, gazing dreamily out on the river and the distant bluffs.
Merrick, slowly sauntering up and down the veranda, had observed
the whole scene, and now watched the fair young face with a
suggestion of a smile in his kindly eyes.
"H'm!" he soliloquized; "Whitney is a bigger fool than I've given
him credit for if he thinks he stands any show in that direction.
If I'm not mistaken, I know which way the wind blows, and it's
dollars to doughnuts she'll lose that far-away expression of hers
before she's been aboard the 'Campania' many hours. I'd like to be
aboard myself and watch the transformation scene."
The attorney's voice here broke in upon his cogitations.
"I say, Merrick, that was a regular bomb you threw at Mainwaring
with regard to young Scott! How did you discover he was an
Englishman?"
"I very easily ascertained that he was not an American; that he was
of English descent followed as a matter of course. I am not sure
whether he is of English birth."
"You seem to be keeping an eye on him."
"It is my business just now to be posted regarding every one
associated with this place. I've been keeping an eye on you for
the last thirty minutes."
The attorney colored, and hastily reverted to the original topic of
conversation. "Have you seen anything of him since he left us?"
"Since his resignation of the salary as well as the position of
private 'secretary?" queried the detective, half to himself, with
a tone of amusement, which Mr. Whitney failed to comprehend. "Yes;
I met him to-day at the Murray Hill."
"At the Murray Hill! Is he
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