"
"No, indeed, I think it is ours; some provision should be made for her,
Commodore Waugh."
"I'll recommend her to the trustees of the almshouse, Miss Mayfield."
Marian thought it best not to pursue the subject then, but resolved to
embrace the first opportunity of appealing to the commodore's smothered
chivalry in behalf of a woman, old, poor, feeble, and friendless.
During the supper Dr. Grimshaw sat up as stiff and solemn--Jacquelina
said--"as if he'd swallowed the poker and couldn't digest it." When they
rose from the table, and were about leaving the dining-room, Dr.
Grimshaw glided in a funereal manner to the side of the commodore, and
demanded a private interview with him.
"Not to-night, Nace! Not to-night! I know by your looks what it is! It
is some new deviltry of Jacquelina's. That can wait! I'm as sleepy as a
whole cargo of opium! I would not stop to talk now to Paul Jones, if he
was to rise from the dead and visit me!"
And the professor had to be content with that, for almost immediately
the family separated for the night.
Marian, attended by the maid Maria, sought the chamber assigned to
herself. When she had changed her tight-fitting day-dress for a wrapper,
she dismissed the girl, locked the door behind her, and then drew her
chair up before the little fire, and fell into deep thought.
Pages:
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224