THE OLD STORY.
On the morning after Wade's return from the Geauga Court, upon
entering the office, where Bart found him and Ranney and Case, and one
or two others, there was the sudden hush that advises a new arrival
that he has been a subject of remark.
"Good morning, Mr. Wade."
"Good morning, Ridgeley."
"You returned earlier than you anticipated?"
"Yes. How do you come on?"
"About the old way. Did you see my old client, Cole," the King?"
"Old King Cole? Yes, I saw that worthy, and they say on the other side
that they can't try the case under a year, perhaps."
"Well, we defend, and our defence will be as good then as ever," said
Bart.
"The suit was commenced to save the statute of limitations," said
Wade; "and if any defence exists I fear it will be in chancery."
"My dear sir, we will make a defence at law," was the decided answer.
"I saw some of your friends over there," said Wade, "who made many
enquiries about you."
"They are kind." said Bart.
"Of course you know Judge Markham?" said Wade.
Bart bowed. "He is a very honorable and high minded man!" Bart bowed
again. "He spoke of you in the very highest terms, and I was very glad
to hear him."
"You are very kind," said Bart.
"And by the way." pursued Mr. Wade, "I heard a little story: the Judge
has a very beautiful daughter," looking directly at Bart, who bowed to
this also. "It seems that the girl in going home from somewhere, got
lost in the woods, and wandered off into a devil of a big forest there
is down there, covering two or three townships. It was in the night
of that awful storm in April, and she went miles away, and finally
overcome, lay down to die, and was covered with the snow, when a young
chap found her--God knows how--took her up, carried her across the
Chagrin River, or one of its branches, in under some rocks, built a
fire, and brought her to, and finally got her to a man's house in the
woods, sent word to her father, and went off. Do you know anything
about it? The story is, that you are the chap who did it."
All eyes were on Bart.
"I heard something of it," said he, smiling. "I came off the evening
after this marvel; and in the stage two ladies were full of it.
They made it a little stronger than your version. I think there were
several wild animals in theirs. We stopped at a tavern two or three
miles on, when somebody told the old lady that I was 'the chap that
did it;' but as I had told her that this Bart wasn't much of a fellow,
she was inclined to doubt her informant. The old lady stopped in
Chardon, and you must have heard her story."
"The young lady herself said that you saved her," said Wade, with his
usual directness. "What do you say to that?"
"If the young lady was in a condition to know," replied Bart, "I
should take her word for it." And passing into the back room he closed
the door.
"What the devil is there in it?" said Wade. "It is just as I say. Has
he ever said a word about it?"
"Not a word," said the young men.
"I met Miss Markham a year ago, when I was in Newbury, at a sugar
party," said Ranney. "She is one of the most beautiful girls I ever
saw, and superior in every way. Bart was not there--he wouldn't go;
and I remember her talking about him, with Henry. When we got back we
undertook to tell him what she said, and he wouldn't hear a word."
"The fact is," said Case, decidedly, "her father is rich, and she is
proud and ambitious. Bart wasn't good enough for her, and he has taken
his revenge by saving her life, and now he won't yield an inch."
"They say he came off and won't have anything to do with them," said
Wade.
"That's it," said Case, "and I glory in his spunk. They have just
found out their mistake."
During the day Bart was asked by Wade if he had yet seen Mr. Windsor;
and replied that he had not, but that he was anxious to do so, as his
brother always spoke of him with gratitude, as one who had been very
kind to him. Mr. Wade said that the day before he had seen Windsor,
who expressed a wish to meet Henry's brother, and thought he would
come to Jefferson in a day or two, when he would call on him. Bart was
much gratified, and remarked that he was doing quite a business on his
brother's popularity.