COLONEL WIMPLETON’S WRATH.
Nick soon declared that he felt better, and continued his story.
“I was very much pleased with Miss Dornwood, especially when I learned
that she had a fortune of two hundred thousand dollars. A few days
after I was introduced to her, I had the pleasure of saving her from
drowning while she was bathing in the surf. She was not as grateful to
me as I supposed she would be, but I hoped soon to win her regard. One
day Mr. Overton came into the gambling saloon where I was employed. I
was engaged in inducing a man from the country to play, and I did not
notice the presence of the guardian of Miss Dornwood for some time. He
knew enough of the world to understand my position. If I had seen him
sooner, I should not have committed myself. But Mr. Overton did not
seem to have any less regard for me, when he met me about the hotel,
and encouraged my advances to Miss Dornwood.
“I told Cutter what I was doing in this direction. He laughed, and
informed me of the practical joke he had played upon me. He advised me
to follow up the affair, and not to take the trouble to deny that I was
an English nobleman. I was pleased with the attentions bestowed upon me
by the guests, and was not disposed to ruin myself in their estimation.
I continued to be very devoted to Miss Dornwood; and, as her guardian
and his wife would not permit her to make other acquaintances, watching
her every moment of the time, I was almost her only companion. I gave
up my place in the gambling saloon, lest it should compromise me, and I
had plenty of time to give to Miss Dornwood. She seemed to like me very
well, and I soon proposed to her; but, to my chagrin and astonishment,
she gave me a decided refusal.
“I did not believe she meant it, and I was confident that I could
change her mind in due time. After this she tried to avoid me; but I
managed very carefully, devoting myself quite as much to the guardian
as to the ward. Miss Dornwood certainly treated me very kindly, though
she was rather shy. Mr. Overton thought she was making too many friends
at Cape May, and decided to spend a few weeks at Newport. The family
went there, and Cutter and myself went also. On the journey I thought
Miss Dornwood had relented towards me, and soon after our arrival I
had a talk with Mr. Overton, in which I boldly pleaded for the hand
of his ward. He had no objections, and told me that, according to the
terms of Mr. Dornwood’s will, his ward could not marry unless with the
guardian’s consent, without losing three fourths of her fortune.
“The conversation was a long one, for Mr. Overton was very guarded in
his remarks; but I understood him perfectly, even while he did not
fully commit himself. He said that, as usual, some very extravagant
reports had been circulated in regard to the extent of her fortune. He
did not wish to have any mistakes or disappointments, and he told me he
would give me on our wedding day fifty thousand dollars. He wished to
be distinctly understood that this was all she was entitled to; and he
added that, as I was an English nobleman, money could not be any object
to me. I did not deny that I was a lord, and told him I was satisfied
with the dowry of his ward. I understood Mr. Overton as well as he
understood me; and I was satisfied I could obtain the rest of Miss
Dornwood’s fortune after our marriage.
“Life at Newport made sad inroads upon my funds, and it was necessary
for them to be replenished very soon. I intended to obtain my supply
from the vaults of the Centreport Bank, and Cutter and I completed our
plans for the job. I suggested to Mr. Overton that the Cataract House
was a capital place to spend a few weeks, when he spoke of leaving
Newport, and it was decided that we should go there. Cutter and I
agreed upon the night for the visit to the bank, but we separated
before we reached the Cataract House. You know the rest of the story,
Wolf.”
“Did you really expect to marry Miss Dornwood?” asked Waddie, who
appeared to be disgusted with the conceit of Nick.
“Certainly I did; and I think she had changed her views since she
refused me.”
“Did you acknowledge that you were a lord?”
“When we went to the Cataract House I did. Cutter wrote me some
letters, and insisted that I should do so, because it would prevent
suspicions in regard to us.”
“I believe you are only nineteen, Nick: did you intend to marry
immediately?” I inquired, rather amused at the calculations of the
strategist.
“No; not at once. I expected to get twenty or thirty thousand dollars
from the bank, and to spend a year or two in Europe, as Mr. Overton
talked of going there. Well, a change has come over my dreams,” added
Nick, sadly, as he glanced at the irons on his wrists. “I did not see
how anything could go wrong, and yet everything has failed me.”
His case was only a repetition of the common experience of evil-doers.
Night came on, and the wind, which had blown fresh all day, subsided,
so that we did not reach our destination till after nine o’clock in the
evening. Captain Synders took his prisoner to the town lock-up for the
night, and the next day conveyed him to the county jail, to await his
examination and trial.
The day had certainly been an eventful one, and I was very much
fatigued; but I was not willing to go home until I had seen Colonel
Wimpleton. I was anxious to know whether the Union Line was to be
broken up, and the war between the two magnates resumed. I hastened
with Waddie to the house of the great man. We found him in his library.
“Ah, Wolf, I didn’t expect to see you to-night; but I heard at Ucayga
that you had captured one of the robbers, and recovered part of the
money,” said he.
“We have captured both of the robbers, and recovered all the money,” I
replied.
“Indeed! You have done well.”
“I don’t mean to say I have done all this,” I protested. “I think Tom
Walton has done the most, and fared the hardest.”
“I heard he was shot in the arm.”
“Yes, sir;” and I explained the nature of his wound.
“I was told that Waddie and Captain Synders could find nothing of the
other robber.”
“We could not; but Wolf knew just where to put his hand upon him,”
added Waddie. “We found him at the Cataract House; and who do you
suppose he is, father?”
“I haven’t any acquaintance among that class of people, and could not
be expected to know him.”
“It is Nick Van Wolter.”
“Nick!” exclaimed the colonel, with a frown.
“Yes, sir, it is Nick, otherwise Lord Palsgrave,” laughed Waddie.
The colonel was anxious to learn the particulars of the capture of
the robbers, and Waddie and I related the adventures of the day. I
delivered to him the package of money found in Nick’s trunk, which had
been intrusted to me by the constable.
“You have had a stirring time of it,” said Colonel Wimpleton, when we
had finished. “I have been in Ucayga all day, and did not know what
was going on. I had not been in the house an hour when you came. I had
considerable difficulty in raising the money to pay my note.”
“Have you seen Major Toppleton?” I asked, though it required some
courage to ask the question, for I dreaded another explosion.
“Seen him! No!” replied Colonel Wimpleton, rising hastily from his
chair, and beginning to march up and down the library. “I have heard
from him, though. He was at Ucayga this morning, raising money, to
prevent me, I firmly believe, from getting what I wanted. There was
almost a panic in money matters at Ucayga to-day. Toppleton got all
he wanted, and came down by the ten o’clock train, and everybody was
short by the time I arrived, But I raised the money, and paid my note.
He came over to see me, after his return, I learn,--to apologize, I
suppose, for his shabby conduct. He wanted to see me very much, I am
told.”
“Perhaps he came over to bring you the money you wanted,” I suggested,
very mildly.
“Not he!” sneered the colonel, determined to put the worst possible
construction on the actions of his former rival.
After a longer experience of human life than I had at that time, I am
satisfied that it is always the safest way to credit other people,
especially friends, with good intentions. Those who believe that others
mean well are seldom disappointed; and it is equally certain that those
who do not believe others mean well, as seldom fail to realize their
expectations. The very want of trust and confidence in others begets
suspicion and evil dealing, while most people are ashamed to fall below
what others give them credit for.
“Toppleton is not the man I took him for,” added the colonel, after
pacing the room for a time in silence. “As soon as practicable, Wolf,
our boat must go through from Hitaca to Ucayga.”
“Don’t do that, father,” interposed Waddie, as much alarmed as I was.
“It shall be done, Waddie. We can take all the through travel on the
lake, and I shall no longer put money into Toppleton’s pocket.”
“But, father, you judge Major Toppleton too harshly.”
“No, I don’t. When I go to a friend in such an emergency as that of
this morning, I do not like to have him make excuses, and put me off,”
replied the colonel, bitterly.
“We must bear and forbear, at least until we know what others mean.”
“So Wolf says; but I don’t want to hear any such stuff,” added the
magnate, angrily.
It was useless to say anything more, and Waddie had the good sense to
hold his peace. We left the room together, and, tired as we both were,
we could not separate for the night till we had thoroughly considered
the perilous situation.
“I think myself it was rather shabby of the major to leave my father in
the lurch, after what had happened,” said Waddie.
“So it was, if he did leave him in the lurch; but we must hear the
other side of the story. It appears that Major Toppleton came over to
see your father this forenoon, after he had been to Ucayga to raise
money.”
“My father is rather hasty in his conclusions sometimes, and I hope the
major will be able to explain his conduct.”
“It is doubtful whether he obtains an opportunity to explain,” I added.
“We must be peacemakers again, Wolf.”
“We can’t do much in an affair of this kind. I think, if your father
had waited a little longer this morning, instead of leaving Middleport
without seeing the major, all would have been well.”
“Let us hope for the best, Wolf; and in the mean time don’t say a word
about breaking the union to any one.”
I promised to keep still, and we separated. I went home, crossing the
lake in the Belle; but, in spite of the good fortune which had attended
our efforts in the pursuit of the robbers, I had not been so sad for
many a day.