A KNOCK AT THE DOOR
Alvin easily caught the swing of the bass and sang when the chorus was
reached. Mike barely touched the keys, bringing out a few faint chords
that could not add to the sweetness of his voice. Mrs. Friestone sat
motionless, looking intently at him until he came to the last words. Then
she abruptly took off her glasses and put her handkerchief to her eyes.
The sweet long ago! Again she saw the handsome, sturdy youth when he
returned from the war for the defence of his country, as brave, as
resolute, as aflame with patriotism as in his earlier years, but with
frame wrenched by painful wounds. Their lives were inexpressibly happy
from the time she became a bride, and their maturer age was blessed by
the gift of darling Nora. Existence became one grand sweet dream--more
happy, more radiant and more a foretaste of what awaited them all in the
great beyond. That loved form had vanished in the sweet long ago, but the
memory could never fade or grow dim.
It was the song that brought back the picture with a vividness it had not
worn for many a year. The tears would come, and Nora, glancing at her
mother, buried her face in her own handkerchief and sobbed. Alvin and
Chester sat silent, and Mike, turning gently on the stool, looked
sympathetically at mother and daughter.
"Thank you, Mike," came a soft, choking voice from behind the snowy bit
of linen, and the brave lad winked rapidly and fought back the tears that
crowded into his honest eyes.
It was not strange that the effect of Mike Murphy's beautiful singing of
the touching songs brooded like a benison throughout the evening. Even
Nora, when asked to favor them again, shook her head.
"Not after Mike," she replied, her eyes gleaming more brightly through
the moisture not yet dried.
It was impossible for the Irish lad to restrain his humor, and soon he
had them all smiling, but there was no loud laughter such as greeted his
first sallies, and the conversation as a whole was soberer and more
thoughtful. Alvin and Chester told of their school experiences, and
finally Mike related his adventure when marooned on the lonely island
well out toward the Atlantic and his friends found him after they had
given him up as drowned.
So the evening wore away until, at a seasonable hour, the head of the
household said that when they wished to retire she would show them to
their room. Just then Mike had his hand over his mouth in the effort to
repress a yawn. Nora laughingly pointed at him.
"In a few minutes he'll be asleep and will tumble off his chair."
"I'm afeard ye're right, as I replied to me tacher whin he obsarved that
I was the biggest numskull in Tipperary County. Come, Captain and sicond
mate--ye won't forgit, Miss Nora, that I'm _first_ mate of the battleship
_Deerfut_."
The girl went to the kitchen from which she speedily returned, carrying a
hand lamp, which she gave to her mother. She nodded to the lads, who
followed her to the door of the apartment assigned them for the night.
They entered behind her as she set the light on the stand and turned
about.
"I think you will find everything as you wish."
"It couldn't be itherwise, whin it's yersilf that has provided the same.
Be that token, we're getting more than we desarve."
"Nothing could be finer," added Alvin, glancing round the lighted room.
"It's as neat as a pin and we shall sleep the sleep of the just."
The three had noticed when in the parlor the portrait suspended in the
place of honor. The blue uniform, the military cap resting on one knee,
and the strong, expressive face told their own story. It was the picture
of Captain Carter Friestone, taken many a year before, when in the flush
of his patriotic young manhood. A smaller picture was on the wall of the
bedroom of mother and daughter.
The chamber which the lads entered was graced with two small, inexpensive
pictures of a religious character, a pretty rug covered most of the
floor, the walls were tastefully papered and there were several chairs,
to say nothing of the mirror, stand and other conveniences.
Not only was the broad bed with its snowy counterpane and downy pillows
roomy enough for two, but a wide cot had been placed on the other side of
the neat little room for whoever chose to sleep upon it.
That which caught the eye of the three was a musket leaning in the far
corner. Chester stepped across, and asking permission of Mrs. Friestone,
picked it up and brought it over to where the light was stronger. He saw
it was a Springfield rifle, but the lock and base of the barrel were torn
into gaping rents.
"I suppose this belonged to the captain," said Chester inquiringly. The
widow nodded her head.
"And it did good service--that is certain," added Chester, with his
companions beside him scrutinizing the weapon. "But it seems to have been
injured."
She smiled faintly.
"Carter brought it home from the war, declaring it was better than when
new. He put a double charge in one Fourth of July morning, forgetting
that the weapon was much worn from many previous firings. It exploded at
the lock and came very near killing him. But," she added, with a sigh,
"it is very precious to me."
"I am sure of that," said Chester as he reverently carried the gun back
to the corner.
The good woman kissed each lad on the forehead. When she thus saluted
Mike, who was the last, she placed her thin hand on his head, and said
with infinite tenderness:
"I thank you for what you did to-night."
"I beg ye don't mintion it----"
Mike stopped abruptly, and pretending to see something interesting in the
old rifle, hurried across the room to examine it more closely.
"Good night and pleasant dreams," called the lady as she passed out,
noiselessly closing the door behind her.
It having been agreed that Mike should use the cot, the three prepared
for retiring, the mind of each full of the experience of the evening.
Both Alvin and Chester wished to speak of the extraordinary voice of
Mike, but neither did, for they knew he would prefer they should not. He
could not help knowing how greatly he had been favored by nature, and
disliked any reminder.
The wick of the lamp was turned down and blown out by Alvin, after
glancing around and noting that his companions were ready. Through the
raised window, opening over a broad alley, the cool wind stole. It so
came about that for several days and nights, including the one of which I
am now speaking, the leading cities of the country, embracing even
Boston, were suffering from one of the most intense heat waves that ever
swept like a furnace blast over most of the States in the Union. But in
favored southern Maine it was ideally cool. You could stand a thin
covering at night, or you could cast it aside. You were equally
comfortable in either situation.
Our young friends ought to have sunk into a sound sleep within a few
minutes after lying down, but they did not. Something was on their minds,
and the singular fact of it was that the thoughts of each were
identically the same, though as yet not a hint had been dropped by
anyone.
It was Mike who abruptly spoke:
"I say, Captain, are ye aslaap?"
"I ought to be, but I was never wider awake."
"How about the second mate?"
"The same here," was the reply from that individual.
"I wish to obsarve that I'm engaged just now in thinking, byes."
"Thinking of what?" asked Alvin.
"'Spose them post office robbers should pay this place a visit."
"What in the world put that in your head?"
"Didn't the same thought come to ye, Captain?"
"I must admit it did."
"And how is it with the second mate?"
"It has troubled me, too, Mike."
"But I can see no real cause for misgiving," added Alvin.
"We know the _Water Witch_ is somewhere in the neighborhood," remarked
Chester, to which his chum replied:
"What could attract them to a small office like this? They hunt for
bigger game."
"There's a good lot of money in the safe downstairs," said Mike. "'Twas
mesilf that obsarved one of the leddy's callers gave her twinty-five
hundred dollars, which she put away. Where could the spalpeens make a
bigger haul?"
"But how should they know about it? They didn't see it done," said Alvin.
"Hist, now! From what me eyes told me, the same being anither chap called
and would have lift more, had he not been afeard of me eagle eye that was
on him."
"What of that?"
"Doesn't it show that it's the practice in Beartown wid some of them as
has lots of money to lave the same wid the leddy? Thim chaps are prying
round and it would be aisy fur 'em to larn the fact."
"We should have seen something of them if they were in this village."
Alvin felt the weakness of this statement, for such unwelcome visitors
would be too shrewd to expose themselves to discovery when it was
possible to avoid it. All three might have been in Beartown for hours
without drawing attention to themselves and without giving Mike, during
his earlier visit, a glimpse of them.
Speculating in this manner, Alvin and Mike came to the belief, or rather
hope, that their good friend was in no danger of a burglarious visit.
Chester would not be convinced, but expressed the hope that they were
right.
"I shall make bold to remind Mrs. Friestone in the morning of the risk
she runs and advise her to cease accepting any outside deposits."
Chester was the last to fall asleep. It was a long time before he sank
into slumber, but by and by he glided into the realm of dreams. He had no
means of knowing how long he lay unconscious, when he gradually became
aware of a peculiar tapping somewhere near. A moment's listening told him
that someone was knocking on the door.