And DAMAGES, said the young girl, readdressing her parasol, as if she had never looked up.
The Colonel winced. Anderundoubtedly COMPENSATIONif you do not press a fulfillment of the promise. Unless, he said, with an attempted return to his former easy gallantry, which, however, the recollection of her eyes made difficult, it is a question oferthe affections.
Which? asked his fair client softly.
If you still love him? explained the Colonel, actually blushing.
Zaidee again looked up; again taking the Colonels breath away with eyes that expressed not only the fullest perception of what he had SAID, but of what he thought and had not said, and with an added subtle suggestion of what he might have thought. Thats tellin, she said, dropping her long lashes again.
The Colonel laughed vacantly. Then feeling himself growing imbecile, he forced an equally weak gravity. Pardon meI understand there are no letters; may I know the way in which he formulated his declaration and promises?
Hymn-books.
I beg your pardon, said the mystified lawyer.
Hymn-booksmarked words in them with penciland passed em on to me, repeated Zaidee. Like love, dear, precious, sweet, and blessed, she added, accenting each word with a push of her parasol on the carpet. Sometimes a whole line outer Tate and Bradyand Solomons Song, you know, and sich.
I believe, said the Colonel loftily, that theerphrases of sacred psalmody lend themselves to the language of the affections. But in regard to the distinct promise of marriagewas thereerno OTHER expression?
Marriage Service in the prayer-booklines and words outer thatall marked, Zaidee replied.
The Colonel nodded naturally and approvingly. Very good. Were others cognizant of this? Were there any witnesses?
Of course not, said the girl. Only me and him. It was generally at church-timeor prayer-meeting. Once, in passing the plate, he slipped one o them peppermint lozenges with the letters stamped on it I love you for me to take.
The Colonel coughed slightly. And you have the lozenge?
I ate it.
Ah, said the Colonel. After a pause he added delicately, But were these attentionserconfined toersacred precincts? Did he meet you elsewhere?
Useter pass our house on the road, returned the girl, dropping into her monotonous recital, and useter signal.
Ah, signal? repeated the Colonel approvingly.
Yes! Hed say Keerow, and Id say Keeree. Suthing like a bird, you know.
Indeed, as she lifted her voice in imitation of the call, the Colonel thought it certainly very sweet and birdlike. At least as SHE gave it. With his remembrance of the grim deacon he had doubts as to the melodiousness of HIS utterance. He gravely made her repeat it.
And after that signal? he added suggestively.
Hed pass on.
The Colonel again coughed slightly, and tapped his desk with his penholder.
Were there any endearmentsercaressesersuch as taking your handerclasping your waist? he suggested, with a gallant yet respectful sweep of his white hand and bowing of his head; erslight pressure of your fingers in the changes of a danceI mean, he corrected himself, with an apologetic coughin the passing of the plate?
No; he was not what youd call fond, returned the girl.
Ah! Adoniram K. Hotchkiss was not fond in the ordinary acceptance of the word, noted the Colonel, with professional gravity.
She lifted her disturbing eyes, and again absorbed his in her own. She also said Yes, although her eyes in their mysterious prescience of all he was thinking disclaimed the necessity of any answer at all. He smiled vacantly. There was a long pause. On which she slowly disengaged her parasol from the carpet pattern, and stood up.
I reckon thats about all, she said.
Eryesbut one moment, began the Colonel vaguely. He would have liked to keep her longer, but with her strange premonition of him he felt powerless to detain her, or explain his reason for doing so. He instinctively knew she had told him all; his professional judgment told him that a more hopeless case had never come to his knowledge. Yet he was not daunted, only embarrassed. No matter, he said. Of course I shall have to consult with you again.
Her eyes again answered that she expected he would, and she added simply, When?
In the course of a day or two; he replied quickly. I will send you word.
She turned to go. In his eagerness to open the door for her, he upset his chair, and with some confusion, that was actually youthful, he almost impeded her movements in the hall, and knocked his broad-brimmed Panama hat from his bowing hand in a final gallant sweep. Yet as her small, trim, youthful figure, with its simple Leghorn straw hat confined by a blue bow under her round chin, passed away before him, she looked more like a child than ever.
The Colonel spent that afternoon in making diplomatic inquiries. He found his youthful client was the daughter of a widow who had a small ranch on the cross-roads, near the new Free-Will Baptist Churchthe evident theatre of this pastoral. They led a secluded life, the girl being little known in the town, and her beauty and fascination apparently not yet being a recognized fact. The Colonel felt a pleasurable relief at this, and a general satisfaction he could not account for. His few inquiries concerning Mr. Hotchkiss only confirmed his own impressions of the alleged lover,a serious-minded, practically abstracted man, abstentive of youthful society, and the last man apparently capable of levity of the affections or serious flirtation. The Colonel was mystified, but determined of purpose, whatever that purpose might have been.
The next day he was at his office at the same hour. He was aloneas usualthe Colonels office being really his private lodgings, disposed in connecting rooms, a single apartment reserved for consultation. He had no clerk, his papers and briefs being taken by his faithful body-servant and ex-slave Jim to another firm who did his office work since the death of Major Stryker, the Colonels only law partner, who fell in a duel some years previous. With a fine constancy the Colonel still retained his partners name on his doorplate, and, it was alleged by the superstitious, kept a certain invincibility also through the manes of that lamented and somewhat feared man.
The Colonel consulted his watch, whose heavy gold case still showed the marks of a providential interference with a bullet destined for its owner, and replaced it with some difficulty and shortness of breath in his fob. At the same moment he heard a step in the passage, and the door opened to Adoniram K. Hotchkiss. The Colonel was impressed; he had a duelists respect for punctuality.
The man entered with a nod and the expectant inquiring look of a busy man. As his feet crossed that sacred threshold the Colonel became all courtesy; he placed a chair for his visitor, and took his hat from his half reluctant hand. He then opened a cupboard and brought out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses.
Aerslight refreshment, Mr. Hotchkiss, he suggested politely.
I never drink, replied Hotchkiss, with the severe attitude of a total abstainer.
Ahernot the finest Bourbon whiskey, selected by a Kentucky friend? No? Pardon me! A cigar, thenthe mildest Havana.
I do not use tobacco nor alcohol in any form, repeated Hotchkiss ascetically. I have no foolish weaknesses.
I do not use tobacco nor alcohol in any form, repeated Hotchkiss ascetically. I have no foolish weaknesses.
The Colonels moist, beady eyes swept silently over his clients sallow face. He leaned back comfortably in his chair, and half closing his eyes as in dreamy reminiscence, said slowly: Your reply, Mr. Hotchkiss, reminds me ofersinglar circumstance thateroccurred, in point of factat the St. Charles Hotel, New Orleans. Pinkey Hornblowerpersonal friendinvited Senator Doolittle to join him in social glass. Received, singlarly enough, reply similar to yours. Dont drink nor smoke? said Pinkey. Gad, sir, you must be mighty sweet on the ladies. Ha! The Colonel paused long enough to allow the faint flush to pass from Hotchkisss cheek, and went on, half closing his eyes: I allow no man, sir, to discuss my personal habits, declared Doolittle, over his shirt collar. Then I reckon shootin must be one of those habits, said Pinkey coolly. Both men drove out on the Shell Road back of cemetery next morning. Pinkey put bullet at twelve paces through Doolittles temple. Poor Doo never spoke again. Left three wives and seven children, they saytwo of em black.
I got a note from you this morning, said Hotchkiss, with badly concealed impatience. I suppose in reference to our case. You have taken judgment, I believe.
The Colonel, without replying, slowly filled a glass of whiskey and water. For a moment he held it dreamily before him, as if still engaged in gentle reminiscences called up by the act. Then tossing it off, he wiped his lips with a large white handkerchief, and leaning back comfortably in his chair, said, with a wave of his hand, The interview I requested, Mr. Hotchkiss, concerns a subjectwhich I may say isererat present NOT of a public or business naturealthough LATER it might becomeererboth. It is an affair of someerdelicacy.
The Colonel paused, and Mr. Hotchkiss regarded him with increased impatience. The Colonel, however, continued, with unchanged deliberation: It concernserera young ladya beautiful, high-souled creature, sir, who, apart from her personal lovelinessererI may say is of one of the first families of Missouri, andernot remotely connected by marriage with one oferermy boyhoods dearest friends. The latter, I grieve to say, was a pure invention of the Colonelsan oratorical addition to the scanty information he had obtained the previous day. The young lady, he continued blandly, enjoys the further distinction of being the object of such attention from you as would make this interviewreallya confidential mattererer among friends andererrelations in present and future. I need not say that the lady I refer to is Miss Zaidee Juno Hooker, only daughter of Almira Ann Hooker, relict of Jefferson Brown Hooker, formerly of Boone County, Kentucky, and latterly oferPike County, Missouri.
The sallow, ascetic hue of Mr. Hotchkisss face had passed through a livid and then a greenish shade, and finally settled into a sullen red. Whats all this about? he demanded roughly.
The least touch of belligerent fire came into Starbottles eye, but his bland courtesy did not change. I believe, he said politely, I have made myself clear as betweenergentlemen, though perhaps not as clear as I should toererjury.
Mr. Hotchkiss was apparently struck with some significance in the lawyers reply. I dont know, he said, in a lower and more cautious voice, what you mean by what you call my attentions toany oneor how it concerns you. I have not exchanged half a dozen words withthe person you namehave never written her a linenor even called at her house.
He rose with an assumption of ease, pulled down his waistcoat, buttoned his coat, and took up his hat. The Colonel did not move.
I believe I have already indicated my meaning in what I have called your attentions, said the Colonel blandly, and given you my concern for speaking aserermutual friend. As to YOUR statement of your relations with Miss Hooker, I may state that it is fully corroborated by the statement of the young lady herself in this very office yesterday.
Then what does this impertinent nonsense mean? Why am I summoned here? demanded Hotchkiss furiously.
Because, said the Colonel deliberately, that statement is infamouslyyes, damnably to your discredit, sir!
Mr. Hotchkiss was here seized by one of those impotent and inconsistent rages which occasionally betray the habitually cautious and timid man. He caught up the Colonels stick, which was lying on the table. At the same moment the Colonel, without any apparent effort, grasped it by the handle. To Mr. Hotchkisss astonishment, the stick separated in two pieces, leaving the handle and about two feet of narrow glittering steel in the Colonels hand. The man recoiled, dropping the useless fragment. The Colonel picked it up, fitted the shining blade in it, clicked the spring, and then rising with a face of courtesy yet of unmistakably genuine pain, and with even a slight tremor in his voice, said gravely,
Mr. Hotchkiss, I owe you a thousand apologies, sir, thatera weapon should be drawn by meeven through your own inadvertenceunder the sacred protection of my roof, and upon an unarmed man. I beg your pardon, sir, and I even withdraw the expressions which provoked that inadvertence. Nor does this apology prevent you from holding me responsiblepersonally responsibleELSEWHERE for an indiscretion committed in behalf of a ladymyerclient.
Your client? Do you mean you have taken her case? You, the counsel for the Ditch Company? asked Mr. Hotchkiss, in trembling indignation.
Having won YOUR case, sir, replied the Colonel coolly, theerusages of advocacy do not prevent me from espousing the cause of the weak and unprotected.
We shall see, sir, said Hotchkiss, grasping the handle of the door and backing into the passage. There are other lawyers who
Permit me to see you out, interrupted the Colonel, rising politely.
will be ready to resist the attacks of blackmail, continued Hotchkiss, retreating along the passage.
And then you will be able to repeat your remarks to me IN THE STREET, continued the Colonel, bowing, as he persisted in following his visitor to the door.
But here Mr. Hotchkiss quickly slammed it behind him, and hurried away. The Colonel returned to his office, and sitting down, took a sheet of letter-paper bearing the inscription Starbottle and Stryker, Attorneys and Counselors, and wrote the following lines:
HOOKER versus HOTCHKISS.
DEAR MADAM,Having had a visit from the defendant in above, we should be pleased to have an interview with you at two P. M. to-morrow.
Your obedient servants,STARBOTTLE AND STRYKER.This he sealed and dispatched by his trusted servant Jim, and then devoted a few moments to reflection. It was the custom of the Colonel to act first, and justify the action by reason afterwards.
He knew that Hotchkiss would at once lay the matter before rival counsel. He knew that they would advise him that Miss Hooker had no casethat she would be nonsuited on her own evidence, and he ought not to compromise, but be ready to stand trial. He believed, however, that Hotchkiss feared such exposure, and although his own instincts had been at first against this remedy, he was now instinctively in favor of it. He remembered his own power with a jury; his vanity and his chivalry alike approved of this heroic method; he was bound by no prosaic factshe had his own theory of the case, which no mere evidence could gainsay. In fact, Mrs. Hookers admission that he was to tell the story in his own way actually appeared to him an inspiration and a prophecy.