"It has sometimes even seemed to me that our Heavenly Father has a special objection to ladies," she had once timorously confessed to Tembarom."I suppose it is because we are so much weaker than men, and so much more given to vanity and petty vices."He had caught her in his arms and actually hugged her that time.Their intimacy had reached the point where the affectionate outburst did not alarm her.
"Say!" he had laughed."It's not the men who are going to have the biggest pull with the authorities when folks try to get into the place where things are evened up.What I'm going to work my passage with is a list of the few 'ladies' I've known.You and Ann will be at the head of it.I shall just slide it in at the box-office window and say, 'Just look over this, will you? These were friends of mine, and they were mighty good to me.I guess if they didn't turn me down, you needn't.I know they're in here.Reserved seats.I'm not expecting to be put with them but if I'm allowed to hang around where they are that'll be heaven enough for me.'""I know you don't mean to be irreverent, dear Temple," she gasped."Iam quite sure you don't! It is--it is only your American way of expressing your kind thoughts.And of course"--quite hastily--"the Almighty must understand Americans--as he made so many." And half frightened though she was, she patted his arm with the warmth of comfort in her soul and moisture in her eyes.Somehow or other, he was always so comforting.
He held her arm as they took their walk.She had become used to that also, and no longer thought it odd.It was only one of the ways he had of making her feel that she was being taken care of.They had not been able to have many walks together since the arrival of the visitors, and this occasion was at once a cause of relief and inward rejoicing.
The entire truth was that she had not been altogether happy about him of late.Sometimes, when he was not talking and saying amusing New York things which made people laugh, he seemed almost to forget where he was and to be thinking of something which baffled and tried him.
The way in which he pulled himself together when he realized that any one was looking at him was, to her mind, the most disturbing feature of his fits of abstraction.It suggested that if he really had a trouble it was a private one on which he would not like her to intrude.Naturally, her adoring eyes watched him oftener than he knew, and she tried to find plausible and not too painful reasons for his mood.He always made light of his unaccustomedness to his new life;but perhaps it made him feel more unrestful than he would admit.
As they walked through the park and the village, her heart was greatly warmed by the way in which each person they met greeted him.They greeted no one else in the same way, and yet it was difficult to explain what the difference was.They liked him-- really liked him, though how he had overcome their natural distrust of his newsboy and bootblack record no one but himself knew.In fact, she had reason to believe that even he himself did not know--had indeed never asked himself.They had gradually begun to like him, though none of them had ever accused him of being a gentleman according to their own acceptance of the word.Every man touched his cap or forehead with a friendly grin which spread itself the instant he caught sight of him.
Grin and salute were synchronous.It was as if there were some extremely human joke between them.Miss Alicia had delightedly remembered a remark the Duke of Stone had made to her on his return from one of their long drives.
"He is the most popular man in the county," he had chuckled."If war broke out and he were in the army, he could raise a regiment at his own gates which would follow him wheresoever he chose to lead it--if it were into hottest Hades."Tembarom was rather silent during the first part of their walk, and when he spoke it was of Captain Palliser.
"He's a fellow that's got lots of curiosity.I guess he's asked you more questions than he's asked me," he began at last, and he looked at her interestedly, though she was not aware of it.
"I thought--" she hesitated slightly because she did not wish to be critical--"I sometimes thought he asked me too many.""What was he trying to get on to mostly?"
"He asked so many things about you and your life in New York--but more, I think, about you and Mr.Strangeways.He was really quite persistent once or twice about poor Mr.Strangeways.""What did he ask?"
"He asked if I had seen him, and if you had preferred that I should not.He calls him your Mystery, and thinks your keeping him here is so extraordinary.""I guess it is--the way he'd look at it," Tembarom dropped in.
"He was so anxious to find out what he looked like.He asked how old he was and how tall, and whether he was quite mad or only a little, and where you picked him up, and when, and what reason you gave for not putting him in some respectable asylum.I could only say that Ireally knew nothing about him, and that I hadn't seen him because he had a dread of strangers and I was a little timid."She hesitated again.
"I wonder," she said, still hesitating even after her pause, "I wonder if I ought to mention a rather rude thing I saw him do twice?""Yes, you ought," Tembarom answered promptly; "I've a reason for wanting to know.""It was such a singular thing to do--in the circumstances," she went on obediently."He knew, as we all know, that Mr.Strangeways must not be disturbed.One afternoon I saw him walk slowly backward and forward before the west room window.He had something in his hand and kept looking up.That was what first attracted my attention--his queer way of looking up.Quite suddenly he threw something which rattled on the panes of glass--it sounded like gravel or small pebbles.I couldn't help believing he thought Mr.Strangeways would be startled into coming to the window."Tembarom cleared his throat.