The House of a Thousand Candles
Page 169"It was mutual!" declared my grandfather. "I never
believed your story at all,-you were too perfect in the
part!"
"Well, I didn't greatly mind the valet business; it
helped to hide my identity; and I did like the humor
and whims of Mr. Glenarm. The housekeeping, after
we came out here, wasn't so pleasant"-he looked at his
hands ruefully-"but this joke of Mr. Glenarm's making
a will and then going to Egypt to see what would
happen,-that was too good to miss. And when the
heir arrived I found new opportunities of practising
amateur theatricals; and Pickering's efforts to enlist
me in his scheme for finding the money and making me
rich gave me still greater opportunities. There were
times when I was strongly tempted to blurt the whole
ghost in the wall; and if Mr. Glenarm hadn't got here
just as he did I should have stopped the fight and
proclaimed the truth. I hope," he said, turning to
me, "you have no hard feelings, sir." And he threw
into the "sir" just a touch of irony that made us all
roar.
"I'm certainly glad I'm not dead," declared my grandfather,
staring at Bates. "Life is more fun than I ever
thought possible. Bless my soul!" he said, "if it isn't a
shame that Bates can never cook another omelette for
me!"
We sent Bates back with my grandfather from the
boat-house, and Stoddard, Larry and I started across the
ice; the light coating of snow made walking comparatively
Their plan was to take an accommodation train at the
first station beyond Annandale, leave it at a town forty
miles away, and then hurry east to an obscure place in
the mountains of Virginia, where a religious order
maintained a house. There Stoddard promised Larry
asylum and no questions asked.
We left the lake and struck inland over a rough country
road to the station, where Stoddard purchased tickets
only a few minutes before the train whistled.
We stood on the lonely platform, hands joined to
hands, and I know not what thoughts in our minds and
hearts.
"We've met and we've said good-by in many odd corners
of this strange old world," said Larry, "and God
"But you must stay in America-there must be no
sea between us!" I declared.
"Donovan's sins don't seem heinous to me! It's simply
that they've got to find a scapegoat,"-and Stoddard's
voice was all sympathy and kindness. "It will
blow over in time, and Donovan will become an enlightened
and peaceable American citizen."
There was a constraint upon us all at this moment of
parting-so many things had happened that day-and
when men have shared danger together they are bound
by ties that death only can break. Larry's effort at
cheer struck a little hollowly upon us.