the filigree ball-第11部分

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for　the　nonce　quiescent？　　This　seemed　a　wise　suggestion　and　I
decided　to　adopt　it；　comforting　myself　with　the　thought　that　if
after　a　day　or　two　of　modest　waiting　I　failed　in　obtaining　what　I
wished；　I　could　then　appeal　to　the　lieutenant　of　my　own　precinct。
He；　I　had　sometimes　felt　assured；　did　not　regard　me　with　an
altogether　unfavorable　eye。

Meantime　I　spent　all　my　available　time　in　loitering　around　newspaper
offices　and　picking　up　such　stray　bits　of　gossip　as　were　offered。
As　no　question　had　yet　been　raised　of　any　more　serious　crime　than
suicide；　these　mostly　related　to　the　idiosyncrasies　of　the　Moore
family　and　the　solitary　position　into　which　Miss　Tuttle　had　been
plunged　by　this　sudden　death　of　her　only　relative。　　As　this　beautiful
and　distinguished　young　woman　had　been　and　still　was　a　great　belle
in　her　special　circle；　her　present　homeless；　if　not　penniless；
position　led　to　many　surmises。　　Would　she　marry；　and；　if　so；　to
which　of　the　many　wealthy　or　prominent　men　who　had　openly　courted
her　would　she　accord　her　hand？　　In　the　present　egotistic　state　of
my　mind　I　secretly　flattered　myself　that　I　was　right　in　concluding
that　she　would　say　yes　to　no　man's　entreaty　till　a　certain　newly…made
widower's　year　of　mourning　had　expired。

But　this　opinion　received　something　of　a　check　when　in　a　quiet　talk
with　a　reporter　I　learned　that　it　was　openly　stated　by　those　who
had　courage　to　speak　that　the　tie　which　had　certainly　existed　at　one
time　between　Mr。　Jeffrey　and　the　handsome　Miss　Tuttle　had　been
entirely　of　her　own　weaving；　and　that　the　person　of　Veronica　Moore；
rather　than　the　large　income　she　commanded；　had　been　the　attractive
power　which　had　led　him　away　from　the　older　sister。　　This　seemed
improbable；　for　the　charms　of　the　poor　little　bride　were　not　to　be
compared　with　those　of　her　maturer　sister。　　Yet；　as　we　all　know；
there　are　other　attractions　than　those　offered　by　beauty。　　I　have
since　heard　it　broadly　stated　that　the　peculiar　twitch　of　the　lip
observable　in　all　the　Moores　had　proved　an　irresistible　charm　in
the　unfortunate　Veronica；　making　her　a　radiant　image　when　she
laughed。　　This　was　by　no　means　a　rare　occurrence；　so　they　said；
before　the　fancy　took　her　to　be　married　in　the　ill…starred　home　of
her　ancestors。

The　few　lines　of　attempted　explanation　which　she　had　left　behind
for　her　husband　seemed　to　impose　on　no　one。　　To　those　who　knew　the
young　couple　well　it　was　an　open　proof　of　her　insanity；　to　those
who　knew　them　slightly；　as　well　as　to　the　public　at　large；　it　was
a　woman's　way　of　expressing　the　disappointment　she　felt　in　her
husband。

That　I　might　the　more　readily　determine　which　of　these　two　theories
had　the　firmest　basis　in　fact；　I　took　advantage　of　an　afternoon
off　and　slipped　away　to　Alexandria；　where；　I　had　been　told；　Mr。
Jeffrey　had　courted　his　bride。　　I　wanted　a　taste　of　local　gossip；
you　see；　and　I　got　it。　　The　air　was　fully　charged　with　it；　and　being
careful　not　to　rouse　antagonism　by　announcing　myself　a　detective；　I
readily　picked　up　many　small　facts。　　Brought　into　shape　and　arranged
in　the　form　of　a　narrative；　the　result　was　as　follows：

John　Judson　Moore；　the　father　of　Veronica；　had　fewer　oddities　than
the　other　members　of　this　eccentric　family。　　It　was　thought；　however；
that　he　had　shown　some　strain　of　the　peculiar　independence　of　his
race　when；　in　selecting　a　wife；　he　let　his　choice　fall　on　a　widow
who　was　not　only　encumbered　with　a　child；　but　who　was　generally
regarded　as　the　plainest　woman　in　Virginia　…　he　who　might　have　had
the　pick　of　Southern　beauty。　　But　when　in　the　course　of　time　this
despised　woman　proved　to　be　the　possessor　of　those　virtues　and
social　graces　which　eminently　fitted　her　to　conduct　the　large
establishment　of　which　she　had　been　made　mistress；　he　was　forgiven
his　lack　of　taste。　　Little　more　was　said　of　his　peculiarities　until；
his　wife　having　died　and　his　child　proved　weakly；　he　made　the　will
in　his　brother's　favor　which　has　since　given　that　gentleman　such
deep　satisfaction；。

Why　this　proceeding　should　have　been　so　displeasing　to　their　friends
report　says　not；　but　that　it　was　so；　is　evident　from　the　fact　that
great　rejoicing　took　place　on　all　sides　when　Veronica　suddenly
developed　into　a　healthy　child　and　the　probability　of　David　Moore's
inheriting　the　coveted　estate　decreased　to　a　minimum。　　It　was　not　a
long　rejoicing；　however；　for　John　Judson　followed　his　wife　to　the
grave　before　Veronica　had　reached　her　tenth　year；　leaving　her　and
her　half…sister；　Cora；　to　the　guardianship　of　a　crabbed　old　bachelor
who　had　been　his　father's　lawyer。　　This　lawyer　was　morose　and
peevish；　but　he　was　never　positively　unkind。　　For　two　years　the
sisters　seemed　happy　enough　when；　suddenly　and　somewhat　peremptorily；
they　were　separated；　Veronica　being　sent　to　a　western　school；　where
she　remained；　seemingly　without　a　single　visit　east；　till　she　was
seventeen。　　During　this　long　absence　Miss　Tuttle　resided　in
Washington；　developing　under　masters　into　an　accomplished　woman。
Veronica's　guardian；　severe　in　his　treatment　of　the　youthful　owner
of　the　large　fortune　of　which　he　had　been　made　sole　executor；　was
unexpectedly　generous　to　the　penniless　sister；　hoping；　perhaps；　in
his　close；　peevish　old　heart；　that　the　charms　and　acquired　graces
of　this　lovely　woman　would　soon　win　for　her　a　husband　in　the
brilliant　set　in　which　she　naturally　found　herself。

But　Cora　Tuttle　was　not　easy　to　please；　and　the　first　men　of
Washington　came　and　went　before　her　eyes　without　awakening　in　her
any　special　interest　till　she　met　Francis　Jeffrey；　who　stole　her
heart　with　a　look。

Those　who　remember　her　that　winter　say　that　under　his　influence
she　developed　from　a　handsome　woman　into　a　lovely　one。　　Yet　no
engagement　was　announced；　and　society　was　wondering　what　held
Francis　Jeffrey　back　from　so　great　a　prize；　when　Veronica　Moore
came　home；　and　the　question　was　forever　answered。

Veronica　was　now　nearly　eighteen；　and　during　her　absence　had
blossomed　into　womanhood。　　She　was　not　as　beautiful　as　her　sister；
but　she　had　a　bright　and　pleasing　expression　with　enough　spice　in
her　temperament　to　rob　her　girlish　features　of　insipidity　and　make
her　conversation　witty；　if　not　brilliant。　　Yet　when　Francis　Jeffrey
turned　his　attentions　from　Miss　Tuttle　and　fixed　them　without
reserve；　or　seeming　shame；　upon　this　pretty　butterfly；　but　one
term　could　be　found　to　characterize　the　proceeding；　and　that　was；
fortune　hunting。　　Of　small　but　settled　income；　he　had　hitherto　shown
a　certain　contentment　with　his　condition　calculated　to　inspire
respect　and　make　his　attentions　to　Miss　Tuttle　seem　both　consistent
and　appropriate。　　But　no　sooner　did　Veronica's　bright　eyes　appear
than　he　fell　at　the　young　heiress'　feet　and　pressed　his　suit　so
close　and　fast　that　in　two　months　they　were　engaged　and　at　the　end
of　the　half…year；　married　…　with　the　disastrous　consequences　just
made　known。

So　much　for　the　general　gossip　of　the　town。　　Now　for　the　special。

A　certain　gentleman；　whom　it　is　unnecessary　to　name；　had　been　present
at　one　critical　instant　in　the　lives　of　these　three　persons。　　He　was
not　a　scandalmonger；　and　if　everything　had　gone　on　happily；　if
Veronica　had　lived　and　Cora　settled　down　into　matrimony；　he　would
never　have　mentioned　what　he　heard　and　saw　one　night　in　the　great
drawing…room　of　a　hotel　in　Atlantic　City。

It　was　at　the　time　when　the　engagement　was　first　announced　between
Jeffrey　and　the　young　heiress。　　This　and　his　previous　attentions　to
Cora　had　made　much　talk；　both　in　Washington　and　elsewhere；　and　there
were　not　lacking　those　who　had　openly　twitted　him　for　his　seeming
inconstancy。　　This　had　been　over　the　cups　of　course；　and　Jeffrey
had　borne　it　well　enough　from　his　so…called　friends　and　intimates。
But　when；　on　a　certain　evening　in　the　parlor　of　one　of　the　large
hotels　in　Atlantic　City；　a　fellow　whom　nobody　knew　and　nobody　liked
accused　him　of　knowing　on　which　side　his　bread　was　buttered；　and
that　certainly　it　was　not　on　the　side　of　beauty　and　superior
attainments；　Jeffrey　got　angry。　　Heedless　of　who　might　be　within
hearing；　he　spoke　up　very　plainly　in　these　words：　〃You　are　all　of　a
kind；　rank　money…worshipers　and　self…seeker；　or　you　would　not　be　so
ready　to　see　greed　in　my　admiration　for　Miss　Moore。　　Disagreeable
as　I　find　it　to　air　my　sentiments　in　this　public　manner；　yet　since
you　provoke　me　to　it；　I　will　say　once　and　for　all；　that　I　am　；deeply
in　love　with　Miss　Moore；　and　that　it　is　for　this　reason　only　I　am
going　to　marry　her。　　Were　she　the　penniless　girl　her　sister　is；　and
Miss　Tuttle　the　proud　possessor　of　the　wealth　which；　in　；your　eyes；
confers　such　distinction　upon　Miss　Moore；　you　would　still　see　me　at
the　latter's　feet；　and　at　hers　only。　　Miss　Tuttle's　charms　are　not
potent　enough　to　hold　the　heart　which　has　once　been　fixed　by　her
sister's　smile。〃

This　was　pointed　enough；　certainly；　but　when　at　the　conclusion　of
his　words　a　tall　figure　rose　from　a　year　corner　and　Cora　Tuttle
passed　the　amazed　group　with　a　bow；　I　dare　warrant　that　not　one　of
the　men　composing　it　but　wished　himself　a　hundred　miles　away。

Jeffrey　himself　was　chagrined；　and　made　a　move　to　follow　the　woman
he　had　so　publicly　scorned；　but　the　look　she　cast　back　at　him　was
one　to　remember；　and　he　hesitated。　　What　was　there　left　for　him　to
say；　or　even　to　do？　　The　avowal　had　been　made　in　all　its　bald
frankness　and　nothing　could　alter　it。　　As　for　her；　she　behaved
beautifully；　and　by　no　word　or　look；　so　far　as　the　world　knew；　ever
showed　that　her　woman's　pride；　if　not　her　heart；　had　been　cut　to
the　quick；　by　the　one　man　she　adored。

With　this　incident　filling　my　mind；　I　returned　to　Washington。　　I
had　acquainted　myself　with　the　open　facts　of　this　family's　history；
but　what　of　its　inner　life？　　Who　knew　it？　　Did　any　one？　　Even　the
man　who　confided　to　me　the　contretemps　in　the　hotel　parlor　could　not
be　sure　what　underlay　Mr。　Jeffrey's　warm　advocacy　of　the　woman　he
had　elected　to　marry。　　He　could　not　even　be　certain　that　he　had
really　understood　the　feeling　shown　by　Cora　Tuttle　when　she　heard
the　man；　who　had　once　lavished　attentions　on　her；　express　in　this
public　manner　a　preference　for　her　sister。　　A　woman　has　great
aptness