the filigree ball-第31部分

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he　amused　himself　by　snatching　the　bouquet　from　the　other　boy　and
thrusting　it　in　through　the　crack；　to　the　very　great　detriment　of
its　roses　and　lilies。　　When　she　took　it　he　bawled　for　his　answer；
and　when　he　got　it；　he　stared　and　muttered　doubtfully　to　himself　as
he　worked　his　way　out　again　through　the　crowd；　which　by　this　time
was　beginning　to　choke　up　all　the　halls　and　stairways。

〃But　why　have　I　told　you　all　this　nonsense？〃　she　asked　quite　suddenly。
〃It　isn't　of　the　least　consequence　that　Veronica　Moore　kept　a　boy
waiting　at　her　door　while　she　dressed　herself　for　her　wedding；　but
it　shows　that　she　was　queer　even　then；　and　I　for　one　believe　in　the
theory　of　suicide；　and　in　that　alone；　and　in　the　excuse　she　gave　for
it；　too；　for　if　she　had　really　loved　Francis　Jeffrey　she　would　not
have　been　so　slow　to　take　in　the　magnificent　bouquet　he　had　provided
for　her。〃

But　comment；　even　from　those　who　had　known　these　people　well；　was
not　what　I　wanted　at　this　moment；　but　facts。　　So；　without　much
attention　to　these　words；　I　said：

〃You　will　excuse　me　if　I　suggest　that　you　are　going　on　too　fast。
The　door　of　the　bride's　room　has　just　been　shut　upon　the　boy　who
brought　her　a　message。　　When　was　it　opened　again？〃

〃Not　for　a　good　half…hour；　not　till　every　one　had　grown　nervous　and
Miss　Tuttle　and　one　or　two　of　her　most　intimate　friends　had　gone
more　than　once　to　her　door；　not；　in　fact；　till　the　hour　for　the
ceremony　had　come　and　gone　and　Mr。　Jeffrey　had　crossed　the　hall
twice　under　the　impression　that　she　was　ready　for　him。　　Then；　when
weariness　was　general　and　people　were　asking　what　kept　the　bride
and　how　much　longer　they　were　to　be　kept　waiting；　her　door　suddenly
opened　and　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　her　face　and　heard　her　ask　at
last　for　her　maid。　　O；　I　repeat　that　Veronica　Moore　was　not　all
right　that　day；　and　though　I　have　heard　no　one　comment　on　the　fact；
it　has　been　a　mystery　to　me　ever　since　why　she　gave　that　sudden
recoil　when　Francis　Jeffrey　took　her　hand　after　the　benediction。
It　was　not　timidity；　nor　was　it　fear；　for　she　did　not　know　till　a
minute　afterward　what　had　happened　in　the　house。　　Did　some　sudden
realization　of　what　she　had　done　in　marrying　a　man　whom　she
herself　declared　she　did　not　love　come　when　it　was　too　late？
What　do　you　think？〃

Miss　Freeman　had　forgotten　herself；　but　the　impetuosity　which　had
led　her　into　asking　my　opinion　made　her　forget　in　another　moment
that　she　had　done　so。　　And　when　in　my　turn　I　propounded　a　question
and　inquired　whether　she　ever　again　saw　the　boy　who　besieged　the
bride's　door　with　a　message；　she　graciously　replied：

〃The　boy；　let　me　see。　　Yes；　I　saw　him　twice；　once　in　a　back　hall
talking　earnestly　to　Mr。　Jeffrey；　and　secondly　at　the　carriage
door　just　before　the　bridal　party　rode　away。　　It　was　Mrs。　Jeffrey
who　was　talking　to　him　then；　and　I　wondered　to　see　him　look　so
pleased　when　everybody　in　and　about　the　house　was　pale　as　ashes。〃

〃Do　you　know　the　name　of　that　boy？〃　I　carelessly　inquired。

〃His　name？　　O　no。　　He　is　one　of　Raucher's　waiters；　the　curly…haired
one。　　You　see　him　everywhere；　but　I　don't　know　his　name。　　Do　you
flatter　yourself　that　he　can　tell　you　anything　that　other　people
don't　know？　　Why；　if　he　knew　the　least　thing　that　wasn't　in
everybody's　mouth；　you　would　have　heard　from　him　long　ago。　　Those
men　are　the　greatest　gossips　in　town〃　…　I　wonder　what　she　thought
of　herself；　…　〃and　so　proud　to　be　of　any　importance。〃　　This　was　true
enough；　though　I　did　not　admit　it　at　the　time；　and　when　the　interview
was　closed　and　I　went　away；　I　have　no　doubt　she　considered　me　quite
the　most　heavy　person　she　had　ever　met。　　But　this　did　not　disturb　me。
The　little　facts　she　had　stated　were　new　to　me　and；　repeating　my
former　method；　I　was　already　busy　arranging　them　in　my　mind。　　Witness
the　result：

1。　　The　ceremony　of　marriage　between　Francis　Jeffrey　and　Veronica
Moore　was　fully　three…quarters　of　an　hour　late。

2。　　This　was　owing　to　the　caprice　of　the　bride；　who　would　not　have
any　one　in　the　room　with　her；　not　even　her　maid。

3。　　The　bridal　bouquet　did　not　figure　in　the　ceremony。　　In　the　flurry
of　the　moment　it　was　forgotten　or　purposely　left　behind　by　the　bride。
As　this　bouquet　was　undoubtedly　the　gift　of　Mr。　Jeffrey；　the　fact
may　be　significant。

4。　　She　received　a　message　of　a　somewhat　peremptory　character　before
going　below。　　From　whom？　　Her　bridegroom？　　It　would　so　appear　from
the　character　of　the　message。

5。　　The　messenger　showed　great　astonishment　at　the　reply　he　was
given　to　carry　back。　　Yet　he　has　not　been　known　to　mention　the
matter。　　Why？　　When　every　one　talked　he　was　silent。　　Through　whose
influence？　　This　was　something　to　find　out。

6。　　Though　at　the　time　the　benediction　was　pronounced　every　one　was
in　a　state　of　alarm　except　the　bride；　it　was　noticed　that　she　gave
an　involuntary　recoil　when　her　bridegroom　stooped　for　the　customary
kiss。　　Why？　　Were　the　lines　of　her　last　farewell　true　then；　and　did
she　experience　at　that　moment　a　sudden　realization　of　her　lack　of
love？

7。　　She　did　not　go　again　upstairs；　but　very　soon　fled　from　the
house　with　the　rest　of　the　bridal　party。

Petty　facts；　all；　but　possibly　more　significant　than　appeared。　　I
made　up　my　mind　to　find　the　boy　who　brought　the　bouquet　and　also
the　one　who　carried　back　her　message。

But　here　a　surprise；　if　not　a　check；　awaited　me。　　The　florist's　boy
had　left　his　place　and　no　one　could　tell　where　he　had　gone。　　Neither
could　I　find　the　curly…haired　waiter　at　Raucher's。　　He　had　left　also；
but　it　was　to　join　the　volunteers　at　San　Antonio。

Was　there　meaning　in　this　coincidence？　　I　resolved　to　know。　　Visiting
the　former　haunts　of　both　boys；　I　failed　to　come　upon　any　evidence
of　an　understanding　between　them；　or　of　their　having　shown　any
special　interest　in　the　Jeffrey　tragedy。　　Both　seemed　to　have　been
strangely　reticent　in　regard　to　it；　the　florist's　boy　showing
stupidity　and　the　waiter　such　satisfaction　in　his　prospective
soldiering　that　no　other　topic　was　deemed　worthy　his　attention。　　The
latter　had　a　sister　and　she　could　not　say　enough　of　the　delight　her
brother　had　shown　at　the　prospect　of　riding　a　horse　again　and　of
fighting　in　such　good　company。　　He　had　had　some　experience　as　a
cowboy　before　coming　to　Washington；　and　from　the　moment　war　was
declared　had　expressed　his　intention　of　joining　the　recruits　for
Cuba　as　soon　as　he　could　see　her　so　provided　for　that　his　death　would
not　rob　her　of　proper　support。　　How　this　had　come　about　she　did　not
know。　　Three　weeks　before　he　had　been　in　despair　over　the　faint
prospect　of　doing　what　he　wished；　then　suddenly；　and　without　any
explanation　of　how　the　change　had　come　about；　he　had　rushed　in　upon
her　with　the　news　that　he　was　going　to　enlist　in　a　company　made　up
of　bronco　busters　and　rough　riders　from　the　West；　that　she　need　not
worry　about　herself　or　about　him；　for　he　had　just　put　five　hundred
dollars　to　her　account　in　bank；　and　that　as　for　himself　he　possessed
a　charmed　life　and　was　immune；　as　she　well　knew；　and　need　fear
bullets　no　more　than　the　fever。　　By　this　he　meant　that　he　had　had
yellow　fever　years　before　in　Louisiana；　and　that　a　ball　which　had
once　been　fired　at　him　had　gone　clean　through　his　body　without
taking　his　life。

〃What　was　the　date　of　the　evening　on　which　be　told　you　he　had　placed
money　in　bank　for　you？〃

〃April　the　twenty…ninth。〃

Two　days　after　the　Jeffrey…Moore　wedding！

Convinced　now　that　his　departure　from　town　was　something　more　than
a　coincidence；　I　pursued　my　inquiries　and　found　that　he　had　been
received；　just　as　she　had　said；　into　the　First　Volunteer　Corps　under
Colonel　Wood。　　This　required　influence。　　Whose　was　the　influence？
It　took　me　some　time　to　find　out；　but　after　many　and　various
attempts；　most　of　which　ended　in　failure；　I　succeeded　in　learning
that　the　man　who　had　worked　and　obtained　for　him　a　place　in　this
favored　corps　was　FRANCIS　JEFFREY。




XVIII

IN　THE　GRASS


I　did　some　tall　thinking　that　night。　　I　remembered　that　this　man　had
held　some　conversation　with　the　Jeffreys　at　their　carriage　door
previous　to　their　departure　from　the　Moore　house；　and　found　myself
compelled　to　believe　that　only　a　matter　of　importance　to　themselves
as　well　as　to　him　would　have　detained　them　at　such　a　minute。　　Oh；
that　Tampa　were　not　so　far　off　or　that　I　had　happened　on　this　clue
earlier！　　But　Tampa　was　at　that　moment　a　far　prospect　for　me　and　I
could　only　reason　from　such　facts　as　I　had　been　able　to　collect　in
Washington。

Fixing　my　mind　now　on　Mrs。　Jeffrey；　I　asked　the　cause　of　the　many
caprices　which　had　marked　her　conduct　on　her　wedding　morning。　　Why
had　she　persisted　in　dressing　alone；　and　what　occasioned　the
absorption　which　led　to　her　ignoring　all　appeals　at　her　door　at　a
time　when　a　woman　is　supposed　to　be　more　than　usually　gracious？　　But
one　answer　suggested　itself。　　Her　heart　was　not　in　her　marriage；　and
that　last　hour　of　her　maidenhood　had　been　an　hour　of　anguish　and
struggle。　　Perhaps　she　not　only　failed　to　love　Francis　Jeffrey；　but
loved　some　other　man。　　This　seemed　improbable；　but　things　as　strange
as　this　have　happened　in　our　complex　society　and　no　reckoning　can　be
made　with　a　woman's　fancy。　　If　this　was　so　…　and　what　other　theory
would　better　or　even　so　well　account　for　her　peculiar　behavior　both
then　and　afterward？　　The　hour　usually　given　by　brides　to　dress　and
gladsome　expectation　was　with　her　one　of　farewell　to　past　hopes　and
an　unfortunate；　if　not　passionate；　attachment。　　No　wonder　that　she
wished　to　be　alone。　　No　wonder　that　interruption　angered　her。
Perhaps　it　had　found　her　on　her　knees。　　Perhaps　…　　Here　I　felt
myself　seized　by　a　strong　and　sudden　excitement。　　I　remembered　the
filings　I　had　gathered　up　from　the　small　stand　by　the　window；　filings
which　had　glittered　and　which　must　have　been　of　gold。　　What　was　the
conclusion？　　In　this　last　hour　of　her　maiden　life　she　had　sought　to
rid　herself　of　some　article　of　jewelry　which　she　found　it　undesirable
to　carry　into　her　new　life。　　What　article　of　jewelry？　　In
consideration　of　the　circumstances　and　the　hour；　I　could　think　of
but　one。　　A　ring！　the　symbol　of　some　old　attachment。

The　slight　abrasion　at　the　base　of　her　third　finger；