CHAPTER XI.
THE HON. PARDON TIFFANY'S WARNING.
I learned the next day, from one of the negro policemen who had beencalled in, that the snake had got out of the room where I left him, andthat he had been found on the stair-rail, a floor below where I hadconfronted him. My informant told me he had killed him as he wascrawling along the rail, on his way down another flight.
"He was only tryin' to git away, sah," added the policeman. "Dey allusrun away when dey can, dem moccasins do; but dey spring at folks, andbite when dey git cornered. Awful bad snake, sah. Wuss'n a rattlesnake.Bite kill a man, suah."
When I left the saloon, I walked with Cornwood to the post-office. Whenwe were in the street, he volunteered the opinion that Captain Boomsbywas the greatest scoundrel in Jacksonville; and without going into thecomparative merits of the question, I was not disposed to dispute thepoint. Cornwood seemed to feel relieved after he had expressed thisopinion, and the subject was dropped.
I had told a colored clerk in the post-office to keep all letters forme until my return, for when we left Jacksonville I could not tellwhere we were going, and I expected to be back a month sooner. Hegreeted me very politely when I presented myself at the window, andhanded me a large package of letters, secured with a rubber band. Ithanked him for his kindness; and I must add that this one and anothercolored clerk I saw in Charleston, were more polite and gentlemanlythan many a white clerk I have encountered in more northern cities.
Though I had received no letters for over two months, I had not failedto write them regularly to Mr. Brickland, and to my father since I hadbeen assured that he was still living. I looked over the package thathad been handed to me. There were two from my father. My heart thrilledwith emotion when I recognized the handwriting. I thought no more ofCaptain Boomsby and his snake.
"Will there be anything I can do for you to-day or to-night, CaptainGarningham?" asked Cornwood, as I stood looking at the outside of myletters.
"Nothing," I replied.
"Then I think I will sleep on shore, if you have no objection," headded.
"None whatever," I answered; and with the bundle of letters in my hand,I was glad to get rid of him, for he was rather officious, and ofteninterrupted me in my state-room when there was not the least need ofit.
Cornwood raised his Panama hat, bowed politely to me, and then hastenedout of the building. He had hardly disappeared before the Hon. Mr.Tiffany came into the office. He dropped some letters into the box, andthen approached me with a smiling face. All I had seen of thisgentleman pleased me very much. My father called him his best friend inthe letter of introduction brought to me. For this reason, if for noother, I should have respected and esteemed him; but I was not glad tosee him at this moment. I wanted to be alone with my letters.
"Good evening, Captain Alick," said he. "I see you have a large packetof letters, and I won't interrupt you but for a moment. Are you goingon board of the steamer now?"
"Yes, sir; I thought I would go on board and read my letters. Two ofthem are from my father--the first I have received from him for manymonths," I replied, wishing to have him understand my situation fully.
"I will not keep you from them a moment," he added, considerately. "ButI suppose you will not attempt to read them till you go on board?"
"No, sir," I answered, putting the two letters from my father into mybreast-pocket, with my most valuable papers, and dropping the othersinto a side-pocket. "I can't read them very well in the street."
"Then I will walk with you to your boat," continued Mr. Tiffany.
"I shall go to the wharf on which the market is located, and hail thesteamer. I have found that is the best place to land."
We left the office, and walked up the street. My companion evidentlyhad something to say to me, and had possibly started to go on board forthe purpose of seeing me. I did not feel much interest in anything hemight have to say under the circumstances.
"Just before I joined you in the post-office, I saw you with Mr.Cornwood. Pray don't think I wish to meddle impertinently with youraffairs, Captain Alick," said Mr. Tiffany; and he seemed to be somewhatembarrassed about saying what he wished to say.
"By no means, sir," I replied, beginning to feel an interest in theconversation; but rather on account of the manner than the matter ofwhat he said.
"Then if you won't take offence, I wish to say that I desire to warnyou in regard to this man Cornwood," continued the friend of my father.
"You desire to warn me in regard to Mr. Cornwood!" I exclaimed,stopping short on the sidewalk, so great was my surprise at his words,as well as his manner.
"I beg you will not take any offence at what I say, Captain Alick, forI assure you I have nothing but the best of motives towards you,"protested Mr. Tiffany, as we resumed our walk.
"I shall not take offence at anything you say, sir," I answered.
"After the very great service you have rendered me, you must think I aminhuman to be ungrateful to you so soon," continued Mr. Tiffany. "Iassure you there is nothing like ingratitude in my heart; and I wouldwrong myself a thousand times before I would wrong you once."
"I believe every word you say, sir: and it has not even occurred to meto suspect your motives," I replied with energy. "The letter youbrought me from my father would cause me to put entire confidence inyou; but without that, I should not for an instant suspect you ofanything unworthy towards me, or anybody else. When you warned meagainst Mr. Cornwood, I was surprised on account of something whichoccurred this afternoon."
"I shall not even ask you what occurred this afternoon; and you maykeep your own counsel in regard to Mr. Cornwood. I repeat that I havenot the least desire to meddle with your affairs."
"As the best friend of my father, I am sure I should value your adviceand counsel very highly."
"I do not often counsel or advise anybody out of my own family, unlessI am asked to do so. Here is the market wharf; and I have said all Ihave to say in regard to Mr. Cornwood. I only desire to warn you tokeep your eyes wide open in dealing with him, for I learned from Owenthat you have engaged the Florida person for your journey up theriver."
"Do you know anything about him, Mr. Tiffany?" I asked, as muchsurprised to hear that he had nothing more to say as I had been, in thefirst place, to learn that he had anything to say in regard to theguide.
"I can't say that I do," he replied, with a rather vacant look.
"Why do you warn me against him, then?"
"That is certainly a very pertinent question, Captain Alick. I have noright to say anything against this person, for I know nothing againsthim. While I will not harm him, I warn you to look out for him."
"I suppose you must have some reason for what you say," I added, as Iwaved my handkerchief in the direction of the Sylvania, as a signal fora boat.
"Undoubtedly I have some reason for what I say. It may be enough tocause me to suspect him. I have only asked you to look out for him, forI do not feel at liberty to utter a word to his disparagement until Iknow it is true."
Mr. Tiffany seemed to be very earnest in what he said; but I wasdisappointed because he did not say more. He had been in Jacksonville aweek before he went to St. Augustine; and it was possible that he hadseen something of the guide during his stay.
"I see that you are not quite satisfied with what I have said. I cannotblame you for feeling so; but I should blame myself if I said anythingmore about this man," continued my father's friend. "I make no chargeagainst Cornwood; I only say, as I might if we were facing a strangesnake, he may do us harm, and we must look out for ourselves. Really,that is all I can say about the matter."
By this time the port boat had come up to the wharf. Mr. Tiffany bademe good night, and hastened up the pier. I was not satisfied, as he hadsuggested. He suspected Cornwood of something, but he did not even saywhat, much less give me the grounds for his suspicion. But I couldobtain no more, and went into the boat. In a few minutes I was on thedeck of the steamer. My supper was all ready, and I was obliged
toattend to it before I looked at my letters.
My state-room was lighted, and I was by myself. At last I was alonewith my letters. Washburn was on the forward deck, discussing thecondition of the South with Griffin Leeds. I took out the two lettersfrom my father. Both of them were mailed in London, though my father'shome was in Shalford, Essex, about fifty miles from the great city. Onewas postmarked December 15th, and the other January 2d. I opened theone of the earliest date.
It was written immediately after his return to England from India. Hehad received no letters or intelligence of any kind from me for manymonths. He had been so worried about me that he could hardly stay tocomplete his business in India. He found nothing from me on his arrivalat his home, nothing at the office of his solicitor, to whom all myletters had been forwarded, in London. He wrote that he found Mr.Carrington had gone to America, and his office was in charge of hisconfidential clerk.
I understood it all. This clerk must have destroyed all my letters tomy father as soon as they reached the office, as he had been instructedto do by his employer. I felt sick at heart when I realized thedistress of my father at getting no tidings from me. But since I sailedon this cruise from Detroit, six months before, I had supposed he wasdead, and of course I wrote no letters to him.
I took up the second letter, expecting to read more of my father'sdespair on account of my long silence. I opened it: it was bright andcheerful as the first was gloomy and despondent. He had received my"welcome letter of December 4th," which I had written at Jacksonville,after the discovery of all the details of the conspiracy against me. Ihad written a full account of the matter, with the history of thevoyage up to that date. It was after Colonel Shepard's house had beendamaged by fire, and the West India trip had been arranged. I had askedhim to write me at Jacksonville, but not to be alarmed if he did nothear from me for some time, for I hardly knew where we were going. Hehad been amazed at the contents of my letter. The clerk had confessedall to him. I was entirely satisfied with the conclusion of the matter.The rest of the letters were from my friends at the North.