CHAPTER III.
The Jaspers made only a short call, but when they had gone the captainstill lingered, caressing little Olive, whom he had coaxed to the seatupon his knee vacated by Perry Golding, talking gayly with Ronald aboutsome of the lighter experiences of their army life--for they had beencompanions in arms--yet furtively watching Miriam and frequentlyaddressing a remark to her.
"That will be a match, you may depend upon it, Alonzo," Serena said toher husband, with a wise nod of her pretty head as they drove homeward.
"What will be a match, my dear?" he asked, giving her a roguish lookand smile.
"Now, you needn't pretend that you don't understand me," she said; "youknow very well what I mean. Captain Charlton is smitten with thathandsome Miss Heath, and I saw in a minute that they were made for eachother."
At that moment a horseman came dashing up at a gallop, bowing andlifting his hat as he passed.
"Colonel Bangs," murmured Serena. "Alonzo, I perfectly detest that man."
"In which you are by no means peculiar," replied the doctor;"overbearing and tyrannical to the last degree, and strongly suspectedof cowardice in the face of the enemy, he was cordially hated by manyof his men."
"Is he going to Lakeside, do you think?"
The doctor put his head out of the gig and glanced back at the housethey had just left.
"Yes," he said, drawing it in again; "he has reined in at the gate. Isuspect the captain is to have a rival."
"If it's the colonel, I don't think he need be alarmed," returnedSerena. "What chance has a homely, disagreeable old bachelor beside ahandsome, good-humored young fellow like Captain Charlton?"
"Ah, but the colonel is said to be in very easy circumstances; whileWarren, poor fellow, has next to nothing."
The colonel had now dismounted, fastened his horse, and entered thegate. A middle-aged Irishman, a rough but good-humored-looking fellow,was at work at the flower-beds. He had saluted the doctor and his wifecourteously as they passed him; the captain also; but looking up at thesound of Bangs's entrance, and seeing who it was, he simply scowled andturned to his work again.
"What are you doing here, you---- rascal?" demanded Bangs, in aninsolent tone.
"Mindin' me own business, sor; an' it's yersilf that had betther bedoin' that same, an' not meddlin' wid an honest man as yees haven't gotno authority over no longer."
A lightning glance of intense scorn, contempt, and hatred, accompaniedby a volley of oaths and curses, not loud but deep; and with that Bangsturned and hurried up the path and around to the side porch, where thefamily and Captain Charlton were sitting. He was greeted politely, andinvited to take a seat among them; but his arrival seemed to act as adamper upon the whole party; conversation flagged, and presently therewas dead silence for a moment. It was broken by Bangs.
"This is a lovely spot," he remarked, sending a sweeping glance around."I would advise you to have a care whom you employ. These fellows whohave been in the army during the war"--and he nodded in the directionof the front garden--"are apt to be lawless, and too ready to helpthemselves to whatever they can lay their hands on. Got in the way ofit, you know, plundering the rebs."
"I must say, sir, that I consider your remark grossly unjust to ourbrave boys in blue," said Captain Charlton, his cheek reddening and hiseye flashing; "for though there could not fail to be many bad fellowsamong the immense numbers in the field, the large majority were loyal,true, and honest, and have gone back to civil life to gain an honestliving at their old employments."
"Yes; and it is so with Barney Nolan, against whom you seem to bewarning us, Colonel Bangs," Miriam said, with spirit. "Norah, his wife,who has been our charwoman for years past, tells me he is leading asober, industrious life, treating her and his children kindly, anddoing his best to provide for them."
"Humph! What kind of character did he bear before he went into thearmy?" sneered Bangs.
"He drank a good deal; but army life, it seems, has reformed andimproved him. A rather unusual effect, doubtless," Miriam concluded,with a mischievous twinkle of the eye and a meaning look at herantagonist.
And now Mrs. Heath, the gentle old grandmother, desirous to pour oilupon the troubled waters, put in her soothing word.
"Yes, Barney is behaving very well indeed; and he and Norah are asfaithful workers as one could ask for. And I think all the people abouthere are honest. I've never heard of a burglary anywhere in this regionof country."
"You haven't? Well, I can tell you there was a daring and successfulone last night at Walnut Hill, Judge Hall's place, which, you know, isnot many miles up the valley," returned Bangs, with evident triumph.
The ladies were much startled; Ronald looked troubled and anxious; butCaptain Charlton received the news quietly, remarking that he had heardit some hours since, but thought it not worth while to annoy thesefriends with the story, as it could only rouse their apprehensionswithout doing any good.
"Have they been caught?" asked the old lady.
"The burglars?" queried Bangs, with a malicious smile. "No, madam; notyet."
Then he went on to describe the premises visited by Phelim O'Rourke andhis confederates, and the valuables they had carried off. He seemed totake pleasure in enlarging upon the ease with which they had effectedan entrance, and the fact that they were men evidently accomplished inthe art of housebreaking and lock-picking.
Charlton made a movement to go; but an entreating look and word fromRonald led him to resume his seat, and he outstayed the colonel.
When the latter had gone, "What has he against Barney Nolan?" asked theold lady.
"Barney belonged to his regiment," replied Ronald, "and had to submitto many an act of outrageous tyranny from him."
"That would account for Barney's disliking him," she said, doubtfully.
"And for his dislike to Barney," added Charlton. "A man hates those heoppresses. Besides, it is quite likely the Irishman has retorted withhis tongue, if in no other way, as who would not?"