The Late Mrs. Null | Page 8

heart, and it reproached him. "I beg your pardon,"
said he. "I will leave the money with you, but I desire that Mr Candy
will, in his next communication, give me all the information he has
acquired up to the moment of writing, and then I will decide whether it
is worth while to go on with the matter, or not."

He, thereupon, took out his pocket-book and handed three dollars to the
cashier, who, with an air of deliberate thoughtfulness, smoothed out the
two notes, and placed them in her drawer. Then she said: "If you will
leave your address, sir, I will see that you receive your information as
soon as possible. That will be better than for you to call, because I can't
tell you when to come."
"Very well," said Lawrence, "and I will be obliged to you if you will
hurry up Mr Candy as much as you can." And, handing her his card, he
went his way.
The way of Lawrence Croft was generally a very pleasant one, for the
fortunate conditions of his life made it possible for him to go around
most of the rough places which might lie in it. His family was an old
one, and a good one, but there was very little of it left, and of its
scattered remnants he was the most important member. But although
circumstances did not force him to do anything in particular, he liked to
believe that he was a rigid master to himself, and whatever he did was
always done with a purpose. When he travelled he had an object in
view; when he stayed at home the case was the same.
His present purpose was the most serious one of his life: he wished to
marry; and, if she should prove to be the proper person, he wished to
marry Roberta March; and as a preliminary step in the carrying out of
his purpose, he wanted very much to know what sort of man Miss
March had once been willing to marry.
When five days had elapsed without his hearing from Mr Candy, he
became impatient and betook himself to the green door with the tin sign.
Entering, he found only the boy and the cashier. Addressing himself to
the latter, he asked if anything had been done in his business.
"Yes, sir," she said, "and I hoped Mr Candy would write you a letter
this morning before he went out, but he didn't. He traced the gentleman
to Niagara Falls, and I think you'll hear something very soon."
"If inquiries have to be carried on outside of the city," said Lawrence,
"they will probably cost a good deal, and come to nothing. I think I will

drop the matter as far as Mr Candy is concerned."
"I wish you would give us a little more time," said the girl. "I am sure
you will hear something in a few days, and you need not be afraid there
will be anything more to pay unless you are satisfied that you have
received the full worth of the money."
Lawrence reflected for a few moments, and then concluded to let the
matter go on. "Tell Mr Candy to keep me frequently informed of the
progress of the affair," said he, "and if he is really of any service to me
I am willing to pay him, but not otherwise."
"That will be all right," said the cashier, "and if Mr Candy is--is
prevented from doing it, I'll write to you myself, and keep you posted."
As soon as the customer had gone, the boy, who had been sitting on the
counter, thus spoke to the cashier: "You know very well that old
Mintstick has given that thing up!"
"I know he has," said the girl, "but I have not."
"You haven't anything to do with it," said the boy.
"Yes, I have," she answered. "I advised that gentleman to pay his
money, and I'm not going to see him cheated out of it. Of course, Mr
Candy doesn't mean to cheat him, but he has gone into that business
about the origin of the tame blackberry, and there's no knowing when
he'll get back to this thing, which is not in his line, anyway."
"I should say it wasn't!" exclaimed the boy with a loud laugh. "Sendin'
me to look up them two Keswicks, who was both put down as
cordwainers in year before last's directory, and askin' 'em if there was
any Juniuses in their families."
"Junius Keswick, did you say? Is that the name of the gentleman Mr
Candy was looking for?"
"Yes," said the boy.

Presently the cashier remarked: "I am going to look at the books." And
she betook herself to the desk at the back part of the shop.