In turning the sharp corner of the covered walk they
came in contact with Captain Levison, who appeared
to be either standing or sauntering there, his hands
underneath his coat-tails. Again Barbara felt
vexed, wondering how much he had heard, and beginning
in her heart to dislike the man. He accosted
them familiarly, and appeared as if he would have
turned with them; but none could put down presumption
more effectually than Mr. Carlyle, calm and gentlemanly
though he always was.
“I will join you presently, Captain Levison,”
he said with a wave of the hand. And he turned
back with Barbara toward the open parts of the park.
“Do you like that Captain Levison?” she
abruptly inquired, when they were beyond hearing.
“I cannot say I do,” was Mr. Carlyle’s
reply. “He is one who does not improve
upon acquaintance.”
“To me it looks as though he had placed himself
in our way to hear what we were saying.”
“No, no, Barbara. What interest could it
bear for him?”
Barbara did not contest the point; she turned to the
one nearer at heart. “What must be our
course with regard to Thorn?”
“It is more than I can tell you,” replied
Mr. Carlyle. “I cannot go up to the man
and unceremoniously accuse him of being Hallijohn’s
murderer.”
They took their way to the house, for there was nothing
further to discuss. Captain Levison entered it
before them, and saw Lady Isabel standing at the hall
window. Yes, she was standing and looking still,
brooding over her fancied wrongs.
“Who is that Miss Hare?” he demanded in
a cynical tone. “They appear to have a
pretty good understanding together. Twice this
evening I have met them enjoying a private walk and
a private confab.”
“What did you say?” sharply and haughtily
returned Lady Isabel.
“Nay, I did not mean to offend you,” was
the answer, for he knew that she heard his words distinctly
in spite of her question. “I spoke of Monsieur
votre mari.”
CAPTAIN THORN IN TROUBLE ABOUT “A BILL.”
In talking over a bygone misfortune, we sometimes
make the remark, or hear it made to us, “Circumstances
worked against it.” Such and such a thing
might have turned out differently, we say, had the
surrounding circumstances been more favorable, but
they were in opposition; they were dead against it.
Now, if ever attendant circumstances can be said to
have borne a baneful influence upon any person in this
world, they most assuredly did at this present time
against Lady Isabel Carlyle.
