Bear and forbear

Nick soon declared that he felt better, and continued his story.

“I was very much pleased with Miss Dornwood, especially when I learned that she had a fortune of two hundred thousand dollars. A few days after I was introduced to her, I had the pleasure of saving her from drowning while she was bathing in the surf. She was not as grateful to me as I supposed she would be, but I hoped soon to win her regard. One day Mr. Overton came into the gambling saloon where I was employed. I was engaged in inducing a man from the country to play, and I did not notice the presence of the guardian of Miss Dornwood for some time. He knew enough of the world to understand my position. If I had seen him sooner, I should not have committed myself. But Mr. Overton did not seem to have any less regard for me, when he met me about the hotel, and encouraged my advances to Miss Dornwood.

“I told Cutter what I was doing in this direction. He laughed, and informed me of the practical joke he had played upon me. He advised me to follow up the affair, and not to take the trouble to deny that I was an English nobleman. I was pleased with the attentions bestowed upon me by the guests, and was not disposed to ruin myself in their estimation. I continued to be very devoted to Miss Dornwood; and, as her guardian and his wife would not permit her to make other acquaintances, watching her every moment of the time, I was almost her only companion. I gave up my place in the gambling saloon, lest it should compromise me, and I had plenty of time to give to Miss Dornwood. She seemed to like me very well, and I soon proposed to her; but, to my chagrin and astonishment, she gave me a decided refusal.

“I did not believe she meant it, and I was confident that I could change her mind in due time. After this she tried to avoid me; but I managed very carefully, devoting myself quite as much to the guardian as to the ward. Miss Dornwood certainly treated me very kindly, though she was rather shy. Mr. Overton thought she was making too many friends at Cape May, and decided to spend a few weeks at Newport. The family went there, and Cutter and myself went also. On the journey I thought Miss Dornwood had relented towards me, and soon after our arrival I had a talk with Mr. Overton, in which I boldly pleaded for the hand of his ward. He had no objections, and told me that, according to the terms of Mr. Dornwood’s will, his ward could not marry unless with the guardian’s consent, without losing three fourths of her fortune.

“The conversation was a long one, for Mr. Overton was very guarded in his remarks; but I understood him perfectly, even while he did not fully commit himself. He said that, as usual, some very extravagant reports had been circulated in regard to the extent of her fortune. He did not wish to have any mistakes or disappointments, and he told me he would give me on our wedding day fifty thousand dollars. He wished to be distinctly understood that this was all she was entitled to; and he added that, as I was an English nobleman, money could not be any object to me. I did not deny that I was a lord, and told him I was satisfied with the dowry of his ward. I understood Mr. Overton as well as he understood me; and I was satisfied I could obtain the rest of Miss Dornwood’s fortune after our marriage.

“Life at Newport made sad inroads upon my funds, and it was necessary for them to be replenished very soon. I intended to obtain my supply from the vaults of the Centreport Bank, and Cutter and I completed our plans for the job. I suggested to Mr. Overton that the Cataract House was a capital place to spend a few weeks, when he spoke of leaving Newport, and it was decided that we should go there. Cutter and I agreed upon the night for the visit to the bank, but we separated before we reached the Cataract House. You know the rest of the story, Wolf.”

“Did you really expect to marry Miss Dornwood?” asked Waddie, who appeared to be disgusted with the conceit of Nick.

“Certainly I did; and I think she had changed her views since she refused me.”

“Did you acknowledge that you were a lord?”

“When we went to the Cataract House I did. Cutter wrote me some letters, and insisted that I should do so, because it would prevent suspicions in regard to us.”

“I believe you are only nineteen, Nick: did you intend to marry immediately?” I inquired, rather amused at the calculations of the strategist.

“No; not at once. I expected to get twenty or thirty thousand dollars from the bank, and to spend a year or two in Europe, as Mr. Overton talked of going there. Well, a change has come over my dreams,” added Nick, sadly, as he glanced at the irons on his wrists. “I did not see how anything could go wrong, and yet everything has failed me.”

His case was only a repetition of the common experience of evil-doers.

Night came on, and the wind, which had blown fresh all day, subsided, so that we did not reach our destination till after nine o’clock in the evening. Captain Synders took his prisoner to the town lock-up for the night, and the next day conveyed him to the county jail, to await his examination and trial.

The day had certainly been an eventful one, and I was very much fatigued; but I was not willing to go home until I had seen Colonel Wimpleton. I was anxious to know whether the Union Line was to be broken up, and the war between the two magnates resumed. I hastened with Waddie to the house of the great man. We found him in his library.

“Ah, Wolf, I didn’t expect to see you to-night; but I heard at Ucayga that you had captured one of the robbers, and recovered part of the money,” said he.

“We have captured both of the robbers, and recovered all the money,” I replied.

“Indeed! You have done well.”

“I don’t mean to say I have done all this,” I protested. “I think Tom Walton has done the most, and fared the hardest.”

“I heard he was shot in the arm.”

“Yes, sir;” and I explained the nature of his wound.

“I was told that Waddie and Captain Synders could find nothing of the other robber.”

“We could not; but Wolf knew just where to put his hand upon him,” added Waddie. “We found him at the Cataract House; and who do you suppose he is, father?”

“I haven’t any acquaintance among that class of people, and could not be expected to know him.”

“It is Nick Van Wolter.”

“Nick!” exclaimed the colonel, with a frown.

“Yes, sir, it is Nick, otherwise Lord Palsgrave,” laughed Waddie.

The colonel was anxious to learn the particulars of the capture of the robbers, and Waddie and I related the adventures of the day. I delivered to him the package of money found in Nick’s trunk, which had been intrusted to me by the constable.

“You have had a stirring time of it,” said Colonel Wimpleton, when we had finished. “I have been in Ucayga all day, and did not know what was going on. I had not been in the house an hour when you came. I had considerable difficulty in raising the money to pay my note.”

“Have you seen Major Toppleton?” I asked, though it required some courage to ask the question, for I dreaded another explosion.

“Seen him! No!” replied Colonel Wimpleton, rising hastily from his chair, and beginning to march up and down the library. “I have heard from him, though. He was at Ucayga this morning, raising money, to prevent me, I firmly believe, from getting what I wanted. There was almost a panic in money matters at Ucayga to-day. Toppleton got all he wanted, and came down by the ten o’clock train, and everybody was short by the time I arrived, But I raised the money, and paid my note. He came over to see me, after his return, I learn,—to apologize, I suppose, for his shabby conduct. He wanted to see me very much, I am told.”

“Perhaps he came over to bring you the money you wanted,” I suggested, very mildly.

“Not he!” sneered the colonel, determined to put the worst possible construction on the actions of his former rival.

After a longer experience of human life than I had at that time, I am satisfied that it is always the safest way to credit other people, especially friends, with good intentions. Those who believe that others mean well are seldom disappointed; and it is equally certain that those who do not believe others mean well, as seldom fail to realize their expectations. The very want of trust and confidence in others begets suspicion and evil dealing, while most people are ashamed to fall below what others give them credit for.

“Toppleton is not the man I took him for,” added the colonel, after pacing the room for a time in silence. “As soon as practicable, Wolf, our boat must go through from Hitaca to Ucayga.”

“Don’t do that, father,” interposed Waddie, as much alarmed as I was.

“It shall be done, Waddie. We can take all the through travel on the lake, and I shall no longer put money into Toppleton’s pocket.”

“But, father, you judge Major Toppleton too harshly.”

“No, I don’t. When I go to a friend in such an emergency as that of this morning, I do not like to have him make excuses, and put me off,” replied the colonel, bitterly.

“We must bear and forbear, at least until we know what others mean.”

“So Wolf says; but I don’t want to hear any such stuff,” added the magnate, angrily.

It was useless to say anything more, and Waddie had the good sense to hold his peace. We left the room together, and, tired as we both were, we could not separate for the night till we had thoroughly considered the perilous situation.

“I think myself it was rather shabby of the major to leave my father in the lurch, after what had happened,” said Waddie.

“So it was, if he did leave him in the lurch; but we must hear the other side of the story. It appears that Major Toppleton came over to see your father this forenoon, after he had been to Ucayga to raise money.”

“My father is rather hasty in his conclusions sometimes, and I hope the major will be able to explain his conduct.”

“It is doubtful whether he obtains an opportunity to explain,” I added.

“We must be peacemakers again, Wolf.”

“We can’t do much in an affair of this kind. I think, if your father had waited a little longer this morning, instead of leaving Middleport without seeing the major, all would have been well.”

“Let us hope for the best, Wolf; and in the mean time don’t say a word about breaking the union to any one.”

I promised to keep still, and we separated. I went home, crossing the lake in the Belle; but, in spite of the good fortune which had attended our efforts in the pursuit of the robbers, I had not been so sad for many a day.