The Crisis | Page 8

decline the honah, Mr. Colfax," she cried, imitating him.
"I intend to wait here until Pa comes in."
Then Eliphalet knew that the young gentleman was Miss Virginia's first
cousin. And it seemed to him that he had heard a rumor, amongst the
clerks in the store; that she was to marry him one day.
"Where is Uncle Comyn?" demanded Mr. Colfax, swinging his cane
with impatience.
Virgina looked hard at Mr. Hopper.
"I don't know," she said.
"Ephum!" shouted Mr. Colfax. "Ephum! Easters where the deuce is that
good-for-nothing husband of yours?"
"I dunno, Marse Clarence. 'Spec he whah he oughtn't ter be."
Mr. Colfax spied the stooping figure of Eliphalet.
"Do you work here?" he demanded.
"I callate."
"What?"

"I callate to," responded Mr. Hopper again, without rising.
"Please find Mr. Hood," directed Mr. Colfax, with a wave of his cane,
"and say that Miss Carvel is here--"
Whereupon Miss Carvel seated herself upon the edge of a bale and
giggled, which did not have a soothing effect upon either of the young
men. How abominably you were wont to behave in those days,
Virginia.
"Just say that Mr. Colfax sent you," Clarence continued, with a note of
irritation. "There's a good fellow."
Virginia laughed outright. Her cousin did not deign to look at her. His
temper was slipping its leash.
"I wonder whether you hear me," he remarked.
No answer.
"Colonel Carvel hires you, doesn't he? He pays you wages, and the first
time his daughter comes in here you refuse to do her a favor. By
thunder, I'll see that you are dismissed."
Still Eliphalet gave him no manner of attention, but began marking the
tags at the bottom of the pile.
It was at this unpropitious moment that Colonel Carvel walked into the
store, and his daughter flew into his arms.
"Well, well," he said, kissing her, "thought you'd surprise me, eh,
Jinny?"
"Oh, Pa," she cried, looking reproachfully up at his Face. "You knew--
how mean of you!"
"I've been down on the Louisiana, where some inconsiderate man told
me, or I should not have seen you today. I was off to Alton. But what
are these goings-on?" said the Colonel, staring at young Mr. Colfax,

rigid as one of his own gamecocks. He was standing defiantly over the
stooping figure of the assistant manager.
"Oh," said Virginia, indifferently, "it's only Clarence. He's so tiresome.
He's always wanting to fight with somebody."
"What's the matter, Clarence?" asked the Colonel, with the mild
unconcern which deceived so many of the undiscerning.
"This person, sir, refused to do a favor for your daughter. She told him,
and I told him, to notify Mr. Hood that Miss Carvel was here, and he
refused."
Mr. Hopper continued his occupation, which was absorbing. But he
was listening.
Colonel Carvel pulled his goatee, and smiled.
"Clarence," said he, "I reckon I can run this establishment without any
help from you and Jinny. I've been at it now for a good many years."
If Mr. Barbo had not been constitutionally unlucky, he might have
perceived Mr. Hopper, before dark that evening, in conversation with
Mr. Hood about a certain customer who lived up town, and presently
leave the store by the side entrance. He walked as rapidly as his legs
would carry him, for they were a trifle short for his body; and in due
time, as the lamps were flickering, he arrived near Colonel Carvel's
large double residence, on Tenth and Locust streets. Then he walked
slowly along Tenth, his eyes lifted to the tall, curtained windows. Now
and anon they scanned passers-by for a chance acquaintance.
Mr. Hopper walked around the block, arriving again opposite the
Carvel house, and beside Mr. Renault's, which was across from it.
Eliphalet had inherited the principle of mathematical chances. It is a
fact that the discreet sometimes take chances. Towards the back of Mr.
Renault's residence, a wide area was sunk to the depth of a tall man,
which was apparently used for the purpose of getting coal and wood
into the cellar. Mr. Hopper swept the neighborhood with a glance. The

coast was clear, and he dropped into the area.
Although the evening was chill, at first Mr. Hopper perspired very
freely. He crouched in the area while the steps of pedestrians beat
above his head, and took no thought but of escape. At last, however, he
grew cooler, removed his hat, and peeped over the stone coping.
Colonel Carvel's house--her house--was now ablaze with lights, and the
shades not yet drawn. There was the dining room, where the negro
butler was moving about the table; and the pantry, where the butler
went occasionally; and the kitchen, with black figures moving about.
But upstairs on the two streets was the sitting room. The straight figure