The Master of Silence | Page 4

to be sure, but those visits to the
little old weather-stained house, in which I found my first friends after
leaving home, cheered me from week to week. I knew, too, that Hetty
enjoyed those long evenings as much as I did, which meant more to me
than I would have dared confess to her. I thought of her a good deal,
but it always resulted in the wretched feeling that we were both very
young after all. It is not likely that I would have decided to go home for
a fortnight, but that I thought it would be pleasant to observe the effect
of saying good-by to Hetty. I had no doubt that she would be quite
overcome with grief and loneliness after I had gone, and, reckless youth
that I was, nothing could have made me more happy than to have
known that she really felt grieved on my account. And yet when I
called to bid them all good-by, the evening before I started, she
betrayed no sign of regret. In fact, she seemed so much happier than
usual that I worried about it for weeks, even after I had gone so far
away that it seemed doubtful whether we would ever meet again. It did
not occur to me that I had been less skilful than she in concealing my
emotions, and that she might be merry only because she could perceive
that I was sad. Mrs. Chaffin was the only member of the family who
seemed to entertain feelings as serious as my own. She had dreamed
that I would not come back again, and we all laughed at her then, but
when the swift years had revealed some of their secrets, we thought of
this prophetic dream with a sadness deeper than any that comes to
childish hearts. Hester and Phil walked with me to the gate when I left
the house. The radiance of a full moon fell on our faces through the
flying clouds. Phil, stupid fellow! had so much to say that I did not get
a chance to speak to his sister before she darted back to the house as if
pursued. On reaching my lodgings I was surprised to find a gentleman
waiting for me.
"Don't know me, eh?" said he, shaking my hand warmly.
He was a tall, portly man, with a kindly face, clean shaven except for a

pair of close-cropped, iron-gray side whiskers. I was sure I had seen
him before, but couldn't think of his name.
"Earl," said he, handing me a card on which his name and address were
printed as follows:
DAVID GORDON EARL, Barrister at Law, Lincoln's Inn, London.
I remembered distinctly having accompanied my father to his office on
one occasion some years before.
"I've come up from London on purpose to see you. Just got here only a
few minutes ago," said he, laying off his overcoat. "But upon my
word!" he added, surveying me from head to foot, "I didn't expect to
find such a big, strapping fellow as you are. Your surroundings are
quite as I had supposed they would be. Cramped quarters in a miserable
tumble-down back street! I suppose your guardian provided this place
for you?"
"I believe so," said I.
"Did you know that your stepmother had married again?" he asked.
"Married!" I exclaimed. "To whom?"
"To Martin Cobb."
"To my guardian?" I asked, in astonishment.
Not heeding my question, he continued:
"You're intending to go home to-morrow, I believe?"
"Yes, sir."
"My boy," said he, "I have an interest in you. I was your father's friend
and adviser for many years. I came all this distance to tell you not to go
to London. Do not ask me why, I beg you," said he, with an impatient
gesture when I attempted to speak. "It would do you no good to learn

my reason for making this request. Listen to this--it's important to you:
There's an uncle of yours in America, your nearest relative, I believe.
Of course you have heard your father speak of him. A most eccentric
fellow! but a man of fine ability. He was a graduate of Oxford and a
physician of great skill and learning. Thirty-five years ago he went to
Canada and finally settled in a large town on one of the great lakes not
far from the border. It was Detroit, I believe. Your father told me,
shortly before his death, that he had not heard from your uncle for
many years. I have written to him twice within a twelvemonth, but have
received no reply. I want you to go over and look him up. If you should
find that he is dead, there's no harm done, and you can take time to look
about for a business