The Sport of the Gods | Page 7

by the man I have
helped and trusted. I should feel the sting of all this much less if the
thief had come from the outside, broken in, and robbed me, but this,
after all these years, is too low."
"Don't be hard on a man, Maurice; one never knows what prompts him
to a deed. And this evidence is all circumstantial."
"It is plain enough for me. You are entirely too kind-hearted, Frank.

But I see that this thing has worn you out. You must not stand here
talking. Go to bed, for you must be fresh for to-morrow morning's
journey to New York."
Frank Oakley turned away towards his room. His face was haggard,
and he staggered as he walked. His brother looked after him with a
pitying and affectionate gaze.
"Poor fellow," he said, "he is so delicately constructed that he cannot
stand such shocks as these;" and then he added: "To think of that black
hound's treachery! I 'll give him all that the law sets down for him."
He found Mrs. Oakley asleep when he reached the room, but he
awakened her to tell her the story. She was horror-struck. It was hard to
have to believe this awful thing of an old servant, but she agreed with
him that Hamilton must be made an example of when the time came.
Before that, however, he must not know that he was suspected.
They fell asleep, he with thoughts of anger and revenge, and she
grieved and disappointed.

IV
FROM A CLEAR SKY
The inmates of the Oakley house had not been long in their beds before
Hamilton was out of his and rousing his own little household.
"You, Joe," he called to his son, "git up f'om daih an' come right hyeah.
You got to he'p me befo' you go to any shop dis mo'nin'. You, Kitty,
stir yo' stumps, miss. I know yo' ma 's a-dressin' now. Ef she ain't, I bet
I 'll be aftah huh in a minute, too. You all layin' 'roun', snoozin' w'en
you all des' pint'ly know dis is de mo'nin' Mistah Frank go 'way f'om
hyeah."
It was a cool Autumn morning, fresh and dew-washed. The sun was
just rising, and a cool clear breeze was blowing across the land. The

blue smoke from the "house," where the fire was already going, whirled
fantastically over the roofs like a belated ghost. It was just the morning
to doze in comfort, and so thought all of Berry's household except
himself. Loud was the complaining as they threw themselves out of bed.
They maintained that it was an altogether unearthly hour to get up.
Even Mrs. Hamilton added her protest, until she suddenly remembered
what morning it was, when she hurried into her clothes and set about
getting the family's breakfast.
The good-humour of all of them returned when they were seated about
their table with some of the good things of the night before set out, and
the talk ran cheerily around.
"I do declaih," said Hamilton, "you all 's as bad as dem white people
was las' night. De way dey waded into dat food was a caution." He
chuckled with delight at the recollection.
"I reckon dat 's what dey come fu'. I was n't payin' so much 'tention to
what dey eat as to de way dem women was dressed. Why, Mis' Jedge
Hill was des' mo'n go'geous."
"Oh, yes, ma, an' Miss Lessing was n't no ways behin' her," put in
Kitty.
Joe did not condescend to join in the conversation, but contented
himself with devouring the good things and aping the manners of the
young men whom he knew had been among last night's guests.
"Well, I got to be goin'," said Berry, rising. "There 'll be early breakfas'
at de 'house' dis mo'nin', so 's Mistah Frank kin ketch de fus' train."
He went out cheerily to his work. No shadow of impending disaster
depressed his spirits. No cloud obscured his sky. He was a simple, easy
man, and he saw nothing in the manner of the people whom he served
that morning at breakfast save a natural grief at parting from each other.
He did not even take the trouble to inquire who the strange white man
was who hung about the place.

When it came time for the young man to leave, with the privilege of an
old servitor Berry went up to him to bid him good-bye. He held out his
hand to him, and with a glance at his brother, Frank took it and shook it
cordially. "Good-bye, Berry," he said. Maurice could hardly restrain his
anger at the sight, but his wife was moved to tears at her
brother-in-law's generosity.
The last sight they saw as the carriage rolled away