Crosby

“ I knew Crosby quite well; he was a cunning-faced, oily-mannered humbug with a bald head, fat red ears, a red complexion and a paunch. There are no such people in the world now; you must recall some incredible gross old-world caricature to imagine him. Nowadays you would as soon think of coupling the life of a girl with some gross heavy animal as with such a man. But that mattered nothing to my father or my mother. My mother I suspect rather liked the idea of the physical humiliation of Fanny. ”

“ With clenched great fists and indrawn breath Crosby listened to Foster's story. His ruddy face flushed redder, but the hardened, reckless look upon it passed away.
"Thank Heaven!" he uttered brokenly and fervently, and his eyes for a moment grew dim. As Foster, still laughing at the credulity and simplicity of the fellow, left the room with the saddle and bridle he had come for, Crosby turned to Alec with a great sigh of relief, and said—
"Then I'm not a murderer;" he laughed an excited sort of laugh as he spoke, and his face brightened. "What a weight that man has taken from my heart. ”

“ A thief! She had called him a thief! He—Mr. Crosby—the distinguished traveller! Oh! what is to become of her? Not even now, at this last gasp, does she try to persuade herself that the man in the Crosby pew was a fraud—that he wasn’t Mr. Crosby. She knows as positively as though she had been introduced to him that he is Mr. Crosby.
Introduced to him! As if——She covers her face with her hands. No, no; there need be no fear of that. He will go away soon—at once. People say he cannot bear civilized life; that he always hankers after savages, and lions, and things. He will go away, of course. ”

“ Laura did not know what to say in answer to this speech; but Mrs. Crosby remarked with the utmost composure:
‘Law, Mr. Crosby, how can you say so? I’m sure everything’s very comfortable, though at present a little unsettled. But you must never mind Mr. Crosby, my dear. All men grumble and find fault; and if you just let them alone, it never does anyone any harm.’
Life at Richmond Villa was certainly uneventful; but very much to her own surprise Laura found that it interested her. ”

“ No, my dear, I—I really feel—I couldn’t have my picture sent to your uncle if taken by an assassin like that.’ She holds back.
‘Nonsense, Miss Barry!’ says Crosby gaily. ‘You have too much spirit to be daunted by a mere cast of countenance. And we—we have no spirit at all—so we depend upon you to give us a lead.’
‘I assure you, Mr. Crosby, had it been any other man but this.... However, I submit.’
Whereupon, with much outward dignity and many inward quakings, she approaches the chair before the camera and seats herself upon it.
‘A little more this way, please, ma’am,’ says the photographer. ”

“ Pray don’t trouble about me. I’—with a crushing glance at poor Susan—‘have no desire whatever to interfere with your amusement. I hope’—turning to Crosby—‘later on I may be able to see more of you, but to-day I am specially busy. I have many worries, Mr. Crosby, that are not exactly on the surface.’
49‘Like us all,’ says Crosby, nodding his head gravely. ‘Life is full of thorns.’
‘Ah!’ says Miss Barry. She feels that she has now ‘impressed’ him indeed, and is satisfied. ”

“ Have you no suggestion, Crosby?"
"I want to kill Rosmore."
"And you, Mr. Fellowes?"
"Here I may be of service. I am known as a soldier and a King's man," he answered. "My presence in Dorchester will not be called in question, and I may learn what is the real plot on foot. Until we know it, we can hardly scheme to prevent it."
"An excellent plan," said Martin. "There is another scheme half-born within me. I will let it mature to-night. Courage, comrades. Three honest men are worth many scoundrels. Three lovers of one woman, for so we are in our different fashions."
"That is true," said Crosby. ”

“ If I can say a good word for you, I—Oh, how d’ye do, Mr. Crosby? Brought your racket, too, I see. Carew, now we’ll make up a set: Mr. Crosby and—’
‘Miss Susan, if I may,’ says Crosby, looking into Susan’s charming face whilst holding her hand in greeting. There are any amount of greetings to be got through when you go to see the Barrys. They are all always en évidence, and all full of life and friendliness. Even little Bonnie hurries up on his stick, and gives him a loving greeting. The child’s face is so sweet and so happily friendly that Crosby stoops and kisses him. ”

“ This Mr. Crosby? Hello! Hello there! Mr. Crosby? Hello!"
"Yes!" I said savagely, "what is it?" [Pg 94]
"Doctor Reid talking. Can you—what? All right—hold the line a second." Then Lady's voice: "Mr. Crosby? Listen: I have to go to New York in the machine now, right away. Can you come with me?"
"Can I—? Why, of course; but why doesn't—why don't you take some one else?"
"No one else can go. If you're not willing—"
"Of course I'm willing," I said, "if I can be of use."
"I knew you would. The car will be there for you in five minutes, or—wait: there's no need of waking up the whole inn. ”

“ Crosby spent most of his time, and that the blacks there aren’t niggers at all.’
‘Oh, it’s all the same,’ says Betty airily. ‘A black’s a black for a’ that; and if they don’t sing one thing, they sing another. And any way, I could see by the gleam in Mr. Crosby’s eye, as he looked at you and your flowing locks, that he loves wildness in every form.’
Susan is silent for a time ”

“ On the avenue of Crosby Park Wyndham meets the master of it, who has plainly been strolling this way with a view to meeting him on his return.
‘Well!’ says Crosby. Then, seeing the other’s face, ‘I was right, then?’
‘You were. She had made her way in, and insulted the poor child in the most violent way.’
‘I felt sure she was up to mischief,’ says Crosby, colouring hotly; he, too, is conscious of strong resentment. That anyone should go from his house to deliberately annoy a girl—a young girl, and one so sadly circumstanced—makes his usually easy-going blood boil. ”

“ Starlight little thought that it was the pure and kindly soul that shone from Crosby's eyes which made his whole face good and honest, or that Wetch himself, ugly brute though he was, might have looked as honest as Crosby had but his spirit been as guiltless and bright. It is not noses and features and colour that mark a man's face as that of an upright, honourable fellow ”

“ Crosby is always showering little favours on his women friends. Those roses to Lady Muriel’—Susan holds her breath a moment—‘and these begonias to you, and opera-tickets to others, and last night such a delicious box of marron glaces to me.’ She forgets to add that he gave a similar box to each of his lady guests, having run up to 275Dublin in the morning and brought them back with him from Mitchell’s. ”

“ If Crosby Braithwaite had asked me to come out and whitewash his chicken coop, I would not have been more astounded. I do portraits often, while I have devoted little time to the decoration of chicken coops; but to have a blunt, masculine man like Crosby so anxious for his picture that he is willing to come to town and wait around for it—well, it took my breath away. ”

“ Crosby, an only daughter, her governess, and two or three servants. What Mr. Crosby had done to England, or England to him, I can't say, but he never went near his native country. For years and years he had lived abroad—not in any settled place of residence: they would travel about, and remain a year or two in one place, a year or two in another, as the whim suited them. A respectable, portly man, of quiet and gentlemanly manners, looking as little like one who need be afraid of the laws of his own land as can be. ”

“ Crosby, seriously. "He may run into something, and get hurt, or he may get lost and it will be a week before we can trace him. Or maybe some one may steal him. I heard there was a band of gypsies over near Fentonville, and they're great hands to steal horses. Better take after him, boys."
"We will, dad," said Jed. "Will you go over there and look after my nag? He's tied, but he may take a notion to go off."
"Oh, I guess Ned is safe," remarked Mr. Crosby. "But I would hate to have anything happen to Pete. ”

“ Crosby.
"Do you need as much as that?" asked Gabe.
"Yes, and more too. Half the springs around here are dried up. Our well didn't have much more water in it, and the creek was lower than I ever saw it before."
They went inside the house. Mrs. Crosby finished her supervision of the windows, and came into the sitting-room, where the others were gathered.
"Jed," she called to her eldest son, "don't sit so close to the window."
"Why not?"
"You might be struck. Lightning always comes in a window." ”

“ Josephine, again leaning towards Crosby, says something delightful to him. It has seemed to her since Crosby’s coming that to have two strings to your bow is a very desirable thing. Paul is well enough, and in the end, of course, she will marry him, though at times she has thought that he——But, of course, that is nonsense. He would be afraid to marry anyone else—afraid of his uncle. What a pity he is not Mr. Crosby, or Mr. Crosby Paul! Well, one can’t have everything one’s own way, after all, and there is the title. Lady Shangarry—Mrs. Crosby. ”

“ Masters was not in the mood for sitting down; as soon as Crosby arose, the detective nodded to him. “Let me have a small hatchet and show me the three rooms that have been occupied by your father, brothers and Esther Stearns,” he said. “While I am looking around, you and Hoffman sit in there and get warm. I'll call you if I need you.”
Crosby bustled out and procured the required article, handed it over, and then led the way back, pointing out the rooms as he did so. I had not been invited, so I remained beside the fire. In a moment Crosby rejoined me. “Unsociable devil, isn't he?” ”

“ Her tone vibrates with wild and angry grief, yet still she keeps it low. It strikes Crosby as wonderful that, through all her 137violent agitation, she never forgets the child sleeping in her arms.
He says nothing, however. Who could, to comfort her, in an hour like this? He bends over the sleeping child and looks at him. Such a small face, and so lovely, in spite of the furrows pain has laid upon it. How clearly writ they are! And yet the child is like Susan—strangely like. In the young blooming face, bending over the emaciated one, the likeness can be traced. ”

“ Crosby. "I stopped at the post-office on my way home, and here's a letter for you."
"For me?" inquired the old miner in some surprise. "I wonder who can be writing to me?"
"The best way is to open it and then you can tell," said Jed, with a smile.
"Oh, I know now. It's from Ted Jordan. I know his writing. It's like a hen that stepped in an ink bottle and then tried to do a dance. Wonder what he's writing to me for from away out in Montana?" ”

“ The indignation of the people could hardly be restrained, and public addresses poured in from all parts of the country thanking Crosby for his courageous conduct. During his confinement he was visited not only by his city friends but by the principal members of the opposition, while outside on Tower Hill Colonel Onslow and the speaker were burnt in effigy by crowds of Crosby's humbler admirers. ”

“ To this arrangement I certainly had no sort of objection; but Crosby, without hesitation, said, “We cannot do that yet sir: I’ll show you we can’t: (taking a little manuscript book out of his breeches pocket,) there’s the rules!—look at that, sir,” continued he, “see No. 7.:—‘No apology can be received after the parties meet, without a fire.’ You see, there’s the rule,” pursued Crosby, with infinite self-satisfaction; “and a young man on his first blood cannot break rule, particularly with a gentleman so used to the sport as Mr. Daly. ”

“ It doesn't sound as if you appreciated Walter, Mr. Crosby. I can easily imagine a worse husband myself."
"I don't mean that," said I hastily. "At least—"
"At least you may as well come in to breakfast." [Pg 128]
"I should say he might," Mr. Tabor cried behind her. "I have Sheila safely stowed away, and now I must make sure of you."
I must have looked nearly as puzzled as I felt.
"You see, Mr. Crosby, I owe you an apology. You helped us out of a tight place last night, and we are deeply in your debt; your coals of fire are upon all our heads." ”

“ Crosby.
"The devil tempts in the same way," answered Fellowes. "If we could always see through the devil's plans we should less often fall a victim to his wiles. If an angel came and bid me trust Rosmore, I should have no faith in the angel."
"Let us find the weak places in the scheme if we can," said Crosby.
"There is one I see at once," said Fellowes. "You are taken blindfold to Mistress Lanison's prison. You do not know in what part of the town she is. You cannot watch the house. Why the delay of three days?"
"I am inclined to think Rosmore has been generous this time," Crosby persisted. ”

“ Crosby never alluded.
It was six years ago, when Di, the eldest of the children, was ten years of age, that 244 she had come home from school one day, breathless with excitement.
“Mamma!” she cried, bursting into the room where her mother was changing the baby’s frock: “Mamma! Have I got a grandfather?”
Mrs. Crosby glanced furtively at the round eyes of the baby, and took the precaution of smothering him in billows of white lawn before replying, rather softly: “Yes, dear; Papa’s father is living. Why do you ask?” ”

“ How on earth can she ever summon up courage enough to go and lunch up there with all these fashionable people? It is she who will be the stranger in a strange land.
‘That is settled then,’ says Crosby quickly. Had he feared she would go on to say something more—to say that she had an engagement? ‘I will call for you at twelve.’
‘Oh no,’ says Susan. ‘I’—confusedly—‘I can walk up. It—it is too much trouble.’
‘George doesn’t think so,’ says Lady Forster, with a faint grimace. ‘Is this your brother?’
She bends in her quick way, and turns up Bonnie’s beautiful little face and looks at it earnestly. ”