Mr. Crosby

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Mr. Barry, indeed, smiles a happier smile than his worn face has known for many a day.
‘God bless you, Crosby!’ says he. And then, pausing and colouring—the slow and painful colour of age, ‘God bless you, George! It is useless to speak. I cannot say what I want to say. But this’—his tone, nervous and awkward always, now almost stammers—‘this I must say, that Susan ought to be a happy woman.’
‘Oh, as to that,’ says Crosby, laughing again, a little nervously himself now, as he sees the other’s suppressed emotion, ‘I hope so. ”

“ 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 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 ”

“ If Miss Tabor herself tells me to go, I'll go. Otherwise, I'll await my chance to see her; and if that's intruding, why, I'll intrude. Now, be as practical as you please."
He gave way with a suddenness that astonished me. "Just as you say, Mr. Crosby, just as you say. No difference whatever to me. Glad to be relieved of the business. Better call this afternoon, and have it over with. Always best to settle things at once. She'll be in all day. Quickest way of ending the whole trouble." ”

“ 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." ”

“ Until then you must not meet. I must think of myself, and bringing Mr. Crosby here is a risk. Should you, even at the eleventh hour, change your mind, I will let Mr. Crosby know. Once upon the road, no one is likely to stop you, especially if you go southwards, as I presume you will; but in case of accident, there is Judge Marriott's order for your release. With that in your possession, I know of none who would refuse to let you pass."
Barbara took the paper.
"And there is your order, Mr. Crosby. It is time we went. Your servant,
Mistress Lanison," and Rosmore bent low over her hand. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Her silence seemed to strike across me like a blow. "I beg your pardon, Miss Tabor," and I swung upon my heel.
When I reached the steps, she called after me.
"Mr. Crosby!" I turned. "Bob wants to know why we shouldn't all play tennis together. He thinks that he and Mary can beat us." ”

“ Rosmore returned. "Tell me what she has said to you. Two women in adversity ever grow confidential."
"I do not know whether she loves Mr. Crosby—I think there are barriers which even love cannot break down—but she is willing to make some great sacrifice for him, that is why she consented to come to the West. No sooner were we lodged in Dorchester than she sent me with a message to Judge Marriott praying him to go to her." ”

“ Poets never admire: they adore. And for a simple country maiden this style is somewhat embarrassing. On Mr. Crosby’s right hand is sitting the tall and beautiful girl, with the pale roses near her throat, with whom he had driven home from church on Sunday. It seems all quite clear to Susan. Yes, this is the girl he is going to marry. But a girl so beautiful as that could make anyone happy. She had heard someone call her Lady Muriel. ”

“ They are expecting you.’
Not so very much, after all. Betty, Carew, and Dom Fitzgerald are engaged in a lively discussion on Miss Barry’s wild attack on the unoffending Sarah in church this morning, and, in the delights of it, have almost forgotten Mr. Crosby. The children are playing about on the tennis-ground below, and Crosby’s eyes fall on Bonnie, as with great difficulty, and with the help of a stick, he tries to follow little Tom. Jacky, in the distance, is stretched on his stomach reading. ”

“ Mr. Crosby, I told you that I'd settle this case in a few minutes. The end has come sooner than I thought. I am now ready to make an arrest. I have sent for you and your son because—— (He suddenly turns toward HELEN.) This is the woman we have been hunting.
ROSALIE. That is a lie! (R. end of chesterfield.)
(WILLIAM goes to HELEN.)
DONOHUE (picking up cup and holding it out toward them) . Here is the cup—
(CROSBY crosses down R. to below table—moves chair over R.)
which we took from Spencer Lee's rooms. ”

“ You played Lord Rosmore's game for him. How do we know that you are speaking the truth now?"
"I hate him! Love turned to hate—do you know what that means?" said the girl, turning upon him like some wild animal. "To-night I waited for him and he did not come. Servants saw me and laughed; then one man, jeering at me, told me the truth. He has gone with her, and every moment you waste he is speeding from you. More, to make himself doubly secure, men will come here at midnight asking for Mr. Crosby. They will pretend to come from Mistress Lanison, and then capture him. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Crosby?" said Mrs. Ainslie. "Bob, what on earth will the neighbors think of you? And Mr. Crosby will hardly like being called a Hebrew—not that I have anything against the Hebrews. They are really a very fine people, but—"
"But, my dear, you are talking nonsense. Laurie, where is that bag? Or Heaven grant it be a trunk."
"It's a bag," I said, "and I left it in my room at the Bellevue, and a very good room it is."
"Bellefiddlesticks," Bob snorted. "You go back to that whited caravansary and wrest away your belongings and come over here. ”

“ Mr. Crosby was supposed to be reading his paper, but he had a sociable way of letting fall an occasional item of interest, or of letting fall the paper itself, at the first hint of interest in the remarks of his wife and daughter.
Only within a very short time had there been three grown-folks in the family, 241 unless, indeed, we count Rollo, the Gordon setter, who had attained his majority years ago. Di, who was but just turned sixteen, really did not like to remember how very recently she had been sent to bed at eight o’clock! ”

“ Young Mr. Crosby must 'ave sat by the light on purpose. And I am so sorry I did make the mistake about the young ladies. I do not know 'ow I came to make a mistake like that.
DONOHUE. Oh, well, if they couldn't remember where they sat, I don't see how I can expect you to be entirely accurate. (ROSALIE sits in arm-chair up C.) However, we're all right now. Now, Mr. Crosby.
CROSBY. Well, after Madame la Grange had shown how she broke out of——
DONOHUE. We'll start with the séance. (All look at DONOHUE.) I know how mediums break the circle and all that. ”

“ Crosby closely, and with covert amusement.
‘I’ll ask Mr. Wyndham about her,’ says Susan. ‘I think she would be happier if she could tell about her sorrow. One should be roused from one’s griefs, father says. And even if out of mourning—I didn’t see any blue bow, Betty—still, I am sure she must be sad at heart.’
‘Well, consult your father about it,’ says Crosby, as a last resource. In spite of his 45affection for Wyndham, he has doubts about his tenant. ”

“ Most men would have found the temptation difficult to resist.
"I do not think you would try any means to make a man break his promise," Crosby said.
The grey eyes looked straight into hers, and the voice had that little tone of sternness in it which she had noted that day at Newgate.
"Perhaps not," she said; "but it is provoking. To have a nameless partner in such an affair as this is to have more mystery than I care for."
"Did you ever hear of a Mr. Sydney Fellowes?" ”

“ How he ached to take his body there too ... it was only three weeks to wait, two weeks, a week, three days—to-morrow! To-morrow—he was almost frightened to think of it lest he should wake up.
Perhaps you wonder that George Crosby hated the Muswell Hill boarding-house; perhaps you don't. For my part I agree with Mrs. Morrison that it takes all sorts to make a world, and that as Mr. —— (I forget his name: the dome-shaped gentleman) once surprised us by saying, "There is good in everybody if only you can find it out." At any rate there is humour. ”

“ Barbara laughed.
"You're joking again, Uncle Jed," she said. "That kind of aeroplane couldn't have any tire trouble, 'cause it hasn't got any tires."
Mr. Winslow appeared to reflect. "That's so," he admitted, "but I don't know as we'd ought to count too much on that. I remember when Gabe Bearse had brain fever."
This was a little deep for Babbie, whose laugh was somewhat uncertain. She changed the subject.
"Oh!" she cried, with a wiggle, "there's a caterpillar right here on this bench with us, Uncle Jed. He's a fuzzy one, too; I can see the fuzz; the moon makes it shiny." ”

“ His astonishment was great.
“Mary-'Gusta Lathrop!” he repeated. “Mary-'Gusta! Are you—? Why, it scarcely seems possible! And yet, now that I look, I can see that it is. Bless my soul and body! How do you do? It must be almost—er—seven or eight years since I have seen you. South Harniss is only a few miles off, but I am getting—er—older and I don't drive as much as I used to. But there! I am very glad to see you now. And how are Captain Gould and Mr. Hamilton? There is no need to ask how you are. Your looks are the best answer to that.” ”