For four days after their Sunday in the Park the Bunnersisters had no news of Mr. Ramy. At first neither one betrayed herdisappointment and anxiety to the other; but on the fifth morningEvelina, always the first to yield to her feelings, said, as sheturned from her untasted tea: "I thought you'd oughter take thatmoney out by now, Ann Eliza."Ann Eliza understood and reddened. The winter had been afairly prosperous one for the sisters, and their slowly accumulatedsavings had now reached the handsome sum of two hundreddollars; but the satisfaction they might have felt in this unwontedopulence had been clouded by a suggestion of Miss Mellins's thatthere were dark rumours concerning the savings bank in which theirfunds were deposited. They knew Miss Mellins was given to vainalarms; but her words, by the sheer force of repetition, had soshaken Ann Eliza's peace that after long hours of midnight counselthe sisters had decided to advise with Mr. Ramy; and on Ann Eliza,as the head of the house, this duty had devolved. Mr. Ramy, whenconsulted, had not only confirmed the dress-maker's report, but hadoffered to find some safe investment which should give the sistersa higher rate of interest than the suspected savings bank; and AnnEliza knew that Evelina alluded to the suggested transfer.
"Why, yes, to be sure," she agreed. "Mr. Ramy said if he wasus he wouldn't want to leave his money there any longer'n he couldhelp.""It was over a week ago he said it," Evelina reminded her.
"I know; but he told me to wait till he'd found out for sureabout that other investment; and we ain't seen him since then."Ann Eliza's words released their secret fear. "I wonderwhat's happened to him," Evelina said. "You don't suppose he couldbe sick?""I was wondering too," Ann Eliza rejoined; and the sisterslooked down at their plates.
"I should think you'd oughter do something about that moneypretty soon," Evelina began again.
"Well, I know I'd oughter. What would you do if you was me?""If I was YOU," said her sister, with perceptibleemphasis and a rising blush, "I'd go right round and see if Mr.
Ramy was sick. YOU could."The words pierced Ann Eliza like a blade. "Yes, that's so,"she said.
"It would only seem friendly, if he really IS sick. IfI was you I'd go to-day," Evelina continued; and after dinner AnnEliza went.
On the way she had to leave a parcel at the dyer's, and havingperformed that errand she turned toward Mr. Ramy's shop. Neverbefore had she felt so old, so hopeless and humble. She knew shewas bound on a love-errand of Evelina's, and the knowledge seemedto dry the last drop of young blood in her veins. It took fromher, too, all her faded virginal shyness; and with a briskcomposure she turned the handle of the clock-maker's door.
But as she entered her heart began to tremble, for she saw Mr.
Ramy, his face hidden in his hands, sitting behind the counter inan attitude of strange dejection. At the click of the latch helooked up slowly, fixing a lustreless stare on Ann Eliza. For amoment she thought he did not know her.
"Oh, you're sick!" she exclaimed; and the sound of her voiceseemed to recall his wandering senses.
"Why, if it ain't Miss Bunner!" he said, in a low thick tone;but he made no attempt to move, and she noticed that his face wasthe colour of yellow ashes.
"You ARE sick," she persisted, emboldened by hisevident need of help. "Mr. Ramy, it was real unfriendly of you notto let us know."He continued to look at her with dull eyes. "I ain't beensick," he said. "Leastways not very: only one of my old turns."He spoke in a slow laboured way, as if he had difficulty in gettinghis words together.
"Rheumatism?" she ventured, seeing how unwillingly he seemedto move.
"Well--somethin' like, maybe. I couldn't hardly put a name toit.""If it WAS anything like rheumatism, my grandmotherused to make a tea--" Ann Eliza began: she had forgotten, in thewarmth of the moment, that she had only come as Evelina'smessenger.
At the mention of tea an expression of uncontrollablerepugnance passed over Mr. Ramy's face. "Oh, I guess I'm gettingon all right. I've just got a headache to-day."Ann Eliza's courage dropped at the note of refusal in hisvoice.
"I'm sorry," she said gently. "My sister and me'd have beenglad to do anything we could for you.""Thank you kindly," said Mr. Ramy wearily; then, as she turnedto the door, he added with an effort: "Maybe I'll step round to-morrow.""We'll be real glad," Ann Eliza repeated. Her eyes were fixedon a dusty bronze clock in the window. She was unaware of lookingat it at the time, but long afterward she remembered that itrepresented a Newfoundland dog with his paw on an open book.
When she reached home there was a purchaser in the shop,turning over hooks and eyes under Evelina's absent-mindedsupervision. Ann Eliza passed hastily into the back room, but inan instant she heard her sister at her side.
"Quick! I told her I was goin' to look for some smallerhooks--how is he?" Evelina gasped.
"He ain't been very well," said Ann Eliza slowly, her eyes onEvelina's eager face; "but he says he'll be sure to be round to-morrow night.""He will? Are you telling me the truth?""Why, Evelina Bunner!""Oh, I don't care!" cried the younger recklessly, rushing backinto the shop.
Ann Eliza stood burning with the shame of Evelina's self-exposure. She was shocked that, even to her, Evelina should laybare the nakedness of her emotion; and she tried to turn herthoughts from it as though its recollection made her a sharer inher sister's debasement.
The next evening, Mr. Ramy reappeared, still somewhat sallowand red-lidded, but otherwise his usual self. Ann Eliza consultedhim about the investment he had recommended, and after it had beensettled that he should attend to the matter for her he took up theillustrated volume of Longfellow--for, as the sisters had learned,his culture soared beyond the newspapers--and read aloud, with afine confusion of consonants, the poem on "Maidenhood." Evelinalowered her lids while he read. It was a very beautiful evening,and Ann Eliza thought afterward how different life might have beenwith a companion who read poetry like Mr. Ramy.