Meeker decides to
send the carriage for her.
The coachman soon drives up before Mrs. Caruthers's; and the footman,
descending, announces simply that he has called for Miss Belle. The
answer which is brought to him is, that Miss Belle is not in the house.
He returns and reports accordingly.
Although this little incident is very annoying to Mrs. Meeker, still she
has no other idea than that Belle has stopped to make some call or do
some shopping on her way home.
Had she considered a moment, she would have perceived how unreasonable
was such a supposition. But, as Mrs. Meeker could not have the slightest
suspicion of the truth, she was forced to imagine something.
In the midst of her perplexity, Hiram entered. He was so accustomed, and
especially of late, to his daughter's greeting at the door, that he
missed these affectionate tokens of her presence when he entered the
house.
'Where is Belle?' he said, as he came into the parlor.
'Belle has not returned yet from Mrs. Caruthers's. It is rather strange.
I have just sent the carriage for her. Wakeman brings back word that she
is not there.'
'Wakeman is an idiot!' exclaimed Hiram, with a degree of temper so
unusual, that Mrs. Meeker started--'an idiot! I dare say he did not make
his message intelligible.'
Now, 'Wakeman' was Mrs.
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