Barker said he would see, and in a few moments returned with the intelligence that his master was indisposed, and could see no one.
“Go and tell him that it’s I, Barker,” said Haywood, with some loftiness.
Barker departed again, and again returned.
“He sent me out of his room and locked the door, sir, and said as how not to disturb him no more.”
“What—ahem—are you sure you understood him aright, Barker?”
“Yes, sir, sure,” said Barker, smiling, as he thought of the very emphatic manner in which the speech had been given, which he had repeated in a somewhat modified form to Haywood.
“Is Miss Florence in?” asked the merchant.
“No, sir, she left early this morning for a visit to the Cummingses.”
Haywood stood and reflected a moment. Then he said to Barker, who had turned to depart:
“Well—ah—Barker, wait a moment. Did two young men visit your master this morning?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Could you tell me their names?”
“Well, not knowing ’em, I couldn’t.”
“Did he see them?”
“Yes, sir, they were in his room with him more’n an hour.”
“Ah! You don’t know what their business was, of course? That is, you didn’t happen to overhear any of their conversation?”
“No, sir, only at first there was some pretty loud words passed between them, and afterward there was a good deal of talking in an ordinary tone.”
“Yes. Well it’s nothing in particular to me. I thought possibly they might be a couple of friends of mine whom I expect to visit me. And, by the way, Barker, you needn’t say anything about what I’ve been asking you. Here’s a dollar. I’ve been intending to make you a present for a long time.”
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