The mystery of Central Park : $b A novelBly, Nellie
General
The mystery of Central Park : $b A novel
Bly, Nellie
American fiction -- 19th century; Central Park (New York, N.Y.) -- Fiction; Mystery fiction
The waiter spread a cotton napkin over the table before Dick and Dido
Morgan, and set some pickles and crackers, and pepper and salt, and
two little bits of butter, the size and shape of a half dollar, on the
table; then he brought the clams.
This done he went out again, very carefully closing the door after
him. Richard called to him, but he did not answer, so Dick got up and
opened the door himself. Dido Morgan looked at him with an innocent,
questioning smile. She had no idea that Dick could possibly have any
other reason for opening the door, than that it made the room cooler.
When the waiter came in the next time he closed the door. Richard’s
face flushed angrily as he said sternly:
“I wish that door open. You will please leave it so.”
The waiter gave an impudent, almost familiar grin, but the door was
open during the rest of the dinner.
As Dido Morgan sat opposite Dick eating daintily but appreciatively,
the color came into her dark, creamy cheeks, and her brown eyes
sparkled like the reflection of the sun in a still, dark pool. Her
loose, damp hair, hanging in little rings about her broad brow and
white throat, was very appealing to the artistic sense.
And her look--it was so frank, so sincere, so trusting, and her eyes
had such a way of looking startled, that Dick felt a warmer thrill of
interest invade his soul than he ever thought possible for any other
girl than Penelope.
Before dinner was finished Richard had called her “Miss Dido,” and
“Dido,” and she had not even thought of resenting it.
There are a great many false ideas that are forgotten in such moments
as these.
The one had seen the other face death, and a human feeling had for the
time swept all false pretenses and hollow etiquette away.
They drove down to Mulberry Street in a coupé, and if such a thing was
unusual to the young girl whom Richard rescued, it was well hidden
under a manner of ease that suggested familiarity.
“There is where Maggie Williams lived,” she said, as they turned down
Mulberry Street. Richard leaned forward, but in the semi-light got
little idea of the appearance of the place.
“She may have gone from there by this time,” Dido continued, showing
a slight hesitation that threatened to shake Dick’s not over-strong
confidence in her. “She lived there when I went away, but so many
things happen in such short time among the poor.”
“Don’t stop the driver,” she said, quickly, as Dick pounded on the
glass with the head of his walking-stick. “Drive on to the corner. It
is such an unusual sight to see a carriage stop before these houses,
that it would likely attract a crowd, and you don’t want to do that.”
“Why?” asked Dick, curiously. When he could not see her face he liked
her less.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account