The next afternoon three members of the Large Family sat in the Indian gentleman's library,doing their best to cheer him up.
They had been allowed to come in to perform this office because he had specially invited them.He had been living in a state of suspense for some time,and today he was waiting for a certain event very anxiously.This event was the return of Mr.Carmichael from Moscow.His stay there had been prolonged from week to week.
On his first arrival there,he had not been able satisfactorily to trace the family he had gone in search of.When he felt at last sure that he had found them and had gone to their house,he had been told that they were absent on a journey.His efforts to reach them had been unavailing,so he had decided to remain in Moscow until their return.Mr.Carrisford sat in his reclining chair,and Janet sat on the floor beside him.He was very fond of Janet.
Nora had found a footstool,and Donald was astride the tiger's head which ornamented the rug made of the animal's skin.It must be owned that he was riding it rather violently.
"Don't chirrup so loud,Donald,"Janet said."When you come to cheer an ill person up you don't cheer him up at the top of your voice.
Perhaps cheering up is too loud,Mr.Carrisford?"turning to the Indian gentleman.
But he only patted her shoulder.
"No,it isn't,"he answered."And it keeps me from thinking too much."
"I'm going to be quiet,"Donald shouted."We'll all be as quiet as mice."
"Mice don't make a noise like that,"said Janet.
Donald made a bridle of his handkerchief and bounced up and down on the tiger's head.
"A whole lot of mice might,"he said cheerfully."A thousand mice might."
"I don't believe fifty thousand mice would,"said Janet,severely;
"and we have to be as quiet as one mouse."
Mr.Carrisford laughed and patted her shoulder again.
"Papa won't be very long now,"she said."May we talk about the lost little girl?"
"I don't think I could talk much about anything else just now,"
the Indian gentleman answered,knitting his forehead with a tired look.
"We like her so much,"said Nora."We call her the little un-fairy princess."
"Why?"the Indian gentleman inquired,because the fancies of the Large Family always made him forget things a little.
It was Janet who answered.
"It is because,though she is not exactly a fairy,she will be so rich when she is found that she will be like a princess in a fairy tale.
We called her the fairy princess at first,but it didn't quite suit."
"Is it true,"said Nora,"that her papa gave all his money to a friend to put in a mine that had diamonds in it,and then the friend thought he had lost it all and ran away because he felt as if he was a robber?"
"But he wasn't really,you know,"put in Janet,hastily.
The Indian gentleman took hold of her hand quickly.
"No,he wasn't really,"he said.
"I am sorry for the friend,"Janet said;"I can't help it.
He didn't mean to do it,and it would break his heart.I am sure it would break his heart."
"You are an understanding little woman,Janet,"the Indian gentleman said,and he held her hand close.
"Did you tell Mr.Carrisford,"Donald shouted again,"about the little-girl-who-is{}n't-a-beggar?Did you tell him she has new nice clothes?P'r'aps she's been found by somebody when she was lost."
"There's a cab!"exclaimed Janet."It's stopping before the door.
It is papa!"
They all ran to the windows to look out.
"Yes,it's papa,"Donald proclaimed."But there is no little girl."
All three of them incontinently fled from the room and tumbled into the hall.It was in this way they always welcomed their father.
They were to be heard jumping up and down,clapping their hands,and being caught up and kissed.
Mr.Carrisford made an effort to rise and sank back again.
"It is no use,"he said."What a wreck I am!"
Mr.Carmichael's voice approached the door.
{remove header}
"No,children,"he was saying;"you may come in after I have talked to Mr.Carrisford.Go and play with Ram Dass."
Then the door opened and he came in.He looked rosier than ever,and brought an atmosphere of freshness and health with him;but his eyes were disappointed and anxious as they met the invalid's look of eager question even as they grasped each other's hands.
"What news?"Mr.Carrisford asked."The child the Russian people adopted?"
"She is not the child we are looking for,"was Mr.Carmichael's answer.
"She is much younger than Captain Crewe's little girl.Her name is Emily Carew.I have seen and talked to her.The Russians were able to give me every detail."
How wearied and miserable the Indian gentleman looked!His hand dropped from Mr.Carmichael's.
"Then the search has to be begun over again,"he said."That is all.
Please sit down."
Mr.Carmichael took a seat.Somehow,he had gradually grown fond of this unhappy man.He was himself so well and happy,and so surrounded by cheerfulness and love,that desolation and broken health seemed pitifully unbearable things.If there had been the sound of just one gay little high-pitched voice in the house,it would have been so much less forlorn.And that a man should be compelled to carry about in his breast the thought that he had seemed to wrong and desert a child was not a thing one could face.
"Come,come,"he said in his cheery voice;"we'll find her yet."
"We must begin at once.No time must be lost,"Mr.Carrisford fretted.
"Have you any new suggestion to make--any whatsoever?"
Mr.Carmichael felt rather restless,and he rose and began to pace the room with a thoughtful,though uncertain face.
"Well,perhaps,"he said."I don't know what it may be worth.
The fact is,an idea occurred to me as I was thinking the thing over in the train on the journey from Dover."
"What was it?If she is alive,she is somewhere."
"Yes;she is SOMEWHERE>.We have searched the schools in Paris.
Let us give up Paris and begin in London.That was my idea--to search London."
