Finally he stopped, and leaned against the secretary, with his hands
behind him. He appeared very thoughtful and attentive, while Jaspar,
glad to find a theme he could converse upon, expatiated upon his
favorite methods of managing stock and crops. The overseer listened
patiently to all he said, occasionally interrupting with a word of
approbation. The enthusiastic planter, suspecting nothing of the
overseer, labored diligently in his argument, and did not notice that,
when the attentive listener carelessly put his hands into his pockets,
he conveyed with them the key of one of the drawers.
Dalhousie, having effected the object which brought him to the library,
soon grew tired of the planter's arguments, and edged towards the door,
through which he rather rudely made his exit.
Jaspar again relapsed into the moody melancholy from which the presence
of the overseer had roused him. Sinking back into his chair, he again
was a prey to the armed fears that continually goaded him. Occasionally
he roused from his stupor, and, driven by the startling apparition of
future retribution, paced the room in the most intense nervous
excitement.
Pages:
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296