Cap'n Warren's Wards

on, he paid no attention to it. Dropping his nie

me have never met afore, I b'lieve. But that's our mis

he was all right enough, and turned away without accepting the proff

I s'pose you've been expectin' me. Mr. G

lushed with embarrassmen

mmered. "He h

e was laid up with a cold, but I didn't realize 'twas

t heard from you s

s comp'ny, you know. If 'tain't convenient, if your spare room ain't ready so soon after movin', or an

not been there. It was bad enough to have this dreadful country uncle come at all; but to have h

o look at Malcolm Dunn, who, he knew, was thoroug

ready? Of course they're not! We're sorry, and all that, but Graves didn't tell us an

aptain. Finding the latter looking intently at him, he dropp

ulled thoughtful

ustn't. As I said, I ain't comp'ny. I'm one of the family, your pa's brother, and I've come some consider'ble ways to see you two young folks and talk with you. I've come because your pa asked me to. I'm used to r

not deign a reply. Ca

pping to the desk she rang a bell.

n, "is to be our guest, for the present. You may show him to his roo

Edwards. Retiring to the hall,

o to your room at o

rm. Fact is, I feel's if 'twas a prescription to be recommended. You needn't tote that valise, though," he added.

answer, grinned sheepishly. Captain E

oward Malcolm. "Your mother told me what a friend of the young folks you was, and, as I'm sort of actin' pilot for 'e

musement not at all concealed, and lan

he inquired, in a tone which c

' days, when my ship was in port. I sailed for Osgood and Colton, down on South

ges in New York, don't you-er-Captain? You are a captain,

aid his moth

sea terms are rather mixed.

mostly. Your son ain't ever been to sea,

not," snapp

a young feller what's healthy for him to unlearn. Good day, ma'am. Good day, Mr. Dunn. I mustn't keep the Commodore waitin' here with that valise. I'll be out pretty soon, Caroline; just

himself violently into a chair by the window. Young Dunn laughed aloud. H

e girl's shoulder. "Don't mind us, please don't! Malcol

ears. "You don't understand! It's so much worse than you think.

lly mustn't. Who is this man? This uncle? Where does he come from? Why does he f

led Stephen, savagely.

re. Don't you think we-Malcolm and I-might be able to help you? We should so

But Caroline had heard young Dunn's laugh, and was

eve. I am nervous and-foolish, I suppose. Mr. Graves will see us soon, and then

but Mrs. Dunn did not choo

h, almost, to be your mother, and perhaps my advice might.... No? Very well. You know bes

y much. Perhaps, by and by, I can tell you everything. But we mu

have scarcely failed to profit by his teachings. Moreover, she possessed

rather, au revoir. We shall loo

en, rising hurriedly. "Yo

nterrupted

ught his mother's look, and remained silent.

pin this afternoon. We must have more. Just what you and Steve need. At your service any time. If

On the way home in the car Mrs. Corc

dn't you see that the girl would have told me e

man laug

ian laugh. The old jay with the barnacles telling us about t

d what he meant by saying that the sea was the place to learn what to unlearn. He was hi

a hayseed like that would recognize an insult without an introduction? And, besides, w

ivating him fo

vating

he is connected with the estate and those two children. If the estate is worth anything, and we have reason to believe it is, you and I must know it. If

ulders by way of fin

lm wh

er being related to the Warren fami

mother. Then, with a shudder, "You nev

ary untenanted. He strolled about, his hands behind him, inspecting the pictures with critical i

earty enthusiasm. "All rigged

pect

Sunday uniform on, that's all. My! my! how nice you l

ng," replied hi

t it. You see, I've been so many years feelin' as if I didn't

lled as she said it. The

Do try to forgive me, won't you? And, perhaps-perhaps I can make up

chair at the opposite side of the desk. The avoidance was so obvious as to be almost

he said. "They're pretty fine, ain't

turned to stare at her questioner. "My work?" she repeate

with the trees and folks dancin'-sort of picnic sce

is a C

to know! A-a-what

French artist. That was

e myself. Did 'Bije-did your f

t. Why should you think

ery particular about it, so it never come to nothin'. He done two or three places, though, and I swan 'twas nice work! He painted Sam Cahoon's old ramshackle house and barn, and you'd hardly know it, 'twas so fixed up and fine, in the picture. White paint and green grass and everything just like real. He left out the places where the pickets was off the fence and the blinds han

e. His niece made no reply. Captain Elisha glanced

that that picture cost conside

thousand dollars for it,

and, rising, walked across the room. Adjusting his glasses, he inspec

n, after an interval, "Was thi

ture Corot painted? Of cour

er get as much for every

w father considered

ead about artists committin' suicide, and livin' in attics, and such. Whew! About two such bargain sale jobs as this, and I'd guarantee not to starve-and to

is a good piece of work, but not like the other

en I thought fifteen dollars was a high price for paintin' a view of a house I was slightly mistaken. Next time I'll offer the paintin' feller the hous

o the dining room. Captain Elisha followed, looking curiously about him as he did so

rs of the suite, it was sumptuously and tastefully furnished. He

ler points. Stephen's glare of disgust at his uncle when the latter tucked his napkin in the opening of his waistcoat; Caroline's embarrassment when the captain complimented the soup, declaring that it was al

brother glowered at his plate and was si

y do when there's anything afloat to carry me. But I had an errand or two to do in Boston, so I stopped over night at the hot

"Mr. Graves couldn't have given it to you, for w

here they live; they live in New York.' Well, you ought to have seen her face. Abbie's a good woman-none better-but she generally don't notice a joke until she trips over it. I get consider'ble fun out of Abbie, take her by the large. 'New York!' she says. 'Did anybody ever hear the beat of that? Do you cal'late N

s on Steve and that I hadn't seen you since you was a baby, the chances was against my recognizin' you if we did meet. Ho, ho, ho! Finally I hinted that I might look in th

in talked

hat set next to me somethin' or other, and I swan to man I couldn't get nothin' out of my mouth but rattles. 'Metropolitan Museum,' sounded like puttin' in a ton of coal. I thought I was comin' apart, or my works was out of order, or somethin', but when the feller tried to answer he rattled just as bad, so I realized 'twas the reg'lar disease and felt some better. I never shall forget a fleshy w

by Gen'ral Sherman on horseback-that statue, you know-I wouldn't have let that blessed bag go for less'n two ton, if I was sellin' it by weight. So I leaned up against an electric light pole to rest and sort of get my bearin's. Then I noticed what I'd ought to have seen afore, that the street wa'n't paved with cobbles, as it used to be, but was smooth as a stretch of state road down home. So I figgered that a bus was a safe risk, after all. I waited ten minutes or more for one to co

as much of the scenery as I could see between the women's hats, then I told the skipper of the thing that I wanted to make port at 82nd Street. He

says he, ugly. 'Th

ays I. 'I wante

says he, lookin' as if I'd

id,'

ou did not! If you did, w

the bus was sailin' right along at the time, so I piled out and did some more walkin

vie,'" growled his

d off, he starts for Boston on a 'vacation,' an alcoholic one. Well, last fall his married sister was visitin' him, and she, bein' strong for good Templarism, was determined he shouldn't vacate in his regular way. So she telegraphed her husband's brother in Brockton to meet Beriah there, go with him to Boston, and see that he behaved himself and stayed sober. Beriah heard of it, and when his train gets as far as Tremont what does he do but get off quiet and change cars for New Bed

loud. Caroline smiled faintly. Stephen th

'm going to my room

but stood sulkily beside his chair. Captain Elisha looked at him, then at

at two or three of the neighbors' houses, and the last one

n in the library, the c

d of bein' an old countryman, tirin' out you two young city folks with my yarns. I beg your pardon. Now you mustn't mind me. I see you're expectin' company or goin' callin' somewheres

Caroline looked a

"And certainly we are not going out to-n

cle's turn to

ephen, "I see that you're all dress

pau

grunted con

inner, that is al

put these clothe

tain

as plainly very

. "I-guess I've made anothe

n, quickly. Caroline, how

siness with my brother and me. We-we understand that you have come on bus

arrel of sawdust. That's all right; you needn't trouble to say no. But you must understand that, realizin' it, I'm not exactly imposin' myself on you for pleasure or-well, from choice. I'm so built that I can't shirk when my conscience tells me I shouldn't, that's all. I'm kind of tired to-night, and I guess you are. To-morrow mornin', if it's agreeable to all hands, we will have a little business talk. I'll have to see La

e were left alone, Carol

d you were a little rude. I'm

! Did you expect me to throw my arms around his neck? If he had had any feelings at all, if he was the slightest part o

brother, and fathe

y be as sweet to him as you like, but I'll make it my business to give him the cold shoulder every chance I get. I'll freeze him out, that's what I'll do-freeze him out. Why, Ca

d her face with her hands. "Oh, yes!" she sobbed.