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 F. B. F. HARDISON
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS
 
 tOt CALIF. LIBRiiY, LOS AMCEJS
 
 Captain Warren had risen from his chair and was facing her. 
 
 [Page 48.]
 
 Cap'n Warren's 
 Wards 
 
 By JOSEPH C. LINCOLN 
 
 Author of "The Depot Master," "The Woman Haters' 
 "The Postmaster," "Cap'n Erie," 
 "Mr. Pratt," etc. 
 
 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS 
 BY EDMUND FREDERICK 
 
 A L. BURT COMPANY 
 
 PUBLISHERS NEW YORK
 
 CorvwcHT, 1911, BY 
 D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 
 
 Printed in the United States of America
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 O STABLE ! " screamed the brakeman, opening 
 the car door and yelling his loudest, so as to be 
 heard above the rattle of the train and the 
 shriek of the wind ; " Ostable ! " 
 
 The brakeman's cap was soaked through, his hair was 
 plastered down on his forehead, and, in the yellow light 
 from the car lamps, his wet nose glistened as if var 
 nished. Over his shoulders the shiny ropes of rain 
 whipped and lashed across the space between the cars. 
 The windows streamed as each succeeding gust flung its 
 miniature freshet against them. 
 
 The passengers in the car there were but four of 
 them did not seem greatly interested in the brake 
 man's announcement. The red-faced person in the seat 
 nearest the rear slept soundly, as he had done for the 
 last hour and a half. He had boarded the train at 
 Brockton, and, after requesting the conductor not to 
 " lemme me git by Bayport, Bill," at first favored his 
 fellow travelers with a song and then sank into 
 slumber. 
 
 The two elderly men sitting together on the right- 
 hand side of the car droned on in their apparently 
 endless Jeremiad concerning the low price of cran 
 berries, the scarcity of scallops on the flats, the rea 
 sons why the fish weirs were a failure nowadays, and 
 
 i 
 
 2131185
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 similar cheerful topics. And in his seat on the left, 
 Mr. Atwood Graves, junior partner in the New York 
 firm of Sylvester, Kuhn and Graves, lawyers, stirred 
 uneasily on the lumpy plush cushion, looked at his 
 watch, then at the time-table in his hand, noted that the 
 train was now seventy-two minutes late, and for at 
 least the fifteenth time mentally cursed the railway 
 company, the whole of Cape Cod from Sandwich to 
 Provincetown, and the fates which had brought him 
 there. 
 
 The train slowed down, in a jerky, hiccoughy sort of 
 way, and crept on till the car in which Mr. Graves was 
 seated was abreast the lighted windows of a small sta 
 tion, where it stopped. Peering through the water- 
 streaked pane at the end of his seat, the lawyer saw dim- 
 silhouettes of uncertain outline moving about. They 
 moved with provoking slowness. He felt that it would 
 be joy unspeakable to rush out there and thump them 
 into animation. The fact that the stately Atwood 
 Graves even thought of such an undignified proceeding 
 is sufficient indication of his frame of mind. 
 
 Then, behind the door which the brakeman, after an 
 nouncing the station, had closed again, sounded a big 
 laugh. The heartiness of it grated on Mr. Graves's 
 nerves. What idiot could laugh on such a night as this 
 aboard a train over an hour late ? 
 
 The laugh was repeated. Then the door was flung 
 briskly open, and a man entered the car. He was a big 
 man, broad-shouldered, inclined to stoutness, wearing a 
 cloth cap with a visor, and a heavy ulster, the collar of 
 which was turned up. Through the gap between the open 
 ends of the collar bristled a short, grayish beard. The face 
 above the beard and below the visor was sunburned, with 
 little wrinkles about the eyes and curving lines from the 
 
 2
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 nostrils to the corners of the mouth. The upper lip 
 was shaved, and the eyebrows were heavy and grayish 
 black. Cap, face, and ulster were dripping with water. 
 
 The newcomer paused in the doorway for an instant, 
 evidently to add the finishing touch to a conversation 
 previously begun. 
 
 " Well, I tell you, Ezra," he called, over his shoulder, 
 " if it's too deep to wade, maybe I can swim. Fat floats, 
 they tell me, and Abbie says I'm gettin' fleshier every 
 day. So long." 
 
 He closed the door and, smiling broadly, swung down, 
 the aisle. The pair of calamity prophets broke off their 
 lament over the declining fisheries and greeted him al 
 most jovially. 
 
 " Hello, Cap'n ! " cried one. " What's the south shore 
 doin' over here in this flood ? " 
 
 "What's the matter, Cap'n?" demanded the other. 
 " Broke loose from your moorin's, have you ? Did you 
 ever see such a night in your life? " 
 
 The man in the ulster shook hands with each of his 
 questioners, removing a pair of wet, heavy leather gloves 
 as he did so. 
 
 " Don't know's I ever did, Dan," he answered. 
 " Couldn't see much of this one but its color and 
 that's black. I come over this mornin' to attend to some 
 business at the court-house deeds to some cranberry 
 bog property I just bought and Judge Baxter made 
 me go home with him to dinner. Stayed at his house 
 all the afternoon, and then his man, Ezra Hallett, under 
 took to drive me up here to the depot Talk about blind 
 pilotin'! Whew! The Judge's horse was a new one, 
 not used to the roads, Ezra's near-sighted, and I couldn't 
 use my glasses 'count of the rain. Let alone that, 'twas 
 darker'n the fore-hold of Noah's ark. Ho, ho! Some- 
 
 3
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 times we was in the ruts and sometimes we was in the 
 bushes. I told Ez we'd ought to have fetched along a 
 dipsy lead, then maybe we could get our bearin's by 
 soundin's. ' Couldn't see 'em if we did get 'em,' says 
 he. ' No/ says I, ' but we could taste 'em. Man that's 
 driven through as much Ostable mud as you have ought 
 to know the taste of every road in town.' " 
 
 " Well, you caught the train, anyhow," observed Dan. 
 
 " Yup. If we'd been crippled as well as blind we 
 could have done that." He seated himself just in front 
 of the pair and glanced across the aisle at Mr. Graves, 
 to find the latter looking intently at him. 
 
 " Pretty tough night," he remarked, nodding. 
 
 " Yes," replied the lawyer briefly. He did -not en 
 courage conversation with casual acquaintances. The 
 latest arrival had caught his attention because there was 
 something familiar about him. It seemed to Graves that 
 he must have seen him before; and yet that was very 
 improbable. This was the attorney's first visit to Cape 
 Cod, and he had already vowed devoutly that it should 
 be his last. He turned a chilling shoulder to the trio 
 opposite and again consulted the time-table. Denboro 
 was the next station ; then thank the Lord South 
 Denboro, his destination. 
 
 Conversation across the aisle was brisk, and its sub 
 jects were many and varied. Mr. Graves became aware, 
 more or less against his will, that the person called 
 " Cap'n " was, if not a leader in politics and local affairs, 
 still one whose opinions counted. Some of those 
 opinions, as given, were pointed and dryly descriptive ; 
 as, for instance, when a certain town-meeting candidate 
 was compared to a sculpin " with a big head that sort 
 of impresses you, till you get close enough to realize it 
 has to be big to make room for so much mouth." 
 
 4
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Graves, who was fond of salt water fishing, knew what a 
 sculpin was, and appreciated the comparison. 
 
 The conductor entered the car and stopped to collect 
 a ticket from his new passenger. It was evident that 
 he, too, was acquainted with the latter. 
 
 " Evening, Cap'n," he said, politely. " Train's a little 
 late to-night." 
 
 "It is for to-night's train," was the prompt re 
 sponse, " but if it keeps on at the rate it's ' travelin' 
 now, it'll be a little early for to-morrow mornin's, won't 
 it?" 
 
 The conductor laughed. " Guess you're right," he 
 said. " This is about as wet a storm as I've run through 
 since I've been on the road. If we get to Provincetown 
 without a washout we'll be lucky . . . Well, we've 
 made another hitch. So far, so good." 
 
 The brakeman swung open the door to shout, " Den- 
 boro ! Denboro ! " the conductor picked up his lantern 
 and hurried away, the locomotive whistled hoarsely, and 
 the train hiccoughed alongside another little station. Mr. 
 Graves, peering through his window, imagined that here 
 the silhouettes on the platform moved more briskly. 
 They seemed almost excited. He inferred that Den 
 boro was a bigger and more wide-awake village than 
 Ostable. 
 
 But he was mistaken. The reason for the excitement 
 was made plain by the conductor a moment afterwards. 
 That official entered the car, removed his uniform cap, 
 and rubbed a wet forehead with a wetter hand. 
 
 " Well, gentlemen," he said, " I've been expecting it, 
 and here it is. Mark me down as a good prophet, will 
 you? There's a washout a mile further on, and a tele 
 graph pole across the track. It's blowing great guns and 
 raining pitchforks. It'll be out of the question for us 
 
 5
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 to go forward before daylight, if then. Darn a railroad 
 man's job anyhow ! " 
 
 Five minutes later Mr. Graves descended the steps of 
 the car, his traveling bag in one hand and an umbrella 
 in the other. As soon as both feet were securely planted 
 on the platform, he put down the bag to wrestle with 
 the umbrella and the hurricane, which was apparently 
 blowing from four directions at once. Feeling his hat 
 leaving his head, he became aware that the umbrella had 
 turned inside out. He threw the wreck violently under 
 the train and stooped to pick up the bag. The bag was 
 no longer there. 
 
 " It's all right," said a calm voice behind him. " I've 
 got your satchel, neighbor. Better beat for harbor, 
 hadn't we? Here! this way." 
 
 The bewildered New Yorker felt his arm seized in a 
 firm grip, and he was rushed across the platform, 
 through a deluge of wind-driven water, and into a small, 
 hot, close-smelling waiting room. When he pushed his 
 hat clear of his eyes he saw that his rescuer was the big 
 man who boarded the train at Ostable. He was holding 
 the missing bag and smiling. 
 
 " Dirty weather, hey ? " he observed, pleasantly. 
 " Sorry your umbrella had to go by the board. I see you 
 was carryin' too much canvas and tried to run alongside 
 in time to give you a tow; but you was dismasted just 
 as I got there. Here's your dunnage, all safe and 
 sound." 
 
 He extended the traveling bag at arm's length. Mr. 
 Graves accepted his property and murmured thanks, not 
 too cordially. His dignity and temper had gone over 
 board with the umbrella, and he had not yet recovered 
 them. 
 
 " Well," went on his companion, " here we are ! And 
 
 6
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 I, for one, wanted to be somewheres else. Caleb," turn 
 ing to the station master, who came in at that moment, 
 " any way of my gettin' home to-night? " 
 
 " 'Fraid not, Cap'n," was the answer. " I don't know 
 of any. Guess you'll have to put up at the hotel and 
 wait till mornin'." 
 
 " That's right," agreed the passenger called " Dan," 
 who was standing near. " That's what Jerry and I are 
 goin' to do." 
 
 " Yes, but you and Jerry are bound for Orham. I'm 
 booked for South Denboro, and that's only seven miles 
 off. I'd swim the whole seven rather than put up at 
 Sim Titcomb's hotel. I've been there afore, thank you ! 
 Look here, Caleb, can't I hire a team and drive over? " 
 
 " Well, I don't know. S'pose you might ring up Pete 
 Shattuck and ask him. He's pretty particular about his 
 horses, though, and I cal'late he " 
 
 " All right. I'll ring him up. Pete ought to get over 
 some of his particularness to oblige me. I've helped 
 him once or twice." 
 
 He was on his way to the ticket office, where the tele 
 phone hung on the wall. But Mr. Graves stepped for 
 ward and spoke to him. 
 
 " Excuse me, sir," said the lawyer. " Did I under 
 stand you to say you were going to South Denboro ? " 
 
 " Yes. I am, if the powers and Pete Shattuck 
 '11 let me." 
 
 " You were going to drive over ? May I go with 
 you? I'm very anxious to get to South Denboro to 
 night. I have some very important business there, and 
 I want to complete it and get away to-morrow. I must 
 be back in New York by the morning following." 
 
 The captain looked his questioner over. There was a 
 doubtful look on his face, and he smiled quizzically. 
 
 7
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Well, I don't know, Mr. " 
 
 " Graves is my name." 
 
 " I don't know, Mr. Graves. This ain't goin' to be a 
 pleasure cruise exactly. You might get pretty wet." 
 
 " I don't care. I can get dry again when I get there. 
 Of course I shall share the expense of the livery. I 
 shall be greatly obliged if I may go with you. If not, 
 I must try for a rig myself." 
 
 " Oh, if you feel that way about it, why, come ahead 
 and welcome. I was only warnin' you, that's all. How 
 ever, with me aboard for ballast, I guess we won't blow 
 away. Wait a jiffy till I get after Pete." 
 
 He entered the ticket office and raised a big hand to 
 the little crank of the telephone bell. 
 
 " Let's see, Caleb," he called ; " what's Shattuck's 
 number? " 
 
 " Four long and two short," answered the station 
 master. 
 
 Graves, wondering vaguely what sort of telephone 
 system was in use on Cape Cod, heard his prospective 
 pilot ring the instrument for a full two seconds, repeat 
 ing the ring four times altogether. This he followed 
 with two sharp tinkles. Then came a series of shouted 
 " Helios ! " and, at last, fragments of one-half of a dia 
 logue. 
 
 " That you, Shattuck ? Know who this is, don't you ? 
 . . . Yes, that's right . . . Say, how many folks 
 listen every time a bell rings on this line? I've heard 
 no less'n eight receivers come down so far . . . 
 Two of 'em went up then, did you hear 'em? . . . 
 Sartin ... I want to hire a team to go over home 
 with . . . To-night Sartin ... I don't care 
 . . . Yes, you will, too . . . Yes, you will 
 . . . Send my man back with it to-morrow . . . 
 
 8
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 I don't care what it is, so it's got four legs and 
 wheels . . ." 
 
 And so on for at least five minutes. Then the cap 
 tain hung up the receiver and came back to the waiting 
 room. 
 
 " Bargain's made, Mr. Graves," he announced. 
 " Pete'll have some sort of a turn-out alongside soon's 
 he can get it harnessed. If you've got any extra storm 
 duds in that satchel of yours, I'd advise you to put 'em 
 on. We're goin' to have a rough passage." 
 
 Just how rough it was likely to be, Graves realized 
 when he emerged from the station to board the Shat- 
 tuck buggy. " Pete " himself had driven the equipage 
 over from the livery stable. 
 
 " I wouldn't do this for anybody but you, Cap'n," he 
 vouchsafed, in what might be called a reproachful shout. 
 Shouting was necessary, owing to the noise of the 
 storm, 
 
 " Wouldn't do what ? " replied the captain, looking 
 first at the ancient horse and then at the battered buggy. 
 
 " Let this horse out a night like this." 
 
 " Humph ! I should think night would be the only 
 time you would let him out. . . . There ! there ! 
 never mind. Get aboard, Mr. Graves. Put your satchel 
 on the floor between your feet. Here, let me h'ist that 
 boot for you." 
 
 The " boot " was a rubber curtain buttoned across 
 the front of the buggy, extending from the dashboard 
 to just below the level of the driver's eyes. The lawyer 
 clambered in behind it, the captain followed, the end of 
 the reins was passed through a slit in the boot, Mr. 
 Shuttuck, after inquiring if they were " all taut," gave 
 the command, " Gid-dap ! " and horse and buggy moved 
 around the corner of the station, out into darkness. 
 
 9
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Of the next hour Graves's memories are keen but 
 monotonous, a strong smell of stable, arising from the 
 laprobe which had evidently been recently used as a 
 horse blanket ; the sound of hoofs, in an interminable 
 "jog, jog splash, splash," never hurrying; a series 
 of exasperated howls from the captain, who was doing 
 his best to make them hurry; the thunderous roar of 
 rain on the buggy top and the shrieking gale which 
 rocked the vehicle on its springs and sent showers of 
 fine spray driving in at every crack and crevice between 
 the curtains. 
 
 The view ahead, over the boot, was blackness, bor 
 dered by spidery trees and branches whipping in the 
 wind. Occasionally they passed houses sitting well back 
 from the road, a lighted window gleaming cozily. And 
 ever, as they moved, the storm seemed to gather force. 
 
 Graves noticed this and, at length, when his nervous 
 ness had reached the breaking point, screamed a ques 
 tion in his companion's ear. They had attempted no 
 conversation during the ride, the lawyer, whose con 
 temptuous opinion of the locality and all its inhabitants 
 was now a conviction, feeling that the result would not 
 be worth the effort, and the captain busy with his driv 
 ing. 
 
 " It is blowing worse than ever, isn't it ? " yelled the 
 nervous Graves. 
 
 " Hey? No, just about the same. It's dead sou'-west 
 and we're getting out of the woods, that's all. Up on 
 tfiose bare hills we catch the full force of it right off the 
 Sound. Be there pretty soon now, if this Old Hundred 
 of a horse would quit walkin' in his sleep and really 
 move. Them lights ahead are South Denboro." 
 
 The lights were clustered at the foot of a long and 
 rather steep hill. Down the declivity bounced and rocked 
 
 10
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 the buggy. The horse's hoofs sounded hollow on the 
 planks of a bridge. The road narrowed and became a 
 village street, bordered and arched by tall trees which 
 groaned and threshed in the hurricane. The rain, as it 
 beat in over the boot, had, so the lawyer fancied, a salty 
 taste. 
 
 The captain bent down. " Say, Mister," he shouted, 
 " where was it you wanted to stop ? Who is it you're 
 lookin' for?" 
 
 "What?" 
 
 " I say Heavens to Betsy ! how that wind does 
 screech ! I say where'bouts shall I land you. This 
 is South Denboro. Whose house do you want to go 
 to?" 
 
 " I'm looking for one of your leading citizens. Elisha 
 Warren is his name." 
 
 "What?" 
 
 " Elisha Warren. I " 
 
 He was interrupted. There was a sharp crack over 
 head, followed by a tremendous rattle and crash. Then 
 down upon the buggy descended what, to Graves, ap 
 peared to be an avalanche of scratching, tearing twigs 
 and branches. They ripped away the boot and laprobe 
 and jammed him back against the seat, their sharp 
 points against his breast. The buggy was jerked for 
 ward a few feet and stopped short. 
 
 He heard the clatter of hoofs and shouts of " Whoa ! " 
 and " Stand still ! " He tried to rise, but the tangle of 
 twigs before him seemed impenetrable, so he gave it up 
 and remained where he was. Then, after an interval, 
 came a hail from the darkness. 
 
 " Hi, there ! Mr. Graves, ahoy ! Hurt, be you ? " 
 
 " No," the lawyer's tone was doubtful. " No o, I 
 I guess not. That you, Captain ? " 
 2 ii
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Yes, it's me. Stand still, you f oolhead ! Quit your 
 hoppin' up and down ! " These commands were evi 
 dently addressed to the horse. " Glad you ain't hurt. 
 Better get out, hadn't you ? " 
 
 "I I'm not sure that I can get out. What on earth 
 has happened ? " 
 
 " Tree limb carried away. Lucky for us we got the 
 brush end, 'stead of the butt. Scooch down and see if 
 you can't wriggle out underneath. I did." 
 
 Mr. Graves obediently " scooched." After a struggle 
 he managed to slide under the tangle of branches and. 
 at length, stood on his feet in the road beside the buggy. 
 The great limb had fallen across the street, its heavy end 
 near the walk. As the captain had said, it was for 
 tunate for the travelers that the " brush " only had 
 struck the carriage. 
 
 Graves found his companion standing at the horse's 
 head, holding the frightened animal by the bridle. The 
 rain was descending in a flood. 
 
 " Well ! " gasped the agitated New Yorker. " I'll be 
 hanged if this isn't " 
 
 " Ain't it ? But say, Mr. Graves, w ho did you say 
 you was comin' to see ? " 
 
 " Oh, a person named Elisha Warren. He lives in this 
 forsaken hole somewhere, I believe. If I had known 
 what an experience I must go through to reach him, 
 I'd have seen him at the devil." 
 
 From the bulky figure at the horse's head came a 
 chuckle. 
 
 " Humph ! Well, Mr. Graves, if the butt of that limb 
 had fetched us, instead of t'other end, I don't know but 
 you might have seen him there. I'm Elisha Warren, 
 and that's my house over yonder where the lights are."
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 THIS is your room, Mr. Graves," said Miss 
 Abigail Baker, placing the lighted lamp on 
 the bureau. " And here's a pair of socks 
 and some slippers. They belong to Elisha Cap'n 
 Warren, that is but he's got more. Cold water and 
 towels and soap are on the washstand over yonder; but 
 I guess you've had enough cold water for one night, 
 There's plenty hot in the bathroom at the end of the halL 
 After you change your wet things, just leave 'em spread 
 out on the floor. I'll come fetch 'em by and by and 
 hang 'em to dry in the kitchen. Come right downstairs 
 when you're ready. Anything else you want? No? 
 All right then. You needn't hurry. Supper's waited 
 an hour 'n' a half as 'tis. 'Twon't hurt it to wait a spell 
 longer." 
 
 She went away, closing the door after her. The be 
 wildered, wet and shivering New Yorker stared about 
 the room, which, to his surprise, was warm and cozy. 
 The warmth was furnished, so he presently discovered, 
 by a steam radiator in the corner. Radiators and a bath 
 room! These were modern luxuries he would have 
 taken for granted, had Elisha Warren been the sort of 
 man he expected to find, the country magnate, the lead 
 ing citizen, fitting brother to the late A. Rodgers War 
 ren, of Fifth Avenue and Wall Street. 
 
 But the Captain Warren who had driven him to South' 
 Denboro in the rain was not that kind of man at all. 
 His manner and his language were as far removed from 
 
 1.3
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 those of the late A. Rodgers as the latter's brown stone 
 residence was from this big rambling house, with its 
 deep stairs and narrow halls, its antiquated pictures and 
 hideous, old-fashioned wall paper; as far removed as 
 Miss Baker, whom the captain had hurriedly introduced 
 as " my second cousin keepin' house for me," was from 
 the dignified butler at the mansion on Fifth Avenue. 
 Patchwork comforters and feather beds were not, in the 
 lawyer's scheme of things, fit associates for radiators 
 and up-to-date bathrooms. And certainly this par 
 ticular Warren was not fitted to be elder brother to the 
 New York broker who had been Sylvester, Kuhn and 
 Graves' client. 
 
 It could not be, it could not. There must be some 
 mistake. In country towns there were likely to be sev 
 eral of the same name. There must be another Elisha 
 Warren. Comforted by this thought, Mr. Graves 
 opened his valise, extracted therefrom other and drier 
 articles of wearing apparel, and proceeded to change his 
 clothes. 
 
 Meanwhile, Miss Abigail had descended the stairs to 
 the sitting room. Before a driftwood fire in a big brick 
 fireplace sat Captain Warren in his shirt-sleeves, a pair 
 of mammoth carpet slippers on his feet, and the said feet 
 stretched luxuriously out toward the blaze. 
 
 " Abbie," observed the captain, " this is solid com 
 fort. Every time I go away from home I get into 
 trouble, don't I? Last trip I took to Boston, I lost 
 thirty dollars, and " 
 
 "Lost it!" interrupted Miss Baker, tartly. "Gave 
 it away, you mean." , 
 
 " I didn't give it away. I lent it. Abbie, you ought 
 to know the difference between a gift and a loan." 
 
 "I do when there is any difference. But if lendin'
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Tim Foster ain't givin' it away, then I miss my guess." 
 
 "Well," with another chuckle, "Tim don't feel that 
 way. He swore right up and down that he wouldn't 
 take a cent as a gift. I offered to make him a pres 
 ent of ten dollars, but he looked so shocked that I apolo 
 gized afore he could say no." 
 
 " Yes, and then lent him that thirty. Shocked ! The 
 only thing that would shock that good-for-nothin' is bein' 
 set to work. What possessed you to be such a soft 
 head, / don't know. When you get back a copper of 
 that money I'll believe the millennium's struck, that's 
 all." 
 
 "Hum! Well, I'll help you believe it that is, if 
 I have time afore I drop dead of heart disease. Abbie, 
 you'd make a good lawyer; you can get up an argument 
 out of a perfect agreement. I said the thirty dollars 
 was lost, to begin with. But I knew Tim Foster's 
 mother when she used to think that boy of hers was 
 the eighth wonder of the world. And I promised her 
 I'd do what I could for him long's I lived . . . But 
 it seems to me we've drifted some off the course, ain't 
 we? What I started to say was that every time I go 
 away from home I get into trouble. Up to Boston 'twas 
 Tim and his ' loan/ To-night it's about as healthy a 
 sou'-wester as I've ever been out in. Dan fetched in the 
 team, has he? " 
 
 " Yes. It's in the stable. He says the buggy dash 
 is pretty well scratched up, and that it's a wonder you 
 and that Graves man wa'n't killed. Who is he, any 
 how?" 
 
 " Land knows, I don't." 
 
 " You don't know ! Then what's he doin' here ? " 
 
 " Changin' his duds, I guess. That's what I'd do if I 
 looked as much like a drowned rat as he did." 
 
 15
 
 CAP'N WARKEN'S WARDS 
 
 " 'Lisha Warren! if you ain't the most provokin' 
 thing! Don't be so unlikely. You know what I mean. 
 What's he come here, to this house, for?" 
 
 " Don't know, Abbie. I didn't know he was comin' 
 here till just as we got down yonder by Emery's cor 
 ner. I asked him who he was lookin' for, he said 
 ' Elisha Warren/ and then the tree caved in on us." 
 
 " 'Lisha, you you don't s'pose 'twas a sign, do 
 you?" 
 
 "Sign?" 
 
 " Yes, a sign, a prophecy-like, a warnin' that some- 
 thin' is goin' to happen." 
 
 The captain put back his head and laughed. 
 
 " Sign somethin' had happened, I should think," he 
 answered. " What's goin' to happen is that Pete 
 Shuttuck'll get his buggy painted free-for-nothin', at 
 my expense. How's supper gettin' along? Is it 
 ready?" 
 
 " Ready ? It's been ready for so long that it'll have 
 to be got ready all over again if ... Oh ! Come 
 right in, Mr. Graves ! I hope you're drier now." 
 
 Captain Warren sprang from the chair to greet his 
 visitor, who was standing in the doorway. 
 
 " Yes, come right in, Mr. Graves," he urged, cor 
 dially. " Set down by the fire and make yourself com- 
 f 'table. Abbie'll have somethin' for us to eat in a jiffy. 
 Pull up a chair." 
 
 The lawyer came forward hesitatingly. The doubts 
 which had troubled him ever since he entered the house 
 were still in his mind. 
 
 " Thank you, Captain," he said. " But before I ac 
 cept more of your hospitality I feel I should be sure 
 there is no mistake. I have come on important busi 
 ness, and " 
 
 16
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Hold on ! " The captain held up a big hand. " Don't 
 you say another word," he commanded. " There's just 
 one business that interests me this minute, and that's 
 supper. There's no mistake about that, anyhow. Did 
 you say ' Come ahead/ Abbie? or was you just going to? 
 Good ! Right into the dinin' room, Mr. Graves." 
 
 The dining room was long and low. The woodwork 
 was white, the floor green painted boards, with braided 
 rag mats scattered over them. There were old-fashioned 
 pictures on the walls, pictures which brought shudders 
 to the artistic soul of Atwood Graves. A broad bay 
 window filled one side of the apartment, and in this 
 window, on shelves and in wire baskets, were Miss 
 Baker's cherished and carefully tended plants. As for 
 the dining table, it was dark, old-fashioned walnut, as 
 were the chairs. 
 
 " Set right down here, Mr. Graves," ordered the cap 
 tain. " I'll try to keep you supplied with solid cargo, 
 and Abbie'll 'tend to the moistenin'. Hope that teapot 
 is full up, Abbie. Hot tea tastes good after you've swal- 
 lered as much cold rain as Mr. Graves and I have 
 . . . Father-we-thank-thee-for-these-mercies-set-be- 
 fore-us-Amen . . . How's your appetite when it 
 comes to clam pie, Mr. Graves ? " 
 
 Mr. Graves's appetite was good, and the clam pie was 
 good. So, too, were the hot biscuits and the tea and 
 homemade preserves and cake. Conversation during the 
 meal was, for the most part, a monologue by the cap 
 tain. He gave Miss Baker a detailed and exaggerated 
 account of his adventures in Ostable, on board the train, 
 and during the drive home. The housekeeper listened, 
 fidgeting in her chair. 
 
 " 'Lisha Warren," she interrupted, " how you do talk ! 
 Rainin' so hard you had to hold the reins taut to keep 
 
 17
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 the horse's head out of water so he wouldn't drown! 
 The idea ! " 
 
 " Fact," asserted Captain Warren, with a wink at his 
 guest. " And that wa'n't the worst of it. 'Twas so dark 
 I had to keep feelin' the buggy with my foot to be sure 
 I was in it. Ain't that so, Mr. Graves ? . . . Here ! 
 Abbie won't like to have you set lookin' at that empty 
 plate. She's always afraid folks'll notice the gilt's 
 wearin' off. Pass it over quick, and let me cover it with 
 some more pie." 
 
 " Yes, and have some more tea," urged Miss Abbie. 
 " You mustn't pay attention to what he says, Mr. 
 Graves," she went on. " Some day he'll tell the truth 
 by accident, and then I'll know it's time to send for 
 the doctor." 
 
 Several times the lawyer attempted to mention the 
 business which had brought him to the Cape, and the 
 probability of his having made a mistake. But neither 
 host nor housekeeper would listen. 
 
 " When you've been in South Denboro as long as I 
 have," declared the former, "you'll understand that the 
 time to talk business is when you can't think of any 
 thing else. Wait till we get into the settin' room. Ab 
 bie, those six or eight biscuits I've ate are gettin' 
 lonesome. I'll take another for sociability, thank 
 you." 
 
 But, at last, when all the biscuits but one were gone, 
 and the cake plate looked like the Desert of Sahara, the 
 captain pushed back his chair, rose, and led the way 
 into the next room. Miss Baker remained to clear the 
 table. 
 
 " Set down by the fire, Mr. Graves," urged the cap 
 tain. " Nothin' like burnin' wood to look hot and com- 
 f 'table, is there? It don't always make you feel that 
 
 18
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 way that's why I put in hot water heat but for 
 looks and sociableness you can't beat a log fire. Smoke, 
 do you ? " 
 
 " Yes. Occasionally. But, Captain Warren " 
 
 " Here, try that. It's a cigar the Judge gave me over 
 to Ostable. He smokes that kind reg'lar, but if you 
 don't like it, throw it away. He ain't here to see you 
 do it, so you won't be fined for contempt of court. I'll 
 stick to a pipe, if you don't mind. Now we're shipshape 
 and all taut, I cal'late. Let's see, you wanted to talk 
 business, I believe." 
 
 " Yes, I did. But before I begin I should like to be 
 sure you are the Elisha Warren I came from New York 
 to interview. Is there another of that name in Den- 
 boro?" 
 
 " Um-hm. There's Warrens a-plenty all through this 
 section of the Cape. Our family blew ashore here a 
 hundred and fifty years ago, or such matter. My dad's 
 name was Elisha; so was my grandfather's. Both sea 
 cap'ns, and both dead. There's another Elisha livin' 
 over on the shore lane." 
 
 " Indeed. Then perhaps it is he I want." 
 
 " P'raps. He's keeper of the town poorhouse. I can 
 tell you better if you give me an idea what your busi 
 ness is." 
 
 " I am an attorney. And now let me ask another 
 question, please. Have you had you a brother in busi 
 ness in New York ? " 
 
 " Hey ? " The captain turned and looked his guest 
 squarely in the eye. His brows drew together. 
 
 " I've got a brother in New York," he answered, 
 slowly. " Did he send you here ? " 
 
 " Was your brother's name A. Rodgers Warren ? " 
 
 "'A. Rodgers'? No. His name is Abijah Warren, 
 
 19
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 and Wait! His middle name is Rodgers, though. 
 Did 'Bije send you to me ? " 
 
 " A moment, Captain. Was your brother a broker ? " 
 
 " Yes. His office is or used to be on Broad Street. 
 What " 
 
 " You have not heard from him for some time? " 
 
 " Not for eighteen years. He and I didn't agree as 
 well as we might Maybe 'twas my fault, maybe 'twas 
 his. I have my own ideas on that. If you're lookin' 
 for 'Bije Warren's brother, Mr. Graves, I guess you've 
 come to the right place. But what he sent you to me 
 for, or what he wants for he wants something or he 
 wouldn't have sent I don't understand." 
 
 "Why do you think he wanted something?" 
 
 " Because he's 'Bije Warren, and I was brought up 
 with him. When we was young ones together, he went 
 to school and I went to work. He got the frostin' on 
 the cake, and I got the burnt part next to the pan. 
 He went to college, and I went to sea. He . . . 
 However, you mustn't think I find fault with him for 
 ihat. I sp'iled him as much as anybody, I guess. 
 'Twas later on that we ... Well, never mind that, 
 either. What is it he wants of me, after eighteen 
 years ? " 
 
 " He wants a good deal of you, Captain Warren. Or 
 did want it." 
 
 " Did ? Don't he want it now ? " * 
 
 " I don't know. Captain, I'm surprised that you 
 haven't heard. It seems that I am the bearer of bad 
 news. Your brother " 
 
 " Is 'Bije dead? " 
 
 " He died ten days ago very suddenly. In a way it 
 was a great shock to us all, yet we have known that his 
 heart was weak. He realized it, too." 
 
 20
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 "So 'Bije is dead, hey?" Captain Elisha's face was 
 very grave, and he spoke slowly. " Dead ! Well, well, 
 well ! " 
 
 He paused and looked into the fire. Graves saw 
 again that vague resemblance he had caught on the train, 
 but had forgotten. He knew now why he noticed it. 
 Unlike as the two brothers werej unlike in almost every 
 way, the trace of family likeness was there. This sun 
 burned, retired captain was the New York financier's 
 elder brother. And this certainty made Mr. Graves's 
 errand more difficult, and the cause of it more inex 
 plicable. 
 
 Captain Elisha cleared his throat. 
 
 "Well, well!" he sighed. "So 'Bije has gone. I 
 s'pose you think it's odd, maybe," he went on, " that I 
 ain't more struck down by the news. In a way, I am, 
 and, in a way, I'm mighty sorry, too. But, to speak 
 truth, he and I have been so apart, and have had nothin' 
 to do with each other for so long that that, well, I've 
 come to feel as if I didn't have a brother. And I know 
 he felt that way. Yes, and wanted to feel so I know 
 that." 
 
 " I wouldn't say that, if I were you," observed the 
 lawyer, gently. " I think you're mistaken there." 
 
 " I ain't mistaken. Why, look here, Mr. Graves ! 
 There was a time when I'd have got down on my knees 
 and crawled from here to New York to help 'Bije War 
 ren. I lent him money to start in business. Later on 
 him and I went into partnership together on a a fool 
 South American speculation that didn't pan out for 
 nothin'. I didn't care for that. I took my chance same 
 as he did, we formed a stock company all amongst our 
 selves, and I've got my share of the stock somewhere 
 yet It may come in handy if I ever want to paper the 
 
 21
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 barn. But 'twa'n't business deals of that kind that 
 parted us, 'twas another matter. Somethin' that he did 
 to other folks who'd trusted us and . . . Humph ! 
 this don't interest you, of course . . . Well, 'Bije 
 was well off, I know. His wife died way back in the 
 nineties. She was one of them fashionable women, and 
 a hayseed salt-herrin' of a bachelor brother-in-law stuck 
 down here in the sandheaps didn't interest her much 
 except as somethin' to forget, I s'pose. I used to see 
 her name in the Boston papers occasionally, givin' 
 parties at Newport and one thing a'nother. I never 
 envied 'em that kind of life. I'm as well fixed as I 
 want to be. Got some money put by for a rainy spell, 
 com f 'table house and land, best town on earth to live 
 in and work for; I'm satisfied and always have 
 been. I wouldn't change for nothin'. But I'm nine 
 year older than 'Bije was and yet I'm left alive. 
 Hum!" 
 
 " Your brother had two children by his marriage," 
 said Graves, after a moment of silence. 
 
 "Hey? Two children? Why, yes, I remember he 
 did. Boy and girl, wa'n't they? I never saw 'em. 
 They've growed up by this time, of course." 
 
 " Yes, the eldest, Caroline, is nearly twenty. The 
 boy, Stephen, is a year younger. It is concerning those 
 children, Captain Warren, that I have come to you." 
 
 Captain Elisha turned in his chair. "Hey?" he 
 queried. " The children ? You've come to me about 
 'Bije's children?" 
 
 Graves nodded. " Yes," he answered, solemnly. 
 " That is what I meant by saying your brother had not 
 forgotten you or wished to forget you. In spite of the 
 estrangement, it is evident that his confidence in your 
 judgment and integrity was supreme. His children 
 
 22
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 were his idols, Captain Warren, and he has left them in 
 your charge." 
 
 The captain's pipe fell to the hearth. 
 
 " What? " he shouted. " Left his children to to 
 me! Mr. Graves, you're you're out of your head 
 or I am!" 
 
 " No, I'm perfectly sane. I have a copy of the will 
 here, and " 
 
 He was interrupted by Miss Baker, who appeared at 
 the door of the dining room. " Did you want me, 
 'Lisha ? " she asked. 
 
 Her employer stared at her in a dazed, uncomprehend 
 ing way. 
 
 "Want you?" he repeated. "Want you?" 
 
 " Yes ; I heard you holler, and I thought p'raps you 
 was callin' me." 
 
 " Hey ? No, I don't want you, Abbie. . . . Hol 
 ler! I shouldn't wonder! If all I did was holler, I'm 
 surprised at myself. No, no! Run along out and shut 
 the door. Yes, shut it. ... Now, Mr. Graves, say 
 that over again and say it slow." 
 
 " I say that your brother has left his two children in 
 your care until the youngest shall become of age 
 twenty-one. I have a copy of his will here, and " 
 
 " Wait, wait ! let me think. Left his children to me ! 
 . . . to me. Mr. Graves, had 'Bije lost all his 
 money ? " 
 
 " No. He was not the millionaire that many thought 
 him. Miss Warren and her brother will be obliged to 
 economize somewhat in their manner of living. But, 
 with care and economy, their income should be quite suf 
 ficient, without touching the principal, to " 
 
 " Hold on again ; the income, you say. What is that 
 income ? " 
 
 23
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Roughly speaking, a mere estimate, about twenty to 
 twenty-five thousand yearly." 
 
 Captain Elisha had stooped to pick up the pipe he had 
 dropped. His fingers touched it, but they did not close. 
 Instead he straightened up in his chair as if suffering 
 from an electric shock. 
 
 " Mr. Graves," he began ; " Mr. Graves, are you 
 era . No, I asked you that before. But but twenty 
 thousand a a year ! For mercy sakes, what's the prin 
 cipal?" 
 
 " In the neighborhood of five hundred thousand, I be 
 lieve. Of course, we had no authority to investigate 
 thoroughly. That will be a part of your duties, but " 
 
 " S-shh ! Let me soak this into my brains a little at a 
 time. 'Bije leaves his children five hundred thousand, 
 half a million, and and they've got to economise! 
 And I'm . . . Would you mind readin' me that 
 will?" 
 
 The attorney drew a long envelope from his pocket, 
 extracted therefrom a folded document, donned a pair 
 of gold-mounted eyeglasses, and began to read aloud. 
 
 The will was short and very concise. " ' I, Abijah 
 Rodgers Warren, being of sound mind ' " 
 
 " You're sartin that part's true, are you ? " broke in 
 the captain. 
 
 Graves nodded, rather impatiently, and continued. 
 ( ' Of sound mind, memory and understanding, do make, 
 publish and declare this to be my last will and testament, 
 in manner following, that is to say: 
 
 ' First : I direct my executor hereinafter named 
 to pay my just debts and funeral expenses as soon as 
 may be convenient after my decease.' " 
 
 " Did he owe much, think likely ? " asked Captain 
 Elisha. 
 
 24
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Apparently not. Very little beyond the usual bills 
 of a household." 
 
 " Yes, yes. Grocer and butcher and baker and such 
 like. Well, I guess they won't have to put in a keeper. 
 Heave ahead." 
 
 " ' Second : I give, devise and bequeath all my es 
 tate, both real and personal, to my brother, Elisha War 
 ren, if he survive ' " 
 
 The captain gasped. " To me ? " he cried, in utter 
 amazement. "He leaves it to me? 'Bije leaves say, 
 Mr. Graves, there's some mistake here somewhere, sure 1 
 And besides, you said " 
 
 " Just a minute, Captain Warren, if you please. If 
 you'll be patient and not interrupt, I'll try to make the 
 whole matter plain." 
 
 " Well, if you can do that, you'll have King Solomon 
 and all his wisdom beat a mile, that's all I've got to say. 
 Go on." 
 
 " ' To my brother, Elisha Warren, if he survive me, 
 in trust, nevertheless, for the following purpose, to 
 wit: 
 
 ' To invest the same and to use the income thereof 
 for the education and maintenance of my two children, 
 Caroline Edgecombe Warren ' " 
 
 "Edgecombe? Named for some of his wife's folks, 
 I presume likely. Excuse me for puttin' my oar in 
 again. Go on." 
 
 ""'And Stephen Cole Warren'" 
 
 " That's his wife, sartin. She was a Cole. I swan, I 
 beg your pardon." 
 
 " ' Until the elder, Caroline Edgecombe Warren, shall 
 have reached her twenty-first birthday, when one-half of 
 the principal of said estate, together with one-half of 
 the accumulated interest, shall be given to her, and the 
 
 25
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 trust continued for the education and maintenance of 
 my son, Stephen Cole Warren, until he shall have reached 
 his twenty-first birthday, when I direct that the re 
 mainder be given to him. 
 
 "'Third: I appoint as testamentary guardian of 
 my said children my said brother, Elisha Warren. 
 
 " ' Fourth : I appoint as sole executor of this, my 
 last will and testament, my said brother, Elisha Warren. 
 
 " ' Fifth : Imposing implicit trust and confidence in 
 Elisha Warren, my brother, I direct that he be not re 
 quired to give bond for the performance of any of the 
 affairs or trusts to which he has been herein appointed/ 
 
 " The remainder," concluded Graves, refolding the 
 will, " is purely formal. It is dated May I5th, three 
 years ago. Your brother, Captain Warren, evidently 
 realized, although no one else seems to have done so, the 
 precarious state of his health, and prepared, as every 
 careful person should, for the great emergency." 
 
 The attorney removed his eyeglasses and rubbed them 
 with his handkerchief. Captain Elisha sat silent, star 
 ing at the fire. After an interval, Graves spoke again. 
 
 " Of course, Captain," he went on, " my errand is now 
 plain. I come to acquaint you with your brother's last 
 wishes and to ascertain whether or not you are willing 
 to accept the trust and responsibility he has laid upon 
 you. As you doubtless know, the state provides a legal 
 rate of reimbursement for such services as yours will 
 or may be. Ahem ! " 
 
 " May be ? You mean I ain't got to do this thing un 
 less I want to ? " 
 
 " Certainly. You have the right to renounce the vari 
 ous appointments, in which case another executor, 
 trustee, and guardian will be appointed. I realize, and 
 I'm sure that your brother's children will realize, your 
 
 26
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 hesitance in assuming such a responsibility over persons 
 whom you have never even met." 
 
 " Yes, I guess we'll all realize it ; you needn't worry 
 about that. Look here, do the children know I'm 
 elected?" 
 
 " Yes. Of course, the will has been read to them." 
 
 " Hum ! I s'pose likely they was overcome with joy, 
 wa'n't they ? " 
 
 Graves bit his lip. Remembering the comments of 
 Miss Caroline and her brother when they learned of their 
 uncle's appointment, he had difficulty in repressing a 
 smile. 
 
 " Well," he replied, slowly, " of course, one could 
 scarcely expect them to rejoice. They have never seen 
 you. In fact, I doubt if either of them knew their father 
 had a brother, living." 
 
 " Y-e-e-s. That part don't surprise me. But the rest 
 of it does. By the miracles of the prophets ! the rest of 
 it does! That 'Bije 'Bije should leave his children 
 and their money to me to take care of is passin' human 
 belief, as our old minister used to say . . . 
 Humph! I s'pose likely, Mr. Graves, you'd like to 
 have me say yes or no to the thing while you're here, 
 hey?" 
 
 Graves nodded. " It would be well to do so," he said. 
 " The settlement of the estate must be taken in hand as 
 soon as possible. The law so directs." 
 
 " Yes, I see that. Well, what would you advise my 
 doin'?" 
 
 To this direct question the lawyer returned a non 
 committal answer. 
 
 " I'm afraid that must be answered by yourself alone, 
 Captain Warren," he said. " Of course, the acceptance 
 of the trust will necessarily inyolve much trouble and in- 
 3 27
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 convenience, especially to one of your er settled 
 and er conservative I judge merely from what 
 you have said your conservative habits. The estate is 
 large, the investments are, doubtless, many and varied, 
 and the labor of looking into and investigating them may 
 require some technical skill and knowledge of finance. 
 Yes." 
 
 "Um-hm. . . . Well, I judge that that kind of 
 skill and knowledge could be hired, if a feller felt like 
 payin' fair wages ; hey ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes, yes. Any good lawyer could attend to that, 
 under the supervision of the executor, certainly. But 
 there are other inconveniences to a a " 
 
 " Country jay like me. I understand. Go ahead." 
 
 " I mean that you would probably be required to spend 
 much, or all, of the next two or three years in New 
 York." 
 
 " Would, hey ? I didn't know but bein' as a guardian 
 has entire charge of the children and their money and 
 all I understand that's what he does have he could 
 direct the children fetched down to where he lived, if 
 he wanted to. Am I wrong ? " 
 
 " No," the lawyer's hesitancy and annoyance was 
 plainly evident. " No-o. Of course, that might be 
 done. Still, I" 
 
 " You think that wouldn't cause no more rejoicin' than 
 some other things have? Yes, yes; I cal'late I under 
 stand, Mr. Graves. Well, I guess you'll have to give 
 me to-night to chew over this. I guess you will. It's 
 come on me so sudden, 'Bije's death and all, that I want 
 to be by myself and think. I don't want to seem unso 
 ciable or lackin' in hospitality. The whole house is yours. 
 Help yourself to it. But when I'm caught in a clove 
 hitch, I just have to set down and think myself out of it 
 
 28
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 I have to. I was built and launched that way, I guess, 
 and maybe you'll excuse me." 
 
 " Certainly, Captain Warren. You're quite right in 
 wishing to deliberate on so important a matter. And, 
 if you will excuse me in return, I believe I will go to my 
 room. I've had a rather wearing day." 
 
 " And a damp evenin'. Yes, I'll excuse and sympa 
 thize with you, too. I'll see you to your room, and I'll 
 hope you'll have consider'ble more sleep than I'm likely 
 to get. Abbie! . . . Abbie! . . . Fetch Mr. 
 Graves's lamp, won't you, please ? " 
 
 It was after two the next morning before Captain 
 Elisha rose from his chair by the fire and entered his 
 bed chamber. Yet, when Atwood Graves came down 
 to breakfast, he found his host in the sitting room await 
 ing him. 
 
 " Afore we tackle Abbie's pancakes and fishballs, Mr. 
 Graves," said the captain, " let's get the rest of that will 
 business off our minds. Then we can have the pancakes 
 to take the taste out of our mouths, as you might say. 
 And let me ask you one more question. This er er 
 Caroline and Stephen, they're used to livin' pretty 
 well fashionable society, and the like of that, hey? " 
 
 " Yes. Their home was on Fifth Avenue, and the 
 family moved in the best circles." 
 
 " Hum ! I should imagine life on twenty-odd thousand 
 a year must be pretty much all circles, one everlastin' 
 ' turn your partners.' Well, Mr. Graves, my circles down 
 here are consider'ble smaller, but they suit me. I'm 
 worth twenty-odd thousand myself, not in a year, but in 
 a lifetime. I'm selectman and director in the bank and 
 trustee of the church. When I holler ' Boo,' the South 
 Denboro folks some of them, anyhow set up and 
 take notice. I can lead the grand march down in this 
 
 29
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 neighborhood once in a while, and I cal'late I'm prettier 
 leadin' it than I would be doin' a solitaire jig for two 
 years on the outside edge of New York's best circles. 
 And I'm mighty sure I'm more welcome. Now my eye 
 sight's strong enough to see through a two-foot hole 
 after the plug's out, and I can see that you and 'Bije's 
 children won't shed tears if I say no to that will. No 
 offense meant, you know; just common sense, that's all." 
 
 This was plain speaking. Mr. Graves colored, though 
 he didn't mean to, and for once could not answer off 
 hand. 
 
 " So," continued the captain, " I'll ease your and their 
 minds by sayin' that, the way I feel now, I probably 
 sha'n't accept the trust. I probably sha'n't. But I won't 
 say sure I won't, because well, because 'Bije was my 
 brother; he was that, no matter what our diff'rences 
 may have been. And I know I know that there must 
 be some reason bigger than ' implicit trust ' and the other 
 May-baskets for his appointin' me in his will. What 
 that reason is I don't know yet." 
 
 " Then you intend ? "+ 
 
 " I don't know what I intend in the end. But for a 
 beginning I cal'late to run down to New York some time 
 durin' the next week, take a cruise 'round, and sort of 
 look things over."
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 IT'S a box of a place, though, isn't it," declared Mr. 
 Stephen Warren, contemptuously glancing about 
 the library of the apartment. " A box, by George ! 
 I think it's a blooming shame that we have to put up 
 with it, Sis." 
 
 Mr. Warren sprawled in the most comfortable chair 
 in the room, was looking out through the window, across 
 the wind-swept width of Central Park West, over the 
 knolls and valleys of the Park itself, now bare of foliage 
 and sprinkled with patches of snow. There was a dis 
 contented look on his face, and his hands were jammed 
 deep in his trousers pockets. 
 
 His sister, Caroline, sat opposite to him, also looking 
 out at the December landscape. She, too, was dis 
 contented and unhappy, though she tried not to show 
 it. 
 
 " Why don't you say something," snapped Stephen, 
 after a moment of silence. "Isn't it a box of a place? 
 Now come." 
 
 " Yes," replied the young lady, without looking at her 
 brother. " Yes, Steve, I suppose it is. But you must 
 remember that we must make the best of it. I always 
 wondered how people could live in apartments. Now 
 I suppose I shall have to find out." 
 
 " Well, I maintain that we don't have to. We aren't 
 paupers, even though father wasn't so well fixed as ev 
 eryone thought. With management and care, we could 
 have stayed in the old house, I believe, and kept up ap- 
 
 31
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 pearances, at least. What's the use of advertising that 
 we're broke? " 
 
 " But, Steve, you know Mr. Graves said " 
 
 " Oh, yes, I know. You swallowed every word Graves 
 said, Caro, as if he was the whole book of Proverbs. 
 By George, 7 don't ; I'm from Missouri." 
 
 Mr. Warren, being in the Sophomore class at Yale, 
 was of the age when one is constitutionally " from Mis 
 souri." Probably King Solomon, at sixty, had doubts 
 concerning the scope and depth of his wisdom ; at eight 
 een he would have admitted its all-embracing infalli 
 bility without a blush. 
 
 " I tell you," continued Stephen, " there's no sense in 
 it, Sis. You and I know plenty of people whose incomes 
 are no larger than ours. Do they ' economize,' as 
 Graves is continually preaching? They do not, publicly 
 at least. They may save a bit, here and there, but they 
 do it where it doesn't show and nobody knows. Take 
 the Blaisdells, for instance. When the Sodality Bank 
 went up, and old Blaisdell died, everybody said the fam 
 ily was down and out. They must have lost millions. 
 But did they move into ' apartments ' and put up a 
 placard, * Home of the Dead-Brokes. Walk in and Sym 
 pathize ? ' I guess they didn't ! They v/ent into mourn 
 ing, of course, and that let them out of entertaining and 
 all that, but they stayed where they were and kept up 
 the bluff. That's the thing that counts in this world 
 keeping up the bluff." 
 
 " Yes, but everyone knows they are bluffing, as you 
 call it" 
 
 " What of it? They don't really know, they only sus 
 pect. And I met Jim Blaisdell yesterday and he shook 
 my hand, after I had held it in front of his eyes where 
 he couldn't help seeing it, and had the nerve to tell me 
 
 32
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 he hoped things weren't as bad with us as he had 
 heard." 
 
 " I never liked the Blaisdells," declared Caroline, in 
 dignantly. 
 
 " Neither did I. Neither do most people. But Jim is 
 just as much in the swim as he ever was, and he's got his 
 governor's place on the board of directors at the bank, 
 now that it's reorganized, and an office down town, and 
 he's hand and glove with Von Blarcom and all the rest. 
 They think he's a promising, plucky young man. 
 They'll help his bluff through. And are his mother and 
 sister dropped by the people in their set? I haven't 
 noticed it." 
 
 " Well, Mrs. Corcoran Dunn told me that everyone 
 was talking about the Blaisdells and wondering how long 
 they could keep it up. And the newspapers have been 
 printing all sorts of things, and hinting that young Mr. 
 Blaisdell's appointment as director, after his father 
 wrecked the bank, was a scandal. At least, we haven't 
 that to bear up under. Father was honest, if he wasn't 
 rich." 
 
 " Who cares for the newspapers ? They're all run by 
 demagogues hunting sensations. What makes me feel 
 the worst about all this is that Stock Exchange seat of 
 father's. If I were only of age, so that I could go down 
 there on the floor, I tell you it wouldn't be long before 
 you and I were back where we belong, Sis. But, no, I'm 
 a kid, so Graves thinks, in charge of a guardian a 
 guardian, by gad ! " 
 
 He snorted, in manly indignation. Caroline, her 
 pretty face troubled, rose and walked slowly across the 
 room. It was a large room, in spite of the fact that it 
 was one of a suite in an apartment hotel, and furnished 
 richly. A. Rodgers Warren spent his money with taste, 
 
 33
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 and spent it freely while he lived. The furniture, the 
 paintings, and bric-a-brac were of the very best, chosen 
 with care, here and abroad. 
 
 " Oh, dear ! " sighed the girl. " I do hope Mr. Graves 
 will be well enough to call to-day. He expected to. 
 Except for the telephone message telling us that that 
 man at Denboro " 
 
 " Our dear Uncle Elisha," put in Stephen, with sar 
 casm. " UPC/C ' 'Lish ! ' Heavens ! what a name ! " 
 
 " Hush ! He can't help his name. And father's was 
 worse yet Abijah ! Think of it ! " 
 
 " I don't want to think of it. Neither did the gover 
 nor ; that's why he dropped it, I suppose. Just what did 
 Graves say? Give me his exact words." 
 
 " His partner, Mr. Kuhn, telephoned. He said that 
 Mr. Graves had a bad cold, having been wet through 
 in a dreadful storm down there in the country. The doc 
 tor forbade his leaving the house for a day or two, but 
 he would call on Tuesday to-day if he was suffi 
 ciently recovered. And Mr. Kuhn said that everything 
 was satisfactory. This Captain Warren a ship cap 
 tain, I suppose he is would, in all probability, refuse to 
 accept the guardianship and the rest of it " 
 
 "Refuse? I should think so. I'm just as certain 
 father was insane when he made that will as I am that 
 I'm alive. If I thought he wasn't, I'd never forgive 
 him." 
 
 " Hush, Steve. You promised me you wouldn't speak 
 in that way." 
 
 " Well, all right, I won't. But, Caro, he must have 
 been insane. If he wasn't, do you suppose he would 
 have put us and the estate in the care of a Down-East 
 jay? It's inconceivable! It's ridiculous! Think of it. 
 Suppose this uncle of ours had accepted. Suppose he 
 
 34
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 had come to town here and any of our friends had met 
 him. ' This is our guardian, Captain Warren, of Punkin 
 Centre.' ' Please to meet ye,' says Uncle 'Lish. ' How's 
 taters ? ' Horrors ! Say, Caro, you haven't told anyone, 
 Malcolm or his mother, or anyone, have you ? " 
 
 "Of course not, Steve. You know I wouldn't." 
 
 " Well, don't. They needn't know it, now or at any 
 other time. Graves will probably get himself appointed, 
 and he's respectable if he is an old fogy. We'll worry 
 along till I'm twenty-one, and then well, then I'll han 
 dle our business myself." 
 
 Evidently there was no question in his mind as to his 
 ability to handle this or any business, no matter how in 
 volved. He rose from his chair and yawned. 
 
 " It's deadly dull," he complained. " You don't need 
 me, do you, Caro? I believe I'll go out for a while. 
 That is, unless you really care." 
 
 His sister hesitated before replying. When she spoke, 
 there was disappointment in her tone. 
 
 " Why, Steve," she said, " I did hope you might be 
 here when Mr. Graves came. He will wish to speak of 
 important matters, and it seems to me that both of us 
 should hear what he has to say." 
 
 Young Warren, who had started for the door, stopped 
 and kicked impatiently at the corners of the rug. 
 
 " Oh, well!" he observed, " if you want me of course 
 I'll stay. But why doesn't old Graves come, if he is com 
 ing. Maybe he's under the weather yet," he added, 
 hopefully. " Perhaps he isn't coming at all to-day. 
 I believe I'll call up Kuhn on the 'phone and find 
 out." 
 
 He was on his way to the telephone when the doorbell 
 buzzed. 
 
 " Gad ! there he is now," he exclaimed. " Now I sup- 
 
 35
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 pose I'll have to stay. We'll hear about dear Uncle 
 'Lish, won't we ? Oh, joy ! " 
 
 But the staid butler, when he entered the library, did 
 not announce the lawyer's name. 
 
 " Mrs. Corcoran Dunn and Mr. Malcolm," he said. 
 " Will you see them, Miss Caroline ? " 
 
 The young lady's face lit up. 
 
 " Certainly, Edwards," she said. " Show them Oh, 
 Mrs. Dunn, I'm so glad to see you ! It was ever so good 
 of you to come. And Malcolm." 
 
 Mrs. M. Corcoran Dunn was tall and, in South Den- 
 boro, would have been called " fleshy," in spite of her 
 own and the dressmaker's efforts to conceal the fact. 
 She was elaborately gowned and furred, and something 
 about her creaked when she walked. She rushed into 
 the room, at the butler's heels, and, greeting Caroline with 
 outstretched hands, kissed her effusively on the cheek. 
 
 " My dear child," she cried, " how could I stay away ? 
 We have spoken of you and Stephen so often this morn 
 ing. We know how lonely you must be, and Malcolm 
 and I decided we must run in on you after lunch. Didn't 
 we, Malcolm?" 
 
 Mr. Malcolm Corcoran Dunn, her son, was a blond 
 young man, with a rather indolent manner. 
 
 " Sure, Mater ! " he said, calmly. " How d'ye do, Car 
 oline? 'Lo, Steve!" 
 
 The quartette shook hands. Mrs. Dunn sank creak- 
 ingly into a chair and gazed about the room. Malcolm 
 strolled to the window and looked out. Stephen followed 
 and stood beside him. 
 
 " My dear," said Mrs. Dunn, addressing Caroline, 
 " how are you getting on ? How are your nerves ? Is 
 all the dreadful 'settling' over?" 
 
 " Very nearly, thank goodness." 
 
 36
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " That's a mercy. I should certainly have been here 
 yesterday to help you in superintending and arranging 
 and so on, but I was suffering from one of my ' hearts,' 
 and you know what they are." 
 
 Everyone who knew Mrs. Corcoran Dunn was ac 
 quainted with her " hearts." The attacks came, so she 
 was accustomed to explain, from an impaired valve, and 
 " some day " she usually completed the sentence with 
 upturned eyes and a resigned upward wave of the hand. 
 
 Her son turned from the window. 
 
 " I say, Mother," he explained, wearily, " I do wish 
 you wouldn't speak of your vital organs in the plural. 
 Anyone v/ould imagine you were a sort of freak, like 
 the two-headed boy at the circus. It's positively dis 
 tressing." 
 
 Stephen laughed. He admired young Dunn im 
 mensely. Mrs. Dunn sighed. 
 
 'Don't, Malcolm, dear," she pleaded. "You sound 
 so unfeeling. One not acquainted with your real kind 
 ness oi ..cart " 
 
 " Oh, drop it," interrupted Malcolm. " Let's omit the 
 heart interest. This isn't a clinic. I say, Steve, how do 
 you like he nev/ flat? It is .. flat, isn't it?" 
 
 Stephen turned red. His sister colored and bit her 
 lip. Mrs. Dunn hastened to the rescue. 
 
 " Horrors ! " she exclaimed. " Malcolm, you really are 
 insufferable. Flat! Caroline, dear, you mustn't mind 
 him. He will have his joke. Malcolm, apologize." 
 
 The command was sharp, and her son obeyed it. 
 
 " Beg your pardon, Steve," he said. " Yours, too, 
 Caroline. I was only joking. There's a little beast of 
 a bookkeeper down at the office who is forever talking 
 of his ' nice flat in the Bronx.' It's a standing guy, 
 you know. So far as I can see, these are pretty snug 
 
 37
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 quarters. And attractively arranged, too. Your taste, 
 Caroline, I'm betting." 
 
 Miss Warren, slightly mollified, bowed assent. 
 
 " I thought so," continued Malcolm. " No one but 
 you would have known exactly the right spot for every 
 thing. Show us through, won't you ? " 
 
 But Mrs. Dunn had other plans. 
 
 " Not now, Malcolm," she put in. " Caroline is tired 
 out, I'm sure. A little fresh air will do her good. I 
 was going to suggest that you and she and Stephen go 
 for a short ride. Yes, really you must, my dear," she 
 added, turning to the girl beside her. " Our car is at 
 the door, it's not at all a bad afternoon, and the outing 
 will be just what you need." 
 
 " Thank you, Mrs. Dunn," said Caroline, gratefully. 
 " I should like to. Indeed, I should. But we have been 
 expecting a business call from Mr. Graves, father's law 
 yer, and " 
 
 " Oh, come on, Sis ! " interrupted Stephen. " I'm dy 
 ing to get out of this jail. Let old Graves wait, if he 
 comes. We won't be long; and, besides, it's not certain 
 that he is coming to-day. Come on ! " 
 
 " I'm afraid I ought not, Steve. Mr. Graves may 
 come, and and it seems too bad to trouble our 
 friends " 
 
 " It's not trouble, it's pleasure," urged Mrs. Dunn. 
 " Malcolm will be delighted. It was his idea. Wasn't 
 it ? " turning to her son. 
 
 " Oh, yes ! certainly," replied the young gentleman. 
 " Hope you'll come, Caroline. And you, of course, 
 Steve. The blessed machine's been off its feed for a 
 week or more, but Peter says he thinks it's all right 
 again. We'll give it a try-out on the Drive. Hope we 
 have better luck than my last," with a laugh. " Thev 
 
 38
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 nabbed us for speeding, and I had to promise to be a 
 good boy or to be fined. Said we were hitting it at fifty 
 an hour. We were going some, that's a fact. Ha ! ha ! " 
 
 " But he won't be reckless when you're with him, Car 
 oline," put in his mother. " You will go ? That's so 
 nice! As for Mr. Graves, I'll explain if he comes. 
 Oh, no ! I'm not going ! I shall remain here in this com 
 fortable chair and rest until you return. It's exactly 
 what my physician orders, and for once I'm going te 
 obey him. My heart, you know, my poor heart " 
 
 She waved her hand and raised her eyes. Miss War 
 ren expostulated, but to no purpose. Mrs. Corcoran 
 Dunn would not go, but the others must. So, at last, 
 they did. When Caroline and her brother had gone 
 for their wraps, Mrs. Dunn laid a hand on her son's 
 arm. 
 
 " Now mind," she whispered, " see if you can find out 
 anything during the ride. Something more explicit 
 about the size of their estate and who the guardian is to 
 be. There are all sorts of stories, you know, and we 
 must learn the truth very soon. Don't appear curious, 
 but merely friendly. You understand ? " 
 
 " Sure, Mater," was the careless answer. " I'll pump." 
 
 The two departed, leaving their lady visitor ensconced 
 in the comfortable chair. She remained in it for perhaps 
 five minutes. Then she rose and sauntered about the 
 room. She drifted into the drawing-room, returning a 
 moment later and sauntering casually toward the open 
 desk by the fireplace. There were papers and letters 
 scattered about this desk, and these she turned over, 
 glancing toward the door to be sure no one was coming. 
 The letters were, for the most part, messages of sympa 
 thy from friends of the Warren family. Hearing an ap 
 proaching step, she hastily returned to the chair. 
 
 39
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Edwards, the butler, entered the library and replen 
 ished the fire. Mrs. Dunn languidly accosted him. 
 
 "Ah er Edwards," she said, "you are er 
 growing familiar with your new home ? " 
 
 "Yes, ma'am," replied Edwards, politely. 
 
 " It must seem er small compared to the other." 
 
 " Smaller ; yes, ma'am." 
 
 " But very snug and comfortable." 
 
 " Yes, ma'am." 
 
 " It is fortunate that Miss Warren and her brother 
 have the aid of such a an old servant of the family." 
 
 " Thank you, ma'am." 
 
 " Is Miss Caroline managing her own affairs ? " 
 
 "Apparently so. Yes, ma'am." 
 
 " I presume, however, a guardian has been appointed ? 
 With an estate such as the late Mr. Warren must have 
 left, some responsible person would be, of course, neces 
 sary." 
 
 She paused. Edwards, having arranged the logs to 
 kis liking, brushed the dust from his hands. 
 
 " I don't know, ma'am, I'm sure," he said. " Neither 
 Miss Caroline nor Mr. Stephen have spoken with me con 
 cerning the family affairs." 
 
 Mrs. Corcoran Dunn straightened, with hauteur. 
 
 " I think that was the doorbell," she remarked, a trifle 
 sharply. "If it should be Mr. Graves, the attorney, you 
 may show him into the library here." 
 
 " Yes, ma'am," said Edwards once more, and departed. 
 
 The lady visitor heard voices in the passage. She 
 listened, but could hear nothing understandable. Evi 
 dently the butler was having an argument with someone. 
 It could not be Graves. 
 
 Edwards reappeared, looking troubled. 
 
 " It's a a gentleman to see Miss Caroline," he said. 
 40
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " He won't give his name, ma'am, but says she's expecting 
 him." 
 
 " Expecting him ? " 
 
 " Yes, ma'am. I told him she was out, but he said he 
 was intending to stay a while anyway, and would wait. 
 I asked his business, but he wouldn't tell it." 
 
 " That's odd." Mrs. Dunn was slightly interested. 
 " A tradesman, perhaps ; or an agent of the landlord." 
 
 " No-o, ma'am. I don't think he's either of them, 
 ma'am." 
 
 " What sort of a person is he, Edwards ? " 
 
 The butler's face twitched for an instant with a trou 
 bled smile. Then it resumed its customary respectful 
 calm. 
 
 " I hardly know, ma'am. He's an oddish man. He 
 I think he's from the country." 
 
 From behind him came a quiet chuckle. 
 
 " You're right, Commodore," said a man's voice ; 
 " I'm from the country. You guessed it." 
 
 Edwards jumped, startled out of his respectable wits. 
 Mrs. Dunn rose indignantly from her chair. 
 
 " I beg your pardon, ma'am," said the intruder, ap 
 pearing in the doorway. " You mustn't think I'm for- 
 cin' my way where I ain't wanted. But it seemed to take 
 so long to make the Admiral here understand that 
 I was goin' to wait until Caroline came back that I 
 thought I'd save time and breath by provin' it to him. 
 I didn't know there was any company. Excuse me, 
 ma'am, I won't bother you. I'll just come to anchor out 
 here in the entry. Don't mind me." 
 
 He bowed politely, picked up the large suit-case, 
 plainly bran-new, which he had momentarily placed on 
 the rug at his feet, and, with it in one hand and a big soft 
 felt hat in the other, stepped back into the hall out of 
 
 41
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 sight. The astonished Mrs. Dunn and the paralyzed 
 Edwards heard a chair crack as if a heavy weight had 
 descended upon it. Evidently he had " come to an 
 chor." 
 
 The lady was the first to recover the power of speech. 
 
 " Why ! " she exclaimed, in an alarmed whisper. 
 " Why ! I never heard of such brazen impertinence in 
 my life. He must be insane. He is a lunatic, isn't he, 
 Edwards?" 
 
 The butler shook his head. "I I don't know, 
 ma'am," he stammered. 
 
 " I believe he is." Mrs. Dunn's presence of mind was 
 returning, and with it her courage. Her florid cheeks 
 flamed a more vivid red, and her eyes snapped. " But 
 whether he is or not, he sha'n't bulldoze me." 
 
 She strode majestically to the door. The visitor was 
 seated in the hall, calmly reading a newspaper. Hat and 
 suit-case were on the floor beside him. 
 
 " What do you mean by this ? " demanded the lady. 
 " Who are you ? If you have any business here, state it 
 at once." 
 
 The man glanced at her, over his spectacles, rose and 
 stood looking down at her. His expression was pleasant, 
 and he was remarkably cool. 
 
 " Yes, ma'am," he said, gravely. " I'll be glad to tell 
 you who I am, if you'd like to have me. I'd have done 
 it before, but I thought there weren't any use troublin' 
 you with my affairs. But, just a minute " he hesitated 
 " I haven't made any mistake, have I ? I understood 
 your steward the feller with the brass buttons, to say 
 that Abijah Warren's children lived here. That's so, 
 ain't it? If not, then I am mistaken." 
 
 Mrs. Dunn regarded him with indignation. "You 
 are," she said coldly. "The family of the late Mr. 
 
 42
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Rodgers Warren lives here. I presume the slight re 
 semblance in names misled you. Edwards, show the 
 gentleman out." 
 
 "Just one moment more, ma'am. It was Rodgers 
 Warren's children I was lookin' for. A. Rodgers War 
 ren he called himself, didn't he? Yes. Well, the A 
 stood for Abijah ; that was his Christian name. And he 
 left two children, Caroline and Stephen? Good! I 
 thought for a jiffy I'd blundered in where I had no busi 
 ness, but it's all right. You see, ma'am, I'm their uncle 
 from South Denboro, Massachusetts. My name is 
 Elisha Warren." 
 
 Mrs. Dunn gasped. Edwards, peering over her shoul 
 der, breathed heavily. 
 
 " You are their uncle? " repeated the lady. 
 
 " Yes, ma'am. I'm 'Bije's brother. Oh, don't worry. 
 It's all right. And don't fret yourself about me, either. 
 I'll set right down out here and read my paper and 
 wait till Caroline or Stephen get home. They're ex- 
 pectin' me. Mr. Graves, the lawyer, told 'em I was 
 comin'." 
 
 He calmly seated himself and adjusted his spectacles. 
 Mrs. Dunn stared at him, then at Edwards. After an in 
 stant's indecision, she stepped back into the library and 
 walked to the window. She beckoned, with an agitated 
 finger, to the butler, who joined her. 
 
 " Edwards," she whispered, " did you hear what he 
 said?" 
 
 " Yes, ma'am," replied Edwards, wide-eyed and won 
 dering. 
 
 "Is it true?" 
 
 " I don't know, ma'am." 
 
 " Did Mr. Warren have a brother ? * 
 
 " I didn't know that he had, ma'am." 
 4 43
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Do you do you think it likely that he would have 
 a brother like like that? " 
 
 " 1 don't know, ma'am." 
 
 " Was Miss Caroline expecting him ? " 
 
 " I don't know, ma'am. She " 
 
 "Oh, you don't know anything! You're impossible. 
 Go away ! " 
 
 " Yes, ma'am," said Edwards thankfully ; and went. 
 
 Mrs. Corcoran Dunn stood for some minutes by the 
 window, thinking, or trying to think a way to the truth 
 in this astounding development. Of course the man 
 might be a lunatic who had gained his information con 
 cerning the Warren family from the papers ; but he did 
 not look like a lunatic. On the other hand, he cer 
 tainly did not look as one would have expected a brother 
 of Rodgers Warren's to look. Oddest of all, if he was 
 such a brother, why had neither Caroline or Stephen 
 mentioned his existence? According to his story, 
 Graves, the Warren lawyer, had warned the children 
 of his coming. Caroline had been very reticent con 
 cerning her father's will, the amount of his estate, and 
 the like. And Mrs. Dunn had repeatedly, though dis 
 creetly, endeavored to find out these important details. 
 Neither hints nor questions had resulted satisfactorily. 
 Was it possible that this was the reason, this country 
 uncle? If so well, if so, here was a Heaven-sent op 
 portunity for a little genteel and perfectly safe detective 
 work. Mrs. Dunn creakingly crossed the room and 
 spoke. 
 
 " Mr. Warren," she said, " I feel guilty in keeping you 
 out there. Won't you come into the library ? " 
 
 " Why, thank you, ma'am, I'm all right. Don't you 
 trouble about me. Go right on with your readin' or 
 sewin* or knittin' or whatever you was doin' and " 
 
 44
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " I was not reading," replied Mrs. Dunn, with a 
 slight shudder. " Come in, please. I wish you to." 
 
 Captain Elisha folded his paper and put it in his 
 pocket. Entering the library, he stood quietly waiting. 
 
 " Won't you sit down ? " asked his impromptu hostess, 
 trying hard to be gracious. 
 
 " Thank you," said the captain. He sank into an arm 
 chair and looked curiously about him. 
 
 " So you are the late Mr. Warren's brother ? " asked 
 the lady, making her first lead in the game. 
 
 " Yes, ma'am. His older brother. 'Bije was ten year 
 younger'n I am, Mrs. er " 
 
 " Dunn. I am an old friend of the family." 
 
 " That's good. I'm glad to hear they've got friends. 
 When you're in sickness or trouble or sorrer, friendship 
 counts for consider'ble. How are the young folks 
 Caroline and Stephen pretty smart, hey ? " 
 
 " Smart ? Why, they are intelligent, naturally. I " 
 
 " No, no. I mean are they pretty well ? " 
 
 " Very well, indeed, considering the shock of their 
 recent bereavement" 
 
 " Yes, yes. Of course. And they've moved, too. 
 Movin's an awful job. They say three movin's are as 
 bad as a fire, but I cal'late I'd rather burn up a set of 
 carpets than pull 'em up, 'specially if they was insured. 
 'Tain't half so much strain on your religion. I remem 
 ber the last time we took up our carpets at home, Abbie 
 she's my second cousin, keepin' house for me said 
 if gettin' down on my knees has that effect on me 
 she'd never ask me to go to prayer-meetin' again. Ho ! 
 ho!" 
 
 He chuckled. Mrs. Dunn elevated her nose and 
 looked out of the window. Then she led another small 
 trump. 
 
 45
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " You say that Miss Caroline and her brother expect 
 you," she said. " You surprise me. Are you sure ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes, ma'am. I'm sure. When Mr. Graves came 
 down to see me, last week 'twas, I told him to say I'd 
 be up pretty soon to look the ground over. This is a 
 pretty fine place the young folks have got here," he added, 
 gazing admiringly at the paintings and bookcases. 
 
 " Yes," assented the lady, condescendingly. " For an 
 apartment it is really quite livable." 
 
 " Livable ! " Captain Elisha's astonishment got the 
 better of his politeness for the moment. " Um ! Yes, I 
 should say a body might manage to worry along in it. 
 Was the place where they used to live any finer than 
 this?" 
 
 " Certainly ! " 
 
 " You don't tell me ! No wonder they talked about 
 economi Humph ! " 
 
 " What were you about to say, Mr. Warren ? " 
 
 " Oh, nothin', nothin' ! Talkin' to myself is a habit 
 I've got. Abbie my second cousin ; I guess I told you 
 about her says it's a sure sign that a person's rich or 
 out of his head, one or t'other. I ain't rich, so " He 
 chuckled once more. 
 
 " Mr. Graves came to see you at your home, did 
 he?" 
 
 " Yes, ma'am. At South Denboro. And he certainly 
 did have a rough passage. Ho ! ho ! Probably you heard 
 about it, bein' so friendly with the family." 
 
 " Ahem ! Doubtless he would have mentioned it, but 
 he has been ill." 
 
 " Sho ! I'm sorry to hear that. I was afraid he'd 
 catch cold." 
 
 "Yes. I hope Mr. Graves's errand was successful?" 
 
 " Well, sort of so-so." 
 
 46
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Yes. He came to see you in connection with your 
 brother's estate some legacy, perhaps ? " 
 
 She did not look at the captain when she asked this 
 question. Therefore, she did not notice the glance which 
 he gave her. When he answered, it was in the same de 
 liberate, provokingly deliberate, manner. 
 
 " Um-hm. Somethin' of that kind, Mrs. Dunn. I 
 can't help thinkin'," he went on, " how nice it is that 
 Caroline and Steve have such a good friend as you to 
 help 'em. Your husband and 'Bije was chums, I 
 s'pose ? " 
 
 " No, not exactly. The friendship was on my side of 
 the family." 
 
 " So ? Want to know ! Your husband dead, ma'am ? " 
 
 Mrs. Dunn changed the subject. Her husband, Mr. 
 Corcoran Dunn once Mike Dunn, contractor and Tam 
 many politician was buried in Calvary Cemetery. 
 She mourned him, after a fashion, but she preferred not 
 to talk about him. 
 
 " Yes," she answered shortly. " It it looks as if it 
 might snow, doesn't it ? " 
 
 " I shouldn't wonder. Have you any children, 
 ma'am ? " 
 
 " One a son." The widow's tone was frigid. 
 
 " So ? He must be a comfort to you. I s'pose likely 
 he's a friend of my nephew and niece, too." 
 
 " Certainly." 
 
 " That's good. Young folks ought to have young 
 friends. You live in this neighborhood, ma'am ? " 
 
 The lady did not answer. She gazed haughtily at the 
 trees in the Park. Captain Elisha rubbed a smile from 
 his lips with his hand and remained silent. The tall clock 
 ticked loud. 
 
 There came the sound of laughter from the passage 
 
 47
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 outside. The hall door opened. A moment later, \Jaro- 
 line, followed by her brother and young Dunn, entered 
 the library. 
 
 The girl's cheeks were rosy from the cold wind. Her 
 hair, beneath the fur auto cap, had blown in brown, rip 
 pled disorder across her forehead. She was smiling. 
 
 "Oh, Mrs. Dunn!" she cried. "I'm so glad I ac 
 cepted your Malcolm's invitation. We had a glori 
 ous ride ! I " 
 
 She stopped short. Captain Warren had risen from 
 his chair and was facing her. Mrs. Dunn also rose. 
 
 " Caroline," she said, nervously, " this " pausing on 
 the word " gentleman is here to see you. He says he 
 is" 
 
 The captain interrupted her. Stepping forward he 
 seized his niece's hands in his. " Well, well ! " he ex 
 claimed admiringly. " 'Bije's girl, that I ain't seen since 
 you was a little mite of a baby! Caroline, I'm your 
 Uncle Elisha." 
 
 " Good Lord! " groaned Stephen Warren.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 IF the captain heard Stephen's fervent ejaculation, 
 he paid no attention to it. Dropping his niece's 
 hand, he extended his own toward his nephew. 
 
 " And this is Stephen ? " he said. " Well, Steve, you 
 and me have never met afore, I b'lieve. But that's our 
 misfortune, not our fault, hey? How are you? Pretty 
 smart?" 
 
 The boy's face was flaming. He mumbled something 
 to the effect that he was all right enough, and turned 
 away without accepting the proffered hand. Captain 
 Elisha glanced quickly at him, then at his sister. 
 
 " Well, Caroline," he said, pleasantly, " I s'pose you've 
 been expectin' me. Mr. Graves told you I was comin', 
 didn't he?" 
 
 Miss Warren, also, was flushed with embarrassment 
 and mortified surprise. 
 
 " No," she stammered. " He has been ill." 
 
 " Sho ! you don't say ! Mrs. Dunn your friend here 
 said he was laid up with a cold, but I didn't realize 
 'twas as bad as that. So you didn't know I was comin' 
 at all." 
 
 " No. We we have not heard from you since he 
 returned." 
 
 " That's too bad. I hope I sha'n't put you out any, 
 droppin' in on you this way. You mustn't treat me as 
 comp'ny, you know. If 'tain't convenient, if your spare 
 room ain't ready so soon after movin', or anything of 
 
 49
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 that kind, I can go to a hotel somewheres for a day or 
 so. Hadn't I better, don't you think? " 
 
 Caroline hesitated. If only they might have been 
 spared this public humiliation. If the Dunns had not 
 been there. It was bad enough to have this dreadful 
 country uncle come at all; but to have him come now, 
 before they were prepared, before any explanations had 
 been made! What should she do? 
 
 Her brother, fidgeting at her elbow, not daring to look 
 at Malcolm Dunn, who, he knew, was thoroughly enjoy 
 ing the scene, could stand it no longer. 
 
 " Caro," he snapped, " what are you waiting for ? 
 Don't you knozu that the rooms are not ready? Of 
 course they're not! We're sorry, and all that, but 
 Graves didn't tell us and we weren't prepared. Cer 
 tainly he'll have to go to the hotel, for for the pres 
 ent." 
 
 He ventured to raise his eyes and glare indignantly at 
 the captain. Finding the latter looking intently at him, 
 he dropped them again and jammed his clenched fists into 
 his pockets. 
 
 Captain Elisha pulled thoughtfully at his beard. 
 
 " Humph ! " he grunted. " Humph ! then I cal'late 
 maybe " He took a step toward the door, stopped, 
 turned back, and said, with calm decision, " I guess I'd 
 better stay. You won't mind me, Caroline you and 
 Stephen. You mustn'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 roughin' it, been to sea a good many v'yages, 
 and if a feather bed ain't handy I can get my forty winks 
 on the floor. So that's settled, and you mustn't have me 
 on your conscience. That's sense, ain't it, Mrs. Dunn?" 
 
 50
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Mrs. Corcoran Dunn did not deign a reply. Caroline 
 answered for her. 
 
 " Very well," she said, coldly. Stepping to the desk 
 she rang a bell. The butler appeared in the doorway. 
 
 " Edwards," said Miss Warren, " this gentleman," in 
 dicating the captain, " is to be our guest, for the present. 
 You may show him to his .room the blue room, I think. 
 If it is not ready, see that it is made so." 
 
 " Yes, Miss Caroline," replied Edwards. Retiring to 
 the hall, he returned with the suit-case. 
 
 " Will you wish to go to your room at once, sir ? " he 
 asked. 
 
 " Why, I guess I might as well, Commodore," answered 
 Captain Elisha, smiling. " Little soap and water won't 
 do no harm. Fact is, I feel's if 'twas a prescription to 
 be recommended. You needn't tote that valise, though," 
 he added. " 'Tain't heavy, and I've lugged it so fur 
 already sence I got off the car that I feel kind of lone 
 some without it." 
 
 The butler, not knowing exactly how to answer, 
 grinned sheepishly. Captain Elisha turned to Mrs. Dunn 
 and her son. 
 
 " Well, good afternoon, ma'am," he said. " I'm real 
 glad to have made your acquaintance. Yours, too, sir," 
 with a nod toward Malcolm. " Your mother told me 
 what a friend of the young folks you was, and, as I'm 
 sort of actin' pilot for 'em just now, in a way of speakin', 
 any friend of theirs ought to be a friend of mine. 
 Hope to see you often, Mr. Dunn." 
 
 The young man addressed smiled, with amusement not 
 at all concealed, and languidly admitted that he was 
 " charmed." 
 
 " Your first visit to the city ? " he inquired, in a tone 
 which caused Stephen to writhe inwardly. 
 
 51
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " No-o. No, not exactly. I used to come here pretty 
 frequent, back in my sea-goin' days, when my ship was 
 in port. I sailed for Osgood and Colton, down on South 
 Street, for a spell. They were my owners. You don't 
 remember the firm, I s'pose ? " 
 
 " No. The privilege has been denied me. You find 
 some changes in New York, don't you er Captain? 
 You are a captain, or a bos'n, or admiral something 
 of that sort, I presume ? " 
 
 " Malcolm ! " said his mother, sharply. 
 
 " Oh, no offense intended. My sea terms are rather 
 mixed. The captain will excuse me," 
 
 " Sartin ! Cap'n's what they all call me, mostly. 
 Your son ain't ever been to sea, except as passenger, I 
 cal'late, ma'am ? " 
 
 " Certainly not," snapped Mrs. Dunn. 
 
 " Of course, of course. Well, 'tain't a life I'd want 
 a boy of mine to take up, nowadays. But it did have 
 some advantages. I don't know anything better than a 
 v'yage afore the mast to learn 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 as soon as I've got the upper layer of railroad dust 
 off my face and hands. You'll be surprised to see how 
 light-complected I really am when that's over. All 
 right ! Heave ahead, Commodore ! " 
 
 He departed, preceded by Edwards and the suit-case. 
 Stephen Warren threw himself violently into a chair by 
 the window. Young Dunn laughed aloud. His mother 
 flashed an indignant glance at him, and then hurried to 
 Caroline. 
 
 " You poor dear ! " she exclaimed, putting an arm 
 about the girl's shoulder. " Don't mind us, please don't ! 
 
 52
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Malcolm and I understand. That is, we know how you 
 feel and" 
 
 " Oh, but you don't know, Mrs. Dunn," cried Caroline, 
 almost in tears. " You don't understand ! It's so much 
 worse than you think. I I Oh, why did father do 
 it ? How could he be so inconsiderate ? " 
 
 " There ! there ! " purred the friend of the family. 
 " You mustn't, you know. You really mustn't. Who is 
 this man? This uncle? Where does he come from? 
 Why does he force himself upon you in this way? I 
 didn't know your poor father had a brother." 
 
 " Neither did we," growled Stephen, savagely. Mal 
 colm laughed again. 
 
 "What does it all mean, dear?" begged Mrs. Dunn. 
 " You are in trouble, I'm sure. Don't you think we 
 Malcolm and I might be able to help you ? We should 
 so love to do it. If ^ou feel that you can confide in us ; 
 if it isn't a secret " 
 
 She paused expectantly, patting the girl's shoulder. 
 But Caroline had heard young Dunn's laugh, and was 
 offended and hurt. Her eyes flashed as she answered. 
 
 " It's nothing," she said. " He has come to see us on 
 a matter of business, I believe. I am nervous and 
 foolish, I suppose. Mr. Graves will see us soon, and 
 then everything will be arranged. Thank you for calling, 
 Mrs. Dunn, and for the ride." 
 
 It was a very plain hint, but Mrs. Dunn did not choose 
 to understand it as such. 
 
 " You're sure you hadn't better tell me the whole story, 
 dear?" she urged. "I am old enough, almost, to be 
 your mother, and perhaps my advice might . . . No? 
 Very well. You know best but You understand that 
 it is something other than mere curiosity which leads me 
 to ask." 
 
 53
 
 " Of course, I understand," said the girl hastily. 
 " Thank you very much. Perhaps, by and by, I can tell 
 you everything. But we must see Mr. Graves first. I 
 oh, don't ask me more now, Mrs. Dunn." 
 
 The widow of so astute a politician as Mike Dunn had 
 been in his day could have scarcely failed to profit by his 
 teachings. Moreover, she possessed talent of her own. 
 With a final pat and a kiss, she prepared for departure. 
 
 " Good-by, then," she said, " or rather, au revoir. We 
 shall look in to-morrow. Come, Malcolm." 
 
 " I say, Mai ! " cried Stephen, rising hurriedly. 
 " You won't tell anyone about " 
 
 " Steve ! " interrupted his sister. 
 
 Malcolm, about to utter a languid sarcasm, caught his 
 mother's look, and remained silent. Another meaning 
 glance, and his manner changed. 
 
 " All right, Steve, old man," he said. " Good-by and 
 good luck. Caroline, awfully glad we had the spin this 
 afternoon. We must have more. Just what you and 
 Steve need. At your service any time. If there is any 
 thing I can do in any way to er you understand 
 call on me, won't you? Ready, Mater?" 
 
 The pair were shown out by Edwards. On the way 
 home in the car Mrs. Corcoran Dunn lectured her so* 
 severely. 
 
 " Have you no common sense ? " she demanded. 
 " Couldn't you see that the girl would have told me every 
 thing if you hadn't laughed, like an idiot? " 
 
 The young man laughed again. 
 
 " By Jove ! " he exclaimed, " it was enough to make a 
 wooden Indian laugh. The old jay with the barnacles 
 telling us about the advantages of a sailor's life. And 
 Steve's face ! Ho ! ho ! " 
 
 His mother snorted disgust. "If you had brains," she 
 
 54
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 declared, " you would have understood what he meant 
 by saying that the sea was the place to learn what to un 
 learn. He was hitting at you. Was it necessary to in 
 sult him the first time you and he exchanged a word ? " 
 
 "Insult him? Him? Ha, ha! Why, Mater, what's 
 the matter with you? Do you imagine that a hayseed 
 like that would recognize an insult without an introduc 
 tion? And, besides, what difference does it make? 
 You don't intend putting him on your calling list, do 
 you?" 
 
 " I intend cultivating him for the present." 
 
 " Cultivating him ? " 
 
 " Yes for the present. He is Rodgers Warren's 
 brother. That lawyer, Graves, traveled miles to see him. 
 What does that mean? That, in some important way, 
 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 it isn't, it is 
 even more important that we should know, before we 
 waste more time. If Caroline is an heiress, if she in 
 herits even a moderate fortune " 
 
 She shrugged her shoulders by way of finish to the 
 sentence. 
 
 Malcolm whistled. 
 
 " But to think of that old Down-Easter being related 
 to the Warren family ! " he mused. " It seems impos 
 sible." 
 
 " Nothing is impossible," observed his mother. TheH, 
 with a shudder, " You never met your father's relatives. 
 I have." 
 
 When Captain Elisha emerged from his room, after 
 a wash and a change of linen, he found the library un- 
 tenanted. He strolled about, his handt behind him, in- 
 
 55
 
 specting the pictures with critical interest. Caroline, 
 dressed for dinner, found him thus engaged. He turned 
 at the sound of her step. 
 
 " Why, hello ! " he cried, with hearty enthusiasm. 
 " All rigged up for inspection, ain't you ? " 
 
 " Inspection ? " 
 
 " Oh, that's just sailor's lingo. Means you've got 
 your Sunday uniform on, that's all. My! my! how nice 
 you look! But ain't black pretty old for such a young 
 girl?" 
 
 " I am in mourning," replied his niece, coldly. 
 
 " There ! there ! of course you are. Tut ! tut ! How 
 could I forget it. You see, I've been so many years 
 feelin' as if I didn't have a brother that I've sort of got 
 used to his bein' gone." 
 
 " I have not." Her eyes filled as she said it. The 
 captain was greatly moved. 
 
 "I'm a blunderin' old fool, my dear," he said. "I 
 beg your pardon. Do try to forgive me, won't you? 
 And, perhaps perhaps I can make up your loss to 
 you, just a little mite. I'd like to. I'll try to, if " 
 
 He laid a hand on her shoulder. She avoided him and, 
 moving away, seated herself in a chair at the opposite 
 side of the desk. The avoidance was so obvious as to 
 be almost brutal. Captain Elisha looked very grave for 
 an instant. Then he changed the subject. 
 
 " I was lookin' at your oil paintin's," he said. 
 ''' They're pretty fine, ain't they ? Any of them your 
 work, Caroline ? " 
 
 "My work?" The girl's astonishment was so great 
 that she turned to stare at her questioner. " My work? " 
 she repeated. "Are you joking? You can't think that 
 I painted them." 
 
 " I didn't know but you might. That one over there, 
 
 56
 
 CAf>'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 with the trees and folks dancin' sort of picnic scene, 
 I judge that looks as if you might have done it." 
 
 " That is a Corot." 
 
 " Tis, hey ? I want to know ! A a what did you 
 call it?" 
 
 " A Corot. He was a famous French artist. That 
 was father's favorite picture." 
 
 " Sho ! Well, I like it fust-rate myself. Did 'Bije 
 did your father know this Mr. Corot well?" 
 
 " Know him ? Certainly not. Why should you think 
 such a thing as that ? " 
 
 " Well, he bought the picture of him, and so I s'pose 
 likely he knew him. There was a young feller come to 
 South Denboro three or four year ago and offered to 
 paint a picture of our place for fifteen dollars. Abbie 
 that's Abbie Baker, she's one of our folks, you know, 
 your third cousin, Caroline ; keepin' house for me, she is 
 Abbie wanted me to have him do the job, but I wa'n't 
 very 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 Gaboon'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 hangin' on 
 one hinge. I told Abbie, I says, ' Abbie, that painter's 
 made Sam's place look almost respectable, and if that 
 ain't a miracle, I don't know what is. I would think 
 Sam would blush every time he sees that picture.' Ho, 
 ho ! Abbie seemed to cal'late that Sam Cahoon's 
 blushin' would be the biggest miracle of the two. 
 Ho! ho! You'd like Abbie; she's got lots of common 
 sense." 
 
 He chuckled at the reminiscence and rubbed his knee. 
 
 57
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 His niece made no reply. Captain Elisha glanced at the 
 Corot once more and asked another question. 
 
 " I presume likely," he said, " that that picture cost 
 consider'ble more than fifteen, hey ? " 
 
 " Father paid twenty-two thousand dollars for it," was 
 the crushing answer. 
 
 The captain looked at her, opened his mouth to speak, 
 shut it again, and, rising, walked across the room. Ad 
 justing his glasses, he inspected the Corot in silence for 
 a few minutes. Then he drew a long breath. 
 
 "Well!" he sighed. "Well." Then, after an in 
 terval, " Was this the only one he ever painted ? " 
 
 " The only one ? The only picture Corot painted ? 
 Of course not! There are many more." 
 
 " Did did this Corot feller get as much for every 
 job as he did for this ? " 
 
 " I presume so. I know father considered this one a 
 bargain." 
 
 " Did, hey ? Humph ! I ought to know enough by 
 this time not to believe all I hear, but I kind of had an 
 idea that picture paintin' was starvation work. I've read 
 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 live as nigh 
 the ground as a second-floor bedroom anyhow. How 
 about this next one? This feller in a dory coddin', I 
 guess he is. Did did Mr. Corot do him ? " 
 
 " No. That is by a well-known American artist. It 
 is a good piece of work, but not like the other. It is 
 worth much less. Perhaps five thousand." 
 
 "So? Well, even for that I'd undertake to buy con 
 sider'ble many dories, and hire fellers to fish from 'em, 
 too. Humph! I guess I'm out of soundin's. When I 
 thought fifteen dollars was a high price for paintin' a 
 
 58
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 view of a house I was slightly mistaken. Next time 
 I'll offer the paintin' feller the house and ask him what 
 he considers a fair boot, besides. Sam Gaboon's a bet 
 ter speculator than I thought he was. Hello, Commo 
 dore ! what's worryin' you now ? " 
 
 Edwards appeared to announce that dinner was served. 
 Caroline rose and led the way to the dining room. Cap 
 tain Elisha followed, looking curiously about him as he 
 did so. Stephen, who had been sulkily dressing in his 
 own room, entered immediately after. 
 
 The captain surveyed the dining room with interest. 
 Like the others of the suite, it was sumptuously and 
 tastefully furnished. He took the chair indicated by thf 
 solemn Edwards, and the meal began. 
 
 The butler's sense of humor was not acute, but it was 
 with considerable difficulty that he restrained his smiles 
 during the next half hour. A more appreciative ob 
 server would have noticed and enjoyed the subtler 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 almost as good as one of 
 Abbie's chowders ; the visitor's obvious uneasiness at 
 being waited upon attentively, and the like. These Ed 
 wards missed, but he could not help appreciating Cap 
 tain Elisha's conversation. 
 
 Caroline said little during dinner. Her brother glow 
 ered at his plate and was silent. But the captain talked 
 and talked. 
 
 " Maybe you think I didn't have a time findin' your 
 new lodgin's," he said. " I come over on the cars, some- 
 thin' I don't usually 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 hotel there and got the 
 5 59
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 nine o'clock train. I landed here in New York all ship 
 shape and on time, and started in to hunt you up." 
 
 " How did you get our address ? " asked his niece. 
 " Mr. Graves couldn't have given it to you, for we only 
 decided on this apartment a few days ago." 
 
 " Ho ! ho ! " chuckled Captain Elisha, rolling in his 
 chair, like a ship in a cross sea. "Ho! ho! You re 
 mind me of Abbie, Caroline. That's what she said. ' I 
 never heard of such a crazy cruise,' she says. ' Startin' 
 off to visit folks when you haven't the least idea where 
 they live ! ' ' Oh, yes, I have,' I says, ' I know where 
 they live; they live in New York.' Well, you ought to 
 have seen her face. Abbie's a good woman none bet 
 ter 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 any 
 body ever hear the beat of that? Do you cal'late New 
 York's like South Denboro, where everybody knows 
 everybody else ? What are you plannin' to do ? run up the 
 fust man, woman or child you meet and ask 'em to tell 
 you where 'Bijah Warren lives? Or are you goin' to 
 trot from Dan to Beersheby, trustin' to meet your 
 nephew and niece on the way? I never in my born 
 days ! ' 
 
 " Well," went on the captain, " I told her that the 
 last suggestion weren't such a bad one, but there was 
 one little objection to it. Considerin' that I hadn't ever 
 laid eyes 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 the directory, and she got more recon 
 ciled to my startin'. Honest, I do believe she'd have 
 insisted on takin' me by the hand and leadin' me to you, 
 if I hadn't told her that. 
 
 60
 
 The captain talked and talked.'
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " So I did look in the directory and got the number 
 on Fifth Avenue where you used to be. I asked a police 
 man the nighest way to get there, and he said take a 
 bus. Last time I was in New York I rode in one of 
 those Fifth Avenue omnibuses, and I never got such a 
 jouncin' in my life. The pavement then was round cob 
 ble stones, like some of the roads in Nantucket. I re 
 member I tried to ask a feller that set next to me some- 
 thin' 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 some- 
 thin', 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 woman 
 somethin' like that Mrs. Dunn friend of yours, Caroline 
 
 that set opposite me. It give me the crawls to look 
 at her, her chins shook around so. Ho ! ho ! she had no 
 less'n three of 'em, and they all shook different ways. 
 Ho! ho! ho! If I'd been in the habit of wearin' false 
 hair or teeth or anything that wa'n't growed to or but 
 toned on me I'd never have risked a trip in one of those 
 omnibuses. 
 
 " So when the police officer prescribed one for me this 
 v'yage, I was some dubious. I'm older'n I was ten year 
 ago, and I wa'n't sure that I'd hold together. I cal'lated 
 walkin' was better for my health. So I found Fifth 
 Avenue and started to walk. And the farther I walked 
 the heavier that blessed satchel of mine got. It weighed 
 maybe ten or twelve pounds at the corner of 42nd Street, 
 but when I got as far as the open square where the gilt 
 woman is hurryin' to keep from bein' run over by 
 Gen'ral Sherman on horseback that statue, you knovr 
 
 I wouldn't have let that blessed bag go for less'rt 
 
 6l
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 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 
 come, and finally I asked a woman who was in tow of 
 an astrakhan-trimmed dog at the end of a chain, if the 
 omnibuses had stopped runnin'. When I fust see the 
 dog leadin' her I thought she was blind, but I guess she 
 was deef and dumb instead. Anyhow, all she said was 
 ' Ugh ! ' not very enthusiastic, at that, and went along. 
 Ho! ho! So then I asked a man, and he pointed to a 
 bus right in front of me. You see, I was lookin' for 
 the horses, same as they used to be, and this was an 
 automobile. 
 
 " I blushed, I guess, just to show that there was some 
 red underneath the green, and climbed aboard the omni 
 bus. I rode along for a spell, admirin' 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 said ' Ugh/ apparently suf- 
 f'rin' from the same complaint the dog woman had, and 
 we went on and on. At last I got kind of anxious and 
 asked him again. 
 
 "'Eighty-second!' says he, ugly. 'This is Ninety- 
 first/ 
 
 ' ' Good land ! ' says I. ' I wanted Eighty-second.' 
 
 ' Why didn't you say so ? ' says he, lookin' as if I'd 
 stole his mother's spoons. 
 
 " ' I did,' says I. 
 
 " ' You did? ' he snarls. ' You did not I If you did, 
 wouldn't I have heard you ? ' 
 
 62
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Well, any answer I'd be likely to make to that would 
 have meant more argument, and the bus was sailin' 
 right along at the time, so I piled out and did some more 
 walkin', the other way. At last I reached your old 
 number, Stevie, and Hey ? Did you speak ? " 
 
 " Don't call me * Stevie,' " growled his nephew, re- 
 belliously. 
 
 " Beg your pardon. I keep forgettin' that you're al 
 most grown up. Well, as I was sayin', I got to the 
 house where you used to live, and 'twas shut tight. 
 Nobody there. Ho ! ho ! I felt a good deal like old 
 Beriah Doane must have on his last ' vacation.' You 
 see, Beriah is one of our South Denboro notorieties; 
 he's famous in his way. He works and loafs by spells 
 until cranberry pickin' time in the fall; then he picks 
 steady and earns thirty or forty dollars all at once. 
 Soon's he's paid 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 
 ford. He hadn't been there for nine years, but he had 
 pleasant memories of his last visit. And when he does 
 get to New Bedford, chucklin' over the way he's be 
 fooled his sister and her folks, I'm blessed if he didn't 
 find that the town had gone no-license, and every saloon 
 was shut up 1 Ho ! ho ! ho ! Well, I felt about the way 
 he did, I guess, when I stood on the steps of your Fifth 
 Avenue house and realized you'd gone away. I wouldn't 
 have had Abbie see me there for somethin'. Ho 1 ho ! " 
 
 63
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 He leaned back in his chair and laughed aloud. Caro 
 line smiled faintly. Stephen threw down his napkin and 
 sprang to his feet. 
 
 " Sis," he cried, " I'm going to my room. By gad ! I 
 can't" 
 
 Catching a warning glance from his sister, he did not 
 finish his sentence, but stood sulkily beside his chair. 
 Captain Elisha looked at him, then at the girl, and 
 stopped laughing. He folded his napkin with care, and 
 rose. 
 
 " That's about all of it," he said, shortly. " I asked 
 around at two or three of the neighbors' houses, and the 
 last one I asked knew where you'd moved and told me 
 how to get here." 
 
 When the trio were again in the library, the captain 
 spoke once more. 
 
 " I'm 'fraid I've talked too much," he said, gravely. 
 " I didn't realize how I was runnin' on. Thought I was 
 home, I guess, with the fellers of my own age down at 
 the postoffice, instead 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 ex- 
 pectin' company or goin' callin' somewheres, so I'll just 
 go to my bedroom and write Abbie a line. She'll be 
 kind of anxious to know if I got here safe and sound and 
 found you. Don't worry about me, I'll be comf'table and 
 busy." 
 
 He turned to go. Caroline looked at him in surprise. 
 
 " We are not expecting callers," she said. " And cer 
 tainly we are not going out to-night. Why should you 
 think such a thing ? " 
 
 It was her uncle's turn to show surprise. 
 
 " Why," he said, with a glance at Stephen, " I see that 
 you're all dressed up, and so I thought, naturally M 
 
 64
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 He paused. 
 
 Young Warren grunted contemptuously. 
 
 " We dressed for dinner, that is all," said Caroline. 
 
 " You you mean you put these clothes on every 
 night?" 
 
 " Certainly." 
 
 Captain Elisha was plainly very much astonished. 
 
 " Well," he observed, slowly. "I guess I've made 
 another mistake. Hum ! Good night." 
 
 " Good night," said Stephen, quickly. Caroline, how 
 ever, seemed embarrassed. 
 
 " Captain Warren," she said, " I thought possibly you 
 might wish to talk business with my brother and me. 
 We we understand that you have come on business 
 connected with father's will. It seems to me that the 
 sooner we we " 
 
 " Get it over the better, hey ? Well, maybe you're 
 right. It's an odd business for an old salt like me to 
 be mixed up in, that's a fact. If it hadn't been so odd, 
 if I hadn't thought there must be some reason, some 
 partic'lar reason, I well, I guess I'd have stayed to 
 home where I belong. You mustn't think," he added, 
 seriously, " that I don't realize I'm as out of place 
 amongst you and your rich friends as a live fish in a 
 barrel 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 Lawyer Graves pretty soon, 
 and have a gen'ral look at your pa's affairs. Then, if 
 everything is all right and I feel my duty's done, I'll 
 
 65
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 probably go back to the Cape and leave you to him, or 
 somebody else able to look out for you. Until then I'm 
 afraid," with a smile which had a trace of bitterness in 
 it ; " I'm afraid you'll have to do the best you can witk 
 me. I'll try to be no more of a nuisance than I can help. 
 Good night." 
 
 When the two young people were left alone, Caroline 
 turned to her brother. 
 
 " Steve," she said, " I'm afraid you were a little rude. 
 I'm afraid you hurt his feelings." 
 
 The boy stared at her in wonder. " Hurt his feel 
 ings ! " he exclaimed. " His feelings ! Well, by Jove ! 
 Caro, you're a wonder ! 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 of a gentleman, do you 
 suppose he would come here and disgrace us as he is 
 doing? Who invited him? Did we? I guess not!" 
 
 "But he is father's brother, and father asked him to 
 come." 
 
 " No, he didn't. He asked him heaven knows why 
 to look out for our money affairs. That's bad 
 enough; but he didn't ask him to live with us. He 
 sha'n't! by gad, he sha'n't! You may 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, Caro ! 
 be sensible. Think what his staying here means. Can 
 we take him about with us? Can our friends meet him 
 as as our uncle ? He's got to be made to go. Hasn't 
 he now? Hasn't he?" 
 
 The girl was silent for a moment. Then she covered 
 her face with her hands. " Oh, yes ! " she sobbed. 
 " Oh, yes, he must ! he must! Why did father do it? " 
 
 66
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 THE Warren breakfast hour was nine o'clock. 
 At a quarter to nine Caroline, entering the 
 library, found Stephen seated by the fire read 
 ing the morning paper. 
 
 " Good morning," she said. Then, looking about the 
 room, asked, " Has has he been here ? " 
 
 Her brother shook his head. " You mean Uncle 
 'Lish?" he asked, cheerfully. "No, he hasn't At 
 least, I haven't seen him and I haven't made any in 
 quiries. I shall manage to survive if he never appears. 
 Let sleeping relatives lie, that's my motto." 
 
 He laughed at his own joke and turned the page of 
 the paper. The butler entered. 
 
 " Breakfast is served, Miss Caroline," he announced. 
 
 " Has Captain Warren come from his room ? " asked 
 the young lady. 
 
 " No, Miss Caroline. That is, I haven't seen him." 
 
 Stephen tossed the paper on the floor and rose. 
 
 " I wonder " he began. Then, with a broad grin, 
 " A sudden thought strikes me, Sis. He has undoubtedly 
 blown out the gas." 
 
 " Steve ! How can you ! " 
 
 " Perfectly simple. Absolutely reasonable. Just what 
 might have been expected. * He has gone, but we shall 
 miss him.' Come on, Caro; I'm hungry. Let the old 
 hayseed sleep. You and I can have a meal in peace. 1 
 Heavens ! you don't care for another experience like last 
 night's, do you ? " 
 
 67
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 "' Edwards," said Caroline, " you may knock at 
 Captain Warren's door and tell him breakfast is 
 served." 
 
 " Yes," commanded Stephen, " and tell him not to 
 hurry on our account. Come, Caro, come ! You're not 
 pining for his society. Well, wait then ! 7 won't ! " 
 
 He marched angrily out of the room. His sister hesi 
 tated, her wish to follow complicated by a feeling of duty 
 to a guest, no matter how unwelcome. The butler reap 
 peared, looking puzzled. 
 
 " He's not there, miss ? " he said. 
 
 " Not there ? Not in his room ? " 
 
 " No, Miss Caroline. I knocked, and he didn't an 
 swer, so I looked in and he wasn't there. His bed's been 
 slept in, but he's gone." 
 
 " Gone ? And you haven't seen him ? " 
 
 " No, miss. I've been up and about since half past 
 seven, and I can't understand where he could have got 
 to." 
 
 The door of the hall opened and shut. Edwards 
 darted from the library. A moment afterwards Cap 
 tain Elisha strolled in. He was wearing his overcoat, 
 and his hat was in his hand. 
 
 " Good mornin', Caroline," he hailed, in his big voice. 
 " Surprised to see me, are you ? Ho ! ho ! So was the 
 Commodore. He couldn't understand how I got in with 
 out ringin'. Well, you see, I'm used to turnin' out 
 pretty early, and when it got to be most seven o'clock, 
 I couldn't lay to bed any longer, so I got up, dressed, 
 and went for a walk. I fixed the door latch so's I could 
 come in quiet. You haven't waited breakfast for me, 
 I hope." 
 
 " No ; it is ready now, however." 
 
 " Ready now," the captain looked at his watch. 
 
 68
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Yes, I should think so. It's way into the forenoon. 
 You have waited for me, haven't you? I'm awfully 
 sorry." 
 
 " No, we have not waited. Our breakfast hour is 
 nine. Pardon me for neglecting to tell you that last 
 evening." 
 
 " Oh, that's all right. Now you trot right out and 
 eat I've had mine." 
 
 "Had your breakfast?" 
 
 " Yes, indeed. When I'm home, Abbie and I usually 
 eat about seven, so I get sort of sharp-set if I wait after 
 that. I cal'lated you city folks was late sleepers, and 
 I wouldn't want to make any trouble, so I found a little 
 eating house down below here a ways and had a cup of 
 coffee and some bread and butter and mush. Then I 
 went cruisin' round in Central Park a spell. This is 
 Central Park over across here, ain't it ? " 
 
 " Yes." The girl was too astonished to say more. 
 
 " I thought 'twas. I'd been through part of it afore, 
 but 'twas years ago, and it's such a big place and the 
 paths run so criss-cross I got sort of mixed up, and it 
 took me longer to get out than it did to get in. I had 
 the gen'ral points of the compass, and I guess I could 
 have made a pretty average straight run for home, but 
 every time I wanted to cut across lots there was a 
 policeman lookin' at me, so I had to stick to the channel. 
 That's what made me so late. Now do go and eat your 
 breakfast. I won't feel easy till I see you start." 
 
 Caroline departed, and the captain, after a visit to 
 his own room, where he left his coat and hat, returned 
 to the library, picked up the paper which his nephew had 
 dropped, and began reading. 
 
 After breakfast came the " business talk." It was a 
 brief one. Captain Elisha soon discovered that his 
 
 69
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 brother's children knew very little concerning their 
 father's affairs. They had always plenty of money, had 
 been indulged in practically every wish, and had never 
 had to think or plan for themselves. As to the size of 
 the estate, they knew nothing more than Mr. Graves had 
 told them, which was that, instead of the several millions 
 which rumor had credited A. Rodgers Warren with pos 
 sessing, five hundred thousand dollars would probably 
 be the extent of their inheritance, and that, therefore, 
 they must live economically. As a first step in that direc 
 tion, they had given up their former home and moved 
 to the apartment. 
 
 " Yes, yes," mused the captain, " I see. Mr. Graves 
 didn't know about your movin', then? You did it on 
 your own hook, so to speak ? " 
 
 Stephen answered promptly. 
 
 " Of course we did," he declared. " Why not? " 
 
 " No reason in the world. A good sensible thing to 
 do, I should say. Didn't anybody advise you where to 
 go?" 
 
 " Why should we need advice ? " Again it was 
 Stephen who replied. " We aren't kids. We're old 
 enough to decide some things for ourselves, I should 
 think." 
 
 " Yes. Sartin. That's right But I didn't know but 
 p'raps some of your friends might have helped along. 
 This Mrs. Dunn now, she kind of hinted to me that 
 she'd well, done what she could to make you com- 
 f'table." 
 
 " She has," avowed Caroline, warmly. " Mrs. Dunn 
 and Malcolm have proved their friendship in a thousand 
 ways. We never can repay them, Stephen and I, 
 never ! " 
 
 " No. There's some things you can't ever pay, I 
 
 70
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 know that. Mrs. Dunn found this nice place for you, 
 did she?" 
 
 " Why, yes. She and I found it together." 
 
 " So ? That was lucky, wa'n't it ? Advertised in the 
 newspaper, was it ; or was there a * To Let ' placard up 
 in the window?" 
 
 " No, certainly not. Mrs. Dunn knew that we had 
 decided to move, and she has a cousin who is interested 
 in New York property. She asked him, and he men 
 tioned this apartment." 
 
 " One of his own, was it? " 
 
 " I believe so. Why are you so particular ? Don't 
 you like it ? " 
 
 Her tone was sharp. Stephen, who resented his un 
 cle's questions as impertinent intrusions upon the family 
 affairs, added one of his own. 
 
 " Isn't it as good as those in what do you call it 
 South Denboro ? " he asked, maliciously. 
 
 Captain Elisha laughed heartily. 
 
 " Pretty nigh as good," he said. " I didn't notice any 
 better on the way to the depot as I drove up. And I 
 doubt if there's many new ones built since I left. It's 
 a mighty fine lot of rooms, I think. What's the rent? 
 You'll excuse my askin', things bein' as they are." 
 
 " Twenty-two hundred a year," answered his niece, 
 coldly. 
 
 The captain looked at her, whistled, broke off the whis- 
 ile in the middle, and did a little mental arithmetic. 
 
 " Twenty-two hundred a year ! " he repeated. " That's 
 one hundred and eighty odd a month. Say, that cousin 
 of Mrs. Dunn's must want to get his investment back. 
 You mean for just these ten rooms? " 
 
 Stephen laughed scornfully. 
 
 " Our guardian has been counting, Caro," he remarked.
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Yes. Yes, I counted this mornin' when I got up. I 
 was interested, naturally." 
 
 " Sure ! Naturally, of course," sneered the boy. 
 " Did you think the twenty-two hundred was the rent 
 of the entire building?" 
 
 " Well, I didn't know. I " 
 
 " The rent," interrupted Caroline, with dignity, " was 
 twenty-four hundred, but, thanks to Mrs. Dunn, who 
 explained to her cousin that we were friends of hers, it 
 was reduced." 
 
 " We being in reduced circumstances," observed her 
 brother in supreme disgust. " Pity the poor orphans ! 
 By gad ! " 
 
 " That was real nice of Mrs. Dunn," declared Captain 
 Elisha, heartily. " She's pretty well-off herself, I s'pose 
 hey, Caroline ? " 
 
 " I presume so." 
 
 " Yes, yes. About how much is she wuth, think ? " 
 
 " I don't know. I never inquired." 
 
 " No. Well, down our way," with a chuckle, " we 
 don't have to inquire. Ask anybody you meet what his 
 next door neighbor's wuth, and he'll tell you within a 
 hundred, and how he got it, and how much he owes, and 
 how he gets along with his wife. Ho ! ho ! Speakin' of 
 wives, is this Mr. Dunn married ? " 
 
 He looked at his niece as he asked the question. There 
 was no reason why Caroline should blush ; she knew it, 
 and hated herself for doing it. 
 
 " No," she answered, resentfully', " he is not." 
 
 " Um-hm. What's his business ? " 
 
 " He is connected with a produce exchange house, I 
 believe." 
 
 "One of the firm?" 
 
 " I don't know. In New York we are not as well 
 
 72
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 posted, or as curious, concerning our friends' private 
 affairs as your townspeople seem to be." 
 
 " I guess that's so. I imagine New Yorkers are too 
 busy gettin' it themselves to bother whether their neigh 
 bors have got it or not. Well," he went on, rising, " I 
 guess I've kept you young folks from your work or 
 or play, or whatever you was going to do, long enough 
 for this once. I think I'll go out for a spell. I've got 
 an errand or two I want to do. What time do you have 
 dinner?" 
 
 " We lunch at half past one," answered Caroline. 
 " We dine at seven." 
 
 " Oh, yes, yes ! I keep forgettin' that supper's din 
 ner. Well, I presume likely I'll be back for luncheon. 
 If I ain't, don't wait for me. I'll be home afore supper 
 there I go again! afore dinner, anyhow. Good- 
 by." 
 
 Five minutes later he was at the street corner, inquir 
 ing of a policeman " the handiest way to get to Pine 
 Street." Following the directions given, he boarded a 
 train at the nearest subway station, emerged at Wall 
 Street, inquired once more, located the street he was 
 looking for, and, consulting a card which he took from 
 a big stained leather pocket-book, walked on, peering at 
 the numbers of the buildings he passed. 
 
 The offices of Sylvester, Kuhn, and Graves, were on 
 the sixteenth floor of a new and gorgeously appointed 
 sky-scraper. When Captain Elisha entered the firm's 
 reception room, he was accosted by a wide-awake and 
 extremely self-possessed office boy. 
 
 " Who'd you want to see ? " asked the boy, briskly. 
 
 The captain removed his hat and wiped his forehead 
 with his handkerchief. 
 
 " Hold on a jiffy, Sonny," he panted. " Just give me 
 
 73
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 a minute to sort of get myself together, as you might say. 
 I rode up in one of those express elevators of yours, and 
 I kind of feel as if my boots had got tangled up with 
 my necktie. When that elevator feller cast off from the 
 cellar, I begun to shut up like a spyglass. Whew ! Say, 
 Son, is Mr. Graves in?" 
 
 " No," replied the boy, grinning. 
 
 " Hum ! Still in the sick bay, is he hey? " 
 
 " He's to home. Got a cold." 
 
 " Yup. It's too bad. Mr. er Sylvester, is he 
 in?" 
 
 " Naw, he ain't. And Mr. Kuhn's busy. Won't one 
 of the clerks do? What do you want to see the firm 
 about?" 
 
 " Well, Son, I had reasons of my own. However, I 
 guess I won't disturl? Mr. Kuhn, if he's busy's you say. 
 Here ! you tell him, or Mr. Sylvester when he comes, that 
 Cap'n Warren, Cap'n Elisha Warren of South Denboro 
 better write it down called and will be back about 
 half past twelve or thereabouts. Got it, have you? 
 Hum! is that Elisha? You don't tell me! I've been 
 spellin' it for sixty years, more or less, and never real 
 ized it had such possibilities. Lend me your pencil. 
 There ! you give Mr. Sylvester that and tell him I'll see 
 him later. So long, Son." 
 
 He departed, smiling. The indignant office boy threw 
 the card on the table. 
 
 Captain Elisha strolled down Pine Street, looking 
 about him with interest. It had been years since he vis 
 ited this locality, and the changes were many. Soon, 
 however, he began to recognize familiar landmarks. He 
 was approaching the water front, and there were fewer 
 new buildings. When he reached South Street he was 
 thoroughly at home. 
 
 74
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 . The docks were crowded. The river was alive with 
 small craft of all kinds. Steamers and schooners were 
 plenty, but the captain missed the old square-riggers, 
 the clipper ships and barks, such as he had sailed in as 
 cabin boy, as foremast hand, and, later, commanded on 
 many seas. 
 
 At length, however, he saw four masts towering above 
 the roof of a freight house. They were not schooner 
 rigged, those masts. The yards were set square across, 
 and along them were furled royals and upper topsails. 
 Here, at last, was a craft worth looking at. Captain 
 Elisha crossed the street, hurried past the covered freight 
 house, and saw a magnificent great ship lying beside a 
 broad open wharf. Down the wharf he walked, joy 
 fully, as one who greets an old friend. 
 
 The wharf was practically deserted. An ancient 
 watchman was dozing in a sort of sentry box, but he did 
 not wake. There was a pile of foreign-looking crates 
 and boxes at the further end of the pier, evidently the 
 last bit of cargo waiting to be carted away. The cap 
 tain inspected the pile, recognized the goods as Chinese 
 and Japanese, then read the name on the big ship's stern. 
 She was the Empress of the Ocean, and her home port 
 was Liverpool. 
 
 Captain Elisha, as a free-born Yankee skipper, had 
 an inherited and cherished contempt for British " lime- 
 juicers," but he could not help admiring this one. To 
 begin with, her size and tonnage were enormous. Also, 
 she was four-masted, instead of the usual three, and her 
 hull and lower spars were of steel instead of wood. A 
 steel sailing vessel was something of a novelty to the 
 captain, and he was seized with a desire to go aboard and 
 inspect. 
 
 The ladder from ship to wharf was down, of course, 
 6 75
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 and getting on board was an easy matter. When he 
 reached the deck and looked about him, the great size 
 of the ship was still more apparent. The bulwarks were 
 as high as a short man's head. She was decked over aft, 
 and, as the captain said afterwards, " her cabins had nigh 
 as many stories as a house." From the roof of the " first 
 story," level with the bulwarks, extended a series of 
 bridges, which could be hoisted or lowered, and by means 
 of which her officers could walk from stern to bow with 
 out descending to the deck. There was a good-sized 
 engine house forward, beyond the galley and forecastle. 
 Evidently the work of hoisting anchors and canvas was 
 done by steam. 
 
 The captain strolled about, looking her over. The 
 number of improvements since his seagoing days was 
 astonishing. He was standing by the wheel, near the 
 companion way, wishing that he might inspect the offi 
 cers' quarters, but not liking to do so without an invita 
 tion, when two men emerged from the cabin. 
 
 One of the pair was evidently the Japanese steward 
 of the ship. The other was a tall, clean-cut young fel 
 low, whose general appearance and lack of sunburn 
 showed quite plainly that he was not a seafaring man 
 by profession. The steward caught sight of Captain 
 Elisha, and, walking over, accosted him. 
 
 " Want to see skipper, sir ? " he asked, in broken Eng 
 lish. " He ashore." 
 
 " No, Doctor," replied the captain, cheerfully. " I 
 don't want to see him. I've got no business aboard. 
 It's been some time since I trod the quarter-deck of a 
 square-rigger, and I couldn't resist the temptation of 
 tryin' how the planks felt under my feet. This is con- 
 sider'ble of a clipper you've got here," he added. 
 
 " Yes, sir," replied the steward grinning. 
 
 76
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Where you from ? " asked Captain Elisha. 
 
 " Singapore, sir." 
 
 " Cargo all out? " 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 " Waitin' for another one ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir. We load for Manila bimeby." 
 
 " Manila, hey ? Have a good passage across ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir. She good ship." 
 
 " Shouldn't wonder. How d'ye do, sir," to the young 
 man, who was standing near. " Hope you won't think 
 I'm crowdin' in where I don't belong. I was just tellin' 
 the doctor here that it had been some time since I trod a 
 quarter-deck, and I thought I'd see if I'd forgot the feel." 
 
 " Have you ? " asked the young man, smiling. 
 
 " Guess not. Seems kind of nat'ral. I never handled 
 such a whale of a craft as this, though. Didn't have 
 many of 'em in my day. Come over in her, did you ? " 
 
 " No," with a shake of the head. " No such luck. 
 I'm a land lubber, just scouting round, that's all. She's 
 a bully vessel, isn't she ? " 
 
 " Looks so. Tell you better after I've seen what she 
 could do in a full-sail breeze. All hands ashore, Doc 
 tor?" 
 
 " Yes, sir," replied the steward. 
 
 " Crew paid off and spendin' their money, I s'pose. 
 Well, if it ain't against orders, I'd kind of like to look 
 around a little mite. May I ? " 
 
 The steward merely grinned. His companion answered 
 for him. 
 
 " Certainly you may," he said. " I'm a friend of one 
 of the consignees, and I'd be glad to show you the ship, 
 if you like. Shall we begin with the cabins?" 
 
 Captain Elisha, delighted with the opportunity, ex 
 pressed his thanks, and the tour of inspection began. 
 
 77
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 The steward remained on deck, but the captain and his 
 new acquaintance strolled through the officers' quarters 
 together. 
 
 " Jerushy ! " exclaimed the former, as he viewed the 
 main cabin. " Say, you could pretty nigh have a dance 
 here, couldn't you? A small one. This reminds me of 
 the cabin aboard the Sea Gull, first vessel I went mate 
 of it's so diff'rent. Aboard her we had to walk sittin' 
 down. There wa'n't room in the cabin for more'n one 
 to stand up at a time. But she could sail, just the same 
 and carry it, too. I've seen her off the Horn with 
 studdin' sails set, when craft twice her length and ton 
 nage had everything furled above the tops'l yard. Hi 
 hum ! you mustn't mind an old salt runnin' on this way. 
 I've been out of the pickle tub a good while, but I cal'late 
 the brine ain't all out of my system." 
 
 His guide's eyes snapped. 
 
 " I understand," he said, laughing. " I've never been 
 at sea, on a long voyage, in my life, but I can understand 
 just how you feel. It's in my blood, I guess. I come 
 of a salt water line. My people were from Belfast, 
 Maine, and every man of them went to sea." 
 
 " Belfast, hey ? They turned out some A No. i sailors 
 in Belfast I sailed under a Cap'n Pearson from there 
 once James Pearson, his name was." 
 
 " He was my great uncle. I was named for him. My 
 name is James Pearson, also." 
 
 " What? " Captain Elisha was hugely delighted. 
 " Mr. Pearson, shake hands. I want to tell you that 
 your Uncle Jim was a seaman of the kind you dream 
 about, but seldom meet. I was his second mate three 
 v'yages. My name's Elisha Warren." 
 
 Mr. Pearson shook hands and laughed, good-humor- 
 edly. 
 
 78
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Glad to meet you, Captain Warren," he said. " And 
 I'm glad you knew Uncle Jim. As a youngster, he was 
 my idol. He could spin yarns that were worth listen 
 ing to." 
 
 " I bet you ! He'd -seen things wuth yarnin' about. 
 So you ain't a sailor, hey ? Livin' in New York ? " 
 
 The young man nodded. " Yes," he said. Then, with 
 a dry smile, "If you call occupying a hall bedroom and 
 eating at a third-rate boarding-house table living. How 
 ever, it's my own fault. I've been a newspaper man 
 since I left college. But I threw up my job six months 
 ago. Since then I've been free-lancing." 
 
 " Have, hey ? " The captain was too polite to ask fur 
 ther questions, but he had not the slightest idea what 
 " free-lancing " might be. Pearson divined his perplex 
 ity and explained. 
 
 " I've had a feeling," he said, " that I might write mag 
 azine articles and stories yes, possibly a novel or two. 
 It's a serious disease, but the only way to find out whether 
 it's chronic or not is to experiment. That's what I'm 
 doing now. The thing I'm at work on may turn out to 
 be a sea story. So I spend some time around the wharves 
 and aboard the few sailing ships in port, picking up ma 
 terial." 
 
 Captain Elisha patted him on the back. 
 
 " Now don't you get discouraged," he said. " I used 
 to have an idea that novel writin' and picture paintin' 
 was poverty jobs for men with healthy appetites, but I've 
 changed my mind. I don't know's you'll believe it, but 
 I've just found out, for a fact, that some painters get 
 twenty-two thousand dollars for one picture. For 
 one, mind you. And a little mite of a thing, too, that 
 couldn't have cost scarcely anything to paint. Maybe 
 novels sell for just as much. / don't know." 
 
 79
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 His companion laughed heartily. " I'm afraid not, 
 Captain/' he said. " Few, at any rate. I should be satis 
 fied with considerably less, to begin with. Are you liv 
 ing here in town?" 
 
 " Well we-11, I don't know. I ain't exactly livin', 
 and I ain't exactly boardin', but Say! ain't that the 
 doctor callin' you ? " 
 
 It was the steward, and there was an anxious ring in 
 his voice. Pearson excused himself and hurried out f 
 the cabin. Captain Elisha lingered for a final look 
 about. Then he followed leisurely, becoming aware, as 
 he reached the open air, of loud voices in angry dialogue. 
 
 Entrances to the Empress of the Ocean's cabins were 
 on the main deck, and also on the raised half-deck at the 
 stern, near the wheel, the binnacle and the officers' corned- 
 beef tubs, swinging in their frames. From this upper 
 deck two flights of steps led down to the main deck be 
 low. At the top of one of these flights stood young 
 Pearson, cool and alert. Behind him half crouched the 
 Japanese steward, evidently very much frightened. At 
 the foot of the steps were grouped three rough looking 
 men, foreigners and sailors without doubt, and partially 
 intoxicated. The three men were an ugly lot, and they 
 were all yelling and jabbering together in a foreign 
 lingo. As the captain emerged from the passage to the 
 open deck, he heard Pearson reply in the same language. 
 
 " What's the matter ? " he asked. 
 
 Pearson answered without turning his head. 
 
 " Drunken sailors," he explained. " Part of the crew 
 here. They've been uptown, got full, and come back to 
 square a grudge they seem to have against the steward. 
 I'm telling them they'd better give up and go ashore, if 
 they know when they're well ofF." 
 
 The three fellows by the ladder's foot were consulting 
 
 80
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 together. On the wharf were half a dozen loungers, col 
 lected by the prospect of a row. 
 
 " If I can hold them off for a few minutes," went on 
 Pearson, " we'll be all right. The wharf watchman has 
 gone for the police. Here ! drop it ! What are you up 
 to?" 
 
 One of the sailors had drawn a knife. The other two 
 reached for their belts behind, evidently intending to fol 
 low suit. From the loafers on the wharf came shouts 
 of encouragement. 
 
 " Do the dude up, Pedro ! Give him what's comin' to 
 him." 
 
 The trio formed for a rush. The steward, with a 
 shrill scream, fled to the cabin. Pearson did not move ; 
 he even smiled. The next moment he was pushed to 
 one side, and Captain Elisha stood at the top of the steps. 
 
 " Here ! " he said, sternly. " What's all this ? " 
 
 The three sailors, astonished at this unexpected addi 
 tion to their enemies' forces, hesitated. Pearson laid 
 kis hand on the captain's arm. 
 
 " Be careful," he said. " They're dangerous." 
 
 " Dangerous ? Them ? I've seen their kind afore. 
 Here, you ! " turning to the three below. " What do you 
 mean by this? Put down that knife, you lubber! Do 
 you want to be put in irons? Over the side with you, 
 you swabs ! Git ! " 
 
 He began descending the ladder. Whether the sailors 
 were merely too surprised to resist, or because they rec 
 ognized the authority of the deep sea in Captain Elisha's 
 voice and face is a question. At any rate, as he de 
 scended they backed away. 
 
 " Mutiny on board a ship of mine ? " roared the cap 
 tain. " What do you mean by it ? Why, I'll have you 
 tied up and put on bread and water. Over the side with 
 
 81
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 you! Mutiny on board of me! Lively! Tumble up 
 there ! " 
 
 With every order came a stride forward and a cor 
 respondingly backward movement on the part of the 
 three. The performance would have been ridiculous if 
 Pearson had not feared that it might become tragic. He 
 was descending the steps to his new acquaintance's aid, 
 when there rose a chorus of shouts from the wharf. 
 
 " The cops ! the cops ! Look out ! " 
 
 That was the finishing touch. The next moment the 
 three " mutineers " were over the side and running as fast 
 as their alcoholic condition would permit down the wharf. 
 
 " Well, by George ! " exclaimed Pearson. 
 
 Captain Elisha seemed to be coming out of a dream. 
 He stood still, drew his hand across his forehead, and 
 then began to laugh. 
 
 " Well ! " he stammered. " Well, I snum ! I I - 
 Mr. Pearson, I wonder what on earth you must think of 
 me. I declare the sight of that gang set me back about 
 twenty years. They they must have thought I was the 
 new skipper! Did you hear me tell 'em they couldn't 
 mutiny aboard of me? Ho! ho! Well, I am an old 
 idiot!" 
 
 Pearson stuck his fist into the palm of his other hand. 
 
 " I've got it ! " he cried. " I knew your name was 
 familiar. Why, you're the mate that handled the mu 
 tinous crew aboard Uncle Jim's bark, the Pacer, off 
 Mauritius, in the typhoon, when he was hurt and in the 
 cabin. I've heard him tell it a dozen times. Well, this 
 is a lucky day for me ! " 
 
 Captain Elisha was evidently pleased. " So he told 
 you that, did he ? " he began. " That was a, time and a 
 half, I" 
 
 He was interrupted. Over the rail appeared a blue 
 
 82
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 helmet, and an instant later a big and very pompous po 
 lice officer leaped to the deck. He was followed by the 
 wharf watchman, who looked frightened. 
 
 " Where's the other one of them ? " demanded the po 
 liceman. " Oh, it's you, is it? Well, you're too old to be 
 gettin' drunk and fightin'. Come along now, peaceable, 
 and let's have no words about it." 
 
 He advanced and laid a hand on the captain's arm. 
 
 " You're under arrest," he announced. " Will you 
 come along quiet?" 
 
 " I'm under arrest ? " repeated Captain Elisha. " Un 
 der My soul and body ! Why, I ain't done anything." 
 
 " Yes, I know. Nobody's done nothin'. Come on, 
 or shall I Hello, Mr. Pearson, sir ! How d'you do ? " 
 
 Pearson had stepped forward. 
 
 " Slattery," he said, " you've made a mistake. Let me 
 tell you about it." He drew the officer aside and whis 
 pered in his ear. After a rather lengthy conversation, 
 the guardian of the peace turned to the watchman. 
 
 " What d'you mean by tellin' all them lies ? " he de 
 manded. 
 
 " Lies ? " repeated the astonished watchman. " I never 
 told no lies." 
 
 " You did. You said this gentleman," indicating the 
 nervous and apprehensive Captain Elisha, " was fightin' 
 and murderin'. I ask your pardon, sir. 'Twas this 
 bloke's foolishness. G'wan ashore ! You make me sick. 
 Good day, Mr. Pearson." 
 
 He departed, driving his new victim before him and 
 tongue-lashing him all the way. The captain drew a long 
 breath. 
 
 " Say, Mr. Pearson," he declared, " a minute or so ago 
 you said this was a lucky day for you. I cal'late it's a 
 luckier one for me. If it hadn't been for you I'd been 
 
 83
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 took up. Yes, sir, took up and carted off to the lock 
 up. Whew! that would have looked well in the papers, 
 wouldn't it? And my niece and nephew . . . Je- 
 rushy! I'm mightily obliged to you. How did you 
 handle that policeman so easily ? " 
 
 Pearson laughed. " Oh," he replied, " a newspaper 
 training and acquaintance has its advantages. Slattery 
 knows me, and I know him." 
 
 " Well, I thank you, I do so." 
 
 " You needn't. I wouldn't have missed meeting you 
 and seeing you handle those fellows for a good deal. 
 And besides, you're not going to escape so easy. You 
 must lunch with me." 
 
 The captain started, hastily pulled out his watch, and 
 looked at it. 
 
 " Quarter to one 1 " he cried. " And I said I'd be back 
 at that lawyer's office at half-past twelve. No, no, Mr. 
 Pearson, I can't go to lunch with you, but I do wish you'd 
 come and see me some time. My address for for a 
 spell, anyhow is Central Park West/' giving the num 
 ber, " and the name is Warren, same as mine. Will 
 you come some evenin'? I'd be tickled to death to see 
 you." 
 
 The young man was evidently delighted. 
 
 "Will I?" he exclaimed. "Indeed I will. I warn 
 you, Captain Warren, that I shall probably keep you busy 
 spinning sea yarns." 
 
 " Nothin' I like better, though I'm afraid my yarns'll 
 be pretty dull alongside of your Uncle Jim's." 
 
 " I'll risk it. Good-by and good luck. I shall see 
 you very soon." 
 
 " That's right ; do. So long."
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 THE boy, Captain Elisha's acquaintance of the 
 morning, was out, regaling himself with crul 
 lers and milk at a pushcart on Broad Street, 
 when the captain returned to the officers of Sylvester, 
 Kuhn and Graves. The clerk who had taken his place 
 was very respectful. 
 
 " Captain Warren," he said, " Mr. Sylvester was sorry 
 to miss you. He waited until half past twelve and left 
 word for us to telephone if you came. Our Mr. Graves 
 is still ill, and the matter of your brother's estate must 
 be discussed without further delay. Please sit down and 
 I will telephone." 
 
 The captain seated himself on the leather-covered 
 bench, and the clerk entered the inner office. He re 
 turned, a few moments later, to say: 
 
 " Mr. Sylvester is at the Central Club. He wished me 
 to ask if you could conveniently join him there." 
 
 Captain Elisha pondered. " Why, yes," he replied, 
 slowlr, " I s'pose I could. I don't know why I couldn't. 
 Where is this er club of his ? " 
 
 " Or Fifth Avenue, near Fifty-second Street. I'll 
 send or.e of our boys with you if you like." 
 
 " No, no ! I can pilot myself, I guess. I ain't so old 
 I can't isk my way. Though " with a reminiscent 
 chuckle " if the folks I ask are all sufferin' from that 
 ' Ugh ' disease, I sha'n't make much headway." 
 
 " What disease ? " asked the puzzled clerk. 
 
 85
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Oh, iiothin'. I was just thinkin' out loud, that's all. 
 Mr. Sylvester wants to see me right off, does he ? " 
 
 " Yes, he said he would wait if I 'phoned him you were 
 coming." 
 
 " Um-hm. Well, you can tell him I've left the dock, 
 bound in his direction. Say, that young chap that was 
 here when I called the fust time studyin' to be a law 
 yer, is he?" 
 
 "Who? Tim? No, indeed. He's only the office 
 boy. Why did you ask ? " 
 
 " Oh, I was just wonderin'. I had a notion he might 
 be in trainin' for a judgeship, he was so high and 
 mighty. Ho! ho! He's got talent, that boy has. No 
 body but a born genius could have made as many 
 mistakes in one name as he did when he undertook te 
 spell Elisha. Well, sir, I'm much obliged to you. Good 
 day." 
 
 The Central Club is a ponderous institution occupying 
 a becomingly gorgeous building on the Avenue. The 
 captain found his way to its door without much trouble. 
 A brass-buttoned attendant answered his ring and super 
 ciliously inquired his business. Captain Elisha, not be 
 ing greatly in awe of either buttons or brief authority, 
 calmly hailed the attendant as " Gen'ral " and informed 
 him that he was there to see Mr. Sylvester, if the Matter 
 was " on deck anywheres." 
 
 " Tell him it's Cap'n Warren, Major," he added cheer 
 fully ; " he's expectin' me." 
 
 The attendant brusquely ushered the visitor into a 
 leather-upholstered reception room and left him. The 
 captain amused himself by looking at the p r ints and 
 framed letters and autographs on the walls. Then a 
 round, red, pleasant-faced man entered. 
 
 " Pardon me," he said, "is this Captain \Varren?" 
 
 86
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Yes, sir," was the reply. " That's my name. This 
 is Mr. Sylvester, ain't it? Glad to know you, sir." 
 
 " Thanks. Sorry to have made you travel way up 
 here, Captain. I waited until twelve-thirty, but as you 
 didn't come then, I gave you up. Hope I haven't in 
 convenienced you." 
 
 " No, no. Not a mite. Might just as well be here as 
 anywhere. Don't think another thing about it." 
 
 " Have you lunched, Captain Warren ? " 
 
 " No, come to think of it, I ain't. I've been kind of 
 busy this forenoon, and a little thing like dinner 
 luncheon, I mean slipped my mind. Though 'tain't 
 often I have those slips, I'm free to say. Ho ! ho ! Ab- 
 bie she's my second cousin, my housekeeper says 
 I'm an unsartin critter, but there's two things about me 
 she can always count on, one's that my clothes have al 
 ways got a button loose somewheres, and t'other's my 
 appetite." 
 
 He laughed, and Sylvester laughed with him. 
 
 " Well," observed the lawyer, " I'm not sure that I 
 couldn't qualify on both of those counts. At any rate 
 I'm sure of my appetite. I had a lunch engagement with 
 an acquaintance of mine, but he hasn't appeared, so you 
 must take his place. We'll lunch together." 
 
 " Well, now, I'd like to fust-rate, and it's real kind 
 of you, Mr. Sylvester; but I don't know's I'd better. 
 Your friend may heave in sight, after all, and I'd be in 
 the way." 
 
 " Not a bit of it. And I said ' acquaintance,' not 
 'friend.' Of course you will! You must. We can 
 talk business while we're eating, if you like." 
 
 " All right. And I'm ever so much obliged to you. Is 
 there an eatin' house near here ? " 
 
 " Oh, we'll eat right here at the club. Come." 
 
 87
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 He led the way, and Captain Elisha followed. The 
 Central Club has a large, exclusive, and wealthy mem 
 bership, and its quarters correspond. The captain gazed 
 about him at the marble floors and pillars, the paintings 
 and busts, with interest. After checking his hat and 
 coat, as they entered the elevator he asked a question. 
 
 "Which floor is your club on, Mr. Sylvester?" he 
 asked. 
 
 "Floor? Why, the dining room is on the fourth, if 
 that's what you mean." 
 
 " No, I meant how many rooms do you rent?" 
 
 " We occupy the entire building. It is our own, and a 
 comparatively new one. We built it three years ago." 
 
 "You mean this whole shebang is just one club?" 
 
 " Certainly." 
 
 "Hum! I see. Well, I" 
 
 " What were you going to say ? " 
 
 " Nothin'. I was wonderin' what fool thing I'd ask 
 next. I'm more used to lodge rooms than I am to clubs, 
 I guess. I'd like to take home a picture of this place 
 to Theophilus Kenney. Theoph's been raisin' hob be 
 cause the Odd Fellows built on to their buildin'. He 
 said one room was enough for any society. 'T would 
 be, if we was all his kind of society. Theoph's so 
 small he could keep house in a closet. He's always 
 hollerin' in meetin' about his soul. I asked the minister 
 if it didn't seem ridic'lous for Kenney to make such a 
 big noise over such a little thing. This where we get 
 off?" 
 
 The dining room was a large and ornate apartment. 
 Captain Elisha, when he first entered it, seemed about 
 to ask another question, but choked it off and remained 
 silent. Sylvester chose a table in a retired corner, and 
 they sat down. 
 
 88
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Now, Captain Warren," said the host, " what will 
 you eat ? " 
 
 Captain Elisha shook his head. 
 
 "You do the orderin'," he replied dryly; "I'll just 
 set and be thankful, like the hen that found the china 
 doorknob. Anything that suits you will do me, I guess." 
 
 The lawyer, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying his 
 companion, gave his orders, and the waiter brought first 
 a bit of caviar on toast. If Sylvester expected this del 
 icacy to produce astonished comments, he was disap 
 pointed. 
 
 " Well, well ! " exclaimed Captain Elisha. " I declare, 
 you take me back a long ways, Mr. Sylvester. Caviar ! 
 Well, well ! Why, I haven't ate this since I used to go 
 to Cronstadt. At the American consul's house there we 
 had it often enough. Has a kind of homey taste even 
 yet. That consul was a good feller. He and I were 
 great friends. 
 
 " I met him a long spell after that, when I was down 
 in Mexico," he went on. " He'd made money and was 
 down on a vacation. My ship was at Acapulco, and he 
 and I used to go gunnin' together, after wild geese and 
 such. Ho! ho! I remember there was a big, pompous 
 critter of an Englishman there. Mind you, I'm not 
 talkin' against the English. Some of the best men I ever 
 met were English, and I've stood back to back with a 
 British mate on a Genoa wharf when half of Italy was 
 hoppin' around makin' proclamations that they was goin' 
 to swallow us alive. And, somehow or 'nother, they 
 didn't. Took with prophetic indigestion, maybe. 
 
 " However, this Englishman at Acapulco was diffrent. 
 He was so swelled with importance that his back hollered 
 in like Cape Cod Bay on the map. His front bent out 
 to correspond, though, so I cal'late he averaged up all
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 right. Well, he heard about what a good that I was 
 pretty lucky when it come to shootin' wild geese, and I'm 
 blessed if he didn't send me orders to get him one for a 
 dinner he was goin' to give. Didn't ask ordered me 
 to do it, you understand. And him nothin' but a con 
 signee, with no more control over me than the average 
 female Sunday-school teacher has over a class of boys. 
 Not so much, because she's supposed to have official 
 authority, and he wa'n't. And he didn't invite me to 
 the dinner. 
 
 " Well, the next time my friend, the ex-consul, and I 
 went out gunnin', I told him of the Englishman's ' orders.' 
 He was mad. ' What are you goin' to do about it ? ' he 
 asks. ' Don't know yet,' says I, ' we'll see.' By and 
 by we come in sight of one of them long-legged cranes, 
 big birds you know, standin' fishin' at the edge of some 
 reeds. I up with my gun and shot it. The consul chap 
 looked at me as if I was crazy. * What in the world did 
 you kill that fish-basket on stilts for?' he says. 'Son/ 
 says I, ' your eyesight is bad. That's a British-American 
 goose. Chop off about three feet of neck and a couple 
 of fathom of hind legs and pick and clean what's left, 
 and I shouldn't wonder if 'twould make a good dinner 
 for a mutual friend of ours good enough, anyhow/ 
 Well, sir ! that ex-consul set plump down in the mud and 
 laughed and laughed. Ho, ho ! Oh, dear me ! " 
 
 " Did you send it to the Englishman ? " asked Syl 
 vester. 
 
 " Oh, yes, I sent it. And, after a good while and in a 
 roundabout way, I heard that the whole dinner party 
 vowed 'twas the best wild goose they ever ate. So I ain't 
 sure just who the joke was on. However, I'm satisfied 
 with my end. Well, there ! I guess you must think I'm 
 pretty talky on short acquaintance, Mr. Sylvester. 
 
 90
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 You'll have to excuse me ; that caviar set me to thinkin' 
 about old times." 
 
 His host was shaking all over. " Go ahead, Captain," 
 he cried. " Got any more as good as that ? " 
 
 But Captain Elisha merely smiled and shook his head. 
 
 " Don't get me started on Mexico," he observed. " I'm 
 liable to yarn all the rest of the afternoon. Let's see, 
 we was goin' to talk over my brother's business a little 
 mite, wa'n't we?" 
 
 " Why, yes, we should. Now, Captain Warren, just 
 how much do you know about your late brother's af 
 fairs?" 
 
 " Except what Mr. Graves told me, nothin' of im 
 portance. And, afore we go any further, let me ask a 
 question. Do you know why 'Bije made me his execu 
 tor and guardian and all the rest of it?" 
 
 " I do not. Graves drew his will, and so, of course, 
 we knew of your existence and your appointment. Your 
 brother forbade our mentioning it, but we did not know, 
 until after his death, that his own children were unaware 
 they had an uncle. It seems strange, doesn't it ? " 
 
 " It does to me ; so strange that I can't see two lengths 
 ahead. I cal'late Mr. Graves told you how I felt about 
 it?" 
 
 " Yes. That is, he said you were very much sur 
 prised." 
 
 " That's puttin' it mild enough. And did he tell you 
 that 'Bije and I hadn't seen each other, or even written, 
 in eighteen years ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Um-hm. Well, when you consider that, can you 
 
 wonder I was set all aback? And the more I think 
 
 of it, the foggier it gets. Why, Mr. Sylvester, it's one 
 
 of them situations that are impossible, that you can prove 
 
 7 91
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 fifty ways can't happen. And yet, it has it sartinly 
 has. Now tell me: Are you, or your firm, well ac 
 quainted with my brother's affairs ? " 
 
 " Not well, no. The late Mr. Warren was a close- 
 mouthed man, rather secretive, in fact." 
 
 " Humph ! that bein' one of the p'ints where he was 
 different from his nighest relation, hey ? " 
 
 " I'm not so sure. Have you questioned the children ? " 
 
 "Caroline and Steve? Yes, I've questioned 'em more 
 than they think I have, maybe. And they know well, 
 leavin' out about the price of oil paintin's and the way 
 to dress and that it's more or less of a disgrace to econ 
 omize on twenty thousand a year, their worldly knowl 
 edge ain't too extensive." 
 
 " Do you like them ? " 
 
 " I guess so. Just now ain't the fairest time to judge 
 'em. You see they're sufferin' from the joyful shock of 
 their country relation droppin' in, and " 
 
 He paused and rubbed his chin. His lips were smil 
 ing, but his eyes were not. Sylvester noted their ex 
 pression, and guessed many things. 
 
 " They haven't been disagreeable, I hope ? " he asked. 
 
 " No-o. No, I wouldn't want to say that. They're 
 young and and, well, I ain't the kind they've been used 
 to. Caroline's a nice girl. She is, sure. All she needs 
 is to grow a little older and have the right kind of advice 
 and and friends." 
 
 " How about the boy ? " Mr. Sylvester had met young 
 Warren, and his eyes twinkled as he spoke. 
 
 " Steve ? Well," there was an answering twinkle in 
 Captain Elisha's eye ; " well, Steve needs to grow, too ; 
 though I wouldn't presume to tell him so. When a fel 
 ler's undertakin' to give advice to one of the seven wise 
 men, he has to be diplomatic, as you might say." 
 
 92
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 The lawyer put back his head and laughed uproar 
 iously. 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! " he crowed. " That's good ! Then, from 
 your questioning of the children, you've learned ?" 
 
 " Not such an awful lot. I think I've learned that 
 hum! that a good guardian might be a handy thing to 
 have in the house. A reg'lar legal guardian, I mean. 
 Otherwise " 
 
 "Otherwise?" 
 
 " Otherwise there might be too many disinterested vol 
 unteer substitutes for the job. Maybe I'm wrong, but 
 I doubt it." 
 
 " Have you made up your mind to be that guardian ? " 
 
 " Not yet. I haven't made up my mind to anything 
 yet. Now, Mr. Sylvester, while we're waitin' for what 
 comes next you've ordered enough grub to victual a 
 ship s'pose you just run over what your firm knows 
 about 'Bije. That is, if I ain't askin' too much." 
 
 " Not at all. That's what I'm here for. You have 
 a right to know. But I warn you my information isn't 
 worth much." 
 
 He went on, briefly and with the conciseness of the le 
 gal mind, to tell of A. Rodgers Warren, his business and 
 his estate. He had been a broker with a seat on the 
 Stock Exchange. 
 
 "That seat is worth considerable, ain't it?" inter 
 rupted the captain. 
 
 " Between eighty and one hundred thousand dollars." 
 
 " Yup. Well, it reminds me of a picture I saw once 
 in one of the comic papers. An old feller from the back 
 woods somewheres good deal like me, he was, and just 
 about as green was pictured standin' along with his 
 city nephew in the gallery of the Exchange. And the 
 nephew says, ' Uncle,' says he, ' do you realize that a seat 
 
 93
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 down there's wuth seventy-five thousand dollars?' 
 ' Gosh ! ' says the old man, ' no wonder most of 'em are 
 standin' up.' Ho! ho! Is that seat of 'Bije's part of 
 the five hundred thousand you figger he's left?" 
 
 " Yes, in a way it is. To be truthful, Captain Warren, 
 we're not sure as to the amount of your brother's tan 
 gible assets. Graves made a hurried examination of the 
 stocks, bonds, and memoranda, and estimated the total, 
 that's all." 
 
 " I see. Well, heave ahead." 
 
 The lawyer went on. The dead broker's office had 
 been on Broad Street. A small office, with but two 
 clerks. One of the clerks was retained, and the office, 
 having been leased for a year by its former tenant, was 
 still open pending the settlement of the estate. A. Rod- 
 gers Warren personally was a man who looked older 
 than he really was, a good liver, and popular among his 
 companions. 
 
 " What sort of fellers were his companions ? " asked 
 Captain Elisha. 
 
 " You mean his friends in society, or his companions 
 down town in Wall Street ? " 
 
 " The Wall Street ones. I guess I can find out some 
 thing about the society ones. Anyhow, I can try. These 
 Wall Streeters that 'Bije chummed with a quiet lot, 
 was they ? " 
 
 Sylvester hesitated. " Why why not particularly 
 so," he admitted. " Nothing crooked about them, of 
 course. You see, a stock-broker's life is a nerve-racking, 
 rather exciting one, and " 
 
 " And 'Bije and his chums were excited, too, hey ? 
 All right, you needn't go any further. He was a good 
 husband while his wife lived, wa'n't he?" 
 
 '* Yes. Frankly, Captain Warren, so far as I know 
 
 94
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 your brother's personal habits were good. There was 
 nothing against his character." 
 
 " I'm mighty glad to hear it. Mighty glad. Is there 
 anything else you can tell me ? " 
 
 " No. Our next move, provided you decide to accept 
 the trust, the executorship, and the rest, is to get to 
 gether you and Graves, if he is well enough; you and 
 I if he is not and begin a careful examination of the 
 stocks, bonds, assets, and debts of the estate. This must 
 be done first of all." 
 
 " " Graves hinted there wa'n't any debts, to amount to 
 anything." 
 
 " So far as we can see, there are none, except a few 
 trifling bills." 
 
 " Yes, yes. Hum ! " Captain Elisha put down his 
 coffee spoon and seemed to be thinking. He shook his 
 head. 
 
 " You appear to be puzzled about something," observed 
 the lawyer, who was watching him intently. 
 
 " I am. I was puzzled afore I left home, and I'm just 
 as puzzled now." 
 
 " What puzzles you ? if I may ask." 
 
 " Everything. And, if you'll excuse my sayin' so, Mr. 
 Sylvester, I guess it puzzles you, too." 
 
 He returned his host's look. The latter pushed back 
 his chair, preparatory to rising. 
 
 " It is all so perfectly simple, on the face of it, Captain 
 Warren," he said. " Your brother realized that he must 
 die, that his children and their money must be taken care 
 of ; you were his nearest relative ; his trust in your hon 
 esty and judgment caused him to overlook the estrange 
 ment between you. That's the case, isn't it ? " 
 
 " Yes. That's the case, on the face of it, as you say, 
 But you've forgot to mention one item." 
 
 95
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 "What's that?" 
 
 " 'Bije himself. You knew him pretty well, I can see 
 that. So did I. And I guess that's why we're both puz 
 zled." 
 
 Captain Elisha folded his napkin with care and stood 
 up. Sylvester rose, also. 
 
 " Come downstairs," he said. " We can enjoy our ci 
 gars more comfortably there, and go on with our talk. 
 That is, unless you're in a great hurry." 
 
 " No, I ain't in any special hurry. So I get up to Car 
 oline's in season for supper er, dinner, I mean I 
 don't care. But I don't want to keep you. You're a 
 busy man." 
 
 " This is business. This way, Captain." 
 
 The big lounging room of the club, on the first floor, 
 Fifth Avenue side, was almost empty when they entered 
 it. The lawyer drew two big chairs near the open fire, 
 rang the bell, and ordered cigars. After the cigars were 
 lighted and the fragrant clouds of tobacco smoke were 
 rising, he reopened the conversation. And now, in an 
 easy, diplomatic way, he took his turn at questioning. 
 
 It was pretty thorough pumping, managed with the skill 
 of an experienced cross-examiner. Captain Elisha, with 
 out realizing that he was doing so, told of his boyhood, 
 his life at sea, his home at South Denboro, his position 
 in the village, his work as selectman, as member of the 
 school committee, and as director in the bank. The tone 
 of the questioner expressed nothing he was too well 
 trained for that but every item of information was tab 
 ulated and appraised. 
 
 The tall mahogany-cased clock struck three, then four. 
 The lawyer finished his cigar and lit another. He offered 
 a fresh one to his guest, but the offer was declined. 
 
 " No, thank you," observed the captain. " I've been 
 
 96
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 yarnin' away so fast that my breath's been too busy to 
 keep this one goin'. There's consider'ble left yet. This 
 is a better smoke than I'm used to gettin' at the store 
 down home. I tell Ryder he's our storekeeper and 
 postmaster that he must buy his cigars on the reel and 
 cut 'em off with the scissors. When the gang of us all 
 got a-goin' mail times, it smells like a rope-walk burnin' 
 down. Ho! ho! It does, for a fact. Yet I kind of 
 enjoy one of his five-centers, after all. You can get used 
 to most anything. Maybe it's the home flavor or the 
 society. P'raps they'd taste better still if they was made 
 of seaweed. I'll trouble you for a match, Mr. Sylvester. 
 Two of 'em, if you don't mind." 
 
 He whittled one match to a point with his pocket knife, 
 impaled the cigar stump upon it, and relit with the other. 
 
 Meanwhile the room had been filling up. Around each 
 of the big windows overlooking the Avenue were gath 
 ered groups of men, young and old, smoking, chatting, 
 and gazing idly out. Captain Elisha regarded them curi 
 ously. 
 
 " This ain't a holiday, is it? " he asked, after a while. 
 
 "No. Why?" 
 
 " I was just wonderin' if all those fellers hadn't any 
 work to do, that's all." 
 
 "Who? That crowd?" The lawyer laughed. "Oh, 
 they're doing their regular stunt. You'll find most of 
 them here every afternoon about this time." 
 
 " You don't say. Pay 'em wages for it, do you ? " 
 
 " Not that I know of. Some of them are brokers, who 
 come up after the Exchange closes. Others are business 
 men, active or retired. Some don't have any business 
 except what they're doing now." 
 
 " I want to know ! Humph ! They remind me of the 
 gang in the billiard room back home. The billiard-room 
 
 97
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 crs the chronic ones don't have any business, either, 
 except to keep the dust from collectin' on the chairs. 
 That and talkin' about hard times. These chaps don't 
 seem to be sufferin' from hard times, much." 
 
 " No. Most of the younger set have rich fathers or 
 have inherited money." 
 
 " I see. They let the old man do the worryin'. 
 That's philosophy, anyhow. What are they so interested 
 in outside ? Parade goin' by ? " 
 
 " No. I imagine an unusually pretty girl passed just 
 then." 
 
 " Is that so ? Well, well ! Say, Mr. Sylvester, the 
 longer I stay in New York the more I see that the main 
 difference between it and South Denboro is size. The 
 billiard-room gang acts just the same way when the 
 downstairs school teacher goes past. Hello ! " 
 
 "What is it?" 
 
 " That young chap by the mizzen window looks sort 
 of familiar to me. The one that stood up to shake a 
 day-day to whoever was passin'. Hum! He's made a 
 hit, ain't he? I expect some unprotected female's heart 
 broke at that signal. I cal'late I know him." 
 
 " Who ? Which one ? Oh, that's young Corcoran 
 Dunn. He is a lady-killer, in his own estimation. How 
 d'ye do, Dunn." 
 
 The young man turning grinning from the window, 
 caught a glimpse of the lawyer as the latter rose to 
 identify him. He strolled over to the fire. 
 
 " Hello, Sylvester," he hailed, carelessly. " That was 
 a peach. You should have seen her. What ? Why, it's 
 the Admiral ! " 
 
 " How d'ye do, Mr. Dunn," said Captain Elisha. 
 
 " Have you two met before ? " asked Sylvester in 
 astonishment. 
 
 98
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Yes. I had the pleasure of assisting in the welcom 
 ing salute when our seafarin' friend come aboard. How 
 was that, Captain? Some nautical class to that re 
 mark?" 
 
 " Yup. You done fust rate, considerin' how recent 
 you shipped." 
 
 " Thanks. Overwhelmed, I'm sure." Then, with a 
 look of languid amusement at the pair, " What is this 
 a meeting of the Board of Naval Affairs? Have you 
 bought a yacht, Sylvester ? " 
 
 " No." The lawyer's tone was sharp. 
 
 " Humph ! Well, take my advice and don't. Yachts 
 are all right, to have a good time on, but they cost like 
 the devil to keep up. An auto is bad enough. By the 
 way, Sylvester, did you hear about my running over the 
 Irishman this morning ? " 
 
 " Running over ? " repeated the captain, aghast. 
 u You didn't run over nobody, I hope." 
 
 " Well, I came devilish near it. Ha ! ha ! You see, 
 the old tarrier was crossing Saint Nicholas Avenue, with 
 a big market basket full of provisions the family din 
 ner, I suppose. By Jove, the household appetites must 
 be good ones. It was slippery as the mischief, I was 
 running the car, and I tried to go between the fellow 
 and the curb. It would have been a decent bit of steer 
 ing if I'd made it. But ha ! ha ! by Jove, you know, 
 I didn't. I skidded. The man himself managed to hop 
 out of the way, but his foot slipped, and down he went. 
 Most ridiculous thing you ever saw. And the street! 
 'Pon my word it was paved with eatables." 
 
 Sylvester, plainly annoyed, did not reply. But Cap 
 tain Elisha's concern was evident. 
 
 " The poor critter ! " he exclaimed. " What did you 
 do?" 
 
 99
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " The last I saw of him he was sitting in the mud, 
 looking at the upset. I didn't linger. Peters took the 
 wheel, and we beat it. Lucky the cop didn't spot the 
 license number. Might have cost me fifty. They've had 
 me up for speeding twice before. What are you and the 
 Admiral discussing, Sylvester ? " 
 
 " We were discussing a business matter," answered 
 the lawyer, with significant emphasis. 
 
 " Business ? Why, sure ! I forgot that you were 
 Graves's partner. Settling the family affairs, hey? 
 Well, I won't butt in. Ta, ta ! See you later, Captain. 
 You must go for a spin in that car of mine. I'll call for 
 you some day. I'll show you something they don't do on 
 Cape Cod. Regards to Caro and Steve." 
 
 He moved off, feeling that his invitation would have 
 met with his mother's approval. She had announced 
 that the country uncle was to be " cultivated." 
 
 Captain Elisha's cigar had gone out. He did not at 
 tempt to relight it. 
 
 "Whew!" he whistled. "Well, when I go for a 
 4 spin/ as he calls it, with him, I cal'late my head'll be 
 spinnin' so I won't be responsible for my actions. 
 Whew ! " 
 
 Sylvester looked curiously at him. 
 
 " So you met him before? " he asked. 
 
 " Yes. He was at the rooms when I fust landed. Or 
 his mother was there then. He came a little later with 
 Caroline and Stephen." 
 
 " I see." 
 
 " Yes. Know him and his ma pretty well, do you ? " 
 
 " Slightly. I've met them, at mutual acquaintances' 
 homes and about town." 
 
 " Pretty well fixed, I s'pose, ain't they?" 
 
 " I presume so. I don't know." 
 
 100
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Urn. He's a sociable young feller, ain't he ? Don't 
 stand on any ceremony, hey? Caro and Steve think a 
 lot of him and his mother." 
 
 " Yes. Graves has told me the Dunns were very in 
 timate with the Warrens. In fact, just before your 
 brother's death, I remember hearing a rumor that the two 
 families might be even closer connected." 
 
 " You mean er Caroline and er him ? " 
 
 " There was such a rumor. Probably nothing in it. 
 There is no engagement, I am very sure." 
 
 " Yes, yes, I see. Well, Mr. Sylvester, I must be trot- 
 tin' on. I'll think the whole business over for another 
 day or so and then give you my decision, one way or the 
 other." 
 
 " You can't give it now ? " 
 
 " No-o. I guess I'd better not. However, I think " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Well, I think I may take the job. Take it on trial, 
 anyhow." 
 
 " Good ! I'm glad of it." 
 
 "You are?" 
 
 " I certainly am. And I'm very glad indeed to have 
 made your acquaintance, Captain Warren. Good after 
 noon. I shall hope to see you again soon." 
 
 Captain Elisha left the Central Club in a surprised 
 frame of mind. What surprised him was that a man of 
 such thorough city training and habits as the senior part 
 ner of the law firm should express pleasure at the idea 
 of his accepting the charge of A. Rodgers Warren's heirs 
 and estate. Mr. Graves had shown no such feeling. 
 
 If he had heard Sylvester's report to Kuhn, at the 
 office next day, he might have been even more surprised 
 and pleased. 
 
 " He's a brick, Kuhn," declared the senior partner 
 
 101
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " A countryman, of course, but a keen, able, honest man, 
 and, I think, a mighty good judge of character. If I 
 was as sure of his ability to judge investments and 
 financial affairs, I should be certain the Warren children 
 couldn't be in better hands. And no doubt we can help 
 him when it comes to that. He'll probably handle the 
 girl and boy in his own way, and his outside greenness 
 may jar them a little. But it'll do them good to be 
 jarred at their age. He's all right, and I hope he ac 
 cepts the whole trust." 
 
 " Well," exclaimed Mr. Kuhn ; " you surprise me. 
 Graves seemed to be " 
 
 " Graves suffers from the absolute lack of a sense of 
 humor. His path through life is about three feet wide 
 and bordered with rock-ribbed conventionality. If a man 
 has a joke in his system, Graves doesn't understand it 
 and is suspicious. I tell, you, Kuhn, there's more honest 
 common sense and ability in the right hand of this 
 Down-East salt than there ever was in Rodgers War 
 ren's whole body."
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 DURING the next day Caroline Warren and her 
 brother saw little of their uncle. Not that 
 they complained of this or sought his society. 
 The policy of avoidance and what Stephen called " freez 
 ing out " had begun, and the young people kept to them 
 selves as much as possible. At breakfast Caroline was 
 coldly polite, and her brother cold, although his polite 
 ness was not overdone. However, Captain Elisha did 
 not seem to notice. He was preoccupied, said but little, 
 and spent the forenoon in writing a second letter to Miss 
 Abigail. In it he told of his experience on board the 
 Empress of the Ocean and of the luncheon at the Cen 
 tral Club. But he said nothing concerning his nephew 
 and niece further than the statement that he was still 
 getting acquainted, and that Caroline was a real nice look 
 ing girl. 
 
 " I suppose you wonder what I've decided about 
 taking the guardianship," he added, just at the close. 
 " Well, Abbie, I'm about in the position of Luther 
 Sylvester when he fell off the dock at Orham. The tide 
 was out, and he went into the soft mud, all under. 
 When the folks who saw him tumble got to the edge and 
 looked over, they saw a round, black thing sticking out 
 of the mire, and, judging 'twas Lute's head, they asked 
 him how he felt. ' I don't know yet,' sputters Lute, 
 ' whether I'm drowned or smothered, but I'm some- 
 wheres betwixt and between.' That's me, Abbie, on that 
 guardian business. I'm still betwixt and between. But 
 
 103
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 before this day's over I'll be drowned or smothered, and 
 I'll let you know which next time I write." 
 
 After lunch he took a stroll in the Park and passed 
 up and down the paths, thinking, thinking. Returning, 
 he found that Caroline and Stephen had gone for an 
 auto ride with the Dunns and would not be home foi 
 dinner. So he ate that meal in solitary state, waited 
 upon by Edwards. 
 
 That evening, as he sat smoking in the library, the 
 butler appeared to announce a caller. 
 
 " Someone to see you, sir," said Edwards. " Here's 
 his card, sir." 
 
 "Eh? Someone to see me? Guess you've made a 
 mistake, haven't you, Commodore? I don't know any 
 body who'd be likely to come visitin' me here in New 
 York. Why, yes ! Well, I declare ! Tell him to walk 
 right in. Mr. Pearson, I'm glad to see you. This is real 
 neighborly." 
 
 The caller was young Pearson, the captain's acquaint 
 ance of the previous forenoon. They shook hands 
 heartily. 
 
 " Perhaps you didn't think I should accept that invi 
 tation of yours, Captain Warren," observed Pearson. " I 
 told you I meant it when I said yes. And calling within 
 thirty-six hours is pretty good proof, isn't it? " 
 
 " Suits me fust-rate. I'm mighty glad you came. Set 
 right down. Lonesome at the boardin' house, was it?" 
 
 Pearson made a grimace. " Lonesome ! " he repeated. 
 " Ugh ! Let's talk of something else. Were you in time 
 for your appointment yesterday noon ? " 
 
 " Why, yes ; I was and I wasn't. Say, won't you have 
 a cigar? That's right. And I s'pose, bein' as this is 
 New York, I'd ought to ask you to take somethin' to lay 
 the dust, hey? I ain't made any inquiries myself, but I 
 
 104
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 shouldn't wonder if the Commodore the feller that let 
 you in could find somethin' in the spare room closet 
 or somewheres, if I ask him." 
 
 The young man laughed. " If you mean a drink," he 
 said, " I don't care for it, thank you." 
 
 " What ? You ain't a teetotaler, are you ? " ~"\ 
 
 " No, not exactly. But " 
 
 " But you can get along without it, hey ? So can I ; 
 generally do, fur's that goes. But I'm from South Den- 
 boro. I thought here in New York " 
 
 " Oh, there are many people, even here in New York, 
 who are not convinced that alcohol is a food." 
 
 " You don't tell me ! Well, I'm livin' and learnin' 
 every day. Judgin' from stories and the yarns in the 
 Boston newspapers, folks up our way have the idea that 
 this town is a sort of annex to the bad place. All right, 
 then we won't trouble the Commodore. I notice you're 
 lookin' over my quarters. What do you think of 'em ? " 
 
 Pearson had, in spite of himself, been glancing about 
 the room. Its luxury and the evident signs of taste and 
 wealth surprised him greatly. 
 
 " Astonish you to find me livin' in a place like this, 
 hey?" 
 
 " Why, why, yes, it does, somewhat. I didn't realize 
 you were such an aristocrat, Captain Warren. If I had, 
 I might have been a little more careful of my dress in 
 making my first call." 
 
 " Dress ? Oh, you mean you'd have put on your Sun 
 day clothes. Well, I'm glad you didn't. You see, / 
 haven't got on my regimentals, and if you'd been on dress 
 parade I might have felt bashful. Ho, ho! I don't 
 wonder you are surprised. This is a pretty swell neigh 
 borhood, ain't it?" 
 
 " Yes, it is." 
 
 105
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " These er apartments, now. 'Bout as good as. 
 any in town, are they ? " 
 
 " Pretty nearly. There are few better much bet 
 ter." 
 
 " I thought so. You wouldn't call livin' in 'em econo- 
 mizin' to any consider'ble extent, would you ? " 
 
 " No," with a laugh ; " no, / shouldn't, but my ideas 
 of economy are well, different. They have to be. 
 Are you ecomomizing, Captain ? " 
 
 Captain Elisha laughed and rubbed his knee. 
 
 " No," he chuckled, " / ain't, but my nephew and 
 niece are. These are their rooms." 
 
 "Oh, you're visiting?" 
 
 " No, I don't know's you'd call it visitin'. I don't 
 know what you would call it. I'm here, that's about all 
 you can say." 
 
 He paused and remained silent. His friend was silent, 
 also, not knowing exactly what remark to make. 
 
 " How's the novel comin' on ? " asked the captain, a 
 minute later. 
 
 " Oh, slowly. I'm not at all sure it will ever be fin 
 ished. I get discouraged sometimes." 
 
 " No use in doin' that. What sort of a yarn is it goin' 
 to be ? Give me a gen'ral idea of the course you're tryin' 
 to steer. That is, if it ain't a secret." 
 
 " It isn't But there's mighty little worth telling. 
 When I began I thought I had a good scheme, but it 
 seems pretty weak and dish-watery now." 
 
 " Most things do while their bein' done, if you really 
 care about doin' 'em well. Heave ahead! You said 
 'twas a sea yarn, and I'm a sort of specialist when it 
 comes to salt water. Maybe I might prescribe just the 
 right tonic, though 'tain't very likely." 
 
 Pearson began to outline the plot of his novel, speak- 
 
 106
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 ing slowly at first, but becoming more interested as he 
 continued. Captain Elisha listened meditatively, puffing 
 solemnly at his cigar, and interrupting but seldom. 
 
 " I think that's a pretty good idea," he observed, at 
 length. " Yes, sir, that sounds promising to me. This 
 cap'n of yours now, he's a good feller. Don't get him 
 too good, though ; that wouldn't be natural. And don't 
 get him too bad, neither. I know it's the fashion, 
 judgin' by the sea yarns I've read lately, to have a 
 Yankee skipper sort of a cross between a prize fighter 
 and a murderer. Fust day out of port he begins by 
 pickin' out the most sickly fo'mast hand aboard, mashes 
 him up, and then takes the next invalid. I got a book 
 about that kind of a skipper out of our library down 
 home a spell ago, and the librarian said 'twas awful 
 popular. A strong story, she said, and true to life. 
 Well, 'twas strong you could pretty nigh smell it 
 but as for bein' true to life, I had my doubts. I've been 
 to sea, command of a vessel, for a good many years, and 
 sometimes I'd go weeks, whole weeks, without jumpin' 
 up and down on a single sailor. Fact! Got my exer 
 cise other ways, I presume likely. 
 
 " I tell you," he went on, " the main trouble with that 
 tale of yours, as I see it, is that you're talkin' about things 
 you ain't ever seen. Now there's plenty you have seen, 
 I wouldn't wonder. Let's see, you was born in Belfast, 
 you said. Live there long, did you ? " 
 " Yes, until I went away to school." 
 " Your father, he went to sea, did he ? " 
 " Yes. But his ship was lost, with all hands, when I 
 was a baby." 
 
 " But your Uncle Jim wa'n't lost. You remember 
 him well; you said so. Tell me something you remem 
 ber." 
 
 8 107
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Before the young man was aware of it, he was telling 
 of his Uncle Jim, of the latter's return from voyages, 
 of his own home life, of his mother, and of the village 
 where he spent his boyhood. Then, led on by the cap 
 tain's questioning, he continued with his years at college, 
 his experiences as reporter and city editor. Without 
 being conscious that he was doing so, he gave his host a 
 pretty full sketch of himself, his story, and his ambi 
 tions. 
 
 " Mr. Pearson," said Captain Elisha, earnestly, " don't 
 you worry about that yarn of yours. If you'll take the 
 advice of an old feller who knows absolutely nothin' 
 about such things, keep on rememberin' about your Uncle 
 Jim. He was a man, every inch of him, and a seaman, 
 too. Put lots of him into this hero of yours, and you 
 won't go fur wrong. And when it comes to handlin' a 
 ship, why well, if you want to come to me, I'll try and 
 help you out best I can." 
 
 Pearson was delighted. 
 
 " You will? " he cried. " Splendid ! It's mighty good 
 of you. May I spring some of my stuff on you as I 
 write it ? " 
 
 " Sartin you may. Any time, I'll be tickled to death. 
 I'll be tickled to have you call, too ; that is, if callin' on 
 an old salt like me won't be too tirin'." 
 
 The answer was emphatic and reassuring. 
 
 " Thank you," said Captain Elisha. " I'm much 
 obliged. Come often, do. I well, the fact is, I'm 
 likely to get sort of lonesome myself, I'm afraid. Yes, 
 I shouldn't wonder if I did." 
 
 He sighed, tossed away the stump of his cigar, and 
 added, 
 
 " Now, I want to ask you somethin'. You newspaper 
 fellers are supposed to know about all there is to know 
 
 108
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 of everything tinder the sun. Do you know much about 
 the Stock Exchange ? " 
 
 Pearson smiled. 
 
 " All I can afford to know," he said. 
 
 " Humph ! That's a pretty good answer. Knowledge 
 is power, they say, but but I cal'late knowledge of the 
 Stock Exchange is poverty, with a good many folks." 
 
 " I think you're right, Captain. It's none of my busi 
 ness, but were you planning to tackle Wall Street? " 
 
 Captain Elisha glanced, under his brows, at his new 
 friend, and his eyes twinkled. 
 
 " Didn't know but I might," he replied, solemnly. 
 " Ain't got any er tips, any sure things you want 
 to put me on to, have you ? " 
 
 " I have not. My experience of Wall Street ' sure 
 things ' leads me to believe that they're sure but only 
 for the other fellow." 
 
 " Hum ! I know a chap down home that made money 
 in stocks. He made it so easy that, as the boys say, 
 'twas almost a shame to take the money. And 'twas the 
 makin' of him, too." 
 
 Pearson was embarrassed and troubled. If this big- 
 hearted, simple-minded countryman had come to New 
 York to buck the stock market, it was time to sound a 
 warning. But had he, on such short acquaintance, the 
 right to warn ? The captain was shrewd in his own way. 
 Might not the warning seem presumptuous? 
 
 " So this this friend of yours was a successful 
 speculator, was he ? " he asked. " He was lucky." 
 
 " Think so ? Well, maybe. His name was Elkanah 
 Chase, and his dad was old man 'Rastus Chase, who 
 made consider'ble in cranberries and one thing or 'nother. 
 The old man brought Elkanah up to be what he called a 
 gentleman. Ho! ho! Hi hum! I ain't sure what 
 
 109
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 'Rastus's idea of a gentleman was, but if he cal'lated 
 to have his son a tramp in go-to-meetin' clothes, he 
 got his wish. When the old man died, he willed the 
 boy fifteen thousand dollars. Well, fifteen thousand 
 dollars is a fortune to some folks if they ain't 
 economizin' in New York but to Elkanah 'twas just 
 about enough to make him realize his poverty. So, to 
 make it bigger, he got one of them ' tips ' from a college 
 friend down here in Wall Street, and put the heft of 
 ten thousand into it. And, I swan, if it didn't double 
 his money ! " 
 
 Captain Elisha's visitor shook his head. He did not 
 even smile. 
 
 " He was extremely fortunate," he said. " I give you 
 my word, Captain Warren, that the majority of first spec 
 ulators don't turn out that way. I hope he was wise 
 enough to keep his profits." 
 
 The captain rubbed his chin. 
 
 " Jim " he began. " Excuse me, I should have said 
 Mr. Pearson, but I've got sort of in the habit of callin' 
 folks by their first names. Livin' where you know every 
 body so well gets you into those habits." 
 
 " Jim suits me. I hope you'll cultivate the habit." 
 
 " Do you? Well, I will. Now, Jim, referrin' to what 
 I was goin' to say, you, bein' a newspaper man, ought to 
 know everything, but it's pretty plain you don't know 
 Elkanah Chase. Keep his profits! Why, when a feller 
 is all but convinced that he knows it all, one little bit of 
 evidence like that speculation settles it for him conclu 
 sive. Elkanah, realizin' that Wall Street was his apple 
 pie, opened his mouth to swaller it at one gulp. He put 
 his profits and every other cent he had into another sure 
 thing tip." 
 
 " And won again ? " 
 
 1 10
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " No. He lost all that and some more that he bor 
 rowed." 
 
 " But I thought you said it was the making of 
 him!" 
 
 " It was. He had to take a job over at the overalls 
 factory in Ostable. As a fifteen thousand dollar gentle 
 man, he was pretty average of a mess, but they tell me 
 he makes middlin' good overalls. Elkanah convinced me 
 that Wall Street has its good points." 
 
 He chuckled. Pearson, relieved, laughed in sympathy. 
 
 " Has he paid back the money he borrowed ? " he in 
 quired. 
 
 " No-o ! I guess the creditors'll have to take it out in 
 overalls. However, it's a satisfaction to some of 'err 
 to watch Chase really work. I know that gives me my 
 money's worth." 
 
 " Oh, ho ! You are one of the creditors ! Captain 
 Warren, I'm surprised. I sized you up as a shrewder 
 judge of investments." 
 
 Captain Elisha colored. " I judged that one correct," 
 he answered. " If I hadn't thought 'twould have turned 
 out that way I never would have plunged. You see, old 
 man Chase was a friend of mine, and However," he 
 added, hastily changing the subject, " we've strayed some 
 off the course. When I mentioned the Stock Exchange 
 I did it because my brother was a member of it, and I 
 cal'late you might have known him." 
 
 Pearson was astonished. " Your brother was a mem 
 ber of the Exchange ? " he repeated. 
 
 " Um-hm. Never would have guessed it, would 
 you? I s'pose you cal'late all the stock I knew about 
 was on the hoof. Well, I have been acquainted with 
 other breeds in my time. My brother's name was Abijah 
 Warren A. Rodgers Warren, he called himself." 
 
 in
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 The effect of this announcement was instantaneous and 
 electric. The young man sat back in his chair. 
 
 " A. Rodgers Warren was your brother ? " he cried. 
 
 " Um-hm. Seems to stagger you some. Contrast 
 between us as big as all that comes to ? " 
 
 "But but, Captain Warren Your brother Tell 
 me, is Miss Caroline Warren your niece ? " 
 
 " She is. And Steve is my nephew. 'Tain't possible 
 you're acquainted with them ? " 
 
 Pearson rose to his feet. " Is They used to live on 
 the Avenue," he said. " But you said you were visit 
 ing. Captain Warren, is this your niece's apartment ? " 
 
 " Yes, hers and Steve's. Why, what's the matter ? 
 Ain't goin', are you ? " 
 
 " I think perhaps I had better. It is getting late." 
 
 " Late ! It's only the shank of the evenin'. Jim, I 
 ain't so blind that I can't see through an open window. 
 It ain't the lateness that makes you want to leave so sud 
 den. Is there some trouble between you and Caroline? 
 Course, it's none of my business, and you needn't tell 
 me unless you want to." 
 
 The answer was prompt enough. 
 
 " No," replied Pearson. " No. I assure you there 
 is nothing of that kind. I I met Miss Warren. In 
 fact, at one time we were well acquainted. I have 
 the very highest opinion of her. But I think it is best 
 to" 
 
 " Just a minute now. No trouble with Steve ? He's 
 a boy and at an age when he's pretty well satisfied with 
 himself and you have to make allowance." 
 
 "' No. Steve and I were quite friendly. I'm sorry 
 to cut my visit short, but it is late and I must go." 
 
 He was moving toward the door. Captain Elisha 
 looked at him intently. 
 
 112
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Well, if you must," he said. " But I hope you'll 
 come again soon. Will you ? " 
 
 " I hope I may. I give you my word, Captain, that I 
 appreciate your invitation, and I do want to know you 
 better." 
 
 " Same here. I don't often take sudden fancies, Jim, 
 but I knew your uncle, and I'd bet consider'ble on any 
 member of his family. And I waj kind of interested in 
 that novel of yours. You haven't said you'd come again. 
 Will you?" 
 
 Pearson was much embarrassed. 
 
 " I should like to come, immensely," he said, with an 
 earnestness unmistakable ; " but but, to be honest, 
 Captain Warren, there is a reason, one which I may tell 
 you sometime, but can't now neither Miss Warren nor 
 her brother have any part in it which makes me re 
 luctant to visit you here. Won't you come and see me 
 at the boarding house? Here's the address. Will you 
 come ? " 
 
 "Sartin! I figured on doin' it, if you gave me the 
 chance." 
 
 " Thank you, you'll be welcome. Of course it is only 
 a. boarding house, and not a very good one. My own 
 room is well, different from this." 
 
 " Yup. Maybe that's why I expect to feel at home in 
 it. Good night, Jim. Thank you for callin'. Shall I 
 ring for the Commodore to pilot you out? " 
 
 " No, I can find my way. I Someone is coming." 
 
 From the hall came the clang of the elevator door and 
 the sound of voices. Before the captain or his friend 
 could move, Caroline, Stephen, Mrs. Corcoran Dunn, and 
 Malcolm entered. Caroline was the first to reach the 
 library. Her entrance brought her face to face with 
 Pearson.
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " I beg your pardon," she began. " I did not know 
 there was anyone here." 
 
 " It's only a friend of mine, Caroline," explained her 
 uncle, quickly. " Just callin' on me, he was." 
 
 " Good evening, Miss Warren," said Pearson, quietly. 
 
 The girl looked at him for an instant. Then her ex 
 pression changed, and, with a smile, she extended her 
 hand. 
 
 " Why, Mr. Pearson ! " she exclaimed. " J'm very 
 glad to see you. You must excuse me for not recog 
 nizing you at once. Steve, you remember Mr. Pearson." 
 
 Stephen also extended a hand. 
 
 " Sure ! " he said. " Glad to see you again, Pearson. 
 Haven't met you for an age. How are you ? " 
 
 Pearson shook both the hands. He was embarrassed 
 and hesitated in his reply. 
 
 " It has been some time since we met," he said. " This 
 is an unexpected pleasure. Ah, Mr. Dunn, good even- 
 ing." 
 
 " It is Mr. Pearson, the financial writer of the Planet, 
 Malcolm," said Caroline. " You used to know him, I 
 think." 
 
 " Don't remember, I'm sure. Yes, I do. Met you at 
 the University Club, didn't I ? " 
 
 " Yes. I was formerly a member." 
 
 " And let me present you to Mrs. Corcoran Dunn," 
 went on the girl. " Mr. Pearson used to know father 
 well." 
 
 Mrs. Dunn inspected the visitor through her lorgnette, 
 and condescended to admit that she was " delighted." 
 
 " I'm very glad you called," continued Caroline. 
 " We were just in time, weren't we? Do sit down. And 
 if you will wait a minute until we remove our wraps 
 Steve ring for Edwards, please." 
 
 114
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " I'm afraid I can't wait, Miss Warren. I dropped in 
 to see your uncle, at his invitation, and, as a matter of 
 fact, I didn't know " 
 
 "To see our uncle!" interrupted Stephen, in amaze 
 ment. " Who ? " 
 
 " Your uncle, Captain Warren here," explained Pear 
 son, surprised in his turn. " He and I made each other's 
 acquaintance yesterday, and he asked me to call." 
 
 "You you called to see him?" repeated Stephen. 
 " Why, wKat in the world ? " 
 
 " I took the liberty of askin' him, Caroline," observed 
 Captain Elisha quietly, and ignoring the last speaker. 
 " I didn't know you knew him, and I used to sail along 
 with his uncle, so he seemed almost like own folks." 
 
 " Oh ! " Caroline's manner changed. " I presume it 
 was a business call," she said slowly. " I beg pardon 
 for interrupting. We had not seen you since father's 
 death, Mr. Pearson, and I assumed that you had called 
 upon my brother and me. Excuse me. Mrs. Dunn, we 
 will go into the drawing-room." 
 
 She led the way toward the apartment. Captain 
 Elisha was about to speak. Pearson, however, explained 
 for him. 
 
 " Miss Warren," he said, "if by a business call you 
 mean one in the interest of the Planet, I assure you that 
 you are mistaken. I am no longer connected with any 
 paper. I met Captain Warren, under rather unusual 
 circumstances. We discovered that we had mutual 
 friends and mutual interests. He asked me to call on 
 him, and I did so. I did not know, until five minutes 
 ago, that he was your uncle or that you and your brother 
 lived here. I beg you won't leave the room on my ac 
 count. I was about to go when you came. Good even- 
 ing." 
 
 "5
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 He bowed and stepped toward the hall. Captain 
 Elisha laid a hand on his arm and detained him. 
 
 " Just a minute," he said. " Caroline, I want you 
 and Steve to know that what Mr. Pearson says is ex 
 actly true. I ain't the kind to talk to the newspapers 
 about the private affairs of my relations, and, if I'm any 
 judge of character, Mr. Pearson, knowin' you as it seems 
 he does, wouldn't be the kind to listen. That's all. 
 Now, Jim, if you must go." 
 
 He and his guest were at the door. Caroline and Mrs. 
 Dunn were at the opposite side of the room. Suddenly 
 the girl halted, turned, and, moving across to where her 
 uncle and the young man were standing, once more ex 
 tended her hand. 
 
 " Mr. Pearson," she said, impulsively, " again I ask 
 your pardon. I should have known. I am very sorry 
 I spoke as I did. Will you forgive me ? " 
 
 Pearson colored. His embarrassment was more evi 
 dent than before. 
 
 " There is no occasion for apology, Miss Warren," he 
 said. " I don't wonder you thought I had come in my 
 former capacity as reporter." 
 
 " Yes, you do. You must have wondered. I am very 
 glad you called to see my my guardian, and I hope you 
 will continue to do so. Father used to speak so highly of 
 you, and I'm sure he valued your friendship. Stephen 
 and I wish to consider his friends ours. Please believe 
 that you are welcome here at any time." 
 
 Pearson's reply was brief. 
 
 " Thank you, Miss Warren," he said. " You are very 
 kind. Good evening." 
 
 In the hall, as they waited for the elevator, Captain 
 Elisha, happier than at any time since his arrival in New 
 York, clapped his friend on the shoulder. 
 
 116
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Jim," he said, " I was beginnin' to doubt my judg 
 ment of things and folks. Now I feel better. That 
 niece of mine has got the right stuff in her. After that 
 invitation, you will come and see us once in a while. 
 That makes it easier, hey ? " 
 
 Pearson shook his head. " I'm not sure, Captain," he 
 observed, slowly, " that it doesn't make it harder. I 
 shall look for you at the boarding house very soon. 
 Don't disappoint me. Good night." 
 
 The captain's last remark that evening was made to 
 Edwards, whom he met just outside the door of his bed 
 room. 
 
 " Commodore/' he said, " a barn full of rats is a 
 nuisance, ain't it ? " 
 
 " Sir ? " stammered the astonished butler. 
 
 " I say a barn full of rats is a nuisance." 
 
 " Why why, yes, sir. I should think it might be, 
 sir." 
 
 " Yup. Well, I know a worse one. It's a house full 
 of mysteries. By, by, Son. Pleasant dreams." 
 
 He sat up until late, meditating profoundly. Then, 
 taking from its envelope the letter yet unsealed, which he 
 had written to Miss Abigail Baker, he added this post 
 script : 
 
 " Eleven o'clock. I have decided, Abbie, to accept the 
 guardianship and the rest of it, for a spell, anyhow. 
 Shall notify the lawyers in the morning. Necessity is 
 one thing, and pleasure is another. I doubt if I find 
 the job pleasant, but I guess it is necessary. Anyhow, 
 it looks that way to me."
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 ANNOUNCEMENT of Captain Elisha's decision 
 followed quickly. Sylvester, Kuhn, and Graves 
 received the telephone message stating it, and 
 the senior partner was unqualifiedly delighted. Kuhn 
 accepted his associate's opinion with some reservation. 
 " It is an odd piece of business, the whole of it," he 
 declared. " I shall be curious to see how it works out." 
 As for Mr. Graves, when the information was con 
 veyed to him by messenger, he expressed disgust and 
 dismay. " Ridiculous ! " he said. " Doctor, I simply 
 must be up and about within the next few days. It is 
 necessary that a sane, conservative man be at the office. 
 Far be it from me to say a word against Sylvester, 
 as a lawyer, but he is subject to impressions. I 
 imagine this Cape Codder made him laugh, and, there 
 fore, in his opinion, is ail right. I'm glad I'm not a 
 joker." 
 
 The captain said that he would be down later on to 
 talk things over. Meanwhile, if the " papers and such " 
 could be gotten together, it would " sort of help along." 
 Sylvester explained that there were certain legal and 
 formal ceremonies pertaining to the acceptance of the 
 trust to be gone through with, and these must have 
 precedence. " All right," answered the captain. " Let's 
 have 'em all out at once and get the ache and agony over. 
 I'll see you by and by." 
 
 When Mrs. Corcoran Dunn made her daily visit to 
 the Warren apartment that afternoon, she found Caro- 
 
 118
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 line alone and almost in tears. Captain Elisha had 
 broken the news at the table during luncheon, after 
 which he went downtown. Stephen, having raved, pro 
 tested, and made himself generally disagreeable and his 
 sister correspondingly miserable, had departed for the 
 club. It was a time for confidences, and the wily Mrs. 
 Dunn realized that fact. She soothed, comforted, and 
 within half an hour, had learned the whole story. 
 Caroline told her all, the strange will, the disclosure 
 concerning the country uncle, and the inexplicable 
 clauses begging the latter to accept the executorship, the 
 trust, and the charge of her brother and herself. In 
 cidentally she mentioned that a possible five hundred 
 thousand was the extreme limit of the family's pecuniary 
 resources. 
 
 " Now you know everything," sobbed Caroline. " Oh, 
 Mrs. Dunn, you won't desert us, will you ? " 
 
 The widow's reply was a triumph, of its kind. In it 
 were expressed sorrow, indignation, pity, and unswerv 
 ing loyalty. Desert them? Desert the young people, 
 toward whom she had come to feel almost like a mother ? 
 Never ! 
 
 " You may depend on Malcolm and me, my dear," 
 she declared. " We are not fair-weather friends. And, 
 after all, it is not so very bad. Affairs might be very 
 much worse." 
 
 " Worse ! Oh, Mrs. Dunn, how could they be ? 
 Think of it! Stephen and I are dependent upon him 
 for everything. We must ask him for every penny. 
 And whatever he says to do we must do. We're 
 obliged to. Just think! if he decides to take us back 
 with him to South Denboro, or whatever dreadful 
 place he comes from, we shall have to go and live 
 there." 
 
 119
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " But he won't, my dear. He won't. It will take 
 some time to settle your father's affairs, and the busi 
 ness will have to be transacted here in New York." 
 
 " I know. I suppose that's true. But that doesn't 
 make it any easier. If he stops here he will stay with 
 us. And what shall we do? We can't introduce him 
 to our friends, or, at least, to any except our best, our 
 understanding friends, like you and Malcolm." 
 
 " Why, I'm not sure. He is rather well er 
 countryfied, but I believe he has a good heart. He is not 
 rude or unkind or anything of that sort, is he? " 
 
 " No. No-o. He's not that, at all. In fact, he 
 means to be kind in his way. But it's such a different 
 way from ours. He is not used to society ; he wouldn't 
 understand that certain things and ways were abso 
 lutely essential. I suppose it isn't his fault exactly, but 
 that doesn't help. And how can we tell him ? " 
 
 " I don't know that you can tell him, but you might 
 hint. Diplomacy, my dear, is one of the necessary ele 
 ments of life. Whatever else you do remember to be 
 diplomatic. My poor husband used to have a pet 
 proverb he was interested in politics, my dear, and 
 some of his sayings were a trifle grotesque but very much 
 to the point. He used to say that one could get rid 
 of more flies with molasses than with a club. And I 
 think he was right. Now let me consider. Let's look 
 the situation right in the face. Of course your guardian, 
 as a companion, as an associate for us, for our kind 
 of people, is, to be quite frank, impossible." 
 
 " Yes. Yes, I'm sure he is." 
 
 " Yes. But he is your guardian. Therefore, we can't 
 get rid of him with well, with a club. He must be 
 endured and made as endurable as possible. And it cer 
 tainly will not do to offend him." 
 
 120
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Steve says we must do what he calls freezing him 
 out make him feel that we do not want him here." 
 
 " Hum ! Well, Stephen is a nice boy Malcolm 
 adores him but he isn't a diplomat. If we should 
 what is it ? freeze out your uncle " 
 
 " Please call him something else." 
 
 " Well, we'll call him the encumbrance on the estate ; 
 that's legal, I believe, and expresses it nicely. If we 
 should freeze out the encumbrance, we might freeze him 
 to his village, and he might insist on your going with 
 him, which wouldn't do at all, my dear. For one thing, 
 Malcolm would probably insist on going, also, and I, 
 for one, don't yearn for rural simplicity. Ha! ha! 
 Oh, you mustn't mind me. I'm only a doting mamma, 
 dearie, and I have my air castles like everyone else. 
 So, freezing out won't do. No, you and Steve must be 
 polite to our encumbrance." 
 
 " I shall not get on my knees to him and beg. That 
 I sha'n't do." 
 
 " No one expects you to. If anyone begs it should be 
 he. Condescend to just a little. Make him feel his 
 place. Correct him when he goes too far wrong, and 
 ignore him when he gets assertive. As for getting rid 
 of him at times when it may be necessary well, I think 
 you may safely leave that to me." 
 
 " To you ? Oh, Mrs. Dunn, we couldn't think of 
 dragging you into it. It is bad enough that we should 
 be disgraced ; but you must not be." 
 
 " My dear child, I think my position in society is 
 sufficiently established to warrant a risk or two. If / 
 am seen in company with with the encumbrance, peo 
 ple will merely say, ' Oh, it's another of her eccentrici 
 ties ! ' that's all. Now, don't worry, and don't fret all 
 that pretty color from your cheeks. Always remem- 
 
 121
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 her this : it is but for a year or a trifle over. Then you 
 will be of age and can send your encumbrance to the 
 right-about in a hurry." 
 
 Caroline, under the spell of this convincing eloquence, 
 began to cheer up. She even smiled. 
 
 " Well," she said, " I will try to be diplomatic. I 
 really will. But Stephen I'm not sure what dreadful 
 thing he will do." 
 
 " He will return to college soon. I will take upon 
 myself the convincing of the encumbrance to that effect. 
 And while he is at home, Malcolm will take charge of 
 him. He will be delighted to do it." 
 
 " Mrs. Dunn, how can we ever thank you sufficiently ? 
 What should we do without you and Malcolm ? " 
 
 " I hope, my dear, that you will never have to do with 
 out me ; not for many years, at any rate. Of course, 
 there is always my poor heart, but we won't worry, 
 will we?" 
 
 So, with a kiss and an embrace, this affecting interview 
 ended. 
 
 There was another that evening between Mrs. Dunn 
 and her son, which was not devoid of interest. Mal 
 colm listened to the information which his mother gave 
 him, and commented upon it in characteristic fashion. 
 
 "Humph!" he observed, "two hundred and fifty 
 thousand, instead of the two million you figured on, 
 Mater ! Two hundred and fifty thousand isn't so much, 
 in these days." 
 
 " No," replied his parent, sharply, " it isn't so much, 
 but it isn't so little, either." 
 
 " I suppose one can get along on it." 
 
 " Yes, one can. In fact, I know of two who are 
 managing with a good deal less. Don't be any more of 
 a fool than you can help, Malcolm. The sum itself isn't 
 
 122
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 small, and, besides, the Warrens are a family of stand 
 ing. To be connected with them is worth a good deal. 
 There are infinite possibilities in it. Oh, if only I might 
 live to see the day when tradespeople meant something 
 other than nuisances to be dodged, I think I could die 
 contented." 
 
 " Caro's a decent sort of a girl," commented Malcolm, 
 reflectively. 
 
 " She's a bright girl and an attractive one. Just now 
 she is in a mood to turn to us, to you. But, for Heaven's 
 sake, be careful! She is delicate and sensitive and re 
 quires managing. She likes you. If only you weren't 
 such a blunderer ! " 
 
 " Much obliged, Mater. You're free with your com 
 pliments this evening. What's the trouble? Another 
 ' heart ' ? " 
 
 " No. My heart I can trust, up to certain limits. 
 But I'm afraid of your head, just as I always was of 
 your father's. And here's one more bit of advice: Be 
 careful how you treat that country uncle." 
 
 " The Admiral ! Ho ! ho ! He's a card." 
 
 " He may be the trump that will lose us the trick. 
 Treat him civilly; yes, even cordially, if you can. And 
 don't insult him as you did the first time you and he 
 met." 
 
 The young man crossed his legs, and grunted in resig 
 nation. 
 
 " Well," he said, " it's going to be a confounded bore, 
 but, at the very longest, it'll last but a year. Then Caro 
 will be her own mistress." 
 
 " Yes. But there are three hundred and sixty-five 
 days in a year ; remember that." 
 
 " All right, Mater. You can bet on me. The old 
 hayseed and I will be bosom pals. Wait and see." 
 9 12.1
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 The formalities at the lawyers' took some time. Cap 
 tain Elisha was absent from the apartment the better 
 part of the following two days. The evenings, how 
 ever, he spent with his niece and nephew, and, if at all 
 sensitive to sudden changes of the temperature, he must 
 have noticed that the atmosphere of the library was 
 less frigid. Caroline was not communicative, did not 
 make conversation, nor was she in the least familiar ; 
 but she answered his questions, did not leave the room 
 when he entered, and seemed inclined to accept his 
 society with resignation, if not with enthusiasm. Even 
 Stephen was less sarcastic and bitter. At times, when 
 his new guardian did or said something which offended 
 his highly cultivated sense of the proprieties, he seemed 
 inclined to burst out with a sneer ; but a quick " ahem ! " 
 or a warning glance from his sister caused him to re 
 main silent and vent his indignation by kicking a foot 
 stool or barking a violent order at the unresisting Ed 
 wards. Caroline and her brother had had a heart to 
 heart talk, and, as a result, the all-wise young gentleman 
 promised to make no more trouble than he could help. 
 
 " Though, by gad, Caro," he declared, " it's only for 
 you I do it! If I had my way the old butt-in should 
 understand exactly what I think of him." 
 
 On Thursday, after luncheon, as Captain Elisha sat in 
 his own room, reading a book he had taken from the 
 library, there came a knock at the door. 
 
 " Come ahead in ! " ordered the captain. Caroline en 
 tered. Her uncle rose and put down the book. 
 
 " Oh ! " he exclaimed, " is it you ? Excuse me. I 
 thought 'twas the Commodore Edwards, I mean. If 
 I'd known you was comin' callin', Caroline, I shouldn't 
 have been quite so bossy. Guess I'd have opened the 
 door for you, instead of lettin' you do it yourself." 
 
 124
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Thank you," answered his niece. " I came to see 
 you on I suppose you might call it business. At any 
 rate, it is a financial matter. I sha'n't detain you long." 
 
 Captain Elisha was a trifle disappointed. 
 
 "Oh," he said, "on business, was it? I hoped I 
 didn't know but you'd come just out of sociability. 
 However, I'm mighty glad to see you, Caroline, no mat 
 ter what it's for. That's a real becomin' dress you've 
 got on," he added, inspecting her admiringly. " I de 
 clare, you look prettier every time I see you. You favor 
 your pa consider'ble ; I can see it more and more. 
 'Bije had about all the good looks there was in our 
 family," with a chuckle. " Set down, do." 
 
 The girl seated herself in a rocker, and looked at him 
 for a moment without speaking. She seemed to have 
 something on her mind, and not to know exactly how to 
 express it. 
 
 " Captain Warren," she began, "I I came to ask a 
 favor. I am obliged to ask it, because you are our '' 
 she almost choked over the hated word " our guard 
 ian, and I can no longer act on my own responsibility. 
 I wish to ask you for some money." 
 
 Captain Elisha nodded gravely. 
 
 "I see," he said. "Well, Caroline, I don't believe 
 you'll find me very close-fisted. I think I told you and 
 Steve that you was to do just as you'd been in the habit 
 of doin'. Of course I am your guardian now, and I 
 shall be held responsible for whatever expense comes to 
 the estate. It is quite a responsibility, and I so under 
 stand it. As I said to you when I told you I'd decided 
 to take the job on trial, while I have it it'll be my pride 
 to see that you or your brother don't lose anything. I 
 intend, if the Almighty spares me so long and I keep on, 
 with the trust, to turn over, when my term's out, at least 
 
 125
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 as much to you and Steve as your father left. That's 
 all. Excuse me for mentioning it again. Now, how 
 much do you want? Is your reg'lar allowance too small? 
 Remember, I don't know much about such things here in 
 New York, and you must be frank and aboveboard and 
 tell me if you have any complaints." 
 
 " I have no complaints. My allowance is sufficient. 
 It is the same that father used to give me, and it is all 
 I need. But this is a matter outside my personal needs." 
 
 " Um-hm. Somethin' to do with the household ex 
 penses, hey ? " 
 
 "No. It is is a matter of well, of charity. It 
 may amount to several hundred dollars." 
 
 " Yes, yes. I see. Charity, hey ? Church ? " 
 
 " No. One of the maids, Annie, has trouble at home, 
 and I wanted to help her." 
 
 The captain nodded once more. 
 
 " Annie," he repeated, " that's the rosy- faced one ? 
 The Irish one?" 
 
 " Yes. Her father was seriously injured the other 
 day and cannot work. His hip is broken, and the doc 
 tor's bill will be large. They are very poor, and I 
 thought perhaps " She hesitated, faltered, and then 
 said haughtily : " Father was very sympathetic and 
 liked to have me do such things." 
 
 " Sho ! sho ! Sartin ! Course he did. I like it, too. 
 I'm glad you came to me just as you did, Caroline. How 
 much do you want to start with ? " 
 
 " I don't know, exactly. I thought I might ask our 
 own doctor to attend to the case, and might send them 
 some delicacies and food." 
 
 " Good idea ! Go right ahead, Caroline." 
 
 " Thank you. I have been over to see them, and they 
 need help they really do." 
 
 126
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 "I presume likely. How'd the accident happen? 
 Anybody's fault, was it ? " 
 
 Caroline's eyes snapped. " Indeed it was ! " she said, 
 indignantly. " It was a wet morning, after a rain, and 
 the pavement was slippery. Mr. Moriarty, Annie's 
 father, was not working that day they were making 
 some repairs at the factory where he is employed, I 
 believe and he had gone out to do the family market 
 ing. He was crossing the street when an automobile, 
 recklessly driven, so everyone says, drove directly down 
 on him. He tried to jump out of the way and succeeded 
 otherwise he might have been killed ; but he fell and 
 broke his hip. He is an old man, and the case is 
 serious." 
 
 " Dear ! dear ! you don't tell me ! Poor old chap ! 
 The auto feller did he help ? Seems to me he ought to 
 be the one to be spendin' the money. 'Twas his fault." 
 
 " Help ! Indeed he didn't ! He and the man with 
 him merely laughed, as if it was a good joke, put on 
 speed, and disappeared as quickly as possible." 
 
 " Why, the mean swab ! Did this Mr. Moriarty or the 
 folks around get the license number of the auto?" 
 
 " No. All they know is that it was a big yellow car 
 with two men in it." 
 
 "Hey? A yellow car?" 
 
 " Yes. Somewhat similar to the one Malcolm Mr. 
 Dunn drives." 
 
 " So, so ! Hum ! Where did it happen? " 
 
 " On Saint Nicholas Avenue, near One Hundred and 
 Twenty-Eighth Street." 
 
 " Eh ? Saint Nicholas Avenue, you say ? " 
 
 " Yes." Caroline rose and turned to go. " Thank 
 you, Captain Warren," she said. " I will tell Doctor 
 Henry to take the case at once." 
 
 127
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 The captain did not answer immediately. With his 
 chin in his hand he was gazing at the floor. 
 
 " Good afternoon," said Caroline. 
 
 Her uncle looked up. 
 
 " Er Wait just a minute, Caroline," he said. " I 
 guess maybe, if you don't mind, I'd like to think this 
 over a little afore you go too far. You have your doctor 
 go right ahead and see to the old man, and you order 
 the things to eat and whatever's necessary. But afore 
 you give Annie or her father any money, I'd kind of like 
 to figger a little mite." 
 
 His niece stopped short, turned and stared at him. 
 
 "Oh!" she said, slowly and icily, "I see. Please 
 don't trouble yourself. I should have known. How 
 ever, my allowance is my own, and I presume I am per 
 mitted to do what I please with that." 
 
 " Caroline, don't be hasty. I ain't sayin' no about the 
 money. Far from it. I only " 
 
 " I understand thoroughly. Don't trouble to 
 * figure,' as you call it. Oh ! why did I humiliate my 
 self? I should have known!" 
 
 " Caroline, please " 
 
 But the girl had gone, closing the door after her. 
 Captain Elisha shook his head, heaved a deep sigh, and 
 then, sinking back into his chair, relapsed into medita 
 tion. Soon afterward he put on his hat and coat and 
 went out. 
 
 Half an hour later he entered the office of a firm of 
 commission brokers on lower Broad Street, and inquired 
 if a gentleman by the name of Mr. Malcolm Dunn was 
 connected with that establishment. On being answered 
 in the affirmative, he asked if Mr. Dunn were in. Yes, 
 he was. 
 
 "Well," said Captain Elisha, "I'd like to speak to 
 128
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 him a minute or so. Just tell him my name's Warren, 
 if you don't mind, young feller." 
 
 The clerk objected to being addressed as " young fel 
 ler," and showed his disapproval by the haughty and 
 indifferent manner in which he departed on the errand. 
 However, he did so depart, and returned followed by 
 Malcolm himself. The latter, who had been misled 
 by the name into supposing his caller to be Stephen 
 Warren, was much astonished when he saw the cap 
 tain seated outside the railing. 
 
 " Good afternoon," said Captain Elisha, rising and ex 
 tending his hand. " How are you to-day, sir ? Pretty 
 smart?" 
 
 The young man answered briefly that he was all right. 
 He added he was glad to see his visitor, a statement 
 more polite than truthful. 
 
 " Well, what's up ? " he inquired, condescendingly. 
 " Nothing wrong with Caro or Steve, I hope." 
 
 " No, they're fust-rate, thank you." 
 
 " What's doing, then ? Is it pleasure or business ? " 
 
 " Well, a little of both, maybe. It's always a pleas 
 ure to see you, of course ; and I have got a little mite 
 of business on hand." 
 
 Malcolm smiled, in his languid fashion. If he sus 
 pected sarcasm in the first part of the captain's reply, 
 it did not trouble him. His self-sufficiency was proof 
 against anything of that sort. 
 
 " Business," he repeated. " Well, that's what I'm 
 here for. Thinking of cornering the er potato 
 market, were you ? " 
 
 " No-o. Cranberries would be more in my line, and 
 I cal'Lte you fellers don't deal in that kind of sass. I 
 hac a private matter I wanted to talk over with you, 
 Mr. Dunn ; that is, if you ain't too busy." 
 
 129
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Malcolm looked at him with an amused curiosity. As 
 he had expressed it in the conversation with his mother, 
 this old fellow certainly was a " card." He seated him 
 self on the arm of the oak settle from which the captain 
 had risen and, lazily swinging a polished shoe, admitted 
 that he was always busy but never too busy to oblige. 
 
 "What's on your mind, Captain?" he drawled. 
 
 Captain Elisha glanced about him somewhat uneasily. 
 
 "I I don't know as I made it quite clear," he said, 
 "that it was sort of private; somethin' just between us, 
 you understand." 
 
 Malcolm hesitated. Sliding from the settle, and im 
 patiently commanding the clerk to open the gate in the 
 railing, he led his caller through the main office and into 
 a small room beyond. On the glass pane of the door 
 was lettered, " Mr. Dunn Private." A roll-top desk 
 in the corner and three chairs were the furniture. Mal 
 colm, after closing the door, sprawled in the swing chair 
 before the desk, threw one leg over a drawer, which 
 he pulled out for that purpose, and motioned his com 
 panion to occupy one of the other chairs. 
 
 Captain Elisha took the offered chair and dropped his 
 hat on the floor beside it. Then he inspected the room 
 and its furnishings with interest. Dunn drew out a 
 pocket case, extracted a cigarette, lit it, and waited for 
 him to speak. 
 
 " Well," observed the young man, after a moment, 
 " what's the trouble, Admiral ? Better get it off your 
 chest, hadn't you? We're private enough here." 
 
 The captain answered the last question. " Yes," he 
 said, " this is nice and private. Got a stateroom all to 
 yourself; name on the door, and everything complete. 
 You must be one of the officers of the craft" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 130
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Um-hm. I sort of expected to find your name on 
 the door outside, but there 'twas, ' Smith, Haynes & Co.' 
 I presume likely you're the ' Co.' ''' 
 
 " I ' presume likely,' " with mocking impatience. 
 " What about that private matter ? " 
 
 Captain Elisha did not appear to hear him. His eyes 
 were fixed on several photographs stuck in the rail of 
 Mr. Dunn's desk. The photos were those of young 
 ladies. 
 
 ''Friends of yours?" inquired the captain, nodding 
 toward the photographs. 
 
 " No." Dunn took the photos from the rack and 
 threw them into a pigeon hole. " Look here," he said, 
 pointedly, " I wouldn't hurry you for the world, but " 
 
 He paused. Captain Elisha did not take the hint. 
 His mind was evidently still busy with the vanished 
 photographs. 
 
 "Just fancy pictures, I s'pose, hey?" he commented. 
 
 " Doubtless. Any other little points I can give you ? " 
 
 " I guess not. I thought they was fancy ; looked so 
 to me. Well, about that private matter. Mr. Dunn, I 
 come to see you about an automobile." 
 
 " An automobile ! " The young man was so astonished 
 that he actually removed his feet from the desk. Then 
 he burst into a laugh. " An automobile ? " he repeated. 
 " Captain, has the influence of the metropolis made you 
 a sport already ? Do you want to buy a car ? " 
 
 " Buy one ? " It was Captain Elisha's turn to show 
 irritation. "Buy one of them things? Me? I would 
 n't buy one of 'em, or run one of 'em, for something / 
 tell you ! No, I don't want to buy one." 
 
 "Why not? Sell you mine for a price." 
 
 " Not if I see you fust, thank you. No, Mr. Dunn, 
 'tain't that. But one of the hired help up to our place
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Caroline's place, I mean is in trouble on account of 
 one of the dratted machines. They're poor folks, of 
 course, and they need money to help 'em through the 
 doctorin' and nursin' and while the old man's out of 
 \vork. Caroline was for givin' it to 'em right off, she's 
 a good-hearted girl; but I said that is, I kind of 
 coaxed her out of it. I thought I'd ask some questions 
 first." 
 
 " So you came to me to ask them ? " Malcolm smiled 
 contentedly. Evidently the cares and complications of 
 guardianship were already proving too intricate for the 
 unsophisticated countryman. He wished advice, and 
 had come to him for it, possibly at Caroline's suggestion. 
 Affairs were shaping themselves well. Here was an 
 opportunity to act the disinterested friend, as per ma 
 ternal instructions. 
 
 " So you wanted to ask questions, did you, Captain ? " 
 he repeated. " Well, fire away. Anything I can do to 
 help you or Caroline will be a pleasure, of course. 
 Smoke?" 
 
 He offered the cigarette case. The captain eyed it 
 dubiously and shook his head. 
 
 " No," he said ; " no, thank you, I commenced 
 smokin' at the butt end, I guess. Begun with a pipe, 
 and them things would seem sort of kindergarten, I'm 
 afraid. No offense meant, you understand. It's all ac- 
 cordin' to what you've been used to. Well, about the 
 questions. Here's the first one : Don't it seem to you 
 that the right one to pay for the doctorin' and nursin' 
 and such of Mr. Moriarty that's Annie's pa ought 
 to be the feller who hurt him? That feller, instead of 
 Caroline ? " 
 
 "Sure thing! If you know who did it, he's your 
 mark." 
 
 132
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " He could be held responsible, couldn't he ? " 
 
 " Certainly." 
 
 " Um-hm. So I thought. And if he was a right- 
 minded chap, he'd be glad to help the poor critter, pro- 
 vidin' he knew what damage he'd done; wouldn't you 
 think so?" 
 
 Malcolm nodded sagely, opened his mouth to speak, 
 and then closed it again. A sudden recollection came 
 to him, an alarming recollection. He turned in his chair 
 and looked at his visitor. Captain Elisha met his gaze 
 frankly. 
 
 " Where did this accident happen ? " asked Mr. Dunn, 
 his condescending smile absent. 
 
 " At the corner of Saint Nicholas Avenue and One 
 Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Street. It happened last 
 Friday mornin', a week ago. And the car that hit him 
 was a yellow one." 
 
 Malcolm did not answer. His pale face grew paler, 
 and then flushed a brilliant red. The captain seemed 
 to feel sorry for him. 
 
 " Naturally," he went on, " when I heard about it, I 
 remembered what you told Mr. Sylvester and me at the 
 club that afternoon. I understand how 'twas, of course. 
 Yon never thought you'd done any real harm and just 
 went on, thinkin' 'twas a good joke, much as anything. 
 If you'd known you'd really hurt the poor old man, 
 you'd have stopped to see him. I understand that. 
 But " 
 
 " Look here ! " interrupted Dunn, sharply, " did Caro 
 line send you to me ? " 
 
 "Caroline? No, no! She don't know 'twas your 
 automobile at all. I never said a word to her, 'tain't 
 likely. But afore she spent any of her money, I thought 
 you'd ought to know, because I was sure you wouldn't 
 
 133
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 let her. That's the way I'd feel, and I felt 'twas no 
 more'n honest to give you the chance. I come on my own 
 hook; she didn't know anything about it." 
 
 Malcolm drummed on the desk with nervous fingers. 
 The flush remained on his face, his cigarette had gone 
 out, and he threw the stump savagely into the waste- 
 paper basket. Captain Elisha remained silent. At 
 length the young man spoke. 
 
 " Well," he growled, pettishly, " how much will it take 
 to square things with the gang? How much damages 
 do they want? " 
 
 " Damages ? Oh, there won't be any claim for dam 
 ages, I guess. That is, no lawsuit, or anything of that 
 kind. The Moriartys don't know you did it, and there's 
 no reason why they should. I thought maybe I'd see to 
 'em and do whatever was necessary ; then you could 
 settle with me, and the whole business would be just 
 between us two. Outside the doctor's bills and food 
 and nursin' and such, all the extry will be just the old 
 man's wages for the time he's away from the factory. 
 'Twon't be very heavy." 
 
 More reflection and finger tattoo by his companion. 
 Then: 
 
 " All right ! I'm in it, I can see that ; and it's up to 
 me to get out as easy as I can. I don't want any news 
 paper publicity. Go ahead ! I'll pay the freight." 
 
 Captain Elisha arose and picked up his hat. 
 
 " That's fust-rate," he said, with emphasis. " I felt 
 sure you'd see it just as I did. There's one thing I 
 would like to say," he added : " that is, that you mustn't 
 think I was stingy about helpin' 'em myself. But it 
 wa'n't really my affair ; and when Caroline spoke of 
 spendin' her money and Steve's, I didn't feel I'd ought 
 to let her. You see, I don't know as you know it yet, 
 
 134
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Mr. Dunn, but my brother 'Bije left me in charge of his 
 whole estate, and, now that I've decided to take the re 
 sponsibility, I've got a sort of pride in not wastin' any 
 of his children's inheritance. Good day, Mr. Dunn. 
 I'm much obliged to you." 
 
 He opened the office door. Malcolm, frowning heav 
 ily, suddenly asked a final question. 
 
 "Say!" he demanded, "you'll not tell Caroline or 
 Steve a word of this, mind ! " 
 
 The captain seemed surprised. 
 
 " I guess you didn't catch what I said, Mr. Dunn," he 
 observed, mildly. " I told you this whole business would 
 be just between you and me."
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 CAPTAIN ELISHA was very far from consid 
 ering himself a Solomon. As he would have 
 said, he had lived long enough with himself 
 to know what a lot he didn't know.. Nevertheless, deep 
 down in his inner consciousness, he cherished a belief in 
 his judgment of human nature. This judgment was not 
 of the snap variety ; he took his time in forming it. Peo 
 ple and their habits, their opinions and characters, were 
 to him interesting problems. He liked to study them 
 and to reach conclusions founded upon reason, observa 
 tion, and common sense. Having reached such a con 
 clusion, it disturbed him when the subjects of the prob 
 lem suddenly upset the whole process of reasoning and 
 apparently proved him wrong by behavior exactly con 
 trary tOv.that which he had expected. 
 
 He had been pretty well satisfied with the result of 
 his visit to young Dunn at the latter's office. Malcolm 
 had surrendered, perhaps not gracefully or uncondi 
 tionally, but he had surrendered, and the condition 
 secrecy was one which the captain himself had sug 
 gested. Captain Elisha's mental attitude toward the son 
 of the late Tammany leader had been a sort of good- 
 natured but alert tolerance. He judged the young man 
 to be a product of rearing and environment. He had 
 known spoiled youths at the Cape and, in their surround 
 ings, they behaved much as Malcolm did in his. The 
 same disrespect to their elders, the same cock-sureness, 
 and the same careless indifference concerning the effect 
 
 136
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 which their actions might have upon other people these 
 were natural and nothing but years and the hard knocks 
 of experience could bring about a change. Elkanah 
 Chase, country swell and pampered heir to the cranberry 
 grower's few thousands, and Malcolm Dunn, idol of his 
 set at the Metropolitan Club, were not so very different, 
 except in externals. The similarity confirmed his opin 
 ion that New York was merely South Denboro many 
 thousand times magnified. 
 
 He knew how young Chase had behaved after an in 
 terview not unlike that just described. In Elkanah's 
 case several broken windows and property destroyed 
 on a revel the night before the Fourth had caused the 
 trouble. In Malcolm's it was an automobile. Both had 
 listened to reason and had knuckled under rather than 
 face possible lawsuits and certain publicity. Chase, how 
 ever, had sulkily refused to speak to him for a month, 
 and regained affability merely because he wished to bor 
 row money. According to the captain's deduction, Dunn 
 should have acted in similar fashion. But he didn't; 
 that was the odd part of it. 
 
 For Malcolm, when he next called, in company with 
 his mother, at the Warren apartment, was not in the 
 least sulky. Neither was he over effusive, which would 
 have argued fear and a desire to conciliate. Possibly 
 there was a bit more respect in his greeting of the new 
 guardian and a trifle less condescension, but not much. 
 He still hailed Captain Elisha as " Admiral," and was 
 as mockingly careless as ever in his remarks concerning 
 the latter's newness in the big city. In fact, he was so 
 little changed that the captain was perplexed. A chap 
 who could take a licking when he deserved it, and not 
 hold malice, must have good in him, unless, of course, 
 he was hiding the malice for a purpose. And if that 
 
 137
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 purpose was the wish to appear friendly, then the man 
 ner of hiding it proved Malcolm Dunn to possess more 
 brains than Captain Elisha had given him credit for. 
 
 One thing seemed sure, the Dunns were not openly 
 hostile. And Caroline was. Since the interview in the 
 library, when the girl had, as she considered it, humili 
 ated herself by asking her guardian for money to help 
 the Moriartys, she had scarcely spoken to him. Stephen, 
 taking his cue from his sister, was morose and silent, 
 also. Captain Elisha found it hard to forgive his dead 
 brother for bringing all this trouble upon him. 
 
 His lawyers, so Sylvester informed him, were setting 
 about getting Rodgers Warren's tangible assets to 
 gether. The task was likely to be a long one. The 
 late broker's affairs were in a muddled state, the 
 books were anything but clear, some of the investments 
 were foreign, and, at the very earliest, months must 
 elapse before the executor and trustee could know, 
 for certain, just how large a property he was in charge 
 of. 
 
 He found some solace and forgetfulness of the un 
 pleasant life he was leading in helping the stricken Mori- 
 arty family. Annie, the maid at the apartment, he 
 swore to secrecy. She must not tell Miss Caroline of 
 his visits to her parents' home. Doctor Henry, also, 
 though he could not understand why, promised silence. 
 Caroline herself had engaged his services in the case, 
 and he was faithful. But the patient was more seri 
 ously hurt than at first appeared, and consultations with 
 a specialist were necessary. 
 
 " Coin' to be a pretty expensive job, ain't it, Doctor ? " 
 asked the captain of the physician. 
 
 " Rather, I'm afraid." 
 
 " All right. If expense is necessary, don't be afraid 
 138
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 of it. You do just what you'd ought to, and send the 
 bill to me." 
 
 " But Miss Warren insisted upon my sending it to 
 her. She said it was a private matter, and one with 
 which you, as her guardian, had nothing to do." 
 
 " I know. Caroline intends to use her own allow 
 ance, I s'pose. Well, let her think she will, if 'twill please 
 her. But when it comes to the settlement, call on me. 
 Give her any reason you want to ; say a er wealthy 
 friend of the family come to life all at once and couldn't 
 sleep nights unless he paid the costs." 
 
 " But there isn't any such friend, is there, Captain 
 Warren? Other than yourself, I mean?" 
 
 Captain Elisha grinned in appreciation of a private 
 joke. " There is somebody else," he admitted, " who'll 
 pay a share, anyhow. I don't know's he's what you call 
 a bosom friend, and, as for his sleepin' nights well, 
 I never heard he couldn't do that, after he went to bed. 
 But, anyhow, you saw wood, or bones, or whatever you 
 have to do, and leave the rest to me. And don't tell 
 Caroline or anybody else a word." 
 
 The Moriartys lived in a four-room flat on the East 
 Side, uptown, and his visits there gave the captain a 
 glimpse of another sort of New York life, as different^ 
 from that of Central Park West as could well be im 
 agined. The old man, Patrick, his wife, Margaret, the 
 unmarried son, Dennis, who worked in the gas house, 
 and five other children of various ages were hived 
 somehow in those four small rooms and Captain Elisha 
 marveled greatly thereat. 
 
 " For the land sakes, ma'am," he asked of the nurse, 
 
 " how do they do it ? Where do they put 'em nights ? 
 
 That that closet in there's the pantry and woodshed 
 
 and kitchen and dinin' room; and that one's the settin' 
 
 10 . 139
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 room and parlor ; and them two dry-goods boxes with 
 doors to 'em are bedrooms. There's eight livin' cntters 
 to stow away when it's time to turn in, and one whole 
 bed's took up by the patient. Where do they put the 
 rest ? Hang 'em up on nails ? " 
 
 The nurse laughed. " Goodness knows ! " she said. 
 " He should have been taken to the hospital. In fact, 
 the doctor and I at first insisted upon his removal there. 
 He would have been much better off. But neither he 
 nor his wife would hear of it. She said he would die 
 sure without his home comforts." 
 
 " Humph ! I should think more likely he'd die with 
 'em, or under 'em. I watch that fleshy wife of his with 
 fear and tremblin'. Every time she goes nigh the bed 
 I expect her to trip over a young one and fall. And if 
 she fell on that poor rack-o '-bones," with a wave of the 
 hand toward the invalid, " 'twould be the final smash 
 like a brick chimney fallin' on a lath hencoop." 
 
 At that moment the " brick chimney " herself entered 
 the room, and the nurse accosted her. 
 
 " Captain Warren here," she said, " was asking where 
 you all found sleeping quarters." 
 
 Mrs. Moriarty smiled broadly. " Sure, 'tis aisy," she 
 explained. " When the ould man is laid up we're all 
 happy to be a bit uncomfortable. Not that we are, 
 neither. You see, sor, me and Nora and Rosy sleep in 
 the other bed; and Dinnie has a bit of a shakedown in 
 the parlor; and Honora is in the kitchen; and " 
 
 " There ! there ! " Captain Elisha interrupted hastily, 
 " don't tell me any more. I'd rather guess that the baby 
 bunks in the cookstove oven than know it for sartin. 
 How did the grapes I sent you go ? " turning to the sick 
 man. 
 
 " Aw, sor ! they were foine. God bless you, sor ! 
 140
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Mary be kind to you, sor! Sure the angels'll watch over 
 you every day you live and breathe ! " 
 
 Captain Elisha bolted for the parlor, the sufferer fir 
 ing a gatling fusillade of blessings after him. Mrs. Mo- 
 riarty continued the bombardment, as she escorted him 
 to the door of the flat. 
 
 " There ! there ! " protested the captain. " Just be 
 lay ! cut it short, there's a good woman ! I'll admit I'm 
 a saint and would wear a halo instead of a hat if 'twa'n't 
 so unfashionable. Good day. If you need anything you 
 ain't got, tell the nurse." 
 
 The grateful Irish woman did not intend to let him 
 escape so easily. 
 
 " Aw, sor," she went on, " it's all right for you to 
 make fun. I'm the jokin' kind, sor, meself. Whin the 
 flats where we used to be got afire and Pat had to lug 
 me down the fire escape in his arms, they tell me I was 
 laughin' fit to kill ; that is, when I wasn't screechin' for 
 fear he'd drop me. And him, poor soul, never seein' 
 the joke, but puffin' and groanin' that his back was in 
 two. pieces. Ha, ha ! Oh, dear ! And him in two 
 pieces now for sure and all! Aw, sor, it's all right for 
 you to laugh it' off, but what would we do without you ? 
 You and Miss Caroline, God bless her ! " 
 
 " Caroline ? She doesn't come here, does she ? " 
 
 " Indade she does. Sure, she's the perfect little lady ! 
 Hardly a day passes or a week, anyhow that she 
 doesn't drop in to see how the ould man's gettin' on." 
 
 " Humph ! Well, see that you don't tell her about 
 me." 
 
 Mrs. Moriarty held up both hands in righteous pro 
 testation. She tell? Might the tongue of her wither 
 between her teeth before it let slip a word, and so on. 
 Captain Elisha waved her to silence. 
 
 141
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " All right ! all right ! " he exclaimed. " So long ! 
 Take good care of your husband, and, and for Heav 
 en's sake, walk careful and don't step on any of the chil 
 dren." 
 
 Mrs. Moriarty's tongue did not wither; at all events, 
 it was lively enough when he next met her. The cap 
 tain's secret was not divulged, and he continued his vis 
 its to the flat, taking care, however, to ascertain his 
 niece's whereabouts beforehand. It was not altogether 
 a desire to avoid making his charitable deeds public which 
 influenced him. He had a habit of not letting his right 
 hand know what his left was about in such cases, 
 and he detested a Pharisaical philanthropist. But there 
 was another reason why Caroline must not learn of his 
 interest in the Moriartys. If she did learn it, she would 
 believe him to be helping them on his own respon 
 sibility; or, if not, that he was using money belonging 
 to the estate. Of course he would, and honestly must, 
 deny the latter charge, and, therefore, the first would, 
 to her mind, be proven. He intended that Malcolm 
 Dunn should pay the larger share of the bills, as was 
 right and proper. But he could not tell Caroline that, 
 because she must not know of the young man's respon 
 sibility for the accident. He could not give Malcolm the 
 credit, and he felt that he ought not to take it himself. 
 It was a delicate situation. 
 
 He was lonely, and the days seemed long. Reading 
 the paper, walking in the park, occasionally dropping in 
 at the lawyers' offices, or visiting the shops and other 
 places of interest about town made up the monotonous 
 routine. He breakfasted early, waited upon by Edwards, 
 got lunch at the restaurant nearest to wherever he hap 
 pened to be at noon, and returned to the apartment for 
 dinner. His niece and nephew dined with him, but 
 
 142
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 when he attempted conversation they answered in mono 
 syllables or not at all. Every evening he wrote a letter 
 to Abbie, and the mail each morning brought him one 
 from her. The Dunns came frequently and seemed dis 
 posed to be friendly, but he kept out of their way as 
 much as possible. 
 
 Pearson he had not seen since the latter's call. This 
 was a disappointment, for he fancied the young fellow 
 and believed he should like him even better on closer ac 
 quaintance. He would have returned the visit, but some 
 how or other the card with the boarding-house street 
 and number had been lost or mislaid, and the long list of 
 " James Pearsons " in the directory discouraged him. 
 He speculated much concerning the mystery at which 
 the would-be novelist hinted as preventing his accepting 
 Caroline's invitation. Evidently Pearson had once 
 known Rodgers Warren well, and had been esteemed 
 and respected by the latter. Caroline, too, had known 
 him, and was frankly pleased to meet him again. What 
 ever the trouble might be, she, evidently, was ignorant of 
 it. The captain wondered and pondered, but reached 
 no satisfactory conclusion. It seemed the irony of fate 
 that the one congenial person Sylvester excepted 
 whom he had met during his stay in the big city should 
 be scratched from his small list of acquaintances. 
 
 With Sylvester he held many familiar and enjoyable 
 chats. The good-natured, democratic senior member of 
 the law firm liked to have Captain Elisha drop in for ad 
 vice or to spin yarns. Graves, who was well again, re 
 garded the new guardian with respect of a kind, but with 
 distinct disapproval. The captain was, in his opinion, 
 altogether too flippant and jolly. There was nothing hu 
 morous in the situation, as Graves saw it, and to laugh 
 when one's brother's estate is in a tangle, indicated un- 
 
 H3
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 fitness, if nothing worse. Kuhn was a sharp, quick- 
 moving man, who had no time for frivolity if it de 
 layed business. 
 
 It was after a long interview with Sylvester that Cap 
 tain Elisha decided to send Stephen back to college. 
 When he broke the news there was rebellion, brief but 
 lively. Stephen had no desire to continue his studies ; 
 he wished to become a stock broker at once, and, as 
 soon as he was of age, take his father's seat on the Ex 
 change. 
 
 " Stevie," said Captain Elisha, " one of these days, 
 when you get to be as old as I am or before, you'll real 
 ize that an education is worth somethin'." 
 
 " Ugh ! " grunted the boy, in supreme disgust. " What 
 do you know about that ? " 
 
 " Why, not much, maybe, but enough." 
 
 "Yes?" sarcastically. "What college did you at 
 tend?" 
 
 " Me ? Why, none, more's the pity. What learnin' 
 there was in our family your dad had. Maybe that's 
 why he was what he was, so fur as money and position 
 and society and so on went, and I'm what / am." 
 
 " Oh, rubbish ! What difference does it make to Mal 
 colm Dunn now his going through college ? " 
 
 "Well, he went, didn't he?" 
 
 Stephen grinned. Malcolm had told him some particu 
 lars concerning his university career and its termina 
 tion. 
 
 " He went part way," he answered. 
 
 " Ya-as. Well, you've gone part way, so fur. And 
 now you'll go the rest." 
 
 " I'd like to know why." 
 
 " For one reason, because I'm your guardian and I 
 say so." 
 
 144
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Stephen was furiously angry. His father's indulgence 
 and his sister's tolerance had, in most cases, made his 
 will law in the household. To be ordered about in this 
 way by an ignorant interloper, as he 'considered his 
 uncle, was too much. 
 
 " By gad," he shouted, " we'll see ! " 
 
 " No, we've seen. You run along now and pack 
 your trunk. And take my advice and study hard. 
 You'll be behindhand in your work, so Mr. Sylvester 
 tells me, but you're smart, and you can catch up. Make 
 us proud of you ; that's what you can do." 
 
 His nephew glanced at him. Captain Elisha was smil 
 ing kindly, but there was no sign of change of purpose 
 in his look. 
 
 Stephen ground his teeth. 
 
 "Oh," he snarled, "if it wasn't for the disgrace! If 
 things weren't as they are, I'd " 
 
 " S-s-s-h ! I know ; but they are. Maybe I wish they 
 wa'n't 'most as much as you do, but they are. I don't 
 blame you for feelin' mad now ; but I'm right and I 
 know it. And some day you'll know it, and thank 
 me." 
 
 " When I do, I'll be insane." 
 
 " No, you'll be older, that's all. Now pack your trunk 
 or get the Commodore to pack it for you." 
 
 News from the Moriarty sick room continued favor 
 able for a time. Then, with alarming suddenness, a 
 change came. The broken hip was mending slowly, but 
 poor Pat's age was against him, and the shock and long 
 illness were too much for his system to fight. Dr. Henry 
 shook his head dubiously when the captain asked 
 questions. And, one morning at breakfast, Edwards in 
 formed him that the old man was dead. Annie had 
 
 145
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 been summoned by telephone at midnight and had gone 
 home. 
 
 Captain Elisha, though not greatly surprised, was 
 shocked and grieved. It seemed such a needless trag 
 edy, almost like murder, although there was no malice 
 in it. And the thought of the fatherless children and 
 the poverty of the stricken family made him shudder. 
 Death at any time, amid any surroundings, is terrible ; 
 when the dead hands have earned the bread for many 
 mouths it is appalling. 
 
 The captain dreaded visiting the flat, but because he 
 felt it to be a duty he went immediately. And the mis 
 ery and wailing and dismay he found there were worse 
 than his anticipations. He did his best to comfort and 
 cheer. Mrs. Moriarty alternately called upon the saints 
 to bless him and begged to know what she would do now 
 that they were all sure to starve. Luckily, the family 
 priest, a kind-hearted, quiet man who faced similar 
 scenes almost every day of his life, was there, and Cap 
 tain Elisha had a long talk with him. With Dennis, the 
 oldest son, and Annie, the maid at the Warrens', he also 
 consulted. Money for their immediate needs, he told 
 them, he would provide. And the funeral expenses 
 must not worry them. Afterward well, plans for the 
 future could be discussed at another time. But upon 
 Dennis and Annie he tried to impress a sense of their 
 responsibility. 
 
 " It's up to you, Boy," he said to the former. " An 
 nie's job's sure, I guess, as long as she wants it, and she 
 can give her mother somethin' every month. But you're 
 the man of the house now, and you've got to steer the 
 ship and keep it afloat. That means work, and hard 
 work, lots of it, too. You can do it, if you've got the 
 grit. If I can find a better place and more pay for you, 
 
 146
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 I will, but you mustn't depend on that. It's up to you, 
 I tell you, and you've got to show what's in you. If you 
 get stuck and need advice, come to me." 
 
 He handed the priest a sum of money to cover imme 
 diate contingencies, and departed. His letter to Abbie 
 that afternoon was so blue that the housekeeper felt sure 
 he was " coming down " with some disease or other. 
 He had been riding in that awful subway, where the air 
 so the papers said was not fit to breathe, and just as 
 like as not he'd caught consumption. His great-uncle 
 on his mother's side died of it, so it " run in the family." 
 Either he must come home or she should come to him, 
 one or the other. 
 
 But before evening his blueness had disappeared. He 
 had just returned to his room, after stepping into the 
 hall to drop his letter in the mail chute, when his niece 
 knocked at the door. He was surprised to see her, for 
 she had not spoken to him, except in brief reply to ques 
 tions, since their misunderstanding in that very room. 
 He looked at her wonderingly, not knowing what to say 
 or what to expect; but she spoke first. 
 
 " Captain Warren," she began, hurriedly, " the last 
 time I came to you the last time I came here, I came 
 to ask a favor, and you I thought you " 
 
 She was evidently embarrassed and confused. Her 
 guardian was embarrassed, also, but he tried to be hos 
 pitable. 
 
 " Yes, Caroline," he said, gravely, " I know what 
 you mean. Won't you won't you sit down ? " 
 
 To his surprise, she accepted the invitation, taking the 
 same chair she had taken on the occasion of their former 
 interview. But there was a look in her eyes he had 
 never seen there before; at least, not when she was ad 
 dressing him. 
 
 H7
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 She went on, speaking hastily, as though determined 
 to head off any questioning on his part. 
 
 " Captain Warren," she began once more, " the time 
 I came to you in this room you were, so I thought, un 
 reasonable and unkind. I asked you for money to help 
 a poor family in trouble, and you refused to give it to 
 me." 
 
 " No, Caroline," he interrupted, " I didn't refuse, you 
 only thought I did." 
 
 She held up her hand. " Please let me go on," she 
 begged. " I thought you refused, and I couldn't under 
 stand why. I was hurt and angry. I knew that father 
 never would have refused me under such circumstances, 
 and you were his brother. But since then, only to-day, 
 I have learned that I was wrong. I have learned " 
 
 She paused. The captain was silent. He was be 
 ginning to hope, to believe once more in his judgment 
 of character; and yet, with his hope and growing joy, 
 there was a trifle of anxiety. 
 
 " I have learned," went on his niece, " that I was mis 
 taken. I can't understand yet why you wished to wait 
 before saying yes, but I do know that it must have been 
 neither because you were unkind nor ungenerous. I have 
 just come from those poor people, and they have told 
 me everything." 
 
 Captain Elisha started. " What did they tell you ? " 
 he asked, quickly. " Who told you ? " 
 
 " Annie and her mother. They told me what you had 
 done and were doing for them. How kind you had been 
 all through the illness and to-day. Oh, I know you 
 made them promise not to tell me ; and you made the doc 
 tor and nurse promise, too. But I knew someone had 
 helped, and Annie dropped a hint. Then I suspected, 
 and now I know. Those poor people ! " 
 
 148
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 The captain, who had been looking at the floor, and 
 frowning a bit, suddenly glanced up to find his niece's 
 eyes fixed upon him, and they were filled with tears. 
 
 "Will you forgive me?" she asked, rising from her 
 chair, and coming impulsively toward him. " I'm sorry 
 I misjudged you and treated you so. You must be a 
 very good man. Please forgive me." 
 
 He took her hand, which was swallowed up in his 
 big one. His eyes were moist, also. 
 
 " Lord love you, dearie," he said, " there's nothin' to 
 forgive. I realized that I must have seemed like a mean, 
 stingy old scamp. Yet I didn't mean to be. I only 
 wanted to look into this thing just a little. Just as a 
 matter of business, you know. And I ... Caro 
 line, did that doctor tell you anything more ? " 
 
 " Any more ? " she repeated in bewilderment. " He 
 told me that you were the kindest man he had ever 
 seen." 
 
 " Yes, yes. Well, maybe his eyesight's poor. What 
 I mean is did he tell you anything about anybody else 
 bein' in this with me ? " 
 
 " Anybody else ? What do you mean ? " 
 
 " Oh, nothin', nothin'. I joked with him a spell ago 
 about a wealthy relation of the Moriarty tribe turnin' 
 up. 'Twas only a joke, of course. And yet, Caroline, 
 I I think I'd ought to say " 
 
 He hesitated. What could he say? Even a hint 
 might lead to embarrassing questions and he had prom 
 ised Dunn. 
 
 "What ought you to say?" asked his niece. 
 
 " Why, nothin', I guess. I'm glad you understand 
 matters a little better and I don't intend for the estate nor 
 you to pay these Moriarty bills. Just get 'em off your 
 mind. Forget 'em. I'll see that everything's attended 
 
 149
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 to. And, later on, if you and me can, by puttin' our 
 heads together, help those folks to earnin' a better livin', 
 why, we will, hey ? " 
 
 The girl smiled up at him. " I think," she said, " that 
 you must be one who likes to hide his light under a 
 bushel." 
 
 " I guess likely a two-quart measure'd be plenty big 
 enough to hide mine. There! there! We won't have 
 any more misunderstandin's, will we ? I'm a pretty green 
 vegetable and about as out of place here as a lobster in 
 a balloon, but, as I said to you and Steve once before, 
 if you'll just remember I am green and sort of rough, 
 and maybe make allowances according this cruise of ours 
 may not be so unpleasant. Now you run along and get 
 ready for dinner, or the Commodore'll petrify from 
 standin' so long behind your chair." 
 
 She laughed, as she turned to go. " I should hate to 
 have him do that," she said. " He would make a de 
 pressing statue. I shall see you again in a few min 
 utes, at dinner. Thank you Uncle." 
 
 She left Captain Elisha in a curious state of mind. 
 Against his will he had been forced to accept thanks 
 and credit which, he believed, did not rightfully belong 
 to him. It was the only thing to do, and yet it seemed 
 almost like disloyalty to Malcolm Dunn. This troubled 
 him, but the trouble was, just then, a mere pinhead of 
 blackness against the radiance of his spirit. 
 
 His brother's daughter had, for the first time, called 
 him uncle.
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 CAPTAIN WARREN," asked Caroline, as 
 they were seated at the breakfast table next 
 morning, " what are your plans for to-day ? " 
 
 Captain Elisha put down his coffee cup and pulled his 
 beard reflectively. Contrary to his usual desire since he 
 came to the apartment to live, he was in no hurry to finish 
 the meal. This breakfast and the dinner of the previous 
 evening had been really pleasant. He had enjoyed them. 
 His niece had not called him uncle again, it is true, and 
 perhaps that was too much to be expected as yet, but 
 she was cheerful and even familiar. They talked as they 
 ate, and he had not been made to feel that he was the 
 death's head at the feast. The change was marked and 
 very welcome. The bright winter sunshine streaming 
 through the window indicated that the conditions outside 
 were also just what they should be. 
 
 " Well," he replied, with a smile, " I don't know, Caro 
 line, as I've made any definite plans. Let's see, to-day's 
 Sunday, ain't it ? Last letter I got from Abbie she sailed 
 into me because, as she said, I seemed to have been 'most 
 everywheres except to meetin'. She riggers New York's 
 a heathen place, anyhow, and she cal'lates I'm gettin' to 
 be a backslider like the rest. I didn't know but I might 
 go to church." 
 
 Caroline nodded. " I wondered if you wouldn't like 
 to go," she said. " I am going, and I thought perhaps 
 you would go with me." 
 
 Her uncle had again raised his cup to his lips. Now
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 he set it down with a suddenness which caused the stat 
 tiesque Edwards to bend forward in anticipation of a 
 smash. The captain started to speak, thought better 
 of it, and stared at his niece so intently that she colored 
 and dropped her eyes. 
 
 " I know," she faltered, " that I haven't asked you 
 before, but but " then, with the impulsiveness which 
 was one of her characteristics, and to her guardian her 
 great charm, she looked him full in the face and added, 
 " but I hoped you would understand that that / under 
 stood a little better. I should like to have your company 
 very much." 
 
 Captain Elisha drew a long breath. 
 
 " Thank you, Caroline," he answered. " I appreciate 
 your askin' me, I sartinly do. And I'd rather go with 
 you than anybody else on earth. But I was cal'latin' to 
 hunt up some little round-the-corner chapel, or Bethel, 
 where I'd feel a little bit at home. I guess likely your 
 church is a pretty big one, ain't it ? " 
 
 " We attend Saint Denis. It is a large church, but 
 we have always been connected with it. Stephen and I 
 were christened there. But, of course, if you had rather 
 go somewhere else *' 
 
 " No, no ! I hadn't anywhere in particular to go. 
 I'm a Congregationalist to home, but Abbie says I've 
 spread my creed so wide that it ain't more'n an inch 
 deep anywhere, and she shouldn't think 'twould keep me 
 afloat. I tell her I'd rather navigate a broad and shal 
 low channel, where everybody stands by to keep his 
 neighbor off the shoals, than I would a narrow and 
 crooked one with self-righteousness off both beams and 
 perdition underneath. 
 
 " You see," he added, reflectively, " the way I look at 
 it, it's a pretty uncertain cruise at the best. Course
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 there's all sorts of charts, and every fleet is sartin it's 
 got the only right one. But I don't know. We're afloat 
 that much we are sure of but the port we left and 
 the harbor we're bound for, they're always out of sight 
 in the fog astern and ahead. I know lots of folks who 
 claim to see the harbor, and see it plain; but they don't 
 exactly agree as to what they see. As for me, I've come 
 to the conclusion that we must steer as straight a course 
 as we can, and when we meet a craft in distress, why, 
 do our best to help her. The rest of it I guess we must 
 leave to the Owner, to the One that launched us. I 
 . . . Good land ! " he exclaimed, coming out of his 
 meditation with a start, " I'm preachin' a sermon ahead 
 of time. And the Commodore's goin' to sleep over it, I 
 do believe." 
 
 The butler, who had been staring vacantly out of the 
 window during the captain's soliloquy, straightened at 
 the sound of his nickname, and asked hastily, " Yes, sir ? 
 What will you have, sir ? " Captain Elisha laughed in 
 huge enjoyment, and his niece joined him. 
 
 "Well," she said, "will you go with me?" 
 
 " I'd like to fust-rate if you won't be too much 
 ashamed of me." 
 
 " Then it's settled, isn't it ? The service begins at a 
 quarter to eleven. We will leave here at half-past ten." 
 
 The captain shaved with extra care that morning, 
 donned spotless linen, including a " stand-up " collar 
 which he detested brushed his frock-coat and his hair 
 with great particularity, and gave Edwards his shoes to 
 clean. He would have shined them himself, as he al 
 ways did at home, but on a former occasion when he 
 asked for the " blackin' kit," the butler's shocked and 
 pained expression led to questions and consequent en 
 lightenment. 
 
 153
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 He was ready by a quarter after ten, but when his 
 niece knocked at his door she bore a message which sur 
 prised and troubled him. 
 
 " Mrs. Dunn called," she said, " to ask me to go to 
 church with her. I told her I had invited you to ac 
 company me. Would you mind if she joined us ? " 
 
 Her guardian hesitated. " I guess," he answered, 
 slowly, " it ain't so much a question of my mindin' her 
 as she mindin' me. Does she want me to go along ? " 
 
 " She said she should be delighted." 
 
 " I want to know ! Now, Caroline, don't you think 
 I'd be sort of in the way? Don't you believe she'd man 
 age to live down her disappointment if I didn't tag on? 
 You mustn't feel that you've got to be bothered with me 
 because you suggested my goin', you know." 
 
 " If I had considered it a bother I should not have in 
 vited you. If you don't wish Mrs. Dunn's company, 
 then you and I will go alone." 
 
 " Oh, land sakes ! I wouldn't have you do that for the 
 world! All right, I'll be out in a jiffy." 
 
 He gave his hair a final brush, straightened his tie, 
 turned around once more before the mirror, and walked 
 fearfully forth to meet the visitor. For him, the antici 
 pated pleasure of the forenoon had been replaced by un 
 easy foreboding. 
 
 But Mrs. Corcoran Dunn, as' she rose creakingly to 
 greet him, was extremely gracious. She was gowned and 
 furred and hatted in a manner which caused the captain 
 to make hasty mental estimate as to cost, but she ex 
 tended a plump hand, buttoned in a very tight glove, and 
 murmured her gratification. 
 
 " I'm so glad you are to accompany us, Captain War 
 ren," she gushed. " It is a charming winter nWning, 
 isn't it?" 
 
 154
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Captain Elisha touched the plump glove with his own 
 big finger tips, and admitted that the morning was " fust- 
 rate." He was relieved from the embarrassment of fur 
 ther conversation just then by Caroline's appearance in 
 the library. She, too, was richly dressed. 
 
 " Are we all ready ? " she asked, brightly. " Then 
 we may as well start." 
 
 " I'm afraid we're a trifle early, my dear," said Mrs. 
 Dunn, " but we can stroll about a bit before we go in." 
 
 The captain looked at the library clock. The time was 
 a quarter to eleven. 
 
 " Early ? " he exclaimed, involuntarily. " Why, I 
 thought Caroline said " 
 
 He stopped, suddenly, realizing that he had spoken 
 aloud. His niece divined his thought and laughed mer 
 rily. 
 
 " The service does begin now," she said, " but no one is 
 ever on time." 
 
 " Oh! " ejaculated her uncle, and did not speak again 
 until they were at the door of the church. Then Caro 
 line asked him what he was thinking. 
 
 " Nothin' much," he answered, gazing at the fashion 
 ably garbed throng pouring under the carved stone arch 
 f the entrance ; " I was just reorganizin' my ideas, 
 that's all. I've always sort of thought a plug hat 
 looked lonesome. Now I've decided that I'm wearin' 
 the lonesome kind." 
 
 He marched behind his niece and Mrs. Dunn up the 
 center aisle to the Warren pew. He wrote his house 
 keeper afterwards that he estimated ,that aisle to be 
 " upwards of two mile long. And my Sunday shoes had 
 a separate squeak for every inch," he added. 
 
 Once seated, however, and no longer so conspicuous, 
 his common sense and Yankee independence came to his 
 11 155
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 rescue. He had been in much bigger churches than this 
 one, while abroad during his seagoing years. He knew 
 that his clothes were not fashionably cut, and that, to 
 the people about him, he must appear odd and, perhaps, 
 even ridiculous. But he remembered how odd certain 
 city people appeared while summering at South Denboro. 
 Recollections of pointed comments made by boatmen 
 who had taken these summer sojourners on fishing excur 
 sions came to his mind. Well, he had one advantage 
 over such people, at any rate, he knew when he was ri 
 diculous, and they apparently did not. 
 
 So, saved from humiliation by his sense of humor, he 
 looked about him with interest. When the procession of 
 choir boys came up the aisle, and Mrs. Dunn explained 
 in a condescending whisper what they were, his answer 
 surprised her a trifle. " Yes," whispered the captain in 
 reply, " I know. I've seen the choir in Saint Peter's at 
 Rome." 
 
 Only once did he appear greatly astonished. That was 
 when the offering was taken and a certain dignified mag 
 nate, whose fame as a king of finance is world-wide, 
 officiated as one of the collectors. 
 
 " Heavens and earth ! " murmured Captain Elisha, star 
 ing wide-eyed at the unmistakable features so often pic 
 tured and cartooned in the daily papers ; " Caroline 
 Caroline, am I seein' things or is that is that " 
 
 " That is Mr. ," whispered his niece. " He is one 
 
 of the vestrymen here." 
 
 "My soul!" still gazing after the Emperor of Wall 
 Street ; " him passin' the plate ! Well," with a grim 
 smile, " whoever picked him out for the job has got 
 judgment. If he can't make a body shell out, nobody 
 can." 
 
 He listened to the sermon, the text of which was from 
 156
 
 V 
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 the Beatitudes, with outward solemnity, but with a twin 
 kle in his eye. After the benediction, when Caroline 
 asked how he enjoyed it, the cause of the twinkle be 
 came apparent." 
 
 " Fine ! " he declared, with enthusiasm. " He's a 
 smart preacher, ain't he! And he knew his congrega 
 tion. You might not guess they was meek perhaps, 
 but they certainly did look as if they'd inherited the 
 earth." 
 
 He drew a breath of relief as the trio emerged into 
 the open air. He had enjoyed the novel experience, in 
 a way, but now he felt rather like one let out of jail. 
 The quiet luncheon at home with Caroline was a pleasant 
 anticipation. 
 
 But Mrs. Corcoran Dunn smashed his anticipation at 
 a blow. She insisted that he and his niece lunch with 
 her. 
 
 " You really must, you know," she declared. , " It will 
 be delightful. Just a little family party." 
 
 Captain Elisha looked distressed. " Thank you, 
 ma'am," he stammered ; " it's awful kind of you, but I 
 wouldn't feel right to go puttin' you to all that trouble. 
 Just as much obliged, but I I've got a letter to write, 
 you see." 
 
 Mrs. Dunn bore his refusal bravely. 
 
 " Very well," she said, " but Caroline must come with 
 me. I told Malcolm I should bring her." 
 
 " Sure ! Sartin ! Caroline can go, of course." 
 
 But Caroline also declined. Having misjudged her 
 guardian in the matter of the Moriarty family, she was 
 in a repentant mood, and had marked that day on her 
 calendar as one of self-sacrifice." 
 
 " No, Captain Warren," she said, " I shall not go un 
 less you do." 
 
 157
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Then the captain will come, of course," declared Mrs. 
 Dunn, with decision. " I'm sure he will not be so self 
 ish as to deprive me and Malcolm of your com 
 pany." 
 
 So, because he did not wish to appear selfish, Captain 
 Elisha admitted that his letter might be written later in 
 the afternoon, accepted the invitation, and braced his 
 spirit for further martyrdom. 
 
 It was not as bad as he expected. The Dunns occu 
 pied a small, brown-stone house on Fifth Avenue, some 
 what old-fashioned, but eminently respectable. The 
 paintings and bronzes were as numerous as those in the 
 Warren apartment, and if the taste shown in their se 
 lection was not that of Rodgers Warren, the connois 
 seur, they made quite as much show, and the effect upon 
 Captain Elisha was the same. The various mortgages 
 on the property were not visible, and the tradesmen's 
 bills were securely locked in Mrs. Dunn's desk. 
 
 The luncheon itself was elaborate, and there was a 
 butler whose majestic dignity and importance made even 
 Edwards seem plebeian by comparison. 
 
 Malcolm was at home when they arrived, irreproach 
 ably dressed and languidly non-effusive, as usual. Cap 
 tain Elisha, as he often said, did not " set much store " 
 by clothes ; but there was something about this young 
 man which always made him conscious that his own 
 trousers were a little too short, or his boots too heavy, 
 or something. " I wouldn't wear a necktie like his," he 
 wrote Abbie, after his first meeting with Malcolm, " but 
 blessed if I don't wish I could if I would ! " 
 
 Caroline, in the course of conversation during the 
 luncheon, mentioned the Moriartys and their sorrow. 
 The captain tried to head her off and to change the sub 
 ject, but with little success. He was uncomfortable and 
 
 158
 
 kept glancing under his brows at Malcolm, with whom, 
 under the circumstances, he could not help sympathizing 
 to an extent. But his sympathy was wasted. The 
 young man did not appear in the slightest degree nervous. 
 The memory of his recent interview with Captain Elisha 
 did not embarrass him, outwardly at least, half as much 
 as it did the captain. He declared that old Pat's death 
 was beastly hard luck, but accidents were bound to hap 
 pen. It was a shame, and all that. " If there's any 
 thing the mater and I can do, Caroline, call on us, of 
 course." 
 
 " Yes, do, Caroline," concurred his mother. " How 
 ever, one must be philosophic in such cases. It is a 
 mercy that people in their station do not feel grief and 
 loss as we do. Providence, in its wisdom, has limited 
 their susceptibilities as it has their intelligence. Don't 
 you agree with me, Captain Warren ? " 
 
 " Sartin ! " was the prompt reply. " It's always a 
 comfort to me, when I go fishin', to know that the fish 
 ain't got so much brains as I have. The hook hurts, I 
 presume likely, but they ain't got the sense to realize 
 what a mean trick's been played on 'em. The one that's 
 caught's dead, and them that are left are too busy hustlin' 
 for the next meal to waste much time grievin'. That 
 eases my conscience consider'ble." 
 
 Caroline seemed to be the only one who appreciated 
 the sarcasm in this observation. She frowned slightly. 
 Mrs. Corcoran Dunn tolerantly smiled, and her son 
 laughed aloud. 
 
 " Say, Admiral," he commented, " when it comes to 
 philosophy you go some yourself, don't you? " 
 
 " Um-hm. I can be as philosophical about other folk's 
 troubles as anybody I ever see." Then, with an invol 
 untary chuckle of admiration at the young gentleman's 
 
 159
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 coolness, he added, " That is, anybody I ever see afore 
 I come to New York." 
 
 Malcolm opened his mouth to reply, but closed it 
 again. The captain, noticing his change of purpose and 
 following the direction of his look, saw Mrs. Dunn shake 
 her head in sharp disapproval. He ate the remainder 
 of his salad in silence, but he thought a good deal. 
 
 " And now," said Mrs. Dunn, rising and leading the 
 way to the drawing-room, " we must all go for a motor 
 ride. Everyone rides on Sunday afternoon," she ex 
 plained, turning to her male guest. 
 
 The distressed look returned to Captain Elisha's face. 
 His niece saw it, understood, and came to his rescue. 
 
 " I think Captain Warren prefers to be excused," she 
 said, smiling. " He has a prejudice against automo 
 biles." 
 
 " No ! " drawled Malcolm, the irrepressible. " Not 
 really? Admiral, I'm surprised! In these days, you 
 know ! " 
 
 " It ain't so much the automobiles," snapped Captain 
 Elisha, irritation getting the better of his discretion, 
 " as 'tis the devilish fools that " 
 
 "Yes? Oh, all right, Mater." 
 
 " That are careless enough to get in the way of them," 
 finished the captain, with surprising presence of mind. 
 " Still, if Caroline wants to go " 
 
 " I have it ! " exclaimed Mrs. Dunn. " The young 
 people shall go, and the others remain at home. Mal 
 colm shall take you for a spin, Caroline, and Captain 
 Warren and I will stay here and wait until you return. 
 We'll have a family chat, Captain, won't we ? Because," 
 with a gay laugh, " in a way we are like one family, you 
 see." 
 
 And, somewhat to Miss Warren's surprise, her uncle 
 160
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 agreed to this proposition. He did not answer imme 
 diately, but, when he did, it was with heartiness. 
 
 "Why, yes," he said, "that's a good idea. That's 
 fust-rate. You young folks go, and Mrs. Dunn and I'll 
 wait here till you come back. That's the way of the 
 world young folks on the go, and the old folks at 
 home by the fire, hey, Mrs. Dunn ? " 
 
 The lady addressed did not relish being numbered with 
 " old folks," but she smiled sweetly, and said she sup 
 posed it was. Malcolm telephoned to the garage and to 
 Edwards at the Warren apartment, ordering the butler 
 to deliver his mistress's auto cap and cloak to the chauf 
 feur, who would call for them. A few minutes later the 
 yellow car rolled up to the door. 
 
 In the hall Mrs. Dunn whispered a reassuring word 
 to her departing guest. 
 
 " Now enjoy yourself, dear," she whispered. " Have 
 a nice ride and don't worry about me. If he if our 
 encumbrance bores me too much I shall well, I shall 
 plead a headache and leave him to his own devices. Be 
 sides, he isn't so very dreadful, is he? " 
 
 Caroline shook her head. " No," she answered, " he 
 is a good man. I understand him better than I did and 
 yes, I like him better, too." 
 
 " Oh ! . . . Indeed ! Well, good-by, dear. Good- 
 by." 
 
 The yellow car roared as the chauffeur cranked it, 
 then moved off up the crowded avenue. Mrs. Dunn 
 watched it until it was out of sight. Her brows were 
 drawn together, and she seemed puzzled and just a bit 
 disconcerted. However, when she returned to the draw 
 ing-room, her gracious smile had returned, and her bland 
 condescension was again in evidence. 
 
 Captain Elisha had been standing by the window. 
 161
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 She begged him to be seated. He thanked her, but 
 looked dubiously at the Louis XVI chair indicated. She 
 noticed the look. 
 
 " Suppose we go into the library," she said. " It is 
 much less formal. And there is a fire for us old 
 folks," with a slight accent ojn the word. 
 
 The library was more homelike. Not as many books 
 as at the Warrens', but a great deal of gilt in the bindings 
 and much carving on the cases. The fire was cheery, 
 and the pair sat down before it in big easy chairs. Mrs. 
 Dunn looked intently at the glowing coals. 
 
 Captain Elisha cleared his throat. Mrs. Dunn leaned 
 forward expectantly. The captain coughed and sank 
 back in his chair. 
 
 " Yes ? " purred the lady. " You were about to say ? " 
 
 " Me? Oh, no, I didn't say anything." 
 
 Another period of silence. Mrs. Dunn's foot tapped 
 the rug impatiently. She wished him to begin the con 
 versation, and he would not. At length, in desperation, 
 she began it herself. 
 
 " I suppose you find New York rather different from 
 er North er " 
 
 " From South Denboro ? Yes, ma'am." 
 
 " Do you like the city life ? " 
 
 " Well, I don't know, ma'am." 
 
 " Not as well as you do that of the country, doubt 
 less." 
 
 " Well, you see, I ain't had so much of it." 
 
 " No, of course not. It does so depend upon what 
 one is accustomed to. Now I fancy I should be perfectly 
 desperate in your village." 
 
 One corner of Captain Elisha's mouth curled upward. 
 
 " I shouldn't be surprised," he admitted. 
 
 " Desperately lonely, I mean." 
 162
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Yes'm. I judged that was what you meant. Still, 
 folks can be lonesome in New York." 
 
 " Perhaps. But really I don't see how. With all the 
 whirl and the crowds and the glorious excitement. The 
 feeling that one is at the very heart, the center of every 
 thing ! " 
 
 " Yes. If you belong to the machinery, I s'pose it's 
 all right. But if you've been leanin' over the rail, lookin' 
 on, and get pushed in unexpected, maybe you don't care 
 so much about bein' nigh the center." 
 
 " Then why stay there ? Why not get out ? " 
 
 " If you're caught in the wheels, gettin' out's some- 
 thin' of a job." 
 
 " But, as I understand it, Captain Warren I may 
 be misinformed, for, of course, I haven't been unduly 
 curious concerning your family affairs as / understand 
 it, you were not obliged to remain among the among 
 the wheels, as you call them. You could have gotten 
 out quite easily, couldn't you?" 
 
 " I presume likely I could. But, you see, ma'am, I 
 had a feelin' that I'd ought to stay." 
 
 Mrs. Dunn laughed lightly. " Ah me ! " she exclaimed ; 
 " you felt it your duty, I suppose. Oh, you New Eng 
 land Puritans ! " 
 
 She shook her head in playful mockery. Then she 
 added, " But, at all events, it cannot be so very dis 
 agreeable now. I have no doubt it was well, not 
 comfortable for you at first. Steve and Caroline were 
 quite impossible really quite furious. Your sudden 
 appearance in the capacity of guardian was too much for 
 them. They were sure you must be a perfect ogre, Cap 
 tain. I had to use all my eloquence to convince them 
 they would not be devoured alive. But now what a 
 change ! Why, already Caroline accepts you as well, 
 
 163
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 almost like an old friend, like myself. In the last few 
 days this change in her attitude is quite marked. What 
 have you done ? Are you a wizard ? Do tell me ! " 
 
 This appeal, delivered with eloquence and most en 
 gaging play of brow and eye, should have been irresisti 
 ble. Unfortunately the captain did not appear to have 
 heard it. Leaning forward, his hands clasped between 
 his knees, he was gazing into the fire. And when he 
 spoke, it was as if he were thinking aloud. 
 
 " I s'pose 'tis a sort of disease, this duty business," he 
 mused. " And most diseases ain't cheerful visitations. 
 Still a feller ought not to growl about it in public. I al 
 ways did hate for a man to be goin' about forever com- 
 plainin' of his sufferin's whether they was from duty 
 or rheumatiz." 
 
 Mrs. Dunn's lips snapped shut. She pressed them to 
 gether impatiently. Evidently her questions, and their 
 diplomatic prelude, had been unheard and wasted. 
 However, she did not intend to be sidetracked or dis 
 couraged. 
 
 " One should not prate of one's duty, of course," she 
 agreed. " Not that you do far from it. But, as I was 
 saying, our dear Caroline has " 
 
 " Thank you, ma'am. I hope I don't groan too loud. 
 Do you know, I believe climate has a bearin' on duty, 
 same as it has on rheumatics. I s'pose you city folks " 
 and there was almost contempt in the words " are sort 
 of Christian Science, and figger it's an ' error ' hey ? 
 Somethin' to be forgot." 
 
 The iady resented the interruption, and the contempt 
 nettled her. 
 
 " Not at all ! " she retorted. " We city dwellers have 
 our duties, also." 
 
 " Is that a fact ? I want to know ! " 
 
 164
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Certainly it is a fact," tartly. " I have my duties 
 and many of them." 
 
 " Um ! So ? Well, I s'pose you do feel you must 
 dress just so, and live just so, and do just such and suck 
 things. If you call those duties, why " 
 
 " I do. What else are they, pray ? " 
 
 Mrs. Dunn was finding it difficult to keep her temper. 
 To be catechised in this contemptuously lofty manner 
 by one to whom she considered herself so immensely 
 superior, was too much. She forgot the careful plan of 
 campaign which she had intended to follow in this inter 
 view, and now interrupted in her turn. And Captain 
 Elisha, who also was something of a strategist, smiled 
 at the fire. 
 
 " We do have our social duties, our duties to society," 
 snapped the widow, hotly. " They are necessary ones. 
 Having been born or risen to a certain circle, we 
 recognize the responsibilities attached to it. We are 
 careful with whom we associate ; we have to be. As for 
 dress, we dress as others of our friends do." 
 
 " And maybe a little better, if you can, hey ? " 
 
 "If we can yes. I presume " with crushing 
 irony " dress in South Denboro counts but little." 
 
 " You wouldn't say that if you ever went to sewin' 
 circle," with a chuckle. " Still, compared to the folks at 
 your meetin'-house this morning, our congregation would 
 look like a flock of blackbirds alongside of a cage full of 
 Birds of Paradise. But most of us the women folks 
 especial dress as well as we can." 
 
 " As well as you can ! " triumphantly. " There ! you 
 see ? And you live as well as you can, don't you ? " 
 
 " If you mean style, why, we don't set as much store 
 by it as you do." 
 
 " Nonsense ! We are obliged to be," with a slight 
 165
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 shudder at the vulgarism, "stylish. If we should lapse, 
 if we should become shabby and behind the fashion or 
 live in that way, people would wonder and believe it was 
 because we could not afford to do otherwise." 
 
 " Well, s'pose they did, you'd know better yourselves. 
 Can't you be independent ? " 
 
 " No. Not unless you are very, very rich ; then it 
 might be considered an eccentricity. Independence is a 
 costly luxury, and few can afford it." 
 
 " But suppose you can't afford the other thing? " 
 
 " Then we must pretend we can. Oh, you don't un 
 derstand! So much depends upon a proper appearance. 
 Everything depends upon it one's future, one's chil 
 dren's future everything." 
 
 " Humph ! " with the same irritating smile, " I should 
 think that might mean some plannin'. And plans, the 
 best of 'em, are likely to go wrong. You talk about the 
 children in your in what you call your * circle.' How 
 can you plan what they'll do? You might when they was 
 little, perhaps ; but when they grow up it's different." 
 
 " It is not. It can't be ! And, if they have been prop 
 erly reared and understand their responsibilities, they plan 
 with you." 
 
 " Land sakes ! You mean why, s'pose they take a 
 notion to get married? I'm an old bach, of course, but 
 the average young girl or feller i: subject to that sort of 
 ailment, 'cordin' to the records. S'pose one of your 
 circle's daughters gets to keepin' company with a chap 
 who's outside the ring? A promisin', nice boy enough, 
 but poor, and a rank outsider? Mean to say she sha'n't 
 marry him if she wants to." 
 
 " Certainly ! That sort of marriage is never a happy 
 one, unless, of course, the girl is wealthy enough not to 
 care. And even then it is not advisable. All their cus- 
 
 166
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 toms and habits of thought are different. No! Em 
 phatically, no ! And the girl, if she is sensible and well 
 reared, as I have said, will understand it is impossible." 
 
 " My soul and body ! Then you mean to tell me that 
 she must look out for some chap in her crowd? If she 
 ain't got but just enough to keep inside the circle this 
 grand whirlamagig you're tellin' me about if she's pre- 
 tendin' up to the limit of her income or over, then it's her 
 duty, and her ma and pa's duty, to set her cap for a man 
 who's nigher the center pole in the tent and go right after 
 him ? Do you tell me that ? That's a note, I must say ! " 
 
 Mrs. Dunn's foot beat a lively tattoo on the rug. " I 
 don't know what you mean by a ' note,' " she commented, 
 with majestic indignation. " I have not lived in South 
 Denboro, and perhaps my understanding of English is de 
 fective. But marriages among cultivated people, society 
 people, intelligent, ambitious people are, or should be, 
 the result of thought and planning. Others are impossi 
 ble ! " 
 
 " How about this thing we read so much about in 
 novels ? Love, I believe they call it." 
 
 " Love ! Love is well enough, but it does not, of it 
 self, pay for proper clothes, or a proper establishment, 
 or seats at the opera, or any of the practical, necessary 
 things of modern life. You can't keep up a presentable 
 appearance on love! If I had a daughter who lacked the 
 brains to understand what I had taught her, that is, her 
 duty as a member of good society, and talked of making 
 a love match, I would . . . But there! You can't 
 understand, I suppose." 
 
 She rose and shook the wrinkles from her gown. Cap 
 tain Elisha straightened in his chair. " Why, yes, 
 ma'am," he drawled, quietly ; " yes, ma'am, I guess I un 
 derstand fust-rate." 
 
 167
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 And suddenly Mrs. Dunn also understood. Her face, 
 which had grown almost too red for one attached to a 
 member of polite society, grew redder still. She turned 
 away and walked to the window. 
 
 " What nonsense we've been talking ! " she said, after 
 a moment's silence. " I don't see what led us into this 
 silly discussion. Malcolm and your niece must be having 
 a delightful ride. I almost wish I had gone with them." 
 
 She did wish it, devoutly. Captain Elisha still re 
 mained by the fire. 
 
 " Automobiles are great things for hustlin' around in," 
 ke observed. " Pity they're such dangerous playthings. 
 Yet I s'pose they're one of the necessities of up-to-date 
 folks, same as you said, Mrs. Dunn." 
 
 " Surely," she asked coldly, " you don't condemn au 
 tomobiles, Captain Warren ? What would you return 
 to stage coaches ? " 
 
 " Not a mite! But I was thinkin' of that poor Mori- 
 arty man." 
 
 " His death was due to an accident. And accidents/' 
 she turned and looked directly at him, " when they in- 
 yolve financial damages, may be paid for." 
 
 The captain nodded. " Yes," he said. 
 
 " And when arrangements for such payment is made, 
 honorable people at least, in the circle of which you 
 and I have been speaking consider the matter settled 
 and do not refer to it again, either among themselves 
 or elsewhere." 
 
 " Yes, ma'am." He nodded again. She did know ; 
 Malcolm, evidently, had told her. " Yes, ma'am. That's 
 the way any decent person would feel and act if such 
 a thing happened even if they hailed from South Den- 
 boro." 
 
 He pushed back his chair and stood up. She continued 
 168
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 to look him over, much as if she were taking a mental in 
 ventory of his character, or revising an old one. 
 
 " I hope," she said, lightly, but with deliberation, " our 
 little argument and er slight disagreement concern 
 ing er duty will not make us enemies, Captain War 
 ren." 
 
 " Enemies ! Land sakes, no ! I respect anybody's 
 havin' opinions and not bein' afraid to give 'em. And I 
 think I can understand some of how you feel. Maybe 
 if I was anchored here on Fifth Avenue, same as you are, 
 instead of bein' blown in by an unexpected no'theaster, 
 I'd be feelin' the same way. It's all according as I've 
 said so often. Enemies ? No, indeed ! " 
 
 She laughed again. " I'm so glad ! " she said. " Mal 
 colm declares he'd be quite afraid of me as an enemy. 
 He seems to think I possess some mysterious and quite 
 diabolical talent for making my un-friends uncomfort 
 able, and declares he would compromise rather than fight 
 me at any time. Of course it's ridiculous just one of 
 his jokes and I'm really harmless and very much 
 afraid. That's why I want you and me to be friends, 
 Captain Warren." 
 
 " Sure ! " Captain Elisha nodded emphatically. " That's 
 what I want, too." 
 
 But that evening, immediately after his return to the 
 apartment, when Caroline having gone to her own 
 room to remove her wraps he and the butler were 
 alone, he characteristically unburdened his mind. 
 
 " Mr. Warren, sir," said Edwards, " a young gentle 
 man left a note here for you this afternoon. The ele 
 vator man gave it to me, sir. It's on your dressing 
 table, sir." 
 
 The captain's answer had nothing whatever to do with 
 the note. He had been thinking of other things. 
 
 169
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Commodore," he said, " I've got the answer." 
 
 " To the note ? Already, sir ? I didn't know you'd 
 seen it." 
 
 " I ain't. I've got the answer to the conundrum. 
 It's Mother ! " 
 
 " Mother, sir? I I don't know what you mean." 
 
 " I do. The answer's Mother. Sonny don't count, 
 though he may think he does. But Mother's the whole 
 team and the dog under the wagon. And, Commodore, 
 we've got to trot some if we want to keep ahead of that 
 team ! Don't you forget it ! " 
 
 He went to his room, leaving the bewildered butler to 
 retire to the kitchen, where he informed the cook that 
 the old man was off his head worse than common to 
 night. 
 
 " Blessed if he don't think he's a trotting horse ! " 
 said Edwards.
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 THE note on the dining room table proved, to the 
 captain's delight, to be from James Pearson. It 
 was brief and to the point. 
 
 " Why don't you come and see me ? " wrote the 
 young man. " I've been expecting you, and you prom 
 ised to come. Have you forgotten my address? If so, 
 here it is. I expect to be in all day to-morrow." 
 
 The consequence of this was that eleven o'clock the 
 next day found Captain Elisha pulling the bell at a 
 brick house in a long brick block on a West Side street. 
 The block had evidently been, in its time, the homes of 
 well-to-do people, but now it was rather dingy and gone 
 to seed. Across the street the first floors were, for the 
 most part, small shops, and in the windows above them 
 doctors' signs alternated with those of modistes, mani 
 cure artists, and milliners. 
 
 The captain had come a roundabout way, stopping in 
 at the Moriarty flat, where he found Mrs. Moriarty in 
 a curious state of woe and tearful pride. " Oh, what 
 will I do, sir ? " she moaned. " When I think he's gone, 
 it seems as if I'd die, too. But, thanks to you and Miss 
 Warren Mary make it up to her ! my Pat'll have 
 the finest funeral since the Guinny saloon man was 
 buried. Ah, if he could have lived to see it, he'd have 
 died content ! " 
 
 The pull at the boarding-house bell was answered by a 
 rather slatternly maid, who informed the visitor that 
 she guessed Mr. Pearson was in; he 'most always was 
 12 171
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 around lunch time. So Captain Elisha waited in a typi 
 cal boarding-house parlor, before a grate with no fire 
 in it and surrounded by walnut and plush furniture, until 
 Pearson himself came hurrying downstairs. 
 
 " Say, you're a brick, Captain Warren ! " he declared, 
 as they shook hands. " I hoped you'd come to-day. 
 Why haven't you before?" 
 
 The captain explained his having mislaid the ad 
 dress. 
 
 " Oh, was that it ? Then I'm glad I reminded you. 
 Rather a cheeky thing to do, but I've been a reporter, 
 and nerve is necessary in that profession. I began to be 
 afraid living among the blue-bloods had had its effect, 
 and you were getting finicky as to your acquaintances." 
 
 " You didn't believe any such thing." 
 
 "Didn't I? Well, perhaps I didn't. Come up to my 
 room. I think we can just about squeeze in, if you 
 don't mind sitting close." 
 
 Pearson's room was on the third flight, at the front of 
 the house. Through the window one saw the upper half 
 of the buildings opposite, and above them a stretch of 
 sky. The bed was a small brass and iron affair, but 
 the rest of the furniture was of good quality, the chairs 
 were easy and comfortable, and the walls were thickly 
 hung with photographs, framed drawings, and prints. 
 
 " I put those up to cover the wall paper," explained 
 the host. " I don't offer them as an art collection, but 
 as a screen. Sit down. Put your coat on the bed. 
 Shall I close the window? I usually keep the upper 
 half open to let out the pipe smoke. Otherwise I might 
 not be able to navigate without fog signals." 
 
 His visitor chuckled, followed directions with his 
 coat and hat, and sat down. Pearson took the chair by 
 the small flat-topped desk. 
 
 172
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " How about that window ? " he asked. " Shall 1 
 shut it?" 
 
 " No, no ! We'll be warm enough, I guess. You've 
 got steam heat, I see." 
 
 " You mean you hear. Those pipes make noise 
 enough to wake the dead. At first I thought I couldn't 
 sleep because of the racket they made. Now I doubt 
 if I could without it. Would you consider a cigar, Cap 
 tain?" 
 
 " Hum ! I don't usually stop to consider. But I tell 
 you, Jim just now you said something about a pipe. 
 I've got mine aboard, but I ain't dared to smoke it since 
 I left South Denboro. If you wouldn't mind " 
 
 " Not a bit. Tobacco in this jar on the desk. I 
 keep a temporary supply in my jacket pocket. Matches ? 
 Here you are ! What do you think of my er state 
 room ? " 
 
 " Think it makes nice, snug quarters," was the prompt 
 answer. 
 
 " Humph ! Snug is a good word. Much like living 
 in an omnibus, but it answers the purpose. I furnished 
 it myself, except for the bed. The original bureau had 
 pictures of cauliflowers painted on each drawer front. 
 Mrs. Hepton my landlady was convinced that they 
 were roses. I told her she might be right, but, at all 
 events, looking at them made me hungry. Perhaps she 
 noticed the effect on my appetite and was willing for me 
 to substitute." 
 
 The captain laughed. Then, pointing, he asked: 
 " What's that handbill ? " 
 
 The " handbill " was a fair-sized poster announcing 
 the production at the " Eureka Opera House " of the 
 " Thrilling Comedy-Drama, The Golden Gods." Pear 
 son looked at it, made a face, and shook his head. 
 
 173
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " That," he said, " is my combined crusher and com 
 forter. It is the announcement of the first, and next to 
 the last, performance of a play I wrote in my calf days. 
 The ' Eureka Opera House ' is or was, if the ' gods ' 
 weren't too much for it located at Daybury, Illinois. 
 I keep that bill to prevent my conceit getting away with 
 me. Also, when I get discouraged over my novel, it re 
 minds me that, however bad the yarn may turn out to 
 be, I have committed worse crimes." 
 
 This led to the captain's asking about the novel and 
 how it was progressing. His companion admitted hav 
 ing made some progress, more in the line of revision 
 than anything else. He had remodeled his hero some 
 what, in accordance with his new friend's suggestions 
 during their interview at the Warren apartment, and 
 had introduced other characters, portrait sketches from 
 memory of persons whom he had known in his boyhood 
 days in the Maine town. He read a few chapters aloud, 
 and Captain Elisha waxed almost enthusiastic over 
 them. 
 
 Then followed a long discussion over a point of 
 seamanship, the handling of a bark in a gale. It devel 
 oped that the young author's knowledge of saltwater 
 strategy was extensive and correct in the main, though 
 somewhat theoretical. That of his critic was based 
 upon practice and hard experience. He cited this skip 
 per and that as examples, and carried them through 
 no'theasters off Hatteras and typhoons in the Indian 
 Ocean. The room, in spite of the open window, grew 
 thick with pipe smoke, and the argument was punctuated 
 by thumps on the desk and chair arms, and illustrated 
 by diagrams drawn by the captain's forefinger on the 
 side of the dresser. The effects of oil on breaking roll 
 ers, the use of a " sea-anchor " over the side to " hold 
 
 174
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 her to it," whether or not a man was justified in aban 
 doning his ship under certain given circumstances, these 
 were debated pro and con. Always Pearson's " Uncle 
 Jim " was held up as the final authority, the paragon 
 of sea captains, by the visitor, and, while his host pre 
 tended to agree, with modest reservations, in this esti 
 mate of his relative, he was more and more certain that 
 his hero was bound to become a youthful edition of 
 Elisha Warren himself and he thanked the fates which 
 had brought this fine, able, old-school mariner to his 
 door. 
 
 At length, Captain Elisha, having worked " Uncle 
 Jim " into a safe harbor after a hundred mile cruise un 
 der jury jig, with all hands watch and watch at the 
 pumps, leaned forward in triumph to refill his pipe. 
 Having done so, his eyes remained fixed upon a photo 
 graph standing, partially hidden by a leather collar box, 
 upon the dresser. He looked at it intently, then rose 
 and took it in his hand. 
 
 " Well, I swan ! " he exclaimed. " Either what my 
 head's been the fullest of lately has struck to my eye 
 sight, or else why, say, Jim, that's Caroline, ain't 
 it?" 
 
 Pearson colored and seemed embarrassed. " Yes," he 
 answered, " that is Miss Warren." 
 
 " Humph ! Good likeness, too ! But what kind of 
 rig has she got on? I've seen her wear a good many 
 dresses seems to have a different one for every day, 
 pretty nigh but I never saw her in anything like that. 
 Looks sort of outlandish; like one of them foreign girls 
 at Geneva or Leghorn, say." 
 
 " Yes. That is an Italian peasant costume. Miss 
 Warren wore it at a fancy dress ball a year ago." 
 
 "Want to know! I-talian peasant, hey! Fifth Ave-
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 nue peasant with diamonds in her hair. Becomin' to 
 her, ain't it." 
 
 " I thought so." 
 
 " Yup. She looks pretty enough! But she don't 
 need diamonds nor hand-organ clothes to make her 
 pretty." 
 
 Then, looking up from the photograph, he asked, 
 " Give you this picture, did she? " 
 
 His friend's embarrassment increased. " No," he 
 answered shortly. Then, after an instant's hesitation. 
 " That ball was given by the Astorbilts and was one of 
 the most swagger affairs of the season. The Planet 
 the paper with which I was connected issues a Sun 
 day supplement of half-tone reproductions of photo 
 graphs. One page was given up to pictures of the ball 
 and the costumes worn there." 
 
 " I see. Astonishin' how folks do like to get their 
 faces into print. I used to know an old woman 
 Aunt Hepsibah Tucker, her name was she's dead 
 now. The pride of Aunt Hepsy's heart was that she 
 took nineteen bottles of 'Balm of Burdock Tea* and 
 the tea folks printed her picture as a testimonial that 
 she lived through it. Ho, ho! And society big-bugs 
 appear to have the same cravin'." 
 
 " Some of them do. But that of your niece was ob 
 tained by our society reporter from the photographer 
 who took it. Bribery and corruption, of course. Miss 
 Warren would have been at least surprised to see it 
 in our supplement. I fancied she might not care for so 
 much publicity and suppressed it." 
 
 " Um-hm. Well, I guess you did right. I'll thank 
 you for her. By the way, I told Caroline where I was 
 cal'latin' to go this mornin', and she wished to be remem 
 bered to you." 
 
 176
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Pearson seemed pleased, but he made no comment. 
 Captain Elisha blew a smoke ring from his pipe. 
 
 " And say, Jim," he added, embarrassed in his turn, 
 " I hope you won't think I'm interferin' in your affairs, 
 but are you still set against comin' up to where I live? 
 'I know you said you had a reason, but are you sure it's 
 a good one ? " 
 
 He waited for an answer but none came. Pearson 
 was gazing out of the window. The captain looked at 
 his watch and rose. 
 
 " I guess I'll have to be goin'," he said. " It's after 
 twelve now." 
 
 His host swung around in his chair. " Sit down, 
 Captain," he said. " I've been doing a lot of thinking 
 since I saw you, and I'm not sure about that reason. I 
 believe I'll ask your advice. It is a delicate matter, and 
 it involves your brother. You may see it as he did, 
 and, if so, our friendship ends, I suppose. But I'm go 
 ing to risk it." 
 
 " Mr. Rodgers Warren and I," he went on, " were 
 well acquainted during the latter part of my newspaper 
 work. I was financial man on the Planet, and some 
 articles I wrote took your brother's fancy. At all 
 events, he wrote me concerning them in highly compli 
 mentary terms and asked me to call and see him at his 
 office. I did so and well, we became very friendly, 
 so much so that he invited me to his house. I dined 
 there several times, was invited to call often, and I 
 enjoyed it. You see, I had few friends in the city, out 
 side my journalistic acquaintances, and I suppose I was 
 flattered by Mr. Warren's kindness and the fancy he 
 seemed to have taken to me. And I liked Miss War 
 ren no one could help that and I believed she liked 
 me." 
 
 177
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " She does like you," interrupted his companion, with 
 surprise. " Caroline's a good girl." 
 
 " Yes, she is. However, she isn't in this story, ex 
 cept as a side-issue. At this time my ambitions were 
 for a newspaper career, and I thought I was succeeding. 
 And her father's marked interest and the things he said 
 to me promised more than an ordinary success. He 
 was a well known man on the street, and influential. So 
 my head began to swell, and I dreamed a lot of fool 
 ishness. And then " 
 
 He paused, put down his empty pipe, and sighed. 
 
 " Well, then," he continued, " came the upset. I 
 judged from what you said at our previous conversa 
 tion, Captain, that you were well enough acquainted with 
 Wall Street to know that queer operations take place 
 there. Did you read about the South Shore Trolley 
 business? " 
 
 Captain Elisha considered. " Why, yes," he said, 
 slowly, " seem's if I did. One of those consolidations 
 with ' holdin' companies ' and franchises and exten 
 sions and water by the hogshead. Wa'n't that it? I re 
 member now ; the Boston papers had considerable about 
 it, and I presume likely the New York ones had more. 
 One of those all-accordin'-to-law swindles that sprout 
 same as toadstools in a dark place, but die out if the 
 light's turned on too sudden. This one didn't come to 
 nothin' but a bad smell, if I remember right." 
 
 " You do. And I suppose I'm responsible for the 
 smell. I got wind of the thing, investigated, found out 
 something of what was going on, and printed a prelim 
 inary story in the Planet. It caused a sensation." 
 
 He paused once more. Captain Elisha, for the sake 
 of saying something, observed, " I shouldn't wonder." 
 
 " It certainly did. And the morning on which it ap- 
 178
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 peared, Mr. Rodgers Warren 'phoned me. He wished 
 to see me at once. I went down to his office. Captain, 
 I dislike to tell you this. Mr. Warren was your 
 brother." 
 
 " I know he was. And I'm his executor. Both those 
 reasons make me 'specially anxious to have you tell me 
 the truth. Heave ahead now, to oblige me." 
 
 " Well, I found him very polite and cordial, at first. 
 He said that a ridiculous and sensational story con 
 cerning the Trolley Combine had appeared in the 
 Planet, and he would like to have me contradict it and 
 suppress further falsehoods of the kind. I told him I 
 couldn't do that, because the story was true. I had 
 written it myself. He was angry, and I could see that 
 he was holding himself in by main strength. I went 
 on to explain that it was the duty of an honest paper, 
 as I saw it, to expose such trespass upon the people's 
 rights. He asked me if I knew who was behind the 
 scheme. I said I knew some of the backers. They 
 were pretty big men, too. Then he informed me that 
 he himself was deeply interested. 
 
 " I was knocked off my feet by that, you can imagine. 
 And, to be frank, Captain, if I had known it at first 
 I'm not sure that I, personally, would have taken the 
 matter up. Yet I might; I can't tell. But now that I 
 had done it and discovered what I had, I couldn't give 
 it up. I must go on and learn more. And I knew 
 enough already to be certain that the more I learned the 
 more I should write and have published. It was one 
 of those things which had to be made public if a fel 
 low had a conscience about him and a pride in the 
 decency of his profession. 
 
 " All this was going through my head as I sat there 
 in his private office. And he took my surprise and hesi- 
 
 179
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 tation as symptoms of wavering and went at me, hard. 
 Of course I knew, he said, that the operation was abso 
 lutely within the law. I did, but that didn't make it 
 more honest or moral or just. He went on to say that 
 in large financial deals of this nature petty scruples 
 must be lost sight of. Good of the business, rights of 
 stockholders, all that sort of stuff; he rang the changes. 
 All the papers cared for was sensation ; to imperil the 
 fortune of widows and orphans whose savings were in 
 vested in the South Shore Stock, for the sake of sen 
 sation, was a crime. He should have known better 
 than to say that to me; it is such an ancient, worn-out 
 platitude." 
 
 " I know. I've been to political meetin's. The 
 widows and orphans are always hangin' on the success 
 of the Republican party or the Democratic, whichever 
 way you vote. The amount of tears shed over their in 
 vestments by fellers you wouldn't trust with a brass 
 five-cent piece, is somethin' amazin'. Go on; I didn't 
 mean to interrupt." 
 
 " Then he switched to a more personal appeal. He 
 said he had taken a fancy to me ; had liked me from the 
 very beginning. He recognized my unusual genius at 
 first sight and had gone as far as to make plans bear 
 ing directly on my future. He was associated with 
 men of wealth and business sagacity. Large deals, of 
 which the Trolley Combine was but one, were on foot. 
 He and his friends needed a representative on the press 
 a publicity agent, so to speak. Some of the great 
 est corporations employed men of that kind, and the 
 salaries paid were large and the opportunities afforded 
 greater still. Well, that's true enough. I know writ 
 ers who are doing just that thing and getting rich at it. 
 I suppose they've squared their consciences somehow 
 
 1 80
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 and are willing to write lies and misleading articles for 
 what there is in it. I can't, that's all ; I'm not built that 
 way, and I told him so. 
 
 " It ended in an open break. He reminded me of the 
 favors he had done me. He had treated me almost like 
 a son, had introduced me to his family, entertaining me 
 at his table. Where was my gratitude? That was an 
 other bad break on his part, for it made me mad. I 
 told him I had not asked to be adopted or fed by him ; 
 if I had supposed his kindness had an ulterier motive, 
 I would have seen him at the devil before I accepted a 
 favor. My career as a financial visitor was ended. 
 Get out of his office! I got. But the Trolley Com 
 bine did not go through. The Planet and the other 
 papers kept up the fight and and the widows and 
 orphans are bankrupt, I presume." 
 
 Captain Elisha's pipe had gone out long since. He 
 absently rubbed the warm bowl between his palms. 
 
 " Humph ! " he muttered. " So 'Bije was deep in that 
 business, was he ? " 
 
 " He was. Very deep indeed, I found out after 
 wards. And, I declare, I almost pitied him at the time. 
 He acted as if his whole fortune was staked on the 
 gamble. His hands shook, and the perspiration stood 
 on his forehead as he talked. I felt as if I had been 
 the means of ruining him. But of course, I hadn't. He 
 lived for some time after that, and, I understand, died 
 a rich man.'' 
 
 " Yes. He left what I'd call a heap of money. My 
 nephew and niece don't seem to think so, but I do." 
 
 " So you see, Captain, why I stopped calling on the 
 Warrens, and why I did not accept Miss Warren's invi 
 tation." 
 
 " I see ... I see . . . And yet I don't 
 181
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 know. 'Bije may have took to you for business reasons, 
 but the children didn't. They liked you for yourself, 
 Caroline as much as said so. And their father never 
 told 'em a word about the row, neither. Of course you 
 couldn't have called when he was alive, but he's gone, 
 and I'm well, I'm sort of temporary skipper there 
 now. And / want you to come." 
 
 " But if Miss Warren did know ? She should 
 know, I think." 
 
 " I ain't sure that she should. I guess there's con- 
 sider'ble in her pa's life she ain't acquainted with. And 
 she's as straight and honest and upright as a schooners 
 fo'mast. You did nothin' to be 'shamed of. It's the 
 other way 'round, 'cordin' to my notion. But leave her 
 out of it now. I've sacrificed some few things to take 
 the job I've got at present, but I can't afford to sacrifice 
 my friends. I count on you as a friend, and I want 
 you to come and see me. Will you ? " 
 
 " I don't know, Captain Warren. I must think it 
 over a while, I guess." 
 
 " All right think. But the invitation stands my 
 invitation. And, if you want to shift responsibility, 
 shift it on to me. Some day, if it'll make you feel bet 
 ter, I'll tell Caroline and Stevie the whole story. But I 
 want them to know you and the world and me a 
 little better first. 'Cordin' to my notion, they need edu 
 cation just along that line. They've got teachers in 
 other branches, but . . . There ! I've got to be 
 goin'. There's the dinner bell now." 
 
 The string of Japanese gongs, hung in the lower hall, 
 sounded sonorously. Captain Elisha reached for his 
 coat and hat, but Pearson caught his arm. 
 
 " No, you don't ! " he declared. " You're going to 
 stay and have lunch with me here. If you say no, I 
 
 182
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 shall believe it is because you are afraid of a boarding- 
 house meal." 
 
 His guest protested, but the protests were overruled, 
 and he and his host went down to the dining room. 
 The captain whispered as they entered, " Land sakes, 
 Jim, this takes me back home. It's pretty nigh a twin 
 to the dinin' room at the Centre House in South Den- 
 boro." 
 
 All boarding-house dining rooms bear a family like 
 ness, so the comment was not far wrong. A long table, 
 rows of chairs on each side, ancient and honorable pic 
 tures on the walls, the landlady presiding majestically 
 over the teapot, the boarders' napkins in ' rings all the 
 familiar landmarks were present. 
 
 Most of the male " regulars " were in business about 
 the city and therefore lunched elsewhere, but the 
 females were in evidence. Pearson introduced his 
 guest. The captain met Mrs. Hepton, the landlady, 
 plump, gray-haired, and graciously hospitable. She 
 did not look at all like a business woman, but appear 
 ances are not always to be trusted; Mrs. Hepton had 
 learned not to trust them also delinquent boarders, too 
 far. He met Miss Sherborne, whose coiffure did not 
 match in spots, but whose voice, so he learned afterward, 
 had been " cultivated abroad." Miss Sherborne gave 
 music lessons. Mrs. Van Winkle Ruggles also claimed 
 his attention and held it, principally because of the faded 
 richness of her apparel. Mrs. Ruggles was a widow, 
 suffering from financial reverses ; the contrast between 
 her present mode of living and the grandeur of the past 
 formed her principal topic of conversation. 
 
 There were half a dozen others, including an artist 
 whose aversion to barbers was proclaimed by the lux- 
 
 183
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 uriant length of his locks, a quiet old gentleman who 
 kept the second-hand book store two doors below ; his 
 wife, a neat, trim little body; and Mr. and Mrs. C. 
 Dickens, no less. 
 
 Mr. Dickens was bald, an affliction which he tried to 
 conceal by brushing the hair at the sides of his head 
 across the desert at the top. He shaved his cheeks and 
 wore a beard and mustache. Mrs. Dickens addressed 
 him as " C.," and handed him the sauce bottle, the bread, 
 or whatever she imagined he desired, as if she were 
 offering sacrifice to an idol. 
 
 She sat next to Captain Elisha and imparted informa 
 tion concerning her lord and master in whispers, during 
 the intervals between offerings. 
 
 " My husband will be pleased to meet you, Captain 
 Warren," she murmured. " Any friend of Mr. Pear 
 son is certain to be an acquisition. Mr. Pearson and 
 my husband are congenial spirits ; they are members of 
 the same profession." 
 
 " I want to know, ma'am." 
 
 "Yes. What is it, ' C.' dear? Oh, the butter! 
 Margaret " to the waitress " Mr. Dickens wishes an 
 other butter-ball. Yes, Captain Warren, Mr. Dickens 
 is an author. Haven't you noticed the er resem 
 blance? It is considered quite remarkable." 
 
 Captain Elisha looked puzzled. " Why," he said, " I 
 hadn't noticed it 'special. Jim's Mr. Pearson's 
 eyes and his are some the same color, but " 
 
 " Oh, no ! not the resemblance to Mr. Pearson. I 
 didn't mean that. The resemblance to his more famous 
 namesake. Surely you notice it nozv." 
 
 The captain shook his head. "I I'm afraid I'm 
 thick-headed, ma'am," he admitted. " I'm out of 
 soundin's." 
 
 184
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " But the nose, and his beard, and his manner. 
 Don't they remind you of the English Dickens ? " 
 
 " O-oh ! " Captain Elisha inspected the great man 
 with interest. He had a vague memory of a portrait 
 in a volume of " Pickwick " at home. " Oh, I see ! 
 Yes, yes." 
 
 "Of course you see! Everyone does. Mr. Dickens 
 often says it is one of his favorite jokes that while 
 other men must choose a profession, his was chosen for 
 him by fate. How, with such a name, could he do any 
 thing except write ? " 
 
 " I don't know, ma'am. But names are risky pilots, 
 ain't they? I've run against a consider'ble number of 
 Solomons, but there wa'n't one of 'em that carried 
 more'n a deckload of wisdom. They christened me 
 Elisha, but I can't even prophesy the weather with 
 sartinty enough to bet. However, I daresay in your hus 
 band's case it's all right." 
 
 The lady had turned away, and he was afraid he might 
 have offended her. The fear was groundless ; she was 
 merely offering another sacrifice, the sugar this time. 
 
 " Yes ? " she asked, turning, " you were saying : 
 
 " Why er nothin' of account. I cal'late the C. 
 stands for Charles, then." 
 
 " No-o. Mr. Dickens's Christian name is Cor 
 nelius ; but don't mention it before him, he is very sen 
 sitive on that point." 
 
 The Dickenses " tickled " the captain exceedingly, 
 and, after the meal was over, he spoke of them to Pear 
 son. 
 
 " Say," he said, " you're in notorious company, ain't 
 you, Jim? What has Cornelius Charles turned out so 
 far, in the way of masterpieces ? " 
 
 Pearson laughed. " I believe he is employed by a 
 185
 
 subscription house," he replied. " Doing hack work on 
 an encyclopedia. A great collection of freaks, aren't 
 they, Captain Warren ? " 
 
 " Kind of. But that old book-shop man and his wife 
 seem nice folks. And, as for freaks, the average 
 boardin' house, city or country, seems to draw 'em like 
 flies. I guess most anybody would get queer if they 
 boarded all the time." 
 
 " Perhaps so. Or, if they weren't queer, they 
 wouldn't board permanently from choice. There are 
 two or three good fellows who dine and breakfast here. 
 The food isn't bad, considering the price." 
 
 " No, it ain't. Tasted more like home than any meal 
 I've had for a good while. I'm afraid I never was cut 
 out for swell livin'." 
 
 Mrs. Hepton approached them as they stood in the 
 hall. She wished to know if Mr. Pearson's friend was 
 thinking of finding lodgings. Because Mr. Saks the 
 artist's name was giving up the second floor back in 
 a fortnight, and it was a very pleasant room. " We 
 should be delighted to add you to our little circle, Cap 
 tain Warren." 
 
 Pearson told her that his companion was already 
 lodged, and she said good-by and left them. The cap 
 tain smiled broadly. 
 
 " Everything in New York seems to be circles," he 
 declared. " Well, Jim, you come up and circulate with 
 me, first chance you get. I'm dependin' on you to call, 
 remember." 
 
 The young man was still doubtful. 
 
 "I'll see," he said. "I can't promise yet perhaps 
 I will." 
 
 " You will after you've thought it out to a finish. 
 And come soon. I'm gettin' interested in that second 
 
 1 86
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 edition of your Uncle Jim, and I want to keep along 
 with him as fast as you write. Good-by. Much 
 obliged for the dinner there I go again ! luncheon, 
 I mean."
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 PEARSON called. He appeared at the apart 
 ment a week after the luncheon at the board 
 ing house and was welcomed by the Captain 
 Elisha, who, hearing his voice, strode into the hall, 
 sent the shocked Edwards to the right-about in a hurry, 
 seized his friend's hand, and ushered him into the 
 library. Pearson said nothing concerning his change of 
 mind, the course of reasoning which led him to make 
 the visit, and the captain asked no questions. He took 
 it for granted that the young fellow's common sense 
 had turned the trick, and, the result being what it was, 
 that was sufficient. 
 
 They spent a pleasant afternoon together. Caroline 
 was out, and they had the library to themselves. The 
 newest chapters of the novel were read and discussed, 
 and the salty flavor of the talk was as pronounced as 
 ever. Pearson left early, but promised to come again 
 very soon. 
 
 When Caroline returned her uncle told her of his 
 visitor. She seemed unfeignedly pleased, but regretted 
 that she had not been there. " He was such a friend of 
 father's," she said, " that seeing him here would be al 
 most like the old days. And so many of those whom 
 we thought were his friends and ours have left us." 
 
 This was true. Rodgers Warren and his children 
 had had many acquaintances, had been active in church 
 and charitable work, and their former home was a 
 center of entertainment and gayety while he lived. 
 
 1 88
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 But his death and the rumors of shrinkage in the family 
 fortune, the giving up of the Fifth Avenue residence, 
 the period of mourning which forbade social functions, 
 all these helped to bring about forgetfulness on the part 
 of the many ; and Caroline's supersensitiveness and her 
 firm resolve not to force her society where it might be 
 unwelcome had been the causes of misunderstanding in 
 others, whose liking and sympathy were genuine. " I 
 don't see what has come over Caroline Warren," de 
 clared a former girl friend, " she isn't a bit as she 
 used to be. Well, I've done my part. If she doesn't 
 wish to return my call, she needn't. / sha'n't annoy her 
 again. But I'm sorry, for she was the sweetest girl I 
 knew." 
 
 Stephen had never been very popular, and his ab 
 sence at college still further reduced the number of 
 young people who might be inclined to call. Their not 
 calling confirmed Caroline's belief that she and her 
 brother were deliberately shunned because of their 
 change in circumstances, and she grew more sensi 
 tive and proudly resentful in consequence. Naturally 
 she turned for comfort to those who remained faithful, 
 the Dunns in particular. They were loyal to her. 
 Therefore, with the intensity of her nature, she became 
 doubly loyal to them. The rector of St. Denis dropped 
 in frequently, and others occasionally, but she was lonely. 
 She craved the society of those nearer her own age. 
 
 Pearson's coming, then, was psychologically apt. 
 When he made his next call upon Captain Elisha, to 
 find the latter out but his niece at home, she welcomed 
 him cordially and insisted upon his waiting until her 
 guardian returned. The conversation was, at first, em 
 barrassing for the ex-reporter ; she spoke of her father, 
 and Pearson the memory of his last interview with 
 
 189
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 the latter fresh in his mind, and painfully aware that 
 she knew nothing of it felt guilty and like a hypo 
 crite. But soon the subject changed, and when the cap 
 tain entered the library he found the pair laughing and 
 chatting like old acquaintances, as, of course, they 
 were. 
 
 Captain Elisha, paying no attention to his friend's 
 shakes of the head, invited his niece to be present at the 
 reading of the latest addition to what he called " mine 
 and Jim's record-breakin' sea yarn." 
 
 " It's really mine, you understand, Caroline," he ob 
 served, with a wink. " I'm silent partner in the firm 
 
 if you can call the one that does all the talkin' silent 
 
 and Jim don't do nothin' but make it up and write it 
 and get the profits. Course, you mustn't mention this 
 to him, 'cause he thinks he's the author, and 'twould 
 hurt his feelin's." 
 
 " He's quite right," declared Pearson, emphatically. 
 " If the thing is ever finished and published he will de 
 serve all the credit. His advice had already remade it. 
 This uncle of yours, Miss Warren," he added, turning 
 to her, " is like the admiral Kipling wrote about he 
 has ' lived more stories ' than ever I could invent." 
 
 The captain, fearful that his niece might take the 
 statement seriously, hastened to protest. 
 
 "He's just foolin', Caroline," he said. "All I've 
 done is set and talk and talk and talk. I've used up 
 more of his time and the surroundin' air than you'd be 
 lieve was possible. When I get next to salt water, even 
 in print, it's time to muzzle me, same as a dog in July. 
 The yarn is Jim's altogether, and it's mighty interestin' 
 
 to me anyhow." 
 
 " I'm sure it will be to me, also," declared the young 
 lady. " Captain Warren has told me all about it, Mr. 
 
 190
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Pearson, and I'm very eager to hear the new portion/ 5 
 
 " There ! " Captain Elisha slapped his knee. 
 " There, Jim ! " he exclaimed, " you hear that ? Now 
 you've got to read it. Anchor's apeak! Heave ahead 
 and get under way." 
 
 So, because he could not well refuse, the author re 
 luctantly began to read. And, as usual, his nautical 
 friend to interrupt and comment. Caroline listened, her 
 eyes twinkling. When the reading and the arguments 
 were at an end, she declared it was all splendid ; " Just 
 like being at sea one's self," she said. " I positively 
 refuse to permit another installment to be submitted 
 unless I am on deck. That's the proper phrase, isn't 
 it, Captain?" 
 
 " Aye, aye, ma'am ! Jim, we've shipped a new second 
 mate, and she's goin' to be wuth her salt. You hear 
 me!" 
 
 She proved to be worth all of that, at least in Pear 
 son's opinion. His calls and the readings and discus 
 sions became more and more frequent. Each of the 
 trio enjoyed them greatly, Caroline quite as much as the 
 others. Here was something new and fresh, something 
 to furnish a real interest. The story advanced rapidly, 
 the character of the nautical hero shaped itself better 
 and better, and the heroine, also, heretofore a some 
 what shadowy and vague young woman, began to live 
 and breathe. She changed surprisingly, not only in 
 mental but in physical characteristics. 
 
 Captain Elisha was first to notice the latter pecul 
 iarity. 
 
 " Say, Jim ! " he interrupted, one afternoon, " what 
 was that you just read about Mary? Her hat blowin' 
 off to leeward and her brown hair blowin' after it? Or 
 somethin' of that sort ? " 
 
 191
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Caroline laughed merrily. The author turned to the 
 passage mentioned. 
 
 " Not exactly, Captain," he replied, smiling. " I said 
 her hat had blown away, and her brown curls tossed in 
 the wind. What's wrong with that? Hats do blow 
 away in a sou'wester; I've seen them." 
 
 " Perhaps he thinks she should have been more care 
 ful in pinning it on," suggested the feminine member 
 of the advisory board. 
 
 Captain Elisha shook his head. " No," he observed 
 calmly, " but why was she wearin' that kind of hair ? 
 She's pretty young to use a switch, ain't she ? " 
 
 " Switch ? " repeated " Mary's " creator, with some 
 indignation. " What are you talking about ? When I 
 first described her, I said that her hair was luxuriant 
 and one of her chief beauties." 
 
 " That's a fact ! So you did. What made her dye 
 it?" 
 
 "Dye it? What do you think she is a chorus 
 girl?" 
 
 " If I remember right she's a postmaster's daughter. 
 But why is she wearin' brown hair, if it ain't neither 
 false or dyed? Back in the third chapter 'twas black, 
 like her eyes." 
 
 Caroline burst into another laugh. Pearson blushed 
 to his forehead. " Well, by George ! " he admitted, 
 " you're right. I believe I did have it black, at first." 
 
 " You sartin did ! I ain't got any objections to either 
 color, only it ought to stay put, hadn't it? In a town 
 of the size she's livin' in, a girl with changeable hair is 
 likely to be kind of conspicuous. I tell you! maybe it 
 bleached out in the sun. Ho, ho ! " 
 
 The writer made a note on the margin of his manu 
 script and declared that his heroine's tresses and eyes 
 
 192
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 should be made to correspond at all stages. They did, 
 but they remained brown. Captain Elisha chuckled in 
 wardly, but offered no further comments. Caroline, 
 whose own hair and eyes were brown, did not refer to 
 the matter at all. 
 
 She and the young man became better acquainted at 
 each succeeding " literary clinic," as the latter called 
 them. When Rodgers Warren first introduced him at 
 their former home he had impressed her favorably, 
 largely because of her desire to like anyone whom her 
 father fancied. She worshiped the dead broker, and 
 his memory to her was sacred. She would have for 
 given and did forgive any wrong he might have done 
 her, even his brother's appointment as guardian, though 
 that she could not understand. Unlike Stephen, who 
 fiercely resented the whole affair and said bitter things 
 concerning his parent, she believed he had done what he 
 considered right. Her feeling against Captain Elisha 
 had been based upon the latter's acceptance of that ap 
 pointment when he should have realized his unfitness. 
 And his living with them and disgracing them in the 
 eyes of their friends by his uncouth, country ways, 
 made her blind to his good qualities. The Moriarty 
 matter touched her conscience, and she saw more clearly. 
 But she was very far from considering him an equal, or 
 other than what Mrs. Corcoran Dunn termed him, an 
 " encumbrance," even yet. She forced herself to be 
 kind and tolerant and gave him more of her society, 
 though the church-going experience was not repeated, 
 nor did she accompany him on his walks or out-of-door 
 excursions. 
 
 If Pearson's introductions had been wholly as a 
 friend of her guardian, her feeling toward him might 
 have been tinged with the same condescension or 
 
 193
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 aversion, even. But, hallowed as he was by association 
 with her father, she welcomed him for the latter's sake. 
 And, as she became interested in the novel and found 
 that her suggestions concerning it were considered 
 valuable, she looked forward to his visits and was dis 
 appointed if, for any reason, they were deferred. 
 Without being aware of it, she began to like the young 
 author, not alone because he wrote entertainingly and 
 flattered her by listening respectfully to her criticisms, 
 or because her father had liked him, but for himself. 
 
 Captain Elisha was much pleased. 
 
 " I told you, Jim ! " he said. " She's just as glad to 
 see you as I am. Now don't you see how foolish it 
 was to stay away 'cause you and 'Bije had a spat? 
 Think of all the good times we'd have missed! And 
 we needed a female aboard your Uncle Jim's craft, to 
 help with ' Mary ' and the rest." 
 
 His friend nodded. " She has been a great help, cer 
 tainly," he answered. " But I can't help feeling guilty 
 every time I come here. It is too much like obtaining 
 her friendship under false pretenses. She should 
 know the whole thing, I believe." 
 
 " She shall know it, when I think it's time for her 
 to. But I want her to know you first. Then she'll be 
 able to judge without so much prejudice. I told you 
 I'd take the responsibility. You leave the ship in my 
 charge for a spell." 
 
 In spite of this confident assertion, the captain also 
 felt a trifle guilty. He realized that selfishness was in 
 volved in his keeping Pearson's secret from his niece. 
 He was thoroughly enjoying himself with these two, 
 and he could not bear to risk the breaking up which 
 might follow disclosure. 
 
 One evening, while a " clinic " was in progress and 
 194
 
 She and the young man became better acquainted at each 
 succeeding ' literary clinic.' "
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 the three were deep in consultation, Edwards entered 
 to announce Mrs. Corcoran Dunn and Mr. Malcolm. 
 The butler's giving the lady precedence in his announ 
 cing showed that he, too, realized who was ranking offi 
 cer in that family, even though the captain's " conun 
 drum " had puzzled him. Mrs. Dunn and her son 
 entered at his heels. 
 
 The lady took in the group by the table at a glance: 
 Pearson, with the manuscript in his hands ; Captain 
 Elisha leaning back in his chair, frowning at the in 
 terruption; Caroline rising to welcome the guests, and 
 coloring slightly as she did so. All these details Mrs. 
 Dunn noted, made an entry in her mental memorandum- 
 book, and underscored it for future reference. 
 
 If she discerned unpleasant possibilities in the situa 
 tion, she did not allow them to disturb her outward 
 serenity. She kissed Caroline and called her " dear 
 child " as fondly as usual, shook hands graciously with 
 Captain Elisha, and bowed condescending recognition of 
 Pearson. 
 
 " And how is the novel coming on ? Do tell me ! " 
 she begged. " I'm sure we interrupted a reading. It's 
 too bad of us, really! But Malcolm insisted upon com 
 ing. He has been very busy of late some dreadful 
 * corner ' or other on the exchange and has neglected 
 his friends or thinks he has. I told him I had ex 
 plained it all to you, Caroline, but he would come to 
 night. It is the first call he has made in weeks ; so you 
 see! But there! he doesn't consider running in here a 
 call." 
 
 Call or not, it spoiled the evening for at least two of 
 the company. Pearson left early. Captain Elisha ex 
 cused himself soon after and went to his room, leav 
 ing the Dunns to chat with Caroline for an hour or 
 
 195
 
 more. Malcolm joked and was languid and cynical. 
 His mother asked a few carefully guarded questions. 
 
 " Quite a clever person, this young author friend of 
 yours seems to be, Caroline," she observed. " Almost 
 brilliant, really." 
 
 " He isn't a friend of mine, exactly," replied the girl. 
 " He and Captain Warren are friendly, and father used 
 to know and like him, as I have told you. The novel is 
 great fun, though! The people in it are coming to 
 seem almost real to me." 
 
 "I daresay! I was a great reader myself once, be 
 fore my health my heart, you know began to 
 trouble me. The doctors now forbid my reading any 
 thing the least bit exciting. Has this er Mr. Pear 
 son means ? " 
 
 " I know very little of him, personally, but I think 
 not. He used to be connected with the Planet, and 
 wrote things about Wall Street. That was how father 
 came to know him." 
 
 " Live in an attic, does he ? " inquired Malcolm. 
 " That's what all authors do, isn't it ? Put up in attics 
 and sleep on pallets whatever they are and eat 
 crusts, don't they? Jolly life if you like it! I pre 
 fer bucking wheat corners, myself." 
 
 Mrs. Dunn laughed, and Caroline joined her, though 
 not as heartily. 
 
 " How ridiculous you are, Malcolm ! " exclaimed his 
 mother. " Mr. Pearson isn't that kind of an author, 
 I'm sure. But where does he live, Caroline ? " 
 
 " Somewhere on West i8th Street, I believe. He has 
 rooms there, I think." 
 
 "Oh! Really? And how is this wonderful novel of 
 his progressing? When does he expect to favor us 
 with it?" 
 
 196
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " I don't know. But it is progressing very well at 
 present. He has written three chapters since last 
 Wednesday. He was reading them to us when you 
 came." 
 
 " Indeed ! Since last Wednesday ? How interest- 
 ing!" 
 
 Malcolm did not seem to find the topic interesting, 
 for he smothered a yawn. His mother changed the sub 
 ject. On their way home, however, she again referred 
 to it. 
 
 " You must make it a point to see her every day," 
 she declared. " No matter what happens, you must 
 do it." 
 
 " Oh, Lord ! " groaned her son, " I can't. There's 
 the deuce and all on 'Change just now, and the billiard 
 tournament's begun at the Club. My days and nights 
 are full up. Once a week is all she should expect, I 
 think." 
 
 " No matter what you think or what she expects, you 
 must do as I say." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 " Because I don't like the looks of things." 
 
 " Oh, rubbish ! You're always seeing bugaboos. 
 Uncle Hayseed is pacified, isn't he? I've paid the 
 Moriarty crowd off. Beastly big bills they were, too ! " 
 
 " Humph ! Uncle Hayseed, as you call him, is any 
 thing but a fool. But he isn't the particular trouble at 
 present. He and I understand each other, I believe, 
 and he will be reasonable. But there is this Pear 
 son. I don't like his calling so frequently." 
 
 Malcolm laughed in huge scorn. " Pearson ! " he 
 sneered. " Why, he's nothing but a penny-a-liner, with 
 out the penny. Surely you're not afraid Caroline will 
 take a fancy to him. She isn't an idiot." 
 
 197
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " She's a young girl, and more romantic than I wish 
 she was. At her age girls do silly things, sometimes. 
 He called on Wednesday you heard her say so r 
 and was there again to-night. I don't like it, I tell you."' 
 
 " Her uncle is responsible for " 
 
 " It is more than that. She knew him long before 
 she knew her uncle existed. Her father introduced him 
 her father. And to her mind, whatever her father 
 did was right." 
 
 " Witness his brilliant selection of an executor. Oh, 
 Mater, you weary me! I used to know this Pearson 
 when he was a reporter down town, and . . . 
 Humph ! " 
 
 "What is it?" 
 
 " Why, nothing, I guess. It seemed as if I remember 
 Warren and Pearson in some sort of mix-up. Some 
 . . . Humph! I wonder." 
 
 He was silent, thinking. His mother pressed his arm 
 excitedly. 
 
 " If you remember anything that occurred between 
 Rodgers Warren and this man, anything to this Pear 
 son's disadvantage, it may pay us to investigate. What 
 was it?" 
 
 " I don't know. But it seemed as if I remembered 
 Warren's ... or a friend of his telling me . . . 
 saying something . . . but it couldn't be of im 
 portance, because Caroline doesn't know it." 
 
 " I'm not so sure that it may not be important. And, 
 if you recall, on that day when we first met him at 
 Caroline's, she seemed hurt because he had not visited 
 them since her father died. Perhaps there zvas a rea 
 son. At any rate, I should look into the matter." 
 
 " All right, Mater, just as you say. Really you ought 
 to join a Don't Worry Club." 
 
 198
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " One member in the family is quite sufficient. And 
 I expect you to devote yourself to Caroline from now 
 on. That girl is lonely, and when you get the combina 
 tion of a lonely romantic young girl and a good-looking 
 and interesting young fellow, even though he is as poor 
 as a church mouse, anything may happen. Add to that 
 the influence of an unpractical but sharp old Yankee 
 relative and guardian then the situation is positively 
 dangerous."
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 AN important event was about to take place. 
 At least, it seemed important to Captain 
 Elisha, although the person most intimately 
 concerned appeared to have forgotten it entirely. He 
 ventured to remind her of it. 
 
 " Caroline," he said, " Sunday is your birthday, ain't 
 it?" 
 
 His niece looked at him in surprise. " Yes," she 
 answered, " it is. How did you know ? " 
 
 " Why, I remembered, that's all. Graves, the lawyer 
 man, told me how old you and Stevie were, fust time I 
 met him. And his partner, Mr. Sylvester, gave me the 
 date one day when he was goin' over your pa's will. 
 You'll be twenty years old Sunday, won't you ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 It was late in the afternoon, and she had been out 
 since ten o'clock shopping with Mrs. Dunn, lunching 
 down town with the latter and Malcolm, and motoring 
 for an hour or two. The weather for the season was 
 mild and sunny, and the crisp air had brightened her 
 cheeks, her eyes sparkled, her fur coat and cap were 
 very becoming, and Captain Elisha inspected her ad 
 miringly before making another remark. 
 
 " My ! My ! " he exclaimed, after an instant's pause. 
 " Twenty years old ! Think of it ! 'Bije's girl's a young 
 woman now, ain't she? I cal'late he was proud of you, 
 too. He ought to have been. I presume likely lie 
 didn't forget your birthday." 
 
 200
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 He rose to help her with the heavy coat. As he lifted 
 it from her shoulders, he bent forward and caught a 
 glimpse of her face. 
 
 " There ! there ! " he said, hastily. " Don't feel bad, 
 dearie. I didn't mean to hurt your feelin's. Excuse 
 me; I was thinkin' out loud, sort of." 
 
 She did not answer at once, but turned away to re 
 move her cap. Then she answered, without looking at 
 him. 
 
 " He never forgot them," she said. 
 
 " Course he didn't. Well, you see I didn't forget, 
 either." 
 
 It was an unfortunate remark, inasmuch as it drew, 
 in her mind, a comparison between her handsome, dig 
 nified father and his rude, uncultured brother. The 
 contrast was ever present in her thoughts, and she did 
 not need to be reminded of it. She made no reply. 
 
 " I was thinkin'," continued the captain, conscious of 
 having made a mistake, " that maybe we might cele 
 brate somehow, in a quiet way." 
 
 " No. I am not in the mood for celebrations." 
 
 " Oh, I didn't mean fireworks and the town band. I 
 just thought " 
 
 " Please don't. I remember other birthdays too well." 
 
 They had been great occasions, those birthdays of 
 hers, ever since she was a little girl. On the eighteenth 
 she made her debut in society, and the gown she wore 
 on that memorable evening was laid away upstairs, a 
 cherished memento, to be kept as long as she lived. 
 Each year Rodgers Warren took infinite pains to please 
 and surprise his idolized daughter. She could not bear 
 to think of another birthday, now that he had been taken 
 from her. 
 
 Her guardian pulled his beard. " Well," he observed 
 
 201
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 ruefully, " then my weak head's put my foot in it again, 
 as the feller said. If I ain't careful I'll be like poor 
 cracked Philander Baker, who lives with his sister over 
 at Denboro Centre. The doctor told Philander he was 
 threatened with softenin' of the brain, and the sister 
 thanked him for the compliment. You see, Caroline, I 
 wrote on my own hook and asked Stevie to come home 
 Saturday and stay till Monday. I kind of thought you'd 
 like to have him here." 
 
 "Oh, I should like that! But will he come? Has 
 he written you ? " 
 
 " Hey ? Yes, I cal'late he'll be on deck. He's er 
 yes, he's written me." 
 
 He smiled as he answered. As a matter of fact, the 
 correspondence between Stephen and himself had been 
 lengthy and voluminous on the part of the former, 
 and brief and business-like on his own. The boy, 
 on his return to college, had found " conditions " 
 awaiting him, and the amount of hard work involved in 
 their clearance was not at all to his taste. He wrote his 
 guardian before the first week was over, asserting that 
 the whole business was foolishness and a waste of time. 
 He should come home at once, he said, and he notified 
 the captain that such was his intention. Captain Eli- 
 sha replied with promptness and decision. If he came 
 home he would be sent back, that was all. " I realize 
 you've got a job ahead of you, Son," wrote the captain, 
 " but you can do it, if you will. Fact is, I guess you've 
 got to. So sail in and show us what you're made 
 of." 
 
 Stephen's answer was a five page declaration of inde 
 pendence. He refused to be bullied by any living man. 
 He had made arrangements to come to New York on 
 the following Monday, and he was coming. As to being 
 
 202
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 sent back, he wished his uncle to understand that it was 
 one thing to order and another to enforce obedience. 
 To which he received the following note: 
 
 " I can't stop you from coming, Steve, except by go 
 ing to New Haven and holding you by main strength. 
 That I don't propose to do, for two reasons : first, that 
 it is too much trouble, and second that it ain't necessary. 
 You can come home once in a while to see your sister, 
 but you mustn't do it till I say the word. If you do, I 
 shall take the carfare out of your allowance, likewise 
 board while you are here, and stop that allowance for 
 a month as a sort of fine for mutiny. So you better 
 think it over a spell. And, if I was you, I wouldn't 
 write Caroline that I was coming, or thinking of com 
 ing, till I had my mind made up. She believes you are 
 working hard at your lessons. I shouldn't disappoint 
 her, especially as it wouldn't be any use. 
 
 " Your affectionate uncle, 
 
 " ELISHA WARREN." 
 
 The result of all this was that Stephen, whose 
 finances were already in a precarious condition, did 
 think it over and decided not to take the risk. Also, 
 conscious that his sister sided with their guardian to 
 the extent of believing the university the best place for 
 him at present, he tore up the long letter of grievance 
 which he had written her, and, in that which took its 
 place, mentioned merely that he was " grinding like 
 blazes," and the only satisfaction he got from it was his 
 removal from the society of the " old tyrant from Cape 
 Cod." 
 
 He accepted the tyrant's invitation to return for the 
 week-end and his sister's birthday with no hesitation 
 14 203
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 whatever; and his letter of acceptance was so politic 
 as to be almost humble. 
 
 He arrived on an early train Saturday morning. Car 
 oline met him at the station, and the Dunns' car con 
 veyed them to the latter's residence, where they were 
 to spend the day. The Dunns and Caroline had been 
 together almost constantly since the evening when Mal 
 colm and his mother interrupted the reading of the 
 novel. The former, while professing to be harassed by 
 business cares, sacrificed them to the extent of devoting 
 at least a part of each twenty-four hours to the young 
 lady's society. She was rarely allowed to be alone with 
 her uncle, a circumstance which troubled her much less 
 than it did him. He missed the evenings which he had 
 enjoyed so much, and the next consultation over the ad 
 ventures of Pearson's " Uncle Jim " and his " Mary " 
 seemed flat and uninteresting without criticism and ad 
 vice. 
 
 The author himself noticed the difference. 
 
 " Rot ! " he exclaimed, throwing the manuscript aside 
 in disgust. " It's rot, isn't it! If I can't turn out better 
 stuff than that, I'd better quit. And I thought it was 
 pretty decent, too, until to-night." 
 
 Captain Elisha shook his head. " It don't seem quite 
 so shipshape, somehow," he admitted, " but I guess 
 likely it's 'cause my head's full of other things just now. 
 I'm puzzled 'most to death to know what to get for Caro 
 line's birthday. I want to get her somethin' she'll like, 
 and she's got pretty nigh everything under the sun. 
 Say, Jim, you've been workin' too hard, yourself. Why 
 don't you take to-morrow off and cruise around the 
 stores helpin' me pick out a present. Come ahead 
 do!" 
 
 They spent the next afternoon in that " cruise," vis- 
 204
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 iting department stores, jewelers, and art shops innu 
 merable. Captain Elisha was hard to please, and his 
 comments characteristic. 
 
 *' I guess you're right, Jim," he said, " there's no- 
 use lookin' at pictures. Let alone that the walls are so- 
 covered with 'em now a fly can't scarcely light without 
 steppin' on some kind of scenery let alone that, my 
 judgment on pictures ain't any good. I cal'late that's 
 considered pretty fine, ain't it ? " pointing to a painting 
 in the gallery where they then were. 
 
 " Yes," replied the dealer, much amused. " That is 
 a good specimen of the modern impressionist school." 
 
 " Humph ! Cookin' school, I shouldn't wonder. I'd 
 call it a portrait of a plate of scrambled eggs, if 'twa'n't 
 for that green thing that's either a cow or _\ church in 
 the offin'. Out of soundin's again, I am! But I knew 
 she liked pictures, and so ... However, let's set 
 sail for a jewelry store." 
 
 The sixth shop of this variety which they visited hap 
 pened to be one of the largest and most fashionable in 
 the city. Here the captain's fancy was taken by a gold 
 chain for the neck, set with tiny emeralds. 
 
 "That's pretty sort of ain't it, Jim?" he asked, 
 
 " Yes," replied his companion, with emphasis, " it is. 
 And I think you'll find it is expensive, also." 
 
 " That so ? How much ? " turning to the salesman. 
 
 The latter gave the price of the chain. Captain 
 Elisha whistled. 
 
 " Whew ! Jerushy ! " he exclaimed. " And it would 
 n't much more than go around my wrist, at that. All 
 the same size, are they?" 
 
 " No. Some are longer. The longer ones are higher 
 priced, of course." 
 
 " Sartin ! They're for fleshy folks, I s'pose. 
 205
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Thoph Kenney down home, she'd have to splice three 
 of 'em together to make the round trip. Thoph's al 
 ways scared he won't get his money's wuth in a trade, 
 but he couldn't kick when he got her. To give the min 
 ister a dollar and walk off with two hundred and eighty 
 pounds of wife is showin' some business sagacity, hey? 
 To do him justice, I will say that he seems to be satis 
 fied; she's the one that does the complainin'. I guess 
 this is the most expensive counter in the store, ain't it, 
 Mister?" 
 
 The clerk laughed. " No, indeed," he said. " These 
 are all moderate priced goods. I wonder," turning to 
 Pearson, " if your friend wouldn't like to see some of 
 our choice pieces. It is a quiet day here, and I shall be 
 glad to show them." 
 
 He led the way to a set of show cases near the door 
 on the Fifth Avenue side. There before Captain Eli- 
 sha's dazzled eyes were displayed diamond necklaces 
 and aigrettes, tiaras and brooches, the figures on their 
 price tags running high into the thousands. Pearson 
 and the good-natured clerk enjoyed themselves hugely. 
 
 "Jim," said the captain after a little of this, " is there 
 a police officer lookin' this way ? " 
 
 Pearson laughed. " I guess not," he answered. 
 " Why ? The temptation isn't getting too much for your 
 honesty, is it ? " 
 
 " No," with a sigh, " but I'm carryin' a forty dollar 
 watch and wearin' a ring that cost fifteen. I thought 
 they was some punkins till I begun to look at this stuff. 
 Now they make me feel so mean and poverty-struck 
 that I expect to be took up for a tramp any minute. 
 Mister," to the clerk, " you run right along and wrap 
 up that chain I was lookin' at. Hurry! or I'll be 
 ashamed to carry anything so cheap." 
 
 206
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Think she'll like it, do you, Jim ? " he asked, when 
 they were once more out of doors with the purchase in 
 his inside pocket. 
 
 " She ought, certainly," replied Pearson. " It's a 
 beautiful thing." 
 
 " Yes. Well, you see," apologetically, " I wanted to 
 give her somethin' pretty good. 'Bije always did, and 
 I didn't want to fall too fur behind. But," with a 
 chuckle, " you needn't mention the price to anybody. 
 If Abbie my second cousin keepin' house for me, she 
 is if Abbie heard of it she'd be for puttin' me in an 
 asylum. Abbie's got a hair breastpin and a tortoise 
 shell comb, but she only wears 'em to the Congregation- 
 alist meetin'-house, where she's reasonably sure there 
 ain't likely to be any sneak-thieves. She went to a 
 Unitarian sociable once, but she carried 'em in a bag 
 inside her dress." 
 
 Captain Elisha planned to surprise his niece with the 
 gift at breakfast on the morning of her birthday, but, 
 after reflection, decided to postpone the presentation 
 until dinner time. The inevitable Dunns had taken 
 upon themselves the duty of caring for the girl and her 
 brother during the major part of the day. The yellow 
 car appeared at the door at ten o'clock and bore the two 
 away. Caroline assured her guardian, however, that 
 they would return in season for the evening meal. 
 
 The captain spent lonely but busy hours until dinner 
 time came. He had done some scheming on his own 
 hook and, after a long argument with the cook, ree'n- 
 forced by a small sum in cash, had prevailed upon that 
 haughty domestic to fashion a birthday cake of impos 
 ing exterior and indigestible make-up. Superintending 
 the icing of this master-piece occupied some time. He 
 then worried Edwards into a respectful but stubborn 
 
 207
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 fury by suggesting novelties in the way of table arrange 
 ment. Another bestowal of small change quelled the dis 
 turbance. Then came, by messenger, a dozen American 
 Beauty roses with Mr. Pearson's card attached. These 
 the captain decided should be placed in the center of the 
 festive board. As a center piece had been previously 
 provided, there was more argument. The cook took 
 the butler's side in the debate, and the pair yielded only 
 when Captain Elisha again dived into his pocket. 
 
 " But I warn you, all hands," he observed, " that this 
 is the last time. My right fist's got a cramp in it this 
 minute, and you couldn't open it again with a cold 
 chisel." 
 
 At last, however, everything was as it should be, and 
 he sat down in the library to await the coming of the 
 young people. The gold chain in its handsome leather 
 case, the latter enclosed in the jeweler's box, was care 
 fully laid beside Caroline's place at the table. The 
 dinner was ready, the cake, candles and all the cap 
 tain had insisted upon twenty candles was ready, 
 also. There was nothing to do but wait and he 
 waited. 
 
 Six-thirty was the usual dinner hour. It passed. 
 Seven o'clock struck, then eight, and still Captain Eli 
 sha sat alone in the library. The cook sent word that 
 the dinner was ruined. Edwards respectfully asked, 
 " What shall I do, sir ? " twice, the second time being 
 sent flying with an order to " Go for'ard and keep your 
 hatches closed ! " The nautical phraseology was lost 
 upon the butler, but the tone and manner of delivery 
 were quite understandable. 
 
 Several times the captain rose from his chair to tel 
 ephone the Dunn house and ask the reason for delay. 
 Each time he decided not to do so. No doubt there were 
 
 208
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 good reasons ; Caroline and her brother had been de 
 tained; perhaps the automobile had broken down 
 the things were always breaking down just at the most 
 inconvenient times ; perhaps . . . Well, at any rate, 
 he would not 'phone just yet; he would wait a little 
 longer. 
 
 At last the bell rang. Captain Elisha sprang up,- 
 smiling, his impatience and worry forgotten, and, push 
 ing the butler aside, hurried to open the door himself. 
 He did so and faced, not his niece and nephew, but 
 Pearson. 
 
 " Good evening, Captain," hailed the young man, 
 cheerily. " Didn't expect me, did you ? I dropped in 
 for a moment to shake hands with you and to offer 
 congratulations to Miss Warren." Then, noticing the 
 expression on his friend's face, he added, " What's the 
 matter? Anything wrong? Am I intruding?" 
 
 " No, no ! Course not. You're as welcome as an 
 other egg in a poor man's hen-house. Come right in 
 and take off your things. I'm glad to see you. Only 
 well, the fact is I thought 'twas Caroline comin' home. 
 She and Stevie was to be here over two hours ago, and 
 I can't imagine what's keepin' 'em." 
 
 He insisted upon his visitor's remaining, although the 
 latter, when he understood the situation, was reluctant 
 to do so. 
 
 " Caroline'll be real glad to see you, Jim, I know," the 
 captain said. " And I want you to stay for my sake. 
 Between pacifyin' the Commodore and frettin' over 
 what couldn't possibly happen, I was half dead of the 
 fidgets. Stay and cheer me up, there's a good feller. 
 I'd just about reached the stage where I had the girl and 
 boy stove to flinders under that pesky auto. I'd even 
 begun to figger on notify in' the undertaker. Tell me 
 
 209
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 I'm an old fool and then talk about somethin' else. 
 They'll be here any minute." 
 
 But a good many minutes passed, and still they did 
 not come. Pearson, aware of his companion's growing 
 anxiety, chatted of the novel, of the people at the board 
 ing house, of anything and everything he could think of 
 likely to divert attention from the one important topic. 
 The answers he received were more and more brief and 
 absent. At last, when Edwards agaia appeared, ap- 
 pealingly mute, at the entrance to the dining room, Cap 
 tain Elisha, with a sigh which was almost a groan, sur 
 rendered. 
 
 " I guess," he said, reluctantly, " I guess, Jim, there 
 ain't any use waitin' any longer. Somethin's kept 'em, 
 and they won't be here for dinner. You and I'll set 
 down and eat though I ain't got the appetite I cal'- 
 lated to have." 
 
 Pearson had dined hours before, but he followed his 
 friend, resolved to please the latter by going througk 
 the form of pretending to eat. 
 
 They sat down together. Captain Elisha, with a rue 
 ful smile, pointed to the floral centerpiece. 
 
 " There's your posies, Jim," he observed. " Look 
 pretty, don't they. She ain't seen 'em yet, but she'll 
 like 'em when she does. And that over there is her 
 present from me. Stevie gave her a box of gloves, and 
 I expect, from what Mrs. Dunn hinted, that she and 
 that son of hers gave her somethin' fine. She'll show us 
 when she gets here. What's this, Commodore?- Oysters, 
 hey? Well, they ought to taste like home. They're 
 ' Cape Cods ' ; I wouldn't have anything else." 
 
 " We won't touch the birthday cake, Jim," he added, 
 a little later. " She's got to cut that herself." 
 
 The soup was only lukewarm, but neither of them 
 210
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 commented on the fact. The captain had scarcely 
 tasted of his, when he paused, his spoon in air. 
 
 "Hey?" he exclaimed. "Listen! What's that? 
 By the everlastin', it is. Here they are, at last!" 
 
 He sprang up with such enthusiasm that his chair 
 tipped backwards against the butler's devoted shins. 
 Pearson, almost as much pleased, also rose. 
 
 Captain Elisha paid scant attention to the chair inci 
 dent. 
 
 " What are you waitin' for ? " he demanded, whirling 
 on Edwards, who was righting the chair with one hand 
 and rubbing his knee with the other. " Don't you hear 
 'em at the door ? Let 'em in ! " 
 
 He reached the library first, his friend following more 
 leisurely. Caroline and Stephen had just entered. 
 
 " Well ! " he cried, in his quarter-deck voice, his face 
 beaming with relief and delight, " you are here, ain't 
 you! I begun to think . . . Why, what's the mat 
 ter?" 
 
 The question was addressed to Stephen, who stood 
 nearest to him. The boy did not deign to reply. With 
 a contemptuous grunt, he turned scornfully away from 
 his guardian. 
 
 " What is it, Caroline ? " demanded Captain Elisha. 
 " Has anything happened ? " 
 
 The girl' looked coldly at him. A new brooch 
 Mrs. Corcoran Dunn's birthday gift sparkled at her 
 throat. 
 
 " No accident has happened, if that is what you mean," 
 she said. 
 
 " But why, yes, that was what I meant. You was 
 so awful late, and you know you said you'd be home 
 for dinner, so " 
 
 " I changed my mind. Come, Steve." 
 211
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 She turned to leave the room. Pearson, at that mo 
 ment, entered it. Stephen saw him first. 
 
 " What? " he cried. " Well, of all the nerve ! Look, 
 Carol" 
 
 " Jim Mr. Pearson, I mean ran in a few min 
 utes ago," explained Captain Elisha, bewildered and 
 stammering. " He thought of course we'd had dinner 
 and and he just wanted to wish you many happy 
 returns, Caroline." 
 
 Pearson had extended his hand and a " Good even 
 ing " was on his lips. Stephen's strange behavior and 
 language caused him to halt. He flushed, awkward, sur 
 prised, and indignant. 
 
 Caroline turned and saw him. She started, and her 
 cheeks also grew crimson. Then, recovering, she looked 
 him full in the face, and deliberately and disdainfully 
 turned her back. 
 
 " Come, Steve ! " she said again, and walked from the 
 room. 
 
 Her brother hesitated, glared at Pearson, and then 
 stalked haughtily after her. 
 
 Captain Elisha's bewilderment was supreme. He 
 stared, open-mouthed, after his nephew and niece, and 
 then turned slowly to his friend. 
 
 " What on earth, Jim," he stammered. " What's it 
 mean?" 
 
 Pearson shrugged his shoulders. " I think I know 
 what it means," he said. " I presume that Miss Warren 
 and her brother have learned of my trouble with their 
 father." 
 
 "Hey? No! you don't think thafs it." 
 
 " I think there's no doubt of it." 
 
 "But how?" 
 
 " I don't know how. What I do know is that I should 
 
 212
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 ivot have come here. I felt it and, if you will remem 
 ber, I said so. I was a fool. Good night, Captain." 
 
 Hot and furiously angry at his own indecision which 
 had placed him in this humiliating situation, he was 
 striding towards the hall. Captain Elisha seized his 
 arm. 
 
 " Stay where you are, Jim ! " he commanded. " If 
 the trouble's what you think it is, I'm more to blame 
 than anybody else, and you sha'n't leave this house till 
 I've done my best to square you." 
 
 " Thank you ; but I don't wish to be ' squared.' I've 
 done nothing to be ashamed of, and I have borne as 
 many insults as I can stand. I'm going." 
 
 " No, you ain't. Not yet. I want you to stay." 
 
 At that moment Stephen's voice reached them from the 
 adjoining room. 
 
 " I tell you I shall, Caro ! " it proclaimed, fiercely. 
 " Do you suppose I'm going to permit that fellow to 
 come here again or to go until he is made to under 
 stand what we think of him and why? No, by gad! 
 I'm the man of this family, and I'll tell him a few 
 things." 
 
 Pearson's jaw set grimly. 
 
 " You may let go of my wrist, Captain Warren," he 
 said ; " I'll stay." 
 
 Possibly Stephen's intense desire to prove his manli 
 ness made him self-conscious. At any rate, he never 
 appeared more ridiculously boyish than when, an in 
 stant later, he marched into the library and confronted 
 his uncle and Pearson. 
 
 "I I want to say " he began, majestically ; " I 
 want to say " 
 
 He paused, choking, and brandished his fist. 
 
 " I want to say " he began again. 
 
 213
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 ""' All right, Stevie," interrupted the captain, dryly, 
 " then I'd say it if I was you. I guess it's time you 
 did." 
 
 " I want to to tell that fellow there," with a vicious 
 stab of his forefinger in the direction of Pearson, " that 
 I consider him an an ingrate and a scoundrel 
 and a miserable " 
 
 " Steady ! " Captain Elisha's interruption was sharp 
 this time. " Steady now ! Leave out the pet names. 
 What is it you've got to tell?" 
 
 "I my sister and I have found out what a scoun 
 drel he is, that's what! We've learned of the lies he 
 wrote about father. We know that he was responsible 
 for all that cowardly, lying stuff in the Planet all 
 that about the Trolley Combine. And we don't intend 
 that he shall sneak into this house again. If he was the 
 least part of a man, he would never have come." 
 
 " Mr. Warren " began Pearson, stepping forward. 
 The captain interrupted. 
 
 " Hold on, Jim ! " he said. " Just a minute now. 
 You've learned something you say, Stevie. The Dunns 
 told you, I s'pose." 
 
 " Never mind who told me ! " 
 
 " I don't much. But I guess we'd better have a 
 clear understanding all of us. Caroline, will you come 
 in here, please ? " 
 
 He stepped toward the door. Stephen sprang in front 
 of him. 
 
 " My sister doesn't intend to cheapen herself by en 
 tering that man's presence," he declared, hotly. " I'M 
 deal with him, myself ! " 
 
 "All right. But I guess she'd better be here, just the 
 same. Caroline, I want you." 
 
 " She sha'n't come ! " 
 
 214
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Yes, she shall. Caroline ! " 
 
 The boy would have detained him, but he pushed him 
 firmly aside and walked toward the door. Before he- 
 reached it, however, his niece appeared. 
 
 "Well?" she said, coldly. "What is it jrou want 
 of me?" 
 
 " I want you to hear Mr. Pearson's side of this busi 
 ness and mine before you do anything you'll be 
 sorry for." 
 
 " I think I've heard quite enough of Mr. Pearson 
 already. Nothing he can say or do will make me more 
 sorry than I am, or humiliate me more than the fact 
 that I have treated him as a friend." 
 
 The icy contempt in her tone was cutting. Pearson's 
 face was white, but he spoke clearly and with deliber 
 ation. 
 
 " Miss Warren," he said, " I must insist that you listen 
 for another moment. I owe you an apology for " 
 
 " Apology ! " broke in Stephen, with a scornful laugh. 
 " Apology ! Well, by gad ! Just hear that, Caro ! " 
 
 The girl's lip curled. " I do not wish to hear your 
 apology," she said. 
 
 " But I wish you to hear it. Not for my attitude in 
 the Trolley matter, nor for what I published in the 
 Planet. Nor for my part in the disagreement with 
 your father. I wrote the truth and nothing more. I 
 considered it right then I told your father so and 
 I have not changed my mind. I should act exactly the 
 same under similar circumstances." 
 
 " You blackguard ! " shouted Stephen. Pearson ig 
 nored him utterly. 
 
 " I do owe you an apology," he continued, " for com 
 ing here, as I have done, knowing that you were ignorant 
 of the affair. I believe now that you are misinformed 
 
 215
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 as to the facts, but that is immaterial. You should 
 have been told of my trouble with Mr. Warren. I 
 should have insisted upon it. That I did not do so is 
 my fault and I apologize; but for that only. Good 
 evening." 
 
 He shook himself free from the captain's grasp, 
 bowed to the trio, and left the room. An instant later 
 the outer door closed behind him. 
 
 Caroline turned to her brother. " Come, Steve," she 
 said. 
 
 " Stay right where you are ! " Captain Elisha did not 
 request now, he commanded. " Stevie, stand still. 
 Caroline, I want to talk to you." 
 
 The girl hesitated. She had never been spoken to in 
 that tone before. Her pride had been already deeply 
 wounded by what she had learned that afternoon ; she 
 was fiercely resentful, angry, and rebellious. She was 
 sure she never hated anyone as she did this man who 
 ordered her to stay and listen to him. But she stayed. 
 
 " Caroline," said Captain Elisha, after a moment of 
 silence, " I presume likely of course I don't know 
 for sartin, but I presume likely it's Mrs. Dunn and that 
 son of hers who've told you what you think you know." 
 
 " It doesn't concern you who told us ! " blustered 
 Stephen, pushing forward. He might have been a fly 
 buzzing on the wall for all the attention his uncle paid 
 him. 
 
 " I presume likely the Dunns told you, Caroline," he 
 repeated, calmly. 
 
 His niece met his gaze stubbornly. 
 
 "Well," she answered, "and if they did? Wasn't it 
 necessary we should know it? Oh! " with a shudder of 
 disgust, " I wish I could make you understand how 
 ashamed I feel how wicked and ashamed I feel that 
 
 216
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 I / should have disgraced father's memory by ... 
 Oh, but there ! I can't ! Yes ; Mrs. Dunn and Malcolm 
 did tell us many things. Thank God that we have 
 friends to tell us the truth ! " 
 
 " Amen ! " quietly. " I'll say amen to that, Caroline, 
 any time. Only I want you to be sure those you call 
 friends are real ones and that the truths they tell ain't 
 like the bait on a fishhook, put on for bait and just thick 
 enough to cover the barb." 
 
 " Do you mean to insinuate " screamed the irrepres 
 sible nephew, wild at being so completely ignored. His 
 uncle again paid not the slightest attention. 
 
 " But that ain't neither here nor there now," he went 
 on. " Caroline, Mr. Pearson just told you that his com 
 ing to this house without tellin' you fust of his quarrel 
 with 'Bije was his fault. That ain't so. The fault was 
 mine altogether. He told me the whole story; told me 
 that he hadn't called since it happened, on that very ac 
 count. And I took the whole responsibility and asked 
 him to come. I did ! Do you know why ? " 
 
 If he expected an answer none was given. Caroline's 
 lids drooped disdainfully. " Steve," she said, " let us 
 
 go." 
 
 " Stop ! You'll stay here until I finish. I want to 
 say that I didn't tell you about the Trolley fuss because 
 I wanted you to learn some things for yourself. I 
 wanted you to know Mr. Pearson to find out what sort 
 of man he was afore you judged him. Then, when 
 you had known him long enough to understand he wasn't 
 a liar and a blackguard, and all that Steve has called 
 him, I was goin' to tell you the whole truth, not a part 
 of it. And, after that, I was goin' to let you decide for 
 yourself what to do. I'm a lot older than you are ; I've 
 mixed with all sorts of folks; I'm past the stage where 
 
 217
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 I can be fooled by by false hair or soft soap. You 
 can't pour sweet oil over a herrin' and make me believe 
 it's a sardine. I know the Pearson stock. I've sailed 
 over a heap of salt water with one of the family. And 
 I've kept my eyes open since I've run acrost this partic 
 ular member. And I knew your father, too, Caroline 
 Warren. And I say to you now that, knowin' Jim 
 Pearson and 'Bije Warren yes, and knowin' the rights 
 and wrongs of that Trolley business quite as well as Mal 
 colm Dunn or anybody else I say to you that, al 
 though 'Bije was my brother, I'd bet my life that Jim 
 had all the right on his side. There ! that's the truth, 
 and no hook underneath it. And some day you'll real 
 ize it, too." 
 
 He had spoken with great vehemence. Now he took 
 a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his forehead. 
 When he again looked at his niece, he found her staring 
 intently at him; and her eyes blazed. 
 
 " Have you quite finished now ? " she demanded. 
 "' Steve, be quiet ! " 
 
 " Why, yes, I guess so, pretty nigh. I s'pose there 
 ain't much use to say more. If I was to tell you that 
 I've tried to do for you and Steve in this same as in 
 everything else since I took this job as if you were 
 my own -children, you wouldn't believe it. If I was to 
 tell you, Caroline, that I'd come to think an awful lot of 
 you, you wouldn't believe that, either. I did hope that 
 since our other misunderstandin' was cleared up, and 
 you found I wa'n't what you thought I was, you'd come 
 to me and ask questions afore passin' judgment; but 
 perhaps " 
 
 And now she interrupted, bursting out at him in a 
 blast of scorn which took his breath away. 
 
 " Oh, stop ! stop ! " she cried. " Don't say any more. 
 218
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 You have insulted father's memory, and defended the 
 man who slandered him. Isn't that enough? Why 
 must you go on to prove yourself a greater hypocrite? 
 We learned, my brother and I, to-day more than the 
 truth concerning your friend. We learned that you 
 have lied yes, lied and " 
 
 " Steady, Caroline! be careful. I wouldn't say what I 
 might be sorry for later." 
 
 " Sorry ! Captain Warren, you spoke of my misjudg 
 ing you. I thought I had, and I was sorry. To-day I 
 learned that your attitude in that affair was a lie like 
 the rest. You did not pay for Mr. Moriarty's accident. 
 Mr. Dunn's money paid those bills. And you allowed 
 the family and me to thank you for your generosity. 
 Oh, I'm ashamed to be near you ! " 
 
 " There ! There ! Caroline, be still. I " 
 
 " I shall not be still. I have been still altogether too 
 long. You are our guardian. We can't help that, I 
 suppose. Father asked you to be that, for some reason ; 
 but did he ask you to live here where you are not 
 wanted? To shame us before our friends, ladies and 
 gentlemen so far above you in every way? And to try 
 to poison our minds against them and sneer at them 
 when they are kind to us and even try to be kind to you ? 
 No, he did not ! Oh, I'm sick of it all ! your deceit and 
 your hypocritical speeches and your pretended love for 
 us. Love! Oh, if I could say something that would 
 make you understand how thoroughly we despise you, 
 and how your presence, ever since you forced it upon 
 
 Steve and me, has disgraced us! If I only could! I 
 j 
 
 She had been near to tears ever since Mrs. Corcoran 
 Dunn, in the kindness of her heart, told her the " truth " 
 that afternoon. But pride and indignation had pre- 
 15 219
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 vented her giving way. Now, however, she broke 
 down. 
 
 " Oh oh, Steve ! " she cried, and, turning to her 
 brother, sobbed hysterically on his shoulder. " Oh, 
 Steve, what shall we do ? " 
 
 Stephen put his arm about her waist. " It's all right, 
 Sis," he said soothingly. "Don't cry before hint! I 
 guess," with a glance at his uncle, " you've said enough 
 to make even him understand at last." 
 
 Captain Elisha looked gravely at the pair. " I guess 
 you have," he said slowly. " I guess you have, Caro 
 line. Anyhow, I can't think offhand of anything you've 
 left out. I could explain some things, but what's the 
 use ? And," with a sigh, " you may be right in a way. 
 Perhaps I shouldn't have come here to live. If you'd 
 only told me plain afore just how you felt, I'd maybe 
 I'd but there! I didn't know I didn't know. 
 You see, I thought . . . However, I guess that part 
 of your troubles is over. But," he added, firmly, " wher 
 ever I am, or wherever I go, you must understand that 
 I'm your guardian, just the same. I considered a long 
 spell afore I took the place, and I never abandoned a 
 ship yet, once I took command of her. And I'll stick 
 to this one ! Yes, sir ! I'll stick to it in spite of the 
 devil or the Dunns, either. Till you and your brother 
 are of age I'm goin' to look out for you and your interests 
 and your money; and nothin' nor nobody shall stop me. 
 As for forcin' my company on you, though, that well, 
 that's different. I cal'late you won't have to worry any 
 more. Good night." 
 
 He thrust his hands into his pockets and walked slowly 
 from the library.
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 STEPHEN, the " man of the family," was the only 
 member of the household, servants excepted, who 
 slept soundly that night. Conscious of having 
 done his duty in the affair with Pearson and his 
 guardian, and somewhat fatigued by the disagreeable 
 task of soothing his hysterical sister, he was slumbering 
 peacefully at nine the next morning when awakened by 
 a series of raps on his bedroom door. 
 
 "Ah! What? Well, what is it?" he demanded, 
 testily opening his eyes. " Edwards, is that you ? What 
 the devil do you mean by making such a row ? " 
 
 The voice which answered was not the butler's, but 
 Caroline's. 
 
 " Steve ! Oh, Steve ! " she cried. " Do get up and 
 come out ! Come, quick ! " 
 
 " What's the matter ? " inquired the young man, sitting 
 up in bed. " Is the house afire ? " 
 
 " No, no ! But do come ! I want you. Something 
 has happened." 
 
 "Happened? What is it?" 
 
 " I can't tell you here. Please dress and come to me 
 as quick as you can." 
 
 Stephen, wondering and somewhat alarmed, dressed 
 with unusual promptitude and obeyed. He found his 
 sister standing by the library window, a letter in her 
 hand. She looked troubled and anxious. 
 
 " Well, Caro," observed the boy, " here I am. What 
 in the world's up now ? "
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 She turned. 
 
 " Oh, Steve ! " she exclaimed, " he's gone ! " 
 
 "Gone? Who?" 
 
 " Captain Warren. He's gone." 
 
 " Gone ? Gone where ? Caro, you don't mean he's 
 dead? " 
 
 " No, he's gone gone and left us." 
 
 Her brother's expression changed to incredulous joy. 
 
 "What?" he shouted. "You mean he's quit? 
 Cleared out? Left here for good?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Hurrah ! Excuse me while I gloat ! Hurrah ! We 
 got it through his skull at last! Is it possible? But 
 but hold on ! Perhaps it's too good to be true. Are you 
 sure ? How do you know ? " 
 
 " He says so. See." 
 
 She handed him the letter. It was addressed to " My 
 dear Caroline " and in it Captain Elisha stated his in 
 tentions succinctly. After the plain speaking of the 
 previous evening he should not, of course, burden them 
 with his society any longer. He was leaving that morn 
 ing, and, as soon as he " located permanent moorings 
 somewhere else " would notify his niece and nephew of 
 his whereabouts. 
 
 " For," he added, " as I told you, although I shall not 
 impose my company on you, I am your guardian same as 
 ever. I will see that your allowance comes to you regu 
 lar, including enough for all household bills and pay for 
 the hired help and so on. If you need any extras at 
 any time let me know and, if they seem to me right and 
 proper, I will send money for them. You will stay 
 where you are, Caroline, and Stevie must go back to col 
 lege right away. Tell him I say so, and if he does not 
 I shall begin reducing his allowance according as I wrote 
 
 222
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 him. He will understand what I mean. I guess that is 
 all until I send you my address and any other sailing 
 orders that seem necessary to me then. And, Caroline, 
 I want you and Stevie to feel that I am your anchor to 
 windward, and when you get in a tight place, if you ever 
 do, you can depend on me. Last night's talk has no 
 bearing on that whatever. Good-by, then, until my next. 
 
 " ELISHA WARREN." 
 
 Stephen read this screed to the end, then crumpled it 
 in his fist and threw it angrily on the floor. 
 
 " The nerve ! " he exclaimed. " He seems to think I'm 
 a sailor on one of his ships, to be ordered around as he 
 sees fit. I'll go back to college when I'm good and ready 
 not before." 
 
 Caroline shook her head. " Oh, no ! " she said. 
 " You must go to-day. He's right, Steve ; it's the thing 
 for you to do. He and I were agreed as to that. And 
 you wouldn't stay and make it harder for me, would you, 
 dear?" 
 
 He growled a reluctant assent. " I suppose I shall 
 have to go," he said, sullenly. " My allowance is too 
 beastly small to have him cutting it; and the old shark 
 would do that very thing; he'd take delight in doing it, 
 confound him! Well, he knows what we think of him, 
 that's some comfort." 
 
 She did not answer. He looked at her curiously. 
 
 " Why, hang it all, Caro ! " he exclaimed in disgust ; 
 "what ails you? Blessed if I sha'n't begin to believe 
 you're sorry he's gone. You act as if you were." 
 
 " No, I'm not. Of course I'm not. I'm I'm glad. 
 He couldn't stay, of course. But I'm afraid I can't 
 help feeling that you and I were too harsh last night. 
 We said things dreadful things " 
 
 223
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 "Be hanged! We didn't say half enough. Oh, don't 
 be a fool, Carol I was just beginning to be proud of 
 your grit. And now you want to take it all back. 
 Honestly, girls are the limit ! You don't know your own 
 minds for twelve consecutive hours. Answer me now ! 
 Are you sorry he's gone ? " 
 
 " No. No, I'm not, really. But I I feel somehow 
 as if as if everything was on my shoulders. You're 
 going away, and he's gone, and What is it, Edwards? " 
 
 The butler entered, with a small parcel in his hand. 
 " I beg your pardon, Miss Caroline," he said. " I 
 should have given you this last evening. It was by your 
 place at the table. I think Captain Warren put it there, 
 miss." 
 
 Caroline took the parcel and looked at it wonderingly. 
 
 " For me ? " she repeated. 
 
 " Yes, Miss Caroline. It is marked with your name. 
 And breakfast is served, when you and Mr. Stephen are 
 ready." 
 
 He bowed and retired. The girl sat turning the little 
 white box in her hands. 
 
 " He left it for me," she said. " What can it be ? " 
 
 Her brother snatched it impatiently. 
 
 " Why don't you open it and find out ? " he demanded. 
 "Perhaps it's his latch key. Here! I'll do it myself." 
 
 He cut the cord and removed the cover of the little 
 box. Inside was the jeweler's leather case. He took it 
 out and pressed the spring. The cover flew up. 
 
 " Whew ! " he whistled. " It's a present. And 
 rather a decent one, too, by gad ! Look, Caro ! " 
 
 He handed her the open case. She looked at the 
 chain, spread carefully on the white satin lining. In 
 side the cover was fitted a card. She turned it over and 
 read : " To my niece, Caroline. With wishes for many 
 
 224
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 happy returns, and much love, from her Uncle Elisha 
 Warren." 
 
 She sat gazing at the card. Stephen bent down, read 
 the inscription, and then looked up into her face. 
 
 "What<?" he cried. "I believe You're not crying! 
 Well, I'll be hanged ! Sis, you are a fool ! " 
 
 The weather that morning was fine and clear. James 
 Pearson, standing by the window of his rooms at the 
 boarding house, looking out at the snow-covered roofs 
 sparkling in the sun, was miserable. When he retired 
 the night before it was with a solemn oath to forget 
 Caroline Warren altogether; to put her and her father 
 and the young cad, her brother, utterly from his mind, 
 never to be thought of again. As a preliminary step in 
 this direction, he began, the moment his head touched the 
 pillow, to review, for the fiftieth time, the humiliating 
 scene in the library, to think of things he should have 
 said, and worse than all to recall, word for word, 
 the things she had said to him. In this cheerful occupa 
 tion he passed hours before falling asleep. And, when 
 he woke, it was to begin all over again. 
 
 Why why had he been so weak as to yield to Cap 
 tain Elisha's advice? Why had he not acted like a sen 
 sible, self-respecting man, done what he knew was right, 
 and persisted in his refusal to visit the Warrens? Why? 
 Because he was an idiot, of course a hopeless idiot, 
 who had got exactly what he deserved! Which bit of 
 philosophy did not help make his reflections less bitter. 
 
 He went down to breakfast when the bell rang, but 
 his appetite was missing, and he replied only in mono 
 syllables to the remarks addressed to him by his fellow 
 boarders. Mrs. Hepton, the landlady, noticed the 
 change. 
 
 225
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " You not ill, Mr. Pearson, I hope ? " she queried. 
 " I do hope you haven't got cold, sleeping with your 
 windows wide open, as you say you do. Fresh air is a 
 good thing, in moderation, but one should be careful. 
 Don't you think so, Mr. Carson ? " 
 
 Mr. Carson was a thin little man, a bachelor, who oc 
 cupied the smallest room on the third story. He was a 
 clerk in a department store, and his board was generally 
 in arrears. Therefore, when Mrs. Hepton expressed an 
 opinion he made it a point to agree with her. In this 
 instance, however, he merely grunted. 
 
 " I say fresh air in one's sleeping room is a good 
 thing in moderation. Don't you think so, Mr. Carson ? " 
 repeated the landlady. 
 
 Mr. Carson rolled up his napkin and inserted it in 
 the ring. His board, as it happened, was paid in full to 
 date. Also, although he had not yet declared his inten 
 tion, he intended changing lodgings at the end of the 
 week. 
 
 " Humph ! " he sniffed, with sarcasm, " it may be. I 
 couldn't get none in my room if I wanted it, so I can't 
 say sure. Morning." 
 
 He departed hurriedly. Mrs. Hepton looked discon 
 certed. Mrs. Van Winkle Ruggles smiled meaningly 
 across the table at Miss Sherborne, who smiled back. 
 
 Mr. Ludlow, the bookseller, quietly observed that he 
 hoped Mr. Pearson had not gotten cold. Colds were 
 prevalent at this time of the year. " * These are the days 
 when the Genius of the weather sits in mournful medi 
 tation on the threshold,' as Mr. Dickens tells us," lie 
 added. " I presume he sits on the sills of open windows, 
 also." 
 
 The wife of the Mr. Dickens there present pricked up 
 her ears. 
 
 226
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 "When did you write that, ' C.' dear?" she asked, 
 turning to her husband. " I remember it perfectly, of 
 course, but I have forgotten, for the moment, in which 
 of your writings it appears." 
 
 The illustrious one's mouth being occupied with a sec 
 tion of scorching hot waffle, he was spared the necessity 
 of confession. 
 
 " Pardon me," said Mr. Ludlow. " I was not quoting 
 our Mr. Dickens this time, but his famous namesake." 
 
 The great " C." drowned the waffle with a swallow of 
 water. 
 
 " Maria," he snapped, " don't be so foolish. Ludlow 
 quotes from er ' Bleak House.' I have written some 
 things er similar, but not that. Why don't you pass 
 the syrup ? " 
 
 The bookseller, who was under the impression that 
 he had quoted from the " Christmas Carol," merely 
 smiled and remained silent. 
 
 " My father, the Senator," began Mrs. Van Winkle 
 Ruggles, " was troubled with colds during his political 
 career. I remember his saying that the Senate Chamber 
 at the Capitol was extremely draughty. Possibly Mr. 
 Pearson's ailment does come from sleeping in a draught. 
 Not that father was accustomed to sleep during the 
 sessions Oh, dear, no! not that, of course. How ab 
 surd ! " 
 
 She laughed gayly. Pearson, who seemed to think it 
 time to say something, declared that, so far as he knew, 
 he had no cold or any symptoms of one. 
 
 " Well," said Mrs. Hepton, with conviction, " some 
 thing ails you, I know. We can all see it ; can't we ? " 
 turning to the rest of the company. " Why, you've 
 scarcely spoken since you sat down at the table. And 
 you've eaten next to nothing. Perhaps there is some 
 
 227
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 trouble, something on your mind which is worrying you. 
 Oh, I hope not ! " 
 
 " No doubt it is the preoccupation of genius," re 
 marked Mrs. Dickens. " I'm sure it must be that. 
 When ' C.' is engaged with some particularly trying 
 literary problem he frequently loses all his appetite and 
 does not speak for hours together. Isn't it so, dear? " 
 
 " C.," who was painfully conscious that he might have 
 made a miscue in the matter of the quotation, answered 
 sharply. 
 
 " No," he said. " Not at all. Don't be silly, Maria." 
 
 Miss Sherborne clasped her hands. " / know ! " she 
 exclaimed in mock rapture ; " Mr. Pearson is in love ! " 
 
 This suggestion was received with applause and hilar 
 ity. Pearson pushed back his chair and rose. 
 
 " I'm much obliged for this outburst of sympathy," 
 he observed, dryly. " But, as I say, I'm perfectly well, 
 and the other diagnoses are too flattering to be true. 
 Good morning." 
 
 Back in his room he seated himself at his desk, took 
 the manuscript of his novel from the drawer, and sat 
 moodily staring at it. He was in no mood for work. 
 The very sight of the typewritten page disgusted him. 
 As he now felt, the months spent on the story were time 
 wasted. It was ridiculous for him to attempt such a 
 thing; or to believe that he could carry it through suc 
 cessfully; or to dream that he would ever be anything 
 better than a literary hack, a cheap edition of " C." 
 Dickens, minus the latter's colossal self-satisfaction. 
 
 He was still sitting there, twirling an idle pencil be 
 tween his fingers, when he heard steps outside his door. 
 Someone knocked. 
 
 " Well, what is it ? " he asked. 
 
 His landlady answered. 
 
 228
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Mr. Pearson," she said, " may I see you ? " 
 
 He threw down the pencil and, rising, walked to the 
 door and opened it. Mrs. Hepton was waiting in the 
 hall. She seemed excited. 
 
 " Mr. Pearson," she said, " will you step downstairs 
 with me for a moment ? I have a surprise for you." 
 
 "A surprise? What sort of a surprise?" 
 
 " Oh, a pleasant one. At least I think it is going to 
 be pleasant for all of us. But I'm not going to tell you 
 what it is. You must come down and see for your 
 self." 
 
 She led the way downstairs, the young man following 
 her, wondering what the surprise might be, and fairly 
 certain it, nor anything else, could be pleasant on that 
 day. 
 
 He supposed, of course, that he must descend to the 
 parlor to reach the solution of the mystery, but he was 
 mistaken. On the second floor Mrs. Hepton stopped 
 and pointed. 
 
 " It's in there," she said, pointing. 
 
 " There " was the room formerly occupied by Mr. 
 Saks, the long-haired artist. Since his departure it had 
 been vacant. Pearson looked at the closed door and 
 then at the lady. 
 
 " A surprise for me in there f " he repeated. " What's 
 the joke, Mrs. Hepton?" 
 
 By way of answer she took him by the arm, and, lead 
 ing him to the door, threw the latter open. 
 
 " Here he is ! " she said. 
 
 " Hello, Jim ! " hailed Captain Elisha Warren, cheer 
 fully. " Ship ahoy ! Glad to see you." 
 
 He was standing in the middle of the room, his hat 
 on the table and his hands in his pockets. 
 
 Pearson was surprised ; there was no doubt of that 
 229 ,
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 not so much at the sight of his friend he had ex 
 pected to see or hear from the captain before the day 
 was over as at seeing him in that room. He could 
 not understand what he was doing there. 
 
 Captain Elisha noted his bewildered expression, and 
 chuckled. 
 
 " Come aboard, Jim ! " he commanded. " Come in 
 and inspect. I'll see you later, Mrs. Hepton," he added, 
 " and give you my final word. I want to hold officer's 
 council v/ith Mr. Pearson here fust." 
 
 The landlady accepted the broad hint and turned to 
 
 go. 
 
 <: Very well," she said, " but I do hope for all our 
 sakes that word will be yes, Mr. Warren Excuse me, 
 it is Captain Warren, isn't it ? " 
 
 " It used to be, yes, ma'am. And at home it is yet. 
 'Round here I've learned to be like a barroom poll-par 
 rot, ready to answer to most everything. There ! " as 
 the door closed after her ; " now we can be more private. 
 Set down, Jim ! How are you, anyway ? " 
 
 Pearson sat down mechanically. " I'm well enough 
 everything considered," he replied, slowly. " But what 
 
 what are you in here for ? I don't understand." 
 
 " You will in a minute. What do you think of this 
 
 er .saloon cabin?" with a comprehensive sweep of 
 his arm. 
 
 The room was of fair size, furnished in a nondescript, 
 boarding-house fashion, and with two windows overlook 
 ing the little back yard of the house and those of the 
 other adjoining it. Each yard contained an assortment 
 of ash cans, and there was an astonishing number of 
 clothes lines, each fluttering a variety of garments pecul 
 iarly personal to their respective owners. 
 
 "Pretty snug, ain't it?" continued the captain. 
 230
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Not exactly up to that I've been luxuriatin' in lately, 
 but more fittin' to my build and class than that was, I 
 shouldn't wonder. No Corot paintin's nor five thou 
 sand dollar tintypes of dory codders ; but I can manage 
 to worry along without them, if I try hard. Neat but 
 not gaudy, I call it as the architect feller said about 
 his plans for the addition to the county jail at Ostable. 
 Hey? Ho! Ho!" 
 
 Pearson began to get a clue to the situation. 
 
 " Captain Warren," he demanded, " have you Do 
 you mean to say you've taken this room to live in ? " 
 
 " No, I ain't said all that yet. I wanted to talk with 
 you a little afore I said it. But that was my idea, if 
 you and I agreed on sartin matters." 
 
 " You've come here to live! You've left your your 
 niece's house ? " 
 
 " Ya-as, I've left. That is, I left the way the Irish 
 man left the stable where they kept the mule. He said 
 there was all out doors in front of him and only two 
 feet behind. That's about the way 'twas with me." 
 
 " Have your nephew and niece " 
 
 " Um-hm. They hinted that my room was better 
 than my company, and, take it by and large, I guess they 
 was right for the present, anyhow. I set up till three 
 o'clock thinkin' it over, and then I decided to get out 
 afore breakfast this mornin'. I didn't wait for any 
 good-bys. They'd been said, or all I cared to hear " 
 Captain Elisha's smile disappeared for an instant 
 " last evenin'. The dose was sort of bitter, but it had the 
 necessary effect. At any rate, I didn't hanker for an 
 other one. I remembered what your landlady told me 
 when I was here afore, about this stateroom bein' 
 vacated, and I come down to look at it. It suits me well 
 enough; seems like a decent moorin's for an old salt 
 
 231
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 water derelict like me; the price is reasonable, and I 
 guess likely I'll take it. I guess I will." 
 
 " Why do you guess ? By George, I hope you will ! " 
 
 " Do you ? I'm much obliged. I didn't know but 
 after last night, after the scrape I got you into, you 
 might feel well, sort of as if you'd seen enough of 
 me." 
 
 The young man smiled bitterly. " It wasn't your 
 fault," he said. " It was mine entirely. I'm quite old 
 enough to decide matters for myself, and I should have 
 decided as my reason, and not my inclinations, told me. 
 You weren't to blame." 
 
 " Yes, I was. If you're old enough, I'm too old, I 
 cal'late. But I did think However, there's no use 
 goin' over that. I ask your pardon, Jim. And you don't 
 hold any grudge ? " 
 
 " Indeed I don't. I may be a fool I guess I am 
 but not that kind." 
 
 " Thanks. Well, there's one objection out of the way, 
 then, only I don't want you to think that I've hove over 
 board that ' responsibility ' I was so easy and fresh about 
 takin' on my shoulders. It's there yet; and I'll see you 
 squared with Caroline afore this v'yage is over, if I 
 live." 
 
 His friend frowned. 
 
 " You needn't mind," he said. " I prefer that you 
 drop the whole miserable business." 
 
 " Well, maybe, but Jim, you've taken hold of these 
 electric batteries that doctors have sometimes? It's 
 awful easy to grab the handles of one of those contrap 
 tions, but when you want to drop 'em you can't. They 
 don't drop easy. I took hold of the handles of 'Bije's 
 affairs, and, though it might be pleasanter to drop 'em, 
 I can't or I won't." 
 
 232
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Then you're leaving your nephew and niece doesn't 
 mean that you've given up the guardianship ? " 
 
 Captain Elisha's jaw set squarely. 
 
 " I don't remember sayin' that it did," he answered, 
 with decision. Then, his good-nature returning, he 
 added, " And now, Jim, I'd like your opinion of these 
 new quarters that I may take. What do you think of 
 'em? Come to the window and take a look at the 
 scenery." 
 
 Pearson joined him at the window. The captain 
 waved toward the clothes-lines and grinned. 
 
 " Looks as if there was some kind of jubilee, don't it," 
 he observed. " Every craft in sight has strung the 
 colors." 
 
 Pearson laughed. Then he said": 
 
 " Captain, I think the room will do. It isn't palatial, 
 but one can live in worse quarters, as I know from ex 
 perience." 
 
 " Yup. Well, Jim, there's just one thing more. Have 
 I disgraced you a good deal, bein' around with you and 
 chummin' in with you the way I have? That is, do you 
 think I've disgraced you ? Are you ashamed of me ? " 
 
 "I? Ashamed of you? You're joking !" 
 
 *' No, I'm serious. Understand now, I'm not apolo- 
 gizin'. My ways are my ways, and I think they're just 
 as good as the next feller's, whether he's from South 
 Denboro or well, Broad Street. I've got a habit of 
 thinkin' for myself and actin' for myself, and when I 
 take off my hat it's to a bigger man than I am and not 
 to a more stylish hat. But, since I've lived here in New 
 York, I've learned that, with a whole lot of folks, hats 
 themselves count more than what's underneath 'em. I 
 haven't changed mine, and I ain't goin' to. Now, with 
 that plain and understood, do you want me to live here,. 
 
 233
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 in the same house with you? I ain't fishin' for com 
 pliments. I want an honest answer." 
 
 He got it. Pearson looked him squarely in the eye. 
 
 " I do," he sajd. " I like you, and I don't care a damn 
 about your hat. Is that plain ? " 
 
 Captain Elisha's reply was delivered over the balusters 
 in the hall. 
 
 " Hi ! " he called. " Hi, Mrs. Hepton." 
 
 The landlady had been anxiously waiting. She ran 
 from the dining room to the foot of the stairs. 
 
 " Yes ? " she cried. " What is it ? " 
 
 " It's a bargain," said the captain. " I'm ready to 
 engage passage."
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 f "^HUS Captain Elisha entered another of New 
 York's " circles," that which centered at Mrs. 
 
 1 
 
 Hepton's boarding house. Within a week he 
 was as much a part of it as if he had lived there for 
 years. At lunch, on the day of his arrival, he made his 
 appearance at the table in company with Pearson, and 
 when the landlady exultantly announced that he was to 
 be " one of our little party " thereafter, he received and 
 replied to the welcoming salutations of his fellow 
 boarders with unruffled serenity. 
 
 " How could I help it ? " he asked. " Human nature's 
 liable to temptation, they tell us. The flavor of that 
 luncheon we had last time I was here has been hangin' 
 'round the edges of my mouth and tantalizin' my memory 
 ever since." 
 
 " We had a souffle that noon, if I remember correctly, 
 Captain," observed the flattered Mrs. Hepton. 
 
 " Did you ? Well, I declare ! I'd have sworn 'twas 
 a biled-dinner hash. Knew 'twas better than any I ever 
 ate afore, but I'd have bet 'twas hash, just the same. 
 Tut! tut! tut! Now, honest, Mrs. Hepton, ain't this 
 er whatever-you-call-it a close relation a sort of 
 hash with its city clothes on, hey ? " 
 
 The landlady admitted that a souffle was something not 
 unlike a hash. Captain Elisha nodded. 
 
 " I thought so," he declared. " I was sartin sure I 
 couldn't be mistaken. What is it used to be in the song 
 book ? ' You can smash you can ' Well, I don't rc- 
 16 235
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 member. Somethin' about your bein' able to smash the 
 vase if you wanted to, but the smell of the posies was 
 there yet." 
 
 Mr. Ludlow, the bookseller, supplied the quotation. 
 
 " ' You may break, you may shatter 
 
 The vase if you will, 
 
 But the scent of the roses 
 
 Will cling to it still/ " 
 
 he said, smiling. 
 
 " That's it Much obliged. You can warm up and 
 rechristen the hash if you will, but the corned beef and 
 cabbage stay right on deck. Ain't that so, Mr. Dick 
 ens?" 
 
 The illustrious " C." bowed. 
 
 " Moore ? " he observed, with dignity. 
 
 " Yes. That's what / said ' More ! ' Said it twice, 
 I believe. Glad you agree with me. The hymn says 
 that weakness is sin, but there's no sin in havin' a weak 
 ness for corned-beef hash." 
 
 Miss Sherborne and Mrs. Van Winkle Ruggles were 
 at first inclined to snub the new boarder, considering 
 him a country boor whose presence in their select society 
 was almost an insult. The captain did not seem to 
 notice their hints or sneers, although Pearson grew red 
 and wrathful. 
 
 " Laura, my dear," said Mrs. Ruggles, addressing the 
 teacher of vocal culture, " don't you feel quite rural to 
 day ? Almost as if you were visiting the country? " 
 
 " I do, indeed," replied Miss Sherborne. " Refreshing, 
 isn't it? Ha! ha!" 
 
 " It is if one cares for such things. I am afraid / 
 don't appreciate them. They may be well enough in 
 their place, but " 
 
 236
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 She finished with a shrug of her shoulders. Captain 
 Elisha smiled. 
 
 " Yes, ma'am," he said politely, joining in the conver 
 sation ; " that's what the boy said about the cooky 
 crumbs in the bed. You don't care for the country, I 
 take it, ma'am." 
 
 "I do not!" 
 
 " So ? Well, it's a mercy we don't think alike ; even 
 Heaven would be crowded if we did hey? You 
 didn't come from the country, either ? " turning to Miss 
 Sherborne. 
 
 The young lady would have liked to answer with an 
 uncompromising negative. Truth and the fact that some 
 of those present were acquainted with it compelled her 
 to forego this pleasure. 
 
 " I was born in a a small town," she answered 
 coldly. " But I came to the city as soon as I possibly 
 could." 
 
 " Um-hm. Well, I came when I couldn't possibly 
 stay away. We can agree on one thing we're all here. 
 Yes, and on another that that cake is fust-rate. I'll 
 take a second piece, if you've no objection, Mrs. Hep- 
 ton." 
 
 When they were alone once more, in the captain's 
 room, Pearson vented his indignation. 
 
 " Why didn't you give them as good as they sent ? " 
 he demanded. " Couldn't you see they were doing their 
 best to hurt your feelings ? " 
 
 " Ya-as. I could see it. Didn't need any specs to 
 see that." 
 
 " Then why didn't you answer them as they de 
 served? " 
 
 "Oh, I don't know. What's the use? They've got 
 troubles of their own. One of 'em's a used-to-be, and 
 
 237
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 the other's a never-was. Either disease is bad enough 
 without addin' complications." 
 
 Pearson laughed. " I don't get the whole of that, 
 Captain," he said. " Mrs. Van is the used-to-be, I sup 
 pose. But what is it that Miss Sherborne never was ? " 
 
 " Married," was the prompt reply. " Old maiditis is 
 creepin' on her fast You want to be careful, Jim ; a 
 certain kind of female gets desperate about her stage." 
 
 Pearson laughed again. 
 
 " Oh, get out ! " he exclaimed, turning to go. 
 
 "All right! I will, when you and she are together 
 and you give me the signal. But I tell you honest, I'd 
 hate to do it. Judgin' by the way she smiles and looks 
 up under her eye-winkers at you, you're in danger of 
 kidnappin'. So long. I'll see you again after I get my 
 dunnage unpacked." 
 
 The snubbing and sneering came to an abrupt end. 
 Pearson, in conversation with Mrs. Ruggles, casually 
 imparted the information that Captain Elisha was the 
 brother of A. Rodgers Warren, late society leader and 
 wealthy broker. Also, that he had entire charge of the 
 latter's estate. Thereafter Mrs. Ruggles treated the 
 captain as one whose rank was equal to her own, and, 
 consequently, higher than anyone's else in the boarding- 
 house. She made it a point to publicly ask his advice 
 concerning " securities " and " investments," and fa 
 vored him with many reminiscences of her distinguished 
 father, the Senator. Miss Sherborne, as usual, followed 
 her lead. Captain Elisha, when Pearson joked him on 
 the altered behavior of the two ladies, merely grinned. 
 
 " You may thank me for that, Captain," said the young 
 man. " When I told Mrs. Ruggles who and what you 
 were she almost broke down and sobbed. The fact 
 that she had risked offending one so closely connected 
 
 238
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 with the real thing on Fifth Avenue and Wall Street 
 was too dreadful. But she's yours devotedly now. 
 There's an i8-karat crown on your head." 
 
 " Yup. I suppose so. Well, I ain't so sot up with 
 pride over wearin' that crown. It used to belong to 
 'Bije, and I never did care much for second-hand things. 
 Rather have a new sou'wester of my own, any day in 
 the week. When I buy a sou'wester I know what it's 
 made of." 
 
 " Mrs. Ruggles knows what the crown is made of 
 gold, nicely padded with bonds and preferred stock." 
 
 " Humph ! Sometimes I wonder if the paddin's water 
 proof. As for the gold well, you can make con- 
 si der'ble shine with brass when you're dealin' with nigh- 
 sighted folks . . . and children." 
 
 To this indirect reference to Miss Warren and her 
 brother Pearson made no reply. The pair conversed 
 freely on other subjects, but each avoided this one. 
 The novel, too, was laid on the shelf for the present. 
 Its author had not yet mustered sufficient courage to 
 return to it. Captain Elisha once or twice suggested a 
 session with " Cap'n Jim," but, finding his suggestions 
 received with more or less indifference, did not press 
 them. His mind was busy with other things. A hint 
 dropped by Sylvester, the lawyer, was one of these. It 
 suggested alarming possibilities, and his skepticism con 
 cerning the intrinsic worth of his inherited " crown " was 
 increased by it. 
 
 He paid frequent visits to the offices of Sylvester, 
 Kuhn, and Graves in Pine Street. Upon the senior 
 partner, whom he esteemed and trusted not only as a 
 business adviser but a friend, he depended for informa 
 tion concerning happenings at the Warren apartment. 
 
 Caroline sent him regular statements of her weekly 
 239
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 expenditures, also bills for his approval, but she had 
 written him but once, and then only a brief note. The 
 note brought by a messenger, accompanied a package 
 containing the chain which he and Pearson selected with 
 such deliberation and care at the Fifth Avenue jeweler's. 
 Under the existing circumstances, the girl wrote, she 
 felt that she did not wish to accept presents from him 
 and therefore returned this one. He was alone when 
 the note and package came and sat by the window of his 
 room, looking out at the dismal prospect of back yards 
 and clothes-lines, turning the leather case over and over 
 in his hands. Perhaps this was the most miserable after 
 noon he had spent since his arrival in the city. He tried 
 to comfort himself by the exercise of his usual philos 
 ophy, but it was cold comfort. He had no right to ex 
 pect gratitude, so he told himself, and the girl undoubt 
 edly felt that she was justified in her treatment of him; 
 but it is hard to be misunderstood and misjudged, even 
 by one whose youth is, perhaps, an excuse. He forgave 
 Caroline, but he could not forgive those who were re 
 sponsible for her action. 
 
 After Pearson had departed, on the morning when 
 the conversation dealing with Mrs. Van Winkle Ruggles 
 and her change of attitude took place, Captain Elisha 
 put on his hat and coat and started for his lawyer's 
 office. Sylvester was glad to see him and invited him 
 to lunch. 
 
 " No, thank you," replied the captain. " I just run 
 down to ask if there was anything new in the offim'. 
 Last time I see you, you hinted you and your mates had 
 sighted somethin' or other through the fog, and it might 
 turn out to be a rock or a lighthouse, you couldn't tell 
 which. Made up your mind yet ? " 
 
 Sylvester shook his head. " No," he said, slowly ; " it 
 240
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 is still foggy. We're busy investigating, but we're not 
 rettdy to report." 
 
 " Humph ! Well, what's the thing look like ? You 
 must be a little nigher to it by now." 
 
 The lawyer tapped his desk with a pencil. " I don't 
 know x'hat it looks like," he answered. " That is to 
 say, I don't I can't believe it is what it appears, at 
 this distance, to be. If it is, it is the most " 
 
 He paused. Captain Elisha waited for him to go on 
 and, when he did not do so, asked another question. 
 
 " The most what ? " he demanded. " Is it likely to 
 be very bad ? " 
 
 " Why why well, I can't say even that yet. But 
 there ! as I told you. I'm not going to permit it to worry 
 me. And you mustn't worry, either. That's why I 
 don't give you any further particulars. There may be 
 nothing in it, after all." 
 
 His visitor smiled. " Say, Mr. Sylvester," he said, 
 " you're like the young-ones used to be when I was a 
 boy. There'd be a gang of 'em waitin' by the school- 
 house steps and when the particular victim hove in sight 
 they'd hail him with, ' Ah, ha ! you're goin' to get it ! ' 
 ' Wait till teacher sees you ! ' and so on. Course the vic 
 tim would want to know what it meant. All the satis 
 faction he got from them was, ' That's all right ! You'll 
 find out! You just wait!' And the poor feller put in 
 the time afore the bell rung goin' over all the things he 
 shouldn't have done and had, and wonderin' which it 
 was this time. You hinted to me a week ago that there 
 was a surprisin' possibility loomin' up in 'Bije's finan 
 cial affairs. And ever since then I've been puzzlin' my 
 brains tryin' to guess what could happen. Ain't dis 
 covered any more of those Cut Short bonds, have you? " 
 
 The bonds to which he referred were those of a de- 
 241
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 funct Short Line railroad. A large number of these 
 bonds had been discovered among A. Rodgers Warren's 
 effects ; part of his " tangled assets," the captain had 
 termed them, differentiating from the " tangible " 
 variety. 
 
 " Abbie, my housekeeper, has been writin' me," he 
 went on, " about havin' the sewin' room papered. She 
 wants my advice concernin' the style of paper; says it 
 ought to be pretty and out of the common, but not too 
 expensive. I judge what she wants is somethin' that 
 looks like money but ain't really wuth more than ten* 
 cents a mile. I've been thinkin' I'd send her a bale or 
 so of those bonds; they'd fill the bill in those respects, 
 wouldn't they?" 
 
 Sylvester laughed. " They certainly would, Captain," 
 he replied. " No, we haven't unearthed any more of 
 that sort. And, as for this mystery of ours, I'll give 
 you the answer if it's worth giving at all, in a very 
 short time. Meanwhile, you go home and forget it." 
 
 " Well, I'll try. But I guess it sticks out on my face, 
 like a four days' toothache. But I won't worry about 
 that. You know best whether to tell me now or not, 
 and well, I'm carryin' about all the worry my ton- 
 nage'll stand, as 'tis." 
 
 He drew a long breath. Sylvester regarded him sym 
 pathetically. 
 
 " You mustn't take your nephew's and niece's treat 
 ment too much to heart," he said. 
 
 " Oh, I don't. That is, I pretend I don't. And I do 
 try not to. But I keep thinkin', thinkin', and wonderin' 
 if 'twould have been better if I hadn't gone there to live 
 at all. Hi hum ! a man of my age hadn't ought to mind 
 what a twenty-year-old girl says, or does; 'specially 
 when her kind, advisin' friends have shown her how 
 
 242
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 she's been deceived and hypocrit-ted. By the way, 
 speakin' of hypocrites, I suppose there's just as much 
 4 Dunnin' ' as ever goin' on up there ? " 
 
 " Yes. A little more, if anything, I'm afraid. Your 
 niece and Mrs. Dunn and her precious son are together 
 now so constantly that people are expecting well, you 
 know what they expect." 
 
 " I can guess. I hope they'll be disapp'inted." 
 
 " So do I, but I must confess I'm fearful. Malcolm 
 himself isn't so wise, but his mother is " 
 
 44 A whole Book of Proverbs, hey ? I know. She's, 
 an able old frigate. I did think I had her guns spiked, 
 but she turned 'em on me unexpected. I thought I had 
 her and her boy in a clove hitch. I knew somethin' 
 that I was sartin sure they wouldn't want Caroline to 
 know, and she and Malcolm knew I knew it. Her tellin' 
 Caroline of it, her story of it, when I wasn't there to 
 contradict, was as smart a piece of maneuverin' as ever 
 was. It took the wind out of my sails, because, though 
 I'm just as right as I ever was, Caroline wouldn't listen 
 to me, nor believe me, now." 
 
 " She'll learn by experience." 
 
 " Yup, But learnin' by experience is a good deal like 
 shippin' green afore the mast ; it'll make an able sea 
 man of you, if it don't kill you fust. When I was a 
 boy there was a man in our town name of Nickerson 
 Cummin's. He was mate of a ship and smart as a red 
 pepper poultice on a skinned heel. He was a great 
 churchgoer when he was ashore and always preachin' 
 brotherly love and kindness and pattin' us little shavers 
 on the head, and so on. Most of the grown folks 
 thought he was a sort of saint, and I thought he was 
 more than that. I'd have worshiped him, I cal'late, if 
 my Methodist trainin' would have allowed me to wor- 
 
 243
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 ship anybody who wa'n't named in Scriptur'. If there'd 
 been an apostle or a prophet christened Nickerson I'd 
 have fell on my knees to this Cummin's man, sure. So, 
 when I went to sea as a cabin boy, a tow-headed snub- 
 nosed little chap of fourteen, I was as happy as a clam 
 at highwater 'cause I was goin' in the ship he was mate 
 of." 
 
 He paused. There was a frown on his face, and his 
 lower jaw was thrust forward grimly. 
 
 " Well ? " inquired Sylvester. " What happened ? " 
 
 " Hey ? Oh, excuse me. When I get to thinkin' of 
 that v'yage I simmer inside, like a teakettle on a hot 
 stove. The second day out seasick and homesick and 
 so miserable I wished I could die all at once instead of 
 by lingerin' spasms I dropped a dish on the cabin floor 
 and broke it. Cummin's was alone with me, eatin' his 
 dinner ; and he jumped out of his chair when I stooped 
 to pick up the pieces and kicked me under the table. 
 When I crawled out, he kicked me again and kept it 
 up. When his foot got tired he used his fist. * There ! ' 
 says he between his teeth, * I cal'late that'll learn you that 
 crockery costs money.' 
 
 " It did. I never broke anything else aboard that ship. 
 Cummin's was a bully and a sneak to everybody but the 
 old man, and a toady to him. He never struck me or 
 anybody else when the skipper was around, but there was 
 nothin' too mean for him to do when he thought he had 
 a safe chance. And he took pains to let me know that 
 if I ever told a soul at home he'd kill me. I'd learned 
 by experience, not only about the price of crockery, but 
 other things, things that a youngster ought not to learn 
 how to hate a man so that you can wait years to get 
 even with him, for one. I'm sorry I learned that, and," 
 dryly, " so was Cummin's, later. But I did learn, once 
 
 244
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 and for all, not to take folks on trust, nor to size 'em up 
 by their outside, or the noise they make in prayer- 
 meetin', nor the way they can spread soft soap when 
 they think it's necessary. I'd learned that, and I'd 
 learned it early enough to be of use to me, which was 
 a mercy. 
 
 " It was a hard lesson for me," he added, reflec 
 tively ; " but I managed to come out of it without let- 
 tin' it bitter my whole life. I don't mind so much Caro 
 line's bein' down on me. She'll know better some day, 
 I hope; and if she don't well, I'm only a side-issue 
 in her life, anyhow, hove in by accident, like the sec 
 tion of dog collar in the sassage. But I do hope her 
 learnin' by experience won't come too late to save her 
 from . . . what she'll be awful sorry for by and 
 by." 
 
 " It must," declared the lawyer, with decision. " You 
 must see to it, Captain Warren. You are her guardian. 
 She is absolutely under your charge. She can do noth 
 ing of importance unless you consent." 
 
 " Yup. That's so for one more year * just one, re 
 member ! Then she'll be of age, and I can't say ' Boo ! ' 
 And her share of 'Bije's money'll be hers, too. And 
 don't you believe that that fact has slipped Sister Dunn's 
 memory. I ain't on deck to head her off now ; if she 
 puts Malcolm up to gettin' Caroline to give her word, 
 and Caroline gives it well, I know my niece. She's 
 honorable, and she'll stick to her promise if it runs her 
 on the rocks. And Her Majesty Dunn knows that, too. 
 Therefore, the cat bein' away, she cal'lates now's the 
 time to make sure of the cheese." 
 
 " But the cat can come back. The song says it did, 
 you know." 
 
 " Um-hm. And got another kick, I shouldn't won- 
 245
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 der. However, my claws'll stay sharp for a year or 
 thereabouts, and, if it comes to a shindy, there'll be 
 some tall scratchin' afore I climb a tree. Keep a 
 weather eye on what goes on, won't you ? " 
 
 " I will. You can depend on me." 
 
 " I do. And say ! for goodness' sakes put me out of 
 my misery regardin' that rock or lighthouse on 'Bije's 
 chart, scon's ever you settle which it is." 
 
 " Certainly ! And, remember, don't worry. It may 
 be a lighthouse, or nothing at all. At all events, I'll re 
 port very soon."
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 BUT, in spite of his promise, Sylvester did not re 
 port during the following week or the next. 
 Meanwhile, his client tried his best to keep the 
 new mystery from troubling his thoughts, and succeeded 
 only partially. The captain's days and evenings were 
 quiet and monotonous. He borrowed a book or two 
 from Mrs. Hepton's meager library, read, walked a good 
 deal, generally along the water front, and wrote daily 
 letters to Miss Baker. He and Pearson were together 
 for at least a portion of each day. The author, fighting 
 down his dejection and discouragement, set himself 
 resolutely to work once more on the novel, and Lis 
 nautical adviser was called in for frequent consultation. 
 The story, however, progressed but slowly. There was 
 something lacking. Each knew what that something 
 was, but neither named it. 
 
 One evening Pearson entered the room tenanted by 
 his friend to find the latter seated beside the table, his 
 shoes partially unlaced, and a pair of big slippers ready 
 for putting on. 
 
 " Captain," said the visitor, " you look so comfortable 
 I hate to disturb you." 
 
 Captain Elisha, red-faced and panting, desisted from 
 the unlacing and straightened in his chair. 
 
 " Whew ! " he puffed. " Jim, your remarks prove that 
 your experience of the world ain't as big as it ought to 
 be. When you get to my age and waist measure you'll 
 realize that stoopin' over and comfort don't go together. 
 
 247
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 I hope to be comfortable pretty soon; but I sha'n't be 
 till them boots are off. Set down. The agony'll be over 
 in a minute." 
 
 Pearson declined to sit. " Not yet," he said. " And 
 you let those shoes alone, until you hear what I've got 
 to say. A newspaper friend of mine has sent me two 
 tickets for the opera to-night. I want you to go with 
 me." 
 
 Captain Elisha was surprised. 
 
 " To the opera ? " he repeated. " Why, that's a a 
 sort of singin' theater ain't it ? " 
 
 " Yes, you're fond of music ; you told me so. And 
 Aida is beautiful. Come on ! it will do us both good." 
 
 "Hum! Well, I don't know." 
 
 "I do. Get ready." 
 
 The captain looked at his caller's evening clothes. 
 
 " What do you mean by gettin' ready ? " he asked. 
 " You've got on your regimentals, open front and all. 
 My uniform is the huntin' case kind; fits in better with 
 church sociables and South Denboro no'theasters. If I 
 wore one of those vests like yours Abbie'd make me 
 put on a red flannel lung-protector to keep from catchin' 
 pneumonia. And she'd think 'twas sinful waste besides, 
 runnin' the risk of sp'ilin' a clean biled shirt so quick. 
 Won't I look like an undertaker, sittin' alongside of 
 you?" 
 
 " Not a bit. If it will ease your mind I'll change 
 to a business suit." 
 
 " I don't care. You know how I feel ; we had a little 
 talk about hats a spell ago, you remember. If you're 
 willin' to take me ' just as I am, without a plea,' as the 
 hymn-tune says, why, I cal'late I'll say yes and go. Set 
 down and wait while I get on my ceremonials." 
 
 He retired to the curtain alcove, and Pearson heard 
 248
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 him rustling about, evidently making a hurried change 
 of raiment. During this process lie talked continu 
 ously. 
 
 " Jim," he said, " I ain't been to the theater but once 
 since I landed in New York. Then I went to see a play 
 named ' The Heart of a Sailor.' Ha ! ha ! that was a 
 great show ! Ever take it in, did you ? " 
 
 " No. I never did." 
 
 " Well, you'd ought to. It's a wonder of it's kind. 
 I learned more things about life-savin' and 'longshore 
 life from that drayma than you'd believe was possible. 
 You'd have got some p'ints for your Cap'n Jim yarn 
 from that play ; you sartin would ! Yes, indeed ! Way 
 I happened to go to it was on account of seein' a poster 
 on a fence over nigh where that Moriarty tribe lived. 
 The poster pictured a bark ashore, on her beam ends, 
 in a sea like those off the Horn. On the beach was a 
 whole parcel of life-savers firin' off rockets and blue 
 lights. Keepin' the Fourth of July, I judged they was, 
 for I couldn't see any other reason. The bark wa'n't 
 more'n a hundred foot from 'em, and if all hands on 
 board didn't know they was in trouble by that time, then 
 they deserved to drown. Anyhow, they wa'n't likely 
 to appreciate the celebration. Ho! ho! Well, when I 
 run afoul of that poster I felt I hadn't ought to let any 
 thing like that get away; so I hunted up the theater 
 it wa'n't but a little ways off and got a front seat for 
 that very afternoon." 
 
 "Was it up to the advertising?" asked Pearson. 
 
 " Was it ? Hi hum ! I wish you'd been there. 
 More 'special I wished some of the folks from home 
 had been there, for the whole business was supposed to 
 happen on the Cape, and they'd have realized how igno 
 rant we are about the place we live in. The hero was a 
 
 249
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 strappin' six-footer, sort of a combination fisherman 
 and parson, seemed so. He wore ileskins in fair weather 
 and went around preachin' or defy in' folks that provoked 
 him and makin' love to the daughter of a long-haired old 
 relic that called himself an inventor. . . . Oh, con- 
 sarn it ! " 
 
 "What's the matter?" 
 
 " Dropped my collar button, as usual. Collar but 
 tons are one of the Old Harry's pet traps. I'll bet their 
 responsible for 'most as many lapses from grace as 
 tangled fishlines. Where . . . Ow! ... All 
 right; I found it with my bare foot, and edge up, of 
 course." 
 
 A series of grunts and short-breathed exclamations 
 followed, indicating that the sufferer was struggling with 
 a tight collar. 
 
 " Go on," commanded Pearson. " Tell me some more 
 about the play." 
 
 " Hey ? Oh, the play. Where was I ? " 
 
 " You were saying that the heroine's father was an 
 inventor." 
 
 " That's what he said he was, though he never fur 
 nished any proof. His daughter helped him with his in 
 ventions, but if she'd cut his hair once in a while 'twould 
 have been a better way of puttin' in the time, 'cordin' 
 to my notion. And there was a rich squire, who made 
 his money by speculatin' in wickedness, and a mortgage, 
 and I don't know what all. And those Cape Cod 
 folks ! and the houses they lived in ! and the way they 
 talked! Oh, dear! oh, dear! I got my money's wuth 
 that afternoon." 
 
 " What about the wreck ? How did that happen ? " 
 
 " Don't know. It happened 'cause it had to be in 
 the play, I cal'late. The mortgage, or an ' invention ' 
 
 250
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 cr something was on board the bark and just naturally 
 took a short cut for home, way I figgered it out. But, 
 Jim, you ought to have seen that hero! He peeled off 
 his ileskin-slicker he'd kept it on all through the sun 
 shine, but now, when 'twas rainin' and rainin' and 
 wreckin' and thunderin', he shed it and jumped in and 
 saved all hands and the ship's cat. 'Twas great busi 
 ness ! No wonder the life-savers set off fireworks ! 
 And thunder! Why, say, it never stopped thunderin' 
 in that storm except when somebody had to make a 
 heroic speech; then it let up and give 'em a chance. 
 Most considerate thunder ever I heard. And the 
 lightnin' ! and the way the dust flew from the breakers ! 
 I was glad I went. . . . There ! " appearing fully 
 dressed from behind the curtains. " I'm ready if you 
 are. Did I talk your head off ? I ask your pardon ; but 
 that * Heart of a Sailor ' touched mine, I guess. I know 
 I was afraid I'd laugh until it stopped beatin'. And all 
 around the people were cryin'. It was enough sight 
 damper amongst the seats than in those cloth waves." 
 
 The pair walked over to Broadway, boarded a street 
 car, and alighted before the Metropolitan Opera House. 
 Pearson's seats were good ones, well down in the 
 orchestra. Captain Elisha turned and surveyed the 
 great interior and the brilliantly garbed audience. 
 
 " Whew ! " he muttered. " This is considerable of 
 a show in itself, Jim. They could put our town hall 
 rnside here and the folks on the roof wouldn't be so 
 high as those in that main skys'l gallery up aloft there. 
 Can they see or hear, do you think ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes. The accepted idea is that they are the 
 real music lovers. They come for the opera itself. 
 Some of the others come because well, because it is 
 the proper thing." 
 
 17 251
 
 " Yes, yes ; I see. That's the real article right over 
 our heads, I suppose." 
 
 "Yes. That's the 'Diamond Horseshoe.'" 
 
 " All proper things there, hey ? " 
 
 " Why er yes, I suppose so. What makes you 
 ask?" ' 
 
 " Nothing much. I was thinking 'twas better Abbie 
 wa'n't along on this cruise. She'd probably want to 
 put an ' im ' in front of that ' proper.' I envy those 
 women, Jim; they didn't have to stop to hunt up collar 
 buttons, did they." 
 
 He was silent during the first act of the opera. When 
 the curtain fell his companion asked how he liked it. 
 
 " Good singin'," he replied ; " best I ever heard. Do 
 you understand what they say ? " 
 
 " No. But I'm familiar with the story of Aida, of 
 course. It's a favorite of mine. And the words don't 
 really matter." 
 
 " I suppose not. It's the way they say it. I had an 
 Irishman workin' round my barn once, and Tim Bailey 
 drove down from Bayport to see me. I was out and 
 Tim and the Irishman run afoul of each other. Tim 
 stuttered so that he made a noise when he talked like 
 one of these gasoline bicycles goin' by. He watched 
 Mike sweepin' out the horse stall and he says, ' You're 
 a pup pup ... I say you're a pup / He 
 didn't get any further 'cause Mike went for him with 
 the broom. Turned out later that he was tryin' to com 
 pliment that Irishman by sayin' he was a particular sort 
 of feller. These folks on the stage might be sayin' 
 most anythin', and I wouldn't know it. But I sha'n't 
 knock 'em down, for I like the way it's said. When the 
 Almighty give us music he more than made up for 
 makin' us subject to toothache, didn't he." 
 
 252
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Pearson bought a copy of the libretto, and the cap 
 tain followed the performance of the next two acts with 
 interest. 
 
 " Say, Jim," he whispered, with a broad grin, " it's 
 a good thing this opera idea ain't carried into real life. 
 If you had to sing every word you said 'twould be sort of 
 distressing 'specially if you was in a hurry. A fust-rate 
 solo when you was orderin' the crew to shorten sail 
 would be a high old brimstone anthem, I'll bet you. And 
 think of the dinner table at our boardin' house! Mrs. 
 Van and C. Dickens both goin' at once, and Marm Hepton 
 serenadin' the waiter girl ! Ho ! ho ! A cat fight 
 wouldn't be a circumstance." 
 
 Between the third and the fourth acts the pair went 
 out into the foyer, where, ascending to the next floor, 
 they made the round of the long curve behind the boxes, 
 Pearson pointing out to his friend the names of the box 
 lessees on the brass plates. 
 
 " There ! " he observed, as, the half circle completed, 
 they turned and strolled back again, " isn't that an im 
 posing list, Captain? Don't , you feel as if you were 
 close to the real thing?" 
 
 "Godfreys mighty!" was the solemn reply; "I was 
 just thinkin' I felt as if I'd been readin' one of those 
 muck-rakin' yarns in the magazines ! " 
 
 The foyer had its usual animated crowd, and among 
 them Pearson recognized a critic of his acquaintance. 
 He offered to introduce the captain, but the latter de 
 clined the honor, saying that he cal'lated he wouldn't 
 shove his bows in this time. " You heave ahead and 
 see your friend, Jim," he added. " I'll come to anchor 
 by this pillar and watch the fleet go by. I'll have to 
 write Abbie about all this ; she'll want to know how 
 the female craft was rigged." 
 
 253
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Left alone, he leaned against the pillar and watched 
 the people pass and repass just behind him. Two young 
 men paused just behind him. He could not help over 
 hearing their conversation. 
 
 " I presume you've heard the news ? " asked one, 
 casually. 
 
 " Yes," replied the other, " I have. That is, if you 
 mean the news concerning Mai Dunn. The mater 
 learned it this afternoon and sprung it at dinner. No 
 one was greatly surprised. Formal announcement made, 
 and all that sort of thing, I believe. Mai's to be con 
 gratulated." 
 
 " His mother is, you mean. She managed the cam 
 paign. The old lady is some strategist, and I'd back 
 her to win under ordinary circumstances. But I under 
 stand these were not ordinary; wise owl of a guardian 
 to be circumvented, or something of that sort." 
 
 " From what I hear the Dunns haven't won so much 
 after all. There was a big shrinkage when papa died, so 
 they say. Instead of three or four millions it panned 
 out to be a good deal less than one. I don't know much 
 about it, because our family and theirs have drifted apart 
 since they moved." 
 
 " Humph ! I imagine whatever the pan-out it will 
 be welcome. The Dunns are dangerously close to the 
 ragged edge ; everybody has been on to that for some 
 time. And it takes a few ducats to keep Mai going. 
 He's no Uncle Russell when it comes to putting by for 
 the rainy day." 
 
 " Well, on the whole, I'm rather sorry for the 
 other party. Mai is a good enough fellow, and he cer 
 tainly is a game sport ; but " 
 
 They moved on, and Captain Elisha heard no more. 
 But what he had heard was quite sufficient. He sat 
 
 254
 
 CAP'N WARDEN'S WARDS 
 
 through the remainder of the opera in silence and an 
 swered all his friend's questions and remarks curtly and 
 absently. 
 
 As they stepped into the trolley Pearson bought an 
 evening paper, not the Planet, but a dignified sheet 
 which shunned sensationalism and devoted much space 
 to the doings of the safe, sane, and ultra-respectable 
 element. Perceiving that his companion, for some rea 
 son, did not care to talk, he read as the car moved 
 downtown. Suddenly Captain Elisha was awakened 
 from his reverie by hearing his friend utter an ex 
 clamation. Looking up, the captain saw that he was 
 leaning back in the seat, the paper lying unheeded in his 
 lap. 
 
 " What's the matter? " asked the older man, anxiously. 
 
 Pearson started, glanced quickly at his friend, hesi 
 tated, and looked down again. 
 
 "Nothing now," he answered, brusquely. "We 
 get out here. Come." 
 
 He rose, picked up the paper with a hand that shook 
 a little, and led the way to the door of the car. Captain 
 Elisha followed, and they strode up the deserted side 
 street. Pearson walked so rapidly that his companion 
 was hard pushed to keep pace with him. When they 
 stood together in the dimly lit hall of the boarding 
 house, the captain spoke again. 
 
 "Well, Jim," he asked in a low tone, "what is it? 
 You may as well tell me. Maybe I can guess, anyhow." 
 
 The young man reached up and turned the gas full 
 on. In spite of the cold from which they had just come, 
 his face was white. He folded the paper in his hand, 
 and with his forefinger pointed to its uppermost page. 
 
 " There it is," he said. " Read it." 
 
 Captain Elisha took the paper, drew his spectacle case 
 255
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 from his pocket, adjusted his glasses and read. The 
 item was among those under the head of " Personal and 
 Social." It was what he expected. " The engagement 
 is to-day announced of Miss Caroline Warren, daughter 
 of the late A. Rodgers Warren, the well-known broker, 
 to Mr. Malcolm Corcoran Dunn, of Fifth Avenue. 
 Miss Warren, it will be remembered, was one of the 
 most charming of our season-be fore-last's debutantes 
 and " etc. 
 
 The captain read the brief item through. 
 
 " Yes," he said, slowly, " I see." 
 
 Pearson looked at him in amazement. 
 
 "You see!" he repeated. "You Why! Did you 
 know it?" 
 
 " I've been afraid of it for some time. To-night, 
 when you left me alone there in the quarter-deck of that 
 opera house, I happened to hear two young chaps talkin' 
 about it. So you might say I knew Yes." 
 
 " Good heavens ! and you can stand there and 
 What are you going to do about it ? " 
 
 " I don't know yet." 
 
 " Are you going to permit her to marry that that 
 fellow ? " 
 
 " Well, I ain't sartin that I can stop her." 
 
 " My God, man ! Do you realize and she your 
 niece why " 
 
 " There ! there ! Jim. I realize it all, I cal'late. It's 
 my business to realize it." 
 
 " And it isn't mine. No, of course it isn't ; you're 
 right there." 
 
 He turned and strode toward the foot of the stairs. 
 
 " Hold on ! " commanded the captain. " Hold on, 
 Jim ! Don't you go off ha'f cocked. W r hen I said 
 'twas my business to realize this thing, I meant just 
 
 256
 
 CAP T N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 that and nothin' more. I wa'n't hintin', and ycm ought 
 to know it. You do know it, don't you ? " 
 
 The young man paused. " Yes," he answered, after 
 an instant's struggle with his feelings ; " yes, I do. I 
 beg your pardon, Captain." 
 
 " All right. And here's somethin' else ; I just told 
 you I wasn't sartin I could stop the marriage. That's 
 the truth. But I don't recollect sayin' I'd actually 
 hauled down the colors, not yet. Good night." 
 
 " Good night, Captain. I shouldn't have misunder 
 stood you, of course. But, as you know, I respected and 
 admired your niece. And this thing has has " 
 
 " Sort of knocked you on your beam ends, I under 
 stand. Well, Jim," with a sigh, " I ain't exactly on 
 an even keel myself." 
 
 They separated, Pearson going to his room. As Cap 
 tain Elisha was passing through the hall on the second 
 floor, he heard someone calling him by name. Turning, 
 he saw his landlady's head, bristling with curl papers, 
 protruding from behind the door at the other end of the 
 passage. 
 
 " Captain Warren," she asked, " is that you ? " 
 
 " Yes, ma'am," replied the captain, turning back. 
 
 " Well, I've got a message for you. A Mr. Sylvester 
 has 'phoned you twice this evening. He wishes to see 
 you at his office at the earliest possible moment. He 
 says it is very important."
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 NINE o'clock is an early hour for a New York 
 lawyer of prominence to be at his place of 
 business. Yet, when Captain Elisha asked 
 the office boy of Sylvester, Kuhn and Graves if the 
 senior partner was in, he received an affirmative answer. 
 
 " Yes, sir," said Tim, respectfully. His manner to 
 ward the captain had changed surprisingly since the lat- 
 ter's first call. " Yes, sir ; Mr. Sylvester's in. He 
 expects you. I'll tell him you're here. Sit down and 
 wait, please." 
 
 Captain Elisha sat down, but he did not have to wait 
 long. The boy returned at once and ushered him into 
 the private office. Sylvester welcomed him gravely. 
 
 " You got my message, then," he said. " I spent hours 
 last evening chasing you by 'phone. And I was pre 
 pared to begin again this morning." 
 
 "So? That's why you're on deck so early? Didn't 
 sleep here, did you? Well, I cal'late I know what you 
 want to talk about. You ain't the only one that reads 
 the newspapers." 
 
 " The newspapers ? Great heavens ! it isn't in the 
 newspapers, is it? It can't be ! " 
 
 He seemed much perturbed. Captain Elisha looked 
 puzzled. 
 
 " Course it is," he said. " But I heard it afore I saw 
 it. Perhaps you think I take it pretty easy. Maybe 
 I act as if I did. But you expected it, and so did I, so 
 we ain't exactly surprised. And," seriously, " I realize 
 
 258
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 that it's no joke as well as you do. But we've got a year 
 to fight in, and now we must plan the campaign. I did 
 cal'late to see Caroline this mornin'. Then, if I heard 
 from her own lips that 'twas actually so, I didn't know's 
 I wouldn't drop in and give Sister Corcoran-Queen- 
 Victoria-Dunn a few plain facts about it not bein' a 
 healthy investment to hurry matters. You're wantin' 
 to see me headed me off, and I come here instead." 
 
 The lawyer looked at him in astonishment. 
 
 " See here, Captain Warren," he demanded, " what 
 do you imagine I asked you to come here for?" 
 
 " Why, to talk about that miserable engagement, sartin. 
 Poor girl! I've been awake ha'f the night thinkin' of 
 the mess she's been led into. And she believes she's 
 happy, I suppose." 
 
 Sylvester shook his head. " I see," he said, slowly. 
 " You would think it that, naturally. No, Captain, it 
 isn't the engagement. It's more serious than that." 
 
 " More serious than more serious ! Why, what on 
 earth? Hey? Mr. Sylvester, has that rock-lighthouse 
 business come to somethin' after all ? " 
 
 The lawyer nodded. " It has," he replied. 
 
 " I want to know ! And I'd almost forgot it, not 
 hearin' from you. It's a rock, too, I judge, by the looks 
 of your face. Humph! . . . Is it very bad ?" 
 
 " I'm afraid so." 
 
 The captain pulled his beard. " Well," he said, 
 wearily, after a moment, " I guess likely I can bear it. 
 I've had to bear some things in my time. Anyhow, 
 I'll try. Heave ahead and get it over with. I'm ready." 
 
 Instead of answering, Sylvester pushed an electric 
 button on his desk. The office boy answered the ring. 
 
 " Have Mr. Kuhn and Mr. Graves arrived ? " asked 
 the lawyer. 
 
 259
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Yes, sir. Both of them, sir." 
 
 " Tell them Captain Warren is here, and ask them 
 to join us in the inner room. Remind Mr. Graves to 
 bring the papers. And, Tim, remember that none of 
 us is to be disturbed. Do you understand ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir," said Tim and departed. 
 
 Captain Elisha regarded his friend with some dismay. 
 
 "Say!" he exclaimed, "this must be serious, if it 
 takes the skipper and both mates to handle it." 
 
 Sylvester did not smile. " It is," he answered. 
 " Come." 
 
 He led the way into the room opening from the rear 
 of his own. It was a large apartment with a long table 
 in the center. Mr. Kuhn, brisk and business-like, was 
 already there. He shook hands with his client. As he 
 did so, Graves, dignified and precise as ever, entered, 
 carrying a small portfolio filled with papers. 
 
 " Mornin', Mr. Graves," said the captain ; " glad to 
 see you, even under such distressin' circumstances, as 
 the undertaker said to the sick man. Feelin' all right 
 again, I hope. No more colds or nothin' like that ? " 
 
 " No. Thank you. I am quite well, at present." 
 
 " That's hearty. If you and me don't do any more 
 buggy ridin' in Cape Cod typhoons, we'll last a spell yet, 
 hey ? What you got there, the death warrant ? " refer 
 ring to the portfolio and its contents. 
 
 Mr. Graves evidently did not consider this flippancy 
 worth a reply, for he made none. 
 
 " Sit down, gentlemen," said Sylvester. 
 
 The four took chairs at the table. Graves untied 
 and opened the portfolio. Captain Elisha looked at his 
 solemn companions, and his lips twitched. 
 
 "You'll excuse me," he observed, "but I feel as if 
 I was goin' to be tried for piracy on the high seas. Has 
 
 260
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 the court any objection to tobacco smoke? I'm puttin' 
 the emphasis strong on the ' tobacco/ " he added, " be 
 cause this is a cigar you give me yourself, Mr. Sylvester, 
 last time I was down here." 
 
 " No, indeed," replied the senior partner. " Smoke, 
 if you wish. No one here has any objection, unless 
 it may be Graves." 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Graves ain't. He and I fired up together 
 that night we fust met. Hot smoke tasted grateful 
 after all the cold water we'd had poured onto us in that 
 storm. Graves is all right. He's a sportin' character, 
 like myself. Maybe he'll jine us. Got another cigar 
 in my pocket." 
 
 But the invitation was declined. The " sporting 
 character " might deign to relax amid proper and fitting 
 surroundings, but not in the sacred precincts of his of 
 fice. So the captain smoked alone. 
 
 " Well," he observed, after a few preliminary puffs, 
 " go on ! Don't keep me in suspenders, as the feller 
 said. Where did the lightnin' strike, and what's the 
 damage ? " 
 
 Sylvester took a card from his pocket and referred 
 to a penciled memorandum on its back. 
 
 " Captain Warren," he began, slowly, " as you know, 
 and as directed by you, my partners here and I have 
 been engaged for months in carefully going over your 
 brother's effects, estimating values, tabulating and sort 
 ing his various properties and securities, separating the 
 good from the worthless and there was, as we saw at 
 a glance, a surprising amount of the latter " 
 
 " Um-hm," interrupted the captain, " Cut Short bonds 
 and the like of that. I know. Excuse me. Go on." 
 
 " Yes. Precisely. And there were many just as 
 valueless. But we have been gradually getting those 
 
 261
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 out of the way and listing and appraising the remainder. 
 It was a tangle. Your brother's business methods, 
 especially of late years, were decidedly unsystematic and 
 slipshod. It may have been the condition of his health 
 which prevented his attending to them as he should. 
 Or," he hesitated slightly, " it may have been that he 
 was secretly in great trouble and mental distress. At 
 all events, the task has been a hard one for us. But, 
 largely owing to Graves and his patient work, our re 
 port was practically ready a month ago." 
 
 He paused. Captain Elisha, who had been listening 
 attentively, nodded. 
 
 " Yes," he said ; " you told me 'twas. What does the 
 whole thing tot up to? What's the final figger, Mr. 
 Graves ? " 
 
 The junior partner adjusted his eyeglasses to his thin 
 nose. 
 
 " I have them here," he said. " The list of securities, 
 ct cetera, is rather long ; but " 
 
 " Never mind them now, Graves," interrupted Kuhn. 
 " The amount, roughly speaking, is close to over our 
 original estimate, half a million." 
 
 The captain drew a breath of relief. " Well," he ex 
 claimed, " that's all right then, ain't it ? That's no poor- 
 house pension." 
 
 Sylvester answered. " Yes," he said, " that's all right, 
 as far as it goes." 
 
 " Humph ! Well, I cal'late / could make it go to 
 the end of the route; and then have enough left for a 
 return ticket. Say ! " with another look at the solemn 
 faces of the three, "what is the row? If the estate is 
 wuth ha'f a million, what's the matter with it ? " 
 
 " That is what we are here this morning to discuss, 
 Captain. A month ago. as I said, we considered our 
 
 262
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 report practically ready. Then we suddenly happened 
 on the trail of something which, upon investigation, upset 
 all our calculations. If true, it threatened, not to men 
 tion its effect upon the estate, to prove so distressing 
 and painful to us, Rodgers Warren's friends and legal 
 advisers, that we decided not to alarm you, his brother, 
 by disclosing our suspicions until we were sure there 
 was no mistake. I did drop you a hint, you will re 
 member " 
 
 " I remember. Now we're comin' to the rock ! " 
 
 " Yes. Captain Warren, I think perhaps I ought to 
 warn you that what my partners and I are about to say 
 will shock and hurt you. I, personally, knew your 
 brother well and respected him as an honorable business 
 man. A lawyer learns not to put too much trust in 
 human nature, but, I confess, this this " 
 
 He was evidently greatly disturbed. Captain Elisha, 
 regarding him intently, nodded. 
 
 " I judge it's sort of hard for you to go on, Mr. 
 Sylvester," he said. " I'll help you all I can. You and 
 Mr. Kuhn and Mr. Graves here have found out some- 
 thin' that ain't exactly straight in 'Bije's doin's? Am I 
 right?" 
 
 " Yes, Captain Warren, you are." 
 
 " Somethin' that don't help his character, hey ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Somethin's he's done that's well, to speak plain, 
 that's crooked ? " 
 
 " I'm afraid there's no doubt of it." 
 
 " Humph ! " The captain frowned. His cigar had 
 gone out, and he idly twisted the stump between his 
 fingers. " Well," he said, with a sigh, " our family, 
 gen'rally speakin', has always held its head pretty high. 
 Dad was poor, but he prided himself on bein' straight 
 
 263
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 as a plumb line. And, as for mother, she . . ." 
 Then, looking up quickly, he asked, " Does anybody out 
 side know about this ? " 
 
 " No one but ourselves yet." 
 
 "Yet? Is it goin' to be necessary for anybody else 
 to know it ? " 
 
 " We hope not. But there is a possibility." 
 
 " I was thinkin' about the children." 
 
 "Of course. So are we all." 
 
 " Um-hm. Poor Caroline ! she put her father on a 
 sort of altar and bowed down afore him, as you might 
 say. Any sort of disgrace to his name would about kill 
 her. As for me," with another sigh, " I ain't so much 
 surprised as you might think. I know that sounds tough 
 to say about your own brother, but I've been afraid 
 all along. You see, 'Bije always steered pretty close 
 to the edge of the channel. He had ideas about honesty 
 and fair dealin' in business that didn't jibe with mine. 
 We split on just that, as I told you, Mr. Graves, when 
 you and I fust met. He got some South Denboro folks 
 to invest money along with him ; sort of savin's account, 
 they figgered it ; but I found out he was usin' it to specu 
 late with. So that's why we had our row. I took 
 pains to see that the money was paid back, but he and 
 I never spoke afterwards. Fur as my own money was 
 concerned, I hadn't any kick, but . . . However, 
 I'm talkin' too much. Go on, Mr. Sylvester, I'm ready 
 to hear whatever you've got to say." 
 
 " Thank you, Captain. You make it easier for me. 
 It seems that your brother's first step toward wealth 
 and success was taken about nineteen years ago. Then 
 somehow or other, probably through a combination of 
 luck and shrewdness, he obtained a grant, a concession 
 from the Brazilian Government, the long term lease of 
 
 264
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 a good-sized tract of land on the upper Amazon. It 
 was very valuable because of its rubber trees." 
 
 " Hey ? " Captain Elisha leaned forward. " Say that 
 again ! " he commanded sharply. 
 
 Sylvester repeated his statement. " He got the con 
 cession by paying twenty thousand dollars to the govern 
 ment of Brazil," he continued. " To raise the twenty 
 thousand he formed a stock company of two hundred 
 and fifty shares at one hundred dollars each. One 
 hundred of these shares were in his own name. Fifty 
 were in the name of one ' Thomas A. Craven,' a clerk 
 at that time in his office. Craven was only a dummy, 
 however. Do you understand what I mean by a 
 dummy ? " 
 
 " I can guess. Sort of a wooden image that moved 
 when 'Bije pulled the strings. Like one of these straw 
 directors that clutter up the insurance companies, 
 'cordin' to the papers. Yes, yes; I understand well 
 enough. Go ahead ! go ahead ! " 
 
 " That's it. The fifty shares were in Craven's name, 
 but they were transferred in blank and in Mr. Warren's 
 safe. Together with his own hundred, they gave him 
 control and a voting majority. That much we know by 
 the records." 
 
 "I see. But this rubber con contraption wa'n't 
 really wuth anything, was it ? " 
 
 " Worth anything ! Captain Warren, I give you my 
 word that it was worth more than all the rest of the 
 investments that your brother made during his life 
 time." 
 
 "No!" The exclamation was almost a shout. 
 
 " Why, yes, decidedly more. Does that surprise you, 
 Captain?" 
 
 Captain Elisha did not answer. He was regarding 
 265
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 the lawyer with a dazed expression. He breathed 
 heavily. 
 
 "What's the matter?" demanded the watchful Kuhn, 
 his gaze fixed upon his client's face. " Do you know 
 anything " 
 
 The captain interrupted him. "Go on ! " he com 
 manded. " But tell me this fust : What was the name of 
 this rubber concern of 'Bije's?" 
 
 " The Akrae Rubber Company." 
 
 " I see. . . . Yes, yes. . . . Akry, hey ! . . . 
 Well, what about it? Tell me the rest." 
 
 " For the first year or two this company did nothing. 
 Then, in March, of the third year, the property was re 
 leased by Mr. Warren to persons in Para, who were to 
 develop and operate. The terms of his new lease were 
 very advantageous. Royalties were to be paid on a 
 sliding scale, and, from the very first, they were large. 
 The Akrae Company paid enormous dividends." 
 
 " Did, hey ? I want to know ! " 
 
 " Yes. In fact, for twelve years the company's roy 
 alties averaged $50,000 yearly." 
 
 " Whe-e-w ! " Captain Elisha whistled. " Fifty thou 
 sand a year! " he repeated slowly. " 'Bije! 'Bije! " 
 
 " Yes. And three years ago the Akrae Company sold 
 its lease, sold out completely to the Para people, for seven 
 hundred and fifty thousand dollars." 
 
 " Godfreys mighty ! Well," after a moment, " that's 
 what I'd call a middlin' fair profit on a twenty thousand 
 dollar investment not to mention the dividends." 
 
 " Captain," Sylvester leaned forward now ; " Captain," 
 he repeated, " it is that sale and the dividends which are 
 troubling us. I told you that the Akrae Company was 
 organized with two hundred and fifty shares of stock. 
 Your brother held one hundred in his own name and fifty 
 
 266
 
 transferred to him by his dummy, Craven. What I did 
 not tell you was that there were another hundred shares, 
 held by someone, someone who paid ten thousand dol 
 lars for them we know that and was, therefore, 
 entitled to two-fifths of every dollar earned by the 
 company during its existence, and two-fifths of the 
 amount received for the sale of the lease. So far as we 
 can find out, this stockholder has never received one 
 cent." 
 
 The effect of this amazing announcement upon the un- 
 iniated member of the council was not as great as the 
 lawyers expected it to be. " You don't tell me ! " was 
 his sole comment. 
 
 Graves broke in impatiently : " I think, Captain War 
 ren," he declared, " that you probably do not realize what 
 this means. Besides proving your brother dishonest, it 
 means that this stockholder, whoever he may have 
 been " 
 
 " Hey ? What's that ? Don't you know who he was ? " 
 
 " No, we do not. The name upon the stub of the 
 transfer book has been scratched out." 
 
 Captain Elisha looked the speaker in the face, then 
 slowly turned his look upon the other two faces. 
 
 "Scratched out?" he repeated. "Who scratched it 
 out?" 
 
 Graves shrugged his shoulders. 
 
 " Yes, yes," said the captain. " You don't know, but 
 we're all entitled to guess, hey ? . . . Humph ! " 
 
 " If this person is living," began Sylvester, " it follows 
 that" 
 
 " Hold on a minute ! I don't know much about cor 
 porations, of course that's more in your line than 'tis 
 in mine but I want to ask one question. You say this 
 what-d'ye-call-it this Akrae thingamajig was sold 
 18 267
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 out, hull, canvas and riggin', to a crowd in Brazil? It'-s 
 gone out of business then? It's dead ? " 
 
 "Yes. But" 
 
 " Wait ! Ain't it customary, when a sale like this is 
 made, to turn over all the stock, certificates and all? 
 Sometimes you get stock in the new company in ex 
 change ; I know that. But to complete the trade, 
 wouldn't this extry hundred shares be turned in? Or 
 some sharp questionin' done if 'twa'n't?" 
 
 He addressed the query to Sylvester. The latter 
 seemed more troubled than before. 
 
 " That," he said with some hesitation, " is one of the 
 delicate points in this talk of ours, Captain Warren. A 
 certificate for the missing hundred shares was turned in. 
 It was dated at the time of the original issue, made out in 
 the name of one Edward Bradley, and transferred on the 
 back by him to your brother. That is, it was presumably 
 so transferred." 
 
 "Presumably. Pre-sumably? You mean ?" 
 
 " I mean that this certificate is well, let us say, 
 rather queer. To begin with, no one knows who this 
 Bradley is, or was. His name appears nowhere except 
 on that certificate, unless, of course, it did appear on the 
 stub where the scratching has been done ; we doubt that, 
 for reasons. Nobody ever heard of the man; and his 
 transfer to your brother was made, and the certificate 
 signed by him, only three years ago, when the Akrae 
 Company sold out. It will take too long to go into de 
 tails; but thanks to the kindness of the Para concern, 
 which has offices in this city we have been able to ex 
 amine this Bradley certificate. Experts have examined 
 it, also. And they tell us " 
 
 He paused. 
 
 " Well, what do they tell ? " demanded the captain. 
 268
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " They tell us that that, in their opinion, the certifi 
 cate was never issued at the time when, by this date, it 
 presumes to have been. It was made out no longer ago 
 than five years, probably less. The signature of Bradley 
 on the back is is well, I hate to say it, Captain War 
 ren, but the handwriting on that signature resembles very 
 closely that of your brother." 
 
 Captain Elisha was silent for some moments. The 
 others did not speak, but waited. Even Graves, between 
 whom and his client there was little in common, felt the 
 general sympathy. 
 
 At length the captain raised his head. 
 
 " Well," he said slowly, " we ain't children. We might 
 as well call things by their right names. 'Bije forged 
 that certificate." 
 
 " I'm afraid there is no doubt of it." 
 
 " Dear ! dear ! dear ! Why, they put folks in state's 
 prison for that ! " 
 
 " Yes. But a dead man is beyond prisons." 
 
 " That's so. Then I don't see " 
 
 " You will. You don't grasp the full meaning of this 
 affair even yet. If the Bradley certificate is a forgery, 
 a fraud from beginning to end, then the presumption is 
 that there was never any such person as Bradley. But 
 someone paid ten thousand dollars for one hundred 
 Akrae shares when the company was formed. That cer 
 tificate has never been turned in. Some person or per 
 sons, somewhere, hold one hundred shares of Akrae Rub 
 ber Company stock. Think, now ! Suppose that some 
 one turns up and demands all that he has been cheated 
 out of for the past seventeen years ! Think of that ! " 
 
 " Well ... I am thinkin' of it. I got the scent 
 of what you was drivin' at five minutes ago. And I don't 
 see that we need to be afraid. He could have put 'Bije 
 
 269
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 in jail ; but 'Bije is already servin' a longer sentence than 
 he could give him. So that disgrace ain't bearin' down 
 on us. And, if I understand about such things, his claim 
 is against the Akrae Company, and that's dead dead as 
 the man that started it. Maybe he could put in a keeper, 
 or a receiver, or some such critter, but there's nothin' left 
 to keep or receive. Ain't I right ? " 
 
 " You are. Or you would be, but for one thing, the 
 really inexplicable thing in this whole miserable affair. 
 Your brother, Captain Warren, was dishonest. He took 
 money that didn't belong to him, and he forged that cer 
 tificate. But he must have intended to make restitution. 
 He must have been conscience-stricken and more to be 
 pitied, perhaps, than condemned. No doubt, when he 
 first began to withhold the dividends and use the money 
 which was not his, he intended merely to borrow. He 
 was always optimistic and always plunging in desperate 
 and sometimes rather shady speculations which, he was 
 sure, would turn out favorably. If they had if, for 
 instance, the South Shore Trolley Combine had been put 
 through You knew of that, did you ? " 
 
 " I've been told somethin' about it. Go on ! " 
 
 " Well, it was not put through, so his hopes there were 
 frustrated. And that was but one of his schemes. 
 However, when the sale of the Company was consum 
 mated, he did an extraordinary thing. He made out and 
 signed his personal note, payable to the Akrae Company, 
 for every cent he had misappropriated. And we found 
 that note in his safe after his death. That was what first 
 aroused our suspicions. Now, Captain Warren, do you 
 understand ? " 
 
 Captain Elisha did not understand, that was evident. 
 His look of wondering amazement traveled from one face 
 to the others about the table. 
 
 270
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 "A note!" he repeated. " 'Bije put his note in the 
 safe? A note promisin' to pay all he'd stole! And left 
 it there where it could be found? Why, that's 
 pretty nigh unbelievable, Mr. Sylvester! He might just 
 as well have confessed his crookedness and be done with 
 it." 
 
 " Yes. It is unbelievable, but it is true. Graves can 
 show you the note." 
 
 The junior partner produced a slip of paper from the 
 portfolio and regarded it frowningly. 
 
 " Of all the pieces of sheer lunacy," he observed, 
 " that ever came under my observation, this is the worst. 
 Here it is, Captain Warren." 
 
 He extended the paper. Captain Elisha waved it aside. 
 
 " I don't want to see it not yet," he protested. " I 
 want to think. I want to get at the reason if I can. 
 Why did he do it?" 
 
 " That is what we've been tryin' to find the reason," 
 remarked Kuhn, " and we can only guess. Sylvester has 
 told you the guess. Rodgers Warren intended, or hoped, 
 to make restitution before he died." 
 
 " Yes. Knowin' 'Bije, I can see that. He was weak, 
 that was his main trouble. He didn't mean to be 
 crooked, but his knees wa'n't strong enough to keep him 
 straight when it come to a hard push. But he made his 
 note payable to a Company that was already sold out, 
 so it ain't good for nothin'. Now, why " 
 
 Graves struck the table with his open hand. 
 
 " He doesn't understand at all," he exclaimed, im 
 patiently. " Captain Warren, listen ! That note is made 
 payable to the Akrae Company. Against that company 
 some unknown stockholder has an apparent claim for 
 two-fifths of all dividends ever paid and two-fifths of the 
 seven hundred and fifty thousand received for the sale. 
 
 271
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 With accrued interest, that claim amounts to over five 
 hundred thousand dollars." 
 
 " Yes, but " 
 
 " That note binds Rodgers Warren's estate to pay that 
 claim. His own personal estate ! Anc 1 that estate is not 
 worth over four hundred and sixty thousand dollars ! If 
 this stockholder should appear and press his claim, your 
 brother's children would be, not only penniless, but thirty 
 thousand dollars in debt! There! I think that is plain 
 enough ! " 
 
 He leaned back, grimly satisfied with the effect of his 
 statement. Captain Elisha stared straight before him, 
 unseeingly, the color fading from his cheeks. Then he 
 put both elbows on the table and covered his face with 
 his hands. 
 
 " You see, Captain," said Sylvester, gently, " how very 
 serious the situation is. Graves has put it bluntly, but 
 what he says is literally true. If your brother had de 
 liberately planned to hand his children over to the mercy 
 of that missing stockholder, he couldn't have done it more 
 completely." 
 
 Slowly the captain raised his head. His expression 
 was a strange one ; agitated and shocked, but with a curi 
 ous look of relief, almost of triumph. 
 
 " At last ! " he said, solemnly. " At last ! Now it's ail 
 plain ! " 
 
 " All ? " repeated Sylvester. " You mean ? " 
 
 " I mean everything, all that's been puzzlin' me and 
 troublin* my head since the very beginnin'. All of it! 
 Now I know why ! Oh, 'Bije ! 'Bije ! 'Bije ! " 
 
 Kuhn spoke quickly. 
 
 " Captain," he said, " I believe you know who the 
 owner of that one hundred shares is. Do you? " 
 
 Captain Elisha gravely nodded. 
 272
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Yes," he answered. " I know him." 
 
 "What?" 
 
 "You do?" 
 
 "Who is it?" 
 
 The questions were blurted out together. The cap 
 tain looked at the three excited faces. He hesitated and 
 then, taking the stub of a pencil from his pocket, drew 
 toward him a memorandum pad lying on the table and 
 wrote a line upon the uppermost sheet. Tearing off the 
 page, he tossed it to Sylvester. 
 
 " That's the name," he said.
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 TWO more hours passed before the lawyers and 
 their client rose from their seats about the long 
 table. Even then the consultation was not at 
 an end. Sylvester and the Captain lunched together at 
 the Central Club and sat in the smoking room until after 
 four, talking earnestly. When they parted, the attorney 
 was grave and troubled. 
 
 " All right, Captain Warren," he said ; " I'll do it. And 
 you may be right. I certainly hope you are. But I 
 must confess I don't look forward to my task with pleas 
 ure. I think I've got the roughest end." 
 
 " It'll be rough, there's no doubt about that. Rough 
 for all hands, I guess. And I hope you understand, 
 Mr. Sylvester, that there ain't many men I'd trust to 
 do what I ask you to. I appreciate your doin' it more'n 
 I can tell you. Be as as gentle as you can, won't 
 you?" 
 
 " I will. You can depend upon that." 
 
 " I do. And I sha'n't forget it Good-by, till the next 
 time." 
 
 They shook hands. Captain Elisha returned to the 
 boarding house, where he found a letter awaiting him. 
 It was from Caroline, telling him of her engagement to 
 Malcolm Dunn. She wrote that, while not recognizing 
 his right to interfere in any way, she felt that perhaps 
 he should know of her action. He did not go down to 
 supper, and, when Pearson came to inquire the reason, 
 excused himself, pleading a late luncheon and no appetite. 
 
 274
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 He guessed he would turn in early, so he said. It wasl 
 a poor guess. 
 
 Next morning he went uptown. Edwards, opening 
 the door of the Warren apartment, was surprised to find 
 who had rung the bell. 
 
 " Mornin', Commodore ! " hailed the captain, as 
 casually as if he were merely returning from a stroll. 
 " Is Miss Caroline aboard ship ? " 
 
 " Why why, I don't know, sir. I'll see." 
 
 " That's all right. She's aboard or you wouldn't have 
 to see. You and me sailed together quite a spell, so I 
 know your little habits. I'll wait in the library, Com 
 modore. Tell her there's no particular hurry." 
 
 His niece was expecting him. She had anticipated his 
 visit and was prepared for it. From the emotion caused 
 by his departure after the eventful birthday, she had en 
 tirely recovered, or thought she had. The surprise and 
 shock of his leaving and the consequent sense of loneli 
 ness and responsibility overcame her at the time, but 
 Stephen's ridicule and Mrs. Corcoran Dunn's congratu 
 lations on riddance from the " encumbrance " shamed 
 her and stilled the reproaches of her conscience. Mrs. 
 Dunn, as always, played the diplomat and mingled just 
 the proper quantity of comprehending sympathy with the 
 congratulations. 
 
 " I understand exactly how you feel, my dear," she 
 said. " You have a tender heart, and it pains you to 
 hurt anyone's feelings, no matter how much they de 
 serve to be hurt. Every time I dismiss an incompetent 
 or dishonest servant I feel that I have done wrong ; some 
 times I cry, actually shed tears, you know, and yet my 
 reason tells me I am right. You feel that you may have 
 been too harsh with that guardian of yours. You re 
 member what you said to him and forget how hypocrit- 
 
 275
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 ically he behaved toward you. I can't forgive him that. 
 I may forget how he misrepresented Malcolm and me to 
 you that I may even pardon, in time but to deceive 
 his own brother's children and introduce into their 
 society a creature who had slandered and maligned their 
 father that I never shall forget or forgive. And 
 you'll excuse my frankness, dear you should never 
 forget or forgive it, either. You have nothing with 
 which to reproach yourself. You were a brave girl, 
 and if you are not proud of yourself, / am proud of 
 you." 
 
 So, when her uncle was announced, Caroline was ready. 
 She entered the library and acknowledged his greeting 
 with a distant bow. He regarded her kindly, but his 
 manner was grave. 
 
 " Well, Caroline," he began, " I got your letter." 
 
 " Yes, I presumed you did." 
 
 " Um-hm. I got it. It didn't surprise me, what 
 you wrote, because I'd seen the news in the papers; but 
 J was hopin' you'd tell me yourself, and I'm real glad you 
 did. I'm much obliged to you." 
 
 She had not expected him to take this tone, and it 
 embarrassed her. 
 
 "I I gave you my reasons for writing," she said. 
 " Although I do not consider that I am, in any sense, 
 duty bound to refer matters, other than financial, to you ; 
 and, although my feelings toward you have not changed 
 still, you are my guardian, and and " 
 
 " I understand. So you're really engaged ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 "Engaged to Mr. Dunn?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " And you're cal'latin' to marry him ? " 
 
 " One might almost take that for granted," impatiently.
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Almost yes. Not always, but generally, I will give 
 in. You're goin' to marry Malcolm Dunn. Why ? " 
 
 "Why?" she repeated the question as if she doubted 
 his sanity. 
 
 " Yes. Be as patient with me as you can, Caroline. I 
 ain't askin' these things without what seems to me a good 
 reason. Why are you goin' to marry him ? " 
 
 "Why because I choose, I suppose." 
 
 " Um-hm. Are you sure of that? " 
 
 " Am I sure ? " indignantly. " What do you mean ? " 
 
 " I mean are you sure that it's because you choose, or 
 because he does, or maybe, because his mother does ? " 
 
 She turned angrily away. "If you came here to in 
 sult me " she began. He interrupted her. 
 
 " No, no," he protested gently. " Insultin' you is the 
 last thing I want to do. But, as your father did put 
 you in my charge, I want you to bear with me while we 
 talk this over together. Remember, Caroline, I ain't 
 bothered you a great deal lately. I shouldn't now if I 
 hadn't thought 'twas necessary. So please don't get 
 mad, but answer me this : Do you care for this man 
 you've promised to marry ? " 
 
 This was a plain question. It should hare been an 
 swered without the slightest hesitation. Moreover, the 
 girl had expected him to ask it. Yet, for a moment, she 
 did hesitate. 
 
 " I mean," continued Captain Elisha, " do you care for 
 him enough?" Enough to live with him all your life, 
 and see him every day, and be to him what a true wife 
 ought to be? See him, not with his company manners 
 on or in his automobile, but at the breakfast table, and 
 when he comes home tired and cross, maybe. When 
 you've got to be forbearin' and forgivin' and " 
 
 " He is one of my oldest and best friends " she in- 
 277
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 terrupted. Her uncle went on without waiting for her 
 to end the sentence. 
 
 " I know," he said. " One of the oldest, that's sure. 
 But friendship, 'cordin' to my notion, is somethin' so 
 small in comparison that it hardly counts in the mani 
 fest. Married folks ought to be friends, sartin sure ; but 
 they ought to be a whole lot more'n that. I'm an old 
 bach, you say, and ain't had no experience. That's true ; 
 but I've been young, and there was a time when / made 
 plans . . . However, she died, and it never come to 
 nothin'. But I know what it means to be engaged, the 
 right kind of engagement. It means that you. don't count 
 yourself at all, not a bit. You're ready, each of you, to 
 give up all you've got your wishes, comfort, money 
 and what it'll buy, and your life, if it should come to 
 that, for that other one. Do you care for Malcolm 
 Dunn like that, Caroline ? " 
 
 She answered defiantly. 
 
 " Yes, I do," she said. 
 
 " You do. Well, do you think he feels the same way 
 about you ? " 
 
 " Yes," with not quite the same promptness, but still 
 defiantly. 
 
 " You feel sartin of it, do you ? " 
 
 She stamped her foot. "Yes! yes! yes!" she cried. 
 " Oh, do say what you came to say, and end it ! " 
 
 Her uncle rose to his feet. 
 
 " Why, I guess likely I've said it," he observed. 
 " When two people care for each other like that, they 
 ought to be married, and the sooner the better. I knew 
 that you'd been lonesome and troubled, maybe ; and some 
 of the friends you used to have had kind of dropped 
 away busy with other affairs, which is natural enough 
 and, you needin' sympathy and companionship, I was 
 
 278
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 sort of worried for fear all this had influenced you 
 more'n it ought to, and you'd been led into sayin' yes 
 without realizin' what it meant. But you tell me that 
 ain't so; you do realize. So all I can say is that I'm 
 awful glad for you. God bless you, my dear! I hope 
 you'll be as happy as the day is long." 
 
 His niece gazed at him, bewildered and incredulous. 
 This she had not expected. 
 
 " Thank you," she stammered. " I did not know 
 I thought " 
 
 " Of course you did of course. Well, then, Caro 
 line, I guess that's all. I won't trouble you any longer. 
 Good-by." 
 
 He turned toward the door, but stopped, hesitated, and 
 turned back again. 
 
 " There is just one thing more," he said solemnly. 
 " I don't know's I ought to speak, but I want to 
 and I'm goin' to. And I want you to believe it! I do 
 want you to ! " 
 
 He was so earnest, and the look he gave her was so 
 strange, that she began to be alarmed. 
 
 " What is it? " she demanded. 
 
 " Why why, just this, Caroline. This is a tough 
 old world we live in. Things don't always go on in it 
 as we think they'd ought to. Trouble comes to every 
 body, and when it all looks right sometimes it turns out 
 to be all wrong. If if there should come a time like 
 that to you and Steve, I want you to remember that 
 you've got me to turn to. No matter what you think of 
 me, what folks have made you think of me, just remem 
 ber that I'm waitin' and ready to help you all I can. 
 Any time I'm ready and glad. Just remember that, 
 won't you, because . . . Well, there! Good-by,, 
 Good-by ! " 
 
 279
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 He hurried away. She stood gazing after him, aston 
 ished, a little frightened, and not a little disturbed and 
 touched. His emotion was so evident; his attitude 
 toward her engagement was so different from that which 
 she had anticipated; and there was something in his 
 manner which she could not understand. He had acted 
 as if he pitied her. Why? It could not be because she 
 was to marry Malcolm Dunn. If it were that, she re 
 sented his pity, of course. But it could not be that, be 
 cause he had given her his blessing. What was it? 
 Was there something else ; something that she did not 
 know and he did? Why was he so kind and forbearing 
 and patient? 
 
 All her old doubts and questionings returned. She 
 had resolutely kept them from her thoughts, but they 
 had been there, in the background, always. When, after 
 the long siege, she had at last yielded and said yes to 
 Malcolm, she felt that that question, at least, was set 
 tled. She would marry him. He was one whom she 
 had known all her life, the son of the dearest friend she 
 had; he and his mother had been faithful at the time 
 when she needed friends. As her husband, he would 
 protect her and give her the affection and companionship 
 she craved. He might appear careless and indifferent 
 at times, but that was merely his manner. Had not 
 Mrs. Dunn told her over and over again what a good 
 son he was, and what a kind heart he had, and how he 
 worshiped her ? Oh, she ought to be a very happy girl ! 
 Of course she was happy. But why had her uncle looked 
 at her as he did? And what did he mean by hinting 
 that when things looked right they sometimes were all 
 wrong? She wished Malcolm was with her then; she 
 needed him. 
 
 She heard the clang of the elevator door. Then the 
 280
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 bell rang furiously. She heard Edwards hasten to an 
 swer it. Then, to her amazement, she heard her brother's 
 voice. 
 
 " Caroline ! " demanded Stephen. " Caroline ! Where 
 are you ? " 
 
 He burst into the room, still wearing his coat and hat, 
 and carrying a traveling bag in his hand. 
 
 " Why, Steve ! " she said, going toward him. ** Why, 
 Steve ! what " 
 
 He was very much excited. 
 
 " Oh ! " he exclaimed, " you're all right then I You 
 are all right, aren't you ? " 
 
 "All right? Why shouldn't I be all right? What do 
 you mean ? And why are you here ? " 
 
 He returned her look of surprise with one of great 
 astonishment. 
 
 " Why am I here ? " he repeated. 
 
 " Yes. Why did you come from New Haven ? " 
 
 " Why, because I got the telegram, of course ! You 
 expected me to come, didn't you ? " 
 
 " / expected you ? Telegram ? "W hat telegram ? " 
 
 " Why, the Good Lord, Caro ! what are you talking 
 about? Didn't you know they telegraphed me to come 
 home at once? I've pretty nearly broke my neck, and 
 the taxicab man's, getting here from the station. I 
 thought you must be very ill, or something worse." 
 
 " They telegraphed you to come here ? Who . . . 
 Edwards, you may take Mr. Warren's things to his 
 room." 
 
 "But, Sis" 
 
 " Just a moment, Steve. Give Edwards your coat and 
 hat. Yes, and your bag. That will be all, Edwards. 
 We sha'n't need you." 
 
 When they were alone, she turned again to her brother. 
 281
 
 CAP'N WARREN S WARDS 
 
 " Now, Steve," she said, " sit down and tell me what 
 you mean. Who telegraphed you ? " 
 
 " Why, old Sylvester, father's lawyer. I've got the 
 message here somewhere. No, never mind! I've lost it, 
 I guess. He wired me to come home as early as possible 
 this morning. Said it was very important. And you 
 didn't know anything about it ? " 
 
 " No, not a thing. What can it mean ? " 
 " 7 don't know ! That's the bell, isn't it ? Edwards ! " 
 But the butler was already on his way to the door. 
 A moment later he returned. 
 " Mr. Sylvester," he announced. 
 
 Captain Elisha scarcely left his room, except for meals, 
 during the remainder of that day and for two days there 
 after. He was unusually silent at table and avoided con 
 versation even with Pearson, who was depressed and 
 gloomy and made no attempt to force his society upon 
 his friend. Once, passing the door of the latter's room, 
 he heard the captain pacing back and forth as if he were 
 walking the quarter-deck of one of his old ships. As 
 Pearson stood listening the footsteps ceased ; silence, then 
 a deep sigh, and they began again. The young man 
 sighed in sympathy and wearily climbed to his den. The 
 prospect of chimneys and roofs across the way was 
 never more desolate or more pregnant with discourage 
 ment. 
 
 Several times Captain Elisha descended to the closet 
 where the telephone was fastened to the wall and held 
 long conversations with someone. Mrs. Hepton, who 
 knew that her newest boarder was anxious and disturbed, 
 and was very curious to learn the reason, made it a 
 point to be busy near that closet while these conversations 
 
 282
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 took place ; but, as the captain was always careful to close 
 the door, she was disappointed. Once the mysterious 
 Mr. Sylvester called up and asked for " Captain War 
 ren," and the landlady hastened with the summons. 
 
 " I hope it's nothing serious," she observed, feelingly. 
 
 " Yes, ma'am," replied the captain, on his way to the 
 stairs. " Much obliged." 
 
 " It is the same person who was so very anxious to get 
 you the other night," she continued, making desperate 
 efforts not to be left behind in the descent. " I declare 
 he quite frightened me ! And you'll excuse me, Cap 
 tain Warren, but I take such a real friendly interest in 
 my boarders you have seemed to me rather rather 
 upset lately, and I do hope it isn't bad news." 
 
 " Well, I tell you, ma'am," was the unsatisfactory an 
 swer, given just before the closet door closed; "we'll 
 do the way the poor relation did when he got word his 
 uncle had willed him one of his suits of clothes we'll 
 hope for the best." 
 
 Sylvester had a report to make. 
 
 " The other party has been here," he said. " He has 
 just gone." 
 
 " The other party ? Why you don't mean himf " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 "Was he alone? Nobody along to look after him?" 
 
 " He was alone, for a wonder. He had heard the 
 news, too. Apparently had just learned it." 
 
 " He had ? I want to know ! Who told him ? " 
 
 " He didn't say. He was very much agitated. 
 Wouldn't say anything except to ask if it was true. I 
 think we can guess who told him." 
 
 " Maybe. Well, what did you say ? " 
 
 " Nothing of importance. I refused to discuss my 
 clients' affairs." 
 
 19 283
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Right you are ! How did he take that? " 
 
 " He went up like a sky-rocket. Said he had a right 
 to know, under the circumstances. I admitted it, but 
 said I could tell him nothing yet. He went away 
 frantic, and I called you." 
 
 " Urn-hm. Well, Mr. Sylvester, suppose you do see 
 him and his boss. See 'em and tell 'em some of the 
 truth. Don't tell too much though; not who was to 
 blame nor how, but just that it looks pretty bad so fur 
 as the estate's concerned. Then say you want to see 
 'em again and will arrange another interview. Don't set 
 any time and place for that until you hear from me. 
 Understand?" 
 
 " I think so, partially. But " 
 
 " Until you hear from me that's the important part. 
 And, if you can, convenient, I'd have the fust interview 
 right off; this afternoon, if it's possible." 
 
 " Captain, what have you got up your sleeve ? Why 
 don't you come down here and talk it over ? " 
 
 " 'Cause I'm stickin' close aboard and waitin' develop 
 ments. Maybe there won't be any, but I'm goin' to wait 
 a spell and see. There ain't much up my sleeve just 
 now but goose-flesh ; there's plenty of that. So long." 
 
 A development came that evening. Mrs. Hepton 
 heralded it. 
 
 " Captain," she said, when he answered her knock, 
 " there's a young gentleman to see you. I think he must 
 be a relative of yours. His name is Warren." 
 
 Captain Elisha pulled his beard. " A young gentle 
 man?" he repeated. 
 
 " Yes. I showed him into the parlor. There will be 
 no one there but you and he, and I thought it would be 
 more comfortable." 
 
 " Um-hm. I see. Well, I guess you'd better send him 
 284
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 up. This is comfortable enough, and there won't be 
 nobody but him and me here, either and I'll be more 
 sartin of it." 
 
 The landlady, who considered herself snubbed, flounced 
 away. Captain Elisha stepped to the head of the stairs. 
 
 " Come right up, Steve ! " he called. 
 
 Stephen came. His uncle ushered him into the room, 
 closed the door, and turned the key. 
 
 " Stevie," he said, kindly, " I'm glad to see you. Take 
 off your things and set down." 
 
 The boy accepted the invitation only to the extent of 
 throwing his hat on the table. He did not sit or re 
 move his overcoat. He was pale, his eyes were swollen 
 and red, his hair was disarranged, and in all respects he 
 looked unlike his usual blase and immaculate self. His 
 forehead was wet, showing that he had hurried on his 
 way to the boarding house. 
 
 The captain regarded him pityingly. 
 
 " Set down, Stevie," he urged. " You're all het up 
 and worn out." 
 
 His nephew paid no attention. Instead he asked a 
 question. 
 
 " You know about it ? " he demanded. 
 
 " Yes, Stevie ; I know." 
 
 " You do ? I I mean about the the Akrae Com 
 pany and and all ? " 
 
 " Yes. I know all about all of it. Do set down ! " 
 
 Stephen struck his closed fist into the palm of his other 
 hand. He wore one glove. What had become of the 
 other he could not have told. 
 
 "You do?" he shouted. "You do? By gad! Then 
 do you know what it means ? " 
 
 " Yes, I know that, too. Now, Stevie, be a good boy 
 and set down and keep cool. Yes, I want you to." 
 
 285
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 He put his hands on his nephew's shoulders and forced 
 him into a chair. 
 
 " Now, just calm yourself," urged the captain. 
 " There ain't a mite of use workin' yourself up this way. 
 I know the whole business, and I can't tell you I can't 
 begin to tell you how sorry I feel for you. Yet you 
 mustn't give up the ship because " 
 
 " Mustn't give up ! " Stephen was on his feet again. 
 " Why, what are you talking about ? I thought you said 
 you knew! Do you think that losing every cent you've 
 got in the world is a joke? Do you think that See 
 here, do you know who this shareholder is; this fellow 
 who's going to rob us of all we own? Who is he?" 
 
 " Didn't Mr. Sylvester tell you? " 
 
 " He said that there was such a man and that he had 
 the estate cinched. He told us about that note and all 
 the rest. But he wouldn't tell the man's name. Said 
 he had been forbidden to mention it. Do you know him ? 
 What sort of fellow is he? Don't you think he could 
 be reasoned with ? Hasn't he got any decency or pity 
 or" 
 
 He choked, and the tears rushed to his eyes. He wiped 
 them angrily away with the back of his glove. 
 
 " It's a crime ! " he cried. " Can't he be held off some 
 how ? Who is he ? I want to know his name." 
 
 Captain Elisha sadly shook his head. " I'm afraid he 
 can't, Stevie," he said. " He's got a legal right to all 
 'Bije left, and more, too. It may be he won't be too 
 hard; perhaps he'll . . . but there," hastily. "I 
 mustn't say that. We've got to face the situation as 
 'tis. And I can't tell you his name because he don't want 
 it mentioned unless it's absolutely necessary. And we 
 don't, either. We don't want any of us to have this 
 get into the papers. We mustn't have any disgrace." 
 
 286
 
 " Disgrace ! Good heavens ! Isn't there disgrace 
 enough already? Isn't it enough to know father was a 
 crook as well as an idiot? I've always thought he was 
 insane ever since that crazy will of his came to light; 
 but to steal ! and then to leave a paper proving it, so that 
 we've got to lose everything ! His children ! It's " 
 
 " Now hold on, boy ! Your dad didn't mean to take 
 what didn't belong to him for good, that is ; the note 
 proves that. He did do wrong and used another man's 
 money, but " 
 
 "'Then why didn't he keep it? If you're going to 
 steal, steal like a man, I say ! " 
 
 " Steve, Steve ! steady now ! " The captain's tone 
 was sterner. " Don't speak that way. You'll be sorry 
 for it later. I tell you I don't condemn your father ha'f 
 so much as I pity him." 
 
 " Oh, shut up ! You make me sick. You talk just 
 as Caro does. I'll never forgive him, no matter how 
 much she preaches, and I told her so. Pity ! Pity him ! 
 How about pity for me? I I " 
 
 His overwrought nerves gave way, and, throwing him 
 self into the chair, he broke down completely and, for 
 getting the manhood of which he was so fond of boast 
 ing, cried like a baby. Captain Elisha turned away, to 
 hide his own emotion. 
 
 " It's hard," he said slowly. " It's awfully hard for 
 you, my boy. I hate to see you suffer this way." Then, 
 in a lower tone, he added doubtfully. "I wonder if 
 if I wonder " 
 
 His nephew heard the word and interrupted. 
 
 " You wonder? " he demanded, hysterically ; " you won 
 der what? What are you going to do about it? It's 
 up to you, isn't it ? You're our guardian, aren't you ? " 
 
 " Yes, Stevie, I'm your guardian." 
 287
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 "Yes, you are! But no one would guess it. When 
 we didn't want you, you wouldn't leave us for a minute. 
 Now, when we need you, when there isn't a soul for us 
 to turn to, you stay away. You haven't been near us. 
 It's up to you, I say ! and what are you going to do about 
 It ? What are you going to do? " 
 
 His uncle held up his hand. 
 
 " S-shh ! " he said. " Don't raise your voice like that, 
 son! I can hear you without that, and we don't want- 
 anybody else to hear. What am I goin' to do? Stevie, 
 I don't know exactly. I ain't made up my mind yet." 
 
 " Well, it's time you did ! " 
 
 " Yes, I guess likely 'tis. As for my not comin' to 
 see you, you know the reason for that. I'd have come 
 quick enough, but I wa'n't sure I'd be welcome. And I 
 told your sister only 'tother day that by the way, Steve, 
 how is she ? How is Caroline ? " 
 
 " She's a fool ! " The boy sprang up again and shook 
 his fist. " She's the one I've come here to speak about. 
 If we don't stop her she'll ruin us altogether. She 
 she's a damned fool, I tell you ! " 
 
 " There ! there ! " the captain's tone was sharp and em 
 phatic. "That's enough of that," he said. "I don't 
 want to hear you call your sister names. What do you 
 mean by it ? " 
 
 " I mean what I say. She is a fool. Do you know 
 what she's done? She's written Mai Dunn all about it! 
 I'd have stopped her, but I didn't know until it was too 
 late. She's told him the whole thing." 
 
 "She has? About 'Bije?" 
 
 " Well, perhaps she didn't tell him father was a thief, 
 but she did tell that the estate was gone that we were 
 flat broke and worse." 
 
 " Hum ! " Captain Elisha seemed more gratified than 
 288
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 displeased. "Hum! . . . Well, I kind of expected 
 she would. Knowin' her, I kind of expected it." 
 
 " You did ? " Stephen glared in wrathful amazement. 
 "You expected it?" 
 
 "Yes. What of it?" 
 
 "What of it? Why, everything! Can't you see? 
 Mai's our only chance. If she marries him she'll be 
 looked out for and so will I. She needn't have told him 
 until they were married. The wedding could have been 
 hurried along; the Dunns were crazy to have it as soon 
 as possible. Now " 
 
 " Hold on, Steve ! Belay ! What difference does her 
 tellin' him make? Maybe she hasn't mentioned it to you, 
 but I had a talk with your sister the other mornin'. She 
 thinks the world of Malcolm, and he does of her. She 
 told me so herself. Of course she'd go to him in her 
 trouble. And he'll be proud yes, and glad to know 
 that he can help her. As for the weddin', I don't see 
 that this'll have any effect except to hurry it up a little 
 more, maybe." 
 
 Steve looked at him suspiciously, but there was no 
 trace of sarcasm in the captain's face or voice. The boy 
 scowled. 
 
 " Ugh ! " he grunted. 
 
 " What's the ' ugh ' for ? See here, you ain't hintin' 
 that young Dunn was cal'latin' to marry Caroline just for 
 her money, are you? Of course you ain't! Why, you 
 and he are the thickest sort of chums. You wouldn't 
 chum with a feller who would play such a trick as that 
 on your own sister." 
 
 Stephen's scowl deepened. He thrust hk hands into 
 his pocket, and shifted his feet uneasily. 
 
 " You don't understand," he said. " People don't do 
 things here as they do where you come from." 
 
 289
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WA^RDS 
 
 "I understand that, all right," with dry emphasis. 
 " I've been here long enough to understand that. But 
 maybe I don't understand you. Heave ahead, and make 
 
 it plain." 
 
 -Well W ell, then I mean this : I don't know that 
 
 Mai was after Caro's money, but but he had a right 
 to expect some. If he didn't, why, then her not telling 
 him until after they were married wouldn't have made 
 any difference. And and if her tellin' him before 
 hand should make a difference and he wanted to break 
 the engagement, she's just romantic fool enough to let 
 him." 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 " Well? If she doesn't marry him, who's going to take 
 care of her? What's going to become of me? We 
 haven't a cent What kind of a guardian are you? Do 
 you want us to starve ? " 
 
 He was shouting again. The captain was calm. 
 " Oh," he said, " I guess it won't reach to the starva 
 tion point. I'm a pretty tough old critter, 'cordin' to your 
 estimate, but I shouldn't let my brother's children starve. 
 If the wust comes to the wust, there's always a home and 
 plenty to eat for you both at South Denboro." 
 
 This offer did not appear to comfort the young gen 
 tleman greatly. His disgust was evident. 
 
 " South Denboro ! " he repeated, scornfully. " Gad ! 
 . . . South Denboro ! " 
 
 " Yup.' But we'll let South Denboro alone for now 
 and stick to New York. What is it you expect me to 
 do ? What are you drivin' at ? " 
 
 Stephen shook a forefinger in his guardian's face. 
 
 " I expect you to make her stick to her engagement," 
 he cried. " And make her make him stick. She can, 
 can't she? It's been announced, hasn't it? Everybody 
 
 290
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 knows of it! She's got the right the legal right to 
 hold him, hasn't she?" 
 
 His uncle regarded him with a quizzical smile. " Why, 
 ye-es," he answered, " I cal'late she has, maybe. Course, 
 there's no danger of his wantin' to do such a thing, but 
 if he should I presume likely we could make it uncom 
 fortable for him, anyhow. What are you hankerin' for, 
 Steve a breach-of-promise suit? I've always under 
 stood those sort of cases were kind of unpleasant for 
 everybody but the newspapers." 
 
 The boy was in deadly earnest. " Pleasant ! " he re 
 peated. "Is any of this business pleasant? You make 
 her act like a sensible girl ! You're her guardian, and 
 you make her! And, after that, if he tries to hedge, you 
 tell him a few things. You can hold him! Do it! Do 
 it!" 
 
 Captain Elisha turned on his heel and began pacing 
 up and down the room. His nephew watched him 
 eagerly. 
 
 " Well," he demanded, after a moment, " what are we 
 going to do ? Are we going to make him make good ? " 
 
 The captain paused. " Steve," he answered, deliber 
 ately, " I ain't sure as we are. And, as I've said, if he's 
 got a spark of decency, it won't be necessary for us to 
 try. If it should be if it should be " 
 
 "Well, if it should be?" 
 
 " Then we can try, that's all. Maybe you run a course 
 a little different from me, Stevie; you navigate 'cordin' 
 to your ideas, and I do by mine. But in some ways we 
 ain't so fur apart. Son," with a grim nod, " you rest 
 easy on one thing the Corcoran Dunn fleet is goin' to 
 show its colors."
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 CAROLINE sat by the library window, her chin 
 in her hand, drearily watching the sleet as it 
 beat against the panes, and the tops of the 
 Park trees lashing in the wind. Below, in the street, 
 the trolleys passed in their never-ending procession, the 
 limousines and cabs whizzed forlornly by, and the few 
 pedestrians pushed dripping umbrellas against the gale. 
 A wet, depressing afternoon, as hopeless as her thoughts, 
 and growing darker and more miserable hourly. 
 
 Stephen, standing by the fire, kicked the logs together 
 and sent a shower of sparks flying. 
 
 " Oh, say something, Caro, do ! " he snapped testily. 
 " Don't sit there glowering ; you give me the horrors." 
 
 She roused from her reverie, turned, and tried to smile. 
 
 "What shall I say?" she asked. 
 
 " I don't know. But say something, for heaven's sake ! 
 Talk about the weather, if you can't think of anything 
 more original." 
 
 " The weather isn't a very bright subject just now." 
 
 " I didn't say it was ; but it's a subject. I hope to 
 goodness it doesn't prevent Sylvester's keeping his ap 
 pointment. He's late, as it is." 
 
 " Is he? " wearily. " I hadn't noticed." 
 
 "Of course you hadn't. You don't notice anything. 
 It doesn't help matters to pull a long face and go mop 
 ing around wiping your eyes. You've got to use philos 
 ophy in times like this. It's just as hard for me as it 
 is for you ; and I try to make the best of it, don't I ? " 
 
 292
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 She might have reminded him that his philosophy was 
 a very recent acquisition. When the news of their 
 poverty first came he was the one who raved and sobbed 
 and refused to contemplate anything less direful than 
 slow starvation or quick suicide. She had soothed and 
 comforted then. Since the previous evening, when he 
 had gone out, in spite of her protestations, and left her 
 alone, his manner had changed. He was still nervous 
 and irritable, but no longer threatened self-destruction, 
 and seemed, for some unexplained reason, more hopeful 
 and less desperate. Sylvester had 'phoned, saying that 
 he would call at the apartment at two, and since Stephen 
 had received the message he had been in a state of sup 
 pressed excitement, scarcely keeping still for five minutes 
 at a time. 
 
 " It is just as hard for me as it is for you, isn't it ? " 
 he repeated. 
 
 " Yes, Steve, I suppose it is." 
 
 "You suppose? Don't you know? Oh, do quit 
 thinking about Mai Dunn and pay attention to me." 
 
 She did not answer. He regarded her with disgust. 
 
 " You are thinking of Mai, of course," he declared. 
 "What's the use? You know what 7 think: you were 
 a fool to write him that letter." 
 
 " Don't, Steve ; please don't." 
 
 " Ugh ! " 
 
 " Don't you know he didn't get the letter ? I was so 
 nervous and over-wrought that I misdirected it." 
 
 "Pooh! Has he ever stayed, a way from you so long 
 before? Or his precious mother, either? Why doesn't 
 she come to see you ? She scarcely missed a day before 
 this happened. Nonsense! I guess he got it all right." 
 
 " Steve, stop ! stop ! Don't dare speak like that. Do 
 you realize what you are insinuating? You don't be- 
 
 293
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 lieve it! You know you don't! Shame on you! I'm 
 ashamed of my brother ! No ! not another word of that 
 kind, or I shall leave the room." 
 
 She had risen to her feet. He looked at her deter 
 mined face and turned away. 
 
 " Oh, well," he muttered, sullenly, " maybe you're right. 
 I don't say you're not. Perhaps he didn't get the letter. 
 You sent it to his office, and he may have been called 
 out of town. But his mother ' 
 
 " Mrs. Dunn was not well when I last saw her. She 
 may be ill." 
 
 " Perhaps. But if you're so sure about them, why 
 not let it go at that? What's the use of fretting? " 
 
 " I was not thinking of them then." 
 
 As a matter of fact, she had been thinking of her 
 uncle, Elisha Warren. As the time dragged by, she 
 thought of him more and more not as the uncouth 
 countryman whose unwelcome presence had been forced 
 into her life; nor as the hypocrite whose insult to her 
 father's memory she never could forgive or whose double- 
 dealing had been, as she thought, revealed; but as the 
 man who, with the choke in his voice and the tears in 
 his eyes, bade her remember that, whenever she needed 
 help, he was ready and glad to give it. 
 
 She did not doubt Malcolm's loyalty. Her brother's 
 hints and insinuations found no echo in her thoughts. 
 In the note which she had written her fiance she told 
 of the loss of their fortune, though not of her father's 
 shame. That she could not tell ; nor did she ask 
 Malcolm to come to her her pride would not permit 
 that. She wrote simply of her great trouble and trusted 
 the rest to him. That he had not come was due so 
 she kept repeating to herself solely to the fact that he 
 
 294
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 had not received her letter. She knew that was it 
 she knew it. And yet and yet he did not come. 
 
 So, in her loneliness and misery, her guardian's words 
 returned again and again to her memory : " Sometimes 
 when things look all right they turn out to be all wrong. 
 If ever there comes a time like that to you and Steve, 
 remember you've got me to turn to." The time had 
 come when she must turn to someone. 
 
 She would never go to him ; she vowed it. She would 
 not accept his help if he came to her. But, if he was 
 sincere, if he meant what he said, why did he not come 
 again to proffer it? Because he was not sincere, of 
 course. That had been proven long before. She de 
 spised him. But his face, as she last saw it, refused 
 to be banished from her mind. It looked so strong, 
 and yet gentle and loving, like the face of a protector, 
 one to be trusted through good times and bad. Oh, this 
 wicked, wicked world, and the shams and sorrows in 
 it ! " Malcolm, why don't you come to me ? " 
 
 Stephen uttered an exclamation. Looking up, she 
 saw him hurrying toward the hall. 
 
 " Someone's at the door," he explained. " It's 
 Sylvester, of course. I'll let him in." 
 
 It was not the lawyer but a messenger boy with a 
 note. Stephen returned to the library with the missive 
 in his hand. 
 
 " He couldn't get here, Caro," he said, excitedly. 
 " Wants us to come right down to his office. Hurry 
 up ! Get your things on. The cab's waiting. Come ! 
 Rush ! It may be important." 
 
 The cab, an electric vehicle, made good time, and they 
 soon reached the Pine Street offices, where they were 
 ushered at once into the senior partner's presence. 
 
 295
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Step into the other room," said Mr. Sylvestet t " and 
 wait there, please. I'll join you shortly." 
 
 The room was the large one where the momentous 
 conference between Captain Elisha and the three lawyers 
 had so recently taken place. Caroline seated herself in 
 one of the chairs. Stephen walked the floor. 
 
 " Hope he doesn't keep us waiting long," he fumed. 
 " I thought of course he was ready or he wouldn't have 
 sent for us." 
 
 " Ready ? " his sister looked at him, questioningly. 
 " Ready for what ? " she repeated, with sudden suspicion. 
 " Steve, do you know what Mr. Sylvester wishes to see 
 us about ? " 
 
 Her brother colored and seemed a bit disconcerted. 
 " How should I know ? " he muttered. 
 
 " Is it something new about the estate or that man 
 who owns it ? You do know something ! I can see it in 
 your face. What is it?" 
 
 " Nothing. How should I know what it is ? " 
 
 " But you do. I believe you do. Look at me ! What 
 does Mr. Sylvester want of us ? " 
 
 The boy hesitated; then whirled and faced her. 
 
 " See here, Caro," he said, " maybe I do know some 
 thing or I can guess. Now, whatever happens, you've 
 got to be a sensible girl. Certain things have to be dealt 
 with in a practical way, and we're practical people. Sen 
 timent and pride and all that sort of stuff, are well 
 enough, but business is business and an engagement is 
 an engagement. Now it's right up to you and " 
 
 " Steve, what are you talking about ? " 
 
 "That's all right. I know what I'm talking about. 
 Somebody in the family must use common sense, and 
 when it comes to holding a person to a promise, then 
 Confound it, Sis, we can't starve, can we ? " 
 
 296
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Wl <at do you mean ? " She rose and advanced to 
 ward him. "What do you mean by a promise? What 
 have you been doing ? " 
 
 His confusion increased. He avoided her eyes and 
 moved sullenly toward the other side of the table. 
 
 " I haven't done anything," he grumbled, " that is, 
 I've done what any reasonable fellow would do. I'm 
 not the only one who thinks . . . Look here ! 
 We've got a guardian, haven't we ? " 
 
 " A guardian ! a guardian ! Stephen Warren, have 
 you been to him ? Have you Was that where you 
 were last night ? " 
 
 " Well, I " 
 
 " Answer me ! " 
 
 "What if I have? Whom else am I to go to? Isn't 
 he" 
 
 " But why did you go to him ? What did you say ? " 
 
 " I said I said Never mind what I said. He 
 agrees with me, I can tell you that. You'll thank your 
 stars I did go, before very long. I ... S-sh ! 
 Here's Sylvester." 
 
 The door of the room opened. The person who en 
 tered, however, was not the lawyer, but the very man 
 of whom they had been speaking, Captain Elisha himself. 
 He closed the door behind him. 
 
 " Hello, Stevie," he said, with a nod to the boy. 
 Then, turning to his niece, he stepped forward and held 
 out his hand. " Caroline," he began, " I don't doubt 
 you're some surprised to see me here; but I . . . 
 Why, what's the matter ? " 
 
 The faces of the pair led him to ask the question. 
 Stephen's was red and he looked embarrassed and guilty. 
 Caroline's was white, and she glanced from her brother 
 to her guardian and back again, with flashing eyes. 
 
 297
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " What's the matter ? " repeated the captain. " Steve," 
 sharply, " have you been making a fool of yourself 
 again? What is it?" 
 
 " Nothing," was the sulky answer ; " nothing of con 
 sequence. Caro is well, I happened to mention that 
 I called on you last night and and she doesn't seem 
 to like it, that's all. As I told her, somebody in the 
 family had to use common sense, and you were our 
 guardian and naturally, under the circumstances . . . 
 Why, I'll leave it to anyone ! " with a burst of righteous 
 indignation. " You are our guardian." 
 
 He proclaimed it as if he expected a denial. Captain 
 Elisha frowned. " Humph ! " he grunted. " That ain't 
 exactly news, is it, Steve? Seems to me we've taken 
 up that p'int afore; though, as I remember, you didn't 
 used to be sot on all hands knowin' it," with dry sar 
 casm. " I don't need even your common sense to re 
 mind me of it just at this minute. Caroline, your 
 brother did come to see me last night. I was glad he 
 did." 
 
 She ignored him. " Steve," she demanded, still facing 
 the young man, " was this, too, a part of your plan ? Did 
 you bring me here to meet him ? " 
 
 " No, I didn't. Sylvester was to come to see us. 
 You know that; he telephoned. I didn't know " 
 
 The captain interrupted. " There, there, son ! " he 
 exclaimed, "let me say a word. No, Caroline, Stevie 
 didn't know I was to meet you here. But I thought it 
 was necessary that I should. Set down, please. I know 
 you must be worn out, poor girl." 
 
 " I don't wish to sit. I want to know what my brother 
 called to see you about." 
 
 " Well, there was some matters he wanted to talk 
 over." 
 
 298
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " What were they ? Concerning the estate ? " 
 
 " Partly that." 
 
 " Partly ? What else ? Captain Warren, my brother 
 has hinted he has said What does he mean by hold 
 ing someone to a promise? Answer me truthfully." 
 
 " I shouldn't answer you any other way, Caroline. 
 Steve seems to be worried about now you mustn't mind 
 my speakin' plain, Caroline ; the time's come when I've 
 got to Steve seems to be worried about the young man 
 you're engaged to. He seems to cal'late that Mr. Dunn 
 may want to slip out of that engagement." 
 
 His niece looked at him. Then she turned to her 
 brother. " You went to him and . . . Oh, how 
 could you ! " 
 
 Stephen would not meet her gaze. " Well," he mut 
 tered rebelliously, " why wouldn't I ? You know your 
 self that Mai hasn't been near you since it happened. 
 If he wasn't after if he was straight, he would have 
 come, wouldn't he? Mind, I don't say he isn't per 
 haps he doesn't know. But, at any rate, something must 
 be done. We had to face possibilities, and you wouldn't 
 listen to me. I tried " 
 
 " Stop ! " she cut him short, imperiously. " Don't make 
 me hate you. And you," turning to her uncle, " did you 
 listen and believe such things? Did you encourage him 
 to believe them? Oh, I know what you think of my 
 friends ! I heard it from your own lips. And I know 
 why you think it. Because they know what you are ; 
 because they exposed you and " 
 
 " There, there ! Caroline, you needn't go on. I've 
 heard your opinion of my character afore. Never mind 
 me for the minute. And, if you'll remember, / ain't said 
 that I doubted your young man. You told me that you 
 thought the world and all of him and that he did of you. 
 20 299
 
 CAP'K WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 That's enough or ought to be. But your brother says 
 you wrote him two days ago and he ain't been near you." 
 
 " I misdirected the letter. He didn't receive it." 
 
 " Um-hm. I see. That would explain." 
 
 " Of course it would. That must be the reason." 
 
 " Yes, seem's if it must." 
 
 " It is. What right have you to doubt it ? Oh, how 
 can you think such things? Can you suppose the man 
 I am to marry is so despicable so mean as to as 
 to I'm ashamed to say it. Why do you presume that 
 money has any part in our engagement? Such trouble 
 as mine only makes it more binding. Do you suppose if 
 he were poor as as I am, that I would desert him? 
 You know I wouldn't. I should be glad yes, almost 
 happy, because then I could show him could " 
 
 Her voice failed her. She put her handkerchief to her 
 eyes for an instant and then snatched it away and faced 
 them, her head erect. The pride in her face was re 
 flected in Captain Elisha's as he regarded her. 
 
 " No, no," he said gently, " I never supposed you'd 
 act but in one way, Caroline. I knew you. And, as 
 Steve'll tell you, I said to him almost the same words 
 you've been sayin'. If Malcolm's what he'd ought to 
 be, I said, he'll be glad of the chance to prove how much 
 he cares for your sister. But Steve appeared to have 
 some misgivin's, and so " 
 
 He paused, turned toward the door, and seemed to be 
 listening. Caroline flashed an indignant glance at her 
 brother. 
 
 "And so?" she asked, scornfully. 
 
 " And so," continued the captain, with a slight change 
 in his tone, " it seemed to me that his doubts ought to 
 be settled. And," rising, as there came a tap at the 
 door, " I cal'late they're goin' to be." 
 
 300
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 He walked briskly over and opened the door. Syl 
 vester was standing without. 
 
 " Come, have they ? " inquired Captain Elisha. 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Fetch J em right in here. Steve, stand over nigher 
 that corner. This way, Caroline, if you please." 
 
 He took his niece by the arm and led her to the side 
 of the room not visible from the doorway. She was too 
 astonished to resist, but asked an agitated question. 
 
 "What is it?" she cried. "Who is coming?" 
 
 " Some friends of yours," was the quiet reply. 
 ' Nothin' to be frightened about. Steve, stay where you 
 are." 
 
 The boy was greatly excited. " Is it they ? " he de 
 manded. "Is it? By gad! Now, Sis, be a sensible 
 girl. If he should try to hedge, you hold him. Hold 
 him ! Understand ? " 
 
 " Steve, be quiet," ordered the captain. ..." Ah ? 
 Mrs. Dunn, good afternoon, ma'am. Mr. Dunn, good 
 afternoon, sir." 
 
 For the pair who, followed by Sylvester, now entered 
 the room were Mrs. Corcoran Dunn and Malcolm. 
 
 They were past the sill before Captain Elisha's greet 
 ing caused them to turn and see the three already there. 
 Mrs. Dunn, who was in the lead, stopped short in her 
 majestic though creaking march of entrance, and her 
 florid face turned a brighter crimson. Her son, strolling 
 languidly at her heels, started violently and dropped his 
 hat The lawyer, bringing up in the rear, closed the 
 door and remained standing near it. Caroline uttered 
 an exclamation of surprise. Her brother drew himself 
 haughtily erect. Captain Elisha remained unperturbed 
 and smiling. 
 
 " Good afternoon, ma'am," he repeated. " It's been 
 301
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 some time since you and I run across each other. I hope 
 you're feelin' pretty smart." 
 
 Mrs. Dunn had faced some unpleasant situations in 
 her life and had proved equal to them. Usually, how 
 ever, she had been prepared beforehand. For this she 
 had not been prepared as yet. She had come to the 
 offices of Sylvester, Kuhn, and Graves, at the senior 
 partner's request, to be told, as she supposed, the full 
 and final details of the financial disaster threatening 
 the Warren family. If those details should prove the 
 disaster as overwhelming as it appeared, then well, 
 then, certain disagreeable duties must be performed. 
 But to meet the girl to whom her son was engaged, 
 and whom she and he had carefully avoided meeting 
 until the lawyers should acquaint them with the whole 
 truth to meet this girl, and her brother, and her 
 guardian, thus unexpectedly and unprepared, was enough 
 to shake the composure and nerve of even such a veteran 
 campaigner as Mrs. M. Corcoran Dunn. 
 
 But of the three to whom the meeting was an abso 
 lute surprise, Caroline, Malcolm and herself she was 
 characteristically the first to regain outward serenity. 
 For a moment she stood nonplused and speechless, but 
 only for a moment. Then she hastened, with out 
 stretched arms, to Caroline and clasped her in affection 
 ate embrace. 
 
 " My dear child ! " she cried ; " my dear girl ! I'm so 
 glad to see you! I've thought of you so much! And 
 I pity you so. Poor Malcolm has Malcolm," sharply, 
 " come here ! Don't you see Caroline ? " 
 
 Malcolm was groping nervously for his hat. He 
 picked it up and obeyed his mother's summons, though 
 with no great eagerness. 
 
 " How d'ye do, Caroline," he stammered, confusedly. 
 302
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 "I I It's a deuce of a surprise to see you down here. 
 The mater and I didn't expect that is, we scarcely 
 hoped to meet anyone but Sylvester. He sent for us, 
 you know." 
 
 He extended his hand. She did not take it. 
 
 "Did you get my letter?" she asked, quickly. Mrs. 
 Dunn answered for him. 
 
 " Yes, dear, he got it," she said. " The poor fellow 
 was almost crazy. I began to fear for his sanity ; I did, 
 indeed. I did not dare trust him out of my sight. Oh, 
 if you could but know how we feel for you and pity 
 you ! " 
 
 Pity was not what Caroline wanted just then. The 
 word jarred upon her. She avoided the lady's embrace 
 and once more faced the embarrassed Malcolm. 
 
 "You got my letter?" she cried. "You did?" 
 
 " Yes er yes, I got it, Caroline. I by Jove, you 
 know " 
 
 He hesitated, stammered, and looked thoroughly un 
 comfortable. His mother regarded him wrath fully. 
 
 " Well," she snapped, " why don't you go on ? Canv 
 line, dear, you really must excuse him. The dear boy 
 is quite overcome." 
 
 Captain Elisha stepped forward. 
 
 " Excuse me for interrupting ma'am," he said, address 
 ing the ruffled matron ; " but I know you're sort of sur 
 prised to see us all here and maybe I'd better explain. 
 Mr. Sylvester told me you and your son had an appoint 
 ment with him for this afternoon. Now there was some 
 thing we or I, anyhow wanted to talk with you 
 about, so I thought we might as well make one job of it. 
 Sylvester's a pretty busy man, and I know he has other 
 things to attend to; so why not let him go ahead and 
 tell you what you come to hear, and then we can take 
 
 303
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 up the other part by ourselves. He's told me what you 
 wanted to see him about, and it's somethin' we're all 
 interested in, bein' as we're one family or goin' to be 
 pretty soon. So suppose he just tells you now. Ain't 
 that a good idea ? " 
 
 Mrs. Dunn looked at the speaker, and then at the 
 lawyer, and seemed to have caught some of her son's 
 embarrassment. 
 
 "I we did have an appointment with Mr. Sylvester," 
 she admitted, reluctantly ; " but the business was not 
 important. And," haughtily, " I do not care to discuss 
 it here." 
 
 The captain opened his eyes. " Hey ? " he exclaimed. 
 "Not important? You surprise me, ma'am. I judged 
 'twas mighty important. 'Twas about the real size of 
 your father's estate, Caroline," turning to the girl. " I 
 thought Mrs. Dunn and Mr. Malcolm must think 'twas 
 important, for I understand they've been telephonin' and 
 askin' for appointments for the last two days. Why, 
 yes! and they come way down here in all this storm 
 on purpose to talk it over with him. Am I wrong? 
 Ain't that so, ma'am ? " 
 
 It was so, and Mrs. Dunn could not well deny it. 
 Therefore, she took refuge in a contemptuous silence. 
 The captain nodded. 
 
 " As to discussin' it here," he went on with bland 
 innocence, " why, we're all family folks, same as I said, 
 and there ain't any secrets between us on that subject. 
 So suppose we all listen while Mr. Sylvester tells just 
 what he'd have told you and Mr. Malcolm. It's pretty 
 hard to hear ; but bad news is soon told. Heave ahead, 
 Mr. Sylvester." 
 
 Mrs. Dunn made one more attempt to avoid the crisis 
 she saw was approaching. 
 
 304
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Surely, Caroline," she said testily, " you don't wish 
 your private affairs treated in this public manner. 
 Come, let us go." 
 
 She laid a hand on the girl's arm. Captain Elisha 
 quietly interposed. 
 
 "No, no," he said. "We'll all stay here. There's 
 nothin' public about it." 
 
 Caroline, crimson with mortification, protested indig 
 nantly. 
 
 " Mr. Sylvester," she said, " it is not necessary to " 
 
 " Excuse me ; " her uncle's tone was sharper and more 
 stern ; " I think it is. Go on, Sylvester." 
 
 The lawyer looked far from comfortable, but he spoke 
 at once and to the point. 
 
 " I should have told you and your son just this, Mrs. 
 Dunn," he said. " I intimated it before, and Miss War 
 ren had already written you the essential facts. A new 
 and unexpected development, the nature of which I am 
 not at liberty to disclose now or later, makes Abijah 
 Warren's estate absolutely bankrupt. Not only that, but 
 many thousand dollars in debt. His heirs are left penni 
 less. That is the plain truth, I'm very sorry to say. 
 There is no hope of anything better. You'll forgive me, 
 Miss Warren, I hope, for putting it so bluntly; but I 
 thought it best to avoid every possible misunderstanding." 
 
 It was blunt, beyond doubt. Even Captain Elisha 
 winced at the word " penniless." Stephen muttered un 
 der his breath and turned his back. Caroline, swaying, 
 put a hand on the table to steady herself. The Dunns 
 looked at each other. 
 
 " Thank you, Mr. Sylvester," said the captain, quietly. 
 " I'll see you again in a few moments." 
 
 The lawyer bowed and left the room, evidently glad 
 to escape. Captain Elisha turned to Mrs. Dunn. 
 
 305
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " And now, ma'am," he observed, " that part of the 
 business is over. The next part's even more in the fam 
 ily, so I thought we didn't need legal advice. You see 
 just how matters stand. My niece is a poor girl. She 
 needs somebody to support her and look out for her. 
 She's got that somebody, we're all thankful to say. 
 She's engaged to Mr. Malcolm here. And, as you're his 
 ma, Mrs. Dunn, and I'm Caroline's guardian, us old 
 folks'll take our affairs in hand; they needn't listen, if 
 they don't want to. I understand from Steve that Mal 
 colm's been mighty anxious to have the weddin' day 
 hurried along. I can't say as I blame him. And / 
 think the sooner they're married the better. Now, how 
 soon can we make it, Mrs. Dunn ? " 
 
 This unexpected and matter-of-fact query was vari 
 ously received. Mrs. Dunn frowned and flushed. Mal 
 colm frowned, also. Steve nodded emphatic approval. 
 As for Caroline, she gazed at her guardian in horrified 
 amazement. 
 
 "Why!" she cried. " You you What do you 
 mean by such " 
 
 " Don't be an idiot, Caro ! " cut in her brother. " I 
 told you to be sensible. Captain Warren's dead right." 
 
 " Stevie, you stay out of this." There was no misun 
 derstanding the captain's tone. "When I want your 
 opinion I'll ask for it. And, Caroline, I want you to 
 stay out, too. This is my trick at the wheel. Mrs. Dunn, 
 what d'you say? Never mind the young folks. You 
 and me know that marriage is business, same as every 
 thing else. How soon can we have the weddin' ? " 
 
 Mrs. Dunn had, apparently, nothing to say to him. 
 She addressed her next remark to Caroline. 
 
 " My dear," she said, in great agitation, " this is really 
 too dreadful. This er guardian of yours appears 
 
 306
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 to think he is in some barbarous country ordering the 
 savages about. Come ! Malcolm, take her away." 
 
 " No," Captain Elisha stepped in front of the door. 
 " She ain't goin' ; and I'd rather you wouldn't go yet. 
 Let's settle this up now. I ain't askin' anything un 
 reasonable. Caroline's under my charge, and I've got 
 to plan for her. Your boy's just crazy to marry her; 
 he's been beggin' for her to name the day. Let's name 
 it. It needn't be to-morrow. I cal'late you'll want to 
 get out invitations and such. It needn't be next week. 
 But just say about when it can be; then I'll know how to 
 plan. That ain't much to ask, sartin." 
 
 Much or little, neither Mrs. Dunn nor her son appeared 
 ready to answer. Malcolm fidgeted with his hat and 
 gloves ; his mother fanned herself with her handkerchief. 
 Caroline, frantic with humiliation and shame, would 
 have protested again, but her guardian's stern shake of 
 the head silenced her. 
 
 " Well, Mr. Dunn," turning to the groom-to-be ; 
 " you're one of the interested parties what do you 
 say?" 
 
 Malcolm ground his heel into the rug. " I don't con 
 sider it your business," he declared. " You're butting in 
 where " 
 
 " No, no, I ain't. It's my business, and business is 
 just what it is. Your ma knows that. She and I had a 
 real confidential up and down talk on love and mar 
 riage, and she's the one that proved to me that marryin* 
 in high society, like yours and the kind Caroline's been 
 circulatin' in, was business and mighty little else. 
 There's a business contract between you and my niece. 
 We want to know how soon it can be carried out, that's 
 all." 
 
 The young man looked desperately at the door; but 
 
 307
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 the captain's broad shoulders blocked the way towards 
 it. He hesitated, scowled, and then, with a shrug of his 
 shoulders, surrendered. 
 
 " How can I marry ? " he demanded sullenly. " Con 
 found it! my salary isn't large enough to pay my own 
 way, decently." 
 
 " Malcolm ! " cried his mother, warningly. 
 
 " Well, Mater, what the devil's the use of all this ? 
 You know ... By Jove ! you ought to ! " 
 
 " Hold on, young feller ! I don't understand. Your 
 wages ain't large enough, you say ? What do you mean ? 
 You was gain' to be married, wasn't you ? " 
 
 Mrs. Dunn plunged to the rescue, a forlorn hope, but 
 desperate, and fighting to the end. 
 
 " An outrage ! " she blurted. " Malcolm, I forbid you 
 to continue this disgusting conversation. Caroline, my 
 poor child, I don't blame you for this, but I call on 
 you to stop it at once. My dear, I " 
 
 She advanced toward the girl with outstretched arms. 
 Caroline recoiled. 
 
 "Don't! don't!" she gasped. Captain Elisha spoke 
 up sharp and stern. 
 
 " Excuse me, ma'am," he said, " but I'll be obliged if 
 you'll wait a minute. Caroline, don't you say a word. 
 You say you " addressing Malcolm, " that you can't 
 support a wife on your wages. You surprise me some, 
 considerin' the swath you've been cuttin' on 'em but 
 never mind that. Maybe they won't keep automobiles 
 and er other things I've heard you was interested 
 in, but if you cut them out and economize a little, same 
 as young married folks I've known have been glad to 
 do, you could scrape along, couldn't you? Hey? 
 Couldn't you ? " 
 
 Malcolm's answer was another scornful shrug. " You 
 308
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 belong on Cape Cod," he sneered. " Mater, let's get out 
 of this." 
 
 " Wait ! Put it plain now. Do I understand that you 
 cal'late to break the engagement because my niece has lost 
 her money? Is that it? " 
 
 Mrs. Dunn realized that the inevitable was upon them. 
 After all, it might as well be faced now as later. 
 
 " This is ridiculous," she proclaimed. " Every sane 
 person knows though barbarians may not " with a 
 venomous glare at the captain " that, in engagements 
 of the kind in which my son shared, a certain amount of 
 er financial er that is, the bride is supposed 
 to have some money. It is expected. Of course it is! 
 Love in a cottage is well a bit passe. My son and 
 I pity your niece from the bottom of our hearts, but 
 there ! under the circumstances the whole affair becomes 
 impossible. Caroline, my dear, I'm dreadfully sorry, 
 dreadfully! I love you like my own child. And poor 
 Malcolm will be heartbroken but you see" 
 
 She extended her hand in a gesture of utter helpless 
 ness. Stephen, who had been fuming and repressing his 
 rage with difficulty during the scene, leaped forward with 
 brandished fist. 
 
 " By gad ! " he shouted. " Mai Dunn, you cad " 
 
 His uncle pushed him back with a sweep of his arm. 
 
 " Steve," he ordered, " I'm runnin' this ship." He 
 gave a quick glance at his niece, and then added, speaking 
 lapidly and addressing the head of the Dunn family, 
 " I see, ma'am. Yes, yes, I see. Well, you've forgot 
 one thing, I guess. Caroline's lived in high society, too. 
 And I've been in it a spell, myself. And Steve's a boy, 
 but he's got a business head. If there's nothin' in mar 
 riage but business, then an engagement is what I just 
 called it, a business contract, and it can't be broke without 
 
 309
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 the consent of both sides. You wanted Caroline's 
 money; maybe she wants yours now. If she does, and 
 there's such a thing as law, why, perhaps she can get it." 
 
 " That's the talk ! " cried Stephen exultingly. 
 
 " Yup ; perhaps she can. She may be a business 
 woman, too, you know. If money and style and social 
 position's what counts and she wants to force you to 
 keep your promise, why, I'm her guardian and she can 
 count on me to back her up. What do you say, Caroline ? 
 I'm at your service. I " 
 
 But Caroline interrupted him. 
 
 " Stop ! " she cried wildly. " Oh, stop ! Do you think 
 do you suppose I would marry him now? Now, 
 after I've seen what he is? Oh," with a shudder of 
 disgust, " when I think what I might have done, I 
 . . . Thank God that the money has gone ! I'm glad 
 I'm poor! I'm glad!" 
 
 " Caro, you fool ! " shrieked Stephen. She did not 
 heed him. 
 
 " Let me go ! " she cried. " Let me get away from 
 him ; from this room ! I never want to see him or think 
 of him again. Please! please let me go! Oh, take me 
 home ! Captain Warren, please let me go home ! " 
 
 Her uncle was at her side in a moment. " Yes, yes, 
 dearie," he said, " I'll take you home. Don't give way 
 now! I'll" 
 
 He would have taken her arm, but she shrank from 
 him. 
 
 " Not you ! " she begged. " Steve ! " 
 
 The captain's face clouded, but he answered promptly. 
 
 "Of course Steve," he agreed. "Steve, take your 
 sister home. Mr. Sylvester's got a carriage waitin', and 
 he'll go with you, I don't doubt. Do as I tell you, boy 
 and behave yourself. Don't wait; go!" 
 
 310
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 He held the door open until the hysterical girl and her 
 brother had departed. Then he turned to the Dunns. 
 
 "Well, ma'am," he said, dryly. "I don't know's 
 there's anything more to be said. All the questions 
 seem to be settled. Our acquaintance wa'n't so awful 
 long, but it was interestin'. Knowin' you has been, as 
 the feller said, a liberal education. Don't let me keep 
 you any longer. Good afternoon." 
 
 He stepped away from the door. Malcolm and his 
 mother remained standing, for an instant, where they 
 Tvere when Caroline left. 
 
 The young man looked as if he would enjoy choking 
 someone, the captain preferably, but said nothing. Then 
 Mrs. Dunn bethought herself of a way to make their 
 exit less awkward and embarrassing. 
 
 " My heart ! " she said, gasping, and with a clutch at 
 her breast. " My poor heart ! I I fear I'm going to 
 have one of my attacks. Malcolm, your arm quick ! " 
 
 With an expression of intense but patient suffering, 
 and leaning heavily upon her son's arm, she moved past 
 Captain Elisha and from the room. 
 
 That evening the captain stood in the lower hall of 
 the apartment house at Central Park West, undecided 
 what to do next. He wished more than anything else in 
 the world to go to his niece. He would have gone to her 
 before had been dying to go, to soothe, to comfort, 
 to tell her of his love but he was afraid. His con 
 science troubled him. Perhaps he had been too brutal. 
 Perhaps he shouldn't have acted as he did. Maybe 
 forcing the Dunn fleet to show its colors could have been 
 done more diplomatically. " He had wanted her to see 
 those colors for herself, to actually see them. But he 
 might have overdone it. He remembered how she
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 shrank from him and turned to her brother. She might 
 hate him more than ever now. If so, then the whole 
 scheme under which he was working fell to pieces. 
 
 He was worried about Steve, too. That young man 
 would, naturally, be furious with his sister for what he 
 would consider her romantic foolishness. He had been 
 warned to behave himself; but would he? Captain 
 Elisha paced up and down the marble floor before the 
 elevator cage and wondered whether his visiting the 
 apartment would be a wise move or a foolish one. 
 
 The elevator descended, the door of the cage opened, 
 and Stephen himself darted out. His face was red, he 
 was scowling fiercely, and he strode toward the street 
 without looking in his guardian's direction. 
 
 The captain caught him as he passed. 
 
 "Here, boy!" he exclaimed; " where's the fire? 
 Where are you bound ? " 
 
 His nephew, brought thus unexpectedly to a halt, 
 stared at him. 
 
 " Oh, it's you ! " he exclaimed. " Humph ! I'm bound 
 I don't know where I'm bound ! " 
 
 " You don't, hey ? Well, you can cruise a long ways 
 on a v'yage like that. What do you mean?" 
 
 " Aw, let me alone ! I'm going to the club, I guess, 
 or somewhere. Anyhow, I won't stay with her. I told 
 her so. Silly little idiot ! By gad, she understands what 
 I think of her conduct. I'll never speak to her again. 
 I told her so. She " 
 
 "Here! Belay! Stop! Who are you talking 
 about?" 
 
 " Caro, of course. She " 
 
 "You've run off and left her alone to-night ? 
 Where is she?" 
 
 " Upstairs and crying, I suppose. She doesn't do 
 312
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 anything else. It's all she's good for. Selfish, roman 
 tic" 
 
 He got no further, for Captain Elisha sent him reeling 
 with a push and ran to the elevator. 
 
 " Eighth floor," he commanded. 
 
 The door of the apartment was not latched. Stephen, 
 in his rage and hurry, had neglected such trifles. The 
 captain opened it quietly and walked in. He entered the 
 library. Caroline was lying on the couch, her head 
 buried in the pillows. She did not hear him cross the 
 room. He leaned over and touched her shoulder. She 
 started, looked, and sat up, gazing at him as though not 
 certain whether he was a dream or reality. 
 
 And he looked at her, at her pretty face, now so white 
 and careworn, at her eyes, at the tear-stains on her 
 cheeks, and his whole heart went out to her. 
 
 " Caroline, dearie," he faltered, " forgive me for comin' 
 here, won't you? I had to come. I couldn't leave you 
 alone ; I couldn't rest, thinkin' of you alone in your 
 trouble. I know you must feel harder than ever towards 
 me for this afternoon's doin's, but I meant it for the 
 best. I had to show you don't you see ? Can you 
 forgive me ? Won't you try to forgive the old feller that 
 loves you more'n all the world ? Won't you try ? " 
 
 She looked at him, wide-eyed, clasping and unclasping 
 her hands. 
 
 "I forgive you?" she repeated, incredulously. 
 
 " Yes. Try to, dearie. Oh, if you would only believe 
 I meant it for your good, and nothin' else ! If you could 
 only just trust me and come to me and let me help you. 
 I want you, my girl, I want you ! " 
 
 She leaned forward. "Do you really mean it?" she 
 cried. " How can you ? after all I've done ? after the 
 way I've treated you? and the things I've said? You 
 
 313
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 must hate me! Everyone does. I hate myself! You 
 can't forgive me ! You can't ! " 
 
 His answer was to hold out his arms. Another mo 
 ment and she was in them, clinging to his wet coat, sob 
 bing, holding him fast, and begging him not to leave 
 her, to take her away, that she would work, that she 
 would not be a burden to him only take her with him 
 and try to forgive her, for he was real and honest and 
 the only friend she had. 
 
 And Captain Elisha, soothing her, stroking her hair, 
 and murmuring words of love and tenderness, realized 
 that his labor and sacrifice had not been in vain, that 
 here was his recompense; she would never misunder 
 stand him again ; she was his at last. 
 
 And yet, in the midst of his joy, his conscience trou 
 bled him more than ever.
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 IT was April; and May was close at hand. The 
 weather was all that late April weather should 
 be, and so often is not. Trees, bushes, and vines 
 were in bud; the green of the new grass was showing 
 everywhere above the dead brown of the old; a pair of 
 bluebirds were inspecting the hollow of the old apple 
 tree, with an eye toward spring housekeeping; the sun 
 was warm and bright, and the water of the Sound 
 sparkled in the distance. Caroline, sitting by the living- 
 room window, was waiting for her uncle to return from 
 the city. 
 
 In the kitchen Annie Moriarty was preparing dinner. 
 Annie was now cook as well as chamber-maid, for, of all 
 the Warren servants, she was the only one remaining. 
 Edwards, the " Commodore," had been dismissed, had de 
 parted, not without reluctance but philosophically, to seek 
 other employment. " Yes, miss," observed Edwards, 
 when notified that his services were no longer required ; 
 " I understand. I've been expecting it. I was in a 
 family before that met with financial difficulties, and I 
 know the signs. All I can say is that I hope you and 
 Mr. Stephen will get on all right, miss. If there's any 
 thing I can do to help you, by way of friendship, please 
 let me know. I'd be glad, for old times' sake. And the 
 cook wanted me to tell you that, being as she's got an 
 other job in sight and was paid up to date, she wouldn't 
 wait for notice, but was leaving immediate. She's gone 
 already, miss." 
 
 21 315
 
 The second maid went also. But Annie, Irish and 
 grateful, refused to go. Her mother came to back her 
 in the refusal. 
 
 " Indeed she'll not leave you, Miss Caroline you nor 
 Captain Warren neither. Lord love him! Sure, d'ye 
 think we'll ever forget what you and him done for me 
 and my Pat and the childer ? You've got to have some 
 body, ain't you? And Annie's cookin' ain't so bad that 
 it'll kill yez ; and I'll learn her more. Never mind what 
 the wages is, they're big enough. She'll stay! If she 
 didn't, I'd break her back." 
 
 So, when the apartment was given up, and Captain 
 Elisha and his wards moved to the little house in West- 
 chester County, Annie came with them. And her cook 
 ing, though not by any means equal to that at Delmoni- 
 co's, had not killed them yet. Mrs. Moriarty came once 
 a week to do the laundry work. Caroline acted as a 
 sort of inexperienced but willing supervising house 
 keeper. 
 
 The house itself had been procured through the kind 
 interest of Sylvester. Keeping the apartment was, un 
 der the circumstances, out of the question, and Caroline 
 hated it and was only too anxious to give it up. She 
 had no suggestions to make. She would go anywhere, 
 anywhere that her guardian deemed best ; but might they 
 not please go at once ? She expected that he would sug 
 gest South Denboro, and she would have gone there 
 without a complaint. To get away from the place where 
 she had been so miserable was her sole wish. And 
 trusting and believing in her uncle as she now did, real 
 izing that he had been right always and had worked for 
 her interest throughout, and having been shown the false 
 ness and insincerity of the others whom she had once 
 trusted implicitly, she clung to him with an appeal al-
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 most piteous. Her pride was, for the time, broken. 
 She was humble and grateful. She surrendered to him 
 unconditionally, and hoped only for his forgiveness and 
 love. 
 
 The captain did not suggest South Denboro. He did, 
 however, tell Sylvester that he believed a little place out 
 of the city would be the better refuge for the present. 
 
 " Poor Caroline's switched clear around," he said to 
 the lawyer, " and you can't blame her much. She 
 cal'lates New York's nothin' but a sham from stern to 
 stern, manned by liars and swindlers and hypocrites and 
 officered by thieves. 'Tain't no use to tell her 'tain't, 
 though she might pretend to believe it, if / told her, for 
 just now the poor girl thinks I'm Solomon and Saint 
 Peter rolled into one. The way she agrees to whatever 
 I say and the way she looks at me and sort of holds on 
 to me, as if I was her only anchor in a gale, I declare 
 it makes me feel meaner than poorhouse tea and 
 that's made of blackberry leaves steeped in memories of 
 better things, so I've heard say. Am I a low down 
 scamp, play in' a dirty mean trick on a couple of orphans? 
 What do you think, Sylvester ? " 
 
 " You know what I think, Captain Warren," replied 
 the lawyer. " You're handling the whole matter better 
 than any other man could handle it. No one else would 
 have thought of it, to begin with ; and the results so far 
 prove that you're right." 
 
 " Yup. Maybe. I wish you was around to say that 
 to me when I wake up nights and get to thinkin'. How 
 ever, as I said, Caroline believes New York is like a 
 sailors' dance hall, a place for decent folks to steer clear 
 of. And when the feller you've been engaged to is 
 shown up as a sneak and your own dad as a crook 
 well, you can't blame a green hand for holdin' prejudice 
 
 317
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 against the town that raised 'em. She'll get over it ; but 
 just now I cal'late some little flat, or, better still, a little 
 home out where the back yards ain't made of concrete, 
 would be a first-class port for us to make for. Don't 
 know of such a place at a reasonable rent, do you ? " 
 
 " I might find one. And you may be right ; your niece 
 might like it better, though it will be somewhat of a 
 change. But how about your nephew? He has no ob 
 jection to the metropolis, I should judge. What will he 
 say?" 
 
 " Nothin', I guess unless he says it to himself. 
 Steve's goin' back to New Haven with things on his 
 mind. He and I had a mornin' service, and I was the 
 parson. He listened, because when you ain't got a cent 
 except what the society allows you, it ain't good ortho 
 doxy to dodge the charity sermon. Steve'll behave, and 
 what he don't like he'll lump. If he starts to open his 
 mouth his ear'll ache, I cal'late. I talked turkey to that 
 young man. Ye-es," with a slight smile, " I'm sort of 
 afraid I lost patience with Stevie." 
 
 When Caroline first saw the little house, with its 
 shingled sides, the dead vines over the porch, and the 
 dry stalks of last year's flowers in the yard, her heart 
 sank. With the wind blowing and the bare branches of 
 the old apple tree scraping the roof and whining dole 
 fully, it looked bleak and forsaken. It was so different, 
 so unhomelike, and so, to her eyes, small and poverty- 
 stricken. She made believe that she liked it, exclaimed 
 over the view which, on the particular day, was deso 
 late enough and declared the Dutch front door was 
 " old-fashioned and dear." But Captain Elisha, watch 
 ing her closely, knew that she was only waiting to be 
 alone to give way to wretchedness and tears. He un 
 derstood, had expected that she would feel thus, but he 
 
 3i8
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 was disappointed, nevertheless. However, after the 
 front door was passed and they were inside the house, 
 Caroline looked about her in delighted amazement The 
 living room was small, but bright and warm and cheery. 
 On its walls, hiding the rather vivid paper, were hung 
 some of the best of Rodgers Warren's pictures the 
 Corot, the codfisher, and others. The furniture and rugs 
 were those which had been in the library of the apart 
 ment, those she had been familiar with all her life. The 
 books, many of them, were there, also. And the dining 
 room, except for size, looked like home. So did the 
 bedrooms; and, in the kitchen, Annie grinned a wel 
 come. 
 
 " But how could you ? " asked Caroline. " How could 
 you keep all these things, Uncle Elisha? I thought, of 
 course, they must all be sold. I cried when they took 
 them away that day when we were leaving to go to the 
 hotel. I was sure I should never see them again. And 
 here they all are ! How could you do it ? " 
 
 The captain's grin was as wide as Annie's. " Oh," he 
 explained, " I couldn't let 'em all go. Never intended to. 
 That five thousand dollar codder up there seemed like 
 own folks, pretty nigh. I'd have kept him, if we had to 
 live in one room and a trunk. And we ain't got to that 
 yet. I tell you, dearie, I thought they'd make you 
 feel more to home. And they do, don't they ? " 
 
 The look she gave him was answer sufficient. 
 
 " But the creditors ? " she asked. " That man who 
 they belong to him, don't they? I supposed of course 
 they must go with the rest." 
 
 Captain Elisha winked. "There's times," he an 
 swered, " when I believe in cheatin' my creditors. This 
 is one of 'em. Never you mind that feller you men 
 tioned. He's got enough, confound him! He didn't 
 
 319
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 have the face to ask for any more. Sylvester looked out 
 for that. Five hundred thousand, droppin' in, as you 
 might say, unexpected, ought to soften anybody's heart ; 
 and I judge even that feller's got some bowels of 
 
 mercy." 
 
 He changed the subject hastily, but Caroline asked no 
 more questions. She never alluded to the lost estate, 
 never expressed any regrets, nor asked to know who it 
 was that had seized her all. The captain had expected 
 her to ask, had been ready with the same answer he 
 had given Stephen, but when he hinted she herself had 
 forbade his continuing. " Don't tell me about it," she 
 begged. " I don't want to know any more. Father did 
 wrong, but but I know he did not mean to. He was 
 a good, kind father to me, and I loved him. This man 
 whose money he took had a right to it, and now it is his. 
 He doesn't wish us to know who he is, so Steve says, and 
 I'm glad. I don't want to know, because if I did I might 
 hate him. And," with a shudder, " I am trying so hard 
 not to hate anybody." 
 
 Her make-believe liking for the little home became 
 more and more real as spring drew near. She began to 
 take an interest in it, in the flower garden, in the beds 
 beside the porch, where the peonies and daffodils were 
 beginning to show green heads above the loam, and in 
 the household affairs. And she had plans of her own, 
 not connected with these. She broached them to her 
 uncle, and they surprised and delighted him, although he 
 would not give his consent to them entirely. 
 
 " You mustn't think," she said, " that, because I have 
 been willing to live on your money since mine went, that 
 I mean to continue doing it. I don't. I've been think 
 ing a great deal, and I realize that I must earn my own 
 way just as soon as I can. I'm not fitted for anything 
 
 320
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 now; but I can be and I shall. I've thought perhaps I 
 might learn stenography or or something like that 
 Girls do." 
 
 He looked at her serious face and choked back his 
 laugh. 
 
 "Why, yes," he admitted, "they do, that's a fact. 
 About four hundred thousand of 'em do, and four hun 
 dred thousand more try to and then try to make business 
 men think that they have. I heard Sylvester sputterin' 
 about a couple in his office t'other day ; said they was no 
 good and not worth the seven dollars a week he paid 
 'em." 
 
 " Seven dollars a week ! " she repeated. 
 
 " Yes. Course some make three times that and more ; 
 but they're the experienced ones, the good ones. And 
 there's heaps that don't. What makes you so sot on 
 earnin' a livin', Caroline? Ain't you satisfied with the 
 kind I'm tryin' to give you ? " 
 
 She regarded him reproachfully. " Please don't say 
 that," she protested. " You always treat your kindness 
 as a joke, but to me it it " 
 
 "There! there!" quickly. "Don't let's talk foolish. 
 I see what you mean, dearie. It ain't the livin' but be 
 cause I'm givin* it to you that troubles you. I know. 
 Well, / ain't complainin' ; but I understand your feelin's 
 and respect 'em. However, I shouldn't study type- 
 \\-ritin', if I was you. There's too much competition in 
 it to be comfortable, as the fat man said about runnin' 
 races. I've got a suggestion, if you want to listen to it." 
 
 "I do, indeed. What is it?" 
 
 " Why, just this. I've been about everythin' aboard 
 ship, but I've never been a steward. Now I'll say this 
 much for Annie, she tried hard. She tumbled into gen 
 eral housekeepin' the way Asa Foster said he fell into 
 
 321
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 the cucumber frame with r. jolt and a jingle; and 
 she's doin' her best accordin' to her lights. But some 
 times her lights need ile or trimmin' or somethin'. I've 
 had the feelin' that we need a good housekeeper here. 
 If Annie's intelligence was as broad and liberal as her 
 shoes, we wouldn't ; as 'tis, we do. Ill hire you, Caro 
 line, for that job, if you say so." 
 
 "I? Uncle Elisha, you're joking! " 
 
 " No, I ain't. Course I realize you ain't had much 
 experience in runnin' a house, and I hope you understand 
 I don't want to hire you as a cook. But I've had a 
 scheme in the back of my head for a fortni't or more. 
 Somethin' Sylvester said about a young lady cousin of 
 his made me think of it. Seems over here at the female 
 college you know where I mean they're teachin'. a 
 new course that they've christened Domestic Science. 
 Nigh's I can find out it is about what our great gran'- 
 marms larned at home ; that, with up-to-date trimmin's. 
 All about runnin' a house, it is; how to superintend 
 servants, and what kind of things to have to eat, and 
 how they ought to be cooked, and takin' care of children 
 Humph! we don't need that, do we? and, well, 
 everything that a home woman, rich or poor, ought to 
 know. At least, she ought to 'cordin' to my old-fash 
 ioned notions. Sylvester's cousin goes there, and likes 
 it; and I judge she ain't figgerin' to be anybody's hired 
 help, either. My idea was about this : If you'd like to 
 take this course, Caroline, you could do it afternoons. 
 Mornin's and the days you had off, you could apply your 
 science here at home, on Annie. Truly it would save me 
 hirin' somebody else, and well, maybe you'd enjoy it, 
 you can't tell." 
 
 His niece seemed interested. 
 
 " I know of the Domestic Science course," she said. 
 322
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Several of my friends my former friends, were 
 studying it. But I'm afraid, Uncle, that I don't see 
 where earning my living has any part in it. It seems to 
 me that it means your spending more money for me, pay 
 ing my tuition." 
 
 " No more'n I'd spend for a competent housekeeper. 
 Honest, Caroline, I'd like to do it. You think it over a 
 spell." 
 
 She did, visiting the University and making inquiries. 
 What she was told there decided her. She took up the 
 course and enjoyed it. It occupied her mind and pre 
 vented her brooding over the past. She might have 
 made many friends among the other students, but she 
 was careful to treat them only as acquaintances. Her 
 recent experience with " friends " was too fresh in her 
 mind. She studied hard and applied her knowledge at 
 home. She and Annie made some odd and funny mis 
 takes at first, but they were not made twice, and Cap 
 tain Elisha noticed a great improvement in the house 
 keeping. Also, Caroline's spirits improved, though more 
 slowly. 
 
 Most evenings they spent together in the living room. 
 She read aloud to her uncle, who smoked his cigar and 
 listened, commenting on the doings of the story folk with 
 characteristic originality and aptitude. Each night, after 
 the reading was over, he wrote his customary note to 
 Abbie Baker at South Denboro. He made one flying 
 trip to that village : " Just to prove to 'em that I'm still 
 alive," as he explained it. " Some of those folks down 
 there at the postoffice must have pretty nigh forgot 
 to gossip about me by this time. They've had me eloped 
 and married and a millionaire and a pauper long ago, I 
 don't doubt. And now they've probably forgot me alto 
 gether. I'll just run down and stir 'em up. Good sub- 
 
 323
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 jects for yarns are source at that postoffice, and they 
 ought to be thankful." 
 
 On his return he told his niece that he found every 
 thing much as usual. " Thoph Kenney's raised a beard 
 'cause shavin's so expensive; and the Come-Outer min 
 ister called the place the other denominations are bound 
 for ' Hades/ and his congregation are thinkin' of firm' 
 him for turnin' Free-Thinker. That's about all the sen 
 sations," he said. " I couldn't get around town much on 
 account of Abbie. She kept me in bed most of the time, 
 while she sewed on buttons and mended. Said she never 
 saw a body's clothes in such a state in her life." 
 
 A few of the neighbors called occasionally. And there 
 were other callers. Captain Elisha's unexpected de 
 parture from Mrs. Hepton's boarding house had caused 
 a sensation and much regret to that select establishment. 
 The landlady, aided and abetted by Mrs. Van Winkle 
 Ruggles, would have given a farewell tea in his honor, 
 but he declined. " Don't you do it," he said. " I like my 
 tea pretty strong, and farewells are watery sort of things, 
 the best of 'em. And this ain't a real farewell, anyhow." 
 
 " ' Say au revoir, but not good-by,' " sang Miss Sher- 
 borne sentimentally. 
 
 " That's it. Everybody knows what good-by means. 
 We'll say the other thing as well as we can and 
 change it to ' Hello ' the very first time any of you come 
 out to see us." 
 
 They were curious to know his reason for leaving. He 
 explained that his niece was sort of lonesome and needed 
 country air ; he was going to live with her, for the pres 
 ent. Consequently Mrs. Ruggles, on the trail of aris 
 tocracy, was the first to call. Hers was a stately and 
 ceremonious visit. They were glad when it was over. 
 Lawton, the bookseller and his wife, came and were per- 
 
 324
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 suaded to remain and dine. Caroline liked them at sight. 
 The most impressive call, however, was that of Mr. 
 and Mrs. " C." Dickens. The great man made it a point 
 to dress in the style of bygone years, and his conversa 
 tion was a treat. His literary labors were fatiguing and 
 confining, he admitted, and the " little breath of rural 
 ozone " which this trip to Westchester County gave him, 
 was like a tonic yes, as one might say, a tonic pre 
 scribed and administered by Dame Nature herself. 
 
 " I formerly resided in the country," he told Caroline. 
 
 " Yes," put in his wife, " we used to live at Bayonne, 
 New Jersey. We had such a pretty house there, that is, 
 half a house.; you see it was a double one, and " 
 
 " Maria," her husband waved his hand, " why trouble 
 our friends with unnecessary details." 
 
 " But it was a pretty house, ' C.,' dear," with a pathetic 
 little sigh. " I've missed it a great deal since, Miss War 
 ren. ' C.' had a joke about it he's such a joker ! He 
 used to call it ' Gad's Hill, Junior/ " 
 
 " Named after some of David B.'s folks ? " asked Cap 
 tain Elisha innocently. The answer, delivered by Mr. 
 Dickens, was condescending and explanatory. 
 
 Caroline laughed, actually laughed aloud, when the 
 visit was over. Her uncle was immensely pleased. 
 
 " Hooray ! " he cried. " I'll invite 'em up to stay a 
 week. That's the fust time I've heard you laugh for I 
 don't know when." 
 
 She laughed again. " I can't help it," she said ; 
 " they are so funny." 
 
 The captain chuckled. " Yes," he said, " and they 
 don't know it. I cal'late a person's skull has got room 
 for just about so much in it and no more. Cornelius 
 Charles's head is so jammed with self-satisfaction that 
 his sense of humor was crowded out of door long ago." 
 
 325
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 One boarder at Mrs. Hepton's did not call, nor did 
 Captain Elisha allude to him. Caroline noticed the lat 
 ter fact and understood the reason. Also, when the cap 
 tain went to the city, as he frequently did, and remained 
 longer than usual, she noticed that his explanations of 
 the way in which he spent his time were sometimes vague 
 and hurried. She understood and was troubled. Yet 
 she thought a great deal on the subject before she men 
 tioned it. 
 
 On the April afternoon when Caroline sat at the win 
 dow of the living room awaiting her uncle's return she 
 was thinking of that subject. But, at last, her mind was 
 made up. It was a hard thing to do ; it was humiliating, 
 in a way; it might though she sincerely hoped not 
 be misconstrued as to motive; but it was right. Cap 
 tain Elisha had been so unselfish, so glad to give up every 
 personal inclination in order to please her, that she would 
 no longer permit her pride to stand in the way of his 
 gratification, even in little things. At least, she would 
 speak to him on the matter. 
 
 He came on a later than his usual train, and at dinner, 
 when she asked where he had been, replied, " Oh, to see 
 Sylvester, and er around." She asked him no more, 
 but, when they were together in the living room, she 
 moved her chair over beside his and said without looking 
 at him : 
 
 " Uncle Elisha, I know where you've been this after 
 noon. You've been to see Mr. Pearson." 
 
 " Hey ? " He started, leaned back and regarded her 
 with astonishment and some alarm. 
 
 " You've been to see Mr. Pearson," she repeated, 
 " haven't you ? " 
 
 " Why why, yes, Caroline, I have to tell you the 
 truth. I don't see how you knew, but," nervously, " I 
 
 326
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 hope you don't feel bad 'cause I did. I go to see him 
 pretty often. You see, I think a good deal of him 
 a whole lot of him. / think he's a fine young feller. 
 Course I know you don't, and so I never mention him to 
 you. But I do hope you ain't goin' to ask me not to see 
 him." 
 
 She shook her head. " No," she said. " I would 
 have no right to ask that, even if I wished to. And I do 
 not wish it. Uncle Elisha, if you were alone here, he 
 would come to see you; I know he would. Invite him 
 to come, please." 
 
 His astonishment was greater than ever. 
 
 " Invite him to come here? " he asked. " To see 
 you?" 
 
 " No," hastily ; " to see you. This is your home. I 
 have no right to keep your friends from visiting it. I 
 know you would sacrifice everything for me, even them ; 
 but I will not be so selfish as to allow it. Ask him here,, 
 please. I really want you to." 
 
 He pulled his beard. " Caroline," he answered slowly, 
 " I'm much obliged to you. I understand why you're 
 doin' this, and I thank you. But it ain't likely that I'll 
 say yes, is it? And do you suppose Jim would come 
 if I did ask him? He knows you believe he's a well, 
 all that's bad. You told him so, and you sent him away. 
 I will give in that I'd like to have him here. He's one 
 of the few men friends I've made since I landed in New 
 York. But, under the circumstances you feelin' as 
 you do I couldn't ask him, and he wouldn't come if 
 I did." 
 
 She remained silent for a time. Then she said: 
 " Uncle, I want you to tell me the truth about Mr. Pear 
 son and father just why they quarreled and the real 
 truth of the whole affair. Don't spare my feelings ; tell 
 
 327
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 me what you believe is the true story. I know you think 
 Mr. Pearson was right, for you said so." 
 
 The captain was much troubled. 
 
 "I I don't know's I'd better, dearie," he answered. 
 " I think I do know the truth, but you might think I was 
 hard on 'Bije on your father. I ain't. And I sym 
 pathize with the way he felt, too. But Jim did right, as 
 I see it. He acted just as I'd want a son of mine to 
 do. And ... Well, I cal'iate we'd better not rake 
 up old times, had we ? " 
 
 " I want you to tell me. Please do." 
 
 " I don't know's I'd better. You have been told the 
 story different, and " 
 
 " I know I have. That is the reason why I ask you to 
 tell it. Oh," with a flash of scorn, " I was told many 
 stories, and I want to forget them. And," sadly, " I can 
 bear whatever you may tell me, even about father. 
 Since I learned that he was a a " 
 
 "S-sh, Caroline; don't!" 
 
 " After that, I can bear anything, I think. This can 
 not be worse." 
 
 " Worse ! No, no ! This ain't very bad. I will tell 
 you, dearie. This is just what happened." 
 
 He told her the exact truth concerning the Trolley 
 Combine, his brother's part in it, and Pearson's. She 
 listened without comment. 
 
 " I see," she said when he had finished. " I think I 
 see. Mr. Pearson felt that, as a newspaper man, an 
 honest one, he must go on. He knew that the thing 
 was wrong and that innocent people might lose money 
 in it. It was his duty to expose it, and he did it, even 
 though it meant the loss of influence and of father's 
 friendship. I see." 
 
 " That was about it, Caroline. I think the hardest 
 328
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 part for him was when 'Bije called him ungrateful. 
 'Bije had been mighty kind to him, that's a fact." 
 
 " Yes. Father was kind ; I know that better than any 
 one else. But Mr. Pearson was right. Yes, he was 
 right, and brave." 
 
 " So I size it up. And I do sympathize with your 
 father, too. This wa'n't such an awful lot worse than 
 a good many stock deals. And poor 'Bije was perfectly 
 desp'rate, I guess. If it had gone through he'd have 
 been able to square accounts with the Rubber Company ; 
 and just think what that would have meant to him. 
 Poor feller ! poor feller ! " He sighed. She reached for 
 his hand and stroked it gently with her own. 
 
 After another interval she said : " How I insulted and 
 wronged him ! How he must despise me ! " 
 
 "Who? Jim? No, no! he don't do any such thing. 
 He knows you didn't understand, and who was respon 
 sible. Jim's got sense, lots of it." 
 
 " But it is my misunderstanding and my insulting 
 treatment of him which have kept you two apart here, 
 at any rate." 
 
 " Don't let that worry you, Caroline. I see him every 
 once in a while, up to the city." 
 
 " It does worry me ; and it will, until it is made right. 
 And," in a lower tone, but with decision, " it shall be." 
 
 She rose and, bending over, kissed him on the fore 
 head. " Good night, Uncle," she said. 
 
 Captain Elisha was disappointed. " What ! " he ex 
 claimed. " Coin' aloft so soon ? We ain't had our 
 readin' yet. Pretty early to turn in, seems to me. 
 Stay a little longer, do." 
 
 " Not to-night, dear. I'm going to my room. Please 
 excuse me this time." She turned to go and then, turn 
 ing back again, asked a final question. 
 
 329
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " You're sure," she said, hesitatingly ; " you're quite 
 sure he will not come here to you if you tell him 
 I understand, and and you ask him ? " 
 
 " Well, Caroline, I don't know. You see, I was re 
 sponsible for his comin' before. He had some scruples 
 against it then, but I talked him down. He's sort of 
 proud, Jim is, and he might might not want to 
 to" 
 
 " I see. Good night, Uncle." 
 
 The next morning, after breakfast, she came to him 
 again, 
 
 " Uncle Elisha," she said, " I have written him." 
 
 "What? You've written? Written who?" 
 
 " Mr. Pearson. I wrote him, telling him I had learned 
 the true story of his disagreement with father and that 
 he was right and I was wrong. I apologized for my 
 behavior toward him. Now, I think, perhaps, if you 
 ask him, he will come." 
 
 The captain looked at her. He realized the sacrifice 
 of her pride which writing that letter must have meant, 
 and that she had done it for him. He was touched and 
 almost sorry she had done it. He took both her hands 
 in his. 
 
 " Dearie," he said, " you shouldn't have done that. I 
 didn't expect you to. I know you did it just for my 
 sake. I won't say I ain't glad; I am, in one way. But 
 'twa'n't necessary, and 'twas too much, too hard for you 
 altogether." 
 
 " Don't say that," she begged. " Too much ! I never 
 can do enough. Compared to what you have done for 
 me it it . . . Oh, please let me do what little I 
 can. But, Uncle Elisha, promise me one thing ; promise 
 that you will not ask me to meet him, if he should come. 
 That I couldn't do, even for you." 
 
 330
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 PROMISES of that kind are easier to make than 
 to keep. The captain promised promptly enough, 
 but the Fates were against him. He made it his 
 business to go to town the very next day and called upon 
 his friend. He found the young man in a curiously ex 
 cited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different 
 from that of the past few months. The manuscript of 
 the novel was before him on the desk, also plenty of 
 blank paper. His fountain-pen was in his hand, al 
 though apparently, he had written nothing that morning. 
 But he was going to oh, yes, he was going to! He 
 was feeling just in the mood. He had read his manu 
 script, and it was not so bad; by George, some of the 
 stuff was pretty good ! And the end was not so far off. 
 Five or six chapters more and the thing would be finished. 
 He would have to secure a publisher, of course, but two 
 had already expressed an interest ; and so on. 
 
 Captain Elisha drew his own conclusions. He judged 
 that his niece's letter had reached its destination. He 
 did not mention it, however, nor did Pearson. But when 
 the captain hinted at the latter's running out to the house 
 to see him some time or other, the invitation was ac 
 cepted. 
 
 " That's fine, Jim," declared the visitor. " Come any 
 time. I want you to see what a nice little place I've got 
 out there. Don't stand on ceremony, come er next 
 week, say." Then, mindful of his promise, he added, 
 " You and I'll have it all to ourselves. I've been cal'- 
 22 331
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 latin' to hire a sail-boat for the summer ; got my eye on 
 a capable little sloop belongin' to a feller on the Sound 
 shore. If all goes well I'll close the deal in a few days, 
 I'll meet you at the depot and we'll have a sail and get 
 dinner at a hotel or somewheres, and then we'll come 
 up to the house and take a whack at Cap'n Jim's doin's 
 in the new chapters. Just you and I together in the set- 
 tin' room ; hey ? " 
 
 Pearson did not seem so enthusiastic over this pro 
 gramme, although he admitted that it sounded tip-top. 
 
 " How is Miss Warren ? " he asked, mentioning the 
 name with a nonchalance remarkable, considering that 
 he had not done so before for weeks. " She is well, I 
 hope?" 
 
 "Yes, she's fust-rate, thank you. Very well, every 
 thing considered. She keeps to herself a good deal. 
 Don't care to meet many folks, and you can't hardly 
 blame her." 
 
 Pearson admitted that, and the remainder of the call 
 was largely a monologue by Captain Elisha. 
 
 " Well, then, Jim," said the latter, when he rose to go, 
 " you come up Monday or Tuesday of next week. WiH 
 you?" 
 
 "Yes. I I think so." 
 
 " Don't think, do it. Let me know what train you're 
 comin' on, and I'll meet you at the depot." 
 
 This last remark was what upset calculations. Pear 
 son came on Monday, having written the day before. He 
 did not mail the note himself, but trusted it to Mrs. 
 Hepton, who was going out to attend evening service. 
 She forgot it until the next day. So it happened that 
 when he alighted from the train at the suburban station 
 the captain was not there to meet him. He waited a 
 while, and then, inquiring the way of the station agent, 
 
 332
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 walked up to the house by himself. As he turned in at 
 the front walk, Caroline came out of the door. They 
 met, face to face. 
 
 It was a most embarrassing situation, particularly for 
 Caroline ; yet, with feminine resourcefulness, she dis 
 sembled her embarrassment to some extent and ac 
 knowledged his stammered, " Good afternoon, Miss War 
 ren," with a cool, almost cold, " How do you do, Mr. 
 Pearson?" which chilled his pleasure at seeing her and 
 made him wish devoutly that he had not been such a 
 fool as to come. However, there he was, and he hastily 
 explained his presence by telling her of the captain's in 
 vitation for that day, how he had expected to meet him 
 at the station, and, not meeting him, ha 1 walked up to 
 the house. 
 
 " Is he in? " he asked. 
 
 No, Captain Elisha was not in. He had gone to see 
 the sail-boat man. Not hearing from his friend, he con 
 cluded the latter would not come until the next day. 
 " He will be so sorry," said Caroline. 
 
 Pearson was rather thankful than otherwise. The cap 
 tain's absence afforded him an opportunity to escape 
 from a place where he was plainly unwelcome. 
 
 " Oh, never mind," he said. " It is not important. I 
 can run out another day. Just tell him I called, Miss 
 Warren, please; that I wrote yesterday, but my letter 
 must have gone astray. Good afternoon." 
 
 He was turning to go, but she stopped him. She had 
 fully made up her mind that, when he came, she would 
 not meet him remembering how she had treated him 
 on the evening of her birthday, she would be ashamed 
 to look him in the face. Besides, she could not meet 
 him after writing that letter ; it would be too brazen ; he 
 would think all sorts of things. When he visited her 
 
 333
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 uncle she would remain in her room, or go to the city or 
 somewhere. 
 
 But now she had met him. And he had come in re 
 sponse to her uncle's invitation, given because she her 
 self had pleaded that it should be. To let him go away 
 would be rude and ridiculous ; and how could she explain 
 to the captain? 
 
 " You mustn't go, Mr. Pearson," she said. " You 
 must come in and wait; Captain Warren will be back 
 soon, I'm sure." 
 
 " Thank you ; but I think I won't wait. I can come 
 another time." 
 
 " But you must wait. I insist. Uncle Elisha will be 
 dreadfully disappointed if you don't. There isn't a train 
 for an hour, and he will return before that, I am sure. 
 Please come in." 
 
 Pearson was reluctant, but he could think of no rea 
 sonable excuse. So he entered the house, removed his 
 overcoat and hat, and seated himself in the living room 
 to await the captain's return. Caroline excused herself, 
 saying that she had an errand at the shop in the village. 
 She made that errand as long as she could, but when she 
 returned he was still there, and Captain Elisha had not 
 appeared. 
 
 The conversation was forced, for a time. Each felt 
 the embarrassment, and Pearson was still resentful of 
 the manner in which she had greeted him on his arrival. 
 But, as he looked at her, the resentment vanished, and 
 the other feeling, that which he had determined to for 
 get, returned. Captain Elisha had told him how brave 
 she had been through it all, and, contrasting the little 
 house with the former home, remembering the loss of 
 friends and fortune, to say nothing of the unmasking of 
 those whom she believed were her nearest and dearest, he 
 
 334
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 wondered and admired more than ever. He understood 
 how very hard it must have been for her to write that 
 letter to him, a letter in which she justified his course at 
 the cost of her own father's honor. He longed to tell 
 her that he understood and appreciated. 
 
 At last he could not resist the temptation. 
 
 " Miss Warren," he said, " please excuse my speak 
 ing of this, but I must; I must thank you for writing me 
 as you did. It was not necessary, it was too much to 
 expect, too hard a thing for you to do. It makes me feel 
 guilty. I " 
 
 " Please don't ! " she interrupted. " Don't speak in 
 that way. It was right. It was what I should have done 
 long ago." 
 
 " But it was not necessary ; I understood. I knew you 
 had heard another version of the story and that you felt 
 I had been ungrateful and mean, to say the least, in my 
 conduct toward your father. I knew that ; I have never 
 blamed you. And you writing as you did " 
 
 " I did it for my uncle's sake," she broke in, quickly. 
 " You are his closest friend." 
 
 " I know, but I appreciate it, nevertheless. I I 
 wish you would consider me your friend as well as his. 
 I do, sincerely." 
 
 " Thank you. I need friends, I know. I have few 
 now, which is not strange," rather bitterly. 
 
 He protested earnestly. " I did not mean it in that 
 way," he said. " It is an honor and a great privilege 
 to be one of your friends. I had that honor and privi 
 lege once. May I have it again ? " 
 
 '' Thank you, Mr. Pearson . . . Now tell me 
 about your novel. I remember it all so well. And I 
 am very much interested. You must have it nearly 
 completed. Tell me about it, please." 
 
 335
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 They were deep in the discussion of the novel when 
 Captain Elisha walked into the living room. He was 
 surprised, stating his feelings at their mildest, to find 
 them together, but he did not express his astonishment. 
 Instead, he hailed Pearson delightedly, demanded to 
 know if they had dared tackle Cap'n Jim without the 
 " head doctor's " being on the scene ; and insisted upon 
 the author's admitting him to the "clinic" forthwith. 
 Pearson did not take the next train, nor the next. In 
 stead, he stayed for dinner and well into the evening, 
 and when he did go it was after a prompt acceptance 
 of the captain's invitation to " come again in a mighty 
 little while." 
 
 Caroline, when she and her uncle were alone after 
 their visitor's departure, made no protest against the 
 invitation having been given. She did not speak of 
 Pearson at all. Captain Elisha also talked of other 
 things, principally about the sail-boat, the summer lease 
 of which he had arranged that afternoon. He declared 
 the sloop to be an " able craft of her tonnage " and that 
 they would have some good times aboard her or he 
 missed his guess. In his own room, when ready for bed, 
 he favored his reflection in the glass with a broad smile 
 and a satisfied wink, from which proceeding it may be 
 surmised that the day had not been a bad one, according 
 to his estimate. 
 
 Pearson came again a week later, and thereafter fre 
 quently. The sessions with Cap'n Jim and his asso 
 ciates were once more regular happenings to be looked 
 forward to and enjoyed by the three. As the weather 
 grew warmer, the sloop Captain Elisha had the name 
 she formerly bore painted out and Caroline substituted 
 proved to be as great a source of pleasure as her new 
 skipper had prophesied. He and his niece and occa- 
 
 336
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 sionally Pearson sailed and picnicked on the Sound, 
 and Caroline's pallor disappeared under the influence of 
 breeze and sunshine. Her health improved, and her 
 spirits, also. She seemed, at times, almost happy, and 
 her uncle seldom saw her, as after the removal to the 
 suburb he so frequently used, with tears in her eyes 
 and the sadness of bitter memories in her expression 
 and manner. Her work at the University grew steadily 
 more difficult, but she enjoyed it thoroughly and de 
 clared that she would not give it up for worlds. 
 
 In June two very important events took place. The 
 novel was finished, and Stephen, his Sophomore year at 
 an end, came home from college. He had been invited 
 by some classmates to spend a part of his vacation with 
 them on the Maine coast, and his guardian had consented 
 to his doing so ; but the boy himself had something else 
 to propose. On an evening soon after his return, when, 
 his sister having retired, he was alone with the captain, 
 he broached the idea. 
 
 " Say," he said, " I've been thinking a good deal while 
 I've been away this last time." 
 
 " Glad to hear it, I'm sure," replied his uncle, dryly. 
 
 " Yes. I've been thinking about a good many things. 
 I'm flat broke; down and out, so far as money is con 
 cerned. That's so, isn't it ? " 
 
 Captain Elisha looked at him keenly for an instant. 
 Then: 
 
 " It appears that way, I'm afraid," he answered. 
 " What made you ask ? " 
 
 " Nothing. I wasn't asking, really ; I was just stating 
 the case. Now, the way I look at it, this college course 
 of mine isn't worth while. You're putting up for it, and 
 I ought to be much obliged ; I am, of course." 
 
 " You're wekome, Stevie." 
 337
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " I know ; but what's the use of it ? I've got to go to 
 work when it's over. And the kind of work I want to 
 do doesn't need university training. I'm just wasting 
 time ; that's what I'm doing." 
 
 " Humph ! I ain't so sure about that. But what sort 
 of work do you want to do ? " 
 
 " I want to be down on the Street, as the governor 
 was. If this Rubber Company business hadn't knocked 
 us out, I intended, as soon as I was of age, to take that 
 seat of his and start in for myself. Well, that chance 
 has gone, but I mean to get in some way, though I have 
 to start at the foot of the ladder. Now why can't I 
 leave college and start now? It will be two years gained, 
 won't it?" 
 
 Captain Elisha seemed pleased, but he shook his head. 
 
 " How do you know you'd like it ? " he asked. 
 " You've never tried." 
 
 " No, I never have ; but I'll like it all right. I know 
 I shall. It's what I've wanted to do ever since I was 
 old enough to think of such things. Just let me start 
 in now, right away, and I'll show you. I'll make good ; 
 you see if I don't" 
 
 He was very earnest. The captain deliberated before 
 answering. 
 
 " Stevie," he said, doubtfully, " I rather like to hear 
 you talk that way; I own up it pleases me. But, as to 
 your givin' up college that's different. Let me think 
 it over for a day or two ; that is, if you can put off the 
 Maine trip so long as that." 
 
 " Hang the Maine trip ! You let me get into business, 
 the business I want to get into, and I won't ask for a 
 vacation ; you can bet on that ! " 
 
 " All right then. I'll think, and do some questionin' 
 around, and report soon's I've decided what's best/' 
 
 338
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 He laid the stump of his cigar in the ash receiver 
 and rose from his chair. But his nephew had not fin 
 ished. 
 
 " There was something else I intended to say," he 
 announced, but with less eagerness. 
 
 "That so? What?" 
 
 " Why why, just this." He fidgeted with his watch 
 chain, colored and was evidently uneasy. " I guess " 
 he hesitated " I guess that I haven't treated you as I 
 ought" 
 
 " I want to know ! You guess that, hey ? Why ? " 
 
 " Oh, you know why. I've been thinking since I went 
 back to New Haven. I've had a chance to think. Some 
 of the fellows in the set I used to be thick with up there 
 have learned that I'm broke, and they they aren't as 
 friendly as they were. Not all of them, of course, but 
 some. And I wouldn't chase after them; not much! 
 If they wanted to drop me they could. You bet I 
 didn't try to hang on! I was pretty sore for a while 
 and kept to myself and well, I did a lot of thinking. 
 I guess Caro is right; you've been mighty decent to her 
 and me." 
 
 He paused, but Captain Elisha made no comment. 
 
 " I guess you have," continued Stephen, soberly. 
 " When you first came, you know, Caroline and I couldn't 
 understand. We thought you were butting in and 
 weren't our sort, and and " 
 
 " And a hayseed nuisance generally ; I know. Heave 
 ahead, son ; you interest me." 
 
 " Well, we didn't like it. And Mai Dunn and his 
 mother were always sympathizing and insinuating, and 
 we believed they were our best friends, and all that. 
 So we didn't try to understand you or or even make 
 it livable for you. Then, after the news came that the 
 
 339
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 money had gone, I acted like a kid, I guess. That busi 
 ness of making Mai stick to the engagement was pretty 
 silly. I was nearly desperate, you see, and and 
 you knew it was silly. You never took any stock in it 
 did you?" 
 
 The captain smiled. 
 
 " Not a heap," he admitted. 
 
 " No. All you wanted was to show them up. Well, 
 you did it, and I'm glad you did. But Caro and I have 
 talked it over since I've been home, and we agree that 
 you've been a great deal better to us than we deserve. 
 You did/t have to take care of us at all, any more, 
 after the money went. By gad! considering how we 
 treated you, I don't see why you did. / wouldn't. But 
 you did and you are. You've given us a home, and 
 you're putting me through college and and " 
 
 " That's all right, son. Good night." 
 
 "Just a minute. I I well, if you let me, I'd like 
 to thank you and and ask your pardon." 
 
 " Granted, my boy. And never mind the thanks, 
 either. Just keep on thinkin' and actin' as you have 
 to-night, and I'll be satisfied. I want to see my nephew 
 makin' a man of himself a real man ; and, Steve, you 
 talk more like a man to-night than I've ever heard you. 
 Stick to it, and you'll do yet. As for goin' to work, 
 you let me chew on that for a few days." 
 
 The next morning he called on Sylvester, who in turn 
 took him to a friend of his, a broker employing a 
 good-sized staff of clerks. The three had a consultation, 
 followed, the day after, by another. That evening the 
 captain made a definite proposal to Stephen. It was, 
 briefly, that, while not consenting to the latter's leaving 
 college, he did consider that a trial of the work in a 
 broker's office might be a good thing. Therefore, if the 
 
 340
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 young man wished, he could enter the employ of Syl 
 vester's friend and remain during July and August. 
 
 " You'll leave about the first of September, Steve," 
 he said, " and that'll give you time for the two weeks 
 vacation that you ought to have. Then you can go back 
 to Yale and pitch in till the next summer, when the same 
 job'll be ready for you. After you're through college 
 for good, if what you've learned about brokerin' ain't 
 cured you of your likin' for it if you still want to go 
 ahead with it for your life job, then well, then we'll 
 see. What do you say ? " 
 
 Stephen had a good deal to say, principally in the 
 Hne of objection to continuing his studies. Finding 
 these objections unavailing, he agreed to his guardian's 
 proposition. 
 
 " All right," said the captain ; " then you can go to 
 work next Monday. But you'll have to work, and be 
 just the same as any other beginner, no better and no 
 worse. There'll be no favoritism, and, if you're really 
 wuth your salt, you won't want any. Show *em, and 
 me, that you're wuth it." 
 
 The novel, the wonderful tale which Captain Elisha was 
 ertain would make its author famous, was finished that 
 very day in June when Stephen came back from New 
 Haven. The question of title remained, and the 
 '' clinic," now reenforced by Steve whose dislike for 
 Pearson had apparently vanished with others of his 
 former likes and dislikes considered that at several 
 sessions. At last " The Man at the Wheel " was se 
 lected, as indicating something of the hero's profession 
 and implying, perhaps, a hint of his character. Then 
 came the fateful task of securing a publisher. And the 
 first to whom it was submitted one of the two firms 
 which had already expressed a desire to read the manu- 
 
 34i
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 script accepted it, at what, for a first novel, were very 
 fair terms. During the summer there was proof to be 
 read and illustrations to be criticized. Captain Elisha 
 did not wholly approve of the artist's productions. 
 
 " Jerushy ! " he exclaimed, " look at that mainmast ! 
 Look at the rake of it ! More like a yacht than a deep- 
 water bark, she is enough sight. And the fust mate's 
 got a uniform cap on, like a purser on a steamboat. 
 Make that artist feller take that cap off him, Jim. He's 
 got to. I wish he could have seen some of my mates. 
 They wa'n't Cunarder dudes, but they could make a 
 crew hop 'round like a sand-flea in a clam bake." 
 
 Or, when the picture happened to be a shore view : 
 
 " What kind of a house is that? Did you ever see a 
 house like that Down-East? I'll leave it to anybody if it 
 don't look like a sugar man's plantation I used to know 
 down Mobile way. All that feller standin' by the door 
 needs is to have his face blacked ; then he'd start singin' 
 * S'wanee River.' This ain't ' Uncle Tom's Cabin.' 
 Bah!" 
 
 The advance copy, the first one, was ready early in 
 September, and the author, of course, brought it im 
 mediately to his friends. They found the dedication 
 especially interesting : " To C. W. and E. W., consult 
 ing specialists at the literary clinics, with grateful ac 
 knowledgments." Probably Captain Elisha was never 
 prouder of anything, even his first command, than of 
 that dedication. 
 
 And the story, when at last it appeared for sale, was 
 almost from the beginning a success. The reviewers 
 praised it, the reading public that final court of appeal 
 which makes or unmakes novels took kindly to it, 
 and discussed and recommended it ; and, most important 
 of all, perhaps, it sold and continued to sell. There was 
 
 342
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 something in it, its humanity, its simplicity, its clearly 
 marked characters, which made a hit. Pearson no longer 
 needed to seek publishers ; they sought him. His short 
 stories were bid for by the magazines, and his prices 
 climbed and climbed. He found himself suddenly 
 planted in the middle of the highway to prosperity, with 
 a clear road ahead of him, provided he continued to do 
 his best. 
 
 In September Stephen gave up his work at the broker's 
 office, spent the weeks with his friends in Maine, and 
 then returned to Yale. He gave up the position on the 
 Street with reluctance. He was sure he" liked it now, 
 he declared. It was what he was fitted for, and he 
 meant, more than ever, to take it up permanently as 
 soon as he was free. And his employer told Captain 
 Elisha that the youngster was bright, clever, and apt. 
 " A little conceited, needs taking down occasionally, but 
 that is the only trouble. He has been spoiled, I should 
 imagine," he said. 
 
 " Yup," replied the captain, with emphasis ; " your 
 imagination's a good one. It don't need cultivatin' 
 any." 
 
 The novel being out of the way, and its successor 
 not yet far enough advanced in plot or general plan for 
 much discussion, the " literary clinics " were no longer 
 as frequent. But Pearson's visits to the Warren house 
 were not discontinued. All summer long he had been 
 coming out, once, and usually twice, a week. Captain 
 Elisha had told him not to stand on formality, to come 
 any time, and he did. On most of these occasions he 
 found the captain at home ; but, if only Caroline was 
 there, he seemed quite contented. She did not remark 
 on the frequency of his visits. In fact, she mentioned 
 him less and less in conversation with her uncle. But 
 
 343
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 as the autumn came and moved towards its prime she 
 seemed, to the captain's noticing eye, a trifle more grave, 
 a little more desirous of being by herself. Sometimes he 
 found her sitting by the open fire pleasant in the cool 
 October evenings and gazing very soberly at the 
 blaze. She had been in good spirits, more merry and 
 light-hearted than he had ever seen her, during the lat 
 ter part of the summer ; now her old sadness seemed to 
 be returning. It would have troubled him, this change 
 in her mood, if he had not believed he knew the cause. 
 
 He was planning a glorious Thanksgiving. At least, 
 it would be glorious to him, for he intended spending the 
 day, and several days, at his own home in South Den- 
 boro. Abbie Baker had made him promise to do it, and 
 lie had agreed. He would not leave Caroline, of course ; 
 she was going with him. Steve would be there, though 
 he would not come until Thanksgiving Day itself. 
 Sylvester, also, would be of the party ; he seemed de 
 lighted at the opportunity. 
 
 " I'm curious to see the place where they raise fellows 
 like you," the lawyer said. " It must be worth looking 
 at/' 
 
 " Graves don't think so," chuckled the captain. " I 
 invited him, and he said, ' No, thank you ' so quick that 
 the words was all telescoped together. And he shivered, 
 too, when he said it ; just as if he felt that sou'west gale 
 whistlin' between his bones even now. I told him I'd 
 pretty nigh guarantee that no more trees would fall OR 
 him, but it didn't have any effect." 
 
 Pearson was asked and had accepted. His going was 
 so far a settled thing that he had commissioned Captain 
 Elisha to purchase a stateroom for him on the Fall River 
 boat; for of course the captain would not consider their 
 traveling the entire distance by train. At an interview 
 
 344
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 in the young man's room in the boarding house, only 
 three days before the date set for the start, he had been 
 almost as enthusiastic as the Cape Codder himself. The 
 pair had planned several side excursions, time and 
 weather permitting, among them a trip across the Sound 
 to Setuckit Point, with the possibility of some late sea- 
 fowl shooting and a long tramp to one of the life-saving 
 stations, where Pearson hoped to pick up material for his 
 new book. He was all anticipation and enthusiasm when 
 the captain left him, and said he would run out to the 
 house the following day, to make final arrangements. 
 
 That day Sylvester 'phoned, asking Captain Elisha to 
 come to his office on a matter of business. When, having 
 done so, the captain, returning, alighted at his home sta 
 tion, he was surprised to see Pearson standing on the 
 platform. 
 
 " Why, hello, Jim ! " he exclaimed. " What are you 
 doing here ? Just come, have you ? " 
 
 His friend shook his head. " No, Captain Warren,'* 
 he said ; " I'm just going." 
 
 "Goin'? What for? Been up to the house, of 
 course? Caroline told you where I'd gone and that I was 
 cal'latin' to hurry back, didn't she ? " 
 
 " Yes " 
 
 " Well, then, course you ain't goin' ! You're goin' to 
 stay to dinner. I've got some things to tell you about 
 that life-savin' station cruise. I've been thinkin' that I 
 know the cap'n and most of the crew on the lightship 
 off back of the Point. How'd you like to go aboard of 
 her? You could get some yarns from those fellers that 
 might be wuth hearin'." 
 
 " I have no doubt I should. But I'm afraid I can't 
 go. The fact is, Captain, I've decided not to spend 
 Thanksgiving with you, after all." 
 
 345
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Hey ? " Captain Elisha could scarcely believe he had 
 heard correctly. " You can't go to South Denboro? " 
 
 " No." 
 
 " Why not, for the land sakes ? " 
 
 " Well, I've decided I've decided not to." 
 
 "But, Jim! Why, I can't have it so! I'm dreadful 
 disappointed. I've counted on yonr goin'. So has Ab- 
 bie. She's read your book, and she says she's crazy to 
 .see the feller that wrote it. She's told the minister and 
 a whole lot more, and they're all comin' in to look at you. 
 'Tain't often we have a celebrated character in our town. 
 You've got to go." 
 
 " Thank you, Captain. I appreciate the invitation and 
 your kindness, but," with decision, " I can't accept." 
 
 "Can't you come later? Say Thanksgivin' mornin'? 
 Or even the day after ? " 
 
 "No." 
 
 " But why not? What's the matter with you all of a 
 sudden ? Come here ! let me look at you." 
 
 He took the young man by the arm and led him, almost 
 by main strength, close to the lighted window of the sta 
 tion. It was late, and the afternoon was gloomy. Here, 
 by the lamplight streaming through the window, he 
 could see his face more clearly. He looked at it. 
 
 " Humph ! " he grunted, after a moment's scrutiny. 
 " You've made up your mind ; I can see that. Have you 
 told Caroline? Does she know?" 
 
 " Yes. You'll have to excuse me, Captain Warren ; 
 my train is coming." 
 
 "What did she say?" 
 
 Pearson smiled, but there was little mirth in the smile. 
 " I think she agrees with me that it is best," he observed. 
 
 " Humph ! She does, hey ? I want to know ! Look 
 liere, Jim ! have you and she " 
 
 346
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 lie got no further, for Pearson broke away, and, with 
 a hurried " Good night," strode up the platform to meet 
 the city-bound train. Captain Elisha watched it go and 
 then walked slowly homeward, his hands in his pockets, 
 troubled and wondering. 
 
 He entered the house by the back door, a remnant of 
 South Denboro habit, and found Annie in the kitchen. 
 
 " Where's Caroline ? " he asked. 
 
 " She's in the living room, sir, I think. Mr. Pearson 
 has been here and just gone." 
 
 " Um-hm. So I heard. Say, Annie, you needn't 
 hurry dinner; I ain't ready for it yet awhile." 
 
 He hung his coat and hat in the back hall and quietly 
 entered the living room. . The lamp was not lighted, 
 and the room was dark, but he saw his niece, a shad 
 owy figure, seated by the window. He crossed to her- 
 side. 
 
 " Well, Caroline," he said, cheerfully, " I'm home 
 again." 
 
 She turned. " I see you are," she answered. 
 
 " Humph ! your eyes must be better than mine then. I 
 can't see anything in here. It's darker than a nigger's 
 pocket. Suppose we turn on the glim." 
 
 He struck a match as he said it. By its light he saw 
 her face. The match burned down to his finger tips and 
 then he extinguished it. 
 
 " I don't know but the dark is just as good and more 
 -economical," he observed. " No use of encouragin' the 
 graspin' ile trust unless it's necessary. Let's you and me 
 sit here in the dark and talk. No objection to talkin' to 
 your back country relation, have you ? " 
 
 " No." 
 
 " That's good. Well, Caroline, I'm goin' to talk plain 
 again. You can order me to close my hatch any time 
 23 347
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 you feel like it ; that's skipper's privilege, and you're boss 
 of this craft, you know. Dearie, I just met Jim Pear 
 son. He tells me he's decided not to go on this Cape 
 cruise of ours. He said you agreed with him 'twas best 
 he shouldn't go. Do you mind tellin' me why ? " 
 
 She did not answer. He waited a minute and then 
 continued. 
 
 " Course, I know I ain't got any real right to ask," he 
 went on ; " but I think more of you and Jim than I do 
 of anybody else, and so maybe you'll excuse me. Have 
 you and he had a f allin' out ? " 
 
 Still she was silent. He sighed. "Well," he ob 
 served, ** I see you have, and I don't blame you for not 
 wantin' to talk about it. I'm awful sorry. I'd begun to 
 hope that . . . However, we'll change the subject. 
 Or we won't talk at all, if you'd rather not." 
 
 Another pause. Then she laid her hand on his. 
 
 " Uncle," she said, " you know I always want to talk 
 to you. And, as for the right to ask, you have the right 
 to ask anything of me at any time. And I should have 
 told you, of my own accord, by and by. Mr. PearsoH 
 and I have not quarreled; but I think I think it best 
 that I should not see him again." 
 
 " You do ? Not see him any more at all ? 
 Why, Caroline ! " 
 
 " Not for a long, long time, at least. It would only 
 make it harder for him ; and it's of no use." 
 
 Captain Elisha sighed again. " I guess I understand, 
 Caroline. I presume likely I do. He he asked some- 
 thin' of you and you couldn't say yes to him. That 
 was it, I suppose. Needn't tell me unless you really 
 want to, you understand," he added, hastily. 
 
 " But I do. I ought to tell you. I should have told 
 you before, and perhaps, if I had, he would not have 
 
 348
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 . . . Uncle Elisha, Mr. Pearson asked me to be his 
 wife." 
 
 The captain gave no evidence of surprise. 
 
 " Yes," he replied, gravely, " I judged that was it. 
 And you told him you couldn't, I suppose. Well, dearie, 
 that's a question nobody ought to answer but the one. 
 She's the only one that knows what that answer should 
 be, and, when other folks interfere and try to influence, 
 it generally means trouble. I'm kind of disappointed ; 
 I'll own up to that. I think Jim is a fine, honest, able 
 young man, and he'd make a good husband, I'm sure. 
 And, so far as his business, or profession, or whatever 
 you call it, goes, he's doin' pretty well and sartin 
 to do better. Of course, 'twa'n't that that kept you 
 from " 
 
 " Uncle Elisha ! Am / so rich that I should " 
 
 " There ! there, my girl ! I know 'twa'n't that, of 
 course. I was only thinkin' out loud, that's all tryin' 
 to find reasons. You didn't care for him enough, I sup 
 pose. Caroline, you don't care for anybody else, do you ? 
 You don't still care for that other feller, that " 
 
 " Uncle ! " she sprang up, hurt and indignant. " How 
 can you ? " she cried. " How could you ask that ? 
 What must you think of me ? " 
 
 " Please, Caroline," he protested ; " please don't. I 
 beg your pardon. I was a fool ! I knew better. Don't 
 go. Tell me the real reason. Sit down again and let's 
 talk this out. Do sit down ! that's it. Now tell me ; was 
 it that you couldn't care for Jim enough ? " 
 
 She hesitated. 
 
 " Was it ? " he repeated. 
 
 "I I like Mr. Pearson very much. I respect and 
 admire him." 
 
 " But you don't love him. I see. Well," sadly, 
 349
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 "there's another one of my dreams gone to smash. 
 However, you did just right, dearie. Feelin' that way, 
 you couldn't marry him, of course." 
 
 He would have risen now, and she detained him. 
 
 " That was not the reason," she said, in a low tone. 
 
 "Hey?" he bent toward her. "What?" he cried. 
 " That wa'n't the reason, you say ? You do care for 
 him?" 
 
 She was silent. 
 
 " Do you ? " he repeated, gently. " And yet you sent 
 him away. Why ? " 
 
 She faltered, tried to speak, and then turned away. 
 He put his arm about her and stroked her hair. 
 
 " Don't you cry, dearie," he begged. " I won't bother 
 you any more. You can tell me some other time if 
 you want to. Or you needn't tell me at all. It's all 
 right; only don't cry. 'Cause if you do," with sudden 
 determination, " I shall cry, too ; and, bein' as I ain't used 
 to the exercise, I may raise such a row that Annie'll send 
 for the constable. You wouldn't want that to happen, I 
 know." 
 
 This unexpected announcement had the desired effect ; 
 Caroline laughed hysterically and freed herself from his 
 arm. 
 
 " I mustn't be so silly," she said. " I had made up my 
 mind to tell you everything, and I shall. My not caring 
 for Mr. Pearson was not my reason for refusing him. 
 The reasons were two you and Steve." 
 
 " Me and Steve ? What in the world have we got to 
 do with it ? " 
 
 " Everything. He would marry me, poor as I am ; 
 and perhaps I perhaps I should say yes if things were 
 different. Oh, there is no use my deceiving you, or 
 trying to deceive myself ! I know I should say yes, and 
 
 350
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 be very, very happy. But I can't! and I won't! I 
 worftt* 
 
 " But why ? And where, for mercy's sake, do Steve 
 and I come in? " 
 
 " Uncle Elisha, I suppose you think I have been per 
 fectly satisfied to let you take care of me and of my 
 brother, and give us a home and all that we needed and 
 more. No doubt you thought me selfish enough to be 
 contented with that and go on as I am as we are 
 living on your bounty. You had reason to think so. 
 But I have not been contented with that, nor has Steve. 
 He and I have made our plans, and we shall carry 
 them out. He will leave college in two years and go 
 to work in earnest. Before that time I shall be ready 
 to teach. I have been studying with just that idea in 
 view." 
 
 " Good land ! Why, no, you ain't ! You've been 
 studyin' to help me and Annie run this house." 
 
 "That was only part of it the smallest part. I 
 haven't told you before, Uncle, but one of the Domestic 
 Science teachers at the University is a girl I used to 
 know slightly. She is going to be married next year, 
 and, if all goes well, I may be appointed to her position 
 when she leaves. I have a conditional promise already. 
 If I am, why, then, you see, I shall really be earning my 
 own living ; you will not have to give up your own home 
 and all your interests there to make me comfortable: 
 you can " 
 
 " Here ! here ! " Captain Elisha put in, desperately ; 
 " don't talk so ridiculous, Caroline. I ain't givin' up 
 anything. I never was more happy than I've been right 
 here with you this summer. I'm satisfied." 
 
 " I know, but I am not. And neither is Steve. He 
 and I have planned it all. His salary at first will be 
 
 351
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 small, and so will mine. But together we can earn 
 enough to live somehow and, later on, when he earns 
 more, perhaps we may be able to repay a little of all that 
 you have given us. We shall try. / shall insist upon 
 
 it." 
 
 "Caroline Warren, is that the reason you sent Jim 
 away? Did you tell him that? Did you tell him you 
 wouldn't marry him on account of me ? " 
 
 " No, of course I did not," indignantly. " I told him 
 
 I said I must not think of marriage ; it was impossible. 
 And it is ! You know it is, Uncle Elisha ! " 
 
 " I don't know any such thing. If you want to make 
 me happy, Caroline, you couldn't find a better way than 
 to be Jim Pearson's wife. And you would be happy, 
 too ; you said so." 
 
 " But I am not thinking of happiness. It is my duty 
 
 to you and to my own self-respect. And not only 
 that, but to Steve. Someone must provide a home for 
 him. Neither he nor I will permit you to do it a day 
 longer than is necessary. I am his sister and I shall not 
 leave him." 
 
 " But you won't have to leave him. Steve's future's 
 all fixed. I've provided for Steve." 
 
 " What do you mean ? " 
 
 " What I say." The captain was very much excited 
 and, for once, completely off his guard. " I've had plans 
 for Steve all along. He's doin' fust-rate in that broker's 
 office, learnin' the trade. Next summer he'll have an 
 other whack at it and learn more. When he's out of col 
 lege I'm goin' to turn over your dad's seat on the Stock 
 Exchange to him. Not give it to him, you know not 
 right off but let him try ; and then, if he makes a good 
 fist at it, he'll have it permanent. Steve's got the best 
 chance in the world. He couldn't ask much better, 
 
 352
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 seems to me. You ain't got to fret yourself about 
 Steve." 
 
 He paused, almost out of breath. He had been speak 
 ing rapidly so as to prevent interruption. Caroline's 
 astonishment was too great for words, just then. Her 
 uncle anxiously awaited her reply. 
 
 " You see, don't you ? " he asked. " You understand. 
 Steve's goin' to have the chance to make a good livin' at 
 the very thing he declares he's set on doin'. I ain't told 
 him, and I don't want you to, but it's what I've planned 
 for him and " 
 
 " Wait ! wait, Uncle, please ! The Stock Exchange 
 seat? Father's seat? I don't see ... I don't un 
 derstand." 
 
 " Yes, yes ! " eagerly ; " your pa's seat. I've meant it 
 for Steve. There's been chances enough to sell it, but 
 I wouldn't do that. 'Twas for him, Caroline ; and he's 
 goin' to have it." 
 
 " But I don't see how . . . Why, I thought " 
 
 The door of the dining room opened. Annie appeared 
 on the threshold. 
 
 " Dinner is served," she announced. 
 
 " Be right there, Annie. Now you see that you ain't 
 got to worry about Steve, don't you, Caroline ? " 
 
 His niece did not answer. By the light from the door 
 way he saw that she was gazing at him with a strange ex 
 pression. She looked as if she was about to ask an 
 other question. He waited, but she did not ask it. 
 
 " Well," he said, rising, "we won't talk any more just 
 now. Annie's soup's gettin' cold, and she'll be in our 
 wool if we don't have dinner. Afterwards we can have 
 another session. Come, Caroline." 
 
 She also rose, but hesitated. " Uncle Elisha," she 
 said, " will you excuse me if I don't talk any more to- 
 
 353
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 night? And, if you don't mind, I won't dine with you. 
 I'm not hungry and and my head aches. I'll go to my 
 room, I think." 
 
 " Yes, yes," he said, hastily, " of course. I'm afraid 
 I've talked too much as 'tis. You go up and lie down, 
 and Annie can fetch you some toast and tea or some- 
 thin' by and by. But do just answer me this, Caroline, if 
 you can: When you told Jim marryin' was out of the 
 question for you, did he take that as final ? Was he con 
 tented with that? Didn't he say he was willin' to wait 
 for you, or anything ? " 
 
 " Yes, he said he would wait, always. But I told him 
 he must not. And I told him he must go and not see 
 me again. I couldn't see him as I have been doing; 
 Uncle, I couldn't ! " 
 
 " I know, dearie, I know. But didn't you say any 
 thing more ? Didn't you give him any hope ? " 
 
 " I said," she hesitated, and added in a whisper, " I 
 said if I should ever need him or or change my mind, 
 I would send for him. I shouldn't have said it. It was 
 weak and wicked of me, but I said it. Please let me go 
 now, Uncle dear. Good night." 
 
 She kissed him and hurried away. He ate his lonely 
 dinner absent-mindedly and with little appetite. After 
 it was finished he sat in the living room, the lamp still 
 unlighted, smoking and thinking. 
 
 And in her chamber Caroline, too, sat thinking not 
 altogether of the man she loved and who loved her. 
 She thought of him, of course ; but there was something 
 else, an idea, a suspicion, which over and over again she 
 dismissed as an utter impossibility, but which returned 
 as often. 
 
 The Stock Exchange seat had been a part of her 
 father's estate, a part of her own and Steve's inheritance 
 
 354
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 Sylvester had told her so, distinctly And such a seat 
 was valuable; she remembered her brother reading in 
 the paper that one had recently sold for ninety thousand 
 dollars. How could Captain Warren have retained such 
 a costly part of the forfeited estate in his possession? 
 For it was in his possession; he was going to give it to 
 her brother when the latter left college. But how could 
 he have obtained it? Not by purchase ; for, as she knew, 
 he was not worth half of ninety thousand dollars. 
 Surely the creditor, the man who had, as was his right, 
 seized all Rodgers Warren's effects, would not have left 
 that and taken the rest. Not unless he was a curiously 
 philanthropic and eccentric person. Who was he? 
 Who was this mysterious man her father had defrauded? 
 She had never wished to know before; now she did. 
 And the more she pondered, the more plausible her sus 
 picion became. It was almost incredible, it seemed pre 
 posterous ; but, as she went back, in memory, over the 
 events since her father's death and the disclosure of his 
 astonishing will, little bits of evidence, little happenings 
 and details came to light, trifles in themselves, but all 
 fitting in together, like pieces of an inscription in mosaic, 
 to spell the truth.
 
 CHAPTER XXII 
 
 NOVEMBER weather on Cape Cod is what Cap 
 tain Elisha described as " considerable 
 chancey." "The feller that can guess it two 
 days ahead of time," he declared, " is wastin' his talents ; 
 he could make a livin' prophesyin' most anything, even 
 the market price of cranberries." When Caroline, Syl 
 vester, and the captain reached South Denboro after 
 what seemed, to the two unused to the leisurely winter 
 schedule of the railroad, an interminable journey from 
 Fall River, the girl thought she had never seen a more 
 gloomy sky or a more forbidding scene. Gray clouds, 
 gray sea, brown bare fields ; the village of white or gray- 
 shingled houses set, for the most part, along the wind 
 ing main street; the elms and silver-leaf poplars waving 
 bare branches in the cutting wind ; a picture of the fag 
 end of loneliness and desolation, so it looked to her. She 
 remembered Mr. Graves's opinion of the place, as jok 
 ingly reported by Sylvester, and she sympathized with 
 the dignified junior partner. 
 
 But she kept her feelings hidden on her uncle's ac 
 count. The captain was probably the happiest individual 
 in the state of Massachusetts that morning. He hailed 
 the train's approach to Sandwich as the entrance to 
 Ostable County, the promised land, and, from that sta 
 tion on, excitedly pointed out familiar landmarks and bits 
 of scenery and buildings with the gusto and enthusiasm 
 of a school boy. 
 
 " That's Ostable court-house," he cried, pointing. 
 356
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " And see see that red-roofed house right over there, 
 just past that white church? That's where Judge Baxter 
 lives ; a mighty good friend of mine, the Judge is. I 
 stopped to his house to dinner the night Graves came." 
 
 A little further on he added, " 'Twas about here that 
 I spoke to Graves fust. I noticed him sittin' right across 
 the aisle from me, with a face on him sour as a sasser 
 of green tamarind preserves, and I thought I'd be 
 sociable. ' Tough night,' I says. ' Umph/ says he. 
 'Twa'n't a remark cal'lated to encourage conversation, so 
 I didn't try again not till his umbrella turned inside 
 out on the Denboro platform. Ho! ho! I wish you'd 
 have seen his face then." 
 
 At Denboro he pointed out Pete Shattuck's livery 
 stable, where the horse and buggy came from which 
 had been the means of transporting Graves and himself 
 to South Denboro. 
 
 " See ! " he cried. " See that feller holdin' up the cor 
 ner of the depot with his back! the one that's so broad 
 in the beam he has to draw in his breath afore he can 
 button his coat. That's Pete. You'd think he was too 
 sleepy to care whether 'twas to-day or next week, 
 wouldn't you ? Well, if you was a summer boarder and 
 wanted to hire a team, you'd find Pete was awake and 
 got up early. If a ten-cent piece fell off the shelf in 
 the middle of the night he'd hear it, though I've known 
 him to sleep while the minister's barn burned down. 
 The parson had been preachin' against horse-tradin' ; 
 maybe that sermon was responsible for some of the 
 morphine influence." 
 
 Sylvester was enjoying himself hugely. Captain 
 Elisha's exuberant comments were great fun for him. 
 " This is what I came for," he confided to Caroline. " I 
 don't care if it rains or snows. I could sit and listen 
 
 357
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 to your uncle for a year and never tire. He's a wonder. 
 And I'm crazy to see that housekeeper of his. If she 
 lives up to her reputation there'll be no disappointment 
 in my Thanksgiving celebration." 
 
 Dan, the captain's hired man, met them with the car 
 riage at the station, and Miss Baker met them at the 
 door of the Warren home. The exterior of the big, old- 
 fashioned, rambling house was inviting and homelike, 
 in spite of the gloomy weather, and Caroline cheered up 
 a bit when they turned in at the gate. Five minutes of 
 Miss Abigail's society, and all gloom disappeared. One 
 could not be gloomy where Miss Abbie was. Her smile 
 of welcome was so broad that, as her employer said, " it 
 took in all outdoor and some of Punkhorn Neck," a 
 place which, he hastened to add, " was forgot durin' 
 creation and has sort of happened of itself since." 
 
 Abbie conducted Caroline to her room old-fash 
 ioned, like the rest of the house, but cozy, warm, and 
 cheery and, after helping in the removal of her wraps, 
 seized her by both hands and took a long look at her 
 face. 
 
 " You'll excuse my bein' so familiar on short ac 
 quaintance, dearie," she said, "but I've heard so much 
 about you that I feel's if I knew you like own folks. 
 And you are own folks, ain't you? Course you are! 
 Everyone of 'Lisha's letters have had four pages of you 
 to one of anything else. I begun to think New York 
 was nothin' but you and a whole lot of ten-story houses. 
 He thinks so much of you that I'd be jealous, if I had 
 that kind of disposition and the time to spare. So I 
 must have a good look at you ... I declare ! you're 
 almost prettier than he said. May I kiss you? I'd 
 like to." 
 
 She did, and they were friends at once. 
 358
 
 I declare! you're almost prettier than he said. 
 May I kiss you? ' "
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 The rest of that day and evening were busy times. 
 Captain Elisha showed his visitors about the place, the 
 barn, the cows, the pigpen the pig himself had gone 
 to fulfill the unhappy destiny of pigs, but they would 
 meet him by sections later on, so the captain assured 
 them. The house and buildings were spotless in paint 
 and whitewash ; the yard was raked clean of every dead 
 leaf and twig; the whole establishment was so neat that 
 Caroline remarked upon it. 
 
 " It looks as if it had been scoured," she said. 
 
 " Um-hm," observed her uncle, with a gratified nod ; 
 " that's Abbie. She hates dirt worse than she does lazi 
 ness, and that ain't sayin' a little. I tell her she'd sand- 
 soap the weather vane if she could climb up to it ; as 'tis, 
 she stays below and superintends Dan while he does it. 
 If godliness wants to stay next to cleanliness when she's 
 around it has to keep on the jump. I always buy shirts 
 two degrees heavier'n I need, 'cause I know she'll have 
 'em scrubbed thin in a fortni't. When it comes to real 
 Domestic Science, Caroline, Abbie ain't in the back row 
 of the primer class, now I tell you." 
 
 Miss Baker had planned that her young guest should 
 sit in state, with folded hands, in the parlor. She 
 seemed to consider that the proper conduct for a for 
 mer member of New York's best society. She was 
 shocked when the girl volunteered to help her about the 
 house. 
 
 " Course I sha'n't let you," she said. " The idea 
 and you company! Got more help than I know what 
 to do with, as 'tis. 'Lisha was determined that I should 
 hire a girl to wash dishes and things while you was here. 
 Nothin' would do but that. So I got Annabel Haven's 
 daughter, Etta G. There's fourteen in that family, and 
 the land knows 'twas an act of charity takin' one appe- 
 
 359
 
 tite out of the house. Pay her fifty cents a day, I do, 
 and she's out in the kitchen makin' believe wash win 
 dows. They don't need washin', but she was lookin' out 
 of 'em most of the time, so I thought she might as well 
 combine business with pleasure." 
 
 But Caroline refused to sit in the parlor and be " com 
 pany." She insisted upon helping. Miss Baker pro 
 tested and declared there was nothing on earth to be 
 done; but her guest insisted that, if there was not, she 
 herself must sit. As Abbie would have as soon thought 
 of attending church without wearing her jet earrings as 
 she would of sitting down before dinner, she gave in, 
 after a while, and permitted Caroline to help in arrang 
 ing the table. 
 
 " Why, you do fust-rate ! " she exclaimed, in surprise. 
 " You know where everything ought to go, just as if 
 you'd been settin' table all your life. And you ain't, 
 because 'Lisha wrote you used to keep hired help, two 
 or three of 'em, all the time." 
 
 Caroline laughed. 
 
 " I've been studying housekeeping for almost a year," 
 she said. 
 
 " Studyin' it ! Why, yes, now I remember 'Lisha 
 wrote you'd been studyin' some kind of science at col 
 lege. Twa'n't settin' table science, I guess, though. Ha ! 
 ha!" 
 
 " That was part of it." She explained the course 
 briefly. Abigail listened in amazement. 
 
 "And they teach that at school?" she demanded. 
 "And take money for it? And call it science? My 
 land! I guess I was brought up in a scientific house 
 hold, then. I was the only girl in the family, and mother 
 died when I was ten years old." 
 
 After dinner she consented to sit for a time, though 
 360
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 not until she had donned her Sunday best, earrings 
 and all. Captain Elisha and Sylvester sat with them, 
 and the big fireplace in the sitting room blazed and 
 roared as it had not since its owner left for his long 
 sojourn in the city. In the evening callers came, the 
 Congregational minister and his wife, and some of the 
 neighbors. The latter were pleasant country people, an 
 other retired sea captain among them, and they all 
 seemed to have great respect and liking for Captain 
 Elisha and to be very glad to welcome him home. The 
 two captains spun salt water yarns, and the lawyer again 
 decided that he was getting just what he had come for. 
 They left a little after nine, and Caroline said good night 
 and went to her room. She was tired, mentally and 
 physically. 
 
 But she did not fall asleep at once. Her mind was 
 still busy with the suspicion which her uncle's words 
 concerning his future plans for Steve had aroused. She 
 had thought of little else since she heard them. The 
 captain did not mention the subject again; possibly, on 
 reflection, he decided that he had already said too much. 
 And she asked no more questions. She determined not 
 to question him yet. She must think first, and then 
 ask someone else Sylvester. He knew the truth and, 
 if taken by surprise, might be driven into confession, if 
 there should be anything to confess. She was waiting 
 for an opportunity to be alone with him, and that op 
 portunity had not yet presented itself. 
 
 The captain would have spoken further with her con 
 cerning James Pearson. He was eager to do that. But 
 her mind was made up ; she had sent her lover away, 
 and it was best for both. She must forget him, if she 
 could. So, when her uncle would have spoken on that 
 subject, she begged him not to ; and he, respecting her
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 feelings and believing that to urge would be bad policy, 
 refrained. 
 
 But to forget, she found, was an impossibility. In 
 the excitement of the journey and the arrival amid new 
 surroundings, she had managed to keep up a show of 
 good spirits, but now alone once more, with the wind 
 singing mournfully about the gables and rattling the 
 windows, she was sad and so lonely. She thought what 
 her life had once promised to be and what it had be 
 come. She did not regret the old life, that life she had 
 known before her father died; she had been happy in it 
 while he lived, but miserable after his death. As for 
 happiness, she had been happy that summer, happy with 
 her uncle and with him. And with him now, even 
 though they would be poor, as she was used to reckon 
 ing poverty, she knew she could be very happy. She 
 wondered what he was doing then; if he was thinking 
 of her. She ought to hope that he was not, because it 
 was useless ; but she wished that he might be, neverthe 
 less. Then she told herself that all this was wicked; 
 she had made up her mind ; she must be true to the task 
 she had set, duty to her brother and uncle. 
 
 Her uncle! why had her uncle done all this for her? 
 And why had her father made him their guardian? 
 These were old questions, but now she asked them with 
 a new significance. If that strange suspicion of hers 
 was true it would explain so much; it would explain 
 almost everything. But it could not be true; if it was, 
 why had he not told her when the discovery of her 
 father's dishonesty and of the note forfeiting the estate 
 was made? Why had he not told her then? That was 
 what troubled her most. It did not seem like him to 
 do such a thing not like his character at all. There 
 fore, it could not be true. Yet she must know. She 
 
 362
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 resolved to question Sylvester the next day, if possible. 
 And, so resolving, she at last fell asleep. 
 
 Her opportunity came the following morning, the day 
 before Thanksgiving. After breakfast Captain Elisha 
 went downtown to call on some acquaintances. He in 
 vited Caroline and the lawyer to accompany him, but 
 they refused, the latter because he judged his, a 
 stranger's, presence during the calls would be something 
 of a hindrance to good fellowship and the discussion of 
 town affairs which the captain was counting on, and 
 Caroline because she saw her chance for the interview 
 she so much desired. 
 
 After the captain had gone, Sylvester sat down before 
 the fire in the sitting room to read the Boston Tran 
 script. As he sat there, Caroline entered and closed the 
 door behind her. Miss Abigail was in the kitchen, busy 
 with preparations for the morrow's plum pudding. 
 
 The girl took the chair next that occupied by the 
 lawyer. He put down his paper and turned to her. 
 
 " Well," he asked, " how does this Cape Cod air 
 effect your appetite, Caroline? I'm ashamed of mine. 
 I'm rather glad to-morrow is Thanksgiving; on that day, 
 I believe, it is permissible, even commendable, to eat 
 three times more than a self-respecting person ordinarily 
 should." 
 
 She smiled, but her answer was in the form of another 
 question, and quite irrelevant. 
 
 " Mr. Sylvester," she said, " I wish you would tell me 
 something about the value of a seat on the Stock Ex 
 change. What is the price of one ? " 
 
 The lawyer looked at her in surprise. 
 
 " The value of a seat on the Stock Exchange ? " he 
 repeated. 
 
 " Yes ; what does it cost to buy one? " 
 24 363
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 He hesitated, wondering why she should be interested 
 in that subject. Captain Elisha had not told him a 
 word of the interview following Pearson's last visit. 
 He wondered, and then surmised a reason Stephen, of 
 course. Steve's ambition was to be a broker, and his 
 sister was, doubtless, with sisterly solicitude and femi 
 nine ignorance of high prices, planning for his future. 
 
 " Well," he replied, smiling, " they're pretty expen 
 sive, I'm afraid, Caroline." 
 
 " Are they ? " innocently. 
 
 " Yes. I think the last sale was at a figure between 
 ninety and one hundred thousand dollars." 
 
 " Indeed ! Was father's seat worth as much as 
 that?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " But," with a sigh, " that, I suppose, went with the 
 rest of the estate." 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Into the hands of the man who took it all ? " 
 
 " Yes ; the same hands," with a sly smile at his own 
 private joke. 
 
 " Then how does it happen that my uncle has it in his 
 possession ? " 
 
 The lawyer smiled no more. He turned in his chair 
 and gazed quickly and keenly at the young lady beside 
 him. And her gaze was just as keen as his own. 
 
 "What did you say?" he asked. 
 
 " I asked you how it happened that my uncle now has 
 father's Stock Exchange seat in his possession." 
 
 "Why! . . . Has he?" 
 
 " Yes. And I think you know he has, Mr. Sylvester. 
 I know it, because he told me so himself. Didn't you 
 know it?" 
 
 This was a line shot from directly in front and a 
 364
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 hard one to dodge. A lie was the only guard, and he 
 was not in the habit of lying, even professionally. 
 
 "I I cannot answer these questions," he declared. 
 " They involve professional secrets and " 
 
 " I don't see that this is a secret. My uncle has al 
 ready told me. What I could not understand was how 
 he obtained the seat from the man to whom it was given 
 as a part of father's debt. Do you know how he ob 
 tained it?" 
 
 " Er well er probably an arrangement was 
 made. I cannot go into details, because well, for ob 
 vious reasons. You must excuse me, Caroline." 
 
 He rose to go. 
 
 " One moment more," she said, " and one more ques 
 tion. Mr. Sylvester, who is this mysterious person 
 this stockholder whom father defrauded, this person who 
 wishes his name kept a secret, but who does such queer 
 things ? Who is he ? " 
 
 " Caroline, I tell you I cannot answer these questions. 
 He does wish to remain unknown, as I told you and your 
 brother when we first learned of him and his claim. If 
 I were to tell you I should break my faith with him. 
 . . . You must excuse me ; you really must." 
 
 " Mr. Sylvester, perhaps you don't need to tell me. 
 Perhaps I can guess. Isn't he my " 
 
 " Caroline, I cannot " 
 
 "Isn't he my uncle, Elisha Warren?" 
 
 Sylvester was half way to the door, but she was in 
 his path and looking him directly in the face. He 
 hesitated. 
 
 " I thought so," she said. " You needn't answer, Mr. 
 Sylvester; your face is answer enough. He is." 
 
 She turned away, and, walking slowly to the chair 
 from which she had arisen, sank into it. 
 365
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " He is," she repeated. " I knew it. I wonder that 
 I didn't know it from the very first. How could I have 
 been so blind ! " 
 
 The lawyer, nervous, chagrined, and greatly troubled, 
 remained standing by the door. He did not know 
 whether to go or stay. He took his handkerchief from 
 his pocket and wiped his forehead. 
 
 " Whew ! " he exclaimed. " Well, by George! " 
 
 She paid no attention to him, but went on, speaking, 
 apparently, to herself. 
 
 " It explains everything," she said. " He was father's 
 brother; and father, in some way, took and used his 
 money. But father knew what sort of man he was, 
 and so he asked him to be our guardian. Father thought 
 he would be kind to us, I suppose. And he has been 
 kind he has. But why did he keep it a secret ? Why 
 did he ... I don't understand that. Of course the 
 money was his; all we had was his, by right. But to 
 say nothing . . . and to let us believe . . . 
 It does not seem like him at all. It . . ." 
 
 Sylvester interrupted quickly. " Caroline ! Caro 
 line ! " he said, " don't make any mistake. Don't mis 
 judge your uncle again. He is a good man; one of the 
 best men I ever knew. Yes, and one of the wisest. 
 Don't say or think anything for which you may be sorry. 
 I am speaking as your friend." 
 
 She turned toward him once more, the distressed, 
 puzzled look still on her face. " But I don't under 
 stand," she cried. "He . . . Oh, Mr. Sylvester, 
 please, now that I do know now that you have told 
 me so much won't you tell me the rest ; the reason 
 and all of it? Please!" 
 
 The lawyer shook his head, regarding her with an 
 expression of annoyance and reluctant admiration. 
 
 366
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Now that I've told you ! " he repeated. " I don't 
 remember that I've told you anything." 
 
 " But you have. Not in words, perhaps, but you have 
 told me. I know. Please go on and tell me all. If 
 you don't," with determination, " I shall make Uncle 
 Elisha tell me as soon as he comes. I shall ! " 
 
 Sylvester sighed. " Well, by George ! " he repeated, 
 feelingly. " I'll tell you one thing, young woman, you're 
 wasting your talents. You should be a member of the 
 bar. Anyone who can lead a battle-scarred veteran 
 of cross-examination like myself into a trap and then 
 spring it on him, as you have done, is gifted by Provi 
 dence." 
 
 "But will you tell me?" 
 
 He hesitated, perplexed and doubtful. 
 
 " I ought not to say another word on the subject," he 
 declared, emphatically. " What Captain Warren will 
 say to me when he finds this out is unpleasant to con 
 sider. But . . . But yet, I don't know. It may be 
 better for you to learn the real truth than to know a part 
 and guess wrongly at the rest. I ... What is it 
 you want me to tell you ? " 
 
 " Everything. I want you to sit down here by me 
 and tell me the whole story, from the beginning. 
 Please." 
 
 He hesitated a moment longer and, then, his mind 
 made up, returned to his chair, crossed his legs and be 
 gan. " Here it is," he said. 
 
 " Caroline, about twenty years ago, or such matter, 
 your father was a comparatively poor man poor, I 
 mean, compared to what he afterward became. But he 
 was a clever man, an able business man, one who saw 
 opportunities and grasped them. At that time he ob 
 tained a grant in South America for " 
 
 367
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " I know," she interrupted ; " the Akrae Rubber Com 
 pany was formed. You told Steve and me all about 
 that. What I want to know is " 
 
 " Wait. I did not tell you all about it I said that 
 another man invested ten thousand dollars with your 
 father to form that company. That man, so we now 
 know, was your uncle, Captain Elisha Warren." 
 
 " I guessed that. Of course it must have been he." 
 
 " It was. The captain was older than your father, 
 had lived carefully, and had saved some money. Also, 
 at that time, he idolized his brother and believed in his 
 shrewdness and capability. He invested this ten thou 
 sand on Rodgers Warren's word that the investment was 
 likely to be a good one. That, and to help the latter in 
 business. For a few years the company did nothing; 
 during that time your father and uncle disagreed con 
 cerning another matter, quite unconnected with this one 
 and they did not see each other again while Rodgers 
 lived. In that long period the Akrae Company made 
 millions. But Elisha supposed it to be bankrupt and 
 worthless ; because well, to be frank, because his 
 brother wrote him to that effect." 
 
 He paused, fearful of the effect which this announce 
 ment might have upon the girl. But she had guessed 
 this part of her father's dishonor and was prepared 
 for it. She made no comment, and he continued. 
 
 " Now we come to the will. Your father, Caroline, 
 was not a bad man at heart. I knew him well, and I 
 believe that may be said truthfully. He realized what 
 he had done, how he had defrauded the brother who 
 had been so kind to him, and he meant, he kept prom 
 ising himself, to some day repay the money he had taken. 
 To insure that, he put that note with the other papers 
 of the Company. If he did repay, it could be destroyed. 
 
 368
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 If he did not, if he should die, it would be there to 
 prove what it did prove. But always in his mind was 
 the thought of you and Steve, the children he loved. 
 He had quarreled with his brother it is true ; he had 
 cheated him, but restitution for that cheat he had pro 
 vided. But what would become of you, left in case 
 he died without making restitution penniless? He 
 knew his brother, as I said; knew his character, re 
 spected his honesty, and believed in his conscientiousness 
 and his big heart. So he made his will, and in it, as you 
 know, he appointed Elisha your guardian. He threw his 
 children and their future upon the mercy and generosity 
 of the brother he had wronged. That is his reason, as 
 we surmise it, for making that will." 
 
 He paused again. Caroline did not speak for a mo 
 ment. Then she asked: 
 
 " And no one knew you or my uncle or anyone 
 of all this until last March? " 
 
 " No. Graves had, with his usual care and patience, 
 pieced together the evidence and investigated until we 
 were sure that a stockholder in the Akrae Company 
 existed and that all of your father's estate belonged to 
 him. Who that stockholder was we did not know until 
 that day of the meeting at our office. Then Captain 
 Warren told us." 
 
 " But he did not know, either ? " 
 
 " Not until then. He supposed his Akrae stock worth 
 less, and had practically forgotten it. When we told 
 him of its value, of the note, and of the missing share 
 holder, he knew, of course." 
 
 " What did he say ? " 
 
 " Say ? Caroline, he was the most distressed and con 
 science-stricken man in the city. One would have 
 thought he was the wrongdoer and not the wronged. 
 
 369
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 He would have gone straight to you and asked your 
 pardon, if we would have permitted it." 
 
 " But, Mr. Sylvester, now we are coming to the part 
 I cannot understand. Of course the estate belonged to 
 him, I know that. It is his. But why didn't he tell 
 Steve and me the truth then, at once? Why did he let 
 us believe, and employ you to lead us to believe, that it 
 was not he but someone else? Did he think we would 
 blame him ? Why has he " 
 
 "Caroline! Caroline! don't you understand yet? Do 
 you imagine for one moment that your uncle intends 
 keeping that money ? " 
 
 She stared at him in utter amazement. 
 
 "Keeping it?" she repeated. "Why not? It is his. 
 It belongs to him." 
 
 " Caroline, I'm afraid you don't know him, even yet. 
 He was for going to you at once and destroying the note 
 in your presence. He would have done it, but we per 
 suaded him to wait and think it over for a day or two. 
 He did think and then decided to wait a little longer, for 
 your sake." 
 
 " For my sake ? For mine ? " she passed her hand in 
 a bewildered way across her forehead. " Mr. Sylvester, 
 I don't seem to understand even now. I " 
 
 " For your sake, Caroline. Remember, at that time 
 you were engaged to Malcolm Dunn." 
 
 Her intent gaze wavered. She drew a long breath. 
 " I see," she said, slowly. "Oh . . . I see." 
 
 " Yes. Captain Warren is one of the best judges of 
 character I ever met. The Dunns did not deceive him 
 for one moment. He was certain Malcolm intended 
 marrying you because of your money; for that matter, 
 so was I. But his was the plan entirely which showed 
 them to you as they were. He knew you were too hon- 
 
 370
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 est and straightforward to believe such things of the 
 man to whom you were engaged if they were told you; 
 you must see the proof with your own eyes. And he 
 showed it to you." 
 
 " But then," she begged, distractedly, " why couldn't 
 he tell me after that ? I I am so stupid, I suppose 
 but, Mr. Sylvester, all this is is " 
 
 " He might have told you then, but he did not think 
 it best. Caroline, your uncle has always believed in you. 
 Even when you sent him from your home he did not 
 blame you; he said you were deceived, that was all. 
 But, too, he has always declared that you had been, as 
 he expressed it, ' brought up wrong.' Your money had, 
 in a way, warped your estimate of people and things. 
 He believed that, if you were given the opportunity, you 
 would learn that wealth does not, of itself, mean hap 
 piness. So he decided not to tell you, not to give you 
 back your share of your father's money he refuses 
 to consider it his until another year, until you were 
 of age, at least. And there was Steve. You know, 
 Caroline, that money and what it brought was spoiling 
 Steve. He has never been so much a man as during the 
 past year, when he thought himself poor. But your 
 xmcle has planned for him as well as for you and, when 
 he believes the time has come, he " 
 
 " Please," she interrupted, falteringly ; " please don't 
 say any more. Let me think. Oh, please let me think, 
 Mr. Sylvester . . . You say that Uncle Elisha in 
 tends giving us all that father took from him? All of 
 it?" 
 
 " Yes, all. He considers himself merely your guard 
 ian still and will accept only his expenses from the 
 estate." 
 
 "But but it is wonderful!" 
 24* 371
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " Yes, it is. But I have learned to think him a won 
 derful man." 
 
 She shook her head. 
 
 " It is wonderful ! " she repeated, brokenly. " Even 
 though we cannot take it, it is wonderful." 
 
 "What? Cannot take it?" 
 
 " Of course not ! Do you suppose that either my 
 brother or I will take the fortune that our father stole 
 yes, stole from him? After he has been living almost 
 in poverty all these years and we in luxury on his 
 money ? Of course we shall not take it ! " 
 
 " But, Caroline, I imagine you will have to take it. I 
 understand your feelings, but I think he will compel you 
 to take it." 
 
 " I shall not!" she sprang to her feet. " Of course I 
 shall not ! Never ! never ! " 
 
 " What's that you're never goin' to take, Caroline ? 
 Measles? or another trip down in these parts? I hope 
 'tain't the last, 'cause I've been cal'latin' you'd like it 
 well enough to come again." 
 
 Caroline turned. So did Sylvester. Captain Elisha 
 was standing in the doorway, his hand on the knob. He 
 was smiling broadly, but as he looked at the two by the 
 fire he ceased to smile. 
 
 "What's all this?" he asked, suspiciously. "Caro 
 line, what Sylvester, what have you been tellin' her?" 
 
 Neither answered at once. The captain looked from 
 one to the other. 
 
 " Well, what's up ? " he demanded. " What's the mat 
 ter?" 
 
 The lawyer shrugged his shoulders. 
 
 " What's up? " he repeated. " Humph ! well, I should 
 say the jig was up. The murder's out. The cat is no 
 longer in the bag. That's about the size of it." 
 
 372
 
 " Sylvester ! " Caroline had never seen her uncle 
 thoroughly angry before ; " Sylvester," he cried, " have 
 you Have you dast to tell her what you shouldn't ? 
 Didn't you promise me? If you told that girl, I'll 
 I'll" 
 
 His niece stepped forward. " Hush, Uncle Elisha," 
 she said. " He didn't tell me until I knew already. I 
 guessed it. Then I asked for the whole truth, and he 
 told me." 
 
 " The whole truth ? Caroline ! " 
 
 He wrung his hands. 
 
 " Yes, Uncle, the whole truth. I know you now. I 
 thought I knew you before ; but I didn't not half. I 
 do now." 
 
 " Oh, Caroline ! " he stepped toward her and then 
 stopped, frantic and despairing. " Caroline ! Caroline ! " 
 he cried again, " can you ever forgive me ? You know 
 you must know I ain't ever meant to keep it. It's 
 all yours. I just didn't give it to you right off because 
 . . . because . . . Oh, Sylvester, tell her I never 
 meant to keep it ! Tell her ! " 
 
 The lawyer shook his head. " I did tell her,** he said, 
 with another shrug, " and she tells me she won't ac 
 cept it." 
 
 " What ? " the captain's eyes were starting from his 
 head. "What? Won't take it? Why, it's hers 
 hers and Steve's! It always has been! Do you ear- 
 late I'd rob my own brother's children? Don't talk so> 
 foolish ! I won't hear such talk ! " 
 
 Caroline was close to tears, but she was firm. 
 
 " It isn't ours," she said. " It is yours. Our father 
 kept it from you all these years. Do you suppose we 
 will keep it any longer ? " 
 
 Captain Elisha looked at her determined face ; then at 
 373
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 the lawyer's but he found no help there. His chin 
 thrust forward. He nodded slowly. 
 
 " All right ! all right ! " he said, grimly. " Sylvester, 
 is your shop goin' to be open to-morrer? " 
 
 " Guess not, Captain," was the puzzled reply. " It's 
 Thanksgiving. Why ? " 
 
 " But Graves'll be to home, won't he ? I could find 
 him at his house?" 
 
 " I presume you could." 
 
 " All right, then ! Caroline Warren, you listen to me : 
 I'll give you till two o'clock to make up your mind to 
 take the money that belongs to you. If you don't, I 
 swear to the Lord A'mighty I'll take the fust train, go> 
 straight to New York, hunt up Graves, make him go 
 down to the office and get that note your father made 
 out turnin' all his property over to that Akrae Com 
 pany. I'll get that note and I'll burn it up. Then 
 then you'll have to take the money, because it'll be yours. 
 Every bit of evidence that'll hold in law is gone, and 
 nobody but you and Steve'll have the shadow of a 
 claim. I'll do it, so sure as I live ! There ! now you can 
 make up your mind." 
 
 He turned, strode to the door and out of the room. 
 A moment later they heard a scream from Miss Baker 
 in the kitchen : " 'Lisha Warren, what ails you ? Are 
 you crazy?" There was no answer, but the back door 
 closed with a tremendous bang. 
 
 Half an hour after his dramatic exit Captain Elisha 
 was pacing up and down the floor of the barn. It was 
 an old refuge of his, a place where he was accustomed 
 to go when matters requiring deliberation and thought 
 oppressed him. He was alone. Dan had taken the 
 horse to the blacksmith's to be shod. 
 
 374
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 The captain strode across the floor, turned and strode 
 back again. Every few moments he looked at his watch. 
 It was a long way to two o'clock, but each additional 
 moment was another weight piled upon his soul. As he 
 turned in his stride he saw a shadow move across the 
 sill of the big, open door. He caught his breath and 
 stopped. 
 
 Caroline entered the barn. She came straight to him 
 and put her hands upon the lapels of his coat. Her eyes 
 were wet and shining. 
 
 " Caroline ? " he faltered, eagerly. 
 
 " You good man ! " she breathed, softly. " Oh, you 
 good man ! " 
 
 " Caroline ! " his voice shook, but there was hope in it. 
 " Caroline, you're goin' to take the money ? " 
 
 " Yes, Uncle Elisha. Mr. Sylvester 'has shown me 
 that I must. He says you will do something desperate 
 if I refuse." 
 
 " I sartin would ! And you'll take it, really ? " 
 
 " Yes, Uncle Elisha." 
 
 " Glory be { And and, Caroline, you won't hold it 
 against me, my makin' you think you was poor, and 
 makin' you live in that little place, and get along on just 
 so much, and all that? Can you forgive me for doin' 
 that?" 
 
 " Forgive you ? Can I ever thank you enough ? I 
 know I can't; but I can try all my life to prove what " 
 
 " S-s-h-h ! s-s-h ! . . . There ! " with a great sigh, 
 almost a sob, of relief, " I guess this'll be a real Thanks- 
 givin', after all." 
 
 But, a few minutes later, another thought came to him. 
 
 " Caroline," he asked, " I wonder if, now that things 
 are as they are, you couldn't do somethin' else some- 
 thin' that would please me an awful lot?" 
 
 375
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 "What is it, Uncle?" 
 
 " It's somethin' perhaps I ain't got any right to ask. 
 You mustn't say yes if you don't want to. The other 
 day you told me you cared for Jim Pearson, but that you 
 sent him away 'cause you thought you had to earn a 
 livin' for you and Steve. Now you know that you ain't 
 got to do that. And you said you told him if you ever 
 changed your mind you'd send for him. Don't you 
 s'pose you could send for him now right off so he 
 could get here for this big Thanksgivin' of ours ? Don't 
 you think you could, Caroline ? " 
 
 He looked down into her face, and she looked down 
 at the barn floor. But he saw the color creep up over 
 her forehead. 
 
 " Send for him now ? " she asked, in a low tone. 
 
 " Yes. Now right off. In time for to-morrow ! " 
 
 " He could not get here," she whispered. 
 
 " Yes, he could. If you send him a telegram with one 
 word in it : ' Come ' and sign it ' Caroline ' he'll be 
 here on to-morrow mornin's train, or I'll eat my hat and 
 one of Abbie's bonnets hove in. Think you could, Caro 
 line?" 
 
 A moment; then in a whisper, "Yes, Uncle Elisha." 
 
 "Hooray! But but," anxiously, "hold on, Caro 
 line. Tell me truly now. You ain't doin* this just to 
 please me ? You mustn't do that, not for the world and 
 all. You mustn't send for him on my account. Only 
 just for one reason because you want him." 
 
 He waited for his answer. Then she looked up, blush 
 ing still, but with a smile trembling on her lips. 
 
 " Yes, Uncle Elisha," she said, " because / want him." 
 
 The clouds blew away that night, and Thanksgiving 
 day dawned clear and cold. The gray sea was now blue ; 
 
 376
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 the white paint of the houses and fences glistened in the 
 sun ; the groves of pitchpine were brilliant green blotches 
 spread like rugs here and there on the brown hills. 
 South Denboro had thrown off its gloomy raiment and 
 was " all dolled up for Thanksgivin'," so Captain Elisha 
 said. 
 
 The captain and Sylvester were leaning on the fence 
 by the gate, looking up the road and waiting for Dan and 
 the " two-seater " to heave in sight around the bend. 
 The hired man had harnessed early and driven to the sta 
 tion at least thirty minutes before train time. Captain 
 Elisha was responsible for the early start. Steve was 
 coming on that train ; possibly someone else was coming. 
 The captain did not mean they should find no welcome 
 or vehicle at the station. 
 
 The whistle had sounded ten minutes before. It was 
 time for Dan to appear at the bend. 
 
 " I hope to thunder Jim got that telegram/' observed 
 the captain for the twentieth time, at least, since break 
 fast. 
 
 " So do I," replied his friend. " There's no reason 
 why he shouldn't, is there ? " 
 
 " No, no sensible one ; but I've scared up no less than 
 a couple of hundred of the other kind. If he shouldn't 
 come my, my ! she'd be disappointed." 
 
 " You wouldn't feel any disappointment yourself, of 
 course," said the lawyer, with sarcasm. 
 
 "Who? Me? Oh, I'd be sorer'n a scalded wharf 
 rat in a barrel of pepper. But I don't count. There's 
 the real one up there." 
 
 He motioned with his head toward the window of Car 
 oline's room. Sylvester nodded. " Yes," he said, " I 
 suppose so. Captain, I'm somewhat surprised that you 
 should be willing to trust that niece of yours to another 
 
 377
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 man. She's a pretty precious article, according to your 
 estimate/' 
 
 " Well, ain't she accordin' to yours ? " 
 
 " Yes. Pretty precious and precious pretty. Look at 
 her now." 
 
 They turned in time to catch a glimpse of the girl as 
 she parted the curtains and looked out on the road. She 
 saw them looking at her, smiled, blushed, and disap 
 peared. Both men smoked in silence for a moment. 
 Then the captain said : 
 
 " Waitin'. Hi hum ! nothin' like it, when you're wait- 
 in' for the one, is there ? " 
 
 " No, nothing." 
 
 " Yup. Well, for a pair of old single hulks our age, 
 strikes me we're gettin' pretty sentimental. You say you 
 wonder I'd trust Caroline to another man ; I wouldn't to 
 the average one. But Jim Pearson's all right. You'll 
 say so, too, when you know him as well as I do." 
 
 " I'll trust your judgment, any time. So you won't 
 tell Steve yet awhile that he's not broke ? " 
 
 " No. And Caroline won't tell him, either. Steve's 
 doin' fust-rate as he is. He's in the pickle tub and 'twill 
 do him good to season a spell longer. But I think he's 
 goin' to be all right by and by. Say, Sylvester, this New 
 York cruise of mine turned out pretty good, after all, 
 didn't it?" 
 
 " Decidedly good. It was the making of your niece 
 and nephew. Caroline realizes it now ; and so will Steve 
 later on." 
 
 " Hope so. It didn't do me any harm," with a 
 chuckle. " I wouldn't have missed that little beat up the 
 bay with Marm Dunn for a good deal. For a spell there 
 we was bows abreast, and 'twas hard to tell who'd turn 
 the mark first. Heard from the Dunns lately?" 
 
 378
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 " No. Why, yes, I did hear that they were in a 
 tighter box than ever, financially. The smash will come 
 pretty soon." 
 
 " I'm sorry. The old lady'll go down with colors 
 nailed to the mast, I'll bet; and she'll leave a lot of suds 
 where she sank. Do you know, I never blamed her so 
 much. She was built that way. She's consider'ble like 
 old Mrs. Patience Blodgett, who used to live up here to 
 the Neck ; like her only there never was two people 
 more different. Pashy was the craziest blue-ribboner 
 you ever saw. Her one idea in life was gettin' folks to 
 sign the pledge. She married Tim Blodgett, who was 
 the wust soak in the county he'd have figgered out, 
 if you analyzed him, about like a bottle of patent medi 
 cine, seventy-two per cent alcohol. Well, Pashy mar 
 ried him to reform him, and she made her brags that 
 she'd get him to sign the pledge. And she did, but only 
 by puttin' it in front of him when he was too drunk to 
 read it." 
 
 The lawyer laughed heartily. " So you think Mrs. 
 Corcoran Dunn resembles her, do you," he observed. 
 
 " In one way yes. Both of 'em sacrifice everything 
 else to one idea. Pashy's was gettin' that pledge signed, 
 and never mind ways and means. Mrs. Dunn's is money 
 and position never mind how they come. See what 
 I'm drivin' at?" 
 
 Sylvester laughed again. " I guess so," he said. 
 " Captain Warren, I never saw you in better spirits. Do 
 you know what I think? I think that, for a chap who 
 has just given away half of a good-sized fortune and in 
 tends giving away the other half, you're the most cheer 
 ful specimen I ever saw." 
 
 The captain laughed, too. " I am, ain't I," he said. 
 " Well, I can say truthful what I never expected to say 
 
 379
 
 CAP'N WARREN'S WARDS 
 
 in my life that once I was wuth ha'f a million dollars. 
 As for the rest of it, I'm like that millionaire that 
 
 . . Hi ! Look ! There comes Dan ! See him ! " 
 
 They peered eagerly over the fence. The Warren 
 " two-seater " had rounded the bend in the road. Dan 
 was driving. Beside him sat a young fellow who waved 
 his hand. 
 
 " Steve ! " cried the captain, excitedly. " There's 
 Steve ! And and yes, there's somebody on the back 
 seat. It's Jim 1 He's come ! Hooray ! " 
 
 He was darting out of the gate, but his friend seized 
 his coat 
 
 " Wait," he cried. " I don't want to lose the rest of 
 that sentence. You said you were like some million 
 aire. Who?" 
 
 "Don't bother me," cried Captain Elisha. "Who? 
 Why, I was goin* to say I was like that millionaire chap 
 who passes out a library every time he wakes up and 
 happens to think of it. You know who I mean. . . . 
 Ahoy there, Jim ! Ahoy, Steve ! " 
 
 He was waving his hand to the passengers in the ap 
 proaching vehicle. 
 
 " Yes," prompted his friend, hastily, " I know who 
 you mean Carnegie." 
 
 " That's the feller. I've come to feel about the way 
 he says be does that 'twould be a crime for me to die 
 rich." 
 
 THE END.
 
 ERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
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