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 extended a plump hand, buttoned in a very tight glove, and murmured her gratification.
"I'm so glad you are to accompany us, Captain Warren," she gushed.
"It is a charming winter morning, isn't it?"
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 further 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 merrily.
"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 Caroline asked him what he was thinking.
"Nothin' much," he answered, gazing at the fashionably garbed throng pouring under the carved stone arch of 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 housekeeper 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 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 excursions came to his mind. Well, he had one advantage over such people, at any rate, he knew when he was ridiculous, 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 magnate, whose fame as a king of finance is world-wide, officiated as one of the collectors.
"Heavens and earth!" murmured Captain Elisha, staring wide-eyed at the unmistakable features so often pictured 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; "HIMpassin' 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 the Beatitudes, with outward solemnity, but with a twinkle in his eye.
After the benediction, when Caroline asked how he enjoyed it, the cause of the twinkle became apparent.
"Fine!" he declared, with enthusiasm. "He's a smart preacher, ain't he! And he knew his congregation. 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 unless you do.""Then the captain will come, of course," declared Mrs. Dunn, with decision. "I'm sure he will not be so selfish as to deprive me--and Malcolm--of your company."
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 occupied a small, brown-stone house on Fifth Avenue, somewhat 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 selection was not that of Rodgers Warren, the connoisseur, 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.