"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.
"Step into the other room," said Mr. Sylvester, "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 Iknow?" 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 something--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.
Sentiment--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?""What do you mean?" She rose and advanced toward 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 entered, 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.
"What's the matter?" repeated the captain. "Steve," sharply, "have you been ****** a fool of yourself again? What is it?""Nothing," was the sulky answer; "nothing of consequence. 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 Iremember, you didn't used to be sot on all hands knowin' it," with dry sarca**. "I don't need even your common sense to remind 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.""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 holding 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 muttered rebelliously, "why wouldn't I? You know yourself that Mal 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--perhaps 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.