Volume V Part 23 (1/2)

”Remember,” she warned, ”that however impulsive our poor, misguided niece may appear, you _must_ not kiss her!”

Without waiting for reply she opened the door for him. Adnah, smiling happily through the last of her tears, sprang to meet him, and, seizing his hand, drew him down on the couch beside her.

”I'm going to keep you here always, now,” she declared with pretty authority, as she locked her arm in his and interlaced their fingers.

He looked around at the aunts and suddenly longed for his own clothes.

They had drawn their chairs in a close semi-circle about the couch and were helplessly staring. He felt the hot blood burning in his cheeks, on his temples, down the back of his neck.

”You _will_ stay, won't you?” Adnah anxiously asked him.

”I think I shall take you with me, instead,” he replied, smiling down at her in an attempt to conquer his embarra.s.sment.

Adnah rapturously sighed. The spectators suddenly arose, retiring to the far corner of the room, where they held an excited, whispered consultation. Presently they came back and sat down in the same solemn half-circle. Aunt Sarah ceremoniously cleared her throat.

”You will please to unclasp your hands and sit farther apart,” she directed. This obeyed, she proceeded: ”Now, Mr. Nelson--”

”Melton, if you please,” corrected the young man, producing a business card that he had rescued.

”Oh!” exclaimed the aunts, exchanging wondering glances.

”We understood that it was Nelson,” murmured Aunt Matilda. It seemed that the hands had not been so tightly clasped over the ears as he had thought.

Aunt Sarah gravely adjusted her gla.s.ses.

”'John Melton, Jr.,'” she read. ”'Representing Melton and Melton, Administrators and Real Estate Dealers. General John A. Melton. John Melton, Jr.'”

There was a suppressed flutter of excitement and again the three aunts exchanged surprised glances.

”I think I may safely say, may I not, Sisters Ann and Matilda, that this quite alters the case?” was Aunt Sarah's strange query.

”Quite so, indeed,” agreed Aunt Matilda, complacently smoothing her ap.r.o.n.

”Very much so,” added Aunt Ann.

”Decidedly,” resumed Aunt Sarah. ”Your father, young man, handled the estate of our deceased Uncle Peter in a most upright and satisfactory fas.h.i.+on--for a man. So far, much is in your favor, since our unfortunate niece will not be contented without some sort of a husband. Your personal qualifications have yet to be proved, however. We presume that you can offer doc.u.mentary evidence as to your own worth, sir?”

”Not for a day or so, unfortunately,” confessed the young man. ”The dogs destroyed all my papers. The only thing I could find was a portion of a brief note from my mother.”

The three aunts, as by one electric impulse, bent forward with s.h.i.+ning eyes.

”From your mother!” hungrily repeated Aunt Sarah. ”Let us see it, if you will, please.”

He produced it reluctantly. It was not exactly the sort of letter a young man cares to parade.

”'My beloved son,'” Aunt Sarah read aloud, pausing to bestow a softened glance upon him. ”'I can not wait for your return to say how proud I am of you. Your n.o.ble and generous action in regard to the aged widow Crane's property has just come to my ears, through a laughing complaint of your father about your unbusinesslike methods in dealing with those who have been unfortunate. In spite of his whimsically expressed disapproval, he feels that you are an honor to him. Your sister Nellie cried in her pride and love of you when she heard--'”

The rest of the letter had been lost, but this was enough.