Part 67 (1/2)

”What's the matter, Loosh?” he demanded. ”Great Scott, old man, I expected to surprise you, but I didn't expect to give you a paralytic stroke. How are you?”

He walked over and held out his hand. Galusha took it, but he looked as if he was quite unaware of doing so. ”Cousin Gussie!” he repeated, faintly. Then he added his favorite exclamation. ”Dear me!”

Even Martha, who by this time was used to his eccentricities, thought his conduct strange.

”Why, Mr. Bangs,” she cried, ”are you sick? What is it?”

Galusha blinked, put a hand to his forehead, knocked off his spectacles, picked them up again and, in doing so, appeared to pick up a little of his normal self.

”Why, Cousin Gussie,” he observed, for the third time; adding, ”I--I am surprised.”

His cousin's laugh made the little room echo.

”Good, Loos.h.!.+” he exclaimed. ”I guessed as much; you looked it. Well, it is all right; I'm here in the flesh. Aren't you glad to see me?”

Galusha stammered that he was very glad to see him--yes, indeed--ah--quite so--very, of course.

”Ah--ah--won't you sit down?” he asked.

Martha could stand it no longer. ”Why, mercy's sakes, Mr. Bangs,” she exclaimed, ”of course he'll sit down! And he'd probably take off his coat, if you asked him.”

This pointed hint had an immediate effect. Her lodger sprang forward.

”Oh, dear me!” he cried. ”I'm so sorry. Of course, of course. I BEG your pardon, Cousin Gussie.”

He hindered a little more than he helped with the removal of the coat and then stood, with the garment in his arms, peering over the heap of fur like a spectacled prairie-dog peeping out of a hole.

”Ah--sit down, sit down, please,” he begged. ”I--ah--please do.”

Again Martha interrupted. ”Here, let me take that coat, Mr. Bangs,”

she said, and took it forthwith. Galusha, coming to himself still more, remembered the conventionalities.

”Oh, Miss Phipps,” he cried, ”may I introduce my--ah--cousin, Mr. Cabot.

Mr. Cabot, this is the lady who has taken charge of me, so to speak.”

Both Martha and Cabot burst out laughing.

”That sounds as if I had arrested him, doesn't it?” observed the former.

”But it is all right, Mr. Cabot; I've only taken him to board.”

”I understand. Well, unless he has changed a lot since I used to know him, he needs some one to take charge of him. And it agrees with him, too. Why, Loosh, I thought you were an invalid; you look like a football player. Oh, pardon me, Miss Phipps, but don't trouble to take that coat away. I can stay only a little while. My chauffeur is waiting outside and I must get on to the hotel or I'll be late for dinner.”

Martha, who was on her way to the hall and the coat rack, turned.

”Hotel?” she repeated. ”What hotel, Mr. Cabot?”

”Why, the Something-or-other House over in the next town. The Robbins House, is it? Something like that.”

”Robbins House? There isn't any. Oh, do you mean Roger's Hotel at the Centre?”