Part 18 (1/2)

But the young lady would not have it.

”Cap'n Kendrick,” she said, earnestly, ”I hope you won't go. Judge Knowles told me you were going to call. I was very glad when I found you had called now--at this time. And I should like to have you stay. You can stay, can't you?”

Sears hesitated. ”Why--why, yes, I presume likely I can,” he admitted.

”And will you--please?”

He looked at her and she at him. Then he nodded.

”I'll stay,” he said, and sat down in his chair.

”Thank you,” said Elizabeth. ”Now, Elvira.... Wait, mother, please.”

Miss Snowden sniffed once more. ”Now that that important matter is settled I _suppose_ I may be allowed to go on,” she observed, with sarcasm. ”Very good, I will do so in spite of the presence of--of those not--ahem--intimately concerned. Mrs. Berry, on behalf of this committee here, a committee of the whole----”

”No such thing,” this from Mrs. Tidditt. ”I'm part of the whole but I ain't part of that committee. Stick to the truth, Elviry--pays better.”

”Hush, Esther,” begged Miss Berry. ”Let her go on, please. Go on, Elvira.”

The head of the committee breathed fiercely through her thin nostrils.

Then she made another attempt.

”I address you, Mrs. Cordelia Berry,” declaimed Elvira, ”because you are supposed--I say _supposed_--to be officially the managing director--or directress, to speak correct--of this inst.i.tution. Not,” she added, hastily, ”that it is an inst.i.tution in any sense of the word--like a home or any such thing. We all know that, I hope and trust. Although,”

with a venomous glance in the direction of Mrs. Esther, ”there appear to be _some_ that know precious little. I mention no names.”

”You don't need to,” retorted the Tidditt lady promptly. ”Never mind, I know enough not to vote to buy a lot of second-handed images and critters just because they belong to one of your relations. I know that much, Elviry Snowden.”

This was a body blow and Elvira visibly winced. For just an instant Captain Sears thought she was contemplating physical a.s.sault upon her enemy. But she recovered and, white and scornful, proceeded.

”I shan't deign to answer such low--er--insinuations,” she declared, her voice shaking. ”I scorn them and her that makes them. I scorn them--both. _BOTH!_”

This last ”Both” was fired like a shot from a ”Big Bertha.” It should have annihilated the irreverent little female in the gingham gown. It did not, however; she merely laughed. The effect of the blast was still further impaired by Mrs. Chase, who although listening with all her ears, such as they were, had evidently heard neither well nor wisely.

”That's right, Elviry,” proclaimed Aurora, ”that's just what I say. Why, the lion alone is worth the money.”

Mrs. Brackett touched the Snowden arm. ”Never mind, Elvira,” she said.

”Don't pay any attention. Go right ahead and read the resolutions.”

Elvira drew a long breath, two long breaths. ”Thank you, Susanna,” she said, ”I shall. I'm going to. Mrs. Berry,” she added, turning to that lady, who was quite as much agitated as any one present and was clutching her chair arm with one hand and her daughter's arm with the other. ”Mrs. Berry,” repeated Miss Snowden, ”this resolution drawn up and signed by the committee of the whole here present--signed with but one exception, I should say, one _trifling_ exception--” this with a glare at Mrs. Tidditt--”is, as I said, addressed to you because you are supposed--” a glare at Elizabeth this time--”to be in charge of the Fair Harbor and what goes on and is done within its--er--porticos. Ahem! I will now read as follows.”

And she proceeded to read, using both elocution and gestures. The resolutions made a rather formidable doc.u.ment. They were addressed to ”Mrs. Cordelia Imogene Berry, widow of the late Captain Isaac Stephens Berry, in charge of the Fair Harbor for Mariners' Women at Bayport, Ma.s.sachusetts, United States of America. Madam: Whereas----”

There were many ”Whereases.” Captain Kendrick, listening intently, found the path of his understanding clogged by them and tangled by Miss Elvira's flowers of rhetoric. He gathered, nevertheless, that the ”little group of ladies resident at the Fair Harbor, having been reared amid surroundings of culture, art and refinement” were, naturally, desirous of improving their present surroundings. Also that a ”truly remarkable opportunity” had come in their way by which the said surroundings might be improved and beautified by the expenditure of a nominal sum, seventy-five dollars, no more. With this seventy-five dollars might be bought ”the entire collection of lawn statuary and the fountain which adorned the grounds of the estate of the late lamented deceased Captain Seth Snowden at Harniss and now the property of his widow, namely to wit, Mrs. Hannah Snowden.”

”And I'll say this,” put in Elvira, before reading further, ”although hints and insinuations have been cast at me in the hearing of those present to-day about my being a relation--relative, that is--of Captain Seth, and he was my uncle on my father's side, nevertheless it's just because I am a relation--relative--that we are able to buy all those elegant things for as cheap a price as seventy-five dollars when they cost at least five hundred and.... But there! I will proceed.

”'The said statuary, etcetera, consisting of the following, that is to say:

”'No. 1. Item ... 1 Lawn Fountain. Hand painted iron. Representing two children beneath umbrella.'”

”And it's the cutest thing,” put in the hitherto silent Desire Peasley, with enthusiastic suddenness. ”There's them two young ones standin'

natural as life under that umbrella--just same as anybody _would_ stand under an umbrella if 'twas rainin' like fury--and the water squirts right down over top of 'em and drips off the ribs--off the ribs of the umbrella, I mean--and there they stand and--and---- _Well_, when I see _that_ I says, 'My glory!' I says, 'what'll they contrive next?' That's what I said. All hands heard me.... What's that you're mutterin', Esther Tidditt?”