Part 9 (1/2)

”It's _Paul_!” The thought flashed across her mind instantly. Her first impression of her new cousin was disappointing. Though such matters rarely counted for much with Jane, she was really shocked by the shabbiness of his appearance; for covered as he was with mud, his ill-fitting, outworn clothes made him look like a veritable ragam.u.f.fin.

But it was not this so much as his whole bearing and expression that displeased her. There was something both sullen and stubborn in his face, which, combined with lines of weariness and hunger, made him seem much older than he really was, and decidedly unattractive. And she had been so sure that she was going to like her new cousin; she had pictured him as a jolly, ruddy, lively boy who would probably enter heart and soul into her enjoyments; someone with whom you could make friends in five minutes; whereas unsociability was stamped on every feature of _this_ boy's sallow, unsmiling face.

Just then the sharp tapping of Granny's cane resounded through the corridor. The old lady's singular impatience to know who the stranger was, had not allowed her to wait for Jane's tardy report. With her cap askew, she appeared at the head of the stairs.

”Who is it? Who is it?” she demanded, almost breathlessly. ”Stand aside, child.” And without waiting for a reply, she descended the stairs with wonderful rapidity, marched to the dining room door, and flung it open.

”Peter! Gertrude!” she blinked nervously into the room, where only the firelight illumined the two figures in the dusk. Then she stared into Paul's face. It was only a moment before her uncertainty disappeared.

”I knew it! I knew it!” she cried. ”Peter Lambert, why didn't you tell me? Ah, heaven's! My dear boy, _I_ am your old Granny!” And weeping from sheer joy, she unhesitatingly flung her arms around his neck and kissed him.

A few moments later the entire family had collected to welcome the newcomer. The twins with their round blue eyes fastened on him gravely, clung to their mother, who kissed him warmly, exclaimed over his size, and at once began to worry affectionately about his wet clothes. Elise greeted him with her usual gentle, modest smile, Carl with a patronizing, ”How do you do, cousin?” and a keen glance, as if he were ”sizing up” an opponent of some sort.

During these proceedings Paul looked utterly bewildered, and exceedingly awkward, as if he could not believe that all these good people who were smiling at him, shaking hands with him, and asking him if he were tired, were really his family. All that interested him was the fact that he smelt supper cooking.

Last of all to welcome him was Jane, who had stood aside, watching him intently; and it was he who turned to her, and with the polite smile that he had forced for the occasion, held out his hand.

”How do you do, cousin?”

”How do you do, cousin Paul?” repeated Jane decorously.

Jane was not over impulsive, and she had not yet made up her mind as to the degree of liking she felt for this tall, reticent youth, this sober, chilly, self-a.s.sured boy, whom Destiny had now placed at the head of the House of Winkler.

CHAPTER V-PAUL HESITATES

”Poor child, you are dripping wet! You'll catch your death of cold!”

cried Mrs. Lambert, noticing Paul's state for the first time. ”What can I be thinking of! You must have a hot bath and some dry things at once.

Carl, take Paul up to your room, dear, and see that he makes himself _very_ comfortable. I must see to supper. You must be starving, too!”

Accordingly, Carl undertook his duties as host as hospitably as he could, and Paul followed him upstairs.

In a moment or two Carl returned, wearing the prim expression of one who would like to express his opinion, and is merely waiting to be asked, and at length, one by one, the family began, naturally enough, to discuss the impression that the newcomer had made on them, severally.

The criticisms were very kindly, but at the same time, it soon became clear that so far no one felt any great enthusiasm for the stranger. His curt manner had hurt his aunt and his grandmother, who had been so eager in their welcome to the fatherless boy, and had irritated Mr. Lambert.

The short, brusque answers he had given to the endless kindly questions with which he had been plied, had discouraged the well-meant, and very natural curiosity of his relatives, and had made them feel rather uncomfortable.

Grandmother Winkler and Mrs. Lambert staunchly insisted that the poor boy was only lonely and unhappy; but down in their hearts they had been sadly disappointed in Franz's son. Elise also ranged herself in his defense, feeling that any disapproval, expressed or unexpressed, of the new head of the clan, was a form of treason.

”Think how you would feel, Carl,” she said, ”if you had lost your father, and had landed in a strange country among strangers-for after all we _are_ strangers to Paul.”

”That's all right,” returned Carl, ”I could understand it if he were just gloomy. But I don't see any reason why he has to be downright disagreeable.”

”I'm sure he doesn't mean to be disagreeable, my dear,” said Mrs.

Lambert.

”Well, we mustn't lose any time in getting the boy settled down to his work,” said Mr. Lambert. ”That will take his mind off his own troubles.

I shall have a talk with him after supper.”

”I shook hands with him, and said I was glad to see him, and he just stared at me as if I were a-a fish,” went on Carl, still dwelling on his own grievances. ”I know he's here to stay, and I'll try to get on with him, though I'll tell you right now, it's not going to be an easy job.