Part 5 (2/2)

”I beg your pardon,” said a gay and careless voice outside, ”but I came to look for my brother and sister. They seem to be lost, and I 'm told they 're here.”

”Come in!” said Ross, and the owner of the voice appeared upon the threshold. Standing there, surveying the company with his characteristically a.s.sured expression, his handsome face taking on a saucy smile as his eyes fell on his brother, Forrest Townsend was carefully and formally presented by Murray to each one of the household in turn.

He looked a fine figure in his evening clothes, his long outer coat falling open, his hat in his hand. His audacious young eyes fell on Jane before he was presented to her, and his manner acquired a sort of laughing gallantry rather effective. ”It was a very lucky fire for us,”

he said, gaily, as he bowed. ”I only wish I had been at home.”

CHAPTER IV

FORREST PLAYS A TRICK

”It's no more than civil, mother, that you and Olive should go over and call!” insisted Murray Townsend, with heat.

”I can't see that it is necessary at all,” replied Mrs. Townsend, with offsetting coolness. ”The young man has been properly thanked for his services; indeed, I should say that between you and Forrest and s.h.i.+rley the entire family have had quite fuss enough made over them.”

”I didn't make much of the fuss,” Forrest said. ”I was only there five minutes at the end of the show. Time enough to see, though, that those people are n't off the same piece as the usual tenants of that house.

They 've seen better days, or I miss my guess.”

”Not at all. They 've never had much money, but they 're educated people, just the same--self-educated, a mighty good sort. You 've only to look at the books that fairly line that little room to see for yourself. Is n't there any rule for sizing up men but by the dollars they 've made--or women but by the clothes they wear?”

The vehemence of Murray's speech was so unusual, and his ordinarily quiet and indifferent expression had given place to one so eager, that the family all turned with one accord to look at him. They were at dinner, one late April evening, a week after the fire. The dining-room was the one place in the house where all the family were accustomed to meet; therefore any question of the sort which Murray had proposed was brought up there as a matter of course.

Mr. Townsend himself answered his son's pointed observation, forestalling the rejoinder about to fall from his wife's lips:

”It's the way of the world, Murray, and an unjust one in many cases.

Still, one can't help feeling that a man who has lived to the age of Joseph Bell without reaching a position higher than the one he holds with the Armstrong Company can't be possessed of a very unusual endowment of brains.”

”I should say that depends on whether making money has been his ambition, or something else.”

”He certainly hasn't achieved the something else,” was Olive's comment.

”Not even a decent home.”

”Decent!” Murray turned on her. ”It's a home worthy the name--I can tell you that! And if you refuse to call on these people that live in it, after Peter Bell saved ours over our heads, I say you 're acting like sn.o.bs!”

”Murray!” His mother spoke very sharply. Forrest laughed. He enjoyed the scene, being inclined, by his remembrance of Jane, to take his brother's side. Mr. Townsend came to the rescue.

”You are rather rough in your language, Murray, but I think you are right in your notions about the call. It's only a courtesy, surely, Eloise, to go over and make one call. You don't need to continue the acquaintance unless you wish, but I should be glad myself if you would go. It is several days now since----”

”It's a week,” said Murray.

”He knows--no doubt of that!” laughed Forrest. ”He's cultivated the acquaintance, anyhow. I saw him walking up the street yesterday with the pretty girl of the family.”

”You walked up with her yourself the day before!” cried s.h.i.+rley.

Forrest threw back his head and laughed. ”You 're a little spy. Well, I don't mind owning that I did. She's a trim-looking girl on the street, too, if she does n't wear the furbelows Olive does. She----”

”We may as well go over and call, mother,” said Olive, with emphasis.

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