The next day she continued her studies and was in a most interesting and instructive part when the door bell rang. She knew that Mrs. White, their only maid, was so employed that she could not go to the door. Reluctantly she laid down her book and answered the ring. A well-built, fresh, clean shaven man of about sixty regarded Miss Katherine pleasantly as he inquired if Mr. Boulby were home. Upon being informed that Mr. Boulby was not home, the stranger said that with permission he would step in and explain his business. The line of thought upon which Miss Katherine had been intent for the past few days had inclined her to be suspicious, and she regarded the stranger with a distrustful eye. He, however, was quite unobservant of this attitude toward himself, and he stepped into the hall. Miss Katherine was compelled to conduct him to the library, the other rooms being in the throes of house-cleaning. As the stranger entered that room his eye fell immediately upon Captain Shannon’s portrait which occupied a very conspicuous place. He seemed struck by it, and as Miss Katherine turned to offer him a chair she saw him gazing at it with great interest.
“Ah, you observe Captain Shannon’s portrait,” said Miss Katherine in a pleased voice. “We have just come here, but I am greatly interested in the Captain. I found the portrait in a closet and framed it. I think it is a remarkable face, don’t you?”
The question seemed to confuse the stranger.
“I—er—do you?” he stammered. “I—er—I believe I have met the Captain, oh, I mean I knew him quite well. Now, er, well really what is remarkable about the face?”
“There is so much remarkable about it, to me,” returned Miss Katherine. “There is unusual strength in every feature, it seems to me, and the face is a most interesting and attractive one.”
The stranger’s hand crept to his face where it went through the motions of clutching a beard, an adornment which he lacked. He gazed stupidly from the portrait to Miss Katherine and back again to the portrait. He spoke in a very hesitating and uncertain way.
“Did you say—that you—er—found the portrait in a closet—er—and went to the trouble of framing it?”
“Yes, that is quite correct. But it was no trouble, only a pleasure and the contemplation of those features has amply repaid me,” replied Miss Katherine.
“It—er—will naturally be very gratifying to—er—the Captain—ah—when he returns—ah—to find his portrait so—er—highly valued,” observed the man.
“I’m sure I couldn’t say about that as the poor Captain was drowned, at least he is supposed to have been lost at sea. But I believe him to have been a very modest man, and I doubt whether it would really gratify him to see his portrait there.”