“These papers on the top show the rank and position that my father and my grandfather held with the government and in the army. This is a letter from the president to my father congratulating him on his approaching marriage with my mother. That paper contains my mother’s family tree, and the letters with it will give you an idea of the honor in which my mother’s family was held in Washington and in Virginia, her old home. I know these matters are not of much moment, and say nothing whatever about what I am myself, but they are things you would have been likely to know about my family if you had known me all my life; and at least they will tell you that my family was respectable.”
Mrs. Hathaway was examining the papers, and suddenly looked up exclaiming: “My dear! My father knew your grandfather. I think I saw him once when he came to our home in New York. It was years ago and I was a young girl, but I remember he was a fine looking man with keen dark eyes, and a heavy head of iron gray hair.”
She looked at Gordon keenly.
“I wonder if your eyes are not like his. It was long ago of course.”
“They used to say I looked like him. I do not remember him. He died when I was very young.”
The mother looked up with a pleasant smile.
“Now tell me about yourself,” she said and laid a gentle hand on his.
Gordon looked down, an embarrassed flush spreading over his face.
“There’s nothing great to tell,” he said. “I’ve always tried to live a straight true life, and I’ve never been in love with any girl before—” he flashed a wonderful, blinding smile upon Celia.
“I was left alone in the world when quite young and have lived around in boarding-schools and college. I’m a graduate of Harvard and I’ve travelled a little. There was some money left from my father’s estate, not much. I’m not rich. I’m a Secret Service man, and I love my work. I get a good salary and was this morning promoted to the position next in rank to my chief, so that now I shall have still more money. I shall be able to make your daughter comfortable and give her some of the luxuries, if not all, to which she has been accustomed.”