Thundering o’er Cauldron and High Force.’
Such was, superficially, the outward aspect of Bradstane town, when Otho Askam and the two Langstroths met after their many years’ separation; such it had been for years back. It is not what is called ‘a growing town,’ and whatever drama might be played within its precincts, its exterior, objective side, was not likely to change very much.
CHAPTER III
LANGSTROTH’S FOLLY
One November evening, or rather, late in the afternoon, Otho had dropped in at the Red Gables, where he had found Gilbert and his father. Mr. Langstroth received the young man with urbanity; he had all along seemed satisfied with Gilbert’s new friend. Gilbert himself looked up from his desk, and greeted the visitor tranquilly.
‘Sit down, and make yourself at home,’ said he, pushing a tobacco-jar towards Askam.
But Otho did not at once sit down. ‘Will you come home and dine with me?’ he asked, in his curt way.
‘I’m sorry I can’t,’ Gilbert said, polite as usual. ‘You see these papers? I have more than an hour’s work upon them yet.’
Otho never scoffed at Gilbert’s ‘business,’ though he was ready to sneer at that of any one else. All he uttered now was a disappointed ‘Humph!’
‘Stay and have dinner with us,’ said Gilbert. ‘How did you come?’
‘I rode.’