“Well,” exclaimed Mr. Kuhn; “you surprise me. Graves seemed to be—”
“Graves suffers from the absolute lack of a sense of humor. His path through life is about three feet wide and bordered with rock-ribbed conventionality. If a man has a joke in his system, Graves doesn’t understand it and is suspicious. I tell, you, Kuhn, there’s more honest common sense and ability in the right hand of this Down-East salt than there ever was in Rodgers Warren’s whole body.”
CHAPTER VII
During the next day Caroline Warren and her brother saw little of their uncle. Not that they complained of this or sought his society. The policy of avoidance and what Stephen called “freezing out” had begun, and the young people kept to themselves as much as possible. At breakfast Caroline was coldly polite, and her brother cold, although his politeness was not overdone. However, Captain Elisha did not seem to notice. He was preoccupied, said but little, and spent the forenoon in writing a second letter to Miss Abigail. In it he told of his experience on board the Empress of the Ocean and of the luncheon at the Central Club. But he said nothing concerning his nephew and niece further than the statement that he was still getting acquainted, and that Caroline was a real nice looking girl.
“I suppose you wonder what I’ve decided about taking the guardianship,” he added, just at the close. “Well, Abbie, I’m about in the position of Luther Sylvester when he fell off the dock at Orham. The tide was out, and he went into the soft mud, all under. When the folks who saw him tumble got to the edge and looked over, they saw a round, black thing sticking out of the mire, and, judging ’twas Lute’s head, they asked him how he felt. ‘I don’t know yet,’ sputters Lute, ‘whether I’m drowned or smothered, but I’m somewheres betwixt and between.’ That’s me, Abbie, on that guardian business. I’m still betwixt and between. But before this day’s over I’ll be drowned or smothered, and I’ll let you know which next time I write.”
After lunch he took a stroll in the Park and passed up and down the paths, thinking, thinking. Returning, he found that Caroline and Stephen had gone for an auto ride with the Dunns and would not be home for dinner. So he ate that meal in solitary state, waited upon by Edwards.
That evening, as he sat smoking in the library, the butler appeared to announce a caller.
“Someone to see you, sir,” said Edwards. “Here’s his card, sir.”