Alma, quite pleased:
"How interesting. Won't you open one of the trunks and let us see some of the things?"
"With the greatest pleasure; but perhaps I'd better take them to my room first."
"Anything you like, Elmer—Mr. Franklin, I mean. Our house is your home."
Lawrence Belford here frowned and looked in an unpleasant manner for a moment at the young stranger, who felt rather uncomfortable, though he could scarcely say why. With apparent indifference he drew out a small brass sounder, such as is used in telegraph offices, and began snapping it in his fingers.
In his mind he said:
"Wonder if any of them are familiar with the great dot and line alphabet!"
Alma heard the sounder and said eagerly:
"Oh! cou—Mr. Franklin, what is that?"
"It is a pocket sounder. Do you know the alphabet?"