It could not be, it _could_ not. There must be some mistake. In country towns there were likely to be several of the same name. There must be another Elisha Warren. Comforted by this thought, Mr. Graves opened his valise, extracted therefrom other and drier articles of wearing apparel, and proceeded to change his clothes.
Meanwhile, Miss Abigail had descended the stairs to the sitting room.
Before a driftwood fire in a big brick fireplace sat Captain Warren in his shirt-sleeves, a pair of mammoth carpet slippers on his feet, and the said feet stretched luxuriously out toward the blaze.
"Abbie," observed the captain, "this is solid comfort. Every time I go away from home I get into trouble, don"t I? Last trip I took to Boston, I lost thirty dollars, and--"
"Lost it!" interrupted Miss Baker, tartly. "Gave it away, you mean."
"I didn"t _give_ it away. I lent it. Abbie, you ought to know the difference between a gift and a loan."
"I do--when there is any difference. But if lendin" Tim Foster ain"t givin" it away, then I miss my guess."
"Well," with another chuckle, "Tim don"t feel that way. He swore right up and down that he wouldn"t take a cent--as a gift. I offered to make him a present of ten dollars, but he looked so shocked that I apologized afore he could say no."
"Yes, and then _lent_ him that thirty. Shocked! The only thing that would shock that good-for-nothin" is bein" set to work. What possessed you to be such a soft-head, _I_ don"t know. When you get back a copper of that money I"ll believe the millennium"s struck, that"s all."
"Hum! Well, I"ll help you believe it--that is, if I have time afore I drop dead of heart disease. Abbie, you"d make a good lawyer; you can get up an argument out of a perfect agreement. I said the thirty dollars was lost, to begin with. But I knew Tim Foster"s mother when she used to think that boy of hers was the eighth wonder of the world. And I promised her I"d do what I could for him long"s I lived.... But it seems to me we"ve drifted some off the course, ain"t we? What I started to say was that every time I go away from home I get into trouble. Up to Boston "twas Tim and his "loan." To-night it"s about as healthy a sou"wester as I"ve ever been out in. Dan fetched in the team, has he?"
"Yes. It"s in the stable. He says the buggy dash is pretty well scratched up, and that it"s a wonder you and that Graves man wa"n"t killed. Who is he, anyhow?"
"Land knows, I don"t."
"You don"t know! Then what"s he doin" here?"
"Changin" his duds, I guess. That"s what I"d do if I looked as much like a drowned rat as he did."
""Lisha Warren! if you ain"t the most _provoking"_ thing! Don"t be so unlikely. You know what I mean. What"s he come here, to this house, for?"
"Don"t know, Abbie. I didn"t know he _was_ comin" here till just as we got down yonder by Emery"s corner. I asked him who he was lookin" for, he said "Elisha Warren," and then the tree caved in on us."
""Lisha, you--you don"t s"pose "twas a--_sign_, do you?"
"Sign?"
"Yes, a sign, a prophecy-like, a warnin" that somethin" is goin" to happen."
The captain put back his head and laughed.
"Sign somethin" _had_ happened, I should think," he answered. "What"s _goin"_ to happen is that Pete Shattuck"ll get his buggy painted free-for-nothin", at my expense. How"s supper gettin" along? Is it ready?"
"Ready? It"s been ready for so long that it"ll have to be got ready all over again if.... Oh! Come right in, Mr. Graves! I hope you"re drier now."
Captain Warren sprang from the chair to greet his visitor, who was standing in the doorway.
"Yes, come right in, Mr. Graves," he urged, cordially. "Set down by the fire and make yourself comf"table. Abbie"ll have somethin" for us to eat in a jiffy. Pull up a chair."
The lawyer came forward hesitatingly. The doubts which had troubled him ever since he entered the house were still in his mind.
"Thank you, Captain," he said. "But before I accept more of your hospitality I feel I should be sure there is no mistake. I have come on important business, and--"
"Hold on!" The captain held up a big hand. "Don"t you say another word,"
he commanded. "There"s just one business that interests me this minute, and that"s supper. There"s no mistake about _that_, anyhow. Did you say "Come ahead," Abbie? or was you just going to? Good! Right into the dinin" room, Mr. Graves."
The dining room was long and low. The woodwork was white, the floor green painted boards, with braided rag mats scattered over them.
There were old-fashioned pictures on the walls, pictures which brought shudders to the artistic soul of Atwood Graves. A broad bay window filled one side of the apartment, and in this window, on shelves and in wire baskets, were Miss Baker"s cherished and carefully tended plants.
As for the dining table, it was dark, old-fashioned walnut, as were the chairs.
"Set right down here, Mr. Graves," ordered the captain. "I"ll try to keep you supplied with solid cargo, and Abbie"ll "tend to the moistenin". Hope that teapot is full up, Abbie. Hot tea tastes good after you"ve swallered as much cold rain as Mr. Graves and I have...
Father-we-thank-thee-for-these-mercies-set-before-us-Amen.... How"s your appet.i.te when it comes to clam pie, Mr. Graves?"
Mr. Graves"s appet.i.te was good, and the clam pie was good. So, too, were the hot biscuits and the tea and homemade preserves and cake.
Conversation during the meal was, for the most part, a monologue by the captain. He gave Miss Baker a detailed and exaggerated account of his adventures in Ostable, on board the train, and during the drive home.
The housekeeper listened, fidgeting in her chair.
""Lisha Warren," she interrupted, "how you do talk! Rainin" so hard you had to hold the reins taut to keep the horse"s head out of water so he wouldn"t drown! The idea!"
"Fact," a.s.serted Captain Warren, with a wink at his guest. "And that wa"n"t the worst of it. "Twas so dark I had to keep feelin" the buggy with my foot to be sure I was in it. Ain"t that so, Mr. Graves?... Here!
Abbie won"t like to have you set lookin" at that empty plate. She"s always afraid folks"ll notice the gilt"s wearin" off. Pa.s.s it over quick, and let me cover it with some more pie."
"Yes, and have some more tea," urged Miss Abbie. "You mustn"t pay attention to what he says, Mr. Graves," she went on. "Some day he"ll tell the truth by accident, and then I"ll know it"s time to send for the doctor."
Several times the lawyer attempted to mention the business which had brought him to the Cape, and the probability of his having made a mistake. But neither host nor housekeeper would listen.
"When you"ve been in South Denboro as long as I have," declared the former, "you"ll understand that the time to talk business is when you can"t think of anything else. Wait till we get into the settin" room.
Abbie, those six or eight biscuits I"ve ate are gettin" lonesome. I"ll take another for sociability, thank you."
But, at last, when all the biscuits but one were gone, and the cake plate looked like the Desert of Sahara, the captain pushed back his chair, rose, and led the way into the next room. Miss Baker remained to clear the table.
"Set down by the fire, Mr. Graves," urged the captain. "Nothin" like burnin" wood to look hot and comf"table, is there? It don"t always make you feel that way--that"s why I put in hot water heat--but for looks and sociableness you can"t beat a log fire. Smoke, do you?"
"Yes. Occasionally. But, Captain Warren--"
"Here, try that. It"s a cigar the Judge gave me over to Ostable. He smokes that kind reg"lar, but if you don"t like it, throw it away.
He ain"t here to see you do it, so you won"t be fined for contempt of court. I"ll stick to a pipe, if you don"t mind. Now we"re shipshape and all taut, I cal"late. Let"s see, you wanted to talk business, I believe."
"Yes, I did. But before I begin I should like to be sure you are the Elisha Warren I came from New York to interview. Is there another of that name in Denboro?"
"Um-hm. There"s Warrens a-plenty all through this section of the Cape.
Our family blew ash.o.r.e here a hundred and fifty years ago, or such matter. My dad"s name was Elisha; so was my grandfather"s. Both sea cap"ns, and both dead. There"s another Elisha livin" over on the sh.o.r.e lane."
"Indeed. Then perhaps it is he I want."
"P"raps. He"s keeper of the town poorhouse. I can tell you better if you give me an idea what your business is."
"I am an attorney. And now let me ask another question, please. Have you--had you a brother in business in New York?"
"Hey?" The captain turned and looked his guest squarely in the eye. His brows drew together.