"She"s in the kitchen, I think," replied John. "Shall I call her?"
"Oh, no, no! It ain"t particular. I just--just wondered where she was, that"s all. I wouldn"t trouble her on no account."
John smiled. He seemed quietly amused about something. He regarded his friend, who, after a glance in his direction, was staring at the lamp on the table, and said:
"I"m sure it would be no trouble, Captain. Better let me tell her you are here."
Captain Obed was saved the embarra.s.sment of further protestations by the entrance of Thankful herself; Emily accompanied her. The captain shook hands with Mrs. Barnes and her cousin and hastened to announce that he heard "big news" down street and had run over to find out how much truth there was in it.
"Couldn"t scurcely believe it, myself," he declared. "John here, never said a word about his high-toned relation comin" to East Wellmouth. Had you any idea he was comin", John?"
John shook his head.
"No," he said. "The last time I saw him in New York, which was two years or more ago, he did say something about being on the lookout for a summer residence. But he did not mention East Wellmouth; nor did I.
I remember hearing that he and the late Mr. Colfax were quite friendly, a.s.sociated in business affairs, I believe. Probably that accounts for his being here."
"Set down, everybody," urged Thankful. "I"m willin" to set down, myself, I can tell you. Been on my feet "most of the day. What sort of a person is this relation of yours, Mr. Kendrick? He ought to be all right, if there"s anything in family connections."
Heman Daniels answered the question. He spoke with authority.
"Mr. Holliday is a fine gentleman," he announced, emphatically. "I"ve seen him two or three times since he came. He"s a millionaire, but it doesn"t make him pompous or stand-offish. He and I spoke--er--conversed together as friendly and easy as if we had known each other all our lives. He is very much interested in East Wellmouth. He tells me that, if the place keeps on suiting him as it has so far, he intends making it his permanent home. Of course he won"t stay here ALL the year--the family have a house in Florida and one in New York, I believe--but he will call East Wellmouth his real home and his interests will center here."
There was a general expression of satisfaction. Miss Timpson declared that it was "real lovely" of Mr. Holliday Kendrick. Caleb Hammond announced that he always cal"lated there was a boom coming for the town.
Had said so more times than he could count. "Folks"ll tell you I said it, too," he proclaimed stoutly. "They"ll bear me out in it, if you ask "em."
"I"m glad we"re goin" to have such nice neighbors," said Thankful. "It"s always worried me a little wonderin" who that Colfax place might be sold to. I didn"t know but somebody might get it with the notion of startin"
another hotel."
"Hannah Parker ain"t opened her mouth to talk of anything else since I got back," said Captain Bangs. "And it"s been open most of the time, too. She says John"s rich relation"s locatin" here is a dissipation of Providence, if you know what that is."
John smiled but he said nothing. Emily was silent, also; she was regarding the young man intently.
"Yes, sir," continued Mr. Daniels, evidently pleased at the approval with which his statement had been met. "Yes, sir, Mr. E. Holliday Kendrick is destined to be a great acquisition to this town; mark my words. He tells me he shall hire no one to do his work except East Wellmouth people. And there will be a lot of work to be done, if he carries out his plans. He intends building an addition to his house, and enlarging his estate--"
Thankful interrupted.
"Enlargin" it!" she repeated. "Mercy sakes! What for? I should think "twas large enough now!"
Heman smiled tolerantly. "To us--the ordinary--er--citizens, it might appear so," he observed. "But the--er--New York ideas is broader than the average Cape Codder"s, if you"ll excuse me, Mrs. Barnes. Mr.
Kendrick has begun to spend money here already, and he will doubtless spend more. He contemplates public improvements as well as private. He asked me what sort of spirit there was in our community. Ahem!"
He paused, apparently to let the importance of the announcement sink in.
It sank, or seemed to. Mr. Hammond, however, was somewhat puzzled.
"Now what do you cal"late he meant by that?" he queried.
John Kendrick answered. He and Emily had exchanged smiles. Neither of them seemed as deeply impressed with the Daniels proclamation as the others of the group.
"Perhaps he wanted to buy a drink," suggested John, gravely.
Miss Timpson was shocked; her expression showed it. Caleb Hammond did not seem to know whether to be shocked or not; the Hammond appreciation of a joke generally arrived on a later train. Mrs. Barnes and Captain Obed laughed, but not too heartily.
Mr. Daniels did not laugh. The frivolous interruption evidently jarred him.
"I scarcely imagine that to be the reason," he said, drily. "If Mr. E.
Holliday Kendrick does indulge I guess likely--that is, I presume he would not find it necessary to buy his--er--beverages here. He meant public spirit, of course. He asked me who our leading men were."
"Who were they--the others, I mean?" asked John.
Emily rubbed away a smile with her handkerchief. Heman noticed her action, and his color brightened.
"They WERE public," he said, rather sharply. "They were men of standing--long standing in the community. Prominent and prosperous citizens, who have lived here long enough for East Wellmouth to know them--and respect them."
This was a shot in the bull"s eye. Miss Timpson evidently thought so, for she nodded approval. Daniels continued.
"They were men of known worth," he went on. "Practical citizens whose past as well as present is known. Your cousin--I believe he is your cousin, Kendrick, although he did not mention the relationship--was grateful to me for giving him their names. He is a practical man, himself."
John nodded. "He must be," he admitted. "No one but a practical man could get all that advice, free, from a lawyer."
Captain Obed laughed aloud.
"That"s a good one," he declared. "Lawyers ain"t in the habit of GIVIN"
much, "cordin" to all accounts. How about it, Heman?"
Mr. Daniels ignored the question and the questioner. He rose to his feet.
"There are SOME lawyers," he observed, crisply, "whose advice is not asked--to any great extent. I--I think I will join the group on the beach. It"s a beautiful evening. Won"t you accompany me, Miss Howes?"
Emily declined the invitation. "No, thank you, Mr. Daniels," she said.
"I am rather tired and I think I won"t go out tonight. By the way, Mr.
Kendrick," she added, "was the great man asking your advice also? I happened to see him go into your office yesterday."
Everyone was surprised--everyone except the speaker and the person addressed, that is--but Heman"s surprise was most manifest. His hand was on the k.n.o.b of the door, but now he turned.
"In HIS office?" he repeated. "Kendrick, was he in to see YOU?"
John bowed a.s.sent. "Yes," he said. "He seems to be contemplating retaining a sort of--of resident attorney to look after his local affairs. I mentioned your name, Daniels."
Mr. Daniels went out. The door banged behind him.
A half hour later, after Mr. Hammond also had gone to join the marshmallow toasters and Miss Timpson had retired to her room, John told the others the story. Mr. E. Holliday Kendrick HAD called upon him at his office and he did contemplate engaging a resident lawyer. There were likely to be many of what he termed "minor details" connected with the transfer of the Colfax estate to him and the purchases which he meant to make later on, and an attorney at his beck and call would be a great convenience. Not this only; he had actually offered his young cousin the position, had offered to engage him and to pay him several hundred dollars as a retaining fee.
He told his hearers so much, and then he stopped. Emily, who had seemed much interested, waited a moment and then begged him to continue.
"Well?" she said. "Why don"t you tell us the rest? We are all waiting to congratulate you. You accepted, of course."
John shook his head. "Why, no," he replied, "I didn"t accept, exactly.
I did say I would think it over; but I--well, I"m not sure that I shall accept."