Omaha daily bee., 1885-08-29
A FAMILY AFFAIR
BY HUGH coNw
Apthor of"caued Backr and Ozark Days.'
CHAPTER xv-coNTrNUKD.

The gig in question was driven by a man
who dismounted and helped to the ground n
woman with n good-tempered looking shiny
face, and who was dressed in refreshingly
| bright colors. One of them rang the bell
| Hmidly, and after a BETTING interval the
| dignihed Whitaker condescended to open
the door. The man asked if the Messrs.
| Talbert were in. This collective style Jared
| upon Whitaker, who had been in tho family
long enough to remember the time when
"Messrs. Talbert and Co" was n ~well-known
form Of address. He replied that Mr.. Tai
bert and Mr.. Herbert were in, but Mt present
engaged.
1--WE will wait until they can see us" said
the man. So Whitaker let them come into
the house. They wiped their feet on enter
ing so carefully and thoroughly that all
doubts as to their being persons of any inn
portance were at once set at rest. Whitaker
felt he was quite right in offering them
chairs in the hall. They were too respect
able to be left standing, but the gig and the
feet-rubbing combined showed they were not
to be ushered into the ~drawing-room.
"'What name shall 1 saym he asked.
"We are strangers" said the man. "You
can say we have called on private and conf
Dental business"
You had better give me your name said
Whitaker.
"Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings" answered the
woman.
So Whitaker went up stairs, found his
masters, and told them that q Mr.. and Mrs.
Rawlings wanted to see them on private and
confidential business.
Rawlings, said Herbert, with shudder.
1--WE know no one with such On awful name.
Who are they, Whittakerr
81 nave no idea, sir" said Whitaker. AS
his masters adjudged the name horrible, he
felt half offended at it being supposed he
knew any enc named Rawlings.
"Where are they, asked Horace.
Gin the hall, sir" Whitaker felt thankful
he had not been tempted to give them sitting
room hclors.
"Wh;5taker,' said Horace, gravely, 1--WE
shall be extremely annoyed if you have let
persons come inside our house who are book
hawkcrs, or, worse still, those who try to buy
up secondhand clothes, as these people say
they come on private and confidential bust
ness"
However, they put their Eyeglasses up
and went down to the hall and confronted
their visitors. They found n woman whose
philistinic attire set their teeth On edge, and
a pale-faced man with rather prominent light
blue eyes and q weak looking, agitated kind
of face. The brothers wondered nightly
what these people could want with them.
'You wish to speak to usg' said Horace,
suavely. Although they kept persons at a
distance, as long as possible at arms length,
the Talberts were always polite and kindly
spoken.
eff you please, sir" said the man. Horace
and Herbert waited.
eve should like to see YOU in private"
said the woman, glancing round the hall So
Herbert opened the drawing room door, and
they all walked inside. "Now, them" said
Horace, encouragingly, ''what can we do for
you, Mr.. Rawlings-I believe that is your
nameP'
eyes, SIR" said Mr.. Rawlings, drawing
out a pocketbook, and handing Horace a
card, on which was printed, Rawlings
Bros, P%urveyors Of Pork, 142 Gray street,
London" Horace shivered. He felt very
'Pork," he said, lis a meat we never
Then he motioned to Herbert to
ring the bell. But Mr.. Rawlings i%nterposed. l
81 didn't come on that sort of business, sir.
The fact is, l have heard that some time last
year a child, a little boy, was left at your
house, sent from 10 one knows where. Is
correct, gentlemenq
SIT is quite true" answered Horace. He
was sorry he had m~isjudged the man in
thinking him a touting tradesman. "But
why do you asks" he added.
The nan grew visibly excited. ''Me and
my wife, he said, shave strong hopes that
the little boy is one we lost, or had stolen
from us, more than two years ago."