Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-04-22
CHAPTER L

\ u H u SNpESS sion in subdued but agitatcd activity during the entire forenoon. The old \ place held it's breath. as it were. | Without, a Sabbath-like rcposc en. wrapped all things. In the ample front \ yard, where more than n dozen century old live oaks conspircd to discourage the growth of the grass, leafy shadows were reflected from freshly scarified surface of hard brown earth. The \ White Cliffs carriage-drive made a very | grand sweep from the big entrance | gate around the outer circle of the old live oaks up to the low succeed front steps, on either side of which thick beds | of purple and white violets cushioned the brown earth and were even then swcetcning the chill November air.
 In one of the large square rooms which looked out upon the flower | garden at the side of the house, the en- tire family of White Cliffs, with two | exceptions, was assembled. Those present consisted of the mistress of White Cliffs and three of her sons. The Lorimcr boys," with one ex- ccption, were great, broad-shouldered, long-lcgged, stalwart young men, with | square determined jaws and fine eyes. Their height and their square jaws were maternal contributions. Their good looks and indomitable love of l rowing came from the Lorimer side People said there must be a trouba- dour or two in some of the branches of the Lorimcr tree. The boys were always falling into sentimental scrapes of one sort and another. And certain it was, nothing irllcd them more than sitting decorously around the house ''like so many tabby cats," as Rafe contemptuously described it.
 They looked absurdly ill at ease this qu.et afternoon, grouped idly about the open fireplace, with nothing more active on hand than watching their mothers fast-tlying knitting needles. They would have felt infinitely more comfortable with their guns upon their l shoulders, their trousers securely tucked inside their top boots, their dogs at their heels, and murder in their hearts. But the spell of the unusual was upon them too. The guns were all stacked in one corner of the green tinted hall, the dogs were in exile, md, with their three pairs of restless feet encascd in faultlessly polished foot gear, the Lorimer boys sat decorously about the home hearth, patient and bored.
 The mistress of White Cliffs was dressed in her best black bombazine, over which she had thriftily drawn a crisp white muslin apron. She was knitting. Divine Providence had laid the inexorable necessity upon Mrs. Lorimer of always keeping her hands occupied. She always was knitting if she was not doing something else. Apart from the swift-flying fingers, she was absolutely motionless The rest lessncss which on the boys part found expression m the shuffling of feet, un. | rcprcsscd yawnS, or an occasional eX- | pirtivc indicative of wcaried patience | was only to be surmised in her case b, tn" unnecessary frequency with whicl, she jrrlled a fresh supply of wool from the big gray ball in her lap.
 | Her eyes, not big and soft and gray like the 'Lorimer eyes," but small, | blue and penetrating, never once left | the dancing flames of the wood fire. | Her strong, square, masculine jaw twit:hrd occasionally; but whatever her | sour . Vf inward disquiet, it found nc Othrl expression. She sat there the eln- ! OoNIiliItill or Scll-COnIdlneu strength
 The nrighbors were fond of saving that the Lorimcr boys never would know what they owed their mother. |" Tha' they were fully conscious of her w"' 'nl that they still stood in con- si" awe of her, grcst burly fel- lov i"at they were, was be >ond ques- tion. but their awe was mixed -'ith the tendC"c%t reverence, | S,,l,lA,l,, ..,,,'Cl;,,o, ,F N feet. then the big mahogany d>or Wa opened, without the ceremony of ( knock, to admit a round woolly head and a small eager voice:
 'I sec her smoke for true this time Mister Dick"
 ! There was q common uprising among the mon. The mistress of White Cliffs alone sat still Whatever it was they were all waiting for, it must come tt her, not she to it. She would not ever meet it half way. Her needles fairl, flew, and she gave an audible gasp al the boys disappeared into the hall. Sht
 knew they had gone to the veranda fol the twentieth time, at least, to lool | toward the river through the vista GU
 Tn the woods about White Cliffs in or der to give it's inmates n view of up coming steamers.
 They all came dropping back present lv, bringing various reports:
 "Up above Duncan'S," said Lorimer resuming his chair, and laying one lont brown hand along the arm of his moth er's rocker. It was as if he admins tered comfort thereby.
 "Just turning the bend," said Dick
 Moving like snail," said Raphael
 commonly known as "Rafe."
 ''It will be an hour before she get
 here yet, tken," said Mrs. Lorimer
 dropping stitches in most recl1les
 manner, and for the first time in he
 life, perhaps, failing to detect an,
 promptly rectify wrongdoing. {.
 "Just about"
 Dick replaced his soft felt hat on hl
 lnee-cap and looked about the familia
 room in new spirit of criticism. I
 was a severely clean room, but rathe
 depressing in its heavy splendor: Dicl
 frowned at it all. It looked unwelcom
 ing.