The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-08-17
CHAPTER II

Among the ancestral belongings -
White Cliffs was a tall corner cipsE 81
solid mahogany. II was q Trustworthy
timepiece. in spite of antiquity and
long service. When his majestic heir
loom struck nine. with the detberatton
becoming to its age and diEn.lE, 3r~-
Lorimer, senior, made final DISPOSE
ton of her wool and needles By drop
ping them into the gay calico hog y Inch
swung from one arm Of her easy chair,
and addressed the family circle tnp>r-
sonally:
II think | will conduct my sons wife
to her room She must be fatigucd
after her journey"
The eaCerncss with which this ouT-
cestion was approved might nave been
construed rather unllattcrlnElT by hrs
John, had not she herself been most
eager to act upon it 1t had been an
extremely difficult evening for them all,
and no one was sorry to terminate 1t at
SO early an hour.
The men drew into a narrower circle
about the broad fireplace. as the Two
women disappeared through the door
held politely open for them by Lorlmer.
RATE extended the tobacco canister
Hospitality towards John. Four pipes
were simultaneously eXhumed from four
pockets. Dick, eager and young, voiced
the common desire:
''Novv, then, old fellow, let us hear ali
about it. You see, your letters We're
tremendously scappy and unsatsfac-
tory"
tremendously So"
Lorimer had come back to the fire.
place and appropriated the easy chair,
on whose arm swung the gay bag. He
was studying Johns face intently:
"Wrote us by one mail that you had Sc
rious intentions concerning a young
lady In your boarding house, and the
next information we get is that you are
going to bring your wife home to live;
will be up at once"
John fdgeted uncomfortably in his
chair The steadfast gaze Of LOTrie' S
was more than he could stand:
Not to live, but to stay for six months
or SO. had given up my place. And
| Nora wanted to leave town for awhile"
And never to tell us that she was a
widow! A confoundedly handsome one,
Johnnie, no question of that"
The new-made groom flushed holly.
Loriner made haste to say:
"Dick and RATE were seeing to the
luggage when you introduced the little
lady as Mrs. Johns niece"
John addressed himself directly to
his younger brothers:
my wife was not a widow. The child
is her niece. That lie all an at liberty
to tell you just now, excep she was as
much of a surprise to me as any Of you.
/ did not know Of her existence until
after the ceremony was performed.
hope mother will not take dislike to
her. She won't be any more in the
way, in this big house, than stray kit
! ten"
Dick laughed: You've hit upon an
unfortunate comparison. Stray kittens
are mothers SPECIAL detestation. But
guess between us all we'll contrive tc
keep this one from being ostracized."
He wanted to comfort John. They al
did, in fact The bond of brotherly al.
lection was very strong among the Lor
inner boys. Johns face was not that Of
happy groom. It wore an unfamiliar
look OF anxiety-somewhat as If, hav
ing consciously wandered very near the
edge of precipice, he was calculating
the chances of plunging over. Lorimel
turned his eyes from Johns flushed face
to the dusty pampas plumes which Dick
had criticised 50 severely. He smiled
at the undue Importance the boy has
given them. The mantel vases might
hava baaD OrnomAnted with ci5eS NJ
bacon for all the notice they had ex
cited. Everybody had been stiff, IN
natural, uncomforta BILE.
"Your wife is a beautiful woman
john" Lorimer said, soothingiy.