第9章

"Where have you been? For a walk? It is a beautiful morning, isn't it."Her only way of knowing that the morning was a beautiful one was that the shades were drawn.She had not seen the sunlight on the bay, nor the blue sky; she had not felt the spring breeze on her face, or the green grass beneath her feet.Her only glimpses of the outside world were those which she got on cloudy or stormy days when the shades were raised a few inches and, turning her head on the pillow, she could see beneath them.For six years she had been helpless and bedridden in that little room.But she never complained.

I told her that I had been uptown for a walk.

"Did you meet any one?" she asked.

I said that I had met Captain Dean and Newcomb and the rest.Isaid nothing of my encounter with the motor car.

"Captain Jed graciously informed me that his wife might be down to sit with you this afternoon," I said."Provided she didn't have anything else to do; he took pains to add that.You mustn't see her, of course."She smiled."Why not?" she asked."Matilda is a little tiresome at times, but she means well.""Humph! Mother, I think you would make excuses for the Old Harry himself.That woman will talk you to death.""Oh, no! Not as bad as that.And poor Matilda doesn't talk much at home, I'm afraid.""Her husband sees to that; I don't blame him.By the way, the Captain had a queer bee in his bonnet this morning.He seems to be thinking of buying some of our property."I told her of Jedediah's interest in the Shore Lane and his hint concerning its possible purchase.She listened and then said thoughtfully:

"What have you decided to do about it, Roscoe?""I haven't decided at all.What do you think, Mother?""It seems to me that I shouldn't sell, at least until I knew his reason for wanting to buy.It would be different if we needed the money, but, of course, we don't.""Of course," I said, hastily."But why not sell? We don't use the land.""No.But the Denboro people need that Lane.They use it a great deal.If it were closed it would put many of them to a great inconvenience, particularly those who get their living alongshore.

Every one in Denboro has been so kind to us.I feel that we owe them a debt we never can repay.""No one could help being kind to you, Mother.Oh! I have another piece of news.Did you know that our new neighbors, the Coltons, have arrived?""Yes.Dorinda told me.Have you met any of them?""No."

"Dorinda says Mrs.Colton is an invalid.Poor woman! it must be hard to be ill when one has so much to enjoy.Dorinda says they have a very pretty daughter."I made no comment.I was not interested in pretty daughters, just then.The memory of the girl in the auto was too fresh in my mind.

"Did you go to the post-office, Roscoe?" asked Mother."I suppose there were no letters.There seldom are."Then I remembered the letter in my pocket.I had forgotten it altogether.

"Why, yes, there was a letter, a letter for me.I haven't read it yet."I took the envelope from my pocket and drew out the enclosure.The latter was a note, very brief and very much to the point.I read it.

"Well, by George!" I exclaimed, angrily.

"What is it, Roscoe?"

"It appears to be a summons from what Captain Jed called the King of New York.A summons to appear at court.""At court?"

"Oh, not the criminal court.Merely the palace of his Majesty.

Just listen."

This was the letter:

Roscoe Paine, Esq.

Dear Sir:

I should like to see you at my house this--Thursday--forenoon, on a matter of business.I shall expect you at any time after ten in the morning.

Yours truly, JAMES W.COLTON.

"From Mr.Colton!" exclaimed Mother."Why! what can he want of you?""I don't know," I answered."And I don't particularly care.""Roscoe!"

"Mother, did you ever hear such a cool, nervy proposition in your life? He wants to see me and he orders me to come to him.Why doesn't he come to me?""I suppose he didn't think of it.He is a big man in New York and he has been accustomed to having people come at his convenience.

It's his way of doing things, I suppose.""Then I don't like the way.This is Denboro, not New York.He will expect me at any time after ten, will he? Well, as Mullet said to Alvin Baker just now at the post-office, I hope he has lots of patience.He'll need it.""But what can he want of you?"

"I don't know.Wants to look over his nearest jay neighbor, Ishould imagine, and see what sort of a curio he is.He thinks it may be necessary to put up barbed wire fences, I suppose.""Roscoe, don't be narrow-minded.Mr.Colton's ways aren't ours and we must make allowances.""Let him make a few, for a change."

"Aren't you going to see him?"

"No.At least not until I get good and ready."Dorinda came in just then to ask Mother some questions concerning dinner, for, though Mother had not seen the dining room since that day, six years ago, when she was carried from it to her bedroom, she kept her interest in household affairs and insisted on being consulted on all questions of management and internal economy.Irose from my chair and started toward the door.

"Are you going, Roscoe?" asked Mother.

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Oh, just out of doors; perhaps to the boat-house.""Boy."

"Yes, Mother?"

"What is the matter? Something has gone wrong; I knew it as soon as you came in.What is it?""Nothing.That is, nothing of any consequence.I'm a little out of sorts to-day and that man's letter irritates me.I'll get over it.I'll be back soon.Good-by, Mother.""Good-by, Boy."

I went out through the dining room and kitchen, to the back yard, where, seating myself on Lute's favorite resting place, the wash bench, I lit my pipe and sat thinking, gloomily thinking.