I advise you and Leila quietly to assist your aunt,
and like as not the Colonel may forget all about it in a day or two."
"No, Doctor. To-day he had Billy up with him in the attic bringing down
whatever he can find, useful or useless."
With little satisfaction from this talk, John rode homeward. Sitting in
the saddle at the post-office door, he called for the mail. Mrs. Crocker,
of undiminished bulk and rosiness, came out.
"How's your arm, Captain? I bet it's more use than mine. The rheumatism
have took to permanent boarding in my right shoulder--and no glory like
you got to show for it."
"I could do without the glory."
"No, you couldn't. If I was a man, I'd be glad to swap; you've got to
make believe a bit, but the town's proud of you. I guess some one will
soon have to look after them Penhallow mills." Mrs. Crocker put a
detaining hand on his bridle reins.
"Yes, yes," said John absently, glancing well pleased over a kind letter
of inquiry from General Parke. "Well, what else, Mrs. Crocker?"
"The Colonel quite give me a shock this morning. He's not been here--no,
not once--since he came home. Well, he walked in quite spry and told me
there was to be a rummage-sale in a week, and I was to put up a notice
and tell everybody. Why, Mr. John, he was that natural.
Pages:
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600