"Why, I have a surprise for you--Henry lives there."

"Henry! Henry who?"

"Why, Henry Mayfield, my brother."

"No! Why, the last time I heard from him he was in St. Louis."

"Well, he is here now, and has been for five months. His wife's
relatives are all here. And so he having been offered a position in
the same firm with me, accepted it. We agreed to keep it as a pleasant
little surprise for you."

"Well, I'm glad of it."

Just as Uncle Hiram said so the object of their conversation came in.

Henry Mayfield was not the jovial, merry fellow that Charley was, and
not likely to be so generally a favorite. But there was an earnestness
and determination in his bearing that inspired respect immediately.

"Come, uncle! Go in with me to see my wife and little ones," said
Henry, after sitting and talking a while. "We have a half hour yet
before business requires us, and then, if you like, we will go down
town together."

Henry's parlor, into which he ushered his uncle, was furnished better
than his brother's; but still it was not so prettily arranged--the
"woman's touch" was not so plainly visible. Immediately Henry's wife
came in to welcome her husband's uncle.