"Oh, I'm SO glad. Your letter came this morning, and I hurried down on
the first train. I'm Elizabeth Preston."



CHAPTER IX

ELSIE PRESTON


Perhaps, on the whole, it is not surprising that Captain Eri didn't
grasp the situation. Neither his two partners nor himself had given
much thought to the granddaughter of the sick man in the upper room. The
Captain knew that there was a granddaughter, hence his letter; but
he had heard John Baxter speak of her as being in school somewhere
in Boston, and had all along conceived of her as a miss of sixteen or
thereabouts. No wonder that at first he looked at the stylishly gowned
young woman, who stood before him with one gloved hand extended, in a
puzzled, uncomprehending way.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he said slowly, mechanically swallowing up the
proffered hand in his own mammoth fist, "but I don't know's I jest
caught the name. Would you mind sayin' it ag'in?"

"Elizabeth Preston," repeated the visitor. "Captain Baxter's
granddaughter. You wrote me that he was ill, you know, and I--"

"What!" roared the Captain, delighted amazement lighting up his face
like a sunrise. "You don't mean to tell me you're 'Liz'beth Baxter's