"Hush! He can't help his name. And father's was worse yet--Abijah! Think
of it!"

"I don't want to think of it. Neither did the governor; that's why
he dropped it, I suppose. Just what did Graves say? Give me his exact
words."

"His partner, Mr. Kuhn, telephoned. He said that Mr. Graves had a bad
cold, having been wet through in a dreadful storm down there in the
country. The doctor forbade his leaving the house for a day or two, but
he would call on Tuesday--to-day--if he was sufficiently recovered. And
Mr. Kuhn said that everything was satisfactory. This Captain Warren--a
ship captain, I suppose he is--would, in all probability, refuse to
accept the guardianship and the rest of it--"

"Refuse? I should think so. I'm just as certain father was insane when
he made that will as I am that I'm alive. If I thought he wasn't, I'd
never forgive him."

"Hush, Steve. You promised me you wouldn't speak in that way."

"Well, all right, I won't. But, Caro, he MUST have been insane. If he
wasn't, do you suppose he would have put us and the estate in the care
of a Down-East jay? It's inconceivable! It's ridiculous! Think of it.
Suppose this uncle of ours had accepted. Suppose he had come to town
here and any of our friends had met him. 'This is our guardian, Captain
Warren, of Punkin Centre.' 'Please to meet ye,' says Uncle 'Lish. 'How's
taters?' Horrors! Say, Caro, you haven't told anyone, Malcolm or his
mother, or anyone, have you?"