CHAPTERIX
ELSIEPRESTON
Perhaps，onthewhole，itisnotsurprisingthatCaptainErididn’tgraspthesituation。Neitherhistwopartnersnorhimselfhadgivenmuchthoughttothegranddaughterofthesickmanintheupperroom。TheCaptainknewthattherewasagranddaughter，hencehisletter；buthehadheardJohnBaxterspeakofherasbeinginschoolsomewhereinBoston，andhadallalongconceivedofherasamissofsixteenorthereabouts。Nowonderthatatfirsthelookedatthestylishlygownedyoungwoman，whostoodbeforehimwithoneglovedhandextended，inapuzzled，uncomprehendingway。”Excuseme，ma’am，”hesaidslowly，mechanicallyswallowinguptheprofferedhandinhisownmammothfist，”butIdon’tknow’sIjestcaughtthename。Wouldyoumindsayin’itag’in？””ElizabethPreston，”repeatedthevisitor。”CaptainBaxter’sgranddaughter。Youwrotemethathewasill，youknow，andI——””What！”roaredtheCaptain，delightedamazementlightinguphisfacelikeasunrise。”Youdon’tmeantotellmeyou’re’Liz’bethBaxter’sgalElsie！Well！Well！Iwanttoknow！Ifthisdon’tbeatall！Setdown！Takeyourthingsrightoff。I’mmightygladtoseeyou。”
CaptainEri’shand，withMissPreston’shiddeninit，wasmovingupanddownasifitworkedbyaclock-workarrangement。Theyoungladywithdrewherfingersfromthetrapassoonassheconvenientlycould，butitmighthavebeennoticedthatsheglancedatthemwhenshehaddoneso，asiftomakesurethattheoriginalshaperemained。”Thankyou，CaptainHedge，”shesaid。”Andnow，pleasetellmeaboutgrandfather。Howishe？MayIseehim？”
TheCaptain’sexpressionchangedtooneofconcern。”Why，now，MissPreston，”hesaid，”yourgrandpaisprettysick。