His expression was pleasant, and he was remarkably cool.
"Yes, ma'am," he said, gravely. "I'll be glad to tell you who I am,
if you'd like to have me. I'd have done it before, but I thought there
weren't any use troublin' you with my affairs. But, just a minute--"
he hesitated--"I haven't made any mistake, have I? I understood your
steward--the feller with the brass buttons, to say that Abijah Warren's
children lived here. That's so, ain't it? If not, then I AM mistaken."
Mrs. Dunn regarded him with indignation. "You are," she said coldly.
"The family of the late Mr. Rodgers Warren lives here. I presume the
slight resemblance in names misled you. Edwards, show the gentleman
out."
"Just one moment more, ma'am. It was Rodgers Warren's children I was
lookin' for. A. Rodgers Warren he called himself, didn't he? Yes. Well,
the A stood for Abijah; that was his Christian name. And he left
two children, Caroline and Stephen? Good! I thought for a jiffy I'd
blundered in where I had no business, but it's all right. You see,
ma'am, I'm their uncle from South Denboro, Massachusetts. My name is
Elisha Warren."
Mrs. Dunn gasped. Edwards, peering over her shoulder, breathed heavily.
"You are--their UNCLE?" repeated the lady.
"Yes, ma'am. I'm 'Bije's brother.
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