Pearson," she said. "You must come in and wait;
Captain Warren will be back soon, I'm sure."
"Thank you; but I think I won't wait. I can come another time."
"But you must wait. I insist. Uncle Elisha will be dreadfully
disappointed if you don't. There isn't a train for an hour, and he will
return before that, I am sure. Please come in."
Pearson was reluctant, but he could think of no reasonable excuse. So he
entered the house, removed his overcoat and hat, and seated himself in
the living room to await the captain's return. Caroline excused herself,
saying that she had an errand at the shop in the village. She made that
errand as long as she could, but when she returned he was still there,
and Captain Elisha had not appeared.
The conversation was forced, for a time. Each felt the embarrassment,
and Pearson was still resentful of the manner in which she had greeted
him on his arrival. But, as he looked at her, the resentment vanished,
and the other feeling, that which he had determined to forget, returned.
Captain Elisha had told him how brave she had been through it all, and,
contrasting the little house with the former home, remembering the loss
of friends and fortune, to say nothing of the unmasking of those whom
she believed were her nearest and dearest, he wondered and admired more
than ever.
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