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?"

"Of course not, Steve. You know I wouldn't."

"Well, don't. They needn't know it, now or at any other time. Graves
will probably get himself appointed, and he's respectable if he is an
old fogy. We'll worry along till I'm twenty-one, and then--well, then
I'll handle our business myself."

Evidently there was no question in his mind as to his ability to handle
this or any business, no matter how involved. He rose from his chair and
yawned.

"It's deadly dull," he complained. "You don't need me, do you, Caro? I
believe I'll go out for a while. That is, unless you really care."

His sister hesitated before replying. When she spoke, there was
disappointment in her tone.

"Why, Steve," she said, "I did hope you might be here when Mr. Graves
came. He will wish to speak of important matters, and it seems to me
that both of us should hear what he has to say."

Young Warren, who had started for the door, stopped and kicked
impatiently at the corners of the rug.

"Oh, _well_!" he observed, "if you want me of course I'll stay. But why
doesn't old Graves come, if he is coming. Maybe he's under the weather
yet," he added, hopefully. "Perhaps he isn't coming at all to-day. I
believe I'll call up Kuhn on the 'phone and find out."

He was on his way to the telephone when the doorbell buzzed.

"Gad! there he is now," he exclaimed. "Now I suppose I'll have to stay.
We'll hear about dear Uncle 'Lish, won't we? Oh, joy!"

But the staid butler, when he entered the library, did not announce the
lawyer's name.

"Mrs. Corcoran Dunn and Mr. Malcolm," he said. "Will you see them, Miss
Caroline?"

The young lady's face lit up.

"Certainly, Edwards," she said. "Show them--Oh, Mrs. Dunn, I'm so glad
to see you! It was _ever_ so good of you to come. And Malcolm."

Mrs. M. Corcoran Dunn was tall and, in South Denboro, would have been
called "fleshy," in spite of her own and the dressmaker's efforts to
conceal the fact. She was elaborately gowned and furred, and something
about her creaked when she walked. She rushed into the room, at the
butler's heels, and, greeting Caroli