doubt her； that she could not speak。 As soon as she governed herself
against her first resentment she said； with a little sigh； 〃It is all
right； now； Mr。 Osson；〃 and her stress upon the word seemed to trouble
him with no misgiving。 〃Besides； if you're to blame for not noticing； so
is Mr。 Bennam； and I don't want to blame any one。〃 She hesitated a
moment before she added： 〃I have got to tell you something； now； because
I think you ought to know it。 I am going home to be married； Mr。 Osson；
and this message is from the gentleman I am going to be married to。
He has been very sick； and I don't know yet as he'll be able to meet me
in New Yo'k； but his fatha will。〃
Mr。 Orson showed no interest in these facts beyond a silent attention to
her words； which might have passed for an open indifference。 At his time
of life all such questions； which are of permanent importance to women；
affect men hardly more than the angels who neither marry nor are given in
marriage。 Besides； as a minister he must have had a surfeit of all
possible qualities in the love affairs of people intending matrimony。
As a casuist he was more reasonably concerned in the next fact which
Clementina laid before him。
〃And the otha day； there in Venice when you we'e sick； and you seemed to
think that I might put off stahting home till the next steamer； I don't
know but I let you believe I would。〃
〃I supposed that the delay of a week or two could make no material
difference to you。〃
〃But now you see that it would。 And I feel as if I ought to tell you
I spoke to Mr。 Bennam about it； and he didn't tell me not tothat I
shouldn't have staid； no not for anything in the wo'ld。 I had to do what
I did at the time； but eva since it has seemed as if I had deceived you；
and I don't want to have it seem so any longer。 It isn't because I don't
hate to tell you； I do； but I guess if it was to happen over again I
couldn't feel any different。 Do you want I should tell the deck…stewahd
to bring you some beef…tea？〃
〃I think I could relish a small portion；〃 said Mr。 Orson； cautiously； and
he said nothing more。
Clementina left him with her nerves in a flutter； and she did not come
back to him until she decided that it was time to help him down to his
cabin。 He suffered her to do this in silence； but at the door he cleared
his throat and began：
〃I have reflected upon what you told me； and I have tried to regard the
case from all points。 I believe that I have done so； without personal
feeling； and I think it my duty to say； fully and freely； that I believe
you would have done perfectly right not to remain。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Clementina； 〃I thought you would think so。〃
They parted emotionlessly to all outward effect； and when they met again
it was without a sign of having passed through a crisis of sentiment。
Neither referred to the matter again； but from that time the minister
treated Clementina with a deference not without some shadows of
tenderness such as her helplessness in Venice had apparently never
inspired。 She had cast out of her mind all lingering hardness toward him
in telling him the hard truth； and she met his faint relentings with a
grateful gladness which showed itself in her constant care of him。
This helped her a little to forget the strain of the anxiety that
increased upon her as the time shortened between the last news of her
lover and the next； and there was perhaps no more exaggeration in the
import than in the terms of the formal acknowledgment which Mr。 Orson
made her as their steamer sighted Fire Island Light； and they both knew
that their voyage had ended： 〃I may not be able to say to you in the
hurry of our arrival in New York that I am obliged to you for a good many
little attentions； which I should be pleased to reciprocate if
opportunity offered。 I do not think I am going too far in saying that
they are such as a daughter might offer a parent。〃
〃Oh； don't speak of it； Mr。 Osson！〃 she protested。 〃I haven't done
anything that any one wouldn't have done。〃
〃I presume；〃 said the minister； thoughtfully； as if retiring from an
extreme position； 〃that they are such as others similarly circumstanced；
might have done； but it will always be a source of satisfaction for you
to reflect that you have not neglected them。〃
XXXVII。
In the crowd which thronged the steamer's dock at Hoboken； Clementina
strained her eyes to make out some one who looked enough like her lover
to be his father； and she began to be afraid that they might miss each
other when she failed。 She walked slowly down the gangway； with the
people that thronged it； glad to be hidden by them from her failure； but
at the last step she was caught aside by a small blackeyed； black…haired
woman； who called out 〃Isn't this Miss Claxon？ I'm Georrge's sisterr。
Oh； you'rre just like what he said！ I knew it！ I knew it！〃 and then
hugged her and kissed her； and passed her to the little lean dark old man
next her。 〃This is fatherr。 I knew you couldn't tell us； because I take
afterr him； and Georrge is exactly like motherr。〃
George's father took her hand timidly； but found courage to say to his
daughter； 〃Hadn't you betterr let her own fatherr have a chance at herr？〃
and amidst a tempest of apologies and self blame from the sister； Claxon
showed himself over the shoulders of the little man。
〃Why； there wa'n't no hurry； as long as she's he'a；〃 he said； in prompt
enjoyment of the joke； and he and Clementina sparely kissed each other。
〃Why； fatha！〃 she said。 〃I didn't expect you to come to New Yo'k to meet
me。〃
〃Well； I didn't ha'dly expect it myself； but I'd neva been to Yo'k； and I
thought I might as well come。 Things ah' ratha slack at home； just now；
anyway。〃
She did not heed his explanation。 〃We'e you sca'ed when you got my
dispatch？〃
〃No； we kind of expected you'd come any time； the way you wrote afta Mrs。
Landa died。 We thought something must be up。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； absently。 Then； 〃Whe'e's motha？〃 she asked。
〃Well； I guess she thought she couldn't get round to it； exactly；〃 said
the father。 〃She's all right。 Needn't ask you！〃
〃No； I'm fust…rate；〃 Clementina returned； with a silent joy in her
father's face and voice。 She went back in it to the girl of a year ago；
and the world which had come between them since their parting rolled away
as if it had never been there。
Neither of them said anything about that。 She named over her brothers
and sisters； and he answered； 〃Yes； yes；〃 in assurance of their well…
being； and then he explained； as if that were the only point of real
interest； 〃I see your folks waitin' he'e fo' somebody； and I thought I'd
see if it wa'n't the same one； and we kind of struck up an acquaintance
on your account befo'e you got he'e； Clem。〃
〃Your folks！〃 she silently repeated to herself。 〃Yes； they ah' mine！〃
and she stood trying to realize the strange fact； while George's sister
poured out a voluminous comment upon Claxon's spare statement； and
George's father admired her volubility with the shut smile of toothless
age。 She spoke with the burr which the Scotch…Irish settlers have
imparted to the whole middle West； but it was music to Clementina； who
heard now and then a tone of her lover in his sister's voice。 In the
midst of it all she caught sight of a mute unfriended figure just without
their circle； his traveling shawl hanging loose upon his shoulders； and
the valise which had formed his sole baggage in the voyage to and from
Europe pulling his long hand out of his coat sleeve。
〃Oh； yes；〃 she said； 〃here is Mr。 Osson that came ova with me； fatha；
he's a relation of Mr。 Landa's；〃 and she presented him to them all。
He shifted his valise to the left hand； and shook hands with each；
asking； 〃What name？〃 and then fell motionless again。
〃Well；〃 said her father； 〃I guess this is the end of this paht of the
ceremony； and I'm goin' to see your baggage through the custom…house；
Clementina； I've read about it； and I want to know how it's done。 I want
to see what you ah' tryin' to smuggle in。〃
〃I guess you won't find much；〃 she said。 〃But you'll want the keys；
won't you？〃 She called to him； as he was stalking away。
〃Well； I guess that would be a good idea。 Want to help； Miss Hinkle？〃
〃I guess we might as well all help；〃 said Clementina； and Mr。 Orson
included himself in the invitation。 He seemed unable to separate himself
from them； though the passage of Clementina's baggage through the
customs； and its delivery to an expressman for the hotel where the
Hinkles said they were staying might well have severed the last tie
between them。
〃Ah' you going straight home； Mr。 Osson？〃 she asked； to rescue him from
the forgetfulness into which they were all letting him fall。
〃I think I will remain over a day；〃 he answered。 〃I may go on to Boston
before starting West。〃
〃Well； that's right；〃 said Clementina's father with the wish to approve
everything native to him； and an instinctive sense of Clementina's wish
to befriend the minister。 〃Betta come to oua hotel。 We're all goin' to
the same one。〃
〃I presume it is a good one？〃 Mr。 Orson assented。
〃Well；〃 said Claxon； 〃you must make Miss Hinkle； he'a； stand it if it
ain't。 She's got me to go to it。〃
Mr。 Orson apparently could not enter into the joke； but he accompanied
the party； which again began to forget him； across the ferry and up the
elevated road to the street car that formed the last stage of their
progress to the hotel。 At this point George's sister fell silent； and
Clementina's father burst out； 〃Look he'a！ I guess we betty not keep
this up any Tonga； I don't believe much in surprises； and I guess she
betta know it now！〃
He looked at George's sister as if for authority to speak further； and
Clementina looked at her； too； while George's father nervously moistened
his smiling lips with the tip of his tongue； and let his twinkling eyes
rest upon Clementina's face。
〃Is he at the hotel？〃 she asked。
〃Yes；〃 said his sister； monosyllabic for once。
〃I knew it；〃 said Clementina； and she was only half aware of the fullness
with which his sister now explained how he wanted to come so much that
the doctor thought