from home before. I shouldn't have come now, only I've been unlucky. My shop burned down last week, and there warn't no insurance on it. Thinks I, Melindy is rich, and now is just the time when I need help. Don't you think she ought to help me?"
"Yes."
"I'm her only brother, and there's only two of us anyway. I've got a wife and two children at home, and they'll be pinched if I don't get help somewhere. Many's the time I've helped Melindy and Abel."
"Then you certainly have a claim upon Mrs. Lane."
They turned into the yard, and Gerald was about ushering his new acquaintance into the house, when Abel appeared at the door.
"Who are you bringing into the house, Gerald?" demanded Abel, sharply.
"Don't you know me, Abe?" asked Alonzo Crane, with an ingratiating smile.
"How should I?" asked Abel; but his face changed, for he did recognize his plebeian relative.
"This is your uncle," said Gerald, gravely. "Is your mother at home?"
CHAPTER VIII
A COLD RECEPTION
"I don't think she is," said Abel, reddening with mortification.
Just then Mrs. Lane's voice was heard from the head of the stairs.
"Who are you talking with, Abel?"
"It's me, Melindy—your brother Alonzo," said Mr. Crane.
Mrs. Lane descended the stairs slowly, looking very much annoyed. She was ashamed of her plebeian brother, and very much disturbed that Gerald should have seen him. It occurred to her to deny the relationship, but this seemed impracticable. So she said with an ill grace, not even offering her hand:
"What brought you here, Alonzo?"
"I reckon the cars brought me here, Melindy. It does me good to see you well fixed. You have feathered your nest well, I must say."
Mrs. Lane bit her lips.
"You can come in and sit down," she said. "I shall be glad if you will talk more like a gentleman."
"But I'm not a gentleman, Melindy. I am an honest, hard-working blacksmith. Carrie and the children send their love."
"I am obliged to them," said Mrs. Lane, stiffly. "I wonder you could get away from your work for a visit."
"Well, the truth is, Melindy, I'm in hard luck. My shop burned down day before yesterday, and I need money to build it up again."
"Wasn't it insured?" asked his sister, coldly.
"The insurance ran out a month ago. So I naturally thought of my only sister who is a rich woman, and I've come to ask a loan of two hundred dollars. That, I calculate, will set me on my feet again."
"The estate is not yet settled, and even if it were I should not feel at liberty to take Mr. Lane's money for such a purpose."
"I reckon you'll spend it on yourself and Abel, Melindy."
"My husband left a son."
"I know that, and he's a gentleman, too," said Mr. Crane, with a kindly glance at Gerald. "If he had money I am sure he would help me."
"Yes, Mr. Crane; I would," said Gerald.
"We won't discuss that matter now, Alonzo. As you are here, you can stay for the balance of the day."
"I shall have to stay till to-morrow, as there is no train from Portville till then. I hope you won't forget the help I gave you and Abel when you were first left a widder."
"It isn't very becoming to twit me with any little favors I may have accepted from you in the past," said Mrs. Lane. "If you want me to receive you in a friendly way, you must behave and talk differently."
As Mr. Crane went into the house, following his not over-cordial relative, Gerald walked away. He felt that he had no place in the family conclave, and was only sorry that it was not likely to prove very satisfactory to his new acquaintance.
He walked away, and, having nothing else to occupy his time, went to the lake and got into his rowboat. He rowed about lazily for half an hour when he heard a voice from the bank.
Looking up, he saw Alonzo Crane standing on the blink of the pond.
"Hello, Gerald!" he called out, "won't you give me a ride in your boat?"
"Certainly, Mr. Crane," and he rowed up to a little pier near where his new acquaintance was standing.
Alonzo Crane stepped into the boat and took a seat near the stern.
"This is a nice dory of yours," he said. "I always liked a rowboat, but I've been too busy in my business to use one. I don't think I've been in a boat for five years. Did my sister give it to you?"
"No," answered Gerald, hastily; "it was a gift from my father."
"I suppose, from what Melindy says, he left you most of his property?"
"She doesn't say that to me. She says it is all hers, and that I am entirely dependent upon her."
"Whew! Well, that beats all. Wasn't your father friendly to you?"
"I always found him the best of fathers, and that makes me wonder at his leaving me dependent upon Mrs. Lane."
Alonzo Crane looked thoughtful.
"You don't suspect nothing?" he said, interrogatively.
"What should I suspect?" asked Gerald.
"Well," said Alonzo, slowly, "Melindy always was tricky. She was always set on gettin' money, and I don't think she'd be over scrupulous. There might be such a thing as forgin' a will, though I don't know as I ought to say that considerin' that Melindy is my sister."
"Thank you for suggesting it, at any rate, Mr. Crane. The time may come when I shall look into the matter. At present I am only a boy–"
"And a boy ain't no match for a woman like Melindy. Oh, she's cunning! What do you think she said to get rid of lendin' me any money?"
"I can't guess."
"She said that she must provide for you."
Gerald smiled, bitterly.
"Because it would serve her purpose," he responded. "She has given Abel my place in the house. She has taken from me the large room I have for years occupied—given it to Abel—and put me in a small hall bedroom adjoining."
"That's too bad! Abel is a mean, conceited little upstart, who don't treat me half decent, though he would more than once have gone without a meal but for the help I gave his mother."
"Has Mrs. Lane refused to loan you money to rebuild your shop?"
"Yes; she won't think of it. She says I must have been careless, or the fire wouldn't have happened. It hasn't done much good to come to Portville. The only pleasure I've got out of it is meeting you."
"Thank you, Mr. Crane. I wish your sister were more like you."
