Saturday," said Kenton.

"Well, well! Then I misunderstood," said Bittridge, and he added: "Why,
this is money found in the road! How are all the family? I've got my
mother here with me; brought her on for a kind of a little outing.
She'll be the most surprised woman in New York when I tell her you're
here yet. We came to this hotel because we knew you had been here, but
we didn't suppose you were here! Well! This is too good! I saw Dick,
Friday, but he didn't say anything about your sailing; I suppose he
thought I knew. Didn't you tell me you were going in a week, that day in
your house?"

"Perhaps I did," Kenton faltered out, his eyes fixed on Bittridge's with
a helpless fascination.

"Well, it don't matter so long as you're here. Mother's in the parlor
waiting for me; I won't risk taking you to her now, judge--right off the
train, you know. But I want to bring her to call on Mrs. Kenton as soon
after breakfast as you'll let me. She just idolizes Mrs. Kenton, from
what I've told her about her. Our rooms ready?" He turned to the
clerk, and the clerk called "Front!" to a bellboy, who ran up and took
Bittridge's hand-baggage, and stood waiting to follow him into the
parlor. "Well, you must excuse me now, judge. So long!" he said, gayly,
and Kenton crept feebly away to the dining-room.

He must have eaten breakfast, but he was not aware of doing so; and the
events of his leaving the table and going up in the elevator and finding
himself in his wife's presence did not present themselves consecutively,
though they must all have successively occurred. It did not seem to him
that he could tell what he knew, but he found himself doing it, and her
hearing it with strange quiet.

"Very well," she said. "I must tell Ellen, and, if she wishes, we must
stay in and wait for their call."

"Yes," the judge mechanically consented.

It was painful for Mrs. Kenton to see how the girl flushed when she
announced the fact of Bittridge's presence, for she knew what a strife
of hope and shame and pride there was in Ellen's heart. At first she
said that she did not wish to see him, and then when Mrs. Kenton would
not say whether she had better see him or not, she added, vaguely, "If
he has brought his mother--"

"I think we must see them, Ellen. You wouldn't wish to think you had
been unkind; and he might be hurt on his mother's account. He seems
really fond of her, and perhaps--"

"No, there isn't any perhaps, momma," said the girl