"
"Is he independent?"
"I believe so; he has never mentioned his affairs to me. But he has
worked hard all his life, he says, and now means to end his days
peacefully. John is not especially refined in his manner, nor did he
have much of an education; but he seems to be a good deal of a man,
for all that. I am very glad he appeared at Elmhurst just at this
time."
"You had believed him dead?"
"Yes. He had passed out of my life completely, and I never knew what
became of him."
"He must be an eccentric person," said Mr. Watson, with a smile.
"He is." she acknowledged. "But blood is thicker than water, Silas,
and I'm glad brother John is here at last."
A little later the lawyer left her and picked his way through the
gardens until he came to Kenneth's wing and the stair that led to
his room. Here he paused a moment, finding himself surrounded by a
profound stillness, broken only by the chirping of the birds in the
shrubbery. Perhaps Kenneth was not in. He half decided to retrace
his steps, but finally mounted the stair softly and stood within the
doorway of the room.
The boy and a little stout man were playing chess at a table, and both
were in a deep study of the game.
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