Mr. E. Holliday Kendrick HAD called upon him at
his office and he did contemplate engaging a resident lawyer. There were
likely to be many of what he termed "minor details" connected with the
transfer of the Colfax estate to him and the purchases which he meant
to make later on, and an attorney at his beck and call would be a great
convenience. Not this only; he had actually offered his young cousin
the position, had offered to engage him and to pay him several hundred
dollars as a retaining fee.
He told his hearers so much, and then he stopped. Emily, who had seemed
much interested, waited a moment and then begged him to continue.
"Well?" she said. "Why don't you tell us the rest? We are all waiting to
congratulate you. You accepted, of course."
John shook his head. "Why, no," he replied, "I didn't accept, exactly.
I did say I would think it over; but I--well, I'm not sure that I shall
accept."
Here was the unexpected. His hearers looked at each other in amazement.
"You won't accept!" cried Thankful. "Why, Mr. Kendrick."
"Won't accept!" shouted Captain Obed. "What on earth! Why, John
Kendrick, what's the matter with you? Ain't you been settin' in that
office of yours waitin' and waitin' for somethin' worth while to come
along? And now a really big chance does come, and you say you don't know
as you'll take it! What kind of talk's that, I'd like to know!"
John smiled. Miss Howes, who seemed as much surprised as the others, did
not smile.
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