"
Miss Parker turned upon him. "To think," she wailed, brokenly, "to think
that my own brother--all the brother I've got--can stand afore me and
heave my--my poverty in my face. I may be dependent on him. I am, I
suppose. But Oh, the disgrace of it! the--Oh! Oh! Oh!"
Captain Obed hurried upstairs to his room. Long after he had shut the
door he heard the sounds of Hannah's sobs and Kenelm's pleadings that
he "never meant nothin'." Then came silence and, at last, the sounds of
footsteps on the stairs. They halted in the upper hall.
"I don't know, Kenelm," said Hannah, sadly. "I'll try to forgive you.
I presume likely I must. But when I think of how I've been a mother to
you--"
"Now, Hannah, there you go again. How could you be my mother when you
ain't but four year older'n I be? You just give me a few dollars and let
me go to that Cattle Show and--"
"No, Kenelm, that I can't do. You are goin' to leave Mrs. Barnes' place;
I want you to do that, for the sake of your self-respect. But you must
stay there and help her tomorrow. It's your duty."
"Darn my duty! I'll LEAVE tomorrow, that's what I'll do."
"Oh dear! There you go again. Profane language and bettin' on horses!
WHAT'LL come next? My own brother a gambler and a prodigate! Has it come
to this?"
The footsteps and voices died away. Captain Obed blew out the light and
got into bed. The last words he heard that night were uttered by the
"prodigate" himself on his way to his sleeping quarters.
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