“I’ve been here for a month, most of the time,” Richard told him.

“You have?  And didn’t come to see us?  Well, now—­”

“I didn’t know this was your home, Mr. Gray,” admitted the young man frankly.  “I don’t remember your mentioning the name of Eastman while you and Mrs. Gray were with us.  Probably you did, and if I had realized you were here—­”

“You’d have come?  Well, you know now, and I hope you’ll waste no time in getting out to the ‘Gray Farm.’  Only two miles out, and the trolley runs by within a few rods of our turn of the road—­conductor’ll tell you.  Better come to-night,” he urged genially, “seeing my nieces are here and can help make you feel at home.  They’ll be going back in a day or two.”

Richard, smiling, looked at Aunt Ruth, then at Roberta.  “Do come,” urged Aunt Ruth as cordially as her husband, and Roberta gave a little nod of acquiescence.

“I shall be delighted to come,” he agreed.

“Putting up at the hotel?” inquired Uncle Rufus.

“I’m staying for the present with my friend Mr. Benson,” Richard explained, with a glance toward Benson himself, who had moved aside to speak to a clerk.  “We were classmates at college.  We have—­gone into business together here.”

It was out.  As he spoke the words his face changed colour a little, but his eyes remained steadily fixed on Uncle Rufus.

“Well, well,” exclaimed Mr. Rufus Gray.  “So it’s you who have come to the rescue of—­”

But Richard interrupted him quickly.  “I beg your pardon, not at all,” said he.  “It is my friend who has come to my rescue—­given me the biggest interest I have yet discovered—­the game of business.  I’m having the time of my life.  With the help of our mutual friend, Mr. Carson, who is to be the business manager of the new house, we hope to make a success.”

Roberta was looking curiously at him, and his eyes suddenly met hers.  For an instant the encounter lasted, and it ended by her glance dropping from his.  There was something new to her in his face, something she could not understand.  Instead of its former rather studiedly impassive expression there was an awakened look, a determined look, as if he had something on hand he meant to do—­and to do as soon as the present interview should be over.  Strangely enough, it was the first time she had met him when he seemed not wholly occupied with herself, but rather on his way to some affair of strong interest in which she had no concern and from which she was detaining him.  It was not that he was failing in the extreme courtesy she had learned to expect from him under all conditions.  But—­well, it struck her that he would return to his companion in the glass-screened office and immediately forget her.  This was a change, indeed!

“However you choose to put it,” declared Uncle Rufus kindly, “it’s a mighty fine thing for Hugh, and we wish you both success.”

“You will have it.  I have found my lavender linen,” said Roberta, turning back to the counter.