“What were you going to say about your Uncle Harvey?” Henry asked.

“Nothing, only he was dark just like all the Craigs.”

There is a grunt which man borrowed from the goat, or which, indeed, the goat may have borrowed from man.  And this grunt, more than could possibly be conveyed by syllabic utterance, expresses impatience.  Witherspoon gave this goat-like grunt, and Henry knew that he had heard of the Craigs until he was sick of their dark complexion.  He knew, also, that the great merchant had not a defensive sense of humor, for humor, in the exercise of its kindly though effective functions, would long ago have put these Craigs to an unoffending death.

“I don’t see why you turn aside to talk of complexion when the whole situation is so odd,” said Ellen, speaking to her father.  “I am not able to bring myself down to a realization of it yet, although I have been trying to ever since we got that letter from that good-for-nothing country, away off yonder.  You must know that it strikes me differently from what it does any one else.  It is all romance with me—­pure romance.”

Witherspoon said nothing, but his wife replied:  “It isn’t romance with me; it is an answer to a prayer that my heart has been beating year after year.”

“But don’t cry, mother,” said Ellen.  “Your prayer has been answered.”

“Yes, I know that, but look at the long, long years of separation, and now he comes back to me a stranger.”

“But we shall soon be well acquainted,” Henry replied, “and after a while you may forget the long years of separation.”

“I hope so, my son, or at least I hope to be able to remember them without sorrow.  But didn’t you, at times, fancy that you remembered me?  Couldn’t you recall my voice?” Her lips trembled.

“No,” he answered, slowly shaking his head.  This was the cause for more tears.  She had passed completely out of his life.  Ah, the tender, the hallowed egotism of a mother’s love!

The carriage drew up to the sidewalk, and the driver threw open the door.  “I’ll be back in just a minute,” said Witherspoon, as he got out; and when he was gone his wife began to apologize for him.  “He’s always so busy.  I used to think that the time might come when he could have more leisure, but it hasn’t.”

“What an immense place!” said Henry, looking out.

“One of the very largest in the world,” Ellen replied.  “And the loveliest silks and laces you ever saw.”  A few moments later she said:  “Here comes father.”

“Drive out Michigan,” Witherspoon commanded.  They were whirled away and had not gone far when the merchant, directing Henry’s attention, said: 

“The Auditorium.”

“The what?”

“The Auditorium.  Is it possible you never heard of it?”

“Oh, yes, I remember now.  It was formally opened by the President.”

He did remember it; he remembered having edited telegraph for a newspaper on the night when Patti’s voice was first heard in this great home of music.