CHAPTER XVII.
AN OLD MAN WOULD INVEST.
When Henry went home to dinner he found, already seated at the table, old man Colton, Mrs.Colton and Mrs.Brooks.The old Marylander got away from his soup, got off his chair, and greeted Henry with an effusive display of what might have been his pleasure at seeing the young man, but which had more of the appearance of a palavering pretense.

He bowed, ducked his head first on one side and then on the other--and his colored handkerchief dangled at his coat-tails.

He found his tongue, which at first he seemed to have lost, and with his bald head bobbing about, he appeared as an aged child, prattling at random.
"Hah, hah, delighted to see you again, my dear young man.

Didn't know that I was coming when you were so kind as to take lunch with me to-day; ladies came in the afternoon; Brooks couldn't come with me, but he will be here later on.

Hah, hah, they are taking excellent care of us, you see.