E-text prepared by Al Haines

THE MAN IN LONELY LAND

KATE LANGLEY BOSHER

Author of "Mary Cary" and "Miss Gibbie Gault"

MCMXII

TO MY BROTHER

EDWARD PORTIUS LANGLEY

CHAPTER

I. GENERAL II. THE REQUEST III. SCIENTIFICS IV. DOROTHEA AND MR. LAINE V. THE LOSS OF HIS BEST FRIEND VI. A LETTER FROM DOROTHEA VII. AN AFTERNOON CALL VIII. THE RECEPTION IX. DOROTHEA ASKS QUESTIONS X. A DISCOVERY XI. A CHANCE ENCOUNTER XII. CHRISTMAS SHOPPING XIII. MR. LAINE GOES SHOPPING ALONE XIV. AN INFORMAL VISIT XV. THE MAN WHO DID NOT KNOW XVI. A CHANGE OF PLANS XVII. A VISIT TO VIRGINIA XVIII. ELMWOOD XIX. CHRISTMAS XX. CLAUDIA XXI. A VISIT FROM DOROTHEA XXII. SPRINGTIME

I

GENERAL

Mr. Winthrop Laine threw his gloves on the table, his overcoat on achair, put his hat on the desk, and then looked down at his shoes.

"Soaking wet," he said, as if to them. "I swear this weather wouldruin a Tapley temper! For two weeks rain and sleet and snow andsteam heat to come home to. Hello, General! How are the legstonight, old man?" Stooping, he patted softly the big, beautifulcollie which was trying to welcome him, and gently he lifted thedog's head and looked in the patient eyes.

"No better? Not even a little bit? I'd take half if I could,General, more than half. It's hard luck, but it's worse not to knowwhat to do for you." He turned his head from the beseeching eyes."For the love of heaven don't look at me like that, General, don'tmake it—" His breath was drawn in sharply; then, as the dog madeeffort to bark, to raise his right paw in greeting as of old, he putit down carefully, rang the bell, walked over to the window, and fora moment looked out on the street below.

The gray dullness of a late November afternoon was in the air of NewYork, and the fast-falling snowflakes so thickened it that the peoplehurrying this way and that seemed twisted figures of fantasticshapes, wind-blown and bent, and with a shiver Laine came back andagain stood by General's side.

At the door Moses, his man, waited. Laine turned toward him. "Getout some dry clothes and see what's the matter with the heat. Ablind man coming in here would think he'd struck an ice-pond." Helooked around and then at the darkey in front of him. "The Lord gaveyou a head for the purpose of using it, Moses, but you mistake it attimes for an ornament. Zero weather and windows down from the toptwelve inches! Has General been in here to-day?"

"No, sir. He been in the kitchen 'most all day. You told me thismorning to put fresh air in here and I put, but me and General ain'tbeen in here since I clean up. He's been powerful poorly to-day,sir."

"I see he has." Laine's hand went to the dog and rested a moment onhis head. "Close up those windows and turn on the lights and seeabout the heat. This room is almost as cheerful as a morgue atdaybreak."

"I reckon you done took a little cold, sir." Moses closed thewindows, drew the curtains, turned on more heat, and made the room ablaze of light. "It's a very spacious room, sir, and for them whatloves books it's very aspirin', but of course in winter-time a roomwithout a woman or a blazin' fire in it ain't what it might be.Don't you think you'd better take a little something, sir, to

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