It's kind of late to back out after you have shipped.Ever since Imade up my mind to send for you and have you live along with your grandmother and me I've been plannin' what to do with you.I knew, if you was a decent, ambitious young chap, you'd want to do somethin' towards makin' a start in life.We can use--that is, this business can use that kind of a chap right now.He could larn to keep books and know lumber and hardware and how to sell and how to buy.He can larn the whole thing.There's a chance here, son.
It's your chance; I'm givin' it to you.How big a chance it turns out to be 'll depend on you, yourself."He stopped.Albert was silent.His thoughts were confused, but out of their dismayed confusion two or three fixed ideas reared themselves like crags from a whirlpool.He was to live in South Hamiss always--always; he was to keep books-- Heavens, how he hated mathematics, detail work of any kind!--for drunken old Keeler; he was to "heave lumber" with Issy Price.He-- Oh, it was dreadful!
It was horrible.He couldn't! He wouldn't! He--Captain Zelotes had been watching him, his heavy brows drawing closer together as the boy delayed answering.
"Well?" he asked, for another minute."Did you hear what I said?""Yes."
"Understood, did you?"
"Yes--sir."
"Well?"
Albert was clutching at straws."I--I don't know how to keep books," he faltered.
"I didn't suppose you did.Don't imagine they teach anything as practical as bookkeepin' up at that school of yours.But you can larn, can't you?""I--I guess so."
"I guess so, too.Good Lord, I HOPE so! Humph! You don't seem to be jumpin' for joy over the prospect.There's a half dozen smart young fellers here in South Harniss that would, I tell you that."Albert devoutly wished they had jumped--and landed--before his arrival.His grandfather's tone grew more brusque.
"Don't you want to work?" he demanded.
"Why, yes, I--I suppose I do.I--I hadn't thought much about it.""Humph! Then I think it's time you begun.Hadn't you had ANYnotion of what you wanted to do when you got out of that school of yours?""I was going to college."
"Humph!...Yes, I presume likely.Well, after you got out of college, what was you plannin' to do then?""I wasn't sure.I thought I might do something with my music.Ican play a little.I can't sing--that is, not well enough.If Icould," wistfully, "I should have liked to be in opera, as father was, of course."Captain Zelotes' only comment was a sniff or snort, or combination of both.Albert went on.
"I had thought of writing--writing books and poems, you know.I've written quite a good deal for the school magazine.And I think Ishould like to be an actor, perhaps.I--""Good God!" His grandfather's fist came down upon the desk before him.Slowly he shook his head.
"A--a poetry writer and an actor!" he repeated."Whew!...
Well, there! Perhaps maybe we hadn't better talk any more just now.You can have the rest of the day to run around town and sort of get acquainted, if you want to.Then to-morrow mornin' you and I'll come over here together and we'll begin to break you in.Ishouldn't wonder," he added, dryly, "if you found it kind of dull at first--compared to that school and poetry makin' and such--but it'll be respectable and it'll pay for board and clothes and somethin' to eat once in a while, which may not seem so important to you now as 'twill later on.And some day I cal'late--anyhow we'll hope--you'll be mighty glad you did it."Poor Albert looked and felt anything but glad just then.Captain Zelotes, his hands in his pockets, stood regarding him.He, too, did not look particularly happy.
"You'll remember," he observed, "or perhaps you don't know, that when your father asked us to look out for you--"Albert interrupted."Did--did father ask you to take care of me?"he cried, in surprise.
"Um-hm.He asked somebody who was with him to ask us to do just that."The boy drew a long breath."Well, then," he said, hopelessly, "I'll--I'll try.""Thanks.Now you run around town and see the sights.Dinner's at half past twelve prompt, so be on hand for that."After his grandson had gone, the captain, hands still in his pockets, stood for some time looking out of the window.At length he spoke aloud.
"A play actor or a poetry writer!" he exclaimed."Tut, tut, tut!
No use talkin', blood will tell!"
Issachar, who was putting coal on the office fire, turned his head.
"Eh?" he queried.
"Nothin'," said Captain Lote.
He would have been surprised if he could have seen his grandson just at that moment.Albert, on the beach whither he had strayed in his desire to be alone, safely hidden from observation behind a sand dune, was lying with his head upon his arms and sobbing bitterly.
A disinterested person might have decided that the interview which had just taken place and which Captain Zelotes hopefully told his wife that morning would probably result in "a clear, comf'table understandin' between the boy and me"--such a disinterested person might have decided that it had resulted in exactly the opposite.
In calculating the results to be obtained from that interview the captain had not taken into consideration two elements, one his own and the other his grandson's.These elements were prejudice and temperament.
