第44章

"She'll be sorry at first, I suppose," he said, "but she'll get over it.""Um-hm.Maybe she will.You can get over 'most anything in time--'MOST anything.Well, and how about me? How do you think I'll feel?"Albert's chin lifted."You!" he exclaimed."Why, you'll be mighty glad of it."Captain Zelotes picked up the pencil stump and twirled it in his fingers."Shall I?" he asked."You think I will, do you?""Of course you will.You don't like me, and never did.""So I've heard you say.Well, boy, don't you cal'late I like you at least as much as you like me?""No.What do you mean? I like you well enough.That is, I should if you gave me half a chance.But you don't do it.You hate me because my father--"The captain interrupted.His big palm struck the desk.

"DON'T say that again!" he commanded."Look here, if I hated you do you suppose I'd be talkin' to you like this? If I hated you do you cal'late I'd argue when you gave me notice? Not by a jugful!

No man ever came to me and said he was goin' to quit and had me beg him to stay.If we was at sea he stayed until we made port; then he WENT, and he didn't hang around waitin' for a boat to take him ashore neither.I don't hate you, son.I'd ask nothin' better than a chance to like you, but you won't give it to me."Albert's eyes and mouth opened.

"_I_ won't give YOU a chance?" he repeated.

"Sartin.DO you give me one? I ask you to keep these books of mine.You could keep 'em A Number One.You're smart enough to do it.But you won't.You let 'em go to thunder and waste your time makin' up fool poetry and such stuff.""But I like writing, and I don't like keeping books.""Keepin' books is a part of l'arnin' the business, and business is the way you're goin' to get your livin' by and by.""No, it isn't.I am going to be a writer.""Now DON'T say that silly thing again! I don't want to hear it.""I shall say it because it is true."

"Look here, boy: When I tell you or anybody else in this office to do or not to do a thing, I expect 'em to obey orders.And I tell you not to talk any more of that foolishness about bein' a writer.

D'you understand?"

"Yes, of course I understand."

"All right, then, that much is settled....Here! Where are you goin'?"Albert had turned and was on his way out of the office.He stopped and answered over his shoulder, "I'm going home," he said.

"Goin' HOME? Why, you came from home not more than an hour and a half ago! What are you goin' there again now for?""To pack up my things."

"To pack up your things! To pack up-- Humph! So you really mean it! You're really goin' to quit me like this? And your grandma, too!"The young man felt a sudden pang of compunction, a twinge of conscience.

"Grandfather," he said, "I'm sorry.I--"But the change in his attitude and tone came too late.Captain Lote's temper was boiling now, contradiction was its worst provocative.

"Goin' to quit!" he sneered."Goin' to quit because you don't like to work.All right, quit then! Go ahead! I've done all I can to make a man of you.Go to the devil in your own way.""Grandfather, I--"

"Go ahead! _I_ can't stop you.It's in your breed, I cal'late."That was sufficient.Albert strode out of the private office, head erect.Captain Zelotes rose and slammed the door after his departing grandson.

At ten that evening Albert was in his room, sitting in a chair by the window, gloomily looking out.The packing, most of it, had been done.He had not, as he told his grandfather he intended doing, left the office immediately and come straight home to pack.

As he emerged from the inner office after the stormy interview with the captain he found Laban Keeler hard at work upon the books.The sight of the little man, so patiently and cheerfully pegging away, brought another twinge of conscience to the assistant bookkeeper.

Laban had been such a brick in all their relationships.It must have been a sore trial to his particular, business-like soul, those errors in the trial balance.Yet he had not found fault nor complained.Captain Zelotes himself had said that every item concerning his grandson's mistakes and blunders had been dragged from Mr.Keeler much against the latter's will.Somehow Albert could not bear to go off and leave him at once.He would stay and finish his day's work, for Labe Keeler's sake.

So stay he did and when Captain Zelotes later came out of his private office and found him there neither of them spoke.At home, during supper, nothing was said concerning the quarrel of the afternoon.Yet Albert was as determined to leave as ever, and the Captain, judging by the expression of his face, was just as determined to do nothing more to prevent him.After supper the young man went to his room and began the packing.His grandfather went out, an unusual proceeding for him, saying that he guessed he would go down street for a spell.

Now Albert, as he sat there by the window, was gloomy enough.The wind, howling and wailing about the gables of the old house, was not an aid to cheerfulness and he needed every aid.He had sworn to go away, he was going away--but where should he go? He had a little money put by, not much but a little, which he had been saving for quite another purpose.This would take him a little way, would pay his bills for a short time, but after that-- Well, after that he could earn more.With the optimism of youth and the serene self-confidence which was natural to him he was sure of succeeding sooner or later.It was not the dread of failure and privation which troubled him.The weight which was pressing upon his spirit was not the fear of what might happen to him.

There was a rap upon the door.Then a voice, the housekeeper's voice, whispered through the crack.

"It's me, Al," whispered Mrs.Ellis."You ain't in bed yet, are you? I'd like to talk with you a minute or two, if I might."He was not anxious to talk to her or anyone else just then, but he told her to come in.She entered on tiptoe, with the mysterious air of a conspirator, and shut the door carefully after her.