letter he had just read； the letter from Madeline's mother； and the
hope subsided。
〃Albert；〃 said Captain Zelotes； 〃Mr。 Fosdick has come on here to
talk with us； that is； with me and you； about your affairs。 He and
I have talked up to the point where it seemed to me you ought to
come in for a spell。 I've told him that the news that you and his
daughter wereerfavorably disposed toward each other was as
sudden and as big a surprise to me as 'twas to him。 Even your
grandma don't know it yet。 Now I presume likely he'd like to ask
you a few questions。 Heave ahead； Mr。 Fosdick。〃
He relit his cigar stump and leaned back in his chair。 Mr。 Fosdick
leaned forward in his。 Albert stood very straight； his shoulders
braced for the encounter。 The quizzical twinkle shone in Captain
Lote's eye as he regarded his grandson。 Fosdick also smiled
momentarily as he caught the expression of the youth's face。
〃Well； Speranza；〃 he began； in so cheerful a tone that Albert's
astonishment grew even greater； 〃your grandfather has been kind
enough to get us through the preliminaries； so we'll come at once
to the essentials。 You and my daughter consider yourselves engaged
to marry？〃
〃Yes； sir。 We ARE engaged。〃
〃I see。 How long have youumbeen that way； so to speak？〃
〃Since last August。〃
〃Why haven't you said anything about it to usto Mrs。 Fosdick or
me or your people here？ You must excuse these personal questions。
As I have just said to Captain Snow； Madeline is our only child；
and her happiness and welfare mean about all there is in life to
her mother and me。 So； naturally； the man she is going to marry is
an important consideration。 You and I have never met before； so
the quickest way of reaching an understanding between us is by the
question route。 You get my meaning？〃
〃Yes； sir； I guess I do。〃
〃Good！ Then we'll go ahead。 Why have you two kept it a secret so
long？〃
〃Becausewell； because we knew we couldn't marry yet a while； so
we thought we had better not announce it for the present。〃
〃Oh！ 。 。 。 And the idea that perhaps Mrs。 Fosdick and I might be
slightly interested didn't occur to you？〃
〃Why； yes； sir； it did。 But；but we thought it best not to tell
you until later。〃
〃Perhaps the suspicion that we might not be overjoyed by the news
had a little weight with you； eh？ Possibly that helped to delay
theerannouncement？〃
〃No； sir； II don't think it did。〃
〃Oh； don't you！ Perhaps you thought we WOULD be overjoyed？〃
〃No； sir。 We didn't think so very much about it。 Well； that's not
quite true。 Madeline felt that her motherand you； too； sir； I
suppose； although she didn't speak as often of you in that wayshe
felt that her mother would disapprove at first； and so we had
better wait。〃
〃Until when？〃
〃Untiluntil by and by。 Until I had gone ahead further； you
know。〃
〃I'm not sure that I do know。 Gone ahead how？ Until you had a
better position； more salary？〃
〃No； not exactly。 Until my writings were better known。 Until I
was a little more successful。〃
〃Successful？ Until you wrote more poetry； do you mean？〃
〃Yes； sir。 Poetry and other things； stories and plays； perhaps。〃
〃Do you mean Did you figure that you and Madeline were to live
on what you made by writing poetry and the other stuff？〃
〃Yes； sir； of course。〃
Fosdick looked across at Captain Zelotes。 The Captain's face was
worth looking at。
〃Here； here； hold on！〃 he exclaimed； jumping into the conversation。
〃Al； what are you talkin' about？ You're bookkeeper for me； ain't
you； for this concern right here where you are？ What do you mean
by talkin' as if your job was makin' up poetry pieces？ That's only
what you do on the side； and you know it。 Eh； ain't that so？〃
Albert hesitated。 He had； momentarily； forgotten his grandfather
and the latter's prejudices。 After all； what was the use of
stirring up additional trouble。
〃Yes； Grandfather；〃 he said。
〃Course it's so。 It's in this office that you draw your wages。〃
〃Yes； Grandfather。〃
〃All right。 Excuse me for nosin' in； Mr。 Fosdick； but I knew the
boy wasn't puttin' the thing as plain as it ought to be； and I
didn't want you to get the wrong notion。 Heave ahead。〃
Fosdick smiled slightly。 〃All right； Captain；〃 he said。 〃I get
it； I think。 Well； then；〃 turning again to Albert； 〃your plan for
supporting my daughter was to wait until your position here； plus
the poetry； should bring in sufficient revenue。 It didn't occur to
you thatwell； that there might be a possibility of getting money
elsewhere？〃
Albert plainly did not understand； but it was just as plain that
his grandfather did。 Captain Zelotes spoke sharply。
〃Mr。 Fosdick；〃 he said； 〃I just answered that question for you。〃
〃Yes； I know。 But if you were in my place you might like to have
him answer it。 I don't mean to be offensive； but business is
business； and； after all； this is a business talk。 So〃
The Captain interrupted。 〃So we'll talk it in a business way； eh？〃
he snapped。 〃All right。 Al； what Mr。 Fosdick means is had you
cal'lated that； if you married his daughter； maybe her dad's money
might help you and her to keep goin'？ To put it even plainer： had
you planned some on her bein' a rich girl？〃
Fosdick looked annoyed。 〃Oh； I say； Snow！〃 he cried。 〃That's too
strong； altogether。〃
〃Not a mite。 It's what you've had in the back of your head all
along。 I'm just helpin' it to come out of the front。 Well； Al？〃
The red spots were burning in the Speranza cheeks。 He choked as he
answered。
〃No；〃 he cried fiercely。 〃Of course I haven't planned on any such
thing。 I don't know how rich she is。 I don't care。 I wish she
was as poor asas I am。 I want HER； that's all。 And she wants
me。 We don't either of us care about money。 I wouldn't take a
cent of your money； Mr。 Fosdick。 But II want Madeline andand
I shall have her。〃
〃In spite of her parents； eh？〃
〃Yes。 。 。 。 I'm sorry to speak so； Mr。 Fosdick； but it is true。
Wewe love each other。 Wewe've agreed to wait for each other；
no matterno matter if it is years and years。 And as for the
money and all that； if you disinherit her； oror whatever it is
they dowe don't care。 II hope you will。 Ishe〃
Captain Zelotes' voice broke in upon the impassioned outburst。
〃Steady； Al； steady； son；〃 he cautioned quietly。 〃I cal'late
you've said enough。 I don't think any more's necessary。 You'd
better go back to your desk now。〃
〃But； Grandfather； I want him to understand〃
〃I guess likely he does。 I should say you'd made it real plain。
Go now； Al。〃
Albert turned； but； with a shaking hand upon the doorknob； turned
back again。
〃I'mII'm sorry； Mr。 Fosdick；〃 he faltered。 〃II didn't mean
to say anything to hurt your feelings。 Butbut； you see；
Madelineshe and Iwe〃
He could not go on。 Fosdick's nod and answer were not unkindly。
〃All right； Speranza；〃 he said； 〃I'm not offended。 Hope I wasn't
too blunt； myself。 Good…day。〃
When the door had closed behind the young man he turned to Captain
Lote。
〃Sorry if I offended you； Snow；〃 he observed。 〃I threw in that
hint about marrying just to see what effect it would have； that's
all。〃
〃Um…hm。 So I judged。 Well； you saw； didn't you？〃
〃I did。 Say； Captain； except as a prospective son…in…law； and then
only because I don't see him in that lightI rather like that
grandson of yours。 He's a fine； upstanding young chap。〃
The captain made no reply。 He merely pulled at his beard。
However； he did not look displeased。
〃He's a handsome specimen； isn't he？〃 went on Fosdick。 〃No wonder
Madeline fell for his looks。 Those and the poetry together are a
combination hard to resistat her age。 And he's a gentleman。 He
handled himself mighty well while I was stringing him just now。〃
The beard tugging continued。 〃Um…hm；〃 observed Captain Zelotes
dryly； 〃he does pretty well for aSouth Harniss gentleman。 But
we're kind of wastin' time； ain't we； Mr。 Fosdick？ In spite of his
looks and his manners and all the rest； now that you've seen him
you still object to that engagement； I take it。〃
〃Why； yes； I do。 The boy is all right； I'm sure； but〃
〃Sartin； I understand。 I feel the same way about your girl。 She's
all right； I'm sure； but〃
〃We're agreed on everything； includin' the 'but。' And the 'but' is
that New York is one place and South Harniss is another。〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃So we don't want 'em to marry。 Fine。 First rate！ Only now we
come to the most important 'but' of all。 What are we going to do
about it？ Suppose we say no and they say yes and keep on sayin'
it？ Suppose they decide to get married no matter what we say。 How
are we goin' to stop it？〃
His visitor regarded him for a moment and then broke into a hearty
laugh。
〃Snow；〃 he declared； 〃you're all right。 You surely have the
faculty of putting your finger on the weak spots。 Of course we
can't stop it。 If these two young idiots have a mind to marry and
keep that mind； they WILL marry and we can't prevent it any more
than we could prevent the tide coming in to…morrow morning。 _I_
realized that this was a sort of fool's errand； my coming down
here。 I know that this isn't the age when parents can forbid
marriages and get away with it； as they used to on the stage in the
old plays。 Boys and girls nowadays have a way of going their own
gait in such matters。 But my wife doesn't see it in exactly that
way； and she was so insistent on my coming down here to stop the
thing if I could thatwell； I came。〃
〃I'm glad you did； Mr。 Fosdick； real glad。 And； although I agree
with you that the very worst thing to do； if we want to stop this
team from pullin' together； is to haul back on the bits and holler
'Whoa；' still I'm kind of hopeful that； maybe 。 。 。 humph！ I
declare； it looks as if I'd have to tell you another story。 I'm
gettin' as bad as Cap'n Hannibal Doane used to be； and they used to
call him 'The Rope Walk' 'cause he spun so many yarns。〃
Fosdick laughed again。 〃You may go as far as you like with your
stories； Captain；〃 he said。 〃I can grow fat on them。〃
〃Thanks。 Well； this ain't a story exactly； it just kind of makes
the point I'm tryin' to get at。 Calv