persuasions to his。 But； when she found Jane obdurate； Mrs。 Snow
might have surrendered。 Not her husband； however。 Instead he
conceived a brilliant idea。 He was about to start on a voyage to
Rio Janeiro； he would take his wife and daughter with him。 Under
their immediate observation and far removed from the influence of
〃that Portygee；〃 Jane would be in no danger and might forget。
Jane made no remonstrance。 She went to Rio and returned。 She was
always calm； outwardly pleasant and quiet； never mentioned her
lover unless in answer to a question； but she never once varied
from her determination not to give him up。 The Snows remained at
home for a month。 Then Zelotes； Jane accompanying him； sailed from
Boston to Savannah。 Olive did not go with them； she hated the sea
and by this time both she and her husband were somewhat reassured。
So far as they could learn by watchful observation of their
daughter； the latter had not communicated with Speranza nor
received communications from him。 If she had not forgotten him it
seemed likely that he had forgotten her。 The thought made the
captain furiously angry； but it comforted him； too。
During the voyage to Savannah this sense of comfort became
stronger。 Jane seemed in better spirits。 She was always obedient；
but now she began to seem almost cheerful； to speak； and even laugh
occasionally just as she used to。 Captain Zelotes patted himself
on the back； figuratively。 His scheme had been a good one。
And in Savannah； one afternoon； Jane managed to elude her father's
observation； to leave the schooner and to disappear completely。
And that night came a letter。 She and Miguel Carlos Speranza had
been in correspondence all the time； how or through whose
connivance is a mystery never disclosed。 He had come to Savannah；
in accordance with mutual arrangement； they had met； were married；
and had gone away together。
〃I love you； Father；〃 Jane wrote in the letter。 〃I love you and
Mother so very； VERY much。 Oh； PLEASE believe that！ But I love
him； too。 And I could not give him up。 You will see why when you
know him； really know him。 If it were not for you I should be SO
happy。 I know you can't forgive me now； but some day I am sure you
will forgive us both。〃
Captain Zelotes was far； far from forgiveness as he read that
letter。 His first mate； who was beside him when he opened and read
it； was actually frightened when he saw the look on the skipper's
face。 〃He went white；〃 said the mate； 〃not pale； but white； same
as a dead man； oror the underside of a flatfish； or somethin'。
'For the Lord sakes； Cap'n；' says I； 'what's the matter？' He never
answered me； stood starin' at the letter。 Then he looked up； not
at me； but as if somebody else was standin' there on t'other side
of the cabin table。 'Forgive him！' he says； kind of slow and under
his breath。 'I won't forgive his black soul in hell。' When I
heard him say it I give you my word my hair riz under my cap。 If
ever there was killin' in a man's voice and in his looks 'twas in
Cap'n Lote's that night。 When I asked him again what was the
matter he didn't answer any more than he had the first time。 A few
minutes afterwards he went into his stateroom and shut the door。 I
didn't see him again until the next mornin'。〃
Captain Zelotes made no attempt to follow the runaway couple。 He
did take pains to ascertain that they were legally married； but
that was all。 He left his schooner in charge of the mate at
Savannah and journeyed north to South Harniss and his wife。 A week
he remained at home with her； then returned to the Olive S。 and
took up his command and its duties as if nothing had happened。 But
what had happened changed his whole life。 He became more taciturn；
a trifle less charitable； a little harder and more worldly。 Before
the catastrophe he had been interested in business success and the
making of money chiefly because of his plans for his daughter's
future。 Now he worked even harder because it helped him to forget。
He became sole owner of the Olive S。； then of other schooners。
People spoke of him as one destined to become a wealthy man。
Jane lived only a few years after her marriage。 She died at the
birth of her second child； who died with her。 Her first； a boy；
was born a year after the elopement。 She wrote her mother to tell
that news and Olive answered the letter。 She begged permission of
her husband to invite Jane and the baby to visit the old home。 At
first Zelotes said no； flatly； the girl had made her bed； let her
lie in it。 But a year later he had so far relented as to give
reluctant consent for Jane and the child to come； provided her
condemned husband did not accompany them。 〃If that low…lived
Portygee sets foot on my premises； so help me God； I'll kill him！〃
declared the captain。 In his vernacular all foreigners were
〃Portygees。〃
But Jane was as proud and stubborn as he。 Where her husband was
not welcome she would not go。 And a little later she had gone on
the longest of all journeys。 Speranza did not notify her parents
except to send a clipped newspaper account of her death and burial；
which arrived a week after the latter had taken place。 The news
prostrated Olive； who was ill for a month。 Captain Zelotes bore
it； as he had borne the other great shock； with outward calm and
quiet。 Yet a year afterward he suddenly announced his determination
of giving up the sea and his prosperous and growing shipping
business and of spending the rest of his days on the Cape。
Olive was delighted； of course。 Richesthat is； more than a
comfortable competencyhad no temptations for her。 The old house；
home of three generations of Snows； was painted； repaired and； to
some extent； modernized。 For another year Captain Zelotes
〃loafed；〃 as he called it； although others might have considered
his activities about the place anything but that。 At the end of
that year he surprised every one by buying from the heirs of the
estate the business equipment of the late Eben Raymond； hardware
dealer and lumber merchant of South Harniss； said equipment
comprising an office； a store and lumber yards near the railway
station。 〃Got to have somethin' to keep me from gettin'
barnacled；〃 declared Captain Lote。 〃There's enough old hulks
rottin' at their moorin's down here as 'tis。 I don't know anything
about lumber and half as much about hardware； but I cal'late I can
learn。〃 As an aid in the learning process he retained as
bookkeeper Laban Keeler； who had acted in that capacity for the
former proprietor。
The years slipped away； a dozen of them； as smoothly and lazily as
South Harniss years have always slipped。 Captain Zelotes was past
sixty now； but as vigorous as when forty； stubborn as ever； fond of
using quarter…deck methods on shore and especially in town…meeting；
and very often in trouble in consequence。 He was a member of the
Board of Selectmen and was in the habit of characterizing those
whose opinions differed from his as 〃narrow…minded。〃 They retorted
by accusing him of being 〃pig…headed。〃 There was some truth on
both sides。 His detest of foreigners had not abated in the least。
And then； in this December of the year 1910； fell as from a clear
sky the legacy of a grandson。 From Senor Miguel Carlos Speranza
the Snows had had no direct word； had received nothing save the
newspaper clipping already mentioned。 Olive had never seen him；
her husband had seen him only on the occasion of the memorable
interview in the hotel room。 They never spoke of him； never
mentioned him to each other。 Occasionally； in the Boston
newspapers； his likeness in costume had appeared amid the music
notes or theatrical jottings。 But these had not been as numerous
of late。 Of his son； their own daughter's child； they knew
nothing； he might be alive or he might be dead。 Sometimes Olive
found herself speculating concerning him； wondering if he was
alive； and if he resembled Jane。 But she put the speculation from
her thoughts； she could not bear to bring back memories of the old
hopes and their bitter ending。 Sometimes Captain Lote at his desk
in the office of 〃Z。 Snow & Co。； Lumber and Builders' Hardware；〃
caught himself dreaming of his idolized daughter and thinking how
different the future might have been for him had she married a
〃white man；〃 the kind of man he had meant for her to marry。 There
might be grandchildren growing up now； fine boys and girls； to
visit the old home at South Harniss。 〃Ah hum！ Well！ 。 。 。 Labe；
how long has this bill of Abner Parker's been hangin' on？ For
thunder sakes； why don't he pay up？ He must think we're runnin' a
meetin'…house Christmas tree。〃
The letter from the lawyer had come first。 It was written in New
York； was addressed to 〃Captain Lotus Snow；〃 and began by taking
for granted the fact that the recipient knew all about matters of
which he knew nothing。 Speranza was dead； so much was plain； and
the inference was that he had been fatally injured in an automobile
accident； 〃particulars of which you have of course read in the
papers。〃 Neither Captain Lote nor his wife had read anything of
the kind in the papers。 The captain had been very busy of late and
had read little except political news； and Mrs。 Snow never read of
murders and accidents； their details at least。 She looked up from
the letter； which her husband had hastened home from the office to
bring her； with a startled face。
〃Oh； Zelotes；〃 she cried； 〃he's dead！〃
The captain nodded。
〃Seems so；〃 he said。 〃That part's plain enough； but go on。 The
rest of it is what I can't get a hand…hold on。 See what you make
of the rest of it； Olive。〃
The rest of it was to the effect that the writer； being Mr。
Speranza's business adviser； 〃that is to say； as much or more so
than any one else；〃 had been called in at the time of the accident；
had conferred with the injured man； and had learned his last
wishes。 〃He expressed himself coherently concerning his son；〃 went
on the letter； 〃and it is in regard to that son that I am asking an
interview with you。 I should have written sooner； but have been
engaged with matters pertaining to Mr。 Speranza's estate and
personal