happiness。
Andthere was no use attempting to shun the facthis chief
feeling； as he sat there by the car window looking out at the
familiar landscape； was a great relief； a consciousness of escape
from what might have been a miserable； crushing mistake for him and
for her。 And with this a growing sense of freedom； of buoyancy。
It seemed wicked to feel like that。 Then it came to him； the
thought that Madeline； doubtless； was experiencing the same
feeling。 And he did not mind a bit； he hoped she was； bless her！
A youthful cigar 〃drummer；〃 on his first Down…East trip； sat down
beside him。
〃Kind of a flat； bare country； ain't it？〃 observed the drummer；
with a jerk of his head toward the window。 〃Looks bleak enough to
me。 Know anything about this neck of the woods； do you？〃
Albert turned to look at him。
〃Meaning the Cape？〃 he asked。
〃Sure。〃
〃Indeed I do。 I know all about it。〃
〃That so！ Say； you sound as if you liked it。〃
Albert turned back to the window again。
〃Like it！〃 he repeated。 〃I love it。〃 Then he sighed； a sigh of
satisfaction； and added： 〃You see； I BELONG here。〃
His grandparents and Rachel were surprised when he walked into the
house that noon and announced that he hoped dinner was ready；
because he was hungry。 But their surprise was more than balanced
by their joy。 Captain Zelotes demanded to know how long he was
going to stay。
〃As long as you'll have me； Grandfather；〃 was the answer。
〃Eh？ Well； that would be a consider'ble spell； if you left it to
us； but I cal'late that girl in New York will have somethin' to say
as to time limit； won't she？〃
Albert smiled。 〃I'll tell you about that by and by；〃 he said。
He did not tell them until that evening after supper。 It was
Friday evening and Olive was going to prayer…meeting； but she
delayed 〃putting on her things〃 to hear the tale。 The news that
the engagement was off and that her grandson was not； after all； to
wed the daughter of the Honorable Fletcher Fosdick； shocked and
grieved her not a little。
〃Oh； dear！〃 she sighed。 〃I suppose you know what's best； Albert；
and maybe； as you say； you wouldn't have been happy； but I DID feel
sort of proud to think my boy was goin' to marry a millionaire's
daughter。〃
Captain Zelotes made no commentthen。 He asked to be told more
particulars。 Albert described the life at the Fosdick home； the
receptions； his enforced exhibitions and readings。 At length the
recital reached the point of the interview in Fosdick's office。
〃So he offered you to take you into the firmeh； son？〃 he
observed。
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Humph！ Fosdick； Williamson and Hendricks are one of the biggest
brokerage houses goin'； so a good many New Yorkers have told me。〃
〃No doubt。 But； Grandfather； you've had some experience with me
as a business man； how do you think I would fit into a firm of
stockbrokers？〃
Captain Lote's eye twinkled； but he did not answer the question。
Instead he asked：
〃Just what did you give Fosdick as your reason for not sayin' yes？〃
Albert laughed。 〃Well； Grandfather；〃 he said； 〃I'll tell you。 I
said that I appreciated his kindness and all that； but that I would
not draw a big salary for doing nothing except to be a little；
damned tame house…poet led around in leash and shown off at his
wife's club meetings。〃
Mrs。 Snow uttered a faint scream。 〃Oh； Albert！〃 she exclaimed。
She might have said more； but a shout from her husband prevented
her doing so。
Captain Zelotes had risen and his mighty hand descended with a
stinging slap upon his grandson's shoulder。
〃Bully for you； boy！〃 he cried。 Then； turning to Olive； he added；
〃Mother； I've always kind of cal'lated that you had one man around
this house。 Now； by the Lord A'Mighty； I know you've got TWO！〃
Olive rose。 〃Well；〃 she declared emphatically； 〃that may be； but
if both those men are goin' to start in swearin' right here in the
sittin' room； I think it's high time SOMEBODY in that family went
to church。〃
So to prayer meeting she went； with Mrs。 Ellis as escort； and her
husband and grandson； seated in armchairs before the sitting room
stove； both smoking； talked and talked； of the past and of the
futurenot as man to boy； nor as grandparent to grandson； but for
the first time as equals； without reservations； as man to man。
CHAPTER XVIII
The next morning Albert met old Mr。 Kendall。 After breakfast
Captain Zelotes had gone； as usual； directly to the office。 His
grandson； however； had not accompanied him。
〃What are you cal'latin' to do this mornin'； Al？〃 inquired the
captain。
〃Oh； I don't know exactly； Grandfather。 I'm going to look about
the place a bit； write a letter to my publishers； and take a walk；
I think。 You will probably see me at the office pretty soon。 I'll
look in there by and by。〃
〃Ain't goin' to write one or two of those five hundred dollar
stories before dinner time； are you？〃
〃I guess not； sir。 I'm afraid they won't be written as quickly as
all that。〃
Captain Lote shook his head。 〃Godfreys！〃 he exclaimed； 〃it ain't
the writin' of 'em I'd worry about so much as the gettin' paid for
'em。 You're sure that editor man ain't crazy； you say？〃
〃I hope he isn't。 He seemed sane enough when I saw him。〃
〃Well； I don't know。 It's live and learn； I suppose； but if
anybody but you had told me that magazine folks paid as much as
five hundred dollars a piece for yarns made up out of a feller's
head without a word of truth in 'em； I'dwell； I should have told
the feller that told me to go to a doctor right off and have HIS
head examined。 Butwell； as 'tis I cal'late I'd better have my
own looked at。 So long； Al。 Come in to the office if you get a
chance。〃
He hurried out。 Albert walked to the window and watched the sturdy
figure swinging out of the yard。 He wondered if； should he live to
his grandfather's age； his step would be as firm and his shoulders
as square。
Olive laid a hand on his arm。
〃You don't mind his talkin' that way about your writin' those
stories； do you； Albert？〃 she asked； a trace of anxiety in her
tone。 〃He don't mean it； you know。 He don't understand itsays
he don't himselfbut he's awful proud of you； just the same。 Why；
last night； after you and he had finished talkin' and he came up to
bedand the land knows what time of night or mornin' THAT washe
woke me out of a sound sleep to tell me about that New York
magazine man givin' you a written order to write six stories for
his magazine at five hundred dollars a piece。 Zelotes couldn't
seem to get over it。 'Think of it； Mother；' he kept sayin'。
'Think of it！ Pretty nigh twice what I pay as good a man as Labe
Keeler for keepin' books a whole year。 And Al says he ought to do
a story every forni't。 I used to jaw his head off； tellin' him he
was on the road to starvation and all that。 Tut； tut； tut！
Mother； I've waited a long time to say it； but it looks as if you
married a fool。' 。 。 。 That's the way he talked； but he's a long
ways from bein' a fool； your grandfather is； Albert。〃
Albert nodded。 〃No one knows that better than I；〃 he said； with
emphasis。
〃There's one thing；〃 she went on； 〃that kind of troubled me。 He
said you was goin' to insist on payin' board here at home。 Now you
know this house is yours。 And we love to〃
He put his arm about her。 〃I know it； Grandmother；〃 he broke in；
quickly。 〃But that is all settled。 I am going to try to make my
own living in my own way。 I am going to write and see what I am
really worth。 I have my royalty money； you know； most of it； and I
have this order for the series of stories。 I can afford to pay for
my keep and I shall。 You see； as I told Grandfather last night； I
don't propose to live on his charity any more than on Mr。 Fosdick's。〃
She sighed。
〃So Zelotes said；〃 she admitted。 〃He told me no less than three
times that you said it。 It seemed to tickle him most to death； for
some reason； and that's queer； too； for he's anything but stingy。
But there； I suppose you can pay board if you want to； though who
you'll pay it to is another thing。 _I_ shan't take a cent from the
only grandson I've got in the world。〃
It was while on his stroll down to the village that Albert met Mr。
Kendall。 The reverend gentleman was plodding along carrying a
market basket from the end of which； beneath a fragment of
newspaper； the tail and rear third of a huge codfish drooped。 The
basket and its contents must have weighed at least twelve pounds
and the old minister was； as Captain Zelotes would have said；
making heavy weather of it。 Albert went to his assistance。
〃How do you do； Mr。 Kendall；〃 he said； 〃I'm afraid that basket is
rather heavy； isn't it。 Mayn't I help you with it？〃 Then； seeing
that the old gentleman did not recognize him； he added； 〃I am
Albert Speranza。〃
Down went the basket and the codfish and Mr。 Kendall seized him by
both hands。
〃Why； of course； of course；〃 he cried。 〃Of course； of course。
It's our young hero； isn't it。 Our poet； our happy warrior。 Yes；
yes； of course。 So glad to see you； Albert。 。 。 。 Er 。 。 。 er 。 。 。
How is your mother？〃
〃You mean my grandmother？ She is very well； thank you。〃
〃Yeseryes； your grandmother； of course。 。 。 。 Er 。 。 。 er。 。 。 。
Did you see my codfish？ Isn't it a magnificent one。 I am very
fond of codfish and we almost never have it at home。 So just now；
I happened to be passing Jonathan Howes'he is theerfishdealer；
you know； and 。 。 。 Jonathan is a very regular attendant at my
Sunday morning services。 He isis。 。 。 。 Dear me。 。 。 。 What
was I about to say？〃
Being switched back to the main track by Albert he explained that
he had seen a number of cod in Mr。 Howes' possession and had bought
this specimen。 Howes had lent him the basket。
〃And the newspaper；〃 he explained； adding； with triumph； 〃I shall
dine on codfish to…day； I am happy to say。〃 Judging by appearances
he might dine and sup and breakfast on codfish and still have a
supply remaining。 Albert insisted on carrying the spoil to the
parsonage。 He was doing nothing in particular and it would be a
pleasure； he said。 Mr。 Kendall protested for the first minute or
so but then forgot