engaged with matters pertaining to Mr。 Speranza's estate and
personal debts。 The latter seem to be large〃
〃I'LL bet you！〃 observed Captain Zelotes； sententiously；
interrupting his wife's reading by pointing to this sentence
with a big forefinger。
〃'And the estate's affairs much tangled；'〃 went on Olive； reading
aloud。 〃'It seems best that I should see you concerning the boy at
once。 I don't know whether or not you are aware that he is at
school in ； New York。 I am inclined to think that the estate
itself will scarcely warrant the expense of his remaining there。
Could you make it convenient to come to New York and see me at
once？ Or； if not； I shall be in Boston on Friday of next week and
can you meet me there？ It seems almost impossible for me to come
to you just now； and； of course； you will understand that I am
acting as a sort of temporary executor merely because Mr。 Speranza
was formerly my friend and not because I have any pecuniary
interest in the settlement of his affairs。
〃'Very truly yours；
〃'MARCUS W。 WEISSMANN。'〃
〃Weissman！ Another Portygee！〃 snorted Captain Lote。
〃Butbut what does it MEAN？〃 begged Mrs。 Snow。 〃Whywhy should
he want to see you； Zelotes？ And the boywhywhy； that's HER
boy。 It's Janie's boy he must mean； Zelotes。〃
Her husband nodded。
〃Hers and that blasted furriner's；〃 he muttered。 〃I suppose so。〃
〃Oh； DON'T speak that way； Zelotes！ Don't！ He's dead。〃
Captain Lote's lips tightened。 〃If he'd died twenty years ago
'twould have been better for all hands；〃 he growled。
〃Janie's boy！〃 repeated Olive slowly。 〃Whywhy； he must be a big
boy now。 Almost grown up。〃
Her husband did not speak。 He was pacing the floor； his hands in
his pockets。
〃And this man wants to see you about him；〃 said Olive。 Then； after
a moment； she added timidly： 〃Are you goin'； Zelotes？〃
〃Goin'？ Where？〃
〃To New York？ To see this lawyer man？〃
〃I？ Not by a jugful！ What in blazes should I go to see him for？〃
〃Wellwell； he wants you to； you know。 He wants to talk with you
about thethe boy。〃
〃Humph！〃
〃It's her boy； Zelotes。〃
〃Humph！ Young Portygee！〃
〃Don't； Zelotes！ Please！ 。 。 。 I know you can't forgive that
that man。 We can't either of us forgive him； but〃
The captain stopped in his stride。 〃Forgive him！〃 he repeated。
〃Mother； don't talk like a fool。 Didn't he take away the one thing
that I was workin' for； that I was plannin' for； that I was LIVIN'
for？ I〃
She interrupted； putting a hand on his sleeve。
〃Not the only thing； dear；〃 she said。 〃You had me； you know。〃
His expression changed。 He looked down at her and smiled。
〃That's right； old lady；〃 he admitted。 〃I had you； and thank the
Almighty for it。 Yes； I had you 。 。 。 But；〃 his anger returning；
〃when I think how that damned scamp stole our girl from us and then
neglected her and killed her〃
〃ZELOTES！ How you talk！ He DIDN'T kill her。 How can you！〃
〃Oh； I don't mean he murdered her； of course。 But I'll bet all
I've got that he made her miserable。 Look here； Mother； you and
she used to write back and forth once in a while。 In any one of
those letters did she ever say she was happy？〃
Mrs。 Snow's answer was somewhat equivocal。 〃She never said she was
unhappy；〃 she replied。 Her husband sniffed and resumed his pacing
up and down。
After a little Olive spoke again。
〃New York IS a good ways；〃 she said。 〃Maybe 'twould be better for
you to meet this lawyer man in Boston。 Don't you think so？〃
〃Bah！〃
Another interval。 Then： 〃Zelotes？〃
〃Yes；〃 impatiently。 〃What is it？〃
〃It's her boy； after all； isn't it？ Our grandson； yours and mine。
Don't you thinkdon't you think it's your duty to go； Zelotes？〃
Captain Lote stamped his foot。
〃For thunderation sakes； Olive； let up！〃 he commanded。 〃You ought
to know by this time that there's one thing I hate worse than doin'
my duty； that's bein' preached to about it。 Let up！ Don't you say
another word。〃
She did not； having learned much by years of experience。 He said
the next word on the subject himself。 At noon； when he came home
for dinner； he said； as they rose from the table： 〃Where's my
suitcase； up attic？〃
〃Why； yes； I guess likely 'tis。 Why？〃
Instead of answering he turned to the housekeeper； Mrs。 Ellis。
〃Rachel；〃 he said； 〃go up and get that case and fetch it down to
the bedroom； will you？ Hurry up！ Train leaves at half…past two
and it's 'most one now。〃
Both women stared at him。 Mrs。 Ellis spoke first。
〃Why； Cap'n Lote；〃 she cried； 〃be you goin' away？〃
Her employer's answer was crisp and very much to the point。 〃I am
if I can get that case time enough to pack it and make the train；〃
he observed。 〃If you stand here askin' questions I probably shall
stay to home。〃
The housekeeper made a hasty exit by way of the back stairs。 Mrs。
Snow still gazed wonderingly at her husband。
〃Zelotes；〃 she faltered； 〃are youare you〃
〃I'm goin' to New York on to…night's boat。 I've telegraphed that
that WeissWeisswhat…do…you…call…itthat Portygee lawyerthat
I'll be to his office to…morrow mornin'。〃
〃But； Zelotes； we haven't scarcely talked about it； you and I； at
all。 You might have waited till he came to Boston。 Why do you go
so SOON？〃
The captain's heavy brows drew together。
〃You went to the dentist's last Friday；〃 he said。 〃Why didn't you
wait till next week？〃
〃Whywhy； what a question！ My tooth ached and I wanted to have it
fixed quick as possible。〃
〃Um…m； yes。 Well； this tooth aches and I want it fixed or hauled
out； one or t'other。 I want the thing off my mind。 。 。 。 Don't
TALK to me？〃 he added； irritably。 〃I know I'm a fool。 And；〃 with
a peremptory wave of the hand； 〃don't you DARE say anything about
DUTY！〃
He was back again two days later。 His wife did not question him；
but waited for him to speak。 Those years of experience already
mentioned had taught her diplomacy。 He looked at her and pulled
his beard。 〃Well；〃 he observed； when they were alone together； 〃I
saw him。〃
〃Thethe boy？〃 eagerly。
〃No； no！ Course not！ The boy's at school somewhere up in New York
State； how could I see him！ I saw that lawyer and I found out
aboutabout the other scamp。 He was killed in an auto accident；
drunk at the time； I cal'late。 Nigh's I can gather he's been
drinkin' pretty heavy for the last six or seven years。 Always
lived high； same as his kind generally does； and spent money like
water； I judgebut goin' down hill fast lately。 His voice was
givin' out on him and he realized it； I presume likely。 Now he's
dead and left nothin' but trunks full of stage clothes and
photographs and；〃 contemptuously； 〃letters from fool women； and
debtsLord； yes！ debts enough。〃
〃But the boy； Zelotes。 Janie's boy？〃
〃He's been at this school place for pretty nigh ten years； so the
lawyer feller said。 That lawyer was a pretty decent chap； too； for
a furriner。 Seems he used to know thisSperanza rascalwhen
Speranza was younger and more decentif he ever was really decent；
which I doubt。 But this lawyer man was his friend then and about
the only one he really had when he was hurt。 There was plenty of
make…believe friends hangin' on； like pilot…fish to a shark； for
what they could get by spongin' on him； but real friends were
scarce。〃
〃And the boy〃
〃For the Lord sakes； Mother； don't keep sayin' 'The boy；' 'the
boy；' over and over again like a talkin' machine！ Let me finish
about the father first。 This Weiserthingamajigthe lawyer；
had quite a talk with Speranza afore he died； or while he was
dyin'； he only lived a few hours after the accident and was out of
his head part of that。 But he said enough to let Weisserer
Oh； why CAN'T I remember that Portygee's name？to let him know
that he'd like to have him settle up what was left of his affairs；
and to send word to us aboutabout the boy。 There！ I hope you
feel easier； Mother； I've got 'round to 'the boy' at last。〃
〃But why did he want word sent to us； Zelotes？ He never wrote a
line to us in his life。〃
〃You bet he didn't！〃 bitterly； 〃he knew better。 Why did he want
word sent now？ The answer to that's easy enough。 'Cause he wanted
to get somethin' out of us； that's the reason。 From what that
lawyer could gather； and from what he's found out since； there
ain't money enough for the boy to stay another six weeks at that
school； or anywhere else； unless the young feller earns it himself。
And； leavin' us out of the count； there isn't a relation this side
of the salt pond。 There's probably a million or so over there in
Portygee…land；〃 with a derisive sniff； 〃those foreigners breed like
flies。 But THEY don't count。〃
〃But did he want word sent to us about the〃
〃Sshh！ I'm tellin' you； Olive； I'm tellin' you。 He wanted word
sent because he was in hopes that weyou and I； Motherwould take
that son of his in at our house here and give him a home。 The
cheek of it！ After what he'd done to you and me； blast him！ The
solid brass nerve of it！〃
He stormed up and down the room。 His wife did not seem nearly so
much disturbed as he at the thought of the Speranza presumption。
She looked anxiousyes； but she looked eager； too； and her gaze
was fixed upon her husband's face。
〃Oh！〃 she said； softly。 〃Oh！ 。 。 。 Andand what did you say；
Zelotes？〃
〃What did I say？ What do you suppose I said？ I said no； and I
said it good and loud； too。〃
Olive made no comment。 She turned away her head； and the captain；
who now in his turn was watching her； saw a suspicious gleam； as of
moisture； on her cheek。 He stopped his pacing and laid a hand on
her shoulder。
〃There； there； Mother；〃 he said； gently。 〃Don't cry。 He's
comin'。〃
〃Comin'？〃 She turned pale。 〃Comin'？〃 she repeated。 〃Who？〃
〃That boy！ 。 。 。 Sshh！ shh！〃 impatiently。 〃Now don't go askin' me
questions or tellin' me what I just said I said。 I SAID the right
thing； but Well； hang it all； what else could I DO？ I wrote the
boyAlberta letter and I wrote the boss of the school another
one。 I sent a check along for expenses and Well； he'll be here
'most any day now； I shouldn't wonder。 And WHAT in the devil are
we goin' to do with him？〃
His wif