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 awaybut 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。
〃May I set down just a minute？〃 she asked。 〃I can generally talk
better settin'。〃
He pulled forward the ancient rocker with the rush seat。 The
cross…stitch 〃tidy〃 on the back was his mother's handiwork； she had
made it when she was fifteen。 Rachel sat down in the rocker。
〃Al〃 she began； still in the same mysterious whisper； 〃I know all
about it。〃
He looked at her。 〃All about what？〃 he asked。
〃About the trouble you and Cap'n Lote had this afternoon。 I know
you're plannin' to leave us all and go away somewheres and that he
told you to go； and all that。 I know what you've been doin' up
here to…night。 Fur's that goes；〃 she added； with a little catch in
her breath and a wave of her hand toward the open trunk and
suitcase upon the floor； 〃I wouldn't need to know； I could SEE。〃
Albert was surprised and confused。 He had supposed the whole
affair to be； so far； a secret between himself and his grandfather。
〃You know？〃 he stammered。 〃You How did you know？〃
〃Laban told me。 Labe came hurryin' over here just after supper and
told me the whole thing。 He's awful upset about it； Laban is。 He
thinks almost as much of you as he does of Cap'n Lote oror me；〃
with an apologetic little smile。
Albert was astonished and troubled。 〃How did Labe know about it？〃
he demanded。
〃He heard it all。 He couldn't help hearin'。〃
〃But he couldn't have heard。 The door to the private office was
shut。〃
〃Yes； but the window at the topthe transom one； you knowwas
wide open。 You and your grandpa never thought of that； I guess；
and Laban couldn't hop up off his stool and shut it without givin'
it away that he'd been hearin'。 So he had to just set and listen
and I know how he hated doin' that。 Laban Keeler ain't the
listenin' kind。 One thing about it all is a mercy；〃 she added；
fervently。 〃It's the Lord's own mercy that that Issy Price wasn't
where HE could hear it； too。 If Issy heard it you might as well
paint it up on the town…hall fence； all creation and his wife
wouldn't larn it any sooner。〃
Albert drew a long breath。 〃Well；〃 he said； after a moment； 〃I'm
sorry Labe heard； but I don't suppose it makes much difference。
Everyone will know all about it in a day or two 。 。 。 I'm going。〃
Rachel leaned forward。
〃No； you ain't； Al；〃 she said。
〃I'm not？ Indeed I am！ Why； what do you mean？〃
〃I mean just what I say。 You ain't goin'。 You're goin' to stay
right here。 At least I hope you are； and I THINK you are。 。 。 。
Oh； I know；〃 she added； quickly； 〃what you are goin' to say。
You're goin' to tell me that your grandpa is down on you on account
of your father； and that you don't like bookkeepin'； and that you
want to write poetry andand such。 You'll say all that； and maybe
it's all true； but whether 'tis or not ain't the point at all just
now。 The real point is that you're Janie Snow's son and your
grandpa's Cap'n Lote Snow and your grandma's Olive Snow and there
ain't goin' to be another smash…up in this family if I can help it。
I've been through one and one's enough。 Albert； didn't you promise
me that Sunday forenoon three years ago when I came into the
settin'…room and we got talkin' about books and Robert Penfold and
everythingdidn't you promise me then that when things between you
and your grandpa got kind ofof snarled up and full of knots you'd
come to me with 'em and we'd see if we couldn't straighten 'em out
together？ Didn't you promise me that； Albert？〃
Albert remembered the conversation to which she referred。 As he
remembered it； however； he had not made any definite promise。
〃You asked me to talk them over with you； Rachel；〃 he admitted。 〃I
think that's about as far as it went。〃
〃Well； maybe so； but now I ask you again。 Will you talk this over
with me； Albert？ Will you tell me every bit all about it； for my
sake？ And for your grandma's sake。 。 。 。 Yes； more'n that； for
your mother's sake； Albert； she was pretty nigh like my own sister；
Jane Snow was。 Different as night from day of course； she was
pretty and educated and all that and I was just the same then as I
am now； but we did think a lot of each other； Albert。 Tell me the
whole story； won't you； please。 Just what Cap'n Lote said and what
you said and what you plan to doand all？ Please； Albert。〃
There were tears in her eyes。 He had always liked her； but it was
a liking with a trace of condescension in it。 She was peculiar；
her 〃sympathetic attacks〃 were funny； and she and Laban together
were an odd pair。 Now he saw her in a new light and he felt a
sudden rush of real affection for her。 And with this feeling； and
inspired also by his loneliness； came the impulse to comply with
her request； to tell her all his troubles。
He began slowly at first； but as he went on the words came quicker。
She listened eagerly； nodding occasionally； but saying nothing。
When he had finished she nodded again。
〃I see；〃 she said。 〃'Twas almost what Laban said and about what he
and I expected。 Well； Albert； I ain't goin' to be the one to blame
you； not very much anyhow。 I don't see as you are to blame； you
can't help the way you're made。 But your grandfather can't help
bein' made his way； either。 He can't see with your spectacles and
you can't see with his。〃
He stirred rebelliously。 〃Then we had better go our own ways； I
should say；〃 he muttered。
〃No； you hadn't。 Th