the portygee-第12章
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or Chicago or elsewhere。 He felt almost a pitying condescension
toward this provincial grandparent who seemed to think his little
piles of 〃two by fours〃 so important。
It was much the same； perhaps a little worse； when they entered the
hardware shop and the office。 The rows and rows of little drawers
and boxes； each with samples of its contentsscrews； or bolts； or
hooks； or knobsaffixed to its front； were even more boring than
the lumber piles。 There was a countryfied； middle…aged person in
overalls sweeping out the shop and Captain Zelotes introduced him。
〃Albert；〃 he said； 〃this is Mr。 Issachar Price； who works around
the place here。 Issy； let me make you acquainted with my grandson；
Albert。〃
Mr。 Price； looking over his spectacles； extended a horny hand and
observed： 〃Yus； yus。 Pleased to meet you； Albert。 I've heard
tell of you。〃
Albert's private appraisal of 〃Issy〃 was that the latter was
another funny Rube。 Whatever Issy's estimate of his employer's
grandson might have been； he； also； kept it to himself。
Captain Zelotes looked about the shop and glanced into the office。
〃Humph！〃 he grunted。 〃No sign or symptoms of Laban this mornin'； I
presume likely？〃
Issachar went on with his sweeping。
〃Nary one；〃 was his laconic reply。
〃Humph！ Heard anything about him？〃
Mr。 Price moistened his broom in a bucket of water。 〃I see Tim
Kelley on my way down street；〃 he said。 〃Tim said he run afoul of
Laban along about ten last night。 Said he cal'lated Labe was on
his way。 He was singin' 'Hyannis on the Cape' and so Tim figgered
he'd got a pretty fair start already。〃
The captain shook his head。 〃Tut； tut； tut！〃 he muttered。 〃Well；
that means I'll have to do office work for the next week or so。
Humph！ I declare it's too bad just now when I was countin' on him
to〃 He did not finish the sentence； but instead turned to his
grandson and said： 〃Al； why don't you look around the hardware
store here while I open the mail and the safe。 If there's anything
you see you don't understand Issy'll tell you about it。〃
He went into the office。 Albert sauntered listlessly to the window
and looked out。 So far as not understanding anything in the shop
was concerned he was quite willing to remain in ignorance。 It did
not interest him in the least。 A moment later he felt a touch on
his elbow。 He turned； to find Mr。 Price standing beside him。
〃I'm all ready to tell you about it now；〃 volunteered the unsmiling
Issy。 〃Sweepin's all finished up。〃
Albert was amused。 〃I guess I can get along；〃 he said。
〃Don't worry。〃
〃_I_ ain't worried none。 I don't believe in worryin'； worryin'
don't do folks no good； the way I look at it。 But long's Cap'n
Lote wants me to tell you about the hardware I'd ruther do it now；
than any time。 Henry Cahoon's team'll be here for a load of lath
in about ten minutes or so； and then I'll have to leave you。 This
here's the shelf where we keep the buttshinges； you understand。
Brass along here； and iron here。 Got quite a stock； ain't we。〃
He took the visitor's arm in his mighty paw and led him from
shelves to drawers and from drawers to boxes； talking all the time；
so the boy thought； 〃like a catalogue。〃 Albert tried gently to
break away several times and yawned often； but yawns and hints were
quite lost on his guide； who was intent only upon the businessand
victimin hand。 At the window looking across toward the main road
Albert paused longest。 There was a girl in sightshe looked； at
that distance； as if she might be a rather pretty girland the
young man was languidly interested。 He had recently made the
discovery that pretty girls may be quite interesting； and； moreover；
one or two of them whom he had met at the school danceswhen the
young ladies from the Misses Bradshaws' seminary had come over； duly
guarded and chaperoned； to one…step and fox…trot with the young
gentlemen of the schoolone or two of these young ladies had
intimated a certain interest in him。 So the feminine possibility
across the road attracted his noticeonly slightly； of course； the
sophisticated metropolitan notice is not easily arousedbut still；
slightly。
〃Come on； come on；〃 urged Issachar Price。 〃I ain't begun to show
ye the whole of it yet 。 。 。 Eh？ Oh； Lord； there comes Cahoon's
team now！ Well； I got to go。 Show you the rest some other time。
So long 。 。 。 Eh？ Cap'n Lote's callin' you； ain't he？〃
Albert went into the office in response to his grandfather's call
to find the latter seated at an old…fashioned roll…top desk； piled
with papers。
〃I've got to go down to the bank； Al；〃 he said。 〃Some business
about a note that Laban ought to be here to see to； but ain't。
I'll be back pretty soon。 You just stay here and wait for me。 You
might be lookin' over the books； if you want to。 I took 'em out of
the safe and they're on Labe's desk there；〃 pointing to the high
standing desk by the window。 〃They're worth lookin' at； if only to
see how neat they're kept。 A set of books like that is an example
to any young man。 You might be lookin' 'em over。〃
He hurried out。 Albert smiled condescendingly and； instead of
looking over Mr。 Keeler's books； walked over to the window and
looked out of that。 The girl was not in sight now； but she might
be soon。 At any rate watching for her was as exciting as any
amusement he could think of about that dull hole。 Ah hum！ he
wondered how the fellows were at school。
The girl did not reappear。 Signs of animation along the main road
were limited。 One or two men went by； then a group of children
obviously on their way to school。 Albert yawned again； took the
silver cigarette case from his pocket and looked longingly at its
contents。 He wondered what his grandfather's ideas might be on the
tobacco question。 But his grandfather was not there then 。 。 。
and he might not return for some time 。 。 。 and 。 。 。 He took a
cigarette from the case； tapped； with careful carelessness； its end
upon the casehe would not have dreamed of smoking without first
going through the tapping processlighted the cigarette and blew a
large and satisfying cloud。 Between puffs he sang：
〃To you； beautiful lady；
I raise my eyes。
My heart； beautiful lady；
To your heart cries：
Come； come； beautiful lady；
To Par…a…dise；
As the sweet； sweet'〃
Some one behind him said： 〃Excuse me。〃 The appeal to the
beautiful lady broke off in the middle； and he whirled about to
find the girl whom he had seen across the road and for whose
reappearance he had been watching at the window； standing in the
office doorway。 He looked at her and she looked at him。 He was
embarrassed。 She did not seem to be。
〃Excuse me；〃 she said： 〃Is Mr。 Keeler here？〃
She was a pretty girl； so his hasty estimate made when he had first
sighted her was correct。 Her hair was dark； so were her eyes； and
her cheeks were becomingly colored by the chill of the winter air。
She was a country girl； her hat and coat proved that； not that they
were in bad taste or unbecoming； but they were simple and their
style perhaps nearer to that which the young ladies of the Misses
Bradshaws' seminary had worn the previous winter。 All this Albert
noticed in detail later on。 Just then the particular point which
attracted his embarrassed attention was the look in the dark eyes。
They seemed to have almost the same disturbing quality which he had
noticed in his grandfather's gray ones。 Her mouth was very proper
and grave； but her eyes looked as if she were laughing at him。
Now to be laughed at by an attractive young lady is disturbing and
unpleasant。 It is particularly so when the laughter is from the
provinces and the laugheeso to speaka dignified and sophisticated
city man。 Albert summoned the said dignity and sophistication to
his rescue； knocked the ashes from his cigarette and said； haughtily：
〃I beg your pardon？〃
〃Is Mr。 Keeler here？〃 repeated the girl。
〃No； he is out。〃
〃Will he be back soon； do you think？〃
Recollections of Mr。 Price's recent remark concerning the missing
bookkeeper's 〃good start〃 came to Albert's mind and he smiled；
slightly。 〃I
