the portygee-第13章

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bookkeeper's　〃good　start〃　came　to　Albert's　mind　and　he　smiled；
slightly。　　〃I　should　say　not；〃　he　observed；　with　delicate　irony。

〃Is　IssyI　mean　Mr。　Price；　busy？〃

〃He's　out　in　the　yard　there　somewhere；　I　believe。　　Would　you　like
to　have　me　call　him？〃

〃Why；　yesif　you　pleasesir。〃

The　〃sir〃　was　flattering；　if　it　was　sincere。　　He　glanced　at　her。
The　expression　of　the　mouth　was　as　grave　as　ever；　but　he　was　still
uncertain　about　those　eyes。　　However；　he　was　disposed　to　give　her
the　benefit　of　the　doubt；　so；　stepping　to　the　side　door　of　the
officethat　leading　to　the　yardshe　opened　it　and　shouted：
〃Price！　。　。　。　　Hey；　Price！〃

There　was　no　answer；　although　he　could　hear　Issachar's　voice　and
another　above　the　rattle　of　lath　bundles。

〃Price！〃　he　shouted；　again。　　〃Pri…i…ce！〃

The　rattling　ceased。　　Then；　in　the　middle　distance；　above　a　pile　of
〃two　by　fours；〃　appeared　Issachar's　head；　the　features　agitated　and
the　forehead　bedewed　with　the　moisture　of　honest　toil。

〃Huh？〃　yelled　Issy。　　〃What's　the　matter？　　Be　you　hollerin'　to　me？〃

〃Yes。　　There's　some　one　here　wants　to　see　you。〃

〃Hey？〃

〃I　say　there's　some　one　here　who　wants　to　see　you。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃Well；　find　out；　can't　ye？　　I'm　busy。〃

Was　that　a　laugh　which　Albert　heard　behind　him？　　He　turned　around；
but　the　young　lady's　face　wore　the　same　grave；　even　demure；
expression。

〃What　do　you　want　to　see　him　for？〃　he　asked。

〃I　wanted　to　buy　something。〃

〃She　wants　to　buy　something；〃　repeated　Albert；　shouting。

〃Hey？〃

〃She　wants　toBUYsomething。〃　　It　was　humiliating　to　have　to
scream　in　this　way。

〃Buy？　　Buy　what？〃

〃What　do　you　want　to　buy？〃

〃A　hook；　that's　all。　　A　hook　for　our　kitchen　door。　　Would　you　mind
asking　him　to　hurry？　　I　haven't　much　time。〃

〃She　wants　a　hook。〃

〃Eh？　　We　don't　keep　books。　　What　kind　of　a　book？〃

〃Not　bookHOOK。　　H…O…O…K！　　Oh；　great　Scott！　　Hook！　　HOOK！　　Hook　for
a　door！　　And　she　wants　you　to　hurry。〃

〃Eh？　　Well；　I　can't　hurry　now　for　nobody。　　I　got　to　load　these
laths　and　that's　all　there　is　to　it。　　Can't　you　wait　on　him？〃
Evidently　the　customer's　sex　had　not　yet　been　made　clear　to　the
Price　understanding。　　〃You　can　get　a　hook　for　him；　can't　ye？　　You
know　where　they　be；　I　showed　ye。　　Ain't　forgot　so　soon；　'tain't
likely。〃

The　head　disappeared　behind　the　〃two　by　fours。〃　　Its　face　was　red；
but　no　redder　than　Mr。　Speranza's　at　that　moment。

〃Fool　rube！〃　he　snorted；　disgustedly。

〃Excuse　me；　but　you've　dropped　your　cigarette；〃　observed　the　young
lady。

Albert　savagely　slammed　down　the　window　and　turned　away。　　The
dropped　cigarette　stump　lay　where　it　had　fallen；　smudging　and
smelling。

His　caller　looked　at　it　and　then　at　him。

〃I'd　pick　it　up；　if　I　were　you；〃　she　said。　　〃Cap'n　Snow　HATES
cigarettes。〃

Albert；　his　dignity　and　indignation　forgotten；　returned　her　look
with　one　of　anxiety。

〃Does　he；　honest？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes。　　He　hates　them　worse　than　anything。〃

The　cigarette　stump　was　hastily　picked　up　by　its　owner。

〃Where'll　I　put　it？〃　he　asked；　hurriedly。

〃Why　don't　you　　Oh；　don't　put　it　in　your　pocket！　　It　will　set　you
on　fire。　　Put　it　in　the　stove；　quick。〃

Into　the　stove　it　went；　all　but　its　fragrance；　which　lingered。

〃Do　you　think　you　COULD　find　me　that　hook？〃　asked　the　girl。

〃I'll　try。　　_I_　don't　know　anything　about　the　confounded　things。〃

〃Oh！〃　innocently。　　〃Don't　you？〃

〃No；　of　course　I　don't。　　Why　should　I？〃

〃Aren't　you　working　here？〃

〃Here？　　Work　HERE？　　ME？　　Well；　IshouldsayNOT！〃

〃Oh；　excuse　me。　　I　thought　you　must　be　a　new　bookkeeper；　oror　a
new　partner；　or　something。〃

Albert　regarded　her　intently　and　suspiciously　for　some　seconds
before　making　another　remark。　　She　was　as　demurely　grave　as　ever；
but　his　suspicions　were　again　aroused。　　However；　she　WAS　pretty；
there　could　be　no　doubt　about　that。

〃Maybe　I　can　find　the　hook　for　you；〃　he　said。　　〃I　can　try；　anyway。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you　ever　so　much；〃　gratefully。　　〃It's　VERY　kind　of　you
to　take　so　much　trouble。〃

〃Oh；〃　airily；　〃that's　all　right。　　Come　on；　perhaps　we　can　find　it
together。〃

They　were　still　looking　when　Mr。　Price　came　panting　in。

〃Whew！〃　he　observed；　with　emphasis。　　〃If　anybody　tells　you　heavin'
bundles　of　laths　aboard　a　truck…wagon　ain't　hard　work　you　tell　him
for　me　he's　a　liar；　will　ye。　　Whew！　　And　I　had　to　do　the　heft　of
everything；　'cause　Cahoon　sent　that　one…armed　nephew　of　his　to
drive　the　team。　　A　healthy　lot　of　good　a　one…armed　man　is　to　help
heave　lumber！　　I　says　to　him；　says　I：　　'What　in　time　did'　　Eh？
Why；　hello；　Helen！　　Good　mornin'。　　Land　sakes！　you're　out　airly；
ain't　ye？〃

The　young　lady　nodded。　　〃Good　morning；　Issachar；〃　she　said。　　〃Yes；
I　am　pretty　early　and　I'm　in　a　dreadful　hurry。　　The　wind　blew　our
kitchen　door　back　against　the　house　last　night　and　broke　the　hook。
I　promised　Father　I　would　run　over　here　and　get　him　a　new　one　and
bring　it　back　to　him　before　I　went　to　school。　　And　it's　quarter　to
nine　now。〃

〃Land　sakes；　so　'tis！　　Ain'tererwhat's…his…nameAlbert　here；
found　it　for　you　yet？　　He　ain't　no　kind　of　a　hand　to　find　things；
is　he？　　We'll　have　to　larn　him　better'n　that。　　Yes　indeed！〃

Albert　laughed；　sarcastically。　　He　was　about　to　make　a　satisfyingly
crushing　reproof　to　this　piece　of　impertinence　when　Mr。　Price　began
to　sniff　the　air。

〃What　in　tunket？〃　he　demanded。　　〃Sn'f！　　Sn'f！　　Who's　been　smokin'
in　here？　　And　cigarettes；　too；　by　crimus！　　Sn'f！　　Sn'f！　　Yes；　sir；
cigarettes；　by　crimustee！　　Who's　been　smokin'　cigarettes　in　here？
If　Cap'n　Lote　knew　anybody'd　smoked　a　cigarette　in　here　I　don't
know's　he　wouldn't　kill　'em。　　Who　done　it？〃

Albert　shivered。　　The　girl　with　the　dark　blue　eyes　flashed　a　quick
glance　at　him。　　〃I　think　perhaps　someone　went　by　the　window　when　it
was　open　just　now；〃　she　suggested。　　〃Perhaps　they　were　smoking　and
the　smoke　blew　in。〃

〃Eh？　　Well；　maybe　so。　　Must　have　been　a　mighty　rank　cigarette　to
smell　up　the　whole　premises　like　this　just　goin'　past　a　window。
Whew！　　Gosh！　no　wonder　they　say　them　things　are　rank　pison。　　I'd
sooner　smoke　skunk…cabbage　myself；　'twouldn't　smell　no　worse　and
'twould　be　a　dum　sight　safer。　　Whew！　。　。　。　　Well；　Helen；　there's
about　the　kind　of　hook　I　cal'late　you　need。　　Fifteen　cents　'll　let
you　out　on　that。　　Cheap　enough　for　half　the　money；　eh？　　Give　my
respects　to　your　pa；　will　ye。　　Tell　him　that　sermon　he　preached
last　Sunday　was　fine；　but　I'd　like　it　better　if　he'd　laid　it　on　to
the　Univer'lists　a　little　harder。　　Folks　that　don't　believe　in　hell
don't　deserve　no　consideration；　'cordin'　to　my　notion。　　So　long；
Helen　。　。　。　　Oh　say；〃　he　added；　as　an　afterthought；　〃I　guess　you
and　Albert　ain't　been　introduced；　have　ye？　　Albert；　this　is　Helen
Kendall；　she's　our　Orthodox　minister's　daughter。　　Helen；　this　young
feller　is　Alberterer　　Consarn　it；　I've　asked　Cap'n　Lote　that
name　a　dozen　times　if　I　have　once！　　What　is　it；　anyway？〃

〃Speranza；〃　replied　the　owner　of　the　name。

〃That's　it；　Sperandy。　　This　is　Albert　Sperandy；　Cap'n　Lote's
grandson。〃

Albert　and　Miss　Kendall　shook　hands。

〃Thanks；〃　said　the　former；　gratefully　and　significantly。

The　young　lady　smiled。

〃Oh；　you're　welcome；〃　she　said。　　I　knew　who　you　were　all　the　time
or　I　guessed　who　you　must　be。　　Cap'n　Snow　told　me　you　were　coming。〃

She　went　out。　　Issachar；　staring　after　her；　chuckled　admiringly。
〃Smartest　girl　in　THIS　town；〃　he　observed；　with　emphasis。　　〃Head　of
her　class　up　to　high　school　and　only　sixteen　and　three…quarters　at
that。〃

Captain　Zelotes　came　bustling　in　a　few　minutes　later。　　He　went　to
his　desk；　paying　little　attention　to　his　grandson。　　The　latter
loitered　idly　up　and　down　the　office　and　hardware　shop；　watching
Issachar　wait　on　customers　or　rush　shouting　into　the　yard　to　attend
to　the　wants　of　others　there。　　Plainly　this　was　Issachar's　busy
day。

〃Crimus！〃　he　exclaimed；　returning　from　one　such　excursion　and
mopping　his　forehead。　　〃This　doin'　two　men's　work　ain't　no　fun。
Every　time　Labe　goes　on　a　time　seem's　if　trade　was　brisker'n　it's
been　for　a　month。　　Seems　as　if　all　creation　and　part　of　East
Harniss　had　been　hangin'　back　waitin'　till　he　had　a　shade　on　'fore
they　come　to　trade。　　Makes　a　feller　feel　like　votin'　th