the portygee-第49章

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of　him。　　I　haven't　done　anything　to　be　ashamed　of。〃

The　captain　nodded。　　〃If　you　had；　I　should　ASK　you　to　run　away；〃　he
said。　　〃As　it　is；　I　just　ask　you　to　step　out　and　wait　a　little
while；　that's　all。〃

〃But；　Grandfather；　I　WANT　to　see　him。〃

〃All　right；　I　want　you　tobut　not　until　he　and　I　have　talked
first。　　Come；　boy；　come！　　I've　lived　a　little　longer　than　you　have；
and　maybe　I　know　about　half　as　much　about　some　things。　　This　is　one
of　'em。　　You　clear　out　and　stand　by。　　I'll　call　you　when　I　want
you。〃

Albert　went；　but　reluctantly。　　After　he　had　gone　his　grandfather
walked　to　the　door　of　the　outer　office　and　opened　it。

〃Step　aboard；　Mr。　Fosdick；〃　he　said。　　〃Come　in；　sir。〃

Mr。　Fletcher　Fosdick　was　a　large　man；　portly；　and　with　a　head　which
was　rapidly　losing　its　thatch。　　His　smoot…shaven　face　was　ruddy　and
his　blue　eye　mild。　　He　entered　the　private　office　of　Z。　Snow　and
Co。　and　shook　the　hand　which　Captain　Zelotes　proffered。

〃How　do　you　do；　Captain　Snow？〃　he　asked　pleasantly。　　〃You　and　I
have　had　some　business　dealings；　but　we　have　never　met　before；　I
believe。〃

The　captain　waved　toward　a　chair。　　〃That's　a　fact；　Mr。　Fosdick；〃　he
said。　　〃I　don't　believe　we　ever　have；　but　it's　better　late　than　by
and　by；　as　the　feller　said。　　Sit　down；　sit　down；　Mr。　Fosdick。
Throw　off　your　coat；　won't　you？　　It's　sort　of　warm　in　here　compared
to　out　door。〃

The　visitor　admitted　the　difference　in　temperature　between　the
interior　and　exterior　of　the　building；　and　removed　his　overcoat。
Also　he　sat　down。　　Captain　Zelotes　opened　a　drawer　of　his　desk　and
produced　a　box　of　cigars。

〃Have　a　smoke；　won't　you？〃　he　inquired。

Mr。　Fosdick　glanced　at　the　label　on　the　box。

〃Whywhy；　I　was　rather　hoping　you　would　smoke　one　of　mine；〃　he
said。　　〃I　have　a　pocket　full。〃

〃When　I　come　callin'　on　you　at　your　place　in　New　York　I　will　smoke
yours。　　Now　it　kind　of　looks　to　me　as　if　you'd　ought　to　smoke　mine。
Seems　reasonable　when　you　think　it　over；　don't　it？〃

Fosdick　smiled。　　〃Perhaps　you're　right；〃　he　said。　　He　took　one　of
the　gaudily　banded　perfectos　from　his　host's　box　and　accepted　a
light　from　the　match　the　captain　held。　　Both　men　blew　a　cloud　of
smoke　and　through　those　clouds　each　looked　at　the　other。　　The
preliminaries　were　over；　but　neither　seemed　particularly　anxious
to　begin　the　real　conversation。　　It　was　the　visitor　who；　at　last；
began　it。

〃Captain　Snow；〃　he　said；　〃I　presume　your　clerk　told　you　I　wished　to
see　you　on　a　matter　of　business。〃

〃Who？　　Oh；　Labe；　you　mean？　　Yes；　he　told　me。〃

〃I　told　him　to　tell　you　that。　　It　may　surprise　you；　however；　to
learn　that　the　business　I　wished　to　see　you　aboutthat　I　came　on
from　New　York　to　see　you　abouthas　nothing　whatever　to　do　with　the
house　I'm　building　down　here。〃

Captain　Zelotes　removed　his　cigar　from　his　lips　and　looked
meditatively　at　its　burning　end。　　〃No…o；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃that
don't　surprise　me　very　much。　　I　cal'lated　'twasn't　about　the　house
you　wished　to　see　me。〃

〃Oh；　I　see！　。　。　。　　Humph！〃　　The　Fosdick　mild　blue　eye　lost；　for　the
moment；　just　a　trifle　of　its　mildness　and　became　almost　keen；　as
its　owner　flashed　a　glance　at　the　big　figure　seated　at　the　desk。
〃I　see；〃　said　Mr。　Fosdick。　　〃And　have　youerguessed　what　I　did
come　to　see　you　about？〃

〃No…o。　　I　wouldn't　call　it　guessin'；　exactly。〃

〃Wouldn't　you？　　What　would　you　call　it？〃

〃We…ll；　I　don't　know　but　I'd　risk　callin'　it　knowin'。　　Yes；　I　think
likely　I　would。〃

〃Oh；　I　see。　。　。　。　　Humph！　　Have　you　had　a　letteron　the　subject？〃

〃Ye…es。〃

〃I　see。　　From　Mrs。　Fosdick；　of　course。　　She　said　she　was　going　to
writeI'm　not　sure　she　didn't　say　she　had　written；　but　I　had　the
impression　it　was　towell；　to　another　member　of　your　family；
Captain　Snow。〃

〃No；　'twas　to　me。　　Come　this　mornin's　mail。〃

〃I　see。　　My　mistake。　　Well；　I'm　obliged　to　her　in　a　way。　　If　the
news　has　been　broken　to　you；　I　shan't　have　to　break　it　and　we　can
get　down　to　brass　tacks　just　so　much　sooner。　　The　surprise　being
overI　take　it；　it　WAS　a　surprise；　Captain？〃

〃You　take　it　right。　　Just　as　much　of　a　surprise　to　me　as　you。〃

〃Of　course。　　Well；　the　surprise　being　over　for　both　of　us；　we　can
talk　of　the　affaircalmly　and　coolly。　　What　do　you　think　about　it；
Captain？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know　as　I　know　exactly　what　to　think。　　What　do　YOU
think　about　it；　Mr。　Fosdick？〃

〃I　thinkI　imagine　I　think　very　much　as　you　do。〃

〃I　shouldn't　he　surprised。　　Anderwhat's　your　notion　of　what　I
think？〃

Captain　Zelotes'　gray　eye　twinkled　as　he　asked　the　question；　and
the　Fosdick　blue　eye　twinkled　in　return。　　Both　men　laughed。

〃We　aren't　getting　very　far　this　way；　Captain；〃　observed　the
visitor。　　〃There's　no　use　dodging；　I　suppose。　　I；　for　one；　am　not
very　well　pleased。　　Mrs。　Fosdick；　for　another；　isn't　pleased　at
all；　she　is　absolutely　and　entirely　opposed　to　the　whole　affair。
She　won't　hear　of　it；　that's　all；　and　she　said　so　much　that　I
thought　perhaps　I　had　better　come　down　here　at　once；　see　you；　and
and　the　young　fellow　with　the　queer　name〃

〃My　grandson。〃

〃Why　yes。　　He　is　your　grandson；　isn't　he？　　I　beg　your　pardon。〃

〃That's　all　right。　　I　shan't　fight　with　you　because　you　don't　like
his　name。　　Go　ahead。　　You　decided　to　come　and　see　himand　me？〃

〃Yes；　I　did。　　I　decided　to　come　because　it　has　been　my　experience
that　a　frank；　straight　talk　is　better；　in　cases　like　this；　than　a
hundred　letters。　　And　that　the　time　to　talk　was　now；　before　matters
between　the　young　foothe　young　people　went　any　further。　　Don't
you　agree　with　me？〃

Captain　Zelotes　nodded。

〃That　now　is　a　good　time　to　talk？　　Yes；　I　do；〃　he　said。

〃Good！　　Then　suppose　we　talk。〃

〃All　right。〃

There　was　another　interval　of　silence。　　Then　Fosdick　broke　it　with
a　chuckle。　　〃And　I'm　the　one　to　do　the　talking；　eh？〃　he　said。

Captain　Lote's　eye　twinkled。　　〃We…ll；　you　came　all　the　way　from　New
York　on　purpose；　you　know；〃　he　observed。　　Then　he　added：　　〃But
there；　Mr。　Fosdick；　I　don't　want　you　to　think　I　ain't　polite　or
won't　talk；　myself。　　I'll　do　my　share　when　the　time　comes。　　But　it
does　seem　to　me　that　you　ought　to　do　yours　first　as　it's　your
family　so　far　that's　done　the　objectin'。　。　。　。　　Your　cigar's　gone
out。　　Have　another　light；　won't　you？〃

The　visitor　shook　his　head。　　〃No；　thank　you；　not　now；〃　he　said
hastily；　placing　the　defunct　cigar　carefully　on　the　captain's　desk。
〃I　won't　smoke　for　the　minute。　　So　you　want　me　to　begin　the
talking；　do　you？　　It　seems　to　me　I　have　begun　it。　　I　told　you　that
I　do　not　like　the　idea　of　my　daughter's　being　engaged　toto　say
nothing　of　marryingyour　grandson。　　My　wife　likes　it　even　less
than　I　do。　　That　is　enough　of　a　statement　to　begin　with；　isn't　it？〃

〃Why；　no；　not　exactly；　if　you'll　excuse　my　sayin'　so。　　Your
daughter　herselfhow　does　she　feel　about　it？〃

〃Oh；　she　is　enthusiastic；　naturally。　　She　appears　to　be　suffering
from　temporary　insanity　on　the　subject。〃

〃She　don't　seem　to　think　it's　quite　aserpreposterous；　and
ridiculous　and　outrageousand　Lord　knows　what　allas　your　wife
does；　eh？〃

〃No。　　I　say；　Snow；　I　hope　you're　not　too　deeply　offended　by　what
my　wife　wrote　you。　　I　judge　you　are　quoting　from　her　letter　and
apparently　she　piled　it　on　red…hot。　　You'll　have　to　excuse　her；　she
was　almost　wild　all　day　yesterday。　　I'll　ask　your　pardon　on　her
behalf。〃

〃Sho；　sho！　　No　need；　Mr。　Fosdick；　no　need　at　all。　　I　know　what
women　are；　even　the　easy…goin'　kind；　when　they've　got　steam　up。
I've　got　a　wifeand　I　had　a　daughter。　　But；　gettin'　back　on　the
course　again；　you　think　your　daughter's　crazy　because　she　wants　to
marry　my　grandson。　　Is　that　it？〃

〃Why；　no；　I　wouldn't　say　that；　exactly。　　Of　course；　I　wouldn't　say
that。〃

〃But；　you　see；　you　did　say　it。　　However；　we'll　leave　that　to　one
side　for　a　spell。　　What　objectionwhat　real　objection　is　there　to
those　two　marryin'my　grandson　and　your　daughterprovided　that
they　care　for　each　other　as　they'd　ought　to？〃

Mr。　Fosdick's　expression　changed　slightly。　　His　tone；　as　he　replied
to　the　question；　was　colder　and　his　manner　less　cordial。

〃I　don't　know　that　it　is　worth　while　answering　that　in　detail；〃　he
said；　after　an　instant's　pause。　　〃Frankly；　Captain　Snow；　I　had
rather　hoped　you　would　see；　for