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he'll do it； or be capable of doin' it； but that's what I'd like。
Now you're in New York most of the year； and so's your wife and
daughter。 New York is all rightI ain't sayin' a word against it
but New York and South Harniss are different。〃
The Fosdick lip twitched。 〃Somewhat different；〃 he admitted。
〃Um…hm。 That sounds like a joke； I know； but I don't mean it so；
not now。 What I mean is that I know South Harniss and South
Harniss folks。 I don't know New Yorknot so very well； though
I've been there plenty of timesand I don't know New York ways。
But I do know South Harniss ways； and they suit me。 Would they
suit your daughternot just for summer； but as a reg'lar thing
right straight along year in and out？ I doubt it； Mr。 Fosdick； I
doubt it consid'able。 Course I don't know your daughter〃
〃I doand I share your doubts。〃
〃Um…hm。 But whether she liked it or not she'd have to come here if
she married my grandson。 Either that or he'd have to go to New
York。 And if he went to New York； how would he earn his livin'？
Get a new bookkeepin' job and start all over again； or live on
poetry？〃
Mr。 Fosdick opened his mouth as if to speak； seemed to change his
mind and closed it again； without speaking。 Captain Zelotes；
looking keenly at him； seemed to guess his thoughts。
〃Of course；〃 he said deliberately； but with a firmness which
permitted no misunderstanding of his meaning； 〃of course you
mustn't get it into your head for one minute that the boy is
figgerin' on your daughter's bein' a rich girl。 He hasn't given
that a thought。 You take my word for that； Mr。 Fosdick。 He
doesn't know how much money she or you have got and he doesn't
care。 He doesn't care a continental darn。〃
His visitor smiled slightly。 〃Nevertheless；〃 he began。 The
captain interrupted him。
〃No； there ain't any nevertheless；〃 he said。 〃Albert has been with
me enough years now so that I know a little about him。 And I know
that all he wants is your daughter。 As to how much she's worth in
money or how they're goin' to live after he's got herI know that
he hasn't given it one thought。 I don't imagine she has； either。
For one reason；〃 he added； with a smile； 〃he is too poor a business
man to think of marriage as a business； bill…payin' contract； and
for another；for anotherwhy； good Lord； Fosdick！〃 he exclaimed；
leaning forward； 〃don't you know what this thing means to those two
young folks？ It means just moonshine and mush and lookin' into
each other's eyes； that's about all。 THEY haven't thought any
practical thoughts about it。 Why； think what their ages are！
Think of yourself at that age！ Can't you remember。 。 。 。 Humph！
Well； I'm talkin' fifty revolutions to the second。 I beg your
pardon。〃
〃That's all right； Snow。 And I believe you have the situation
sized up as it is。 Still〃
〃Excuse me； Mr。 Fosdick； but don't you think it's about time you
had a look at the boy himself？ I'm goin' to ask him to come in
here and meet you。〃
Fosdick looked troubled。 〃Think it is good policy？〃 he asked
doubtfully。 〃I want to see him and speak with him； but I do hate a
scene。〃
〃There won't be any scene。 You just meet him face to face and talk
enough with him to get a little idea of what your first impression
is。 Don't contradict or commit yourself or anything。 And I'll
send him out at the end of two or three minutes。〃
Without waiting for a reply； he rose； opened the door to the outer
office and called； 〃Al； come in here！〃 When Albert had obeyed the
order he closed the door behind him and turning to the gentleman in
the visitor's chair； said： 〃Mr。 Fosdick； this is my grandson；
Albert Speranza。 Al； shake hands with Mr。 Fosdick from New York。〃
While awaiting the summons to meet the father of his adored； Albert
had been rehearsing and re…rehearsing the speeches he intended
making when that meeting took place。 Sitting at his desk； pen in
hand and pretending to be busy with the bookkeeping of Z。 Snow and
Company； he had seen； not the ruled page of the day book； but the
parental countenance of the Honorable Fletcher Fosdick。 And； to
his mind's eye； that countenance was as rugged and stern as the
rock…bound coast upon which the Pilgrims landed； and about as
unyielding and impregnable as the door of the office safe。 So；
when his grandfather called him； he descended from the tall desk
stool and crossed the threshold of the inner room； a trifle pale； a
little shaky at the knees； but with the set chin and erect head of
one who； facing almost hopeless odds； intends fighting to the last
gasp。
To his astonishment the Fosdick countenance was not as his
imagination had pictured it。 The blue eyes met his； not with a
glare or a glower； but with a look of interest and inquiry。 The
Fosdick hand shook his with politeness； and the Fosdick manner was；
if not genial； at least quiet and matter of fact。 He was taken
aback。 What did it mean？ Was it possible that Madeline's father
was inclined to regard her engagement to him with favor？ A great
throb of joy accompanied the thought。 Then he remembered the
letter he had just read； the letter from Madeline's mother； and the
hope subsided。
〃Albert；〃 said Captain Zelotes； 〃Mr。 Fosdick has come on here to
talk with us； that is； with me and you； about your affairs。 He and
I have talked up to the point where it seemed to me you ought to
come in for a spell。 I've told him that the news that you and his
daughter wereerfavorably disposed toward each other was as
sudden and as big a surprise to me as 'twas to him。 Even your
grandma don't know it yet。 Now I presume likely he'd like to ask
you a few questions。 Heave ahead； Mr。 Fosdick。〃
He relit his cigar stump and leaned back in his chair。 Mr。 Fosdick
leaned forward in his。 Albert stood very straight； his shoulders
braced for the encounter。 The quizzical twinkle shone in Captain
Lote's eye as he regarded his grandson。 Fosdick also smiled
momentarily as he caught the expression of the youth's face。
〃Well； Speranza；〃 he began； in so cheerful a tone that Albert's
astonishment grew even greater； 〃your grandfather has been kind
enough to get us through the preliminaries； so we'll come at once
to the essentials。 You and my daughter consider yourselves engaged
to marry？〃
〃Yes； sir。 We ARE engaged。〃
〃I see。 How long have youumbeen that way； so to speak？〃
〃Since last August。〃
〃Why haven't you said anything about it to usto Mrs。 Fosdick or
me or your people here？ You must excuse these personal questions。
As I have just said to Captain Snow； Madeline is our only child；
and her happiness and welfare mean about all there is in life to
her mother and me。 So； naturally； the man she is going to marry is
an important consideration。 You and I have never met before； so
the quickest way of reaching an understanding between us is by the
question route。 You get my meaning？〃
〃Yes； sir； I guess I do。〃
〃Good！ Then we'll go ahead。 Why have you two kept it a secret so
long？〃
〃Becausewell； because we knew we couldn't marry yet a while； so
we thought we had better not announce it for the present。〃
〃Oh！ 。 。 。 And the idea that perhaps Mrs。 Fosdick and I might be
slightly interested didn't occur to you？〃
〃Why； yes； sir； it did。 But；but we thought it best not to tell
you until later。〃
〃Perhaps the suspicion that we might not be overjoyed by the news
had a little weight with you； eh？ Possibly that helped to delay
theerannouncement？〃
〃No； sir； II don't think it did。〃
〃Oh； don't you！ Perhaps you thought we WOULD be overjoyed？〃
〃No； sir。 We didn't think so very much about it。 Well； that's not
quite true。 Madeline felt that her motherand you； too； sir； I
suppose； although she didn't speak as often of you in that wayshe
felt that her mother would disapprove at first； and so we had
better wait。〃
〃Until when？〃
〃Untiluntil by and by。 Until I had gone ahead further； you
know。〃
〃I'm not sure that I do know。 Gone ahead how？ Until you had a
better position； more salary？〃
〃No； not exactly。 Until my writings were better known。 Until I
was a little more successful。〃
〃Successful？ Until you wrote more poetry； do you mean？〃
〃Yes； sir。 Poetry and other things； stories and plays； perhaps。〃
〃Do you mean Did you figure that you and Madeline were to live
on what you made by writing poetry and the other stuff？〃
〃Yes； sir； of course。〃
Fosdick looked across at Captain Zelotes。 The Captain's face was
worth looking at。
〃Here； here； hold on！〃 he exclaimed； jumping into the conversation。
〃Al； what are you talkin' about？ You're bookkeeper for me； ain't
you； for this concern right here where you are？ What do you mean
by talkin' as if your job was makin' up poetry pieces？ That's only
what you do on the side； and you know it。 Eh； ain't that so？〃
Albert hesitated。 He had； momentarily； forgotten his grandfather
and the latter's prejudices。 After all； what was the use of
stirring up additional trouble。
〃Yes； Grandfather；〃 he said。
〃Course it's so。 It's in this office that you draw your wages。〃
〃Yes； Grandfather。〃
〃All right。 Excuse me for nosin' in； Mr。 Fosdick； but I knew the
boy wasn