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is it； Labe？〃 he asked； sharply。
Laban held a yellow envelope in his hand。
〃It came while you were gone to dinner； Cap'n；〃 he said。 〃Ben
Kelley fetched it from the telegraph office himself。 Hehe said
he didn't hardly want to take it to the house。 He cal'lated you'd
better have it here； to read to yourself； fust。 That's what he
saidyes； yesthat's what 'twas； Cap'n。〃
Slowly Captain Zelotes extended his hand for the envelope。 He did
not take his eyes from the bookkeeper's face。
〃BenBen； he told me what was in it； Cap'n Lote；〃 faltered Laban。
〃II don't know what to say to you； I don'tno； no。〃
Without a word the captain took the envelope from Keeler's fingers；
and tore it open。 He read the words upon the form within。
Laban leaned forward。
〃For the Lord sakes； Lote Snow；〃 he cried； in a burst of agony；
〃why couldn't it have been some darn good…for…nothin' like me
insteadinstead of him？ Oh； my God A'mighty； what a world this
is！ WHAT a world！〃
Still Captain Zelotes said nothing。 His eyes were fixed upon the
yellow sheet of paper on the desk before him。 After a long minute
he spoke。
〃Well；〃 he said； very slowly； 〃well； Labe； there goesthere goes
Z。 Snow and Company。〃
CHAPTER XIV
The telegram from the War Department was brief； as all such
telegrams were perforce obliged to be。 The Secretary of War；
through his representative； regretted to inform Captain Zelotes
Snow that Sergeant Albert Speranza had been killed in action upon a
certain day。 It was enough； howeverfor the time quite enough。
It was not until later that the little group of South Harniss
recovered sufficiently from the stunning effect of those few words
to think of seeking particulars。 Albert was dead； what did it
matter； then； to know how he died？
Olive bore the shock surprisingly well。 Her husband's fears for
her seemed quite unnecessary。 The Captain； knowing how she had
idolized her daughter's boy； had dreaded the effect which the news
might have upon her。 She was broken down by it； it is true； but
she was quiet and braveastonishingly； wonderfully quiet and
brave。 And it was she； rather than her husband； who played the
part of the comforter in those black hours。
〃He's gone； Zelotes；〃 she said。 〃It don't seem possible； I know；
but he's gone。 And he died doin' his duty； same as he would have
wanted to die if he'd known 'twas comin'； poor boy。 Soso we must
do ours； I suppose； and bear up under it the very best we can。 It
won't be very long； Zelotes；〃 she added。 〃We're both gettin' old。〃
Captain Lote made no reply。 He was standing by the window of the
sitting…room looking out into the wet backyard across which the
wind…driven rain was beating in stormy gusts。
〃We must be brave； Zelotes；〃 whispered Olive； tremulously。 〃He'd
want us to be and we MUST be。〃
He put his arm about her in a sudden heat of admiration。 〃I'd be
ashamed not to be after seein' you； Mother；〃 he exclaimed。
He went out to the barn a few moments later and Rachel； entering
the sitting…room； found Olive crumpled down in the big rocker in an
agony of grief。
〃Oh； don't； Mrs。 Snow； don't；〃 she begged； the tears streaming down
her own cheeks。 〃You mustn't give way to it like this； you mustn't。〃
Olive nodded。
〃I know it； I know it；〃 she admitted； chokingly； wiping her eyes
with a soaked handkerchief。 〃I shan't； Rachel； only this once； I
promise you。 You see I can't。 I just can't on Zelotes's account。
I've got to bear up for his sake。〃
The housekeeper was surprised and a little indignant。
〃For his sake！〃 she repeated。 〃For mercy sakes why for his sake？
Is it any worse for him than 'tis for you。〃
〃Oh； yes； yes； lots worse。 He won't say much； of course； bein'
Zelotes Snow； but you and I know how he's planned； especially these
last years； and how he's begun to count onon Albert。 。 。 。 No；
no； I ain't goin' to cry； Rachel； I ain'tI WON'Tbut sayin' his
name； you know； kind of〃
〃I know； I know。 Land sakes； DON'T I know！ Ain't I doin' it
myself？〃
〃Course you are； Rachel。 But we mustn't when Zelotes is around。
We women； wewell； times like these women HAVE to keep up。 What
would become of the men if we didn't？〃
So she and Rachel 〃kept up〃 in public and when the captain was
present； and he for his part made no show of grief nor asked for
pity。 He was silent； talked little and to the callers who came
either at the house or office was uncomplaining。
〃He died like a man；〃 he told the Reverend Mr。 Kendall when the
latter called。 〃He took his chance； knowin' what that meant〃
〃He was glad to take it；〃 interrupted the minister。 〃Proud and
glad to take it。〃
〃Sartin。 Why not？ Wouldn't you or I have been glad to take ours；
if we could？〃
〃Well； Captain Snow； I am glad to find you so resigned。〃
Captain Zelotes looked at him。 〃Resigned？〃 he repeated。 〃What do
you mean by resigned？ Not to sit around and whimper is one thing
any decent man or woman ought to be able to do that in these days；
but if by bein' resigned you mean I'm contented to have it so
well； you're mistaken； that's all。〃
Only on one occasion； and then to Laban Keeler； did he open his
shell sufficiently to give a glimpse of what was inside。 Laban
entered the inner office that morning to find his employer sitting
in the desk chair； both hands jammed in his trousers' pockets and
his gaze fixed； apparently； upon the row of pigeon…holes。 When the
bookkeeper spoke to him he seemed to wake from a dream； for he
started and looked up。
〃Cap'n Lote；〃 began Keeler； 〃I'm sorry to bother you； but that last
carload of pine was〃
Captain Zelotes waved his hand； brushing the carload of pine out of
the conversation。
〃Labe；〃 he said； slowly； 〃did it seem to you that I was too hard on
him？〃
Laban did not understand。 〃Hard on him？〃 he repeated。 〃I don't
know's I just get〃
〃Hard on Al。 Did it seem to you as if I was a little too much of
the bucko mate to the boy？ Did I drive him too hard？ Was I
unreasonable？〃
The answer was prompt。 〃No； Cap'n Lote；〃 replied Keeler。
〃You mean that？ 。 。 。 Um…hm。 。 。 。 Well； sometimes seems as if I
might have been。 You see； Labe； when he first come I Well； I
cal'late I was consider'ble prejudiced against him。 Account of his
father； you understand。〃
〃Sartin。 Sure。 I understand。〃
〃It took me a good while to get reconciled to the Portygee streak
in him。 It chafed me consider'ble to think there was a foreign
streak in our family。 The Snows have been straight Yankee for a
good long while。 。 。 。 Fact is； II never got really reconciled
to it。 I kept bein' fearful all the time that that streak； his
father's streak； would break out in him。 It never did； except of
course in his poetry and that sort of foolishness； but I was always
scared 'twould； you see。 And nownow that this has happened II
kind of fret for fear that I may have let my notions get ahead of
my fair play。 You think I did give the boy a square deal； Labe？〃
〃Sure thing； Cap'n。〃
〃I'm glad of that。 。 。 。 Andand you cal'late he wasn'twasn't
too prejudiced against me？ I don't mean along at first； I mean
this last year or two。〃
Laban hesitated。 He wished his answer to be not an overstatement；
but the exact truth。
〃I think；〃 he said； with emphasis； 〃that Al was comin' to understand
you better every day he lived； Cap'n。 Yes； and to think more and
more of you； too。 He was gettin' older； for one thingolder； more
of a manyes； yes。〃
Captain Zelotes smiled sadly。 〃He was more boy than man by a good
deal yet；〃 he observed。 〃Well； Labe； he's gone and I'm just
beginnin' to realize how much of life for me has gone along with
him。 He'd been doin' better here in the office for the last two or
three years； seemed to be catchin' on to business better。 Didn't
you think so； Labe？〃
〃Sartin。 Yes indeed。 Fust…rate； fust…rate。〃
〃No； not first…rate。 He was a long ways from a business man yet；
but I did think he was doin' a lot better。 I could begin to see
him pilotin' this craft after I was called ashore。 Now he's gone
and 。 。 。 well； I don't see much use in my fightin' to keep it
afloat。 I'm gettin' along in yearsand what's the use？〃
It was the first time Laban had ever heard Captain Zelotes refer to
himself as an old man。 It shocked him into sharp expostulation。
〃Nonsense！〃 he exclaimed。 〃You ain't old enough for the scrap heap
by a big stretch。 And besides； he made his fight； didn't he？ He
didn't quit； Al didn't； and he wouldn't want us to。 No sir…ee； he
wouldn't！ No； sir； no！ 。 。 。 II hope you'll excuse me； Cap'n
Lote。 Ideclare it must seem to you as if I was talkin' pretty
fresh。 I swan I'm sorry。 I am so 。 。 。 sorry； yes； yes； I be。〃
The captain was not offended。 He waved the apologies aside。
〃So you think it's worth while my fightin' it out； do you； Labe？〃
he asked； reflectively。
〃II think it's what you ought to do anyhow； whether it's worth
while or not。 The whole world's fightin'。 Uncle Sam's fightin'。
Al was fightin'。 You're fightin'。 I'm fightin'。 It's a darn
sight easier to quit； a darn sight； butbut Al didn't quit。 And
and we mustn'tnot if we can help it；〃 he added； drawing