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comprising an office； a store and lumber yards near the railway
station。 〃Got to have somethin' to keep me from gettin'
barnacled；〃 declared Captain Lote。 〃There's enough old hulks
rottin' at their moorin's down here as 'tis。 I don't know anything
about lumber and half as much about hardware； but I cal'late I can
learn。〃 As an aid in the learning process he retained as
bookkeeper Laban Keeler； who had acted in that capacity for the
former proprietor。
The years slipped away； a dozen of them； as smoothly and lazily as
South Harniss years have always slipped。 Captain Zelotes was past
sixty now； but as vigorous as when forty； stubborn as ever； fond of
using quarter…deck methods on shore and especially in town…meeting；
and very often in trouble in consequence。 He was a member of the
Board of Selectmen and was in the habit of characterizing those
whose opinions differed from his as 〃narrow…minded。〃 They retorted
by accusing him of being 〃pig…headed。〃 There was some truth on
both sides。 His detest of foreigners had not abated in the least。
And then； in this December of the year 1910； fell as from a clear
sky the legacy of a grandson。 From Senor Miguel Carlos Speranza
the Snows had had no direct word； had received nothing save the
newspaper clipping already mentioned。 Olive had never seen him；
her husband had seen him only on the occasion of the memorable
interview in the hotel room。 They never spoke of him； never
mentioned him to each other。 Occasionally； in the Boston
newspapers； his likeness in costume had appeared amid the music
notes or theatrical jottings。 But these had not been as numerous
of late。 Of his son； their own daughter's child； they knew
nothing； he might be alive or he might be dead。 Sometimes Olive
found herself speculating concerning him； wondering if he was
alive； and if he resembled Jane。 But she put the speculation from
her thoughts； she could not bear to bring back memories of the old
hopes and their bitter ending。 Sometimes Captain Lote at his desk
in the office of 〃Z。 Snow & Co。； Lumber and Builders' Hardware；〃
caught himself dreaming of his idolized daughter and thinking how
different the future might have been for him had she married a
〃white man；〃 the kind of man he had meant for her to marry。 There
might be grandchildren growing up now； fine boys and girls； to
visit the old home at South Harniss。 〃Ah hum！ Well！ 。 。 。 Labe；
how long has this bill of Abner Parker's been hangin' on？ For
thunder sakes； why don't he pay up？ He must think we're runnin' a
meetin'…house Christmas tree。〃
The letter from the lawyer had come first。 It was written in New
York； was addressed to 〃Captain Lotus Snow；〃 and began by taking
for granted the fact that the recipient knew all about matters of
which he knew nothing。 Speranza was dead； so much was plain； and
the inference was that he had been fatally injured in an automobile
accident； 〃particulars of which you have of course read in the
papers。〃 Neither Captain Lote nor his wife had read anything of
the kind in the papers。 The captain had been very busy of late and
had read little except political news； and Mrs。 Snow never read of
murders and accidents； their details at least。 She looked up from
the letter； which her husband had hastened home from the office to
bring her； with a startled face。
〃Oh； Zelotes；〃 she cried； 〃he's dead！〃
The captain nodded。
〃Seems so；〃 he said。 〃That part's plain enough； but go on。 The
rest of it is what I can't get a hand…hold on。 See what you make
of the rest of it； Olive。〃
The rest of it was to the effect that the writer； being Mr。
Speranza's business adviser； 〃that is to say； as much or more so
than any one else；〃 had been called in at the time of the accident；
had conferred with the injured man； and had learned his last
wishes。 〃He expressed himself coherently concerning his son；〃 went
on the letter； 〃and it is in regard to that son that I am asking an
interview with you。 I should have written sooner； but have been
engaged with matters pertaining to Mr。 Speranza's estate and
personal debts。 The latter seem to be large〃
〃I'LL bet you！〃 observed Captain Zelotes； sententiously；
interrupting his wife's reading by pointing to this sentence
with a big forefinger。
〃'And the estate's affairs much tangled；'〃 went on Olive； reading
aloud。 〃'It seems best that I should see you concerning the boy at
once。 I don't know whether or not you are aware that he is at
school in ； New York。 I am inclined to think that the estate
itself will scarcely warrant the expense of his remaining there。
Could you make it convenient to come to New York and see me at
once？ Or； if not； I shall be in Boston on Friday of next week and
can you meet me there？ It seems almost impossible for me to come
to you just now； and； of course； you will understand that I am
acting as a sort of temporary executor merely because Mr。 Speranza
was formerly my friend and not because I have any pecuniary
interest in the settlement of his affairs。
〃'Very truly yours；
〃'MARCUS W。 WEISSMANN。'〃
〃Weissman！ Another Portygee！〃 snorted Captain Lote。
〃Butbut what does it MEAN？〃 begged Mrs。 Snow。 〃Whywhy should
he want to see you； Zelotes？ And the boywhywhy； that's HER
boy。 It's Janie's boy he must mean； Zelotes。〃
Her husband nodded。
〃Hers and that blasted furriner's；〃 he muttered。 〃I suppose so。〃
〃Oh； DON'T speak that way； Zelotes！ Don't！ He's dead。〃
Captain Lote's lips tightened。 〃If he'd died twenty years ago
'twould have been better for all hands；〃 he growled。
〃Janie's boy！〃 repeated Olive slowly。 〃Whywhy； he must be a big
boy now。 Almost grown up。〃
Her husband did not speak。 He was pacing the floor； his hands in
his pockets。
〃And this man wants to see you about him；〃 said Olive。 Then； after
a moment； she added timidly： 〃Are you goin'； Zelotes？〃
〃Goin'？ Where？〃
〃To New York？ To see this lawyer man？〃
〃I？ Not by a jugful！ What in blazes should I go to see him for？〃
〃Wellwell； he wants you to； you know。 He wants to talk with you
about thethe boy。〃
〃Humph！〃
〃It's her boy； Zelotes。〃
〃Humph！ Young Portygee！〃
〃Don't； Zelotes！ Please！ 。 。 。 I know you can't forgive that
that man。 We can't either of us forgive him； but〃
The captain stopped in his stride。 〃Forgive him！〃 he repeated。
〃Mother； don't talk like a fool。 Didn't he take away the one thing
that I was workin' for； that I was plannin' for； that I was LIVIN'
for？ I〃
She interrupted； putting a hand on his sleeve。
〃Not the only thing； dear；〃 she said。 〃You had me； you know。〃
His expression changed。 He looked down at her and smiled。
〃That's right； old lady；〃 he admitted。 〃I had you； and thank the
Almighty for it。 Yes； I had you 。 。 。 But；〃 his anger returning；
〃when I think how that damned scamp stole our girl from us and then
neglected her and killed her〃
〃ZELOTES！ How you talk！ He DIDN'T kill her。 How can you！〃
〃Oh； I don't mean he murdered her； of course。 But I'll bet all
I've got that he made her miserable。 Look here； Mother； you and
she used to write back and forth once in a while。 In any one of
t