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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' the
Prohibition ticket。 I WOULD vote it； by crimustee； if I thought
'twould do any good。 'Twouldn't though； Labe would take to
drinkin' bay rum or Florida water or somethin'； same as Hoppy
Rogers done when he was alive。 Jim Young says he went into Hoppy's
barber…shop once and there was Hoppy with a bottle of a new kind of
hair…tonic in his hand。 'Drummer that was here left it for a
sample；' says Hoppy。 'Wanted me to try it and； if I liked it； he
cal'lated maybe I'd buy some。 I don't think I shall； though；' he
says； 'don't taste right to me。' Yes； sir； Jim Young swears that's
true。 Wan't enough snake…killer in that hair tonic to suit Hoppy。
I Yes； Cap'n Lote； what is it？ Want me； do ye？〃
But the captain did not； as it happened； want Mr。 Price at that
time。 It was Albert whose name he had called。 The boy went into
the office and his grandfather rose and shut the door。
〃Sit down； Al；〃 he said； motioning toward a chair。 When his
grandson had seated himself Captain Zelotes tilted back