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you some time to…night。 If he said he'll come he'll come； even if
he has to hire one of them limmysines。 He； he； he！ All you've got
to do is wait； and 。 。 。 Hey！ 。 。 。 Hold on a minute！ 。 。 。 Bub！〃
The boy was walking away。 And to hail him as 〃Bub〃 was； although
Jim Young did not know it； the one way least likely to bring him
back。
〃Bub！〃 shouted Jim again。 Receiving no reply he added what he had
intended saying。 〃If I run afoul of Cap'n Lote anywheres on the
road；〃 he called； 〃I'll tell him you're here a…waitin'。 So long；
Bub。 Git dap； Chain Lightnin'。〃
The horse； thus complimented； pricked up one ear； lifted a foot；
and jogged off。 The depot wagon became merely a shadowy smudge
against the darkness of the night。 For a few minutes the 〃chock；
chock〃 of the hoofs upon the frozen road and the rattle of wheels
gave audible evidence of its progress。 Then these died away and
upon the windswept platform of the South Harniss station descended
the black gloom of lonesomeness so complete as to make that which
had been before seem； by comparison； almost cheerful。
The youth upon that platform turned up his coat collar； thrust his
gloved hands into his pockets； and shivered。 Then； still
shivering； he took a brisk walk up and down beside the suitcase
and； finally； circumnavigated the little station。 The voyage of
discovery was unprofitable； there was nothing to discover。 So far
as he could seewhich was by no means farupon each side of the
building was nothing but bare fields and tossing pines； and wind
and cold and blackness。 He came to anchor once more by the
suitcase and drew a long； hopeless breath。
He thought of the cheery dining room at the school he had left the
day before。 Dinner would be nearly over by now。 The fellows were
having dessert； or； probably； were filing out into the corridors；
the younger chaps to go to the study hall and the older onesthe
lordly seniors； of whom he had been oneon the way to their rooms。
The picture of his own cheerful； gay room in the senior corridor
was before his mind； of that room as it was before the telegram
came； before the lawyer came with the letter； before the end of
everything as he knew it and the beginning ofthis。 He had not
always loved and longed for that school as he loved and longed for
it now。 There had been times when he referred to it as 〃the old
jail；〃 and professed to hate it。 But it had been the only real
home he had known since he was eight years old and now he looked
back upon it as a fallen angel might have looked back upon
Paradise。 He sighed again； choked and hastily drew his gloved hand
across his eyes。 At the age of seventeen it is very unmanly to
cry； but； at that age also； manhood and boyhood are closely
intermingled。 He choked again and then； squaring his shoulders；
reached into his coat pocket for the silver cigarette case which；
as a recent acquisition； was the pride of his soul。 He had just
succeeded in lighting a cigarette when； borne upon the wind； he
heard once more the sound of hoofs and wheels and saw in the
distance a speck of light advancing toward the station。
The sounds drew nearer； so did the light。 Then an old…fashioned
buggy； drawn by a plump little sorrel； pulled up by the platform
and a hand held a lantern aloft。
〃Hello！〃 hailed a voice。 〃Where are you？〃
The hail did not have to be repeated。 Before the vehicle reached
the station the boy had tossed away the cigarette； picked up the
suitcase； and was waiting。 Now he strode into the lantern light。
〃Here I am；〃 he answered； trying hard not to appear too eager。
〃Were you looking for me？〃
The holder of the lantern tucked the reins between the whip…socket
and the dash and climbed out of the buggy。 He was a little man；
perhaps about forty…eight or fifty； with a smooth…shaven face
wrinkled at the corners of the mouth and eyes。 His voice was the
most curious thing about him； it was high and piping； more like a
woman's than a man's。 Yet his words and manner were masculine
enough； and he moved and spoke with a nervous； jerky quickness。
He answered the question promptly。 〃Guess I be； guess I be；〃 he
said briskly。 〃Anyhow； I'm lookin' for a boy name ofname of
My soul to heavens； I've forgot it again； I do believe！ What did
you say your name was？〃
〃Speranza。 Albert Speranza。〃
〃Sartin； sartin！ Spererumyes； yes。 Knew it just as well as
I did my own。 Well； well； well！ Ye…es； yes； yes。 Get right
aboard； Alfred。 Let me take your satchel。〃
He picked up the suitcase。 The boy； his foot upon the buggy step；
still hesitated。 〃Then you'reyou're not my grandfather？〃 he
faltered。
〃Eh？ Who？ Your grandfather？ Me？ He； he； he！〃 He chuckled
shrilly。 〃No； no！ No such luck。 If I was Cap'n Lote Snow； I'd be
some older'n I be now and a dum sight richer。 Yes； yes。 No； I'm
Cap'n Lote's bookkeeper over at the lumber consarn。 He's got a
cold； and Olivethat's his wifeshe said he shouldn't come out
to…night。 He said he should； and while they was Katy…didin' back
and forth about it； RachelMrs。 Ellisshe's the hired housekeeper
thereshe telephoned me to harness up and come meet you up here to
the depot。 Ererlittle mite late； wan't I？〃
〃Why； yes； just a little。 The other man； the one who drives the
mail cartI think that was what it wassaid perhaps the horse was
sick； or something like that。〃
〃No…o； no； that wan't it this time。 Ier All tucked in and
warm enough； be you？ Ye…es； yes； yes。 No； I'm to blame； I
shouldn't wonder。 I stopped at theat the store a minute and met
one or two of the fellers； and that kind of held me up。 All right
now？ Ye…es； yes； yes。 G'long； gal。〃
The buggy moved away from the platform。 Its passenger； his chilly
feet and legs tightly wrapped in the robes； drew a breath of relief
between his chattering teeth。 He was actually going somewhere at
last； whatever happened； morning would not find him propped frozen
stiff against the scarred and mangy clapboards of the South Harniss
station。
〃Warm enough； be you？〃 inquired his driver cheerfully。
〃Yes； thank you。〃
〃That's good； that's good； that's good。 Ye…es； yes； yes。 Well
er Frederick； how do you think you're goin' to like South
Harniss？〃
The answer was rather non…committal。 The boy replied that he had
not seen very much of it as yet。 His companion seemed to find the
statement highly amusing。 He chuckled and slapped his knee。
〃Ain't seen much of it； eh？ No…o； no； no。 I guess you ain't；
guess you ain't。 He； he； he 。 。 。 Um 。 。 。 Let's see； what was I
talkin' about？〃
〃Why； nothing in particular； I think； Mr。Mr。〃
〃Didn't I tell you my name？ Sho； sho！ That's funny。 My name's
KeelerLaban B。 Keeler。 That's my name and bookkeeper is my
station。 South Harniss is my dwellin' placeand I guess likely
you'll have to see the minister about the rest of it。 He； he； he！〃
His passenger； to whom the old schoolbook quatrain was entirely
unknown； wondered what on earth the man was talking about。
However； he smiled politely and sniffed with a dawning suspicion。
It seemed to him there was an unusual scent in the air； a
spirituous scent； a
〃Have a peppe