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〃And that some day you were going to do something else。〃
Which I am。〃
〃Write or act or do something〃
〃Yes； and that's true； too。〃
〃But you don't； you know。 You don't do anything。 You've been
talking that way ever since I knew you； calling this a one…horse
town and saying how you hated it； and that you weren't going to
waste your life here； and all that； but you keep staying here and
doing just the same things。 The last long talk we had together you
told me you knew you could write poems and plays and all sorts of
things； you just felt that you could。 You were going to begin
right away。 You said that some months ago； and you haven't done
any writing at all。 Now； have you？〃
〃No…o。 No； but that doesn't mean I shan't by and by。〃
〃But you didn't begin as you said you would。 That was last spring；
more than a year ago； and I don't believe you have tried to write a
single poem。 Have you？〃
He was beginning to be ruffled。 It was quite unusual for any one；
most of all for a girl； to talk to him in this way。
〃I don't know that I have；〃 he said loftily。 〃And； anyway； I don't
see that it isis〃
〃My business whether you have or not。 I know it isn't。 I'm sorry
I spoke。 But； you see； I Oh； well； never mind。 And I do want
you to know how much I appreciate your helping me as you did just
now。 I don't know how to thank you for that。〃
But thanks were not exactly what he wanted at that moment。
〃Go ahead and say the rest；〃 he ordered； after a short pause。
〃You've said so much that you had better finish it； seems to me。
I'm lazy； you think。 What else am I？〃
〃You're brave； awfully brave； and you are so strong and quickyes；
andandmasterful； I think that is the right word。 You ordered
me about as if I were a little girl。 I didn't want to keep still；
as you told me to； I wanted to scream。 And I wanted to faint； too；
but you wouldn't let me。 I had never seen you that way before。 I
didn't know you could be like that。 That is what surprises me so。
That is why I said you were so different。〃
Here was balm for wounded pride。 Albert's chin lifted。 〃Oh； that
was nothing；〃 he said。 〃Whatever had to be done must be done right
off； I could see that。 You couldn't hang on where you were very
long。〃
She shuddered。 〃No；〃 she replied； 〃I could not。 But _I_ couldn't
think WHAT to do； and you could。 Yes； and did it； and made me do
it。〃
The chin lifted still more and the Speranza chest began to expand。
Helen's next remark was in the natures of a reducer for the said
expansion。
〃If you could be so prompt and strong andand energetic then；〃 she
said； 〃I can't help wondering why you aren't like that all the
time。 I had begun to think you were justjust〃
〃Lazy； eh？〃 he suggested。
〃Whywhy； no…o； but careless and indifferent and with not much
ambition； certainly。 You had talked so much about writing and yet
you never tried to write anything； thatthat〃
〃That you thought I was all bluff。 Thanks！ Any more compliments？〃
She turned on him impulsively。 〃Oh； don't！〃 she exclaimed。
〃Please don't！ I know what I am saying sounds perfectly horrid；
and especially now when you have just saved me from being badly
hurt； if not killed。 But don't you see thatthat I am saying it
because I am interested in you and sure you COULD do so much if you
only would？ If you would only try。〃
This speech was a compound of sweet and bitter。 Albert
characteristically selected the sweet。
〃Helen；〃 he asked； in his most confidential tone； 〃would you like
to have me try and write something？ Say； would you？〃
〃Of course I would。 Oh； will you？〃
〃Well； if YOU asked me I might。 For your sake； you know。〃
She stopped and stamped her foot impatiently。
〃Oh； DON'T be silly！〃 she exclaimed。 〃I don't want you to do it
for my sake。 I want you to do it for your own sake。 Yes； and for
your grandfather's sake。〃
〃My grandfather's sake！ Great Scott； why do you drag him in？ HE
doesn't want me to write poetry。〃
〃He wants you to do something； to succeed。 I know that。〃
〃He wants me to stay here and help Labe Keeler and Issy Price。 He
wants me to spend all my life in that office of his； that's what HE
wants。 Now hold on； Helen！ I'm not saying anything against the
old fellow。 He doesn't like me； I know； but〃
〃You DON'T know。 He does like you。 Or he wants to like you very
much indeed。 He would like to have you carry on the Snow Company's
business after he has gone； but if you can'tor won'tdo that； I
know he would be very happy to see you succeed at anything
anything。〃
Albert laughed scornfully。 〃Even at writing poetry？〃 he asked。
〃Why； yes； at writing； although of course he doesn't know a thing
about it and can't understand how any one can possibly earn a
living that way。 He has read or heard about poets and authors
starving in garrets and he thinks they're all like that。 But if
you could only show him and prove to him that you could succeed by
writing； he would be prouder of you than any one else would be。 I
know it。〃
He regarded her curiously。 〃You seem to know a lot about my
grandfather；〃 he observed。
〃I do know something about him。 He and I have been friends ever
since I was a little girl； and I like him very much indeed。 If he
were my grandfather I should be proud of him。 And I think you
ought to be。〃
She flashed the last sentence at him in a sudden heat of enthusiasm。
He was surprised at her manner。
〃Gee！ You ARE strong for the old chap； aren't you？〃 he said。
〃Well； admitting that he is all right； just why should I be proud
of him？ I AM proud of my father； of course； he was somebody in the
world。〃
〃You mean he was somebody just because he was celebrated and lots
of people knew about him。 Celebrated people aren't the only ones
who do worth while things。 If I were you； I should be proud of
Captain Zelotes because he is what he has made himself。 Nobody
helped him； he did it all。 He was a sea captain and a good one。
He has been a business man and a good one； even if the business
isn't so very big。 Everybody here in South Harnissyes； and all
up and down the Capeknows of him and respects him。 My father
says in all the years he has preached in his church he has never
heard a single person as much as hint that Captain Snow wasn't
absolutely honest； absolutely brave； and the same to everybody；
rich or poor。 And all his life he has worked and worked hard。
What HE has belongs to him； he has earned it。 That's why I should
be proud of him if he were my grandfather。〃
Her enthusiasm had continued all through this long speech。 Albert
whistled。
〃Whew！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Regular cheer for Zelotes； fellows！ One
two！ Grandfather's got one person to stand up for him； I'll say
that。 But why this sudden outbreak about him； anyhow？ It was me
you were talking about in the beginningthough I didn't notice any
loud calls for cheers in that direction；〃 he added。
She ignored the last part of the speech。 〃I think you yourself
made me think of him；〃 she replied。 〃Sometimes you remind me of
him。 Not often； but once in a while。 Just now； when we were
climbing down that awful place you seemed