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made it when she was fifteen。 Rachel sat down in the rocker。
〃Al〃 she began； still in the same mysterious whisper； 〃I know all
about it。〃
He looked at her。 〃All about what？〃 he asked。
〃About the trouble you and Cap'n Lote had this afternoon。 I know
you're plannin' to leave us all and go away somewheres and that he
told you to go； and all that。 I know what you've been doin' up
here to…night。 Fur's that goes；〃 she added； with a little catch in
her breath and a wave of her hand toward the open trunk and
suitcase upon the floor； 〃I wouldn't need to know； I could SEE。〃
Albert was surprised and confused。 He had supposed the whole
affair to be； so far； a secret between himself and his grandfather。
〃You know？〃 he stammered。 〃You How did you know？〃
〃Laban told me。 Labe came hurryin' over here just after supper and
told me the whole thing。 He's awful upset about it； Laban is。 He
thinks almost as much of you as he does of Cap'n Lote oror me；〃
with an apologetic little smile。
Albert was astonished and troubled。 〃How did Labe know about it？〃
he demanded。
〃He heard it all。 He couldn't help hearin'。〃
〃But he couldn't have heard。 The door to the private office was
shut。〃
〃Yes； but the window at the topthe transom one； you knowwas
wide open。 You and your grandpa never thought of that； I guess；
and Laban couldn't hop up off his stool and shut it without givin'
it away that he'd been hearin'。 So he had to just set and listen
and I know how he hated doin' that。 Laban Keeler ain't the
listenin' kind。 One thing about it all is a mercy；〃 she added；
fervently。 〃It's the Lord's own mercy that that Issy Price wasn't
where HE could hear it； too。 If Issy heard it you might as well
paint it up on the town…hall fence； all creation and his wife
wouldn't larn it any sooner。〃
Albert drew a long breath。 〃Well；〃 he said； after a moment； 〃I'm
sorry Labe heard； but I don't suppose it makes much difference。
Everyone will know all about it in a day or two 。 。 。 I'm going。〃
Rachel leaned forward。
〃No； you ain't； Al；〃 she said。
〃I'm not？ Indeed I am！ Why； what do you mean？〃
〃I mean just what I say。 You ain't goin'。 You're goin' to stay
right here。 At least I hope you are； and I THINK you are。 。 。 。
Oh； I know；〃 she added； quickly； 〃what you are goin' to say。
You're goin' to tell me that your grandpa is down on you on account
of your father； and that you don't like bookkeepin'； and that you
want to write poetry andand such。 You'll say all that； and maybe
it's all true； but whether 'tis or not ain't the point at all just
now。 The real point is that you're Janie Snow's son and your
grandpa's Cap'n Lote Snow and your grandma's Olive Snow and there
ain't goin' to be another smash…up in this family if I can help it。
I've been through one and one's enough。 Albert； didn't you promise
me that Sunday forenoon three years ago when I came into the
settin'…room and we got talkin' about books and Robert Penfold and
everythingdidn't you promise me then that when things between you
and your grandpa got kind ofof snarled up and full of knots you'd
come to me with 'em and we'd see if we couldn't straighten 'em out
together？ Didn't you promise me that； Albert？〃
Albert remembered the conversation to which she referred。 As he
remembered it； however； he had not made any definite promise。
〃You asked me to talk them over with you； Rachel；〃 he admitted。 〃I
think that's about as far as it went。〃
〃Well； maybe so； but now I ask you again。 Will you talk this over
with me； Albert？ Will you tell me every bit all about it； for my
sake？ And for your grandma's sake。 。 。 。 Yes； more'n that； for
your mother's sake； Albert； she was pretty nigh like my own sister；
Jane Snow was。 Different as night from day of course； she was
pretty and educated and all that and I was just the same then as I
am now； but we did think a lot of each other； Albert。 Tell me the
whole story； won't you； please。 Just what Cap'n Lote said and what
you said and what you plan to doand all？ Please； Albert。〃
There were tears in her eyes。 He had always liked her； but it was
a liking with a trace of condescension in it。 She was peculiar；
her 〃sympathetic attacks〃 were funny； and she and Laban together
were an odd pair。 Now he saw her in a new light and he felt a
sudden rush of real affection for her。 And with this feeling； and
inspired also by his loneliness； came the impulse to comply with
her request； to tell her all his troubles。
He began slowly at first； but as he went on the words came quicker。
She listened eagerly； nodding occasionally； but saying nothing。
When he had finished she nodded again。
〃I see；〃 she said。 〃'Twas almost what Laban said and about what he
and I expected。 Well； Albert； I ain't goin' to be the one to blame
you； not very much anyhow。 I don't see as you are to blame； you
can't help the way you're made。 But your grandfather can't help
bein' made his way； either。 He can't see with your spectacles and
you can't see with his。〃
He stirred rebelliously。 〃Then we had better go our own ways； I
should say；〃 he muttered。
〃No； you hadn't。 That's just what you mustn't do； not now； anyhow。
As I said before； there's been enough of all hands goin' their own
ways in this family and look what came of it。〃
〃But what do you expect me to do？ I will not give up every plan
I've made and my chance in the world just because he is too
stubborn and cranky to understand them。 I will NOT do it。〃
〃I don't want you to。 But I don't want you to upset the whole
kettle just because the steam has scalded your fingers。 I don't
want you to go off and leave your grandma to break her heart a
second time and your grandpa to give up all his plans and hopes
that he's been makin' about you。〃
〃Plans about me？ He making plans about me？ What sort of plans？〃
〃All sorts。 Oh； he don't say much about 'em； of course； that ain't
his way。 But from things he's let drop I know he has hoped to take
you in with him as a partner one of these days； and to leave you
the business after he's gone。〃
〃Nonsense； Rachel！〃
〃No； it ain't nonsense。 It's the one big dream of Cap'n Lote's
life。 That Z。 Snow and Co。 business is his pet child； as you might
say。 He built it up； he and Labe together； and when he figgered to
take you aboard with him 'twas SOME chance for you； 'cordin' to his
lookout。 Now you can't hardly blame him for bein' disappointed
when you chuck that chance away and take to writin' poetry pieces；
can you？〃
〃Butbutwhy； confound it； Rachel； you don't understand！〃
〃Yes； I do； but your grandpa don't。 And you don't understand
him。 。 。 。 Oh； Albert； DON'T be as stubborn as he is； as your
mother wasthe Lord and she forgive me for sayin' it。 She was
partly right about marryin' your pa and Cap'n Lote was partly right；
too。 If they had met half way and put the two 'partlys' together the
whole thing might have been right in the end。 As 'twas； 'twas all
wrong。 Don't； don't； DON'T； Albert； be as stubborn as that。 For
their sakes； Al；yes； and for my sake； for I'm one of your family；
too； or seems as if I wasdon't。〃
She hastily wiped