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his pride to think his grandfather had noticed his condition。
〃Oh； I'm all right；〃 he said； with dignity。
Somehow the dignity seemed to have little effect upon Captain
Zelotes。
〃Umyes； I know；〃 observed the latter dryly； 〃but I guess likely
you'll be more all right in bed。 Mother； you'll show Albert where
to turn in； won't you？ There's your suitcase out there in the
hall； son。 I fetched it in from the barn just now。〃
Mrs。 Snow ventured a protest。
〃Oh； Zelotes；〃 she cried； 〃ain't we goin' to talk with him at ALL？
Why； there is so much to say！〃
〃'Twill say just as well to…morrow mornin'； Mother； better； because
we'll have all day to say it in。 Get the lamp。〃
Albert looked at his watch。
〃Why； it's only half…past nine；〃 he said。
Captain Zelotes； who also had been looking at the watch； which was
a very fine and very expensive one； smiled slightly。 〃Half…past
nine some nights；〃 he said； 〃is equal to half…past twelve others。
This is one of the some。 There； there； son； you're so sleepy this
minute that you've got a list to starboard。 When you and I have
that talk that's comin' to us we want to be shipshape and on an
even keel。 Rachel； light that lamp。〃
The housekeeper brought in and lighted a small hand lamp。 Mrs。
Snow took it and led the way to the hall and the narrow； breakneck
flight of stairs。 Captain Zelotes laid a hand on his grandson's
shoulder。
〃Good…night； son；〃 he said quietly。
Albert looked into the gray eyes。 Their expression was not
unkindly； but there was； or he imagined there was； the same
quizzical； sardonic twinkle。 He resented that twinkle more than
ever； it made him feel very young indeed； and correspondingly
obstinate。 Something of that obstinacy showed in his own eyes as
he returned his grandfather's look。
〃Good…nightsir；〃 he said； and for the life of him he could not
resist hesitating before adding the 〃sir。〃 As he climbed the steep
stairs he fancied he heard a short sniff or chucklehe was not
certain whichfrom the big man in the dining…room。
His bedroom was a good…sized room； that is； it would have been of
good size if the person who designed it had known what the term
〃square〃 meant。 Apparently he did not； and had built the apartment
on the hit…or…miss； higglety…pigglety pattern； with unexpected
alcoves cut into the walls and closets and chimneys built out from
them。 There were three windows； a big bed； an old…fashioned
bureau； a chest of drawers； a washstand； and several old…fashioned
chairs。 Mrs。 Snow put the lamp upon the bureau。 She watched him
anxiously as he looked about the room。
〃Dodo you like it？〃 she asked。
Albert replied that he guessed he did。 Perhaps there was not too
much certainty in his tone。 He had never before seen a room like
it。
〃Oh； I hope you will like it！ It was your mother's room； Albert。
She slept here from the time she was seven untiluntil she went
away。〃
The boy looked about him with a new interest； an odd thrill。 His
mother's room。 His mother。 He could just remember her； but that
was all。 The memories were childish and unsatisfactory； but they
were memories。 And she had slept there； this had been her room
when she was a girl； before she married； beforelong before such a
person as Alberto Miguel Carlos Speranza had been even dreamed of。
That was strange； it was queer to think about。 Long before he was
born； when she was years younger than he as he stood there now； she
had stood there； had looked from those windows； had
His grandmother threw her arms about his neck and kissed him。 Her
cheek was wet。
〃Good…night； Albert；〃 she said chokingly； and hurried out of the
room。
He undressed quickly； for the room was very cold。 He opened the
window； after a desperate struggle； and climbed into bed。 The
wind； whistling in； obligingly blew out the lamp for him。 It
shrieked and howled about the eaves and the old house squeaked and
groaned。 Albert pulled the comforter up about his neck and
concentrated upon the business of going to sleep。 He； who could
scarcely remember when he had had a real home； was desperately
homesick。
Downstairs in the dining…room Captain Zelotes stood； his hands in
his pockets； looking through the mica panes of the stove door at
the fire within。 His wife came up behind him and laid a hand on
his sleeve。
〃What are you thinkin' about； Father？〃 she asked。
Her husband shook his head。 〃I was wonderin'；〃 he said； 〃what my
granddad； the original Cap'n Lote Snow that built this house； would
have said if he'd known that he'd have a great…great…grandson come
to live in it who was；〃 scornfully； 〃a half…breed。〃
Olive's grip tightened on his arm。
〃Oh； DON'T talk so； Zelotes；〃 she begged。 〃He's our Janie's boy。〃
The captain opened the stove door； regarded the red…hot coals for
an instant； and then slammed the door shut again。
〃I know； Mother；〃 he said grimly。 〃It's for the sake of Janie's
half that I'm takin' in the other。〃
〃Butbut； Zelotes； don't you think he seems like a nice boy？〃
The twinkle reappeared in Captain Lote's eyes。
〃I think HE thinks he's a nice boy； Mother；〃 he said。 〃There；
there； let's go to bed。〃
CHAPTER II
The story of the events which led up to the coming； on this
December night； of a 〃half…breed〃 grandson to the Snow homestead；
was an old story in South Harniss。 The date of its beginning was
as far back as the year 1892。
In the fall of that year Captain Zelotes Snow was in Savannah。
He was in command of the coasting schooner Olive S。 and the said
schooner was then discharging a general cargo； preparatory to
loading with rice and cotton for Philadelphia。 With the captain in
Savannah was his only daughter； Jane Olivia； age a scant eighteen；
pretty； charming； romantic and head over heels in love with a
handsome baritone then singing in a popular…priced grand opera
company。 It was because of this handsome baritone； who； by the
way； was a Spaniard named Miguel Carlos Speranza； that Jane Snow
was then aboard her father's vessel。 Captain Lote was not in the
habit of taking his women…folks on his voyages with him。 〃Skirts
clutter up the deck too much；〃 was his opinion。
He had taken Jane； however； not only on this voyage； but on that
preceding it； which had been to Rio。 It was Captain Lote's belief；
and his wife's hope； that a succession of sea winds might blow away
recollections of Senor Speranza〃fan the garlic out of her head；〃
as the captain inelegantly expressed it。 Jane had spent her
sixteenth and seventeenth years at a school for girls near Boston。
The opera company of which Speranza was a member was performing at
one of the minor theaters。 A party of the school girls； duly
chaperoned and faculty…guarded； of course； attended a series of
matinees。 At these matinees Jane first saw her hero； brave in
doublet and hose； and braver still in melody and romance。 She and
her mates looked and listened and worshiped from afar； as is the
habit of maidenly youth under such circumstances。 There is no
particular danger in such worship provided the worshiper remains
always at a safely remote distance from the idol。 But in Jane's
case this safet