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start him on that dog and he'll dispute a year。 Blamed if I haven't seen
him keep it up a level two hours and a half。〃
〃Why captain！〃 said Barrow。 〃I guess that must be hearsay。〃
〃No； sir； no hearsay about ithe disputed with me。
〃I don't see how you stood it。〃
〃Oh； you've got toif you run with Andy。 But it's the only fault he's
got。〃
〃Ain't you afraid of acquiring it？〃
〃Oh； no；〃 said the captain； tranquilly； 〃no danger of that； I reckon。〃
The artists presently took their leave。 Then Barrow put his hands on
Tracy's shoulders and said：
〃Look me in the eye； my boy。 Steady； steady。 Thereit's just as I
thoughthoped； anyway； you're all right； thank goodness。 Nothing the
matter with your mind。 But don't do that againeven for fun。 It isn't
wise。 They wouldn't have believed you if you'd been an earl's son。
Why； they couldn'tdon't you know that？ What ever possessed you to take
such a freak？ But never mind about that； let's not talk of it。 It was a
mistake； you see that yourself。〃
〃Yesit was a mistake。〃
〃Well； just drop it out of your； mind； it's no harm； we all make them。
Pull your courage together； and don't brood； and don't give up。 I'm at
your back； and we'll pull through； don't you be afraid。〃
When he was gone； Barrow walked the floor a good while； uneasy in his
mind。 He said to himself； 〃I'm troubled about him。 He never would have
made a break like that if he hadn't been a little off his balance。
But I know what being out of work and no prospect ahead can do for a man。
First it knocks the pluck out of him and drags his pride in the dirt；
worry does the rest； and his mind gets shaky。 I must talk to these
people。 Noif there's any humanity in themand there is； at bottom
they'll be easier on him if they think his troubles have disturbed his
reason。 But I've got to find him some work； work's the only medicine for
his disease。 Poor devil！ away off here； and not a friend。〃
CHAPTER XVII
The moment Tracy was alone his spirits vanished away； and all the misery
of his situation was manifest to him。 To be moneyless and an object of
the chairmaker's charitythis was bad enough； but his folly in
proclaiming himself an earl's son to that scoffing and unbelieving crew；
and； on top of that； the humiliating resultthe recollection of these
things was a sharper torture still。 He made up his mind that he would
never play earl's son again before a doubtful audience。
His father's answer was a blow he could not understand。 At times he
thought his father imagined he could get work to do in America without
any trouble； and was minded to let him try it and cure himself of his
radicalism by hard； cold； disenchanting experience。 That seemed the most
plausible theory； yet he could not content himself with it。 A theory
that pleased him better was； that this cablegram would be followed by
another； of a gentler sort； requiring him to come home。 Should he write
and strike his flag； and ask for a ticket home？ Oh； no； that he couldn't
ever do。 At least； not yet。 That cablegram would come； it certainly
would。 So he went from one telegraph office to another every day for
nearly a week； and asked if there was a cablegram for Howard Tracy。
No； there wasn't any。 So they answered him at first。 Later； they said
it before he had a chance to ask。 Later still they merely shook their
heads impatiently as soon as he came in sight。 After that he was ashamed
to go any more。
He was down in the lowest depths of despair； now； for the harder Barrow
tried to find work for him the more hopeless the possibilities seemed to
grow。 At last he said to Barrow：
〃Look here。 I want to make a confession。 I have got down； now； to where
I am not only willing to acknowledge to myself that I am a shabby
creature and full of false pride； but am willing to acknowledge it to
you。 Well； I've been allowing you to wear yourself out hunting for work
for me when there's been a chance open to me all the time。 Forgive my
pridewhat was left of it。 It is all gone； now； and I've come to
confess that if those ghastly artists want another confederate； I'm their
manfor at last I am dead to shame。〃
〃No？ Really； can you paint？〃
〃Not as badly as they。 No； I don't claim that； for I am not a genius；
in fact； I am a very indifferent amateur； a slouchy dabster； a mere
artistic sarcasm； but drunk or asleep I can beat those buccaneers。〃
〃Shake！ I want to shout！ Oh； I tell you； I am immensely delighted and
relieved。 Oh； just to workthat is life！ No matter what the work is
that's of no consequence。 Just work itself is bliss when a man's been
starving for it。 I've been there！ Come right along； we'll hunt the old
boys up。 Don't you feel good？ I tell you I do。〃
The freebooters were not at home。 But their 〃works〃 were； displayed in
profusion all about the little ratty studio。 Cannon to the right of
them； cannon to the left of them； cannon in frontit was Balaclava come
again。
〃Here's the uncontented hackman； Tracy。 Buckle todeepen the sea…green
to turf； turn the ship into a hearse。 Let the boys have a taste of your
quality。〃
The artists arrived just as the last touch was put on。 They stood
transfixed with admiration。
〃My souls but she's a stunner； that hearse！ The hackman will just go all
to pieces when he sees that won't he Andy？〃
〃Oh； it is sphlennid； sphlennid！ Herr Tracy； why haf you not said you
vas a so sublime aartist？ Lob' Gott； of you had lif'd in Paris you would
be a Pree de Rome； dot's votes de matter！〃
The arrangements were soon made。 Tracy was taken into full and equal
partnership； and he went straight to work； with dash and energy； to
reconstructing gems of art whose accessories had failed to satisfy。
Under his hand； on that and succeeding days； artillery disappeared and
the emblems of peace and commerce took its placecats； hacks； sausages；
tugs； fire engines； pianos； guitars； rocks； gardens； flower…pots；
landscapeswhatever was wanted； he flung it in； and the more out of
place and absurd the required object was； the more joy he got out of
fabricating it。 The pirates were delighted； the customers applauded； the
sex began to flock in； great was the prosperity of the firm。 Tracy was
obliged to confess to himself that there was something about work；even
such grotesque and humble work as thiswhich most pleasantly satisfied a
something in his nature which had never been satisfied before； and also
gave him a strange new dignity in his own private view of himself。
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
The Unqualified Member from Cherokee Strip was in a state of deep
dejection。 For a good while； now； he had been leading a sort of life
which was calculated to kill； for it had consisted in regularly
alternating days of brilliant hope and black disappointment。 The
brilliant hopes were created by the magician Sellers； and they always
promised that now he had got the trick； sure； and would effectively
influence that materialized cowboy to call at the Towers before night。
The black disappointments consisted in the persistent and monotonous
failure of these prophecies。
At the date which this history