第27章

"Hello, Ros," he said."Glad to see you.Come in."George Taylor was a type of smart country boy grown to manhood in the country.His tone, like his manner, was sharp and quick and businesslike, but he spoke with the Down-East twang and used the Cape phrases and metaphors.He was younger than I, but he looked older, and, of late, it had seemed to me that he was growing more nervous.We shook hands.

"Glad to see you," be said again."I was hoping you'd drift in.Ipresumed likely you might.Sit down."

I took the proffered chair.He looked at me with much the same curious interest that Small had shown.

"We've been hearing about you," he said."You've been getting yourself talked about."I mentally cussed Lute once more for his loquacity.

"I'll break the fellow's neck," I declared, with emphasis.

He laughed."Don't do that yet awhile," he said."The market is in bad enough shape as it is.If his neck was broke the whole of Wall Street would go to pot.""Wall Street? What in the world has Lute got to do with Wall Street?""Lute! Oh, I see! Yes, Lute's been doing considerable talking, but it ain't his neck I mean.Say, Ros, what did you do to him, anyway? You stirred him up some, judging by what he said to me.""Who said? What?"

"Why, Colton.He was in here yesterday.Opened what he called a household account; that was his main business.But he asked about you, along with it."This explained some things.It was clear now why Small had appeared so interested."Oh!" I said.

"You bet he did.Wanted to know if I knew you, and what you were, and so on.I told him I knew you pretty well.'What sort of a fellow is he? A damn fool?' he asked.I strained the truth enough to say you were a pretty good fellow and a long ways from that kind of a fool, according to my reckoning.'Umph!' says he.'Is he rich?' I told him I guessed you wan't so rich that you got round-shouldered lugging your money.'Why?' says I, getting curious.

'Have you met him, Mr.Colton? If you have you ought to have sized him up yourself.I always heard you were a pretty fair judge.' He looked at me kind of funny.'I thought I was,' says he, 'but you seem to raise a new variety down here.' Then I guess he thought he'd said enough.At any rate, he walked off.What did you and he say to each other, Ros?"I did not answer immediately.When I did the answer was non-committal."Oh, we had a business interview," I said.

He nodded."Well," he observed, "I suppose it's your affair and not mine.But, I tell you this, Ros: if it's what I suppose it is, it'll be everybody's affair pretty soon.""You think so, do you?"

"I know so.Cap'n Jed's a fighter and he is on the war path.The two sides are lining up already.Whichever way you decide you'll make enemies, of course."I shrugged my shoulders.The prospect of enemies, more or less, in Denboro, did not trouble me.

"But you'll have to decide," he went on, "who you'll sell to.""Or not sell at all," I suggested.

"Can you afford to do that? There'll be money--a whole lot of money--in this before it's over, if I know the leaders on both sides.You've got the whip-hand.There'll be money in it.Can you afford to let it slip?"I did not answer.Suddenly his expression changed.He looked haggard and care-worn.

"By the Almighty," he said, between his teeth, and without looking at me, "I wish I had your chance.""Why?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing....How's your mother nowadays?"I told him that my mother was much as usual, and we talked of various things.

"By the way," he said, "I've got some news for you.Nothing surprising.I guess all hands have seen it coming.I'm engaged to be married.""Good!" said I, with as much heartiness as I could answer; marriage did not interest me."Congratulations, George.Nellie Dean, of course.""Yes."

"I'm glad for you.And for her.She'll make you a good wife, I'm sure."He drew a long breath."Yes," he said slowly, "Nellie's a good girl.""When is the--what do they call it? the happy event to take place?""In the fall some time, if all goes well.I hope it will.""Humph! Yes, I should think you might hope as much as that.Why shouldn't it go well?""Hey? Oh, of course it will!" He laughed and rose from his chair as several men came into the bank."I'll have to leave you, Ros,"he said."There's a directors' meeting this morning.They're coming now."As I passed out of the gate and through the group of directors Inoticed that they also regarded me with interest.Two, men from neighboring towns whom I scarcely knew, whispered to each other.

Captain Elisha Warren shook hands with me and inquired concerning Mother.The last of the group was Captain Jedediah Dean, and he touched me on the shoulder.

"Ros," he whispered, "you're all right.Understand? I say you're all right.""Thanks," I answered, briefly.

"I heard about it," he whispered."Ase Peters said the Grand Panjandrum was cranky as a shark with the toothache all day yesterday.You must tell me the yarn when we get together.Imissed you when I called just now, but I'll be down again pretty soon.You won't lose nothin' by this.So long."As I came down the bank steps Sim Eldredge called across the road.

"Good-by, Ros," he shouted."Come in again next time you're up street."In all my period of residence in Denboro I had never before been treated like this.People had never before gone out of their way to shake hands with me.No one had considered it worth while to ask favors of me.Sim and Alvin were not to be taken seriously, of course, and both were looking after their own pocketbooks, but their actions were straws proving the wind to be blowing in my direction.I thought, and smiled scornfully, that I, all at once, seemed to have become a person of some importance.