books. The sight of the little man, so patiently
and cheerfully pegging away, brought another twinge of conscience to
the assistant bookkeeper. Laban had been such a brick in all their
relationships. It must have been a sore trial to his particular,
business-like soul, those errors in the trial balance. Yet he had not
found fault nor complained. Captain Zelotes himself had said that every
item concerning his grandson's mistakes and blunders had been dragged
from Mr. Keeler much against the latter's will. Somehow Albert could not
bear to go off and leave him at once. He would stay and finish his day's
work, for Labe Keeler's sake.

So stay he did and when Captain Zelotes later came out of his private
office and found him there neither of them spoke. At home, during
supper, nothing was said concerning the quarrel of the afternoon. Yet
Albert was as determined to leave as ever, and the Captain, judging by
the expression of his face, was just as determined to do nothing more to
prevent him. After supper the young man went to his room and began the
packing. His grandfather went out, an unusual proceeding for him, saying
that he guessed he would go down street for a spell.

Now Albert, as he sat there by the window, was gloomy enough. The wind,
howling and wailing about the gables of the old house, was not an aid
to cheerfulness and he needed every aid. He had sworn to go away, he was
going away--but where should he go? He had a little money put by, not
much but a little, which he had been saving for quite another purpose.
This would take him a little way, would pay his bills for a short time,
but after that--Well, after that he could earn more. With the optimism
of youth and the serene self-confidence which was natural to him he was
sure of succeeding sooner or later. It was not the dread of failure and
privation which troubled him. The weight which was pressing upon his
spirit was not the fear of what might happen to him.

There was a rap upon the door. Then a voice, the housekeeper's voice,
whispered through the crack.

"It's me, Al," whispered Mrs. Ellis. "You ain't in bed yet, are you? I'd
like to talk with you a minute or two, if I might."

He was not anxious to talk to her or anyone else just then, but he told
her to come in. She entered on tiptoe, with the mysterious air of a
conspirator, and shut the door carefully after her.

"May I set down just a minute?" she asked. "I can generally talk better
settin'."