and goin' to the theater and places, and often not even at the house for
dinner. Right the evening before he got hurt he had his dinner at some
miser'ble rest'rant down by the Pump Works, he was so set on overseein'
the night work and gettin' everything finished up right to the minute he
told papa he would. I reckon you might 'a' put in more time with Jim if
there'd been more opportunity, Bibbs. I expect you feel almost as if you
scarcely really knew him right well."

"I suppose I really didn't, mother. He was busy, you see, and I hadn't
much to say about the things that interested him, because I don't know
much about them."

"It's a pity! Oh, it's a pity!" she moaned. "And you'll have to learn to
know about 'em NOW, Bibbs! I haven't said much to you, because I felt it
was all between your father and you, but I honestly do believe it will
just kill him if he has to have any more trouble on top of all this!
You mustn't LET him, Bibbs--you mustn't! You don't know how he's grieved
over you, and now he can't stand any more--he just can't! Whatever he
says for you to do, you DO it, Bibbs, you DO it! I want you to promise
me you will."

"I would if I could," he said, sorrowfully.

"No, no! Why can't you?" she cried, clutching his arm. "He wants you to
go back to the machine-shop and--"

"And--'like it'!" said Bibbs.

"Yes, that's it--to go in a cheerful spirit. Dr. Gurney said it wouldn't
hurt you if you went in a cheerful spirit--the doctor said that himself,
Bibbs. So why can't you do it? Can't you do that much for your father?
You ought to think what he's done for YOU. You got a beautiful house
to live in; you got automobiles to ride in; you got fur coats and warm
clothes; you been taken care of all your life. And you don't KNOW how
he worked for the money to give all these things to you! You don't DREAM
what he had to go through and what he risked when we were startin' out
in life; and you never WILL know! And now this blow has fallen on him
out of a clear sky, and you make it out to be a hardship to do like he
wants you to! And all on earth he asks is for you to go back to the work
in a cheerful spirit, so it won't hurt you! That's all he asks. Look,
Bibbs, we're gettin' back near home, but before we get there I want you
to promise me that you'll do what he asks you to. Promise me!"

In her earnestness she cleared away her black veil that she might see
him better, and it blew out on the smoky wind. He readjusted