The Rise of Roscoe Paine

and, after breakfast, I walked up to the village. I said nothing, even to Mother, about the happenings in the bay, and Dorinda, who had asked many sarcastic questions c

erved, "I don't see." She had mended my bro

bile last night, myself. The Colton girl, she come into the store. My! she's a stunner, ain't she! Sim waited on her, himself, and

ghing. It was not wo

was just jokin'. Anyhow, Sim was all out of cheese, but he had so

edge cal'late she wanted to feed the ra

' 'em. Carver his name is-Victor Carver. Did you ever hear suc

, if I was you. Look here, Lute Rogers, you didn't say

, no! Cours

u s

me. 'What did Colton say to Ros?' he says. 'How do I know what he said?' says I. 'I wan't there, was I?' 'Where was you that forenoon?'

d at me and s

d of it as soon as I found he'd sneaked off to the

s dignity was outraged. "All over

. And goodness knows how much more! DO be quiet! Seems sometimes as if I should lose pat

oin' for a little spin in the car. She said no, her father would want his letters. Carver, he said, why not send Oscar home-that's the chauffeur, you know-with the letters, and he'd run the car

rful of meeting my new neighbors. The memory of the happenings in the bay was a delightful solace to my wounded self-respect. I chuckled over it as I walked through the dripping pines of the little grove. No matter how contemptuously indifferent that girl might pretend to be she would not forget what had taken place; that she had been obliged to obe

auffeur, whom I could see through the open door of the garage, there was no one in sight. I think I was a little disappointed. If "Big Jim" had appeare

edge shouted to me from

"You! Ros Paine! come h

ended avoiding the post-office altog

gerly, "what's this abo

s an

you mean?

went to see him over to his house. You had a reg'lar a

that?" I inq

t a-goin' as usual. The Cap'n does love to stir up Lute, and he commenced hintin' about

ed. I un

d. "Well, what

general sentiment that Colton wanted to buy the Shore Lane land off you, and tha

d, or didn't;

some of the others are sore on Mr. Colton 'cause he's got more money than they have, and they want to make all the trouble for him they can. Jed's got an idea that he's after that Lane, to close it

y positio

ee Cap'n Jed every night, you might say. And I see consider'ble of Mr. Colton. He knows I'm postmaster in this town and sort of prominent. All the smart folks ain't in the Board of Selectmen. I'll keep you posted; see? You just set back and prete

What makes y

s in this world, and it pays to stand in with them that's got it. I'm goin' to stand in with Mr. Colton. But I'll pretend to stand in with Dean just

o to so much trouble on my account," I observed. "I didn'

lin' to pay me a little commission-or-or-somethin'. I thought I might be a sort of-er-agent

Sim, if I decide to engage an agen

old on,

d entered the bank. Alvin Baker met me in the ve

shake hands with a feller that's got the grit

, Alvin, I'm

nudged me wi

sell him the land, would you? Tell me: Did he make

ute seemed to have "as much as said"

shouldn't sell t

ic spirit and independence? But I'll tell you somethin' more, Ros

dee

Denboro as well as you. I know who they be and I stand in w

y kind of y

do it. Shan't charge

kinder

rk tooth and nail to get the town to buy that Lane property of yours. I'll s

nk y

city folks they ain't the whole ship, cargo and all. . . . Hold on a

is it,

y dollars, 'tis. You're a pretty good friend of George Taylor, cashier here, and I was wonderin' if you'd mind puttin' in a word wit

. Alvin seemed to find e

now that you've stood up to Colton. Just put in a word for me, will you? And don't forget I'm a frien

rget, Alvin

him, but he, looking up from his figures, spoke first. There was, or so it seemed to me, a different note

said. "Well, how

well, and was moving

ahead, hey,"

of times?

ed. "All right, you'll have good friends on your side. I

aylor had, evidently, seen me talking with the bookkeeper

said. "Glad to

and quick and businesslike, but he spoke with the Down-East twang and used the Cape phrases and metaphors. He was yo

"I was hoping you'd drift in. I pr

oked at me with much the same cur

u," he said. "You've been ge

Lute once more f

low's neck," I decl

e market is in bad enough shape as it is. If his nec

he world has Lute got t

but it ain't his neck I mean. Say, Ros, what did you do to him,

said?

t he called a household account; that was his main

as clear now why Small had appea

ool, 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.

did the answer was non-committal. "Oh

ir and not mine. But, I tell you this, Ros: if it's what

ink so,

war path. The two sides are lining up already. Whic

ospect of enemies, more or less

decide," he went on,

l at all,"

this before it's over, if I know the leaders on both sides. You've got

his expression changed. He

en his teeth, and without looking

hy

ng. . . . How's you

was much as usual, and w

you. Nothing surprising. I guess all hands ha

ould answer; marriage did not interest me. "Co

es

for her. She'll make yo

"Yes," he said slowly,

hey call it? the happy

ime, if all goes we

you might hope as much as th

several men came into the bank. "I'll have to leave you, Ros," he sa

o, men from neighboring towns whom I scarcely knew, whispered to each other. Captain Elisha Warren shook hands with m

're all right. Understand

I answered

the toothache all day yesterday. You must tell me the yarn when we get together. I missed you whe

k steps Sim Eldredge c

ted. "Come in again nex

nsidered 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 acti

e consciousness of right, such trifles were of no consequence. But, philosophy or not, the fact remained that I was pleased. People might dislike me-as that lofty Colton girl and her father disliked me, though they could dislike me no more than I did

e city air of smartness which I recognized and envied, even in them. The footpath was narrow, but they apparently had no intention of stepping to one side, so I made way for them. They whispered together as they approached and looked at me curiously as we pa

ir employers' frame of mind. This encounter shook my self-satisfaction more than a little. It angered me, but it did more than that; it brought back the feeling I had when I left the Colton library, that my defiance was not, after all, taken seri

et me at

two caller

ho wer

down just after you left. He come to

old me he missed me this

lk. He seemed to know consider'ble

id he

now. And Ase, bein' as he's doin' the carpenterin' over to Colton's, hears a lot from the servants, I s'pose likely. Leastways, if they don't t

d. What did the Ca

said he didn't care how big a fool you was so

mmered down to about that. I was an imbecile, but they must pretend to believe

l him you was figgerin' not to sell the land

opped

ose what?

not

d struck the bay just at the spot where the dingy had grounded. The shallow water above the flat flashed into fire. I am not superstitious, as a general thing, but the sight comforted

a spok

o your other caller

here a

d left that chauffeur feller from the big house

n a man's handwriting, not that of "Big J

oe P

payment for your work.

s tr

CTOR

d" was a fiv

t the note. Then

Dorinda, who had not ta

her the money. She looke

a joke to you, but I ain't familiar enough with one to laugh at it.

n me, j

t that price. And I'd undertake to laugh heartier tha

e 'work' I di

e astonishe

u?" she e

worry; I shan'

t worry me. What so

up something adr

Coltons, I s'pose likely. Why won't you

too much," I said, bitterly. "What