The Rise of Roscoe Paine

ing to compose and write a sarcastic reply to his note, but I finally gave it up. Then I put the money in a

ked. "She cal'lates I'm goin' to clean the h

can

prepared to philosophize. "Do you know," he observed, "t

u? I'm su

y like to make 'em have it; anyhow. Dorindy is crazy on cleanin'. She wouldn't live in a dirty house no more'n she'd live in a lobster pot. It's the way she's made. But a hen ain't made that way. A hen LIKES dirt; she scratches in it and

rinda you should explain all this to, not to me. And you're wasting my time

ain't I? I was o

you why I sent that envelope to him be sure and g

at you done wan'

at what I saved

afloat in the bay. If it was somethin' belongin' to them Coltons I'd have took the money, no m

y reward.

as to my importance in their eyes. I meant to be really independent from that time on. I did not care-really did not care-for anything or anybody outside my immediate household. I was back in the position I had occupied for years, bu

, although his Yankee shrewdness and caution prevented his making it until he had discussed the weather and other unimportant tri

old you you was all right, when I

ber," I

late you know what

end ignorance

meant I was right in not selling

forget it. Nor the town won't forget it, neither. Would you m

ip and I refused to sell it to him. He said I was crazy

you d

d

nd shouted in delight. He insi

all right, Ros Paine! I said you was and now I'll swear to it. Told o

alve plug. He walked up and

shouldn't lose nothin' by it. The Selectmen held a meetin' last night and they feel, same as

at him,

I an

strip of land of yours. Definitely decided, practi

g. "Captain," said I, "t

? What do you

sell it, for the present, at least.

who thought all creation ought to belong to him. But the town was different. Did I realize that it was the town

"I'm willing to think.

one a whole lot. As a citize

ted, "there's no use in our arguing t

. Course you'll sell i

said, but

, but I shouldn't wonder if I could get

a question

hing's a quest

should have accepted Mr. Colton'

six hundred and fifty dollars for that litt

es

x hundred and fifty! The town can't

t expec

d and angry; his florid face was redder th

e talked you was willin' to consider sellin'. What's changed you? What's th

which was based upon sentiment and nothing else, and my own stubbornness

emanded. "You know what th

e Lane, just as they always have, so long as they behave themselves.

after, but he ask

he asked. "Will you promise me

make no promise of a

. You're just hangin' out for a big price. I might

I was an

"I am on no one's side. The town is welcome to use the Lane;

ok his

slowly; "but I guess I've made one. You'r

Eldredge dropped in on me. After much wriggling about the bush he int

done just right. Keep 'em guessin'; keep em guessin'. Jed's all upsot. He don't know whether he's keel down

d y

ed that the town had made you a fin

hat for? Who gave

I come through the woods and round the beach so's

care what

dollars for that land. My crimps! a thousand! think of tha

I told Captain Jed, th

d sharp enough to penetrate even his w

on. Still, a thousand is a lot of money, even after you take out my little commission. B

ell; neither did Dean, or Colton, or, apparently, any one else. They all thought me merely shrewd, a sharp trader driving a hard bargain, as they would hav

ntion the Lane again-at least for some time-but he always hailed me cordially when we met and seemed anxious to be seen in my company. Eldredge, of course, was effusive; so was Alvin Baker. And other people, citizens of consequence in the town, who had heretofore merely bowed,

cial barometer, noticed t

l'late you're a pretty smart feller. They don't just unders

ically. "Lute, you asto

you must be. Oh, I hear things. Cap'n Jed said t

d? A Se

ided he could fix it for you. Sim Eldredge and Alvin and some more all said they'

ut that idea

llers wondered if you was. Yo

gestion, Lute. When I adopt it

hoph Newcomb pay up. He owes me ten ce

. The knowledge made me more cynical than ever-cynical, and lonely. For the first time since I came to the Cape I longed for a real friend, not a re

e of the now infrequent "sinking spells," as the doctor called them, on an evening when I was alone with her. Dorinda and Lute had go

. There was something in her tone which alarmed me and I

I have tried not to alarm you, but I feel faint and I am-y

ead and wrists with vinegar, an old-fashioned restorative which Dorinda always used. She said she felt better, but I was anxious and, as soon as it was safe to leave h

from stumbling through the bushes and over the rough path when I reached the corner of the Lane and the Lower Road. Then a carriag

doctor, he said, and bring him down at once. I was afraid he would be caught in the storm, and hesitated in accepting the offer, but he insisted. I did go

meeting-house and we just left a note saying where we'd gone. Nellie's all right. Between you and me, she don't talk yo

chforks," I said. "Yo

l have Doc Quimby

-and-watery young female, but somehow her quiet ways and soft voice seemed just what were n

and the wind was dashing the rain in sheets against the win

er's room and closed th

red. "I think she's asleep. W

ed. "I shouldn't have let

his mind was made up. He's dreadful

he cashier, a fact of which all Denboro was aware, and which

shed an

s always talking to me about you. It's a goo

e talked about general

sked George what Pa meant and he just laughed. He said whatever you had in your sleeve was your affair and, if he was any judge of character, it would stay there til

pany excepte

jealous. Then," more seriously, "Roscoe, does it seem to yo

that day in the bank, and of his remark that he wi

y man worried, isn't it?" I asked. "I imagine

should have been ashamed. But she took it literally

if it is right for me to be so happy. I feel almost as if i

his country girl had found it; that Mabel Colton would, no doubt, find it some day-unless sh

she went in to see if Mother needed her, and, twenty minutes later, when I looked into the bedroom, I

window and then to the door. Doctor Quimby had come at last and Taylor was with him. The do

st Denboro. There's a new edition of Ebenezer, made port this morning, and I was a

now. So is Nellie. I suppose Ge

n a night like this-whew! I carried away a wheel turning into Ebenezer's yard, and if George had

and I turne

tove. What in the world made you drive way up to that forsaken

ts on the hearth. I mixed him a glass of the

I said. "I never would have t

e's plenty in this town that would, but you wouldn't. M

reat a kindness altogether. I'm afraid

you would.

ok my

ther-in-law-said the other day that he had been mistaken; he

that? What d

hether I was the fool he had believe

t me over the e

at's what he

now

e floor beside him and

ou're either one of the two he's the fool. But I know you-better, maybe, than you

dn't be sa

t. Ros, I've been meaning to have a talk with you some day; perhaps this is as good a

do you

r had but half a chance. You make a mistake, I tell you. There's lots of good folks in this town, lots of 'em. Cap'n Elisha Warren's one of 'em and there's plenty more. They're countrymen, same as I am,

ixing wouldn't be very welcome," I sai

, but you ought t

at Warren and Dean and the rest think of me? They consider me a loafer

s for their calling you a loafer-well, that's your own fault, too. You OUGHT to do something; not work, perhaps, but you'd be a whole lot bet

hem; and I'm sure they

taking the stand you have. They do. They don't understand you, maybe, but they can't help respecting you and, if they knew you even as well as I do, they'd like you. Co

knows! W

ow why exactly. Why does anybody like anybody else? But I think a whole lot of you. I

ferent to him than to others in Denboro, that was all. And I had taken it for granted that his liking for me was of the

George?" I

use I can't help it, I suppose. Or because, a

body knows me

you, Ros. I

t you don't. You can than

ain't so

e was looking me s

know?" I as

thing, that your

attempted to speak or move. I do remember tha

estly. "Nobody knows but me, and nob

do you know?

things I read in the paper, and the pictures of-of your father, put me on, and afterw

n my hand. He patt

re no one else

on papers got on the track somehow and came down here to investigate. Luckily I was the first man he tack

told no one? N

e most things, bu

took his hand from my knee; but then my agitation was too g

should like. But why-WHY did you shield me? And lie for

therless. And, of course, I realized that you and your mother changed your name and came down here to get away from go

nd smiled. I s

Dorinda and Lute, of course. I can't thank you enough for shielding us all these years; there's no u

ook m

os," he said. "I to

I can do

errupt

hing. And begin right off. Why, see here, the Methodist society is going to give a strawberry festival on the

the festival, but I certainly

no to the first favor I ask you

George and I hastened into the dining-room. Doctor Quimby and

she cried. "You

imby turn

e declared. "About all that ails he

ting Nellie to p

dy'll think we've eloped ahead of time. Good-night. Oh, sa

Mother, I'm coming-Why, yes, Geo

t my life story would have been