Flood Tide

about it. I guessed as much all the time." There was an acid flavor in the words. "Yes, I knowed it from the beginn

or where he came from? He says, of course, that he's Tiny's nephew, an' he may be, fur all I can tell; b

silence, as the barbs from his

pped in front of

w dare you insult Willie's friend and-and-mine!

had never before seen Delight Hathaway angry, and someth

the young man's 'xactly what he claims to be. Still, Willie's awful gullible, an' there

tly mollified by his conciliatory tone. "If you are anything

was sorry?" hedged

bert Morton protested. "Perhaps, knowing me so litt

rom Delight, "and I for one am mortified that any vi

e, she drew herself to her full height and swept magnificen

e to Janoah, scented a storm and, slipping softly fro

e demanded, when the two were alone. "Have you gone plumb crazy? The very noti

nnocent as he seems,

ld man faced

's have this thing out. Wh

torted Janoah, ev

or paused,

l fur believin' the chap's an angel out of heaven. You've swallered down every word he's uttered like as if it was gospel truth, an' took him into your own house same's if he was a rela

noted with satisfaction that Will

in' away in this shop day in an' day out? What's he doin' it fur, tell me that? This world ain't a benevolent institution, an' the folks in it don't g

s his vac

t a vacation, do you, for him to be workin' away here

aid h

ge. "Look out the winder, Willie Spence, an' tell me, if you was twenty instead of 'most sev

casement and in spite of himself the o

of gold. Along the shore where glittered reaches of hard white sand and a gentle breeze tossed into billows the salt grass edging the margin of

workin' all summer, Willie, if you was th

the unhappy inventor, catching at a straw.

sit, it's less likely than ever he'd want to put in the whole of it tinkerin' with you. He'd be goin' about seein' Wilton, sailin', fishin', swimmin' or clammin', like other folks do that come here fur the summer, if he was a nor

ndanna with a flaming border of scarlet from

wretched figure opposite, "is here for one of two reasons. You can like 'em or not, but they'r

victim star

pleasure. "It may even be both reasons put together. He's aimin' fur some landin' place, y

d faculties beginning slowly to assemble themselves. "Why, there a

the final phras

in' he'll bear," remarked he. "There's

ieve it!" Wil

shrugged hi

You're welcome to your own way. O

into the room, Janoah Eldridge passe

ce of standard too vital to be smoothed over by a gloss of cajolery. Willie was angry through every fiber of his being. Slowly it seeped into his consciousness that Janoah's fundamental philosophy and his own were at odds; their attitude of mind as antagonistic as the poles. Against trust loomed suspicion, against generosity narrowness, against optimism pessimism. Janoah believe

f a century. Yet even to bring Janoah back he could not retract the words he had uttered or exchange the light he followed for Janoah's sinister beckonings. In spite of a certain reasonableness in the pessimist's logic; in spite of c

emancipation the youn

nspiring a character to bring into his countenance a radiance almost supernatural in its splendor. Nevertheless he did not speak but stood immov

placed his hands on the broad

u mustn't mind what Jan said. He's gettin' old an' a mite crabbed, an' he's

ssion of pain in the troubled

ought. So long as you remain my friend I don't care what Mr. Eldr

ad. To have Janoah's weaknesses thus nakedly set forth by another was a very differe

as jealous. But somehow I'd rather think 'twas tryin' to look after me an' my

g you like," assented

Willie lau

did she?" queried he w

es

s lik

like bot

in protest against the gra

aler." Then he added significantly, "Them a

square with a girl like that," came from Robert Mor