The interruptions, however, were numerous and annoying; some of them, too, were amusing.Depositors came, saw me behind the bars of the window, and, after expressing their astonishment, demanded to know what I was doing there.If I had answered all the questions put to me by the curious Denboroites I should have found time for little else.But Taylor helped me by shooing the curious ones away."Don't bother the new hand," he said."If you want to know particulars ask me.Anything I don't tell you you can read in next week's Item.This is a bank, not a question box."Captain Elisha Warren came in and was as surprised as the rest.
After an interview with the cashier he returned to my window and requested me to open up.When I did so he reached in a big hand and seized mine.
"Shake, Ros," he said, heartily."I'm glad for the bank and I'm gladder still for you.Come hard at fust, does it?""A little," I confessed."Not as hard as I expected, though.""Fust day or two out of port is always the toughest.You'll get your sea legs on pretty soon.Then you'll be glad you shipped, Ical'late."
"I hope so," I answered, rather dubiously.
"I know you will.There's nothin' so tiresome as doin' nothin'.Iknow, because that's been my job for quite a spell.Seems sometimes as if I'd have a fit, I get so sick of loafin'."His idea of a "loaf" was rising at six and weeding his garden, superintending the labor on his cranberry swamps or about his barns and grounds, attending bank and Selectmen's meetings, and generally keeping busy until sunset.
"I tell Abbie, my housekeeper," he continued, "that if 'twan't for my age I believe I'd go to sea again just to keep from fallin'
apart with dry rot.I asked her if she'd noticed how my timbers creaked, and she said I didn't keep still long enough for her to notice anything.Ho! ho! Nothin' makes her more provoked than for me to mention gettin' old or goin' to sea.All the same, I envy you your youth, Ros.You've got your life afore you, and I'm glad to see that you're goin' to make somethin' of it.I always said you'd wake up if somebody give you a punch.Who punched you, Ros?"My reply was non-committal.
"Better mind my own business, hadn't I," he observed."All right, I will.No offense meant, you understand.But, you see, I've never believed that work was the cuss of mankind, like some folks, and no matter how much money a young feller's got I think he's better off doin' somethin'.That's the gospel accordin' to Elisha.
Well, good luck and a pleasant v'yage.See you again soon.Say,"turning back, "keep an eye on George, will you? Folks in love are l'ble to be absent-minded, they tell me, and I should not want him to be absent with any of my money.Hear that, do you, George?"Taylor, who was standing near, laughed and walked away.A moment later I saw him looking out of the window with the same strange expression on his face which I had noticed several times before when his approaching marriage was hinted at.Something was troubling him, that was plain.He loved Nellie devotedly, I knew;yet he obviously did not like to hear the marriage mentioned.
Sim Eldredge was one of the first visitors to the bank, but his visit was a short one.He entered the door, walked straight to the teller's window and peered through the bars.I heard him catch his breath.
"Good morning, Sim," said I."What can I do for you?""Do?" he repeated."Do for me? Nothin'--nothin', 'special.You--you meant it, then?"
"I told you I did."
"My soul!" was all the answer he made.Then he turned and walked out.
At about eleven o'clock I was half-way through the addition of a column of figures when I heard some one say, "Well, by time!" with such anguished fervor that it was almost like a prayer for help.Ilooked up.Lute Rogers was staring in at me, open-mouthed and horror-stricken.
"Hello, Lute!" I said.
Lute swallowed hard.
"They told me 'twas so," he stammered."They said so and--and Ilaughed at 'em.Ros, you ain't, be you?""What?"
"Goin' to stay in there and--and take Henry's job?""Yes."
"You be! And you never said nothin' to nobody? To Dorinda? Or even Comfort?""No; not yet."
"Nor to me.To ME, by time! You let them fellers at the store make a fool of me--""No one could do that, Lute.I have told you so often.""And you let them know it afore I did.And me livin' right in the house with you! By time! I--I--""There, there, Lute! don't cry.I'll tell you all about it when Icome home for dinner."
"Yes, I should think you might do that much.Treatin' your own family like--why did you tell Sim Eldredge?""Sim asked me and so I told him, that was all.Don't stand there fidgeting.Run along home, there's a good fellow.Mr.Taylor has his eye on you already."Lute glanced apprehensively toward the cashier's desk and turned to go.
"Well!" he exclaimed, "I've said you was crazy more'n once, that's some satisfaction.Say! can I tell 'em to home?"I hesitated."You may tell Dorinda if you like," I answered."But I prefer to tell Mother, myself."George rose from his desk just then and Lute hurried to the door.
I smiled.I imagined his arrival in our kitchen and how he would explode the sensational news upon his unsuspecting wife.
But I was not altogether calm, though I did my best to appear so, when I entered that kitchen at a quarter past twelve.Lute was seated in a chair by the window, evidently watching and waiting.
He sprang up as I entered.
"Set down," ordered Dorinda, who was taking a clam pie from the oven.She merely nodded when I came in.Dorinda often spoke in meeting against "sinful pride"; yet she had her share of pride, sinful or not.She would not ask questions or deign to appear excited, not she.
