The last few hours had been full of surprises to Asher Ferry, but he had
adjusted himself to them with the promptness that made him what he was,
a great manufacturer.
At supper he was destined to new surprise. He discovered Ambrose Rich, a
professor who seemed to understand farming. It was a much greater shock
to Asher than the discovery of a friend in Chase Mahan. He was curious
to press the matter farther, and see on how large a scale the old fellow
could conceive of handling earth.
“I want to wash the dishes,” said Asher.
“I want to wipe them,” said Ambrose.
“I want to put them away,” said Chase.
“I’d like to see you do it,” said Jean.
She sat down on the woodbox, and Marvin joined her.
The manufacturer did the silver and glasses in silence. Then he
carefully picked up a piece of Worcester Royal.
“Professor, if you had a tract of land ’most as big as Rhode Island,
what would you do?”
“I’d imitate Prospero.”
“Who was he?”
“An Italian duke with an only daughter. He commanded the air and the
lightning, but he loved his daughter so much that he resigned his
power.”
“Professor, I never heard of him.”
The doctor handed the piece of china to Chase Mahan, who put it on the
shelf and joined the conversation.
“Thank you for telling Asher that tale. When we get these dishes done.
I’m going to take him out on the porch and remind him that Prospero let
his daughter marry the son of his bitterest enemy.”
“Chase, you don’t have to take me out on the porch for any such purpose.
If my daughter wants to marry your son, I shan’t say a word against it.”
“Thank you, Asher. I knew you’d recognize some obligation, but I don’t
wish to be too personal before the young man.”
“Is he blushing?”
“He seems to be.”
“Well, Chase, you can’t most always sometimes tell what a boy is
blushing about. Now, professor, Chase thinks he’s going to sell me a
piece of land. It ain’t as big as Iceland, but it’s fair to middling big
all the same. What shall I do with it?”
“Cut it up into farms, some small and some large, but about equal in
value. Give the buyers a thirty-year amortization mortgage.”
“Professor, there ain’t much of it good for farming.”
“Then map it out for towns, and reforest. Don’t establish a single
logging camp but what you can make it into a town. Run your railroads
into the woods from your permanent centers, and bring your lumberjacks
home every night.”
“Professor, I like you. Keep right on.”
“Well, Mr. Ferry, plan your villages carefully, but don’t insist that
your villagers shall spend their money to please you. Let them build
their own houses. Don’t tell them how much they are to spend on
amusements, but see to it that good ones come their way.”
“All right, what else?”
“Don’t freight your iron down this river, but use it where it’s found.
Do the same with copper.”
“I will. Chase can give that coaling station back to the seller.
Anything else?”
“No.”
“Chase, how soon can you get the rest of the stock?”
“I don’t quite know. But since the dishes seem to be done, let’s go into
the library and find out.”
He led the way, and examined the mail that Marvin had brought. One by
one he tossed the letters aside till he reached a Boston postmark. Then
he learned what he sought, and smiled with surprise.
“Asher, I don’t know whether I’ll get that hundred shares or not. I’ll
give a hundred thousand for them, but this young lady owns them.”
He handed Jean the letter, and her forgetmenot eyes opened wide with
astonishment. Then she went and brought that crackling old thing which
Susan Endicott Hogg had endorsed for her.
She gave him the document, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him on the
chin.
He smiled down at her.
“My dear, I can’t accept it for nothing.”
“But I can’t take pay for it. Stock means dividends for people that
don’t work.”
Having let off this bit of dynamite, she escaped by the front door.
Instantly both father and son started for the door, but Chase was the
quicker and stood blocking it.
“It’s my right, dad. I love her.”
Chase only blocked the door more effectively. “You young scamp, here
I’ve been turning half the stones on earth to get you married to Asher
Ferry’s daughter. Do you think I’m going to have you out after dark
seeking a fortune?”
Marvin backed away, and his father disappeared into the night.