"'Tain't no tarnel use of you talking of going away now," Howard
exploded, when I hinted at leaving. "You've stuck your nose in them
papers of your'n every minute an' I haven't had even a chance to talk.
You got away from me for five years and can never do that ag'in if I
have to spend half my time on yer trail," he added, whimsically.
I spent that day with him and learned that his organization and
planning were wonderful. Cabins for his men and a store for their
wants, standard-gauge tracks built out into the stump land from which
a giant crane plucked stumps as you would turnips and dropped them on
flat cars. The plant digested stumps with relish, released the
turpentine and rosin, and handed the remaining fiber, like overdone
corned beef, to the beating engines of the pulp mill. A long row of
cotton bales under cover waiting for a favorable market testified
impressively to the general efficiency of the management.
"An' when you told me to pull 'em out and boil 'em, I thought you was
half joking," Howard would mention every now and then with the glee of
a boy getting the point of a joke a day or so late.
As I came through the paper mill his schooner _Canby_ was just closing
her hatches over a load of paper in rolls for New York. I returned to
the bungalow, sat on my end of the veranda smoking, meditating on
human probabilities, when Mother Purdue waddled up from somewhere.
Perhaps waddle may be an exaggeration, but as I didn't especially want
to see her then, it so seemed to me. She appeared to be in an
excellent humor and I was wrong in expecting a dose of refined
caustic. I offered her a chair, but she preferred the log edge of the
veranda against a post, her feet just reaching the ground.
"Mr. Wood," she began rather impressively, "I wish to apologize for my
rudeness when you returned that morning. I was quite beside myself. I
never passed such a night and I shudder now when I recall it. But I am
indeed sorry I spoke the way I did. I know now that the children might
have perished had it not been for you and Mr. Byng, and with utmost
gratitude I thank you." Her lips quivered as she finished.
"I had little to do with it. I assisted Mr. Byng all I could." A
billow of harnessed adipose tissue was a poor substitute for my
meditations.
"Mr. Byng says it was all your work; quite modest of him. He is a
wonderful fellow, isn't he?" this time facing me.
"Mr. Byng is remarkable," I agreed, looking down toward the mill.
"What are his antecedents?" she asked.
"Oh, I presume he is of English stock that settled in this country a
couple of hundred years ago; his name would indicate that."
"Being such friends, you must have known him long?" she pursued.
I assented without being specific.
"Isn't it too bad he has had no chance for an education?"
"I think that depends on how you define education. His accomplishments
indicate a very good education. But if you mean veneer that unfits the
young for hard knocks and useful effort, he is not educated."
"I really think you are right, Mr. Wood; the young men of to-day are
poorly equipped, being interested only in spending money, and for the
worst that goes with it," she lamented acidly. As I did not reply at
once she waddled away as she had come.
Next day found the Purdues moving back on their yacht preparing to
depart, as their "man" had sufficiently recovered to navigate it. When
Papa Purdue came to express his gratitude for my part in the rescue
of his daughters, a polite duty, there were the same subtle inquiries
regarding Howard Byng. Perhaps Mrs. Potter, who also came alone, was
more insistent and extended in her inquiries. She appeared to have a
personal interest in Howard. I must confess that inwardly I had no use
for her. The mercenary spirit stuck out all too plainly.
But when little Norma came all was different. She was like a breath of
fragrance from another world. One instinctively knew she meant what
she said. There were no studied words or dollar signs about Norma.
Howard had something on his mind but waited until he had slept on the
subject once or twice. Two days later he opened up. A distinct crisis
had arrived--he was at the fork of the road, and the doubt as to which
way to take was disturbing.
"What do you think of the Purdues?" he began bluntly, when we had
finished our breakfast.
"I saw very little of them," I replied. "They were here but a short
time and distinctly at a disadvantage, as guests, and more so by
reason of the distressing accident to the young ladies. Did he try to
sell you his land?"
"Yes--but he didn't get far on that tack. I did jes' as you said and
waited for him to do the tackin'. He had worked it out pretty well
before he tackled me. He said I had the river north, east was swamp,
and south I was blocked. He joined me on the west, and I had to have
his land to grow. His price was foolish. I almost laughed in his face.
I told him I had enough now to last for years, and that the river at
low tide had three feet of water for over a hundred miles up, and that
there was stump land all the way."
"Then what?"
"That scotched him for a minute. But he came back, and said he knew
there was good water all the time for light draft boats, and he could
go above me an' build a plant and do jes' what I was doin' hisself."
"And you agreed?"
"Yes, I told him the river was Government water and anyone could use
it. I didn't tell him he couldn't do what I'm doin' 'cause he didn't
know how--I jes' talked about sumthin' else."
"But you found him quite a decent old chap even in trade?"
"Yes--I think he knew when he came here that I was the only one that
could take turpentine and rosin from a stump, and then make white
paper from what's left. He was jes' tryin' me out. An' he didn't say
anything till jes' before he left." Howard got up, looked across the
river, and then walked to the other window, where he could see the
cabins, his cotton field, and the plant working full blast.
"He had changed then?"
"Yes--he said he wanted me to cum to New York and meet his son-in-law,
Mr. Potter, a crackerjack young feller I'd like. He said he'd put in
the land reasonable, and all the cash we needed to make it a big
plant, get another schooner, and build a railroad out to the Atlantic
Coast Line and jes' make things hum. He said we'd have a big place in
New York, sell our stuff at topnotch prices, and get supplies
cheaper."
"That seems like a good offer; you must have made quite an impression
on him," I ventured.
"Is that what you think?" he asked, eyeing me slowly. I ignored the
question.
"Great deal depends on whether you'll like the son-in-law, Potter, and
if you could work together. Now one lone man can't make much of a dent
in the business world and it might be worth looking into."
"But, Wood, I'm only a Cracker now, used to the country. I don't want
to go to New York, and be a cat in a strange garret. I've been there
and always want to get away. The buildings are so big, every one is in
such a hell of a hurry. I'm actually uneasy there. How would I feel
goin' to the Purdues, with my Cracker talk and swamp ways?" appealed
Byng, with a note of regret.
"Think they want you to come or they wouldn't ask you. New York people
appear cold and mercenary, but once you get close, you find them
human, just as warm and hospitable as any. A large city forces them
into a mask they don't take off until they are very sure," I
explained.
"Yes, I guess so, but I don't understand 'em a bit," he replied with a
finality that indicated little chance of his going to New York soon.
I left him in a few days without the matter being referred to again.