CHAPTER XXII
DELIGHT MAKES HER DECISION
Zenas Henry Brewster sat on the edge of his veranda, his long legscrossed before him with a certain angular grace and his corncob pipeheld rigidly between his teeth. Beside him, ranged like sparrows on atelegraph wire, were Captain Phineas Taylor, Captain Jonas Baker, andCaptain Benjamin Todd. From the row of pipes a miniature cloud ofsmoke ascended, but save for the distant pulsing of the sea and themurmur of the wind in the linden near the door not a sound was to beheard through the afternoon stillness. Yet in spite of thetranquillity of the day and the apparent peace of the four figures thatgazed so immovably out upon the reach of blue, an electrical current ofsuspense was evident in the four tense forms. They were not looking atthe bay, exquisite as it was in its cerulean beauty. Instead, the headof each man was turned toward the road that skirted the harbor andwound its way between the pines at the foot of the hill where the whitecottage stood.
"He'd oughter be comin' pretty soon, hadn't he?" Captain Phineasventured at last, unable longer to restrain his impatience. "He saidfour o'clock in his letter. It must be 'most that, don't you think?"
"Mighty nigh unto it," replied Captain Benjamin. "As I reckon it,havin' made the necessary allowances for my watch losin'three-an'-a-quarter minutes an hour, it should be about four now."
"It ain't but a quarter of four," sniffed Captain Jonas with an air ofsuperiority. "That timepiece of yours, Benjamin, ain't worth thesilver that was put into it. What's the use of havin' a watch thatkeeps you figgerin' backwards an' forards, an' doin' sums all day? Iwouldn't be bothered with it."
Captain Benjamin bridled with indignation.
"I don't see but my watch is good as yours," retorted he. "The onlydifference is I'm addin' from mornin' 'til night while you'resubstractin'."
The discomfited Captain Baker frowned.
"Mine comes out even minutes, anyhow," announced he. "If it does shootahead some, it don't keep me reckonin' in fractions like yours does.I'd see myself in Davie Jones's locker 'fore I'd go addin'three-quarter minutes together from sunrise to sunset."
"Oh, addin' fractions is mighty good trainin' for Benjamin," put in thepeace-loving Captain Phineas, with a chuckle. "It keeps his arithmeticbrushed up. I'll bet you he could beat you at a sum, Jonas."
The triumphant Captain Benjamin observed a complacent silence.
"Let Benjamin an' his watch alone, Jonas," drawled Zenas Henry,speaking for the first time. "Somebody in the house has got to be upon mathematics, an' it may as well be Benjamin as another. I'm onlysorry his ticker holds him just to addin'; if it would only make himmultiply an' divide some, an' take him into square root 'twould givehim a liberal all-round education. Still, there's always hopes it maytake a new turn. The last time it went overboard there was indicationsthat 'twouldn't be long before 'twould be leadin' him into algebra an'the fourth dimension."
Captain Benjamin grinned at the sally.
"It won't be goin' overboard no more now, Zenas Henry," responded heserenely, "'cause since the _Sea Gull's_ got that eel-grass-proofcontrivance hitched to her, there won't be no call for me to be lyin'head down'ards astern. I'll be settin' up like a Christian infuture--all of us will. My soul, but Bob Morton an' Willie Spence dida good job on that boat! It's somethin' to have a young chap withbrains like that marryin' into the family! I'll bet there's 'mostnothin' on earth he couldn't tackle."
"You're right!" Captain Phineas chimed in. "If Delight's got to getmarried--an' we'd be a lot of selfish brutes not to want her to--shecertainly has picked a promisin' husband. You can lose money--fling itaway or have it stolen from you--but you can't lose brains."
"That's so, Phineas! That's so!" Zenas Henry said. "Besides, 'tain'tas if he was takin' her to Indiana. New York ain't fur. Why, I'llstake a catch of mackerel we could fetch up at that Long Island placein the _Sea Gull_."
"Of course we could, Zenas Henry," agreed Captain Jonas, flashing aglance of affection into his friend's face. "There's no question aboutit. Take a good clear day an' the sea runnin' right, we could make itwithout a mite of trouble. Long Island wouldn't be anything of acruise. No place that we can sail to in our own boat is fur away."
A listener of discrimination might have detected in the dialogue a noteof assumed optimism and suspected that the four old men seated likeimages on the piazza rail were trying to buoy up one another's courage,and in the assumption he would not, perhaps, have been far wrong.
"What do you s'pose this Galbraith has up his sleeve, Zenas Henry, thathe should be comin' over here?" Captain Benjamin Todd speculated,during a lapse in the conversation. "He has some scheme in mind, youcan be sure of that."
"Why do you always go rootin' up evil like as if you was diggin' furclams, Benjamin?" inquired Captain Phineas impatiently, "All Mr.Galbraith said was he wanted to see Zenas Henry. There surely is noharm in that. Delight bein' his niece, it's only to be expected he'dwant to get sight of the folks she is livin' with. Most natural thingin the world, it seems to me. 'Twould be queerer if he didn't show nointerest in the people who have brought her up."
"That's so, Phineas," Captain Jonas echoed. "Nothin's likelier thanthat he's comin' to sorter thank Zenas Henry."
"Thank us!" Zenas Henry burst out. "Thank us for bringin' up our ownchild! What business is it of his? Do we go traipsin' to Belleport tothank him for bein' good to his children?"
"No, no, Zenas Henry," Captain Phineas replied soothingly. "Of coursehe ain't comin' here to thank us. That would be plumb ridiculous.More probable he's comin' as I said, to make a friendly call since he'sa relative."
But in spite of this reassurance, the ripple of misgiving had notentirely died away before the well-known touring-car with the New Yorkfinancier in its tonneau made its appearance at the foot of the hill.
"He's comin', Zenas Henry!"
"There he is!"
"That's him!" was the excited comment.
But Zenas Henry maintained a grim silence. He had risen to his fullheight and now stood braced to meet an ordeal which he dreaded far morethan he would have been willing to admit. His gaunt figure was stiffwith resolution, his jaw set, his lips compressed. It was the sameexpression his countenance had worn the night he had gone forth intothe storm to rescue the sinking crew of the _Michleen_ from probabledeath; it was the expression his companions dreaded and feared,--thefighter ready for combat. Yet his antagonist, as he alighted from themotor-car and crossed the grass in leisurely fashion, appeared to beanything but a formidable adversary. He came toward Delight, who hadhurried out to meet him, with easy friendliness, his hands extended anda smile of genuine affection on his face.
"I am glad to see you, my dear," he said, "--and in your own home, too.I fancy you must have thought me a great while in coming. I wasdetained in New York much longer than I expected; otherwise you wouldhave seen me days ago."
She smiled up into the kindly gray eyes.
"And my, my, my! What a lot of mischief you and Bob have been gettinginto in my absence! You sly little puss! You may well blush. Thebare idea of your springing a surprise like that on your new uncle!Bob has told me all about it," he suddenly became grave, "and I am veryglad for you both. You could not have chosen a finer husband, littlegirl. Robert Morton is one man in a thousand. We'll talk more of himby and by. Just now I wish to meet all your family. You must presenteach one, so that I shall not get all these many captains confused."
How simply and naturally he bridged the awkwardness of the moment!Before they realized it, Abbie and the three veteran seafarers werechatting gaily with the visitor, and even Zenas Henry was venturing outof his reserve and unbending into geniality when the words "_and now tobusiness_" chilled the warmth of his mood and sent him back into hisshell, thrilling with vague forebodings.
With every eye fixed expectantly upon him, Mr. Galbraith took off hisPanama and fanned himself.
"Now that we have put together a few of the links that bind our twofami
lies," he began, "and laid the foundation for a friendship which Ihope the future will foster, there are a few intimate matters of whichI wish to speak. First there is Bob Morton, and if you want anyreassuring as to his character, I can give it to you. Your own wiseand shrewd discrimination has led you to accept him at his face valueand your estimate of him has not been a mistaken one. I do not thinkthere is a young man in the world of greater sterling worth than theone your daughter has chosen for a husband."
At the firm emphasis on the word _daughter_, Zenas Henry's jaw relaxed.
"Of course, you feel the same anxiety for your child that I feel formine, and realize how much a woman's happiness depends on the man intowhose hands she puts her life. In giving up Cynthia I know what itmeans to you to give up Delight. We parents cannot expect to have allthe joy and none of the suffering that comes with having children,however." He looked at Zenas Henry and a quiet sympathy passed fromone man to the other. "But we should be selfish indeed were we to denyto those we love the best gift heaven has to bestow. It is makingothers happy in their way, not in ours, that tests our real affectionfor them. And so I know that underneath all your personal regrets yourejoice in the prospect of Delight's marriage as I rejoice inCynthia's. We shall not always be in this world to safeguard ourdaughters. How much better to see their future in the protection ofyounger and stronger men than ourselves!"
"Yes, yes!" murmured Zenas Henry.
"And now I want to speak to Delight, although I am sure she will wishyou to hear what I have to say to her. It is a matter of businessabout which she alone can decide. When Madam Lee, her grandmother,died, she left a large property in real estate and securities which shewilled outright to an old friend of whom she was devotedly fond. Shefelt the Galbraiths were amply provided for and therefore, with theexception of certain jewels and heirlooms that were to be retained inthe family, she bequeathed them nothing. We understood the motivesthat governed her in thus disposing of her property and were in fullaccord with them. The document, however, was drawn up before she knewof the existence of this other granddaughter, and in view of this fact,the person to whom the property is willed feels that it is only justthat the whole or a part of it should be relinquished in Delight'sfavor."
There was an instant's pause.
"This the beneficiary does of his own accord, not alone as a matter ofduty or as a matter of honor, but because his affection was so deep forMadam Lee that it is a pleasure to him to act as he thinks she wouldhave desired. Had not her end come so suddenly, she would withoutdoubt have made a new will and done this herself."
"You mean that without courts or lawyers askin' him to, this man justwants to hand over the money?" gasped Captain Jonas.
"Yes."
"Well, I dunno who he is, but I'll say this much for him--he's anhonest cuss!" ejaculated the fisherman.
In spite of his earnestness Mr. Galbraith smiled.
Delight, however, had risen during the interval of silence and withnervously clasped hands had gone to Zenas Henry's side, where she nowstood, her eyes large with thought.
Her uncle turned toward her.
"Well, my dear, what have you to say?" he asked.
"It is--is very kind of a stranger to be so noble, so generous," shedeclared gently. "He mustn't think that I do not appreciate it. But Icouldn't take a cent of the money," she went on with quick decision."Even had it been willed to me in the first place, it would have madeno difference. I don't want to be unkind or to hurt anybody'sfeelings. But can't you see that Madam Lee was really nothing in mylife? She came in and went out of it like a phantom, and she did notbegin to mean to me what she did to this old friend of hers. Justbecause at the close of her days it was discovered that I was of herkin, it established no bond of affection between us--nothing but alegal claim. If she had lived and we had grown dear to one another,and she had given the fortune to me out of her heart, then I shouldhave accepted it gladly. But to have it bestowed on me merely by rightof succession--I couldn't think of touching a penny of it!"
She caught her breath, and her chin rose a trifle higher.
"And besides," she continued, "I would rather just be indebted to ZenasHenry and my own family. My grandmother was unjust to my parents,unkind. Although she lived to be sorry for it and would, doubtless,have done differently when she was older, she was harsh and cruel tothem. I have forgiven but I never can forget it. I don't want the Leemoney. Zenas Henry and the three captains give me all I need, and Ihave no fears but that in the future Bob can look out for me."
There was something in the proudly poised figure, so slender and erect,so firm and self-respecting in its calm decision, that roused everyhearer's admiration and drew from the New York financier an involuntaryhomage. Nevertheless with a fear that impulse might have prompted thegirl's verdict, he felt impelled to explain:
"But you are tossing away a large sum--thousands, child! You and yourpeople would be rich."
"We don't want to be rich!" cried Delight, with quivering nostril. "Dowe, Zenas Henry?" she slipped an arm about his neck as he collapsedinto his seat on the piazza rail. "We are happy just as we are! Youdon't want me to take the Lee money, do you?" she asked, putting hercheek against his.
"No, honey, no! You shan't be beholden to any one but me," heanswered. "I hoped you'd decide as you have. 'Twould take half thepleasure out of my life if it warn't us that was to do for you. Justthe same, Mr. Galbraith, we thank you kindly for bringin' the offer,an' your friend for makin' it; an' though we refuse it, 'tain't done inno unfriendly spirit."
"I understand that," nodded the financier.
Nevertheless he gazed with no small amount of awe and respect at thesepoor fisherfolk who could so lightly fling aside a fortune.
"Mebbe," resumed Zenas Henry, "you'll tell this friend of Madam Lee'sthat we've took note of his squareness."
"Oh, yes, do tell him that it was splendid of him, splendid!"interrupted Delight.
"He's a gentleman, whoever he is," Captain Phineas added. "Tell him sofrom all of us."
"You might like to tell him so yourselves," returned Mr. Galbraithslowly.
"Eh?" Zenas Henry questioned. "Oh, we might write him, you mean.That's so. Likely it would be more decent. We'd be surer of hisknowin' how we felt if 'twas put down in black an' white. What's hisname?"
"Robert Morton."
"Robert Morton! Robert Mor--not our--not _Bob_!"
"Yes."
He saw Delight flush, and her eyes suddenly fill with tears.
"Bob!" she whispered half-aloud. "Bob!"
Zenas Henry drew her closer.
"What does the girl want with money," he demanded, "when she's got aman like that? He's better than all the money on earth."
"But she'll get the money just the same, Zenas Henry," piped CaptainJonas. "She'll get it. Have you thought of that?"
"It will be Bob's money, not mine," returned Delight with shy dignity.
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