Captain Pott's Minister Part 26

"Do you mean that you're going to stick by me, Clemmie?"

She nodded.

"I cal'late that'll help a heap, even if things go dead against me. It's purty nigh three weeks afore he can close up on me," he faltered, as though he dared not hope even in the presence of this unexpected aid that had come to him. "What are we going to do?"

"The fust thing you're going to do is to see Jim Fox himself, and you're going to tell him that you're going to see a good lawyer, the best you can find. If them papers ain't straight he'll show plain that he's worried." She drew her hand from his. "Josiah, I'm going to show you something I ain't ever showed to a living soul. It ain't much, but it might start you along the right way of finding something out."

She went to her room, and soon returned with a piece of paper. It was yellow with age, and had to be handled with care to keep it from falling apart at the creases. She handed it to the Captain, indicating a section for him to read. He nearly tumbled from his chair as the truth it conveyed concerning the past life of Jim Fox flashed into his mind.

"Holy mackerel!"

The entrance of the minister prevented further comment, except for the Captain to whisper:

"Thanks, Clemmie. 'Twill help, I cal'late. You're a good woman," he finished, taking her hand between both of his. "You're smart, too.

You've helped me more than you know, and G.o.d bless you!"

CHAPTER XII

That evening the Captain dropped the bra.s.s knocker to the Elder's front door with a heavy thud. A servant opened the door.

"I want to see Mr. Fox."

"He's not in, sir. Will you leave any----"

"Who is it, Debbs?" called a voice from the top of the stair.

"Captain Pott, sir. I thought you was to see no one to-night, sir."

"That's all right. Send him right up to my room."

The Elder's den was across the hall from his daughter's room, in the most quiet part of the house.

"Right in here, Josiah. We shall be more private here than down-stairs."

The Captain entered, and took the chair indicated by the Elder.

"I was very busy, and told Debbs I was not to be disturbed, but I recognized your voice, and--er--wanted to see you. It has been quite a long while since we have had a friendly chat, Josiah. I wish you would come more often. I get very lonesome in this big place. Have a cigar?

No? I shall, if you don't mind."

"We ain't been none too neighborly, as you might say."

"Why don't you come up once in a while?"

"Cal'late for the same reason you don't get over to the other end of the road. For one thing, I'm too busy paying off debts."

The Elder looked questioningly at the seaman as he touched the lighted end of a match to his cigar. "That is true. We--er--are busy, too busy for our own good. We ought to be more sociable here in Little River. We need something to stir us up."

"We're too d.a.m.n selfish, if you ask me. As far as stirring goes, I cal'late we've got as much of that as any town along this coast. About all a feller can do is to set his teeth against the hurricane and grin."

The Elder laughed without restraint, and his visitor began to show signs of uneasiness.

"You'd best be careful with them delicate blood-vessels," mildly suggested the Captain.

"True, Josiah. But that was a good joke, a very good joke. One can take it in two ways."

"Not the way I mean it. There's enough gossip----"

"Yes, we are too selfish," broke in the Elder, "and it is too bad. I often think of the time we were kids together. We had our little sc.r.a.ps, made up, and were ready to fight for each other."

The Captain could recall no occasion when he had fought for Jim Fox.

"How long ago that all seems! Yet how--er--happy were those days. No cares. No sorrows. No troubles. No misunderstandings. Excuse me, Josiah.

I don't know why it is that I hark back like this when we get together.

But it does me a world of good."

"Maybe you've got another fish to fry," suggested the Captain, wholly untouched by the Elder's memory picture. "That was the way you done when you wanted us boys to do something for you, and you ain't got over it with age."

"I was quite a diplomat in those days, wasn't I? But we can't bring them back. No, sir, we can't. They are--er--gone forever."

"I ain't sartin I want to fetch 'em back. Leastwise, that wa'n't my purpose in coming here to-night. I come over to see you about that mortgage you slipped over on me."

"Mortgage?"

"Yes, mortgage."

"Oh! You refer to that little loan I made you some time ago? That was--er--real humor calling it a mortgage."

"It may be funny to you, but it ain't to me."

"I hope that little matter isn't bothering you."

"It ain't, but a feller from the city is. He told me you was intending to take my place."

"I'm sorry he told you that. I do not know what I should do with it if I had it."

"I don't know what I'd do without it, Jim."

"I think it can be arranged without difficulty. It is such a small matter."

"It may look small to you, but it looks a heap sight different to me."

"I know, Josiah. It is very opportune that you have come to me to-night.

Not more than an hour ago I was thinking of you, and wis.h.i.+ng I might--er--see you. I have been thinking, too, of others, some who stood by me in time of peril and poverty. I feel greatly indebted to them, and since they were members of your family, I must now show my appreciation for their kindness."

"I cal'late you're referring to them you served a dirty trick over in Australia."