Whether Doctor Holliday cal'lated so or not he did not say.It may be that he thought this cool inspection of and discussion concerning a stranger, even a juvenile stranger, somewhat embarrassing to its object.Or the lantern light may have shown him an ominous pucker between the boy's black brows and a flash of temper in the big black eyes beneath them.At any rate, instead of replying to Mr.Young, he said, kindly:
"Yes, Captain Snow lives in the village.If you are going to his house get right in here.I live close by, myself.""Darned sure!" agreed Mr.Young, with enthusiasm."Hop right in, sonny."But the boy hesitated.Then, haughtily ignoring the driver, he said: "I thought Captain Snow would be here to meet me.He wrote that he would."The irrepressible Jim had no idea of remaining ignored."Did Cap'n Lote write you that he'd be here to the depot?" he demanded."All right, then he'll be here, don't you fret.I presume likely that everlastin' mare of his has eat herself sick again; eh, Doc? By godfreys domino, the way they pet and stuff that fool horse is a sin and a shame.It ain't Lote's fault so much as 'tis his wife's--she's responsible.Don't you fret, Bub, the cap'n'll be here for you some time to-night.If he said he'll come he'll come, even if he has to hire one of them limmysines.He, he, he! All you've got to do is wait, and...Hey!...Hold on a minute!...Bub!"The boy was walking away.And to hail him as "Bub" was, although Jim Young did not know it, the one way least likely to bring him back.
"Bub!" shouted Jim again.Receiving no reply he added what he had intended saying."If I run afoul of Cap'n Lote anywheres on the road," he called, "I'll tell him you're here a-waitin'.So long, Bub.Git dap, Chain Lightnin'."The horse, thus complimented, pricked up one ear, lifted a foot, and jogged off.The depot wagon became merely a shadowy smudge against the darkness of the night.For a few minutes the "chock, chock" of the hoofs upon the frozen road and the rattle of wheels gave audible evidence of its progress.Then these died away and upon the windswept platform of the South Harniss station descended the black gloom of lonesomeness so complete as to make that which had been before seem, by comparison, almost cheerful.
The youth upon that platform turned up his coat collar, thrust his gloved hands into his pockets, and shivered.Then, still shivering, he took a brisk walk up and down beside the suitcase and, finally, circumnavigated the little station.The voyage of discovery was unprofitable; there was nothing to discover.So far as he could see--which was by no means far--upon each side of the building was nothing but bare fields and tossing pines, and wind and cold and blackness.He came to anchor once more by the suitcase and drew a long, hopeless breath.
He thought of the cheery dining room at the school he had left the day before.Dinner would be nearly over by now.The fellows were having dessert, or, probably, were filing out into the corridors, the younger chaps to go to the study hall and the older ones--the lordly seniors, of whom he had been one--on the way to their rooms.
The picture of his own cheerful, gay room in the senior corridor was before his mind; of that room as it was before the telegram came, before the lawyer came with the letter, before the end of everything as he knew it and the beginning of--this.He had not always loved and longed for that school as he loved and longed for it now.There had been times when he referred to it as "the old jail," and professed to hate it.But it had been the only real home he had known since he was eight years old and now he looked back upon it as a fallen angel might have looked back upon Paradise.He sighed again, choked and hastily drew his gloved hand across his eyes.At the age of seventeen it is very unmanly to cry, but, at that age also, manhood and boyhood are closely intermingled.He choked again and then, squaring his shoulders, reached into his coat pocket for the silver cigarette case which, as a recent acquisition, was the pride of his soul.He had just succeeded in lighting a cigarette when, borne upon the wind, he heard once more the sound of hoofs and wheels and saw in the distance a speck of light advancing toward the station.
The sounds drew nearer, so did the light.Then an old-fashioned buggy, drawn by a plump little sorrel, pulled up by the platform and a hand held a lantern aloft.
"Hello!" hailed a voice."Where are you?"The hail did not have to be repeated.Before the vehicle reached the station the boy had tossed away the cigarette, picked up the suitcase, and was waiting.Now he strode into the lantern light.
"Here I am," he answered, trying hard not to appear too eager.
"Were you looking for me?"
The holder of the lantern tucked the reins between the whip-socket and the dash and climbed out of the buggy.He was a little man, perhaps about forty-eight or fifty, with a smooth-shaven face wrinkled at the corners of the mouth and eyes.His voice was the most curious thing about him; it was high and piping, more like a woman's than a man's.Yet his words and manner were masculine enough, and he moved and spoke with a nervous, jerky quickness.
He answered the question promptly."Guess I be, guess I be," he said briskly."Anyhow, I'm lookin' for a boy name of--name of--My soul to heavens, I've forgot it again, I do believe! What did you say your name was?""Speranza.Albert Speranza."
"Sartin, sartin! Sper--er--um--yes, yes.Knew it just as well as I did my own.Well, well, well! Ye-es, yes, yes.Get right aboard, Alfred.Let me take your satchel."He picked up the suitcase.The boy, his foot upon the buggy step, still hesitated."Then you're--you're not my grandfather?" he faltered.
