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〃Yes； sir；〃 he went on； in a voice the more ominous for the sudden hush he put
upon it。 〃I got a spender for a son…in…law！ It's wonderful where property
goes； sometimes。 There was ole man Tracyyou remember him； DocJ。 R。 Tracy；
solid banker。 He went into the bank as messenger； seventeen years old； he was
president at forty…three； and he built that bank with his life for forty years
more。 He was down there from nine in the morning until four in the afternoon
the day before he diedover eighty！ Gilt edge； that bank？ It was diamond
edge！ He used to eat a bag o' peanuts and and apple for lunch； but he wasn't
stingy he was just livin' in his business。 He didn't care for pie or
automobileshe had his bank。 It was an institution； and it come pretty near
bein' the beatin' heart o' this town in its time。 Well； that ole man used to
pass one o' these here turned…up…nose and turned…up…pants cigarette boys on
the streets。 Never spoke to him； Tracy didn't。 Speak to him？ God！ he
wouldn't 'a' coughed on him！ He wouldn't 'a' let him clean the cuspidors at
the bank！ Why； if he'd 'a' just seen him standin' in FRONT the bank he'd 'a'
had him run off the street。 And yet all Tracy was doin' every day of his
life was workin' for that cigarette boy！ Tracy thought it was for the bank；
he thought he was givin' his life and his life…blood and the blood of his
brain for the bank； but he wasn't。 It was every bitfrom the time he went in
at seventeen till he died in harness at eighty…threeit was every last lick
of it just slavin' for that turned…up…nose； turned…up…pants cigarette boy。
AND TRACY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HIS NAME！ He died； not ever havin' heard it；
though he chased him off the front steps of his house once。 The day after
Tracy died his old…maid daughter married the cigaretteand there AIN'T any
Tracy bank any more！ And now〃his voice rose again〃and now I got a
cigarette son…in…law！〃
Gurney pointed to the flourishing right hand without speaking； and Sheridan
once more returned it to the sling。
〃My son…in…law likes Florida this winter；〃 Sheridan went on。 〃That's good；
and my son…in…law better enjoy it； because I don't think he'll be there next
winter。 They got twelve…thousand dollars to spend； and I hear it can be done
in Florida by rich sons…in…law。 When Roscoe's woman got me to spend that much
on a porch for their new house； Edith wouldn't give me a minute's rest till I
turned over the same to her。 And she's got it； besides what I gave her to go
East on。 It 'll be gone long before this time next year； and when she comes
home and leaves the cigarette behind for goodshe'll get some more。 MY
name ain't Tracy； and there ain't goin' to be any Tracy business in the
Sheridan family。 And there ain't goin' to be any college foundin' and
endowin' and trusteein'； nor God…knows…what to keep my property alive when I'm
gone！ Edith 'll be back； and she'll get a girl's share when she's through
with that cigarette； but〃
〃By the way；〃 interposed Gurney； 〃didn't Mrs。 Sheridan tell me that Bibbs
warned you Edith would marry Lamhorn in New York？〃
Sheridan went completely to pieces： he swore； while his wife screamed and
stopped her ears。 And as he swore he pounded the table with his wounded hand；
and when the doctor； after storming at him ineffectively； sprang to catch and
protect that hand； Sheridan wrenched it away； tearing the bandage。 He
hammered the table till it leaped。
〃Fool！〃 he panted； choking。 〃If he's shown gumption enough to guess right the
first time in his life； it's enough for me to begin learnin' him on！〃 And；
struggling with the doctor； he leaned toward Bibbs； thrusting forward his
convulsed face； which was deathly pale。 〃My name ain't Tracy； I tell you！〃 he
screamed； hoarsely。 〃You give in； you stubborn fool！ I've had my way with you
before； and I'll have my way with you now！〃
Bibbs's face was as white as his father's； but he kept remembering that
〃splendid look〃 of Mary's which he had told her would give him courage in a
struggle； so that he would 〃never give up。〃
〃No。 You can't have your way；〃 he said。 And then； obeying a significant
motion of Gurney's head； he went out quickly； leaving them struggling。
Mrs。 Sheridan； in a wrapper； noiselessly opened the door of her husband's room
at daybreak the next morning； and peered within the darkened chamber。 At the
〃old〃 house they had shared a room； but the architect had chosen to separate
them at the New； and they had not known how to formulate an objection；
although to both of them something seemed vaguely reprehensible in the new
arrangement。
Sheridan did not stir； and she was withdrawing her head from the aperture when
he spoke。
〃Oh； I'm； AWAKE！ Come in； if you want to； and shut the door。〃
She came and sat by the bed。 〃I woke up thinkin' about it；〃 she explained。
〃And the more I thought about it the surer I got I must be right； and I knew
you'd be tormentin' yourself if you was awake； so well； you got plenty other
troubles； but I'm just sure you ain't goin' to have the worry with Bibbs it
looks like。〃
〃You BET I ain't！〃 he grunted。
〃Look how biddable he was about goin' back to the Works；〃 she continued。 〃He's
a right good…hearted boy； really； and sometimes I honestly have to say he
seems right smart； too。 Now and then he'll say something sounds right bright。
'Course； most always it doesn't； and a good deal of the time； when he says
things； why； I have to feel glad we haven't got company； because they'd think
he didn't have any gumption at all。 Yet； look at the way he did when
Jimwhen Jim got hurt。 He took right hold o' things。 'Course he'd been sick
himself so much and alland the rest of us never had； much； and we were kind
o' green about what to do in that kind o' troublestill； he did take hold；
and everything went off all right； you'll have to say that much； papa。 And Dr。
Gurney says he's got brains； and you can't deny but what the doctor's right
considerable of a man。 He acts sleepy； but that's only because he's got such
a large practicehe's a pretty wide…awake kind of a man some ways。 Well；
what he says last night about Bibbs himself bein' asleep； and how much he'd
amount to if he ever woke upthat's what I got to thinkin' about。 You heard
him； papa； he says； 'Bibbs 'll be a bigger business man than what Jim and
Roscoe was put togetherif he ever wakes up；' he says。 Wasn't that exactly
what he says？〃
〃I suppose so；〃 said Sheridan； without exhibiting any interest。 〃Gurney's
crazier 'n Bibbs； but if he wasn'tif what he says was truewhat of it？〃
〃Listen； papa。 Just suppose Bibbs took it into his mind to get married。 You
know where he goes all the time〃
〃Oh； Lord； yes！〃 Sheridan turned over in the bed； his face to the wall；
leaving visible of himself only the thick grizzle of his hair。 〃You better go
back to sleep。 He runs over thereevery minute she'll let him； I suppose。
Go back to bed。 There's nothin' in it。〃
〃WHY ain't there？〃 she urged。 〃I know betterthere is； too！ You wait and
see。 There's just one thing in the world that 'll wake the sleepiest young
man alive upyes； and make him JUMP upand I don't care who he is or how
sound asleep it looks like he is。 That's when he takes it into his head to
pick out some girl and settle down and have a home and chuldern of his own。
THEN； I guess； he'll go out after the money！ You'll see。 I've known dozens o'
cases； and so 've youmoony； no…'count young men； all notions and talk； goin'
to be ministers； maybe or something； and there's just this one thing takes it
out of 'em and brings 'em right down to business。 Well； I never could make
out just what it is Bibbs wants to be； really； doesn't seem he wants to be a
minister exactly he's so far…away you can't tell； and he never SAYSbut I
know this is goin' to get him right down to common sense。 Now； I don't say
that Bibbs has got the idea in his head yet'r else he wouldn't be talkin'
that fool…talk about nine dollars a week bein' good enough for him to live on。
But it's COMIN'； papa； and he'll JUMP for whatever you want to hand him out。
He will！ And I can tell you this much； too： he'll want all the salary and
stock he can get hold of； and he'll hustle to keep gettin' more。 That girl's
the kind that a young husband just goes crazy to give things to！ She's pretty
and fine…lookin'； and things look nice on her； and I guess she'd like to have
'em about as well as the next。 And I guess she isn't gettin' many these days；
either； and she'll be pretty ready for the change。 I saw her with her sleeves
rolled up at the kitchen window the other day； and Jackson told me yesterday
their cook left two weeks ago； and they haven't tried to hire another one。 He
says her and her mother been doin' the housework a good while； and now they're
doin' the cookin；' too。 'Course Bibbs wouldn't know that unless she's told
him； and I reckon she wouldn't； she's k