e came along with that big Russell fish; and I
thought she looked sore. She expects me to like the kind she likes, and
I don't like 'em. I thought she'd prob'ly got you all stirred up about
it."

"No, no," his father said, peevishly. "I don't know anything about it,
and I don't care to know anything about it. I want to talk to you about
something important."

Then, as he was again silent, Walter said, "Well, TALK about it; I'm
listening."

"It's this," Adams began, heavily. "It's about me going into this glue
business. Your mother's told you, hasn't she?"

"She said you were goin' to leave the old place down-town and start a
glue factory. That's all I know about it; I got my own affairs to 'tend
to."

"Well, this is your affair," his father said, frowning. "You can't stay
with Lamb and Company."

Walter looked a little startled. "What you mean, I can't? Why not?"

"You've got to help me," Adams explained slowly; and he frowned more
deeply, as if the interview were growing increasingly laborious for him.
"It's going to be a big pull to get this business on its feet."

"Yes!" Walter exclaimed with a sharp skepticism. "I should say it was!"
He stared at his father incredulously. "Look here; aren't you just a
little bit sudden, the way you're goin' about things? You've let mother
shove you a little too fast, haven't you? Do you know anything about
what it means to set up a new business these days?"

"Yes, I know all about it," Adams said. "About this business, I do."

"How do you?"

"Because I made a long study of it. I'm not afraid of going about it the
wrong way; but it's a hard job and you'll have to put in all whatever
sense and strength you've got."

Walter began to breathe quickly, and his lips were agitated; then he set
them obstinately. "Oh; I will," he said.

"Yes, you will," Adams returned, not noticing that his son's inflection
was satiric. "It's going to take every bit of energy in your body, and
all the energy I got left in mine, and every cent of the little I've
saved, besides something I'll have to raise on this house. I'm going
right at it, now I've got to; and you'll have to quit Lamb's by the end
of next week."

"Oh, I will?" Walter's voice grew louder, and there was a shrillness
in it. "I got to quit Lamb's the end of next week, have I?" He stepped
forward, angrily. "Listen!" he said. "I'm not walkin' out o' Lamb's,
see? I'm not quittin' down there: I stay with 'em, see?"

Adams looked