the keeping of that promise was likely to be no easy matter. He
must begin the talk, he must break the ice--and how should he break
it? Timid and roundabout approaches would be of little use; unless his
grandfather's state of mind had changed remarkably since their
parting in the Z. Snow and Co. office they and their motive would be
misunderstood. No, the only way to break the ice was to break it, to
plunge immediately into the deepest part of the subject. It promised to
be a chilly plunge. He shivered at the prospect.

A half hour later he heard the door of the hall open and shut and knew
that Captain Zelotes had returned. Rising, he descended the stairs.
He descended slowly. Just as he reached the foot of the narrow flight
Captain Zelotes entered the hall from the dining-room and turned toward
him. Both were surprised at the meeting. Albert spoke first.

"Good evening, Grandfather," he stammered. "I--I was just coming down to
see you. Were you going to bed?"

Captain Lote shook his head. "No-o," he said, slowly, "not exactly."

"Do you mind waiting a minute? I have a few things--I have something to
say to you and--and I guess I shall sleep better if I say it to-night.
I--I won't keep you long."

The captain regarded him intently for an instant, then he turned and led
the way to the dining-room.

"Go ahead," he ordered, laconically. Albert squared his shoulders,
preparatory to the plunge.

"Grandfather," he began, "first of all I want to tell you I am sorry
for--for some of the things I said this afternoon."

He had rehearsed this opening speech over and over again, but in spite
of the rehearsals it was dreadfully hard to make. If his grandfather
had helped him even a little it might have been easier, but the captain
merely stood there, expressionless, saying nothing, waiting for him to
continue.

Albert swallowed, clenched his fists, and took a new start.

"Of course," he began, "I am sorry for the mistakes I made in my
bookkeeping, but that I have told you before. Now--now I want to say
I am sorry for being so--well, so pig-headed about the rest of it. I
realize that you have been mighty kind to me and that I owe you about
everything that I've got in this world."

He paused again. It had seemed to him that Captain Zelotes was about to
speak. However, he did not, so the young man stumbled on.

"And--and I realize, too," he said, "that you have, I guess, been trying
to give me a real start in business, th