" But the boy felt that he had pap going.
"I had to borrow money from Sammy Steele to pay my debts."

The father gasped. "So you've been borrowing money to get into the show
business?"

"No, I had to borrow money to get out of it and that's why I don't want
you to loan Palmer money without you ask mother."

Alfred knew full well that this reference to the mother would bring the
father to terms.

"Now look here, my boy; I warned you once before not to blab my business
to your mother to make trouble in the family--"

"Well, I'm going to tell her," broke in the boy.

"You're going to tell her what?" threateningly asked the father.

"I'm not going to tell her anything about you," replied Alfred somewhat
subdued, "I'm just going to tell her that Palmer is trying to borrow
money from you."

The mother was no different from other women. The father knew full well
that her first remark would be: "So Palmer wants to borrow money! So
that's what brought him here! He is a slick one, you could tell that by
his talk. John, I hope you are not fool enough to loan that man money."
"No, Mary, don't worry yourself, he'll get no money out of me, I could
see through him the first time I met him."

This line of conversation had been heard so often in the family that it
was stereotyped on the memory of all. The father therefore capitulated,
and in a tone intended to pacify the boy he said: "Now there's no use
in stirring up anything over this matter. If you want to go with Palmer
I will gain your mother's consent. I'll tell her you have asked my
permission. I will permit you to remain there as long as you do right.
You know more about this business than I do and I'll leave it all in
your hands and I'll tell Palmer so," the father resignedly concluded.

His father had outgeneraled him; he was not the diplomat he imagined
himself. He was left in deeper doubt than before the interview.

Letters came from Palmer. Alfred knew by the postmark that they were
from him. He was tempted to open them. The father read the letters and
placed them in the desk, never mentioning Palmer's name. This was very
perplexing to Alfred.

It was reported that Palmer's great panorama was coming. It was also
reported that Alfred's Uncle Thomas, the minister, Uncle Ned, Uncle
Will, grandpap, and all of Alfred's relatives who had opposed his show
ambitions previously, sanctioned his going with Professor Palmer's
Panorama.

Uncle Thomas explained that Palme