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When he 'phoned to the Lights using the depot 'phone the station agent had seemed to consider his calling a woman over the lighthouse wire great fun. The lightkeeper, so the agent said, was named Atkins, and was a savage woman-hater. He would not see a woman, much less speak to one; it was a standing joke in the neighborhood, Seth's hatred of females.
Yes, there was one thing that might have been better; she might have loved Seth and consented to marry him. He felt a little vexed, for his brother's sake, and he could not help thinking regretfully how Dinah, as Seth's wife, would have made their home as happy as it could be for them all how she was the one being that would have soothed their mother's last days into peacefulness and rest.
She pouted her displeasure and, without a word, abruptly left the room. Ma and Mrs. Rickards the latter's composure quite restored by Seth's reassurance looked after her. Both smiled. Seth remained grave. The girl's mischief had brought home to him the full responsibility which devolved upon Rube and himself. Truly it was the old Rosebud who had returned to White River Farm.
Then aloud, as heartily as he could: "Hello, Smythe! You're quite safe." "What's going on here, anyhow?" asked Smythe. "Where are your boasted powers of observation?" retorted Marion. "It's more polite to ask." "In Paradise Park?" she queried, in a tone of mild surprise. Seth's face reddened as he stooped over a half-empty cartridge-box. He had congratulated himself too soon.
Sol was very sorry to leave his mother, but there was nobody else except his two brothers. And he was very sure that Seth would run away to sea when he got old enough, unless Captain Solomon let him go. But, long before it came to be Seth's time, Captain Solomon had learned better. And John, at that time, was a little boy. So Sol made his plans.
Ma was satisfied, and accepted her silence with equanimity, but for appearances' sake assumed an attitude of complaint. Rube said nothing; he had no subtlety in these matters. Seth was quite in the dark. He never complained, but he was distressed at this sudden and unaccountable desertion. Seth's wound and broken shoulder had healed.
"Well I don't care who laughs, but I'm one!" growled young Obed, half defiantly, half sullenly, and tossed his cap on to the platform like a challenger in a wrestling ring. "And I'm another!" announced the clear quiet voice of Seth Minards, thrilling the room as the hush fell. "Aw, 'tis Seth!" "Seth's a beautiful speaker once he gets goin'." "But what's the meanin'?" "Seth, of all the boys!"
The wide-open glazed eyes were grey, like Seth's, and had once looked with mild pride on the boys before whom Thias had lived to hang his head in shame. Seth's chief feeling was awe and distress at this sudden snatching away of his father's soul; but Adam's mind rushed back over the past in a flood of relenting and pity.
That meant that there had been no quarrel, but merely a temporary separation. That she and he were still friendly. That they had been in correspondence and that the "inventor" was coming back to take his old place as autocrat in the household with all his old influence over Emeline. Seth's new-found courage and manhood had vanished at the thought.
And ez Cress sez, now ez Seth's out o' the way, thar ain't no reason why she can't go back to school and finish her eddication. And I reckoned she was right. And we both agreed that ez she'd left school to git them store clothes, it was only fair that she'd give the school the benefit of 'em." The case seemed more hopeless than ever.
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