Here was the unexpected. His hearers looked at each other in amazement.
"You won"t accept!" cried Thankful. "Why, Mr. Kendrick."
"Won"t accept!" shouted Captain Obed. "What on earth! Why, John Kendrick, what"s the matter with you? Ain"t you been settin" in that office of yours waitin" and waitin" for somethin" worth while to come along? And now a really big chance does come, and you say you don"t know as you"ll take it! What kind of talk"s that, I"d like to know!"
John smiled. Miss Howes, who seemed as much surprised as the others, did not smile.
"Why won"t you take it?" demanded the captain.
"Oh, I don"t know. The proposition doesn"t appeal to me as strongly as it should, perhaps. Cousin Holliday and I ARE cousins, but we--well, we differ in other ways besides the size of our incomes. When I was in New York I went to him at one time. I was--I needed--well, I went to him. He consented to see me and he listened to what I had to say, but he was not too cordial. He didn"t ask me to call again. Now he seems changed, I admit. Remembers perfectly well that I am his father"s brother"s only child and all that, and out of the kindness of his heart offers me employment. But--but I don"t know."
No one spoke for a moment. Then Emily broke the silence.
"You don"t know?" she repeated, rather sharply. "Why not, may I ask?"
"Oh, I don"t, that"s all. For one thing, there is just a little too much condescension in my dear cousin"s manner. I may be a yellow dog, but I don"t like to sit up and beg when my master threatens to throw me a bone. Perhaps I"m particular as to who that master may be."
Again it was Emily who spoke.
"Perhaps you are--TOO particular," she said. "Can you afford to be so particular?"
"Probably not. But, you see, there is another thing. There is a question of professional ethics involved. If I take that retainer I am bound in honor to undertake any case Cousin Holliday may give me. And--and, I"m not sure I should care to do that. You know how I feel about a lawyer"s duty to his client and his duty to himself. There are certain questions--"
She interrupted.
"I think there are, too many questions," she said. "I lose patience with you sometimes. Often and often I have known of your refusing cases which other lawyers have taken and won."
"Meaning Brother Daniels?" He asked it with a smile, but with some sarcasm in his tone. Both he and Miss Rowes seemed to have forgotten that the captain and Thankful were present.
"Why, yes. Mr. Daniels has accepted cases which you have refused. No one thinks the less of him for it. He will accept your cousin"s retainer if you don"t."
"I presume he will. That would be the practical thing to do, and he prides himself on his practicality."
"Practicality is not altogether bad. It is often necessary in this practical world. What case is Mr. Kendrick likely to put in your hands which you would hesitate to undertake?"
"None that I know of. But if he did, I--"
"You could refuse to take it."
"Why, not easily. I should have accepted his retainer and that, according to legal etiquette, would make me honor bound to--"
She interrupted again. Her patience was almost gone, that was plain. For the matter of that, so was Captain Obed"s.
"Don"t you think that you are a trifle too sensitive concerning honor?"
she asked. "And too suspicious besides? I do. Oh, I am tired of your scruples. I don"t like to see you letting success and--and all the rest of it pa.s.s you by, when other men, not so overscrupulous, do succeed.
Don"t you care for success? Or for money?"
John interrupted her. He leaned forward and spoke, deliberately but firmly. And he looked her straight in the face.
"I do," he said. "I care for both--now--more than I ever thought I could care."
And, all at once, the young lady seemed to remember that her cousin and the captain were in the room. She colored, and when she spoke it was in a different tone.
"Then," she said, "it seems to me, if I were you, I should accept the opportunities that came in my way. Of course, it"s not my affair. I shouldn"t have presumed to advise." She rose and moved toward the door. "Good night, Mr. Kendrick," she said. "Good night, Captain Bangs.
Auntie, you will excuse me, won"t you? I am rather tired tonight, and--"
But once more Kendrick interrupted.
"One moment, please, Miss Howes," he said, earnestly. "Do I understand--do you mean that you wish me to accept Cousin Holliday"s retainer?"
Emily paused.
"Why," she answered, after an instant"s hesitation, "I--I really don"t see why my wish one way or the other should be very strong. But--but as a friend of yours--of course we are all your friends, Mr. Kendrick--as one of your friends I--we, naturally, like to see you rise in your profession."
"Then you advise me to accept?"
"If my advice is worth anything--yes. Good night."
Next day, when Captain Obed made his customary call at the ex-barber-shop, he ventured to ask the question uppermost in his mind.
"Have you decided yet, John?" he asked.
His friend looked at him.
"Meaning--what?" he queried.
"Meanin"--you know what I mean well enough. Have you decided to take your cousin"s offer?"
"I"ve done more than that, Captain. I have accepted the offer and the retaining fee, too."
Captain Obed sprang forward and held out his hand.
"Bully for you, John!" he shouted. "That"s the best thing you ever done in your life. NOW you"ve really started."
Kendrick smiled. "Yes," he admitted, "I have started. Where I may finish is another matter."
"Oh, you"ll finish all right. Don"t be a Jeremiah, John. Well, well!
This is fine. Won"t all hands be pleased!"
"Yes, won"t they! Especially Brother Daniels. Daniels will be overcome with joy. Captain, have a cigar. Have two cigars. I have begun to spend my retainer already, you see."
CHAPTER IX
The August days were busy ones at the High Cliff House. Every room was filled and the tables in the dining-room well crowded. Thankful told Captain Bangs that she could not spare time even to look out of the window. "And yet Emily and I are about the only ones who don"t look out," she added. "There"s enough goin" on to look at, that"s sartin."