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it。〃
For the next half minute the old man's frame shook with silent
childlike laughter behind Paul's chair。 〃Well； Marse Hathaway； yo's an ole
frien' o' my massa； and a gemman yo'self； sah； and a senetah； and I do'an
mind tellin' yo'dat's jess what I bin gone done！ It makes a little ready
money for de ole woman and de chilleren。 But de Kernel don' no'。 Ah； sah！
de Kernel kill me or hisself if he so much as 'spicioned me。 De Kernel is
high…toned； sah！bein' a gemman yo'self； yo' understand。 He wouldn't
heah ob his niggah worken' for two massasfor all he's willen' to lemme
go and help myse'f。 But； Lord bless yo'； sah； dat ain't in de category！ De
Kernel couldn't get along widout me。〃
〃You collect his rents； don't you？〃 said Paul； quietly。
〃Yes； sah。〃
〃Much？〃
〃Well； no； sah； not so much as fom'ly； sah！ Yo' see； de Kernel's prop'ty
lies in de ole parts ob de town； where de po' white folks lib； and dey ain't
reg'lar。 De Kernel dat sof' in his heart； he dare n' press 'em； some of 'em is
ole fo'ty…niners； like hisself； sah； and some is Spanish； sah； and dey is sof'
too； and ain't no more gumption dan chilleren； and tink it's ole time come
ag'in； and dey's in de ole places like afo' de Mexican wah！ and dey don'
bin payin' noffin'。 But we gets along； sah；we gets along；not in de prima
facie style； sah！ mebbe not in de modden way dut de Kernel don't like； but
we keeps ourse'f； sah； and has wine fo' our friends。 When yo' come again；
sah； yo' 'll find de Widder Glencoe on de sideboard。〃
〃Has the colonel many friends here？〃
〃Mos' de ole ones bin done gone； sah； and de Kernel don' cotton to de
new。 He don' mix much in sassiety till de bank settlements bin gone done。
Skuse me； sah！but you don' happen to know when dat is？ It would be a
pow'ful heap off de Kernel's mind if it was done。 Bein' a high and mighty
man in committees up dah in Sacramento； sah； I didn't know but what yo'
might know as it might come befo' yo'。〃
〃I'll see about it；〃 said Paul； with an odd； abstracted smile。
〃Shampoo dis mornen'； sah？〃
〃Nothing more in this line；〃 said Paul； rising from his chair； 〃but
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something more； perhaps； in the line of your other duties。 You're a good
barber for the public； George； and I don't take back what I said about your
future； but JUST NOW I think the colonel wants all your service。 He's not
at all well。 Take this；〃 he said； putting a twenty…dollar gold piece in the
astonished servant's hand； 〃and for the next three or four days drop the
shop； and under some pretext or another arrange to be with him。 That
money will cover what you lose here； and as soon as the colonel's all right
again you can come back to work。 But are you not afraid of being
recognized by some one？〃
〃No； sah； dat's just it。 On'y strangers dat don't know no better come
yere。〃
〃But suppose your master should drop in？ It's quite convenient to his
rooms。〃
〃Marse Harry in a barber…shop！〃 said the old man with a silent laugh。
〃Skuse me； sah；〃 he added； with an apologetic mixture of respect and
dignity； 〃but fo' twenty years no man hez touched de Kernel's chin but
myself。 When Marse Harry hez to go to a barber's shop； it won't make no
matter who's dar。〃
〃Let's hope he will not；〃 said Paul gayly； then； anxious to evade the
gratitude which； since his munificence； he had seen beaming in the old
negro's eye and evidently trying to find polysyllabic and elevated
expression on his lips； he said hurriedly； 〃I shall expect to find you with
the colonel when I call again in a day or two；〃 and smilingly departed。
At the end of two hours George's barber…employer returned to relieve
his assistant； and； on receiving from him an account and a certain
percentage of the afternoon's fees （minus the gift from Paul）； was
informed by George that he should pretermit his attendance for a few days。
〃Udder private and personal affairs；〃 explained the old negro； who made
no social distinction in his vocabulary； 〃peroccupyin' dis niggah's time。〃
The head barber； unwilling to lose a really good assistant； endeavored to
dissuade him by the offer of increased emolument； but George was firm。
As he entered the sitting…room the colonel detected his step； and called
him in。
〃Another time； George； never allow a guest of mine to send away wine。
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If he don't care for it； put it on the sideboard。〃
〃Yes； sah； but as yo' didn't like it yo'self； Marse Harry； and de wine
was de most 'xpensive quality ob Glencoe〃
〃Dn the expense！〃 He paused； and gazed searchingly at his old
retainer。
〃George；〃 he said suddenly； yet in a gentle voice； 〃don't lie to me； or〃
in a still kinder voice〃I'll flog the black skin off you！ Listen to me。
HAVE you got any money left？〃
〃'Deed； sah； dere IS；〃 said the negro earnestly。 〃I'll jist fetch it wid de
accounts。〃
〃Hold on！ I've been thinking； lying here； that if the Widow Molloy
can't pay because she sold out； and that tobacconist is ruined； and we've
had to pay the water tax for old Bill Soames； the rent last week don't
amount to much； while there's the month's bill for the restaurant and that
blank druggist's account for lotions and medicines to come out of it。 It
strikes me we're pretty near touching bottom。 I've everything I want here；
but； by God； sir； if I find YOU skimping yourself or lying to me or
borrowing money〃
〃Yes； Marse Harry； but the Widder Molloy done gone and paid up dis
afernoon。 I'll bring de books and money to prove it；〃 and he hurriedly
reentered the sitting…room。
Then with trembling hands he emptied his pockets on the table；
including Paul's gift and the fees he had just received； and opening a desk…
drawer took from it a striped cotton handkerchief； such as negro women
wear on their heads； containing a small quantity of silver tied up in a hard
knot； and a boy's purse。 This he emptied on the table with his own money。
They were the only rents of Colonel Henry Pendleton！ They were
contributed by 〃George Washington Thomson；〃 his wife； otherwise known
as 〃Aunt Dinah；〃 washerwoman； and 〃Scipio Thomson；〃 their son； aged
fourteen； bootblack。 It did not amount to much。 But in that happy moisture
that dimmed the old man's eyes； God knows it looked large enough。
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CHAPTER III。
Although the rays of an unclouded sun were hot in the Santa Clara
roads and byways； and the dry； bleached dust had become an impalpable
powder； the perspiring and parched pedestrian who rashly sought relief in
the shade of the wayside oak was speedily chilled to the bone by the
northwest trade…winds that on those August afternoons swept through the
defiles of the Coast Range； and even penetrated the pastoral valley of San
Jose。 The anomaly of straw hats and overcoats with the occupants of
buggies and station wagons was thus accounted for； and even in the
sheltered garden of 〃El Rosario〃 two young girls in light summer dresses
had thrown wraps over their shoulders as they lounged down a broad rose…
alley at right angles with the deep； long veranda of the casa。 Yet； in spite
of the chill； the old Spanish house and gardens presented a luxurious；
almost tropical； picture from the roadside。 Banks； beds； and bowers of
roses lent their name and color to the grounds； tree…like clusters of hanging
fuchsias； mound…like masses of variegated verbena； and tangled thickets of
ceanothus and spreading heliotrope were set in boundaries of venerable
olive； fig； and pear trees。 The old house itself； a picturesque relief to the
glaring newness of the painted villas along the road； had been tastefully
modified to suit the needs and habits of a later civilization；