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mus'n' kill 'nybodynot in business hours！ All right any other time。 Kill
'nybody you want to's long 'tain't in business hours！ Fine！ Mus'n' have
any trouble 't 'll innerfere business。 Keep your trouble 't home。 Don' bring
it to th' office。 Might innerfere business！ Have funerals on Sundaymight
innerfere business！ Don' let your wife innerfere business！ Keep all； all； ALL
your trouble an' your meanness； an' your tradyour tradegykeep 'em ALL for
home use！ If you got die； go on die 't homedon' die round th' office！
Might innerfere business！〃
Sheridan picked up a newspaper from Roscoe's desk； and sat down with his back
to his son； affecting to read。 Roscoe seemed to be unaware of his father's
significant posture。
〃You know wh' I think？〃 he went on。 〃I think Bibbs only one the fam'ly any
'telligence at all。 Won' work； an' di'n' get married。 Jim worked； an' he got
killed。 I worked； an' I got married。 Look at me！ Jus' look at me； I ask
you。 Fine 'dustriss young business man。 Look whass happen' to me！ Fine！〃
He lifted his hand from the sustaining chair in a deplorable gesture； and；
immediately losing his balance； fell across the chair and caromed to the floor
with a crash； remaining prostrate for several minutes； during which Sheridan
did not relax his apparent attention to the newspaper。 He did not even look
round at the sound of Roscoe's fall。
Roscoe slowly climbed to an upright position； pulling himself up by holding to
the chair。 He was slightly sobered outwardly； having progressed in the
prostrate interval to a state of befuddlement less volatile。 He rubbed his
dazed eyes with the back of his left hand。
〃Whatwhat you ask me while ago？〃 he said。
〃Nothin'。〃
〃Yes； you did。 Whatwhat was it？〃
〃Nothin'。 You better sit down。〃
〃You ask' me what I thought about Lamhorn。 You did ask me that。 Well； I
won't tell you。 I won't say dam' word 'bout him！〃
The telephone…bell tinkled。 Sheridan placed the receiver to his ear and said；
〃Right down。〃 Then he got Roscoe's coat and hat from a closet and brought
them to his son。 〃Get into this coat；〃 he said。 〃You're goin' home。〃
〃All ri'；〃 Roscoe murmured； obediently。
They went out into the main hall by a side door； not passing through the outer
office； and Sheridan waited for an empty elevator； stopped it； and told the
operator to take on no more passengers until they reached the ground floor。
Roscoe walked out of the building and got into the automobile without
lurching； and twenty minutes later walked into his own house in the same
manner； neither he nor his father having spoken a word in the interval。
Sheridan did not go in with him； he went home； and to his own room without
meeting any of his family。 But as he passed Bibbs's door her heard from
within the sound of a cheerful young voice humming jubilant fragments of song：
WHO looks a mustang in the eye？ 。。。 With a leap from the ground To the saddle
in a bound。 And awayand away！ Hi…yay！
It was the first time in Sheridan's life that he had ever detected any musical
symptom whatever in Bibbshe had never even heard him whistle and it seemed
the last touch of irony that the useless fool should be merry to…day。
To Sheridan it was Tom o' Bedlam singing while the house burned； and he did
not tarry to enjoy the melody； but went into his own room and locked the door。
He emerged only upon a second summons to dinner； two hours later； and came to
the table so white and silent that his wife made her anxiety manifest and was
but partially reassured by his explanation that his lunch had 〃disagreed〃 with
him a little。
Presently； however； he spoke effectively。 Bibbs； whose appetite had become
hearty； was helping himself to a second breast of capon from white…jacket's
salver。 〃Here's another difference between Midas and chicken；〃 Sheridan
remarked； grimly。 〃Midas can eat rooster； but rooster can't eat Midas。 I
reckon you overlooked that。 Midas looks to me like he had the advantage
there。〃
Bibbs retained enough presence of mind to transfer the capon breast to his
plate without dropping it and to respond； 〃Yeshe crows over it。〃
Having returned his antagonists's fire in this fashion； he blushedfor he
could blush distinctly nowand his mother looked upon him with pleasure；
thought the reference to Midas and roosters was of course jargon to her。 〃Did
you ever see anybody improve the way that child has！〃 she exclaimed。 〃I
declare； Bibbs； sometimes lately you look right handsome！〃
〃He's got to be such a gadabout；〃 Edith giggled。
〃I found something of his on the floor up…stairs this morning； before anybody
was up；〃 said Sheridan。 〃I reckon if people lose things in this house and
expect to get 'em back； they better get up as soon as I do。〃
〃What was it he lost？〃 asked Edith。
〃He knows！〃 her father returned。 〃Seems to me like I forgot to bring it home
with me。 I looked it overthought probably it was something pretty
important； belongin' to a busy man like him。〃 He affected to search his
pockets。 〃What DID I do with it； now？ Oh yes！ Seems to me like I remember
leavin' it down at the officein the waste…basket。〃
〃Good place for it；〃 Bibbs murmured； still red。
Sheridan gave him a grin。 〃Perhaps pretty soon you'll be gettin' up early
enough to fine things before I do！〃
It was a threat； and Bibbs repeated the substance of it； later in the evening；
to Mary Vertreesthey had come to know each other that well。
〃My time's here at last；〃 he said； as they sat together in the melancholy
gas…light of the room which had been denuded of its piano。 That removal had
left an emptiness so distressing to Mr。 and Mrs。 Vertrees that neither of them
had crossed the threshold since the dark day； but the gas…light； though from a
single jet； shed no melancholy upon Bibbs； nor could any room seem bare that
knew the glowing presence of Mary。 He spoke lightly； not sadly。
〃Yes； it's come。 I've shirked and put off； but I can't shirk and put off any
longer。 It's really my part to go to himat least it would save my face。 He
means what he says； and the time's come to serve my sentence。 Hard labor for
life； I think。〃
Mary shook her head。 〃I don't think so。 He's too kind。〃
〃You think my father's KIND？〃 And Bibbs stared at her。
〃Yes。 I'm sure of it。 I've felt that he has a great； brave heart。 It's only
that he has to be kind in his own waybecause he can't understand any other
way。〃
〃Ah yes；〃 said Bibbs。 〃If that's what you mean by 'kind'！〃
She looked at him gravely； earnest concern in her friendly eyes。 〃It's going
to be pretty hard for you； isn't it？〃
〃Ohself…pity！〃 he returned； smiling。 〃This has been just the last flicker
of revolt。 Nobody minds work if he likes the kind of work。 There'd be no
loafers in the world if each man found the thing that he could do best； but
the only work I happen to want to do is useless