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Don't deny it； Bibbs。 There！ See how easily I call you that！ You see I'm a
friend； or I couldn't do it。 Well； if you meant what you said and you did
mean it； I know it！you're not going to go back to the sanitarium。 The shop
sha'n't hurt you。 It sha'n't！〃
And now Bibbs looked up。 She stood before him； straight and tall； splendid in
generous strength； her eyes shining and wet。
〃If I mean THAT much to you；〃 she cried； 〃they can't harm you！ Go back to the
shopbut come to me when your day's work is done。 Let the machines crash
their sixty…eight times a minute； but remember each crash that deafens you is
that much nearer the evening and me！〃
He stumbled to his feet。 〃You say〃 he gasped。
〃Every evening； dear Bibbs！〃
He could only stare； bewildered。
〃EVERY evening。 I want you。 They sha'n't hurt you again！〃 And she held out
her hand to him； it was strong and warm in his tremulous clasp。 〃If I could；
I'd go and feed the strips of zinc to the machine with you；〃 she said。 〃But
all day long I'll send my thoughts to you。 You must keep remembering that
your friend stands beside you。 And when the work is done won't the night
make up for the day？〃
Light seemed to glow from her； he was blinded by that radiance of kindness。
But all he could say was； huskily； 〃To think you're there with mestanding
beside the old zinc…eater〃
And they laughed and looked at each other； and at last Bibbs found what it
meant not to be alone in the world。 He had a friend。
When he came into the New House； a few minutes later； he found his father
sitting alone by the library fire。 Bibbs went in and stood before him。 〃I'm
cured； father；〃 he said。 〃When do I go back to the shop？ I'm ready。〃
The desolate and grim old man did not relax。 〃I was sittin' up to give you a
last chance to say something like that。 I reckon it's about time！ I just
wanted to see if you'd have manhood enough not to make me take you over there
by the collar。 Last night I made up my mind I'd give you just one more day。
Well； you got to it before I didpretty close to the eleventh hour！ All
right。 Start in to…morrow。 It's the first o' the month。 Think you can get
up in time？〃
〃Six o'clock；〃 Bibbs responded； briskly。 〃And I want to tell youI'm going
in a 'cheerful spirit。' As you said； I'll go and I'll 'like it'！〃
〃That's YOUR lookout！〃 his father grunted。 〃They'll put you back on the
clippin'…machine。 You get nine dollars a week。〃
〃More than I'm worth； too；〃 said Bibbs； cheerily。 〃That reminds me； I didn't
mean YOU by 'Midas' in that nonsense I'd been writing。 I meant〃
〃Makes a hell of a lot o' difference what you meant！〃
〃I just wanted you to know。 Good night； father。〃
〃G'night！〃
The sound of the young man's footsteps ascending the stairs became inaudible；
and the house was quiet。 But presently； as Sheridan sat staring angrily at
the fire； the shuffling of a pair of slipers could be heard descending； and
Mrs。 Sheridan made her appearance； her oblique expression and the state of her
toilette being those of a person who； after trying unsuccessfully to sleep on
one side； has got up to look for burglars。
〃Papa！〃 she exclaimed； drowsily。 〃Why'n't you go to bed？ It must be goin' on
'leven o'clock！〃
She yawned； and seated herself near him； stretching out her hands to the fire。
〃What's the matter？〃 she asked； sleep and anxiety striving sluggishly with
each other in her voice。 〃I knew you were worried all dinner…time。 You got
something new on your mind besides Jim's bein' taken away like he was。 What's
worryin' you now； papa？〃
〃Nothin'。〃
She jeered feebly。 〃N' tell ME that！ You sat up to see Bibbs； didn't you？〃
〃He starts in at the shop again to…morrow morning；〃 said Sheridan。
〃Just the same as he did before？〃
〃Just pre…CISELY！〃
〃Howhow long you goin' to keep him at it； papa？〃 she asked； timidly。
〃Until he KNOWS something！〃 The unhappy man struck his palms together； then
got to his feet and began to pace the room； as was his wont when he talked。
〃He'll go back to the machine he couldn't learn to tend properly in the six
months he was there； and he'll stick to it till he DOES learn it！ Do you
suppose that lummix ever asked himself WHY I want him to learn it？ No！ And I
ain't a…goin' to tell him； either！ When he went there I had 'em set him on
the simplest machine we gotand he stuck there！ How much prospect would
there be of his learnin' to run the whole business if he can't run the easiest
machine in it？ I sent him there to make him THOROUGH。 And what happened？ He
didn't LIKE it！ That boy's whole life； there's been a settin' up o' something
mulish that's against everything I want him to do。 I don't know what it is；
but it's got to be worked out of him。 Now； labor ain't any more a simple
question than what it was when we were young。 My idea is that； outside o'
union troubles； the man that can manage workin'…in men is the man that's been
one himself。 Well； I set Bibbs to learn the men and to learn the business；
and HE set himself to balk on the first job！ That's what he did； and the
balk's lasted close on to three years。 If he balks again I'm just done with
him！ Sometimes I feel like I was pretty near done with everything； anyhow！〃
〃I knew there was something else；〃 said Mrs。 Sheridan； blinking over a yawn。
〃You better let it go till to…morrow and get to bed now'less you'll tell
me？〃
〃Suppose something happened to Roscoe；〃 he said。 〃THEN what'd I have to look
forward to？ THEN what could I depend on to hold things together？ A lummix！
A lummix that hasn't learned how to push a strip o' zinc along a groove！〃
〃Roscoe？〃 she yawned。 〃You needn't worry about Roscoe； papa。 He's the
strongest child we had。 I never did know anybody keep better health than he
does。 I don't believe he's even had a cold in five years。 You better go up
to bed； papa。〃
〃Suppose something DID happen to him； though。 You don't know what it means；
keepin' property together these daysjust keepin' it ALIVE； let alone makin'
it grow the way I do。 I've seen too many estates hacked away in chunks； big
and little。 I tell you when a man dies the wolves come out o' the woods； pack
after pack； to see what they can tear off for themselves； and if that dead
man's chuldern ain't on the job； night and day； everything he built 'll get
carried off。 Carried off？ I've seen a big fortune behave like an ash…barrel
in a cyclonethere wasn't even a dust…heap left to tell where it stood！ I've
seen it； time and again。 My Lord！ when I think o' such things comin' to ME！
It don't seem like I deserved itno man ever tried harder to raise his boys
right than I have。 I planned and planned and planned how to bring 'em up to
be guards to drive the wolves off； and how to be builders to build； and build
bigger。 I tell you this business life is no fool's job nowadaysa man's got
to have eyes