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Gurney！ Always Gurney！ I don't know what the world's comin' to with
everybody runnin' around squealin'； 'The doctor says this；' and； 'The doctor
says that'！ It makes me sick！ How's this country expect to get its Work done
if Gurney and all the other old nanny…goats keep up this blattin''Oh； oh！
Don't lift that stick o' wood； you'll ruin your NERVES！' So he says you got
'nervous exhaustion induced by overwork and emotional strain。' They always
got to stick the Work in if they see a chance！ I reckon you did have the
'emotional strain；' and that's all's the matter with you。 You'll be over it
soon's this woman's gone； and Work's the very thing to make you quit frettin'
about her。〃
〃Did Gurney tell you I was fit to work？〃
〃Shut up！〃 Sheridan bellowed。 〃I'm so sick o' that man's name I feel like
shootin' anybody that says it to me！〃 He fumed and chafed； swearing
indistinctly； then came and stood before his son。 〃Look here； do you think
you're doin' the square thing by me？ Do you？ How much you worth？〃
〃I've got between seven and eight thousand a year clear； of my own； outside
the salary。 That much is mine whether I work or not。〃
〃It is？ You could 'a pulled it out without me； I suppose you think； at your
age？〃
〃No。 But it's mine； and it's enough。〃
〃My Lord！ It's about what a Congressman gets； and you want to quit there！ I
suppose you think you'll get the rest when I kick the bucket； and all you have
to do is lay back and wait！ You let me tell you right here； you'll never see
one cent of it。 You go out o' business now； and what would you know about
handlin' it five or ten or twenty years from now？ Because I intend to STAY
here a little while yet； my boy！ They'd either get it away from you or you'd
sell for a nickel and let it be split up and 〃 He whirled about； marched to
the other end of the room； and stood silent a moment。 Then he said； solomnly：
〃Listen。 If you go out now； you leave me in the lurch； with nothin' on God's
green earth to depend on but your brotherand you know what he is。 I've
depended on you for it ALL since Jim died。 Now you've listened to that dam'
doctor； and he says maybe you won't ever be as good a man as you were； and
that certainly you won't be for a year or soprobably more。 Now； that's all
a lie。 Men don't break down that way at your age。 Look at ME！ And I tell
you； you can shake this thing off。 All you need is a little GET…up and a
little gumption。 Men don't go away for YEARS and then come back into MOVING
businesses like oursthey lose the strings。 And if you could； I won't let
youif you lay down on me now； I won'tand that's because if you lay down
you prove you ain't the man I thought you were。〃 He cleared his throat and
finished quietly： 〃Roscoe； will you take a month's vacation and come back and
go to it？〃
〃No；〃 said Roscoe； listlessly。 〃I'm through。〃
〃All right；〃 said Sheridan。 He picked up the evening paper from a table； went
to a chair by the fire and sat down； his back to his son。 〃Good…by。〃
Roscoe rose； his head hanging； but there was a dull relief in his eyes。 〃Best
I can do；〃 he muttered； seeming about to depart； yet lingering。 〃I figure it
out a good deal like this；〃 he said。 〃I didn't KNOW my job was any strain；
and I managed all right； but from what Gurfrom what I hear； I was just up to
the limit of my nerves from overwork； and the the trouble at home was the
extra strain that's fixed me the way I am。 I tried to brace； so I could stand
the work and the trouble too； on whiskey and that put the finish to me！
II'm not hitting it as hard as I was for a while； and I reckon pretty soon；
if I can get to feeling a little more energy； I better try to quit entirelyI
don't know。 I'm all inand the doctor says so。 I thought I was running
along fine up to a few months ago； but all the time I was ready to bust； and
didn't know it。 Now； then； I don't want you to blame Sibyl； and if I were you
I wouldn't speak of her as 'that woman；' because she's your daughter…in…law
and going to stay that way。 She didn't do anything wicked。 It was a shock to
me； and I don't deny it； to find what she had doneencouraging that fellow to
hang around her after he began trying to flirt with her； and losing her head
over him the way she did。 I don't deny it was a shock and that it 'll always
be a hurt inside of me I'll never get over。 But it was my fault； I didn't
understand a woman's nature。〃 Poor Roscoe spoke in the most profound and
desolate earnest。 〃A woman craves society； and gaiety； and meeting attractive
people； and traveling。 Well； I can't give her the other things； but I can
give her the travelingreal traveling； not just going to Atlantic City or New
Orleans； the way she has； two； three times。 A woman has to have something in
her life besides a business man。 And that's ALL I was。 I never understood
till I heard her talking when she was so sick； and I believe if you'd heard
her then you wouldn't speak so hard…heartedly about her； I believe you might
have forgiven her like I have。 That's all。 I never cared anything for any
girl but her in my life； but I was so busy with business I put it ahead of
her。 I never THOUGHT about her； I was so busy thinking business。 Well； this
is where it's brought us toand now when you talk about 'business' to me I
feel the way you do when anybody talks about Gurney to you。 The word
'business' makes me dizzyit makes me honestly sick at the stomach。 I
believe if I had to go down…town and step inside that office door I'd fall
down on the floor； deathly sick。 You talk about a 'month's vacation' and I
get just as sick。 I'm rattledI can't planI haven't got any planscan't
make any； except to take my girl and get just as far away from that office as
I canand stay。 We're going to Japan first； and if we〃
His father rustled the paper。 〃I said good…by； Roscoe。〃
〃Good…by；〃 said Roscoe； listlessly。
Sheridan waited until he heard the sound of the outer door closing； then he
rose and pushed a tiny disk set in the wall。 Jackson appeared。
〃Has Bibbs got home from work？〃
〃Mist' Bibbs？ No； suh。〃
〃Tell him I want to see him； soon as he comes。〃
〃Yessuh。〃
Sheridan returned to his chair and fixed his attention fiercely upon the
newspaper。 He found it difficult to pursue the items beyond their explanatory
rubricsthere was nothing unusual or startling to concentrate his attention：
〃Motorman Puts Blame on Brakes。 Three Killed when Car Slides。〃
〃Burglars Make Big Haul。〃 〃Board Works Approve Big Car…line
Extension。〃 〃Hold…up Men Injure Two。 Man Found in Alley； Skull
Fractured。〃 〃Sickening Story Told in Divorce Court。〃 〃Plan New
Eighteen…story Structure。〃 〃School…girl Meets Death under
Automobile。〃 〃Negro Cuts Three。 One Dead。〃 〃Life Crushed Out。
Third Elevator Accident in Same Building Causes Action by
Coroner。〃 〃Declare Militia will