"Nothing, very likely," he replied. "That's what I've been doing for
some time."
"But--but, the last I heard of you, you was practicin' law over to New
York."
"So I was. That, for a young lawyer without funds or influence, is as
near doing nothing as anything I can think of."
"But--but, John--"
"Just a minute, Captain. The 'buts' are there, plenty of them. Before we
reach them, however, perhaps I'd better tell you the story of my life.
It isn't exciting enough to make you nervous, but it may explain a few
things."
He told his story. It was not the story of his life, his whole life, by
any means. The captain already knew the first part of that life. He had
known the Kendricks ever since he had known anyone. Every person in
East Wellmouth of middle age or older remembered when the two brothers,
Samuel Kendrick and Bailey Kendrick--Bailey was John's father--lived in
the village and were the "big" men of the community. Bailey was the more
important and respected at that time, for Samuel speculated in stocks
a good deal and there were seasons when he was so near bankruptcy that
gossip declared he could not pass the poorhouse without shivering. If
it had not been for his brother Bailey, so that same gossip affirmed,
he would most assuredly have gone under, but Bailey lent him money and
helped him in many ways. Both brothers were widowers and each had a son;
but Samuel's boy Erastus was fifteen years older than John.
The families moved from Wellmouth when John was six years old.
Pages:
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141