Elder Conklin | Page 6

accord, began the conversation:
"Father, I want to talk to you."
The Elder put down the water-bucket he had been carrying, and drew
the shirt-sleeves over his nervous brown arms, whether out of
unconscious modesty or simple sense of fitness it would be impossible
to say. She went on hesitatingly, "I want to know--Do you think Mr.
Bancroft's strong, stronger than--Seth Stevens?"
The Elder gave his whole thought to the problem. "P'r'aps," he said,
after a pause, in which he had vainly tried to discover how his daughter
wished him to answer, "p'r'aps; he's older and more sot. There ain't
much difference, though. In five or six years Seth'll be a heap stronger
than the schoolmaster; but now," he added quickly, reading his
daughter's face, "he ain't man enough. He must fill out first."

She looked up with bright satisfaction, and twining her hands round his
arm began coaxingly:
"I'm goin' to ask you for somethin', father. You know you told me that
on my birthday you'd give me most anythin' I wanted. Wall, I want
somethin' this month, not next, as soon as I can get it--a pianner. I
guess the settin'-room would look smarter-like, an' I'd learn to play. All
the girls do East," she added, pouting.
"Yes," the Elder agreed thoughtfully, doubting whether he should
follow her lead eastwards, "I reckon that's so. I'll see about it right off,
Loo. I oughter hev thought of it before. But now, right off," and as he
spoke he laid his large hand with studied carelessness on her
shoulder--he was afraid that an intentional caress might be inopportune.
"I'm cert'in Mr. Bancroft's sisters play, an' I--" she looked down
nervously for a moment, and then, still blushing deeply, changed the
attack: "He's smart, ain't he, father? He'd make a good lawyer, wouldn't
he?"
"I reckon he would," replied the Elder.
"I'm so glad," the girl went on hurriedly, as if afraid to give herself time
to think of what she was about to say, "for, father, he wants to study in
an office East and he hain't got the money, and--oh, father!" she threw
her arms round his neck and hid her face on his shoulder, "I want to go
with him."
The Elder's heart seemed to stop beating, but he could not hold his
loved one in his arms and at the same time realize his own pain. He
stroked the bowed head gently, and after a pause:
"He could study with Lawyer Barkman in Wichita, couldn't he? and
then you'd be to hum still. No. Wall! Thar!" and again came a pause of
silence. "I reckon, anyhow, you knew I'd help you. Didn't you now?"
His daughter drew herself out of his embrace. Recalled thus to the
matter in hand he asked: "Did he say how much money 'twould take?"

"Two or three thousand dollars"--and she scanned his face
anxiously--"for studyin' and gettin' an office and everythin' in New
York. Things are dearer there."
"Wall, I guess we kin about cover that with a squeeze. It'll be full all I
kin manage to onc't--that and the pianner. I've no one to think of but
you, Loo, only you. That's what I've bin workin' for, to give you a fair
start, and I'm glad I kin jess about do it. I'd sorter take it better if he'd
done the studyin' by himself before. No! wall, it don't make much
difference p'r'aps. Anyway he works, and Mr. Crew thinks him enough
eddicated even for the Ministry. He does, and that's a smart lot. I guess
he'll get along all right." Delighted with the expression of intent
happiness in his daughter's eyes, he continued: "He's young yet, and
couldn't be expected to hev done the studyin' and law and every-thin'.
You kin be sartin that the old man'll do all he knows to help start you
fair. All I kin. If you're sot upon it! That's enough fer me, I guess, ef
you're rale sot on it, and you don't think 'twould be better like to wait a
little. He could study with Barkman fer a year anyway without losin'
time. No! wall, wall. I'm right thar when you want me. I'll go to work to
do what I kin....
"P'r'aps we might sell off and go East, too. The farm's worth money
now it's all settled up round hyar. The mother and me and Jake could
get along, I reckon, East or West. I know more'n I did when I came out
in '59.
"I'm glad you've told me. I think a heap more of him now. There must
be a pile of good in any one you like, Loo. Anyhow he's lucky." And he
stroked her crumpled dress awkwardly, but with an infinite tenderness.
"I've got to go now, father," she