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great…grandfather。 With that fact itself Miss Anthony was almost
as pleased as was David himself； but while he was content to bask
in another's glory； Miss Anthony saw in his inheritance only an
incentive to achieve glory for himself。
From a hard…working salesman she had asked but little； but from
a descendant of a national hero she expected other things。 She
was a determined young person； and for David she was an ambitious
young person。 She found she was dissatisfied。 She found she was
disappointed。 The great…great…grandfather had opened up a new
horizonhad； in a way； raised the standard。 She was as fond of
David as always； but his tales of past wars and battles； his
accounts of present banquets at which he sat shoulder to shoulder
with men of whom even Burdett and Sons spoke with awe； touched
her imagination。
〃You shouldn't be content to just wear a button；〃 she urged。 〃If
you're a Son of Washington； you ought to act like one。〃
〃I know I'm not worthy of you；〃 David sighed。
〃I don't mean that； and you know I don't；〃 Emily replied
indignantly。 〃It has nothing to do with me！ I want you to be
worthy of yourself； of your grandpa Hiram！〃
〃But HOW？〃 complained David。 〃What chance has a twenty…five
dollar a week clerk〃
It was a year before the Spanish…American War； while the patriots
of Cuba were fighting the mother country for their independence。
〃If I were a Son of the Revolution；〃 said Emily； 〃I'd go to Cuba
and help free it。〃
〃Don't talk nonsense；〃 cried David。 〃If I did that I'd lose my
job； and we'd never be able to marry。 Besides； what's Cuba done
for me？ All I know about Cuba is； I once smoked a Cuban cigar and
it made me ill。〃
〃Did Lafayette talk like that？〃 demanded Emily。 〃Did he ask what
have the American rebels ever done for me？〃
〃If I were in Lafayette's class；〃 sighed David； 〃I wouldn't be
selling automatic punches。〃
〃There's your trouble；〃 declared Emily 〃You lack self…
confidence。 You're too humble； you've got fighting blood and you
ought to keep saying to yourself； 'Blood will tell；' and the
first thing you know； it WILL tell！ You might begin by going into
politics in your ward。 Or； you could join the militia。 That takes
only one night a week； and then； if we DID go to war with Spain；
you'd get a commission； and come back a captain！〃
Emily's eyes were beautiful with delight。 But the sight gave
David no pleasure。 In genuine distress； he shook his head。
〃Emily；〃 he said； 〃you're going to be awfully disappointed in
me。〃
Emily's eyes closed as though they shied at some mental picture。
But when she opened them they were bright； and her smile was kind
and eager。
〃No； I'm not；〃 she protested； 〃only I want a husband with a
career； and one who'll tell me to keep quiet when I try to run it
for him。〃
〃I've often wished you would；〃 said David。
〃Would what？ Run your career for you？〃
〃No； keep quiet。 Only it didn't seem polite to tell you so。〃
〃Maybe I'd like you better；〃 said Emily； 〃if you weren't so
darned polite。〃
A week later； early in the spring of 1897； the unexpected
happened； and David was promoted into the flying squadron。 He now
was a travelling salesman； with a rise in salary and a commission
on orders。 It was a step forward； but as going on the road meant
absence from Emily； David was not elated。 Nor did it satisfy
Emily。 It was not money she wanted。 Her ambition for David could
not be silenced with a raise in wages。 She did not say this； but
David knew that in him she still found something lacking； and
when they said good…by they both were ill at ease and completely
unhappy。 Formerly； each day when Emily in passing David in the
office said good…morning； she used to add the number of the days
that still separated them from the vacation which also was to be
their honeymoon。 But； for the last month she had stopped counting
the daysat least she did not count them aloud。
David did not ask her why this was so。 He did not dare。 And；
sooner than learn the truth that she had decided not to marry
him； or that she was even considering not marrying him； he asked
no questions； but in ignorance of her present feelings set forth
on his travels。 Absence from Emily hurt just as much as he had
feared it would。 He missed her； needed her； longed for her。 In
numerous letters he told her so。 But； owing to the frequency with
which he moved； her letters never caught up with him。 It was
almost a relief。 He did not care to think of what they might tell
him。
The route assigned David took him through the South and kept him
close to the Atlantic seaboard。 In obtaining orders he was not
unsuccessful； and at the end of the first month received from the
firm a telegram of congratulation。 This was of importance chiefly
because it might please Emily。 But he knew that in her eyes the
great…great…grandson of Hiram Greene could not rest content with
a telegram from Burdett and Sons。 A year before she would have
considered it a high honor； a cause for celebration。 Now； he
could see her press her pretty lips together and shake her pretty
head。 It was not enough。 But how could he accomplish more。 He
began to hate his great…great…grandfather。 He began to wish Hiram
Greene had lived and died a bachelor。
And then Dame Fortune took David in hand and toyed with him and
spanked him； and pelted and petted him； until finally she made
him her favorite son。 Dame Fortune went about this work in an
abrupt and arbitrary manner。
On the night of the 1st of March； 1897； two trains were scheduled
to leave the Union Station at Jacksonville at exactly the same
minute； and they left exactly on time。 As never before in the
history of any Southern railroad has this miracle occurred； it
shows that when Dame Fortune gets on the job she is omnipotent。
She placed David on the train to Miami as the train he wanted
drew out for Tampa； and an hour later； when the conductor looked
at David's ticket； he pulled the bell…cord and dumped David over
the side into the heart of a pine forest。 If he walked back along
the track for one mile； the conductor reassured him； he would
find a flag station where at midnight he could flag a train going
north。 In an hour it would deliver him safely in Jacksonville。
There was a moon； but for the greater part of the time it was
hidden by fitful； hurrying clouds； and； as David stumbled
forward； at one moment he would see the rails like streaks of
silver； and the next would be encompassed in a complete and
bewildering darkness。 He made his way from tie to tie only by
feeling with his foot。 After an hour he came to a shed。 Whether
it was or was not the flag station the conductor had in mind； he
did not know； and he never did know。 He was too tired； too hot；
and too disgusted to proceed； and dropping his suit case he sat
down under the open roof of the shed prepared to wait either for
the train or daylight。 So far as he could see； on every side of
him stretched a swamp； silent； dismal； interminable。 From its
black water rose dead trees； naked of bark and hung with
streamers of funereal moss。 There was not a sound or sign of
human habitation。 The silence was the silence of the ocean at
night David remembered the berth reserved for him on the train to
Tampa and of the loathing with which he had considered placing
himself between its sheets。 But now how gladly would he welcome
it！ For； in the sleeping…car； ill…smelling； close； and stuffy； he
at least would have been surrounded by fellow…sufferers of his
own species。 Here his companions were owls； water…snakes； and
sleeping buzzards。
I am alone；〃 he told himself； 〃on a railroad embankment； entirely
surrounded by alligators。〃
And then he found he was not alone。
In the darkness； illuminated by a match； not a hundred yards from
him there flashed suddenly the face of a man。 Then the match went
out and the face with it。 David noted that it had appeared at
some height above the level of the swamp； at an elevation higher
even than that of the embankment。 It was as though the man had
been sitting on the limb of a tree。 David crossed the tracks and
found that on the side of the embankment opposite the shed there
was solid ground and wha