and by."

He promised, repressing a condescending smile.

Both the housekeeper and Captain Snow returned in a few minutes. The
latter reported that the mare was safe and sound in her stall.

"The harness was mostly on the floor, but Jess was all right, thank the
Lord," observed the captain.

"Jess is our horse's name, Albert," explained Mrs. Snow. "That is, her
name's Jessamine, but Zelotes can't ever seem to say the whole of any
name. When we first bought Jessamine I named her Magnolia, but he
called her 'Mag' all the time and I COULDN'T stand that. Have some more
preserves, Albert, do."

All through the meal Albert was uneasily conscious that his grandfather
was looking at him from under the shaggy brows, measuring him,
estimating him, reading him through and through. He resented the
scrutiny and the twinkle of sardonic humor which, it seemed to him,
accompanied it. His way of handling his knife and fork, his clothes, his
tie, his manner of eating and drinking and speaking, all these Captain
Zelotes seemed to note and appraise. But whatever the results of his
scrutiny and appraisal might be he kept them entirely to himself. When
he addressed his grandson directly, which was not often, his remarks
were trivial commonplaces and, although pleasant enough, were terse and
to the point.

Several times Mrs. Snow would have questioned Albert concerning the life
at school, but each time her husband interfered.