As Keggs left the room Steve's pent-up nervousness exploded in a whirl
of words.
'Aw say, boss, quit yer kiddin'. You know this kid ain't anything to do
with me. Why, say, how would he be any relation of a roughneck like me?
Come off the roof, bo. You know well enough who he is. He's your
grandson. On the level.'
Mr. Bannister looked at William, now engaged in running the wheelbarrow
up and down the room, emitting the while a curious sound, possibly to
encourage an imaginary horse. The inspection did not seem to excite him
or afford him any pleasure.
'Oh!' he said.
Steve was damped, but resumed gamely:
'Say, boss, this is the greatest kid on earth. I'm not stringing you,
honest. He's a wonder. On the level, did you ever see a kid that age
with a pair of shoulders on him like what this kid's got? Say, squire,
what's the matter with calling the fight off and starting fair? Miss
Ruth would be tickled to death if you would. Can the rough stuff,
colonel. I know you think you've been given a raw deal, Kirk chipping
in like that and copping off Miss Ruth, but for the love of Mike, what
does it matter? You seen for yourself what a dandy kid this is. Well,
then, check your grouch with your hat. Do the square thing. Have out
the auto and come right round to the studio and make it up. What's
wrong with that, colonel? Honest, they'd be tickled clean through.'
At this point Keggs entered, followed by a footman carrying wooden
bricks.
'Keggs,' said Mr. Bannister, 'telephone for the automobile at once!'
'That's the talk, colonel,' cried Steve joyfully. 'I know you were a
sport.'
'......to take me down to Wall Street.'
Keggs bowed.
'Oh Keggs,' said Mr. Bannister, as he turned to leave.
'Sir?'
'Another thing. See that Dingle does not enter the house again.'
And Mr. Bannister resumed his writing, while Steve, gathering up the
wheelbarrow, the box of bricks, and the dying pig, took William by the
hand and retreated.
* * * * *
That terminated Ruth's attempts to conciliate her father.
There remained Bailey. From Bailey she was prepared to stand no
nonsense. Meeting him on the street, she fairly kidnapped him, driving
him into a taxicab and pushing him into the studio, where he was
confronted by his nephew.
Bailey came poorly through the ordeal. William Bannister, a stern
critic, weighed him up in one long stare, found him wanting, and
announced his decision with all the strength of powerful lungs. In the
end he had to be removed, hiccupping, and Bailey, after lingering a few
uneasy moments making conversation to Kirk, departed, with such a look
about the back of him as he sprang into his cab that Ruth felt that the
visit was one which would not be repeated.
She went back into the studio with a rather heavy heart. She was fond
