The Harbor Part 44

"I think I would," said Eleanore. "It must be so quiet up there in the moon."

CHAPTER XI

"Come over here at once." My father's voice over the telephone, one morning a few days later, sounded thick and unnatural.

"What about?" I asked.

"Your sister."

When I reached the house in Brooklyn he came himself to let me in and took me into the library. I was shocked by his face, it was terribly worn, quite plainly he had been up all night. As he began speaking his voice shook and he leaned forward, every inch of him tense.

Sue had told him the night before that she was going to marry Joe Kramer. In reply to his anxious questions she had given him some of the facts about what Joe was doing. And Dad had stormed at her half the night.

"She wants to marry him, Billy," he cried. "She's got her mind set on a man like that! What has he got to support her with? Not a cent, not even a decent job! He's not writing now. Do you know what he's doing?

Stirring up strikes--of the ugliest kind--of the most ignorant cla.s.s of men--foreigners! I know such strikes--I've fought 'em myself and I know how they're handled! That young man will land in jail! And it's where he belongs! Do you know what he's up to right here on the docks?"

"Yes, I know----"

"Why didn't you tell me? Why did you let him come to the house?"

"I was doing my best to stop it, Dad."

"You were, eh--well, you'll stop it now! Understand me, Billy, he's your friend--you brought him here--way back at the start. You've got to put a stop to this----"

"But how?" I asked, trying to steady my voice. "What do you think that I can do?"

"You can talk to her, can't you? G.o.d Almighty! Make her see this will ruin her life!"

"I can't do that."

"Can't you?" He rose and bent over me gripping my arms, and I felt his violent trembling. "If you don't, it's the end of me," he said.

"Steady, Dad--now steady--this is coming out all right, you know----" I got him back into his chair. "I'm going to do all I possibly can. I'm going to see Joe Kramer now--he's the only one who can influence her.

I'm going to get him to come to Sue and help me make her feel what's ahead--the hardest, ugliest parts of his life. Now promise you'll keep out of it, promise you'll leave her alone while I'm gone."

He agreed to this at last and I left him. But as I went into the hall Sue came to me from the other room. Her face was white and strained.

"Well, Billy?" she said. My throat tightened. She looked so pitifully worn.

"I'm sorry, Sue----"

"Is that all you have to say to me?" she cut in with a quick catch of her breath.

"No, no." I took her in my arms. "Dear old Sue--don't you know how I feel? I want to see you happy. I'm trying to see what on earth we can do."

"Why can't you all leave me alone?" she demanded, in low broken tones.

"That's all I want--I'm old enough! I love him! Isn't that enough? To be treated like this--like a bad little child! If you'd been here and heard him--Dad, I mean--I tell you he's half out of his mind! I'm afraid to be left alone with him!"

"Sue?" It was our father's voice. He had come out close behind us.

"Leave me alone!" Sue started back, but he caught her arm:

"You'll stay right here with me till he comes."

"Till who comes?"

"Kramer."

"Who said he was coming?"

"Your brother."

"Billy!"

"Now, Sis, I'm going to talk to Joe and try to persuade him to see you and me together, that's all--quietly--over in our apartment."

"No," said our father. "He'll see her right here!"

"Now, Dad----"

"Careful, son, don't get in my way. I'm standing about as much as I can.

Kramer is to come right here. If there's any seeing Sue to be done it's to be in her home, where she belongs. I won't let her out of it--not for an hour out of my sight!"

"You'll lock me in here?" she panted. He turned on her.

"You can call the police if you want to." He let go his hold and turned to me. "I'm thinking of her mother. If she sees this man at all again I'll see him too."

"Can't you leave us?" I implored her. "Sue--please! Go up to your room!"

When she'd gone I tried to quiet him. And now that Sue was out of the way I partly succeeded. But he stuck to his purpose. Joe must come and see Sue here.

"I want to be on hand when she sees him," he insisted. "I don't want to talk--I've done all that--I won't say a word--but I want to be here. You think you know her better than I do because you're younger--but you don't. We've lived right here together--she's been my chum for twenty-five years, and I know things about her you don't know. She's wilful, she's as wild as a hawk--but she can't hold out, she hasn't it in her."

"She will if you act as you did just now----"

"But I won't," he said sharply. "That was a mistake--and I won't let it happen again. When he comes you do the talking, boy--and if we're beaten I won't try to keep her, she goes and it's ended, I promise you that.

But, son, don't make any mistake about this--I have an influence over this girl that you haven't got and n.o.body has. I want her to feel me beside her."

He went over this again and again, and with this I had to leave him.

I found Joe in his office. He rose abruptly when I came in, and reached for his hat.