She turned her eyes away. Albert drooped his head, tears appearing in his eyes. Her evident sorrow pained him.
“I’ll be glad to quit school and go to work,” he said promptly. “I don’t want to be a burden to you.”
“No, you don’t understand me, Albert. No good parents ever find their children burdensome. These burdens are pleasures—. I wouldn’t speak of this if you—if you—”
She faltered. She could not find fitting words to clothe her present thoughts. She wished to reprimand him without hurting his feelings.
He threw his arms around his mother’s neck, hot tears streaming down his cheeks.
“I’ll go to work, mother dear—I’ll learn a trade—I’ll do anything to lighten your burdens.” He kissed her hysterically.
“It’s not that. We don’t mind that in the least. The war is over and father will resume business. But we have decided to apprentice you to a banker in Frankfort. He is a good friend of father’s and will give you every opportunity of learning the business.”
She paused, slyly watching the expression on his face. She feared his temper—all the Zorns had such violent tempers!
“I should love to go to Frankfort,” he cried joyfully.
The mother heaved a sigh of relief.