“You’re thinking of Roy? Well, Roy will get his law degree but that boy had no more business in the law than I’d have in a millinery shop. I sneaked him up here last Sunday and had Mr. Trenton take a look at him. You know Roy’s a smart, likable chap, with a friendly way of meeting people and I thought maybe there was a job somewhere in the Kemp organization that he’d fit into.”
“I don’t know—” began Grace, doubtfully, remembering Roy’s anger at John’s meddling.
“Oh, Roy took it fine! Mr. Trenton’s taken a fancy to him; in fact they liked each other immensely. Roy’s to get his sheepskin and then go right into the Kemp factory for six months to get an idea of the business and then transfer to the sales department.”
“Why, John, that’s wonderful!” exclaimed Grace. “You don’t know how relieved I am.”
“You’re not half as relieved as Roy is to dodge the law,” John chuckled. “That boy will make good. I’d told Mr. Trenton all about him and he was as kind to him as a father. Roy wanted me to ask you to spring the news on his mother. She’s so keen about having him a lawyer that he’s afraid to tell her himself.”
“Yes, John; I’ll do it tonight. And thank you! Oh, thank you for everything!”
VI
Stephen Durland’s announcement that the Kemp Company had taken up the option on his motor and made a contract for the manufacture of the porcelain tempered in some degree his wife’s disappointment when Grace broke the news that Roy had renounced the law. Mrs. Durland took comfort in the fact that Roy had really passed the law examinations and was admitted to practice with the rest of his class. This measurably satisfied her family pride by enrolling Roy on the list of attorneys of his state in succession to his grandfather and great-grandfather. Roy, however, was much less thrilled by this than by the prospect of having at once employment that he felt was within his powers. The idea of making machinery had never interested him, but the idea of selling it appealed to him strongly and for the first time in his life he found himself in sympathy and accord with his father.
Stephen Durland had money in the bank and was reasonably sure of a good income for the remainder of his life. The Kemp publicity department had given wide advertisement to his discoveries, and several technical journals had asked for photographs of the inventor, the taking of which Grace joyfully supervised. A kind fate having intervened to prevent the mortgaging of the old home Mrs. Durland was now considering selling it and satisfying the great desire of her heart by moving beyond the creek.
Ethel, hearing of the family’s unexpected prosperity, had been up for a visit, and returned to Cincinnati with a supply of linens for her apartment. Her mother thought it only fair that she should participate in the good luck that had at last overtaken the Durlands and Grace agreed with her. Haley’s earnings were meager and Ethel received the gift graciously. She even volunteered a few generous words to her young sister-in-law, about whom she admitted she might have been mistaken.