But now her head dug deep in her soft pillows and her eyes felt the gentle weight of the bromide.

Chapter 41

[1]

THE NATION SLID IMPERCEPTIBLY toward war, frightened and at the same time attracted. People had not felt the shaking emotion of war in nearly sixty years. The Spanish affair was more nearly an expedition than a war. Mr. Wilson was re-elected President in November on his platform promise to keep us out of war, and at the same time he was instructed to take a firm hand, which inevitably meant war. Business picked up and prices began to rise. British purchasing agents roved about the country, buying food and cloth and metals and chemicals. A charge of excitement ran through the country. People didn’t really believe in war even while they planned it. The Salinas Valley lived about as it always had.

[2]

Cal walked to school with Aron.

“You look tired,” Aron said.

“Do I?”

“I heard you come in last night. Four o’clock. What do you do so late?”

“I was walking around—thinking. How would you like to quit school and go back to the ranch?”

“What for?”

“We could make some money for Father.”

“I’m going to college. I wish I could go now. Everybody is laughing at us. I want to get out of town.”

“You act mad.”

“I’m not mad. But I didn’t lose the money. I didn’t have a crazy lettuce idea. But people laugh at me just the same. And I don’t know if there’s enough money for college.”

“He didn’t mean to lose the money.”

“But he lost it.”

Cal said, “You’ve got this year to finish and next before you can go to college.”

“Do you think I don’t know it?”

“If you worked hard, maybe you could take entrance examinations next summer and go in the fall.”

Aron swung around. “I couldn’t do it.”

“I think you could. Why don’t you talk to the principal? And I bet the Reverend Rolf would help you.”

Aron said, “I want to get out of this town. I don’t ever want to come back. They still call us Lettuce-heads. They laugh at us.”

“How about Abra?”

“Abra will do what’s best.”

Cal asked, “Would she want you to go away?”

“Abra’s going to do what I want her to do.”

Cal thought for a moment. “I’ll tell you what. I’m going to try to make some money. If you knuckle down and pass examinations a year early, why, I’ll help you through college.”

“You will?”

“Sure I will.”

“Why, I’ll go and see the principal right away.” He quickened his steps.

Cal called, “Aron, wait! Listen! If he says he thinks you can do it, don’t tell Father.”

“Why not?”

“I was just thinking how nice it would be if you went to him and told him you’d done it.”

“I don’t see what difference it makes.”

“You don’t?”

“No, I don’t,” said Aron. “It sounds silly to me.”

Cal had a violent urge to shout, “I know who our mother is! I can show her to you.” That would cut through and get inside of Aron.