It is my thanks to you for the friendship and affection you gave my lonely boyhood -- my tribute to the memory of my first sweetheart . '' He walked away with a smile , whose amusement presently softened to an expression that would have amazed his business cronies . Later on he hummed the air of an old love song as he climbed the steep spruce road to Tom 's . The Fillmore Elderberries `` I expected as much , '' said Timothy Robinson . His tone brought the blood into Ellis Duncan 's face . The lad opened his lips quickly , as if for an angry retort , but as quickly closed them again with a set firmness oddly like Timothy Robinson 's own . `` When I heard that lazy , worthless father of yours was dead , I expected you and your mother would be looking to me for help , '' Timothy Robinson went on harshly . `` But you 're mistaken if you think I 'll give it . You 've no claim on me , even if your father was my half-brother -- no claim at all . And I 'm not noted for charity . '' Timothy Robinson smiled grimly . It was very true that he was far from being noted for charity . His neighbours called him `` close '' and `` near . '' Some even went so far as to call him `` a miserly skinflint . '' But this was not true . It was , however , undeniable that Timothy Robinson kept a tight clutch on his purse-strings , and although he sometimes gave liberally enough to any cause which really appealed to him , such causes were few and far between . `` I am not asking for charity , Uncle Timothy , '' said Ellis quietly . He passed over the slur at his father in silence , deeply as he felt it , for , alas , he knew that it was only too true . `` I expect to support my mother by hard and honest work . And I am not asking you for work on the ground of our relationship .
I heard you wanted a hired man , and I have come to you , as I should have gone XXXXX any other man about whom I had heard it , to ask you to hire me . ''
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