第84章

"George," I said, "tell me this: If you had the money to buy back these bonds belonging to the bank you would be all right, wouldn't you? If you had it in your hands by to-morrow morning, I mean.""Yes; IF I had it--but I haven't."

"You could send the money to the brokers and--""Send! I wouldn't send; I'd go myself and fetch the bonds back with me.Once I had them in that safe again I--""And you would not take any more risks, even if the market dropped and they had to sell out your account? Even if you lost every cent of your investment?"The fierce earnestness of his answer satisfied even me."What do you think I am?" he demanded."Investment be hanged! It's my name as an honest man that I care about.Once let me get that back again and I'll face the poorhouse.Yes, and I'll tell Nellie the truth, all except that I was a thief; I can't tell her that.But Iwill tell her that I haven't got a cent except my salary.Then if she wants to give me up, all right.I'll bear it as best I can.

Or, if she doesn't, and I lose my job here, I'll get another one somewhere else; I'll work at anything.She and I can wait and...

But what is the use of talking like this? I've been over every inch of the ground a thousand times.There ain't a ray of light anywhere.The examiner will be here, the bonds will be missing, and I--I'll be in jail, or in hell, one or the other.""No, you won't," I said, firmly.

"I won't! Why not?"

"Because there IS a ray of light.More than a ray.George, you go home and go to bed.To-morrow morning I may have news for you, good news."The blood rushed to his face.He seized the arm of his chair.

"Good news!" he gasped."Good news for ME! Ros--Ros, for the Lord's sake, what do you mean? You don't mean you see a way to--""Never mind what I mean.But I should like to know what you mean by not coming to me before? What are friends for, if not to help each other? Who told you that I was dead broke?""You? Why, you ain't got...Have you? Ros Paine, you ain't got thirty-five hundred to spare.Why, you told me yourself--""Shut up! Get up from that chair and come with me.Yes, you; and now, this minute.Give me that thing you've got in the drawer there.No, I'll take it myself.You ought to be ashamed of its being there, George.I am ashamed of you, and, if I thought you really meant to use it, I should be still more ashamed.Come!

don't keep me waiting."

"But--but Ros--"

"Will you do as I tell you?"

I dragged him, almost literally dragged him, from the chair.Then, after extinguishing the lamp, I led him to the door of the bank and locked it, putting the key in my pocket.

"Now," said I, "I want you to make me a promise.I want you to quit behaving like a coward, because you are not one, and promise me that you will go straight home and to bed.I'll see you again the first thing in the morning.Then, I think--yes, I think your troubles, the worst part of them, will be over.""But, Ros, PLEASE--I can't believe it! Won't you tell me--""Not a word.Will you promise me to behave like a man and go home?

Or must I go with you?"

"No.I'll--I'll promise.I'll go straight home.But, oh Ros, Ican't understand--"

"Good night."

I left him standing there, stammering incoherently like a man awakening from a nightmare, and hurried away.

I could not describe my progress down the dark Lower Road and along the Shore Lane.I do not remember any portion of it.I think Iran most of the way and if I met any one--which is not likely, considering the time--he or she must have thought me crazy.My thoughts were centered upon one fixed purpose.I had made up my mind to do a certain thing and, if possible, to do it that very night.If I did not, if I had time in which to reflect, to consider consequences, I might lose my nerve and it would not be done at all.

It was with a feeling of great relief that, as I came in sight of the Colton house, I saw lights in the rooms on the lower floor.

The family, not being native born Denboroites, had not retired even though it was well after ten.I hastened up the long drive, and stood before the big door, my hand upraised to the knocker.And then, just for a moment, I hesitated.

If I lifted that knocker and let it fall; if I summoned the servant and announced that I wished to speak with Mr.Colton; if I did what I had come there to do, it would be all over with me in the village.My new born popularity, the respect which Cap'n Warren and Cap'n Jed and the rest of the townspeople had shown toward me of late, the cordial recognition which had been mine during the past few weeks and which, in spite of pretended indifference, I had come to expect and enjoy, all these would be lost if I persisted in my purpose.My future in Denboro depended upon whether or not Iknocked at that door.And it was not too late to back out, even yet.I had only to turn quietly away and tell George, when I saw him in the morning, that I could not help him as I had hoped.And then I thought of his face as I saw it when I entered the bank--and of Nellie's letter to me.

I seized the knocker and rapped sharply.

For a few moments my knock was unanswered.Then I heard footsteps and the door was opened.Johnson, the butler, opened it, and his clerical countenance assumed a most astonished expression when he saw me standing before him.

"Is Mr.Colton in?" I asked.

"What? What--sir?" stammered Johnson.The "sir" was added under protest.He did not wish to show more respect than was absolutely necessary to a countryman, but he scarcely dared speak as disrespectfully as he felt.Therefore he compromised by voicing the respect and looking the other way.

"Is Mr.Colton in?" I repeated.

"I don't know.I--I don't think so--sir."The windows at my left were, I knew, those of the library, the room where "Big Jim" and I had had our first lively discussion of the Shore Lane matter.I glanced at them.

"I think he is," I said."In fact I know it; there is his shadow on the curtain.Tell him Mr.Paine wishes to speak with him."Johnson looked as insolent as he dared, and still hesitated.