第87章

"Oh, do cut it short," I snapped.And then, a trifle ashamed of my rudeness, "Excuse me, Mr.Colton, but this isn't exactly pleasant for me and I want to get it over.Will you pay me now?""Hold on; let me finish.I was going to say that, if you needed the thirty-five, perhaps I could manage to let you have it."I stared at him."Let me have it!" I cried."Do you mean you'll lend it to me?""Why, yes, maybe.You and I have had such a first-rate, square, stand up fight that I rather hate to have it end.I want to lick you, not have you quit before I've really begun to fight.There's no fool philanthropy in this, understand; it is just for my own satisfaction."I was so taken aback by this totally unexpected offer from the man whom I had insulted a dozen times since I entered his house, that Ifound it almost impossible to answer.

"What do you say?" he asked.

"No," I faltered.And then more firmly, "No; certainly not.I--Iam much obliged to you, Mr.Colton, but--no.""All right.You know best.I'll take your offer and I will hand you the money at the bank to-morrow morning.Will that do?""Not at the bank, Mr.Colton.Send it over to the house, if you can conveniently.""I'll have it here before ten.My lawyer will draw up the papers and arrange for transfer of title in a few days.What? Going, are you? Good night.Oh--er--Paine, remember that my other offer, that of the place in my office, is open when you're ready to take it."I shook my head.I had turned to go, but now I turned back, feeling that, perhaps, I should apologize again for my rudeness.

After all, he had been kind, very kind, and I had scarcely thanked him.So I turned back to say something, I hardly knew what.

My doing so was a mistake.The door behind me opened and a voice said reproachfully, "Father, are you still here? The doctor said...Oh, I beg pardon."I recognized the voice.Of all voices in the world I wished least to hear it just then.My back was toward the door and I kept it so.If she would only go! If she would only shut that door and go away!

I think she would have gone but her father called her.

"Mabel," he cried, "Mabel, don't go.It's all right.Come in.

Paine and I have finished our talk.Nothing more you wished to say, was there, Paine?""No," said I.I was obliged to turn now; I could not get out of that room without doing it.So turn I did, and we faced each other.

"Good evening, Miss Colton," I said, with all the calmness I could muster.

She said, "Good evening," distantly and without any enthusiasm, but I saw her glance at her father and then at me and I knew she was wondering what our being together could possibly mean.

"Paine has been making me a little call," explained Colton, his eye twinkling."Mabel, I'll risk another bet that you can't guess why he came.""I shall not try," she said, disdainfully.

"Oh, you'd better! No? You won't? Well, then, I'll tell you.He has just sold me that land of his...Don't look at me like that; he has.We had a little disagreement as to price, but," with a grin, "I met his figures and we closed the deal.Aren't you going to congratulate him on having come to his senses at last?

Come! he's waiting for congratulations."

This was not true.I was waiting for nothing; I was on my way to the door.But, to reach it I was obliged to pass her and our eyes met.My glance wavered, I know, but hers did not.For a moment she looked at me.Then she smiled.Whenever I am tempted to be vain, even now, I remember that smile.

"I congratulate him," she said."Come, Father; you must go to bed now."