第127章

He believes you are a great man.No one but a great man, he says, could beat the Consolidated Pacific gang single-handed.He says you will be the best investment he ever made.""I am afraid not," I answered."Your father made me a generous offer.I wish I might have been able to accept it, but I could not.""Oh, but you are going to accept."

"No, I am not."

"He says you are.And he always has his way, you know.""Not in this case, Miss Colton."

"But _I_ want you to accept.Surely you will do it to oblige me.""I--I can't."

"What are you going to do; go back to the bank?""No, I am going to leave Denboro.I don't know where I shall go.

This is good-by, Miss Colton.It is not likely that we shall meet again.""But why are you going?"

"I cannot tell you."

She was silent, still looking down at the pine-needles.I could not see her face.I was silent also.I knew that I ought to go, that I should not remain there, with her, another moment.Yet Iremained.

"So you think this is our parting," she said."I do not.""Don't you? I fear you are wrong."

"I am not wrong.You will not go away, Mr.--Bennett.At least, you will not until you go where my father sends you.You will accept his offer, I think.""You are mistaken."

"No.I think I am not mistaken.I think you will accept it, because--because I ask you to.""I cannot, Miss Colton."

"And your reason?"

"That I cannot tell anyone."

"But you told my father."

I was stricken dumb again.

She went on, speaking hurriedly, and not raising her eyes.

"You told my father," she repeated, "and he told me.""He told you!" I cried.

"Yes, he told me.I--I am not sure that he was greatly surprised.

He thought it honorable of you and he was very glad you did tell him, but I think he was not surprised."The oaks and the pines and the huckleberry bushes were dancing great giddy-go-rounds, a reflection of the whirlpool in my brain.

Out of the maelstrom I managed to speak somehow.

"He was not surprised!" I repeated."He was not--not-- What do you mean?"She did not answer.She drew away from me a step, but I followed her.

"Why wasn't he surprised?" I asked again.

"Because--because-- Oh, I don't know! What have I been saying!

I-- Please don't ask me!"

"But why wasn't he surprised?"

"Because--because--" she hesitated.Then suddenly she looked up into my face, her wonderful eyes alight."Because," she said, "Ihad told him myself, sir."

I seized her hands.

"YOU had told him? You had told him that I--I--""No," with a swift shake of the head, "not you.I--I did not know that--then.I told him that I--"But I did not wait to hear any more.

Some time after that--I do not know how long after and it makes no difference anyway--I began to remember some resolutions I had made, resolves to be self-sacrificing and all that sort of thing.

"But, my dear," I faltered, "I am insane! I am stark crazy! How can I think of such a thing! Your mother--what will she say?"She looked up at me; looking up was not as difficult now, and, besides, she did not have to look far.She looked up and smiled.

"I think Mother is more reconciled," she said."Since she learned who you were she seems to feel better about it."I shook my head, ruefully."Yet she referred to me as a 'nobody'

only this morning," I observed.

"Yes, but that was before she knew you were a Bennett.The Bennetts are a very good family, so she says.And she informed me that she always expected me to throw myself away, so she was not altogether unprepared."I sighed."Throwing yourself away is exactly what you have done, I'm afraid," I answered.

She put her hand to my lips."Hush!" she whispered."At all events, I made a lucky throw.I'm very glad you caught me, dear."There was a rustle of leaves just behind us and a startled exclamation.I turned and saw Lute Rogers standing there in the path, an expression on his face which I shall not attempt to describe, for no description could do justice to it.We looked at Lute and he looked at us.

He was the first to recover.

"My time!" exclaimed Lute."My TIME!"

He turned and fled.

"Come here!" I shouted after him."Come back here this minute!

Lute, come back!"

Lute came, looking shamefaced and awkward.

"Where were you going?" I demanded.

"I--I was cal'latin' to go and tell Dorindy," he faltered.

"You'll tell nobody.Nobody, do you hear! I'll tell Dorinda myself, when it is necessary.What were you doing here? spying on me in that fashion.""I--I wan't spyin', Ros.Honest truth, I wan't.I--I didn't know you and she was--was--""Never mind that.What were you doing here?""I was chasin' after you, Ros.I just heard the most astonishing thing.Jed Dean was to the house to make Dorindy and me promise to say nothin' about that Shore Lane 'cause you never sold it, and he said Mr.Colton had offered you a turrible fine job along of him and that you was goin' to take it.I wanted to find you and ask it 'twas true.'Taint true, is it, Ros?" wistfully."By time! Iwish 'twas."

Before I could answer Mabel spoke.

"Yes, it is true, Mr.Rogers," she said."It is quite true and you may tell anyone you like.It is true, isn't it, Roscoe?"What answer could I make? What answer would you have made under the circumstances?

"Yes," I answered, with a sigh of resignation."I guess it is true, Lute."

End