He swore right
up and down that he wouldn't take a cent--as a gift. I offered to make
him a present of ten dollars, but he looked so shocked that I apologized
afore he could say no."
"Yes, and then LENT him that thirty. Shocked! The only thing that would
shock that good-for-nothin' is bein' set to work. What possessed you to
be such a soft-head, _I_ don't know. When you get back a copper of that
money I'll believe the millennium's struck, that's all."
"Hum! Well, I'll help you believe it--that is, if I have time afore I
drop dead of heart disease. Abbie, you'd make a good lawyer; you can get
up an argument out of a perfect agreement. I said the thirty dollars
was lost, to begin with. But I knew Tim Foster's mother when she used
to think that boy of hers was the eighth wonder of the world. And I
promised her I'd do what I could for him long's I lived... But it seems
to me we've drifted some off the course, ain't we? What I started to say
was that every time I go away from home I get into trouble. Up to Boston
'twas Tim and his 'loan.' To-night it's about as healthy a sou'-wester
as I've ever been out in. Dan fetched in the team, has he?"
"Yes. It's in the stable. He says the buggy dash is pretty well
scratched up, and that it's a wonder you and that Graves man wa'n't
killed.
Pages:
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30