第29章

Hestartedatthesoundofmyentranceandawoke。

"I——Ibegyourpardon，sir，"hestammered。"I——Ibegyourpardon，sir，I’msure。I’vebeen——I’aven’tclosedmyeyesforthepasttwonights，sir，andIamtiredout。Mr。Coltonwishestoseeyouatonce，sir。Hewishesyoutocomeoverimmediately。"

Iwassurprisednow。"MR。Coltonwishesit，"Irepeated。"YoumeanMissColton，don’tyou，Johnson。"

"No，sir。ItisMr。Coltonthistime，sir。MissColtonisoutinthemotor，sir。"

"ButMr。Coltonistooilltoseeme，oranyoneelse。"

"No，sir，heisn’t。He’sverymuchbetter。He’squitehimself，sir，really。Andheisveryanxioustoseeyou。Onamatterofbusiness，hesays。"

Ihesitated。Ihadexpectedthis，thoughnotsosoon。Hewantedtoaskquestionsconcerningmycrazydipintohisfinancialaffairs，doubtless。Well，Ishouldhavetoseehimsometimeorother，anditmightaswellbenow。

IcalledtoDorinda，whowasinthekitchen，andbadehertellMother，ifsheinquiredforme，thatIhadgoneout，butwouldbebacksoon。ThenJohnsonandIwalkedbrisklyalongthebluffpath。

Weenteredthebighouse。

"Mr。Coltonisinhisroom，sir，"explainedthebutler。"Youaretoseehimthere。Thisway，sir。"

ButbeforewereachedthefootofthestairsDoctorQuimbycameoutofthelibrary。HeandIshookhands。Thedoctorwasahappyman。

"Well！"heexclaimed，"what’sthematterwiththeone—horse，country—jaydoctornow，hey！IfthereisanyoneoftheBostonspecialistsatahundredavisitwhocanyankamanoutofaserioussicknessandputhimonhisfeetquickerthanIcan，whytrothimalong，that’sall！Iwanttoseehim！I’vebeenthrowingbouquetsatmyselfforthelasttenhours。Ho！ho！Say，Ros，you’llthinkmyheadisswelledprettybad，won’tyou！Ho！ho！"

Iaskedhowthepatientwasgettingon。

"Fine！Tip—top！Theonlytroubleisthatheoughttokeepperfectlyquietandnotdoathingorthinkofathing，exceptgettinghisstrengthback，forthenextweek。Buthehadn’tbeenconsciousmorethanacoupleofhoursbeforehewasaskingquestionsaboutbusinessandsoon。Heandhisdaughterhadalongconfabthismorningandafterthathewasneithertobindortie。

Hemustseeyou，that’salltherewastoit。Say，Ros，whatdidyouandPhinCahoonandtheColtongirldoyesterday？"

"Oh，weputthroughoneofMr。Colton’slittletradesforhim，that’sall。"

"That’sall，hey！Well，whatever’twas，heandIoweyouavoteofthanks。Hebegantogetbettertheminuteheheardit。He’sfeelingsochipperthat，ifitwasn’tthatIsworeheshouldn’t，he’dhavegotoutofbedbythistime。Youmustgoupandseehim，Isuppose，butdon’tstaytoolong。He’sawonderforstrengthandrecuperativepowers，butdon’ttirehimtoomuch。IfthatwifeofhiswasinEuropeorsomewhere，I’dfeeleasier。She’sthemosttiringthinginthehouse。"

Johnsonledthewayupstairs。Atthechamberdoorheknockedandannouncedmypresence。

"Bringhimin！Whatishewaitingfor？"demandedavoicewhich，consideringhowrecentlyitsownerhadbeenatdeath’sdoor，wassurprisinglystrong。Ienteredtheroom。

Hewasinbed，proppedupwithpillows。BesidehimsatMrs。

Colton。Ofthetwoshelookedthemoredisturbed。Hereyeswerewetandshewasdabbingatthemwithalacehandkerchief。Hermorninggownwasawondrouscreation。"BigJim，"withhisiron—

grayhairawryandhiseyessnapping，lookedremarkablywideawakeandalive。

"Howareyou，Paine？"hesaid。"Gladtoseeyou。Sorrytobringyouoverhere，butIhadtoseeyouandthatdoctorsaysImuststayinthisroomforawhileyet。Hemayberight。Myunderstandingisprettyshaky，I’lladmit。You’vemetMrs。Colton，haven’tyou？"

Ibowedandexpressedmypleasureatmeetingthelady。Herbowwasrathercurt，butsheregardedmewithanastonishingamountofagitatedinterest。Alsosheshowedsymptomsofmoretears。

"Idon’trememberwhetherornotMr。PaineandIhaveeverbeenformallyintroduced，"sheobserved。"Ifwehaven’titmakesnodifference，Isuppose。Theothermembersofthefamilyseemtoknowhimwellenough。And——andmothersnowadaysarenotconsidered。I——Imustsaythat——"

Shehadrecoursetothelacehandkerchief。Icouldunderstandwhatthedoctormeantbycallingherthe"mosttiringthinginthehouse。"Herhusbandlaidahandonhers。

"There，there，mydear，"hesaid，soothingly，"don’tbefoolish。

Sitdown，Paine。Henrietta，perhapsyouhadbetterleaveMr。PaineandItogether。Wehavesome——er——businessmatterstodiscussandyouaretiredandnervous。Ishouldgotomyroomandliedown，ifIwereyou。"

Mrs。Coltonacceptedthesuggestion，butheracceptancewasnotthemostgracious。

"Iamintheway，asusual，"sheobserved，chokingly。"Verywell，Ishouldberesignedtothatbythistime，nodoubt。Iwillgo。

ButJames，formysake，don’tbeweak。Rememberwhat——Oh，rememberallwehadhopedandplanned！WhenIthinkofit，I——I——

Anobody！Apersonwithout……WhatSHALLIdo？"

Thehandkerchiefwasinactiveoperation。Shesweptpastmetothedoor。Theresheturned。

"Imayforgiveyousometime，Mr。Paine，"shesobbed。"IsupposeI

shallhaveto。Ican’tdoanythingelse。Butdon’taskmetodoitnow。ThatwouldbeTOOmuch！"

ThedoorclosedandIheardhersobsasshemarcheddownthehall。

TosaythatIwasamazedanddecidedlyuncomfortablewouldbeaverymildestimateofmyfeelings。WhyshouldIexpecthertoforgiveme？WhathadIdone？I——orluckandItogether——hadsavedoneofherhusband’sstockspeculationsfromendinginsmash；butthatwasnoinjuryforwhichIshouldbegforgiveness。AtleastI

couldnotseethatitwas。

Coltonlookedafterherwithatroubledexpression。

"Nervesarethedevil，aren’tthey，"heobserved。"Andnervesandawomantogetherareworsethanthat。Mywife，Paine，is——well，shehasn’tbeeningoodhealthforalongtimeandMabelandIhavedoneourbesttogiveherherownway。Whenyou’vehadyourownwayforyearsitratherhurtstobecheckmated。Iknowthatfromexperience。She’llfeelbetteraboutitbyandby。"

"Betteraboutwhat？"Idemanded，involuntarily。"Idon’tunderstandMrs。Colton’smeaningintheleast。"

Helookedatmekeenlyforamomentwithoutspeaking。

"Don’tyou？"heasked。"Youaresureyoudon’t？"

"CertainlyIamsure。WhatIhavedonethatrequiresforgivenessI

don’tsee。"

Anotherpauseandmorescrutiny。

"Soyoudon’tunderstandwhatshemeans，hey？"hesaidagain。"Allright，allright！Wewon’tdiscussthatyetawhile。Ifyoudon’tunderstand——nevermind。Timeenoughforustotalkofthatwhenyoudo。But，say，Paine，"withoneofhisdrysmiles，"whotaughtyoutobuckastockpool？"

ThisquestionIcouldunderstand。Ihadexpectedthis。

"Noonetaughtme，"Ianswered。"IfIhadanyknowledgeatallinthatdirectionIwasbornwithit，Iguess。Aformoforiginalsin。"

"It’samightyprofitablesortofwickedness——forme。Youngman，doyourealizewhatyoudid？Howdoyouexpectmetothankyouforthat，hey？"

"Idon’texpectyoutothankmeatall。Itwasbullluckthatwonforyou，Mr。Colton。Bullluckanddesperationonmypart。MissColtonsentformetohelpher。Yourconfidentialman，Davis，refusedtomakeamovewithoutordersfromyou。Youcouldn’tgiveanyorders。Someonehadtodosomething，or，soitseemedtoyourdaughterandme，yourLouisvilleandTranscontinentaldealwasagonegoose。"

"Itwasmorethanthat。Imighthavecomeprettynearbeingagonegoosealongwithit。Notquitegone，perhaps——Ishouldhavehadafewcentsleftinthest

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