She laughed and said she was often absent-minded.
He had scarcely lit it, when heheard quick, hurrying footsteps in the echoing
corridor outside. When at last he looked at his watch, itwas nearly midnight, and he
had been reading three hours. There was something very sad in his voice, and
helpless. His lastcall was different from any he had ever made there
before.
So, yousee, you mean a great deal to all of
us.
My dear boy, I havent been over to the town for six
weeks.
I should think California, at this time of the
year, might beright .
You must hurry and become asuccessful
man.
It might make trouble on a stormy night
likethis.
Under the care of him, now that he was helpless,
Mrs. Forrester, rascality isnt the only thing that succeeds inbusiness. Niel went
round the house to the gate that gave into the grove.
A man emerged from the shadow of the houseand came
striding down the drive-way.
Hell come soon, and well have a real dinner forhim.
Forrester home in themorning, before the town is awake. Can you dress and go down to
the office for the rest of the night,Uncle Judge? She goes down there to rest in
thehammock. Ivedrained the old marsh and put it into wheat.
Beasleys and Molly Tuckers had their chance at
last. With so much to attend to, she becameabstracted, almost
impersonal.
Her mind was struggling with something, with every
blinkof her lashes she seemed to face it anew. Niel heard these remarks dully,
through the buzz of an idea.
I rent that meadow-land on the Forrester place.
Forrester put her white hand, with all itsrings, on Niels arm. Maybe you could give
me some lunch, to savetime. It succeeds faster than anything else, though, she
murmuredabsently. He leaned upon two canes, liftinghis feet slowly and putting them
down firmly and carefully.
Ill bet theresnot as many in both saloons put
together.
I should think California, at this time of the
year, might beright . Therefore he avoided talking even more than was his
habit.
He shut the gate behind the house with a slam
andwent whistling through the yard.
Can I trouble you to mail some letters for me,
Niel,as you go by the post-office?
Good deal of bluff about all those
old-timers.
Forresters kitchen as familiarly as they did outof
one anothers.
Judge Pommeroys office wants to talk tohim. While
they were standing there, talking in low voices, they heard aheavy door slam on the
hill.