ButIcouldonlystareathim。WhyhadhecometoDenboro？Whatdidhiscomingtomemean？WhyhadhecomewithCaptainJed，themanwhohadvowedthathewasdonewithmeforever？Andwhywasthecaptainlookingatmesooddly？
"George！"Icriedinalarm，"George，youhaven’t——youhaven’tmadeafoolofyourself？Youhaven’t——"
CaptainJedinterruptedme。"Heain’tthefool，Ros，"hesaid。
"Thatis，heain’tnow。I’mthefool。Ioughttohaveknownbetter。Ros，I——Idon’tknow’syou’llgiveittome，butanyhowI’mgoin’toaskit；Ibegyourpardon。"
"Ros，"saidTaylor，beforeIcouldreply，"don’tstandstaringasifyouwerepetrified。Sitdownandletmelookatyou。Youpig—
headedoldidiot，you！Whatdoyoumeanbyit？Whatdidyoudoitfor？"
HepushedmeintothechairIhadjustvacated。CaptainDeantookanother。Georgeremainedstanding。
"HeISpetrified，Idobelieve！"heexclaimed。
Butmypetrificationwasonlytemporary。Iwasbeginningtounderstand，andtobemorealarmedthanever。
"WhatareyoudoinghereinDenboro？"Idemanded。
CaptainJedansweredforhim。"He’sherebecauseItelegraphedforhimyesterday，"hesaid。"Iwiredhimtocomestraighthomeandtakechargeofthebank。Ihadfiredyou，likethedumbfoolIwas，andIwantedhimtotakecommand。Hegothereonthemornin’
train。"
IrememberedwhatPhinCahoonhadsaidaboutthetelegramandthecaptain’smakinghimpromisenottomentionthenameofthepersontowhomitwassent。ItwasGeorge，ofcourse。IfIhadbeeninanormalstateofmindwhenPhintoldmeIshouldhaveguessedasmuch。
Taylortookuptheconversation。"Yes，Igothere，"hesaid。"AndwhenIgothere——oralittlebefore——"withaglanceatthecaptain——"IfoundoutwhathadbeengoingonsinceIleft。Youoldchump，RosPaine！Whatdidyoudoitfor？"
Ilookedathimandthenathiscompanion。WhatIsawthereconfirmedmyworstsuspicions。
"George，"Isaid，"ifyouhavetoldhimyoumustbecrazy。"
"Iwascrazynottotellhimbefore。Iwascrazynottoguesswhatyouhadbeenupto。ButIdidn’tsupposeanybodywouldbecrazyenoughtodowhatyoudid，Ros。Ididn’timagineforaminutethatyouwouldbecrazyenoughtothrowawayyourjobandgetyourselfintothetroubleyouknewwassuretocome，justtohelpme。TohelpME，bytheLord！Ros！Ros！whatcanIsaytoyou！"
"You’vesaidenough，andmorethanenough，"Ianswered，bitterly。
"IdidwhatIdidsothatyoumightkeepyoursecret。IdidittohelpyouandNellie。Andifyouhadkeptstillnooneneedeverhaveknown，noonebutyouandI，George。Andnowyou——"
"Shutup，Ros！"heinterrupted。"Shutup，Itellyou！Why，confoundyou，whatdoyouthinkIam？DoyousupposeIwouldletyousacrificeyourselflikethat，whileIsetstillandsawyoukickedoutoftown？WhatdoyouthinkIam？"
"Butwhatwastheuseofit？"Idemanded。"Itwasdone。Nothingyoucouldsaywouldchangeit。ForNellie’ssake——"
"There！there！"brokeinCaptainJed，"Nellieknows。Georgetoldherthedaytheywasmarried。Hetoldherbeforetheywasmarried。
HewasmanenoughtodothatandIhonorhimforit。Ifhe’donlycometomethenitwouldhavebeenamightysightbetter。I’dhaveunderstoodwhenIheardaboutyoursellin’Coltontheland，andI
wouldn’thavemadeajackassofmyselfbytreatin’youasIdone。
You！themanthatsacrificedyourselftokeepmygirlfrombreakin’
herheart！WhenIthinkwhatyousavedusallfromI——I——BytheAlmighty，RosPaine！I’llmakeituptoyousomehow。Iwill！I
swearIwill！"
Heturnedawayandlookedoutofthewindow。Georgelaidahandonhisshoulder。
"Iamtheonetomakeitup，Cap’n，"hesaid，solemnly。"IfIliveI’llmakeituptoRoshere，andtoyou，andtoNellie，Godblessher！IexpectedyouwouldneverspeaktomeagainwhenI’dtoldyou。Tellingyou——nexttotellingNellie——wasthetoughestjobI
evertackled。ButI’llmakeituptoyouboth，andtoRos。ThanktheLord，itain’ttoolatetomakeituptohim！"
"We’llbothmakeituptohim，George，"repliedCaptainJed。"Asfaraswecan，wewill。Ifhewantstocomebacktothebankthisminutehecan。We’llbeproudtohavehim。ButIcal’late，"withasmile，"he’llhavebiggerfishtofrythanwecangivehim。Ifwhatwe’vejustheardistrue，hewill。"
"Idon’tknowwhatyoumean，"Ianswered。"Andasforthebank——
well，youforgetonething：IsoldtheShoreLaneandthetownknowsit。Howlongwouldtheotherdirectorstoleratemeinthatbank，afterthat，doyouthink？"
Tomysurprisetheylookedateachotherandlaughed。CaptainDeanshookhishead。
"No，"hesaid，"you’remistook，Ros。Thetowndon’tknowyousoldit。Ididn’ttell’embecauseIwantedGeorgeincommandofthatbankaforetherowbrokeloose。Ilarnedofthesalemyself，bychance，overtoOstableandInevertoldanybodyexceptDorindyRogersandherfoolofahusband。I’llseethattheykeepstilltonguesintheirheads。AndasfortheLane——well，thatwon’tbeclosed。Coltondon’townitnomore。"
"Don’tOWNit，"Irepeated。"Don’townit！Hedoes。Isoldittohimmyself。"
"Yes。AndGeorge，here，boughtitbacknotanhourago。WesawHisMajesty——sickinbedhewas，butjustashighandmightyandindependentasever——andGeorgeboughtbackthelandandtheLaneforthirty—fivehundreddollars。Theoldmandidn’tseemtogiveadurnaboutitanymore。He’dhadhisownway，hesaid，andthatwasallhecaredabout。Besides，heain’tgoin’tostayinDenboromuchlonger。Theoldlady——hiswife——issickoftheplaceandheonlycomehereonheraccount。Hecal’latesthatNewYorkisgoodenoughforhim。Ical’late’tis。Anyhow，Denborowon’thangontohiscoattailstoholdhimback。TellRosthewholestory，George。"
Georgetoldit，beginningwithhisreceiptofhisfather—in—law’stelegramandhishurriedreturntotheCape。HehadgonedirectlytoCaptainDeanandconfessedthewholething。Thecaptainhadbehavedlikeatrump，Ilearned。Insteadofdenouncinghisdaughter’shusbandhehadforgivenhimfreely。ThentheyhadgonetoseeColtonandGeorgehadboughttheland。
"AndIshallgiveittothetown，"hesaid。"It’stheleastIcando。Youwonderwherethemoneycamefrom，Ros？Iguessyouain’tseenthenewspapers。TherewasahigholdtimeinthestockmarketyesterdayandLouisvilleandTranscontinentalclimbedhalf—waytothemoon。FrombeingapauperI’mprettywellfixed。"
"I’mheartilygladofit，George，"Isaid。"ButthereisonethingIdon’tunderstand。YousayyoulearnedofmysellingthelandbeforeyoureachedDenboro。CaptainJedsaysnoonebutheandmypeopleknewit。Howdidyoufinditout？"
Againmytwocallerslookedateachother。
"Why，somebody——afriendofyours——cometomeattheOstablestationanddraggedNellieandmeoffthetrain。Werodewiththatpersontherestofthewayand——thesaidpersontolduswhathadhappenedandbeggedustohelpyou。SeemedtohavemadeamiddlinggoodguessthatICOULDhelp，ifIwould。"
"Aperson——afriendofmine！Why，Ihaven’tanyfriend，anyfriendwhoknewthetruth，orcouldguess。"
"Yes，youhave。"
"Whowasit？"
GeorgelaughedaloudandCaptainJedlaughedwithhim。
"IguessIshan’ttellyou，"saidtheformer。"IpromisedI
wouldn’t。"
CHAPTERXXIV
Theyleftmesoonafterthis。Itriedtomakethemtellwhothemysteriousfriendmightbe，buttheyrefused。ThekindthingstheysaidandthegratitudetheybothexpressedIshallneverforget。
Theydidnotstrenuouslyurgemetoreturntothebank，andthatseemedstrangetome。
"Thejob’syoursifyouwantit，Ros，"saidCaptainJed。"We’dbeonlytoohappytohaveyouifyou’dcome——anytime，soonerorlater。ButIdon’tthinkyouwill。"
"No，"Ianswered，"Ishallnot。Ihavemadeotherplans。IamgoingtoleaveDenboro。"
ThatdidnotseemtosurprisethemandIwasstillmorepuzzled。
Theyshookhandsandwentaway，promisingtocallatthehousethateveningandbringNellie。
"Shewantstothankyou，too，Ros，"saidGeorge。
AftertheyhadgoneIsatbythebigdoor，lookingoutatthebay，smoothandbeautifulintheafternoonsunlight，andthinkingofwhattheyhadtoldme。ForMother’ssakeIwasveryglad。Itwouldbeeasierforher，afterIhadgone；thetownspeoplewouldbefriendly，insteadofdisagreeable。Forhersake，Iwasglad。Formyselfnothingseemedtomakeanydifference。GeorgeTaylor’swords——thosehehadspokentomethatfatefuleveningwhenIfoundhimwiththerevolverbesidehim——camebacktomeoverandover。
"Waituntilyourtimecomes。Waituntilthegirlcomesalongthatyoucareformorethanthewholeworld。Andthenseewhatyou’ddo。Seewhatitwouldmeantogiveherup！"
Iwasseeing。Iknewnowwhatitmeant。
Iroseandwentoutoftheboathouse。Ididnotcaretomeetanyoneorspeakwithanyone。Istrolledalongthepathbythebluff，myoldwalk，thatwhichIhadtakensomanytimesandwithsuchvariedfeelings，neverwithsuchmiserableonesasnow。
Thegolden—rod，alwayslatebloomingontheCape，borderedthepathwithgorgeousyellow。Theleavesofthescruboakswerebeginningtoturn，thoughnottofall。IwalkedonandenteredthegrovewheresheandIhadmetafterouradventurewithCarverandthestrandedskiff。Iturnedthebendandsawhercomingtowardme。
Istoodstillandshecameon，camestraighttomeandheldoutherhand。
"Iwaswaitingforyou，"shesaid。"IwasonmywaytoyourhouseandIsawyoucoming——soIwaited。"
"Youwaited，"Istammered。"Why？"
"BecauseIwishedtospeaktoyouandIdidnotwantthat——thatMr。
Rogersofyourstointerruptme。Whydidyougoawayyesterdaywithoutevenlettingmethankyouforwhatyouhaddone？Whydidyoudoit？"
"Because——becauseyouwereverybusyand——andIwastired。Iwenthomeandtobed。"
"Youweretired。Youmusthavebeen。Butthatisnoexcuse，nogoodone。Icamedownandfoundyouweregonewithoutawordtome。Andyouhaddonesomuchforme——formyfather！"
"Yourfatherthankedmethismorning，MissColton。Isawhiminhisroomandhethankedme。Ididnotdeservethanks。Iwaslucky，thatwasall。"
"Fatherdoesnotcallitluck。Hetoldmewhatyousaidtohim。"
"Hetoldyou！DidhetellyouallItoldhim？"
"I——Ithinkso。Hetoldmewhoyouwere；whatyourrealnamewas。"
"Hedid！Andyouwerestillwillingtomeetme！"
"Yes。Whynot？DoesitmakeanydifferencethatyouareMr。
Bennett——insteadofMr。Paine？"
"ButmyfatherwasCarletonBennett——the——the——Youmusthaveheardofhim。"
"Ineverknewyourfather。Idoknowhisson。AndIamveryproudtoknowhim。"
"But——but，MissColton。"
"Tellme，"sheinterrupted，quickly，"haveyouseenMr。Taylor？HeishereinDenboro。"
"Yes。Ihaveseenhim。"
"AndhetoldyouabouttheLane？Thathehasboughtit？"
"Yes。"
"Andyouwillnotbe，"withasmile，"drivenfromDenborobythatcrossoldCaptainDean？"
"Ishallnotbedriven——no。"
"ThenMr。Taylordidhelpyou。Hepromisedmehewould。"
"Hepromisedyou？When？WhendidyouseeGeorgeTaylor？"
Sheappearedconfused。"I——I——OfcourseIsawhimatthehousethisnoon，whenhecametoseeFather。"
"Buthecouldnothavepromisedyouthen。Hehadhelpedmealready。Didyouseehimbeforethat？"
"Why，howcouldI？I——"
"MissColton，answerme。WasityouthatmethimattheOstablestationthismorning？Wasit？"
Shewasasredasthereddestoftheautumnleaves。Shelaughed，confusedly。
"Ididmeethimthere，"sheconfessed。"ThatqueerMr。Cahoon，thestationagent，toldmethatCaptainDeanhadtelegraphedhimtocome。Iknewhewouldprobablybeonthattrain。AndMr。Cahoontoldmeabouthisbeinginterestedinstocksandverymuchtroubled。Youhadtoldme，orasmuchastoldme，thatyousoldthelandtogetmoneytohelpsomeone。IputtwoandtwotogetherandIguessedtherest。ImethimandNellieandwerodetoDenborotogetherinourauto。Hepromisedmethathewouldmakeeverythingrightforyou。Iamsogladhedid！"
Icaughtmybreathwithagasp。
"Youdidthat！"Iexclaimed。"Youdidthat，forme！"
"Whynot？Surelyyouhaddoneenoughfor——us。Icouldnotletyoube’drivenfromtown’，youknow。"
Ididnotspeak。IknewthatImustnotattemptareply。Ishouldsaytoomuch。Shelookedupatme，andthendownagainatthepine—needlesbeneathourfeet。
"Fathersaysheintendstodogreatthingsforyou，"shewenton。
"Hesaysyouaretocomewithhim。Heisenthusiasticaboutit。
Hebelievesyouareagreatman。Noonebutagreatman，hesays，couldbeattheConsolidatedPacificgangsingle—handed。Hesaysyouwillbethebestinvestmentheevermade。"
"Iamafraidnot，"Ianswered。"Yourfathermademeagenerousoffer。IwishImighthavebeenabletoacceptit，butIcouldnot。"
"Oh，butyouaregoingtoaccept。"
"No，Iamnot。"
"Hesaysyouare。Andhealwayshashisway，youknow。"
"Notinthiscase，MissColton。"
"But_I_wantyoutoaccept。Surelyyouwilldoittoobligeme。"
"I——Ican’t。"
"Whatareyougoingtodo；gobacktothebank？"
"No，IamgoingtoleaveDenboro。Idon’tknowwhereIshallgo。
Thisisgood—by，MissColton。Itisnotlikelythatweshallmeetagain。"
"Butwhyareyougoing？"
"Icannottellyou。"
Shewassilent，stilllookingdownatthepine—needles。Icouldnotseeherface。Iwassilentalso。IknewthatIoughttogo，thatIshouldnotremainthere，withher，anothermoment。YetI
remained。
"Soyouthinkthisisourparting，"shesaid。"Idonot。"
"Don’tyou？Ifearyouarewrong。"
"Iamnotwrong。Youwillnotgoaway，Mr。——Bennett。Atleast，youwillnotuntilyougowheremyfathersendsyou。Youwillaccepthisoffer，Ithink。"
"Youaremistaken。"
"No。IthinkIamnotmistaken。Ithinkyouwillacceptit，because——becauseIaskyouto。"
"Icannot，MissColton。"
"Andyourreason？"
"ThatIcannottellanyone。"
"Butyoutoldmyfather。"
Iwasstrickendumbagain。
Shewenton，speakinghurriedly，andnotraisinghereyes。
"Youtoldmyfather，"sherepeated，"andhetoldme。"
"Hetoldyou！"Icried。
"Yes，hetoldme。I——Iamnotsurethathewasgreatlysurprised。
Hethoughtithonorableofyouandhewasverygladyoudidtellhim，butIthinkhewasnotsurprised。"
Theoaksandthepinesandthehuckleberrybushesweredancinggreatgiddy—go—rounds，areflectionofthewhirlpoolinmybrain。
OutofthemaelstromImanagedtospeaksomehow。
"Hewasnotsurprised！"Irepeated。"Hewasnot——not——Whatdoyoumean？"
Shedidnotanswer。Shedrewawayfrommeastep，butIfollowedher。
"Whywasn’thesurprised？"Iaskedagain。
"Because——because——Oh，Idon’tknow！WhathaveIbeensaying！
I——Pleasedon’taskme！"
"Butwhywasn’thesurprised？"
"Because——because——"shehesitated。Thensuddenlyshelookedupintomyface，herwonderfuleyesalight。"Because，"shesaid，"I
hadtoldhimmyself，sir。"
Iseizedherhands。
"YOUhadtoldhim？YouhadtoldhimthatI——I——"
"No，"withaswiftshakeofthehead，"notyou。I——Ididnotknowthat——then。ItoldhimthatI——"
ButIdidnotwaittohearanymore。
Sometimeafterthat——Idonotknowhowlongafteranditmakesnodifferenceanyway——IbegantoremembersomeresolutionsIhadmade，resolvestobeself—sacrificingandallthatsortofthing。
"But，mydear，"Ifaltered，"Iaminsane！Iamstarkcrazy！HowcanIthinkofsuchathing！Yourmother——whatwillshesay？"
Shelookedupatme；lookingupwasnotasdifficultnow，and，besides，shedidnothavetolookfar。Shelookedupandsmiled。
"IthinkMotherismorereconciled，"shesaid。"Sinceshelearnedwhoyouweresheseemstofeelbetteraboutit。"
Ishookmyhead，ruefully。"Yetshereferredtomeasa’nobody’
onlythismorning，"Iobserved。
"Yes，butthatwasbeforesheknewyouwereaBennett。TheBennettsareaverygoodfamily，soshesays。Andsheinformedmethatshealwaysexpectedmetothrowmyselfaway，soshewasnotaltogetherunprepared。"
Isighed。"Throwingyourselfawayisexactlywhatyouhavedone，I’mafraid，"Ianswered。
Sheputherhandtomylips。"Hush！"shewhispered。"Atallevents，Imadealuckythrow。I’mverygladyoucaughtme，dear。"
Therewasarustleofleavesjustbehindusandastartledexclamation。IturnedandsawLuteRogersstandingthereinthepath，anexpressiononhisfacewhichIshallnotattempttodescribe，fornodescriptioncoulddojusticetoit。WelookedatLuteandhelookedatus。
Hewasthefirsttorecover。
"Mytime！"exclaimedLute。"MyTIME！"
Heturnedandfled。
"Comehere！"Ishoutedafterhim。"Comebackherethisminute！
Lute，comeback！"
Lutecame，lookingshamefacedandawkward。
"Wherewereyougoing？"Idemanded。
"I——Iwascal’latin’togoandtellDorindy，"hefaltered。
"You’lltellnobody。Nobody，doyouhear！I’lltellDorindamyself，whenitisnecessary。Whatwereyoudoinghere？spyingonmeinthatfashion。"
"I——Iwan’tspyin’，Ros。Honesttruth，Iwan’t。I——Ididn’tknowyouandshewas——was——"
"Nevermindthat。Whatwereyoudoinghere？"
"Iwaschasin’afteryou，Ros。Ijustheardthemostastonishingthing。JedDeanwastothehousetomakeDorindyandmepromisetosaynothin’aboutthatShoreLane’causeyouneversoldit，andhesaidMr。Coltonhadofferedyouaturriblefinejobalongofhimandthatyouwasgoin’totakeit。Iwantedtofindyouandaskit’twastrue。’Tainttrue，isit，Ros？"wistfully。"Bytime！I
wish’twas。"
BeforeIcouldanswerMabelspoke。
"Yes，itistrue，Mr。Rogers，"shesaid。"Itisquitetrueandyoumaytellanyoneyoulike。Itistrue，isn’tit，Roscoe？"
WhatanswercouldImake？Whatanswerwouldyouhavemadeunderthecircumstances？
"Yes，"Ianswered，withasighofresignation。"Iguessitistrue，Lute。"
End