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what's more； it 'd only make things worse。 If people find out you're runnin'
after 'em they think you're cheap； and then they won't do as much for you as
if you let 'em alone。 I don't believe it's any use； and I couldn't do it if
it was。〃
He sighed with resignation。 〃All right； mamma。 That's all。〃 Then； in a
livelier tone； he said： 〃Ole Gurney took the bandages off my hand this
morning。 All healed up。 Says I don't need 'em any more。〃
〃Why； that's splendid； papa！〃 she cried； beaming。 〃I was afraidLet's see。〃
She came toward him； but he rose； still keeping his hand in his pocket。 〃Wait
a minute；〃 he said； smiling。 〃Now it may give you just a teeny bit of a
shock； but the fact iswell； you remember that Sunday when Sibyl came over
here and made all that fuss about nothin'it was the day after I got tired o'
that statue when Edith's telegram came〃
〃Let me see your hand！〃 she cried。
〃Now wait！〃 he said； laughing and pushing her away with his left hand。 〃The
truth is； mamma； that I kind o' slipped out on you that morning； when you
wasn't lookin'； and went down to ole Gurney's officehe'd told me to； you
seeand； well； it doesn't AMOUNT to anything。〃 And he held out； for her
inspection； the mutilated hand。 〃You see； these days when it's all dictatin'；
anyhow； nobody 'd mind just a couple o'〃
He had to jump for hershe went over backward。 For the second time in her
life Mrs。 Sheridan fainted。
It was a full hour later when he left her lying upon a couch in her own room；
still lamenting intermittently； though he assured her with heat that the
〃fuss〃 she was making irked him far more than his physical loss。 He permitted
her to think that he meant to return directly to his office； but when he came
out to the open air he told the chauffeur in attendance to await him in front
of Mr。 Vertrees's house； whither he himself proceeded on foot。
Mr。 Vertrees had taken the sale of half of his worthless stock as manna in the
wilderness； it came from heavenby what agency he did not particularly
question。 The broker informed him that 〃parties were interested in getting
hold of the stock；〃 and that later there might be a possible increase in the
value of the large amount retained by his client。 It might go 〃quite a ways
up〃 within a year or so； he said； and he advised 〃sitting tight〃 with it。 Mr。
Vertrees went home and prayed。
He rose from his knees feeling that he was surely coming into his own again。
It was more than a mere gasp of temporary relief with him； and his wife shared
his optimism； but Mary would not let him buy back her piano； and as for
fursspring was on the way； she said。 But they paid the butcher； the baker；
and the candlestick…maker； and hired a cook once more。 It was this servitress
who opened the door for Sheridan and presently assured him that Miss Vertrees
would 〃be down。〃
He was not the man to conceal admiration when he felt it； and he flushed and
beamed as Mary made her appearance； almost upon the heels of the cook。 She had
a look of apprehension for the first fraction of a second； but it vanished at
the sight of him； and its place was taken in her eyes by a soft brilliance；
while color rushed in her cheeks。
〃Don't be surprised；〃 he said。 〃Truth is； in a way it's sort of on business I
looked in here。 It 'll only take a minute； I expect。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 said Mary。 〃I hoped you'd come because we're neighbors。〃
He chuckled。 〃Neighbors！ Sometimes people don't see so much o' their
neighbors as they used to。 That is； I hear solately。〃
〃You'll stay long enough to sit down； won't you？〃
〃I guess I could manage that much。〃 And they sat down； facing each other and
not far apart。
〃Of course； it couldn't be called business； exactly；〃 he said； more gravely。
〃Not at all； I expect。 But there's something o' yours it seemed to me I ought
to give you； and I just thought it was better to bring it myself and explain
how I happened to have it。 It's thisthis letter you wrote my boy。〃 He
extended the letter to her solomnly； in his left hand； and she took it gently
from him。 〃It was in his mail； after he was hurt。 You knew he never got it；
I expect。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； in a low voice。
He sighed。 〃I'm glad he didn't。 Not；〃 he added； quickly〃not but what you
did just right to send it。 You did。 You couldn't acted any other way when it
came right down TO it。 There ain't any blame comin' to youyou were
above…board all through。〃
Mary said； 〃Thank you；〃 almost in a whisper； and with her head bowed low。
〃You'll have to excuse me for readin' it。 I had to take charge of all his
mail and everything； I didn't know the handwritin'； and I read it all once I
got started。〃
〃I'm glad you did。〃
〃Well〃he leaned forward as if to rise〃I guess that's about all。 I just
thought you ought to have it。〃
〃Thank you for bringing it。〃
He looked at her hopefully； as if he thought and wished that she might have
something more to say。 But she seemed not to be aware of this glance； and sat
with her eyes fixed sorrowfully upon the floor。
〃Well； I expect I better be gettin' back to the office；〃 he said； rising
desperately。 〃I toldI told my partner I'd be back at two o'clock； and I
guess he'll think I'm a poor business man if he catches me behind time。 I got
to walk the chalk a mighty straight line these dayswith THAT fellow keepin'
tabs on me！〃
Mary rose with him。 〃I've always heard YOU were the hard driver。〃
He guffawed derisively。 〃Me？ I'm nothin' to that partner o' mine。 You
couldn't guess to save your life how he keeps after me to hold up my end o'
the job。 I shouldn't be surprised he'd give me the grand bounce some day； and
run the whole circus by himself。 You know how he isonce he goes AT a
thing！〃
〃No；〃 she smiled。 〃I didn't know you had a partner。 I'd always heard〃
He laughed； looking away from her。 〃It's just my way o' speakin' o' that boy
o' mine； Bibbs。〃
He stood then； expectant； staring out into the hall with an air of careless
geniality。 He felt that she certainly must at least say； 〃How IS Bibbs？〃
but she said nothing at all； though he waited until the silence became
embarrassing。
〃Well； I guess I better be gettin' down there；〃 he said； at last。 〃He might
worry。〃
〃Good…byand thank you；〃 said Mary。
〃For what？〃
〃For the letter。〃
〃Oh；〃 he said； blankly。 〃You're welcome。 Good…by。〃
Mary put out her hand。 〃Good…by。〃
〃You'll have to excuse my left hand；〃 he said。 〃I had a little accident to
the other one。〃
She gave a pitying cry as she saw。 〃Oh； poor Mr。 Sheridan！〃
〃Nothin' at all！ Dictate everything nowadays； anyhow。〃 He laughed jovially。
〃Did anybody tell you how it happened？〃
〃I heard you hurt your hand； but nonot just how。〃
〃It was this way；〃 he began； and both； as if unconsciously； sat down again。
〃You may not know it； but I used to worry a good deal about the youngest o' my
boysthe one that used to come to see you sometimes； after Jimthat is； I
mean Bibbs。 He's the one I spoke of as my partner； and the truth is that's
what it's just about goin' to amount to； one o' these daysif his health
holds out。 Well； you remember； I expect； I had him on a machine over at a
plant o' mine； and sometimes I'd kind o' sneak in there and see how he was
gettin' along。 Take a doctor with me sometimes； because Bibbs never WAS so
robust； you might say。 Ole Doc GurneyI guess maybe you know him？ Tall；
thin man； acts sleepy〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； one day I an' ole Doc Gurney； we were in there； and I undertook to show
Bibbs how to run his machine。 He told me to look out； but I wouldn't listen；
and I didn't look outand that's how I got my hand hurt； tryin' to show Bibbs
how to do something he knew how to do and I didn't。 Made me so mad I just
wouldn't even admit to myself it WAS hurtand so； by and by； ole Doc Gurney
had to take kind o' radical measures with me。 He's a right good doctor； too。
Don't you think so； Miss Vertrees？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Yes； he is so！〃 Sheridan now had the air of a rambling talker and gossip
with all day on his hands。 〃Take him on Bibbs's case。 I was talkin' about
Bibbs's case with him this morning。 Well； you'd laugh to hear the way ole
Gurney talks about THAT！ 'Course he IS just as much a friend as he is
doctorand he takes as much interest in Bibbs as if he was in the family。 He
says Bibbs isn't anyways bad off YET； and he thinks he could stand the pace
and get fat on it ifwell； this is what'd made YOU laugh if you'd been there；
Miss Vertreeshonest it would！〃 He paused to chuckle； and stole a glance at
her。 She was gazing straight before her at the wall； her lips were parted；
andvisiblyshe was breathing heavily and quickly。 He feared that she was
growing furiously angry； but he had led to what he wanted to say； and he went
on； determined now to say it all