第104章

My unexpected entrance caused a sensation.Lute, sitting on the edge of one of the kitchen chairs, an agonized expression on his face, started so violently that he almost lost his balance.

Dorinda, standing with her back toward me, turned quickly.Captain Jedediah Dean, his hand on the knob of the door opening to the back yard, showed the least evidence of surprise.He did not start, nor did he speak, but looked at me with a countenance as grim and set and immovable as if it had been cast in a mould.

Lute, characteristically enough, uttered the first word.

"By time!" he gasped."It's Ros himself! Ros--Ros, you know what he says?" He pointed a shaking finger at the captain."He says you--""Keep still!" Dorinda struck her palms together with a slap, as if her husband had been what she often called him, a parrot.Then, without another glance in his direction, she stepped backward and took her stand beside me.

"I'm real glad to see you home safe and sound, Roscoe," she said, calmly.

"Thank you, Dorinda.Now, Captain Dean, I believe you were sending a message to me just now.I am here and you can deliver it.What is it you have to say?"Before he could answer Dorinda spoke once more.

"Lute," she said, "you come along with me into the dinin'-room.""But--but, Dorindy, I--"

"You come with me.This ain't any of my business any more, and it never was any of yours.Come! move!"Lute moved, but so slowly that his progress to the door took almost a full minute.His wife paid no heed to the pleading looks he gave her and stood majestically waiting until he passed her and crossed the sill.Then she turned to me.

"If you want me, just speak," she said."I shall be in the dining-room.There ain't no need for Comfort to know about this.She doesn't know that you've been away and hasn't been worried at all.

I'll look out for her.Lute'll be with me, so you needn't fret about him, either."She closed the door.

"Now, Captain Dean," I repeated, "what is it you have to say?"The captain's grim mouth twisted in a savage sneer.

"You know what I'm goin' to say as well as I do," he answered.

"Possibly, but you had better say it."

"It won't take me long.You've sold that Shore Lane land to Jim Colton, ain't you?""Yes."

My calm affirmative seemed to astonish him.I think he expected a denial.His hand left the doorknob and he stepped toward me.

"You--HAVE!" he cried."You don't even take the trouble to-- You have the face to stand there and tell me--"He almost choked.

"Captain Dean," I interrupted, quickly, "wait a moment.Listen to me.I have sold Colton the land.I did not intend selling it at all, least of all to him, but circumstances compelled me to change my mind.I did it because I was obliged to.It is done.I am sorry I had to do it, but, under the same conditions, I should do it again.I am not ashamed."He leaned forward, steadying himself with a hand upon the table, and stared at me.

"You ain't ashamed?" he repeated."You ain't ashamed! Why, you--Didn't you tell me you'd never sell that land? Didn't you promise me?""I did not promise anything.At first I promised not to sell without letting you know of my intention.Afterward I took back that promise.""But why did you sell? You said it wan't a question of price at all.You made your brags that it wan't! To me, over and over, you made 'em.And then you sneak off and--""Stop! I did think it was not a question of price.Then I found out that it was."He clenched his fist.

"Damn you!" he shouted, furiously."You liar! You sneak! After I--""That is enough, Captain.This has gone far enough.I have sold the land--for what seemed to me a good reason--and your calling me names will not change the situation.I don't care to hear them.

You had better go."

"WHAT?"

"I say you had better go."

"_I_ go? You'll put me out?"

"No, certainly not.But there is nothing to be gained by a quarrel, and so, for both our sakes, I think you had better go away."For a moment I thought he would strike me.Then his fist fell heavily upon the table.His lips were quivering like those of an infirm person.He looked old, and I had never before considered him an old man.

"What made you do it?" he cried, desperately."What made you do it? Is it all settled? Can't you back out?""No."

"But--but why didn't you sell to me--to the town? If you had to sell why didn't you do that? Why did you go to him?""Because he would pay me what I needed; because his price was higher than any you or the town could offer.""How did you know that? My heavens above! I'd have paid--I'd have paid most anything--out of my own pocket, I would.I tell you this meant everything to me.I'm gettin' along in years.I ain't been any too well liked here in Denboro, and I knew it.You think that didn't make no difference to me, maybe I pretended it didn't, but it did; by the Almighty, it did! I intended for folks to be thankful to me for--I-- Oh, WHY did you do it, Ros?"I shook my head.I was sorry for him now--sorry and astonished.

He had given me a glimpse of the real Jedediah Dean, not the pompous, loud-voiced town politician and boss, but the man desirous of fighting his way into the esteem and liking of his neighbors.

"I'm sorry, Captain," I said."If I had known--if I had had time to think, perhaps I might have acted differently.But I had no time.I found that I must have the money which that land would bring and that I had to have it immediately.So I went where Iknew I could get it."

"Money? You needed money? Why didn't you come to me? I'd have lent it to you.""You?"

"Yes, me.What do you cal'late I've been backin' you all this summer for? What did I get you that job in my bank for?""YOU? George Taylor engaged me for that place.""Maybe so.But do you suppose he did it on his own hook? HEcouldn't hire you unless the directors said so and the directors don't say anything, the majority of 'em, unless I say it first.

_I_ put the notion in George's head.He didn't know it, but I did.

And I put it in the directors' heads, too.Ros Paine, I always liked you, though I did use to think you was a gentleman loafer.