smiled a small smile.

"I'm an old ass," he declared. "Have it your own way, only--by the
gods, I ought to teach them sense. I've spoiled them, and I ought to
unspoil them. They drive me crazy, much as I love them."

* * * * *

The Laird went home that afternoon lighter of heart than he had been
for a month. He told himself that his firm stand with Donald had
rather staggered that young man, and that a month of reflection, far
from the disturbing influence of Nan Brent's magnetic presence, would
induce Donald to adopt a sensible course.

XXIII

Since that night when Mr. Daney, standing aloof in the dark vacant lot
close to the Sawdust Pile, had seen Donald McKaye, in the light cast
through the open door of Caleb Brent's cottage, take Nan Brent in his
arms and kiss her, since he had heard Nan Brent's voice apply to the
young laird of Port Agnew a term so endearing as to constitute a
verbal caress, his practical and unromantic soul had been in a turmoil
of apprehension.

It seemed to him that in old Hector he noted signs of deep mental
perturbation. Also, he told himself, he detected more shades than
lights in Donald's usually pleasant features; so, knowing full well
that which he knew and which neither The Laird nor Donald suspected
him of knowing, to wit: that a declaration of love had been made
between Nan Brent and the heir to the Tyee millions, Mr. Daney came to
the conclusion, one evening about a week after old Caleb's funeral,
that something had to be done--and done quickly--to avert the scandal
which impended. To his way of reasoning, however, it appeared that
nothing along this line was possible of accomplishment while Nan Brent
remained in Port Agnew; so Mr. Daney brought to play all of his
considerable intelligence upon the problem of inducing her to leave.

Now, to render Port Agnew untenable for Nan, thus forcing her to
retreat, was a task which Mr. Daney dismissed not only as unworthy of
him but also as impossible. As a director of the Bank of Port Agnew,
he had little difficulty in ascertaining that Caleb Brent's
savings-account had been exhausted; also, he realized that the
chartering of Caleb's motor-boat, Brutus, to tow the municipal
garbage-barge to sea and return, had merely been Donald's excuse to be
kind to the Brents without hurting their gentle pride. To cancel the
charter of the Brutus now would force Nan to leave Port Agnew in order
to support herse