t up and forget it.
But THAT'S got to be stopped. Now, you listen to me."

Heman listened. He was on his knees beside the bed, his face buried in
his arms, and his gray hair, the leonine Atkins hair, which he was wont
to toss backward in the heated periods of his eloquence, tumbled and
draggled. Captain Cy looked down at him.

"This whole business about Bos'n must be stopped," he said, "and stopped
right off. You tell your lawyers to drop the case. Her dad is only
hangin' around because you pay him to. He don't want her; he don't care
what becomes of her. If you pay him enough, he'll go, won't he? and not
come back?"

The congressman raised his head.

"Why, yes," he faltered; "I think he will. Yes, I think I could arrange
that. But, Cyrus--"

The captain held up his hand.

"I intend to look out for Bos'n," he said. "She cares for me more'n
anyone else in the world. She's as much to me as my own child ever
could be, and I'll see that she is happy and provided for. I'm religious
enough to believe she was sent to me, and I intend to stick to my trust.
As for the money--"

"Yes, yes! The money?"

"Well, I won't be too hard on you that way, either. We'll talk that over
later on. Maybe we can arrange for you to pay it a little at a time. You
can sign a paper showin' that you owe it, and we'll fix the payin' to
suit all hands. 'Tain't as if the child was in want. I've got some money
of my own, and what's mine's hers. I think we needn't worry about the
money part."

"God bless you, Cyrus! I--"

"Yes, all right. I'm sure your askin' for the blessin' 'll be a great
help. Now, you do your part, and I'll do mine. No one knows of this
business but me. I didn't tell Everdean a word. He don't know why I
hustled out there and back, nor why I asked so many questions. And he
ain't the kind to pry into what don't concern him. So you're pretty
safe, I cal'late. Now, if you don't mind, I wish you'd run along home.
I'm--I'm used up, sort of."

Mr. Atkins arose from his knees. Even then, broken as he was--he looked
ten years older than when he entered the room--he could hardly believe
what he had just heard.

"You mean," he faltered, "Cyrus, do you mean that--that you're not going
to reveal this--this--"

"That I'm not goin' to tell on you? Yup; that's what I mean. You get rid
of Thomas and squelch that law case, and I'll keep mum. You can trust me
for that."

"But--but, Cyrus, the people at home? Your story in the Breeze?