ring the conversation did his eyes
light with anger; not for a moment was the underlying shadow of sadness
gone from them. He was holding a strong rein upon himself. He was
judging himself now; he was passing judgment upon no other man.

Hume, glancing at him quickly, curiously, felt that he knew what Leland
was thinking. Then his mind came back abruptly to his own interests.

"So you don't know what Conway is going to do?"

"I have advised him to sell to Shandon and to give Shandon the time he
wants to make his payments."

"And you will sell to Shandon too?"

"I think not. My holdings are too heavy for him to swing. No, I am
going to give them away."

"Not to him!"

"No, not to him. He wouldn't accept them. To my daughter--for her
wedding present. And I pray God that they will bring her more
happiness than they have brought me."

Hume's big fist came smashing down upon the table.

"By God, you've got to buy me out! I'm ruined, ruined, I tell you, if
you and Conway drop me now."

"I'll do it." The calm words surprised Hume who had expected a blunt
refusal. "Upon one consideration. Namely that you sell to me at the
figure which you paid. I am willing to play fair and I think that that
is fair. It leaves you where you started. It leaves me where I
started except that I shall have been spending a good many thousands
for Wanda's wedding present."

Hume, his brows knitted, rose to his feet and strode back and forth in
the room, trying to look his problem squarely in the face. Failure
confronted him, and failure was more hideous to him than the shame,
dishonour, disgrace, which would accompany it. In a flash that left
his face drawn he saw himself as he had never seen himself before.

He went to the window looking out into the fields over which the
afternoon sun was dropping low. He wanted to think; and he did not
want Martin Leland to see his face. He heard Wanda singing happily.
Her voice was not like Helga's, and yet, tinkling through it he seemed
to hear Helga's cool laughter.

"I'm tired out," he said abruptly, coming back to Leland. "Let me have
a bed. We'll settle it in the morning."

Leland looked at him curiously. This was unlike Sledge Hume's usual
way. But, offering no remark he showed Hume his room.

It was far into the night before Hume's tired body found the rest of
deep sleep. It was long after sunrise when he awoke. It had been a
man's voice that jarred upon his ears