ean, 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
i