s possessed of the knowledge. But he merely bent forward
with a deferential, "Yes, sir. What is it?" and I meekly requested
another roll. Then I began, desperately, to talk.

I inquired about Mr. Colton's condition and was told that he was, or
appeared to be, a trifle better. Mrs. Colton was, at last, thanks to
the doctor's powders, asleep. Johnson left the room for the moment and
I switched to the subject which neither of us had mentioned since the
night before, the Louisville and Transcontinental muddle. I explained
what had been done and pretended a confidence which I did not feel that
everything would end well. She listened, but, it seemed to me, she was
not as interested as I expected. At length she interrupted me.

"Suppose we do not talk about it now," she said. "As I understand it,
you--we, that is--have made up our minds. We have decided to do certain
things which seem to us right. Right or wrong, they must be done now.
I am trying very hard to believe them right and not to worry any more
about them. Oh, I CAN'T worry! I can't! With all the rest, I--I--Please
let us change the subject. Mr. Paine, I am afraid you must think me
selfish. I have said nothing about your own trouble. Father--"
she choked on the name, but recovered her composure almost
immediately--"Father told me, after his return from your house this
morning, that his purchase of the land had become public and that you
were in danger of losing your position at the bank."

I smiled. "That danger is past," I answered. "I have lost it. Captain
Dean gave me my walking papers this morning."

"Oh, I am so sorry!"

"I am not. I expected it. The wonder is only that it has not happened
before. I realized that it was inevitable when I made up my mind to
sell. It is of no consequence, Miss Colton."

"Yes, it is. But Father offered you the position in his employ. He said
you refused, but he believed your refusal was not final."

"He was wrong. It is final."

"But--"

"I had rather not discuss that, Miss Colton."

She looked at me oddly, and with a faint smile. "Very well," she said,
after a moment, "we will not discuss it now. But you cannot suppose that
either Father or I will permit you to suffer on our account."

"There is no suffering. I sold the land to your father deliberately and
with complete knowledge of the consequences. As to the bank--well, I am
no worse off than I was before I entered its employ. I am satisfied."

She toyed with her c