you have a monopoly of some things, but of
others you have not. I am just as determined to have my own way in this
matter as you are. I shall NOT accept your offer of employment. That is
final."

"Final be damned! Young man--"

"Mr. Colton, if you persist I shall go away."

"Go away! Before I tell you to? Why, you--"

I rose. "The doctor told me that you must not excite yourself," I said.
"I am going. Good-by."

He was excited, there was no doubt of that. He sat up in bed.

"You come back!" he ordered. "Come back! If you don't--Well, by the
Lord, if you don't I'll get up and come after you!"

I believe he would have tried to do it. I was frightened, on his
account. I turned reluctantly. He sank back on the pillow, grinning
triumphantly.

"Sit down there," he panted. "Sit down. Now I want you to tell me the
real reason why you won't work for me. By gad! you're the first one in
many a day I have had to ask twice. Why? Tell me the truth! Why?"

I hesitated. "Well, for one reason," I said, "I don't care for your
business."

"Don't CARE for it! After what you just did!"

"I did that because I was driven to it. But I don't care for the stock
game. Once I used to think I liked that sort of thing; now I know I
don't. If I am anything I am a bank man, a poor sort of one, perhaps,
but--"

"Bank man! Why, you idiot! I don't care what you are. I can use you in
a dozen places. You don't have to buck the market. I'll do that myself.
But there are plenty of places where your brains and that common-sense
you talk about will be invaluable to me. I do a banking business, on the
side, myself. I own a mining property, a good one, out West. It needs a
financial manager, and needs one badly. You come with me, do you hear!
I'll place you where you fit, before I get through with you, and I'll
make you a rich man in ten years. There! now will you say yes?"

I shook my head. "No," I said.

"NO! You are enough to drive a well man crazy, to say nothing of a
half-sick relic like me. _I_ say yes--yes--YES! Sooner or later I'll
MAKE you. You've lost your place here. You told me yourself that that
old crank Dean is going to make this town too hot to hold you. You'll
HAVE to go away. Now won't you?"

I nodded. "I shall go away," I answered. "I have made up my mind to go,
now that Mother seems well enough for me to leave her."

"Where will you go?"

"I don't know."

He stared at me in silence for what seemed a long time. I though