expected you would never speak to me again when I'd told you. Telling
you--next to telling Nellie--was the toughest job I ever tackled. But
I'll make it up to you both, and to Ros. Thank the Lord, it ain't too
late to make it up to him!"

"We'll both make it up to him, George," replied Captain Jed. "As far
as we can, we will. If he wants to come back to the bank this minute he
can. We'll be proud to have him. But I cal'late," with a smile, "he'll
have bigger fish to fry than we can give him. If what we've just heard
is true, he will."

"I don't know what you mean," I answered. "And as for the bank--well,
you forget one thing: I sold the Shore Lane and the town knows it. How
long would the other directors tolerate me in that bank, after that, do
you think?"

To my surprise they looked at each other and laughed. Captain Dean shook
his head.

"No," he said, "you're mistook, Ros. The town don't know you sold it.
I didn't tell 'em because I wanted George in command of that bank afore
the row broke loose. I larned of the sale myself, by chance, over to
Ostable and I never told anybody except Dorindy Rogers and her fool of
a husband. I'll see that they keep still tongues in their heads. And as
for the Lane--well, that won't be closed. Colton don't own it no more."

"Don't OWN it," I repeated. "Don't own it! He does. I sold it to him
myself."

"Yes. And George, here, bought it back not an hour ago. We saw His
Majesty--sick in bed he was, but just as high and mighty and independent
as ever--and George bought back the land and the Lane for thirty-five
hundred dollars. The old man didn't seem to give a durn about it any
more. He'd had his own way, he said, and that was all he cared about.
Besides, he ain't goin' to stay in Denboro much longer. The old
lady--his wife--is sick of the place and he only come here on her
account. He cal'lates that New York is good enough for him. I cal'late
'tis. Anyhow, Denboro won't hang onto his coattails to hold him back.
Tell Ros the whole story, George."

George told it, beginning with his receipt of his father-in-law's
telegram and his hurried return to the Cape. He had gone directly to
Captain Dean and confessed the whole thing. The captain had behaved like
a trump, I learned. Instead of denouncing his daughter's husband he had
forgiven him freely. Then they had gone to see Colton and George had
bought the land.

"And I shall give it to the town," he said. "It's the least I can do.
Y