er, too. But we are--er--
neighbors of yours and--and tenants, you know. We've known you
ever since we came to Orham."

"Ye-es. And Sam's known me ever since I came. Anyhow he talked
with me about you and Maud. I don't think I shall be sayin' more'n
I ought to if I tell you that he likes you, Charlie."

"Does he?" eagerly. "By George, I'm glad of that! But, oh, well,"
with a sigh, "he doesn't know. If he did know my record he might
not like me so well. And as for my marrying his daughter--good
NIGHT!" with hopeless emphasis.

"No, not good night by any means. Maybe it's only good mornin'.
Go on and tell me what you mean by bein' at a crisis, as you said a
minute ago."

"I mean just that. The time has come when I must speak to Maud. I
must find out if--find out how she feels about me. And I can't
speak to her, honorably, without telling her everything. And
suppose she should care enough for me to--to--suppose she should
care in spite of everything, there's her father. She is his only
daughter; he worships the ground she steps on. Suppose I tell him
I've been," bitterly, "a crook and a jailbird; what will HE think
of me--as a son-in-law? And now suppose he was fool enough to
consent--which isn't supposable--how could I stay here, working for
him, sponging a living from him, with this thing hanging over us
all? No, I can't--I can't. Whatever else happens I can't do that.
And I can't go on as I am--or I won't. Now what am I going to do?"

He had risen and was pacing the floor. Jed asked a question.

"What does your sister want you to do?" he asked.

"Ruth? Oh, as I told you, she thinks of no one but me. How
dreadful it would be for me to tell of my Middleford record! How
awful if I lost my position in the bank! Suppose they discharged
me and the town learned why! I've tried to make her see that,
compared to the question of Maud, nothing else matters at all, but
I'm afraid she doesn't see it as I do. She only sees--me."

"Her brother. Um . . . yes, I know."

"Yes. Well, we talked and talked, but we got nowhere. So at last
I said I was coming out to thank you for what you did to save me,
Jed. I could hardly believe it then; I can scarcely believe it
now. It was too much for any man to do for another. And she said
to talk the whole puzzle out with you. She seems to have all the
confidence on earth in your judgment, Jed. She is as willing to
leave a decision to you, apparently, as