to dress as I may need to."

Lindsay cleared his throat.

"Do you mean to say that Jim never asked you what your business
was?"

"He didn't know I ever changed till last month. He thought I
traveled for the Comp'ny. Of course he didn't like that any too
well--you know, you wouldn't expect him to, brought up as he's
been--and I guess he thought 'twould be kinder to me not to
mention it much. He thought I didn't know, but I did. Last
month--last month--" the man paused and his mouth worked,
though he bit his lips.

"Well, last month?" Lindsay repeated pitilessly.

"I got my hunch to quit. That fortune woman and--and other things.
The doctor told me to keep quiet and not get on my nerve. And I sort
of fixed it up with Jim in a letter. I told him I'd sold out my
interest in the firm and I was going to send him one more thousand
for graduatin' with and I was going to let him try for himself after
that. I knew that was all right, because he's told me of plenty of
rich young swells who had to. Fathers believed in it."

"He was going with Buck Williamson on the ranch," said Lindsay
slowly.

"That's it! Buck Williamson. He asked me wouldn't I look 'em up
after they got settled and try it out there. It was an awful nice
letter," said the man softly, "he's a real gentleman."

Lindsay jerked his head toward the dining-room.

"Was this the 'thousand'?" he asked coldly.

The man nodded.

"I've never been with him more than a day or two, you see, and I
thought I'd go up to New Haven this spring--when he graduated, and
see him. Just a day or two. And then I was planning to drop out. Of
course I never meant to see him much. I was always deadly afraid
something'd happen, and I didn't want to get connected up with Jim.
But I've been careful. There's not a line o' writing anywhere, and
the man that sold the stuff for me in Jersey City is close as wax."

"But your friends--" Lindsay was wrung with an angry pity.

"I don't care for much of anybody but Jim," said the man.

Caroline was moving restlessly about in the dining-room again.
Lindsay shook himself nervously.

"Of course, this is very awkward for me," he began, "I mean--I--oh,
the devil! You know what I've got to do, of course?"

The man looked appealingly at him. "You've got it all back," he said
quickly, "and you know Jim--"

"Yes, plague take it--I know Jim," the boy muttered, "we all know
Jim."

"Known well, isn't he?" the man inquired eagerly, "there's