shower fluttered
from his hands.

"No."

"Well, it did me; for you know as soon as we came to grief I offered to
release Trix from the engagement, and she would n't let me," continued
Tom, as if, having begun the subject, he wished to explain it
thoroughly.

"That surprised me," said Polly.

"So it did me, for Fan always insisted it was the money and not the
man she cared for. Her first answer pleased me very much, for I did not
expect it, and nothing touches a fellow more than to have a woman stand
by him through thick and thin."

"She don't seem to have done it."

"Fan was right. Trix only waited to see how bad things really were, or
rather her mother did. She 's as cool, hard, and worldly minded an old
soul as I ever saw, and Trix is bound to obey. She gets round it very
neatly in her note, 'I won't be a burden,' 'will sacrifice her hopes,'
'and always remain my warm friend,' but the truth is, Tom Shaw rich was
worth making much of, but Tom Shaw poor is in the way, and may go to the
devil as fast as he likes."

"Well, he is n't going!" cried Polly, defiantly, for her wrath burned
hotly against Trix, though she blessed her for setting the bondman free.

"Came within an ace of it," muttered Tom to himself; adding aloud, in
a tone of calm resignation that assured Polly his heart would not
be broken though his engagement was, "It never rains but it pours,
'specially in hard times, but when a man is down, a rap or two more
don't matter much, I suppose. It 's the first blow that hurts most."

"Glad to see you take the last blow so well." There was an ironical
little twang to that speech, and Polly could n't help it. Tom colored up
and looked hurt for a minute, then seemed to right himself with a shrug,
and said, in his outspoken way, "To tell the honest truth, Polly, it was
not a very hard one. I 've had a feeling for some time that Trix and I
were not suited to one another, and it might be wiser to stop short. But
she did not or would not see it; and I was not going to back out, and
leave her to wear any more willows, so here we are. I don't bear malice,
but hope she 'll do better, and not be disappointed again, upon my word
I do."

"That 's very good of you, quite Sydneyesque, and noble," said Polly,
feeling rather ill at ease, and wishing she could hide herself behind a
cap and spectacles, if she was to play Grandma to this confiding youth.

"It will be all plain sailing for Syd, I fancy," observed Tom, ge