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"Nothing," he said briefly, "except that I'm coming, as I said before, to dine with you to-night; but no more BUSINESS. I've enough of that with others, and there are some waiting for me in the outer office now." Barker rose at once, but with the same affectionate smile and tender gravity of countenance, and laid his hand caressingly on Stacy's shoulder.
"Father's so very much harried now, George. Why don't you simply throw the whole thing up?" "But I've given my word to your cousin Henry." "Yes, but only your WORD. There was no written agreement. And you couldn't even hold him to it." Barker opened his frank eyes in astonishment. Her own cousin, too! And they were Stacy's very words! "Besides," added Mrs.
"You and I, well known as old friends and former partners, for no apparent reason for we cannot prove the forgery now have thrown upon the market all our stock, with the usual effect of depreciating it. Another old friend and former partner has bought it in and sent up the price. A common trick, a vulgar trick, but not a trick worthy of James Stacy or Stacy's Bank!"
Barker, who knew that the bulk of Demorest's fortune was in Stacy's hands, was touched at this proof of his unselfish thought, and answered with equal unselfishness that he was concerned only by the fear of Mrs. Barker's disappointment. "Why, Lord! Phil, whether she's lost or saved her money it's nothing to me.
Presently Stacy's voice came from under the blankets: "Hallo! aren't you going to turn in too?" "Not yet," said Demorest from his chair before the fire. "You see it's the last night in the old shanty, and I reckon I'll see the rest of it out." "That's so," said the impulsive Barker, struggling violently with his blankets.
Besides, they made a gathering among themselves, and made a present to Stacy's mate, and other of his inferior officers, and about 120 dollars to the children. They then discharged Stacy and his crew, and made the best of their way out of the Red Sea.
Tad was informed of Stacy's skill with chopsticks, and they could hear him laughing over it, even though they were no longer able to see him. "Are you warm enough down there?" called Ned. "Sure thing. I have most of the blankets." "That means we freeze, I guess," interjected Stacy. "You can go cut yourself a few chopsticks and sleep under them," retorted Ned Rector.
Ere Ned could recover from his surprise, Stacy Brown had launched himself upon his companion. One of Stacy's arms went about Ned's neck, one foot kicked a leg from under Ned, and the two lads went down in the dust together. It had happened in a twinkling. "Here, here! What's going on over there?" shouted the Professor, starting on a run, while the other lads were laughing.
"Well, if they don't SAY it they look it," said Mrs. Barker, with a toss of her pretty head, "and I believe that's at the bottom of Stacy's refusal." "But he never said a word, Kitty," said Barker, flushing. "There, don't excite yourself, George," said Mrs. Barker resignedly, "but go for the baby. I know you're dying to go, and I suppose it's time Norah brought it upstairs."
Facing the wind and rain, he recalled how Stacy, though never so enthusiastic about his marriage as Demorest, had taken up Van Loo sharply for some foolish sneer about his own youthfulness. He was affectionately tolerant of even Stacy's dislike to his wife's relations, for Stacy did not know them as he did.
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