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However, I nodded and admitted that he was right. "Yes," he said. "A blind horse could see there was no sensible, open and above-board reason for HER bein' interested in YOU. So there's another reason, the way I look at it, and that's why I'd be mighty careful, mighty careful, Ros. Her pa's got a new trick up his sleeve and she's helpin' him play it, that's my notion. So be careful, won't you."
Doctor Quimby and Nellie Dean were there. Nellie rushed over to her lover's side. "You bad boy," she cried. "You're wet through." Doctor Quimby turned to me. "Your ma's getting on all right," he declared. "About all that ails her now is that she wants to see you." George was assisting Nellie to put on her wraps. "Got to leave you now, Ros," he said.
We sat down together on the settee by the wall. "Ros," he said, in a low tone, "have you had any new offer for your property? Not from Colton or the town, but from anybody else?" "No," I answered. "What do you mean?" "You ain't heard anything from a Boston firm claimin' to represent the Bay Shore Development Company, or some such?" "No. What sort of a company is that?"
He was red-faced and panting, but there was a curious air of dignified importance in his bearing. Dorinda's lips shut tightly. "Well, Lute," said I, "where have you been?" Lute struggled for breath. "Don't ask me where I've been!" he gasped. "Don't waste no time askin' ME questions. Get your hat on, Ros! Get your hat on this minute! Where did I put that? Where in time did I put it?"
"You ask Ros," shouted Alvin, pounding the counter beside him. "Say, Ros, Newcomb here seems to think that because a feller comes from the city and is rich that that gives him the right to order the rest of us around as if we was fo'mast hands. He says " "I don't neither!" yelled Thoph. "What I say is that money counts, and " "You do, too!
"What did he say about the letter?" "Said 'twas for you. And the chauffeur said Mr. Colton told him to mail it right off. 'Twan't for you, was it, Ros?" "Yes." "It WAS! Well, by time! What did a man like Mr. Colton write to you about?" Among his other lackings Lute was conspicuously short of tact. This was no time for him to ask me such a question, especially to emphasize the "you."
I heard the next day that Sim went back to the post-office and informed the gathering there that Ros Paine had taken to drinking. "He was tight as a biled owl," declared Sim; "and ugly don't talk! Wanted to fight me because I wouldn't believe he was goin' to work. Him! What in the everlastin' would HE want to work for? My heavens to Betsy!"
"And, Ros," he leaned forward, his haggard face working with emotion, "those bonds ain't in our safe here, where they should be, and the bank examiner is due here within the next four days. He's at Middleboro now. I 'phoned Bearse, the cashier there, this very forenoon on a matter of business, and he happened to mention that the examiner was in his bank and working his way down the Cape.
George Taylor was no coward in the ordinary sense of the word, nor was he a crook. I rose and paced up and down the room. He watched me listlessly; it was plain that he felt no confidence whatever in my being able to help him. After a time he spoke. "It's no use, Ros," he said. "Don't worry your head about me; I ain't worth it.
"Massa," inquired Quashy, as they sat in the canoe enjoying the cold meal and floating slowly with the stream, "which you likes best, ros' purrit or ros' monkey?" "Really, I'm not quite sure," replied Lawrence; "it depends very much on appetite. If I'm very hungry, I prefer the one that comes first to hand. Which do you like best?" "Well, I's not kite sure needer.
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