“MarcusISgoingaway，afterall，Mac，“saidTrinatoherhusbandthatdayashecameoutofhis“Parlors“andsatdowntothelunchofsausages，mashedpotatoes，andchocolateinthesitting-room。
“Huh？“saidthedentist，alittleconfused。“Who’sgoingaway？Schoulergoingaway？Why’sSchoulergoingaway？“
Trinaexplained。“Oh！“growledMcTeague，behindhisthickmustache，“hecangofarbeforeI’LLstophim。“
“And，say，Mac，“continuedTrina，pouringthechocolate，“whatdoyouthink？Mammawantsme——wantsustosendherfiftydollars。Shesaysthey’rehardup。“
“Well，“saidthedentist，afteramoment，“well，Iguesswecansendit，can’twe？“
“Oh，that’seasytosay，“complainedTrina，herlittlechinintheair，hersmallpalelipspursed。“Iwonderifmammathinkswe’remillionaires？“
“Trina，you’regettingtoberegularstingy，“mutteredMcTeague。“You’regettingworseandworseeveryday。“
“Butfiftydollarsisfiftydollars，Mac。Justthinkhowlongittakesyoutoearnfiftydollars。Fiftydollars！
That’stwomonthsofourinterest。“
“Well，“saidMcTeague，easily，hismouthfullofmashedpotato，“yougotalotsavedup。“
Uponeveryreferencetothatlittlehoardinthebrassmatch-safeandchamois-skinbagatthebottomofhertrunk，Trinabridledontheinstant。
“Don’tTALKthatway，Mac。’Alotofmoney。’Whatdoyoucallalotofmoney？Idon’tbelieveI’vegotfiftydollarssaved。“
“Hoh！“exclaimedMcTeague。“Hoh！IguessyougotnearerahundredAN’fifty。That’swhatIguessYOUgot。“
“I’veNOT，I’veNOT，“declaredTrina，“andyouknowI’venot。Iwishmammahadn’taskedmeforanymoney。Whycan’tshebealittlemoreeconomical？Imanageallright。No，no，Ican’tpossiblyaffordtosendherfifty。“
“Oh，pshaw！WhatWILLyoudo，then？“grumbledherhusband。
“I’llsendhertwenty-fivethismonth，andtellherI’llsendtherestassoonasIcanaffordit。“
“Trina，you’rearegularlittlemiser，“saidMcTeague。
“Idon’tcare，“answeredTrina，beginningtolaugh。“I
guessIam，butIcan’thelpit，andit’sagoodfault。“
Trinaputoffsendingthismoneyforacoupleofweeks，andhermothermadenomentionofitinhernextletter。“Oh，I
guessifshewantsitsobad，“saidTrina，“she’llspeakaboutitagain。“Sosheagainpostponedthesendingofit。
Daybydaysheputitoff。Whenhermotheraskedherforitasecondtime，itseemedharderthaneverforTrinatopartwithevenhalfthesumrequested。Sheansweredhermother，tellingherthattheywereveryhardupthemselvesforthatmonth，butthatshewouldsenddowntheamountinafewweeks。
“I’lltellyouwhatwe’lldo，Mac，“shesaidtoherhusband，“yousendhalfandI’llsendhalf；we’llsendtwenty-fivedollarsaltogether。Twelveandahalfapiece。That’sanidea。Howwillthatdo？“
“Sure，sure，“McTeaguehadanswered，givingherthemoney。
TrinasentMcTeague’stwelvedollars，butneversentthetwelvethatwastobehershare。Onedaythedentisthappenedtoaskheraboutit。
“Yousentthattwenty-fivetoyourmother，didn’tyou？“saidhe。
“Oh，longago，“answeredTrina，withoutthinking。
Infact，Trinaneverallowedherselftothinkverymuchofthisaffair。And，infact，anothermattersooncametoengrossherattention。
OneSundayeveningTrinaandherhusbandwereintheirsitting-roomtogether。Itwasdark，butthelamphadnotbeenlit。McTeaguehadbroughtupsomebottlesofbeerfromthe“WeinStube“onthegroundfloor，wherethebranchpost-
officeusedtobe。Buttheyhadnotopenedthebeer。Itwasawarmeveninginsummer。TrinawassittingonMcTeague’slapinthebaywindow，andhadloopedbacktheNottinghamcurtainssothetwocouldlookoutintothedarkenedstreetandwatchthemooncomingupovertheglassroofofthehugepublicbaths。Onoccasionstheysatlikethisforanhourorso，“philandering，“TrinacuddlingherselfdownuponMcTeague’senormousbody，rubbinghercheekagainstthegrainofhisunshavenchin，kissingthebaldspotonthetopofhishead，orputtingherfingersintohisearsandeyes。Attimes，abrusqueaccessofpassionwouldseizeuponher，and，withanervouslittlesigh，shewouldclasphisthickredneckinbothhersmallarmsandwhisperinhisear：
“Doyouloveme，Mac，dear？LovemeBIG，BIG？
Sure，doyoulovemeasmuchasyoudidwhenweweremarried？“
Puzzled，McTeaguewouldanswer：“Well，youknowit，don’tyou，Trina？“
“ButIwantyoutoSAYso；saysoalwaysandalways。“
“Well，Ido，ofcourseIdo。“
“Sayit，then。“
“Well，then，Iloveyou。“
“Butyoudon’tsayitofyourownaccord。“
“Well，what——what——what——Idon’tunderstand，“stammeredthedentist，bewildered。
Therewasaknockonthedoor。Confusedandembarrassed，asiftheywerenotmarried，TrinascrambledoffMcTeague’slap，hasteningtolightthelamp，whispering，“Putonyourcoat，Mac，andsmoothyourhair，“andmakinggesturesforhimtoputthebeerbottlesoutofsight。Sheopenedthedoorandutteredanexclamation。
“Why，CousinMark！“shesaid。McTeagueglaredathim，struckspeechless，confusedbeyondexpression。MarcusSchouler，perfectlyathisease，stoodinthedoorway，smilingwithgreataffability。
“Say，“heremarked，“canIcomein？“
Takenallaback，Trinacouldonlyanswer：
“Why——Isupposeso。Yes，ofcourse——comein。“
“Yes，yes，comein，“exclaimedthedentist，suddenly，speakingwithoutthought。“Havesomebeer？“headded，struckwithanidea。
“No，thanks，Doctor，“saidMarcus，pleasantly。
McTeagueandTrinawerepuzzled。Whatcoulditallmean？
DidMarcuswanttobecomereconciledtohisenemy？“I
know。“Trinasaidtoherself。“He’sgoingaway，andhewantstoborrowsomemoney。Hewon’tgetapenny，notapenny。“Shesetherteethtogetherhard。
“Well，“saidMarcus，“how’sbusiness，Doctor？“
“Oh，“saidMcTeague，uneasily，“oh，Idon’know。Iguess——I
guess，“hebrokeoffinhelplessembarrassment。Theyhadallsatdownbynow。Marcuscontinued，holdinghishatandhiscane——theblackwandofebonywiththegoldtoppresentedtohimbythe“ImprovementClub。“
“Ah！“saidhe，wagginghisheadandlookingaboutthesitting-room，“youpeoplehavegotthebestfixedroomsinthewholeflat。Yes，sir；youhave，forafact。“Heglancedfromthelithographframedingiltandredplush——
thetwolittlegirlsattheirprayers——tothe“I’mGrandpa“
and“I’mGrandma“pictures，notedthecleanwhitemattingandthegayworstedtidiesoverthechairbacks，andappearedtocontemplateinecstasytheframedphotographofMcTeagueandTrinaintheirweddingfinery。
“Well，youtwoareprettyhappytogether，ain’tyou？“saidhe，smilinggood-humoredly。
“Oh，wedon’tcomplain，“answeredTrina。
“Plentyofmoney，lotstodo，everythingfine，hey？“
“We’vegotlotstodo，“returnedTrina，thinkingtoheadhimoff，“butwe’venotgotlotsofmoney。“
ButevidentlyMarcuswantednomoney。
“Well，CousinTrina，“hesaid，rubbinghisknee，“I’mgoingaway。“
“Yes，mammawroteme；you’regoingonaranch。“
“I’mgoinginranchingwithanEnglishduck，“correctedMarcus。“Mr。Sieppehasfixedthings。We’llseeifwecan’traisesomecattle。Iknowalotabouthorses，andhe’sranchedsomebefore——thisEnglishduck。AndthenI’mgoingtokeepmyeyeopenforapoliticalchancedownthere。I
gotsomeintroductionsfromthePresidentoftheImprovementClub。I’llworkthingssomehow，oh，sure。“
“Howlongyougoingtobegone？“askedTrina。
Marcusstared。
“Why，Iain’tEVERcomingback，“hevociferated。“I’mgoingto-morrow，andI’mgoingforgood。Icometosaygood-by。“
Marcusstayedforupwardsofanhourthatevening。Hetalkedoneasilyandagreeably，addressinghimselfasmuchtoMcTeagueastoTrina。Atlastherose。
“Well，good-by，Doc。“
“Good-by，Marcus，“returnedMcTeague。Thetwoshookhands。
“Guesswewon’teverseeeachotheragain，“continuedMarcus。“Butgoodlucktoyou，Doc。Hopesomedayyou’llhavethepatientsstandinginlineonthestairs。“
“Huh！Iguessso，Iguessso，“saidthedentist。
“Good-by，CousinTrina。“
“Good-by，Marcus，“answeredTrina。“Youbesuretoremembermetomamma，andpapa，andeverybody。I’mgoingtomaketwogreatbigsetsofNoah’sarkanimalsforthetwinsontheirnextbirthday；Augustistoooldfortoys。ButyoucantellthetwinsthatI’llmakethemsomegreatbiganimals。Good-by，successtoyou，Marcus。“
“Good-by，good-by。Goodlucktoyouboth。“
“Good-by，CousinMark。“
“Good-by，Marcus。“
Hewasgone。
CHAPTER13