ButIcouldonlystareathim。WhyhadhecometoDenboro？Whatdidhiscomingtomemean？WhyhadhecomewithCaptainJed，themanwhohadvowedthathewasdonewithmeforever？Andwhywasthecaptainlookingatmesooddly？
\"George！\"Icriedinalarm，\"George，youhaven’t——youhaven’tmadeafoolofyourself？Youhaven’t——\"
CaptainJedinterruptedme。\"Heain’tthefool，Ros，\"hesaid。
\"Thatis，heain’tnow。I’mthefool。Ioughttohaveknownbetter。Ros，I——Idon’tknow’syou’llgiveittome，butanyhowI’mgoin’toaskit；Ibegyourpardon。\"
\"Ros，\"saidTaylor，beforeIcouldreply，\"don’tstandstaringasifyouwerepetrified。Sitdownandletmelookatyou。Youpig—
headedoldidiot，you！Whatdoyoumeanbyit？Whatdidyoudoitfor？\"
HepushedmeintothechairIhadjustvacated。CaptainDeantookanother。Georgeremainedstanding。
\"HeISpetrified，Idobelieve！\"heexclaimed。
Butmypetrificationwasonlytemporary。Iwasbeginningtounderstand，andtobemorealarmedthanever。
\"WhatareyoudoinghereinDenboro？\"Idemanded。
CaptainJedansweredforhim。\"He’sherebecauseItelegraphedforhimyesterday，\"hesaid。\"Iwiredhimtocomestraighthomeandtakechargeofthebank。Ihadfiredyou，likethedumbfoolIwas，andIwantedhimtotakecommand。Hegothereonthemornin’
train。\"
IrememberedwhatPhinCahoonhadsaidaboutthetelegramandthecaptain’smakinghimpromisenottomentionthenameofthepersontowhomitwassent。ItwasGeorge，ofcourse。IfIhadbeeninanormalstateofmindwhenPhintoldmeIshouldhaveguessedasmuch。
Taylortookuptheconversation。\"Yes，Igothere，\"hesaid。\"AndwhenIgothere——oralittlebefore——\"withaglanceatthecaptain——\"IfoundoutwhathadbeengoingonsinceIleft。Youoldchump，RosPaine！Whatdidyoudoitfor？\"
Ilookedathimandthenathiscompanion。WhatIsawthereconfirmedmyworstsuspicions。
\"George，\"Isaid，\"ifyouhavetoldhimyoumustbecrazy。\"
\"Iwascrazynottotellhimbefore。Iwascrazynottoguesswhatyouhadbeenupto。ButIdidn’tsupposeanybodywouldbecrazyenoughtodowhatyoudid，Ros。Ididn’timagineforaminutethatyouwouldbecrazyenoughtothrowawayyourjobandgetyourselfintothetroubleyouknewwassuretocome，justtohelpme。TohelpME，bytheLord！Ros！Ros！whatcanIsaytoyou！\"
\"You’vesaidenough，andmorethanenough，\"Ianswered，bitterly。
\"IdidwhatIdidsothatyoumightkeepyoursecret。IdidittohelpyouandNellie。Andifyouhadkeptstillnooneneedeverhaveknown，noonebutyouandI，George。Andnowyou——\"
\"Shutup，Ros！\"heinterrupted。\"Shutup，Itellyou！Why，confoundyou，whatdoyouthinkIam？DoyousupposeIwouldletyousacrificeyourselflikethat，whileIsetstillandsawyoukickedoutoftown？WhatdoyouthinkIam？\"
\"Butwhatwastheuseofit？\"Idemanded。\"Itwasdone。Nothingyoucouldsaywouldchangeit。ForNellie’ssake——\"
\"There！there！\"brokeinCaptainJed，\"Nellieknows。Georgetoldherthedaytheywasmarried。Hetoldherbeforetheywasmarried。
HewasmanenoughtodothatandIhonorhimforit。Ifhe’donlycometomethenitwouldhavebeenamightysightbetter。I’dhaveunderstoodwhenIheardaboutyoursellin’Coltontheland，andI
wouldn’thavemadeajackassofmyselfbytreatin’youasIdone。
You！themanthatsacrificedyourselftokeepmygirlfrombreakin’
herheart！WhenIthinkwhatyousavedusallfromI——I——BytheAlmighty，RosPaine！I’llmakeituptoyousomehow。Iwill！I
swearIwill！\"
Heturnedawayandlookedoutofthewindow。Georgelaidahandonhisshoulder。
\"Iamtheonetomakeitup，Cap’n，\"hesaid，solemnly。\"IfIliveI’llmakeituptoRoshere，andtoyou，andtoNellie，Godblessher！IexpectedyouwouldneverspeaktomeagainwhenI’dtoldyou。Tellingyou——nexttotellingNellie——wasthetoughestjobI
evertackled。ButI’llmakeituptoyouboth，andtoRos。ThanktheLord，itain’ttoolatetomakeituptohim！\"
\"We’llbothmakeituptohim，George，\"repliedCaptainJed。\"Asfaraswecan，wewill。Ifhewantstocomebacktothebankthisminutehecan。We’llbeproudtohavehim。ButIcal’late，\"withasmile，\"he’llhavebiggerfishtofrythanwecangivehim。Ifwhatwe’vejustheardistrue，hewill。\"
\"Idon’tknowwhatyoumean，\"Ianswered。\"Andasforthebank——
well，youforgetonething：IsoldtheShoreLaneandthetownknowsit。Howlongwouldtheotherdirectorstoleratemeinthatbank，afterthat，doyouthink？\"
Tomysurprisetheylookedateachotherandlaughed。CaptainDeanshookhishead。
\"No，\"hesaid，\"you’remistook，Ros。Thetowndon’tknowyousoldit。Ididn’ttell’embecauseIwantedGeorgeincommandofthatbankaforetherowbrokeloose。Ilarnedofthesalemyself，bychance，overtoOstableandInevertoldanybodyexceptDorindyRogersandherfoolofahusband。I’llseethattheykeepstilltonguesintheirheads。AndasfortheLane——well，thatwon’tbeclosed。Coltondon’townitnomore。\"
\"Don’tOWNit，\"Irepeated。\"Don’townit！Hedoes。Isoldittohimmyself。\"
\"Yes。AndGeorge，here，boughtitbacknotanhourago。WesawHisMajesty——sickinbedhewas，butjustashighandmightyandindependentasever——andGeorgeboughtbackthelandandtheLaneforthirty—fivehundreddollars。Theoldmandidn’tseemtogiveadurnaboutitanymore。He’dhadhisownway，hesaid，andthatwasallhecaredabout。Besides，heain’tgoin’tostayinDenboromuchlonger。Theoldlady——hiswife——issickoftheplaceandheonlycomehereonheraccount。Hecal’latesthatNewYorkisgoodenoughforhim。Ical’late’tis。Anyhow，Denborowon’thangontohiscoattailstoholdhimback。TellRosthewholestory，George。\"
Georgetoldit，beginningwithhisreceiptofhisfather—in—law’stelegramandhishurriedreturntotheCape。HehadgonedirectlytoCaptainDeanandconfessedthewholething。Thecaptainhadbehavedlikeatrump，Ilearned。Insteadofdenouncinghisdaughter’shusbandhehadforgivenhimfreely。ThentheyhadgonetoseeColtonandGeorgehadboughttheland。
\"AndIshallgiveittothetown，\"hesaid。\"It’stheleastIcando。Youwonderwherethemoneycamefrom，Ros？Iguessyouain’tseenthenewspapers。TherewasahigholdtimeinthestockmarketyesterdayandLouisvilleandTranscontinentalclimbedhalf—waytothemoon。FrombeingapauperI’mprettywellfixed。\"
\"I’mheartilygladofit，George，\"Isaid。\"ButthereisonethingIdon’tunderstand。YousayyoulearnedofmysellingthelandbeforeyoureachedDenboro。CaptainJedsaysnoonebutheandmypeopleknewit。Howdidyoufinditout？\"
Againmytwocallerslookedateachother。
\"Why，somebody——afriendofyours——cometomeattheOstablestationanddraggedNellieandmeoffthetrain。Werodewiththatpersontherestofthewayand——thesaidpersontolduswhathadhappenedandbeggedustohelpyou。SeemedtohavemadeamiddlinggoodguessthatICOULDhelp，ifIwould。\"
\"Aperson——afriendofmine！Why，Ihaven’tanyfriend，anyfriendwhoknewthetruth，orcouldguess。\"
\"Yes，youhave。\"
\"Whowasit？\"
GeorgelaughedaloudandCaptainJedlaughedwithhim。
\"IguessIshan’ttellyou，\"saidtheformer。\"IpromisedI
wouldn’t。\"
CHAPTERXXIV
Theyleftmesoonafterthis。Itriedtomakethemtellwhothemysteriousfriendmightbe，buttheyrefused。ThekindthingstheysaidandthegratitudetheybothexpressedIshallneverforget。
Theydidnotstrenuouslyurgemetoreturntothebank，andthatseemedstrangetome。
\"Thejob’syoursifyouwantit，Ros，\"saidCaptainJed。\"We’dbeonlytoohappytohaveyouifyou’dcome——anytime，soonerorlater。ButIdon’tthinkyouwill。\"
\"No，\"Ianswered，\"Ishallnot。Ihavemadeotherplans。IamgoingtoleaveDenboro。\"
ThatdidnotseemtosurprisethemandIwasstillmorepuzzled。
Theyshookhandsandwentaway，promisingtocallatthehousethateveningandbringNellie。
\"Shewantstothankyou，too，Ros，\"saidGeorge。
AftertheyhadgoneIsatbythebigdoor，lookingoutatthebay，smoothandbeautifulintheafternoonsunlight，andthinkingofwhattheyhadtoldme。ForMother’ssakeIwasveryglad。Itwouldbeeasierforher，afterIhadgone；thetownspeoplewouldbefriendly，insteadofdisagreeable。Forhersake，Iwasglad。Formyselfnothingseemedtomakeanydifference。GeorgeTaylor’swords——thosehehadspokentomethatfatefuleveningwhenIfoundhimwiththerevolverbesidehim——camebacktomeoverandover。
\"Waituntilyourtimecomes。Waituntilthegirlcomesalongthatyoucareformorethanthewholeworld。Andthenseewhatyou’ddo。Seewhatitwouldmeantogiveherup！\"
Iwasseeing。Iknewnowwhatitmeant。
Iroseandwentoutoftheboathouse。Ididnotcaretomeetanyoneorspeakwithanyone。Istrolledalongthepathbythebluff，myoldwalk，thatwhichIhadtakensomanytimesandwithsuchvariedfeelings，neverwithsuchmiserableonesasnow。
Thegolden—rod，alwayslatebloomingontheCape，borderedthepathwithgorgeousyellow。Theleavesofthescruboakswerebeginningtoturn，thoughnottofall。IwalkedonandenteredthegrovewheresheandIhadmetafterouradventurewithCarverandthestrandedskiff。Iturnedthebendandsawhercomingtowardme。
Istoodstillandshecameon，camestraighttomeandheldoutherhand。
\"Iwaswaitingforyou，\"shesaid。\"IwasonmywaytoyourhouseandIsawyoucoming——soIwaited。\"
\"Youwaited，\"Istammered。\"Why？\"
\"BecauseIwishedtospeaktoyouandIdidnotwantthat——thatMr。
Rogersofyourstointerruptme。Whydidyougoawayyesterdaywithoutevenlettingmethankyouforwhatyouhaddone？Whydidyoudoit？\"
\"Because——becauseyouwereverybusyand——andIwastired。Iwenthomeandtobed。\"
\"Youweretired。Youmusthavebeen。Butthatisnoexcuse，nogoodone。Icamedownandfoundyouweregonewithoutawordtome。Andyouhaddonesomuchforme——formyfather！\"
\"Yourfatherthankedmethismorning，MissColton。Isawhiminhisroomandhethankedme。Ididnotdeservethanks。Iwaslucky，thatwasall。\"
\"Fatherdoesnotcallitluck。Hetoldmewhatyousaidtohim。\"
\"Hetoldyou！DidhetellyouallItoldhim？\"
\"I——Ithinkso。Hetoldmewhoyouwere；whatyourrealnamewas。\"
\"Hedid！Andyouwerestillwillingtomeetme！\"
\"Yes。Whynot？DoesitmakeanydifferencethatyouareMr。
Bennett——insteadofMr。Paine？\"
\"ButmyfatherwasCarletonBennett——the——the——Youmusthaveheardofhim。\"
\"Ineverknewyourfather。Idoknowhisson。AndIamveryproudtoknowhim。\"
\"But——but，MissColton。\"
\"Tellme，\"sheinterrupted，quickly，\"haveyouseenMr。Taylor？HeishereinDenboro。\"
\"Yes。Ihaveseenhim。\"
\"AndhetoldyouabouttheLane？Thathehasboughtit？\"
\"Yes。\"
\"Andyouwillnotbe，\"withasmile，\"drivenfromDenborobythatcrossoldCaptainDean？\"
\"Ishallnotbedriven——no。\"
\"ThenMr。Taylordidhelpyou。Hepromisedmehewould。\"
\"Hepromisedyou？When？WhendidyouseeGeorgeTaylor？\"
Sheappearedconfused。\"I——I——OfcourseIsawhimatthehousethisnoon，whenhecametoseeFather。\"
\"Buthecouldnothavepromisedyouthen。Hehadhelpedmealready。Didyouseehimbeforethat？\"
\"Why，howcouldI？I——\"
\"MissColton，answerme。WasityouthatmethimattheOstablestationthismorning？Wasit？\"
Shewasasredasthereddestoftheautumnleaves。Shelaughed，confusedly。
\"Ididmeethimthere，\"sheconfessed。\"ThatqueerMr。Cahoon，thestationagent，toldmethatCaptainDeanhadtelegraphedhimtocome。Iknewhewouldprobablybeonthattrain。AndMr。Cahoontoldmeabouthisbeinginterestedinstocksandverymuchtroubled。Youhadtoldme，orasmuchastoldme，thatyousoldthelandtogetmoneytohelpsomeone。IputtwoandtwotogetherandIguessedtherest。ImethimandNellieandwerodetoDenborotogetherinourauto。Hepromisedmethathewouldmakeeverythingrightforyou。Iamsogladhedid！\"
Icaughtmybreathwithagasp。
\"Youdidthat！\"Iexclaimed。\"Youdidthat，forme！\"
\"Whynot？Surelyyouhaddoneenoughfor——us。Icouldnotletyoube’drivenfromtown’，youknow。\"
Ididnotspeak。IknewthatImustnotattemptareply。Ishouldsaytoomuch。Shelookedupatme，andthendownagainatthepine—needlesbeneathourfeet。
\"Fathersaysheintendstodogreatthingsforyou，\"shewenton。
\"Hesaysyouaretocomewithhim。Heisenthusiasticaboutit。
Hebelievesyouareagreatman。Noonebutagreatman，hesays，couldbeattheConsolidatedPacificgangsingle—handed。Hesaysyouwillbethebestinvestmentheevermade。\"
\"Iamafraidnot，\"Ianswered。\"Yourfathermademeagenerousoffer。IwishImighthavebeenabletoacceptit，butIcouldnot。\"
\"Oh，butyouaregoingtoaccept。\"
\"No，Iamnot。\"
\"Hesaysyouare。Andhealwayshashisway，youknow。\"
\"Notinthiscase，MissColton。\"
\"But_I_wantyoutoaccept。Surelyyouwilldoittoobligeme。\"
\"I——Ican’t。\"
\"Whatareyougoingtodo；gobacktothebank？\"
\"No，IamgoingtoleaveDenboro。Idon’tknowwhereIshallgo。
Thisisgood—by，MissColton。Itisnotlikelythatweshallmeetagain。\"
\"Butwhyareyougoing？\"
\"Icannottellyou。\"
Shewassilent，stilllookingdownatthepine—needles。Icouldnotseeherface。Iwassilentalso。IknewthatIoughttogo，thatIshouldnotremainthere，withher，anothermoment。YetI
remained。
\"Soyouthinkthisisourparting，\"shesaid。\"Idonot。\"
\"Don’tyou？Ifearyouarewrong。\"
\"Iamnotwrong。Youwillnotgoaway，Mr。——Bennett。Atleast，youwillnotuntilyougowheremyfathersendsyou。Youwillaccepthisoffer，Ithink。\"
\"Youaremistaken。\"
\"No。IthinkIamnotmistaken。Ithinkyouwillacceptit，because——becauseIaskyouto。\"
\"Icannot，MissColton。\"
\"Andyourreason？\"
\"ThatIcannottellanyone。\"
\"Butyoutoldmyfather。\"
Iwasstrickendumbagain。
Shewenton，speakinghurriedly，andnotraisinghereyes。
\"Youtoldmyfather，\"sherepeated，\"andhetoldme。\"
\"Hetoldyou！\"Icried。
\"Yes，hetoldme。I——Iamnotsurethathewasgreatlysurprised。
Hethoughtithonorableofyouandhewasverygladyoudidtellhim，butIthinkhewasnotsurprised。\"
Theoaksandthepinesandthehuckleberrybushesweredancinggreatgiddy—go—rounds，areflectionofthewhirlpoolinmybrain。
OutofthemaelstromImanagedtospeaksomehow。
\"Hewasnotsurprised！\"Irepeated。\"Hewasnot——not——Whatdoyoumean？\"
Shedidnotanswer。Shedrewawayfrommeastep，butIfollowedher。
\"Whywasn’thesurprised？\"Iaskedagain。
\"Because——because——Oh，Idon’tknow！WhathaveIbeensaying！
I——Pleasedon’taskme！\"
\"Butwhywasn’thesurprised？\"
\"Because——because——\"shehesitated。Thensuddenlyshelookedupintomyface，herwonderfuleyesalight。\"Because，\"shesaid，\"I
hadtoldhimmyself，sir。\"
Iseizedherhands。
\"YOUhadtoldhim？YouhadtoldhimthatI——I——\"
\"No，\"withaswiftshakeofthehead，\"notyou。I——Ididnotknowthat——then。ItoldhimthatI——\"
ButIdidnotwaittohearanymore。
Sometimeafterthat——Idonotknowhowlongafteranditmakesnodifferenceanyway——IbegantoremembersomeresolutionsIhadmade，resolvestobeself—sacrificingandallthatsortofthing。
\"But，mydear，\"Ifaltered，\"Iaminsane！Iamstarkcrazy！HowcanIthinkofsuchathing！Yourmother——whatwillshesay？\"
Shelookedupatme；lookingupwasnotasdifficultnow，and，besides，shedidnothavetolookfar。Shelookedupandsmiled。
\"IthinkMotherismorereconciled，\"shesaid。\"Sinceshelearnedwhoyouweresheseemstofeelbetteraboutit。\"
Ishookmyhead，ruefully。\"Yetshereferredtomeasa’nobody’
onlythismorning，\"Iobserved。
\"Yes，butthatwasbeforesheknewyouwereaBennett。TheBennettsareaverygoodfamily，soshesays。Andsheinformedmethatshealwaysexpectedmetothrowmyselfaway，soshewasnotaltogetherunprepared。\"
Isighed。\"Throwingyourselfawayisexactlywhatyouhavedone，I’mafraid，\"Ianswered。
Sheputherhandtomylips。\"Hush！\"shewhispered。\"Atallevents，Imadealuckythrow。I’mverygladyoucaughtme，dear。\"
Therewasarustleofleavesjustbehindusandastartledexclamation。IturnedandsawLuteRogersstandingthereinthepath，anexpressiononhisfacewhichIshallnotattempttodescribe，fornodescriptioncoulddojusticetoit。WelookedatLuteandhelookedatus。
Hewasthefirsttorecover。
\"Mytime！\"exclaimedLute。\"MyTIME！\"
Heturnedandfled。
\"Comehere！\"Ishoutedafterhim。\"Comebackherethisminute！
Lute，comeback！\"
Lutecame，lookingshamefacedandawkward。
\"Wherewereyougoing？\"Idemanded。
\"I——Iwascal’latin’togoandtellDorindy，\"hefaltered。
\"You’lltellnobody。Nobody，doyouhear！I’lltellDorindamyself，whenitisnecessary。Whatwereyoudoinghere？spyingonmeinthatfashion。\"
\"I——Iwan’tspyin’，Ros。Honesttruth，Iwan’t。I——Ididn’tknowyouandshewas——was——\"
\"Nevermindthat。Whatwereyoudoinghere？\"
\"Iwaschasin’afteryou，Ros。Ijustheardthemostastonishingthing。JedDeanwastothehousetomakeDorindyandmepromisetosaynothin’aboutthatShoreLane’causeyouneversoldit，andhesaidMr。Coltonhadofferedyouaturriblefinejobalongofhimandthatyouwasgoin’totakeit。Iwantedtofindyouandaskit’twastrue。’Tainttrue，isit，Ros？\"wistfully。\"Bytime！I
wish’twas。\"
BeforeIcouldanswerMabelspoke。
\"Yes，itistrue，Mr。Rogers，\"shesaid。\"Itisquitetrueandyoumaytellanyoneyoulike。Itistrue，isn’tit，Roscoe？\"
WhatanswercouldImake？Whatanswerwouldyouhavemadeunderthecircumstances？
\"Yes，\"Ianswered，withasighofresignation。\"Iguessitistrue，Lute。\"
End