Mary, Ive been thinkin thiswhole afternoon. Ill
never forget that lecture longs I live. I think you had better not tell me what
shesaid, she declared, sharply.
He lookedwhite and drawn, and older than she had
ever seen him look. No, Dave aint happy, hasnt been for a goodwhile.
Ill never forget that lecture longs I live. Youcant
afford to start folks talkin again, not in the position youhold now, you
cant.
And do youthink he ought to talk with any one? Tell
you I was on my lastlegs, or off of em, did they? Their fathers, ortheir
grandfathers, did it for em, thats all.
Youcant afford to start folks talkin again, not in
the position youhold now, you cant. WhatI was GOIN to say was that lately Id sort of
changed my mindabout him.
But I shall make him understand that, under
nocircumstances, will I go back to the bank. Thats why I made Kohath take away
thelookin glass.
Now its nomore n right for you to do what you can
to help keep him happy, isit?
What would her genteel, elegant mother have
said?
And his greeting was surprisingly casual
andcheerful.
She had not seen David Cummings since the evening
when he made hisastounding business proposition. Mary laid down the spoon with which
she had been listlesslystirring her coffee. Youd almost think hed be ashamed to come
nigh the place,observed the housekeeper.
I saidto him a while ago, I said: Are you makin up
this bed or whatare you doin?
Ive noticed it, though Ive pretended to Kohath that
Ihavent. It was the least I could do, and I couldnt write as I felt.
Ive stuck around for eighty-oddyear and thats a
good sight more than the usual allowance. Not that its goin todo a mite of good, in
my judgment. Suppose Im goin to lay flat on my back whenIve got a lady
visitor?
That youre a Brewster and hes a Cummings, you
mean?
You wouldnt go to him; yousaid you wouldnt even see
him. Will you tell him I am here, please,she said. It seems to me that he has more
friendsthan almost any one I know.
Hes made himself what he is out of nothin. Well,Ive
been expectin it, but its always a shock when it comes. His mind, up to the very
lastnight, was as sharp as ever. Look how she acted aboutgoing to work in that
bank.
But hes made up his mindto, and nothin short of a
charge of buckshot could get him off thenotion.