“I know. But he could ill afford to put up the cash for them. His credit is becoming badly strained. A small cut or non-delivery will be fatal to him.”
“But how can we prevent his cutting?”
“Really, Ackerman, you are dense to-day,” said Garwood. “Clancy Brothers have timber near Wind River. We can’t touch the other camps, so far as I can see at present, but if you represent matters properly to the Clancys I think they will look after that one.”
When Garwood went home that evening he called his daughter into his private room and went straight to the point.
“Now, Edith,” said he, “I want to know what there is between you and young Kent.”
She flushed angrily, immediately fixing the responsibility for the leak on Ackerman. “Who told you there was anything between us?”
“Never mind. Is it a fact?”
“Is what a fact?”
“Don’t beat about the bush with me. How far has this flirtation of yours gone?”
“Not very far,” she answered calmly. “Mr. Kent has merely asked me to marry him.”