"Why?"
"Work." His brain was fermenting with half completed plans and calculations. He might as well lay it to that.
"Well, why don't you two get married? You will be old before your time."
Belding shook his head. "It takes two to make a bargain."
"But it doesn't take long." Mrs. Dibbott put down her crochet work. "Don't you think your friend Mr. Clark depends just a little too much on individuals—I include himself in that?"
"Perhaps, but it didn't occur to me. At any rate we have a one man concern."
"And if anything happened to him, what then?" Mrs. Dibbott's eyes were bright with inquiry. "And suppose you break down, what about Elsie?"
"Elsie wouldn't be affected," he said slowly.
"Then you two are not engaged?"
"I thought we would be by this time but I guessed wrong."