“Then why accept them? If only——”
“One must make a living in some way. I have other reasons, too.”
“That same wretched old mystery again! As for making a living, that’s a different thing, and it has changed too many lives. Once, years ago, for instance, when I was struggling to make a living—and a bare, scant one at that—I kept silent when my heart clamored to speak. I kept silent because I had no right to ask any woman to share my hard luck. But now I’m on my feet. I’ve made the ‘living’ you talk about. And there’s enough of it for two. So I——”
“I congratulate you on your success,” said the girl nervously. “Here is my corner. I must hurry back. I’ve a long evening’s work to——”
“Anice!”
“Good-by!”
“You must hear me. I——”
“Hello, Miss Lanier! Parleying with the enemy, eh? Come, come, that isn’t playing square. ’Evening, Standish!”
Caleb Conover, crossing the street from the side entrance of his own grounds, had confronted the two before they noted his approach. Looking from one to the other, he grinned amusedly.
“I’ve heard there was more’n one leak in our camp,” he went on, “but I never s’posed this was it.”