"Worth? It's worth what it'll fetch."
"Eight thousand?"
"Th' land's worth that," said James.
"It's a silly idea. But he put it into my head. Now will you drop in one day and see me?"
"No," said James. "I'm not much for tea-parties, thank ye."
"I mean when I'm alone," she pleaded, delightfully; "so that we can talk over things, and you can tell me what is going on."
He saw clearly all the perils of such a course, but his instinct seized him again.
"Happen I may look in some morning when I'm round yonder."
"That will be very nice of you," she flattered him, and rose.
Helen came home about ten o'clock, and went direct to bed. Never before had James Ollerenshaw felt like a criminal, but as Helen's eyes dwelt for a moment on his in bidding him good-night, he could scarcely restrain the blush of the evildoer. And him sixty! Turn which way he would he saw nothing but worry. What an incredible day he had lived through! And how astounding was human existence!