He stopped to take breath. Paula laughed. It was the first laugh in weeks. It did her good.
"Take a seat, won't you?" she smiled.
Tod laid down his hat and drew up to the little circle.
"I wonder you look at me after what's happened," he said, as he drew off his gloves. "Anybody connected with our branch of the family ought to be kicked. Of course, you understand it isn't my fault. My sympathy is all yours. You see, Jimmy had looked upon this money as his own. He's sore, Cooley's sore, everybody's sore. I don't care a rap myself. I'm making an honest living for the first time in my life. I don't need your money. Why don't they leave you alone? The money's yours—that's all there is to it."
"I suppose you know that they wanted Miss Marsh to go and live at your stepfather's house?" interposed Mr. Ricaby.
Tod nodded.
"Yes—another pipe dream. That was Cooley's suggestion. I heard them talking about it. The day you turned Jimmy down he came home mad as a hornet."
"All I ask is to be let alone," cried Paula.
"Haven't you heard from them since?" inquired Tod.
Mr. Ricaby looked up quickly.