“That’s an idea!” cried Huntington. “What does Thursby say?”
“He’s willing. He doesn’t like trouble as I––did. He’ll even sell off some of his stock.”
Huntington was silent a moment, looking doubtfully at Haig. Then the best of him rose to the occasion.
“I told Thursby that––I hadn’t anything to take back, but that––you’re a man, for all of it And if you––Damn it! There’s my hand.”
“Done!” said Haig heartily.
“Oh!” cried Claire, breaking away from the mantel, to which she clung through all the interview, trembling between hope and fear. She stepped up to Haig, her eyes shining through tears.
“Mine too!” she said, offering her hand to him.
But when it was all finished there was another awkward interval of silence. For years of controversy and enmity are not so quickly resolved into perfect peace. It was Haig who brought back a certain ease to them.
“Would you mind, Mrs. Huntington, if I asked Miss Gaylord to go for a drive with me?”