“Oh, that was lovely of you, Mr. Mahan! You really are a dear fellow, and considerate, and thoughtful—but I’m awfully sorry to see you mixed up in business. In the first place, father’s poor little place is dearer to him than the best farm on earth. In the second place, you do just what your employer wants you to do. You are too obedient. You came up here to buy that island without knowing or caring what use would be made of it. What would you say of a man who did that?”
“I’d say he’d been in the army.”
“But the army is different. In the army you have to trust your colonel.”
“It’s the same now.”
“Then that settles it. You have sold your conscience, and it doesn’t seem to trouble you the least bit. I’ll go and get your six dollars—”
“My six dollars?”
“Yes, the balance of what you paid me.”
“Do you mean I’m dismissed?”
“I do think you had better go. I’m so sorry—” She flashed into the house and returned with the money.
But he was gone already.