He relinquished the hand of encouragement because he dared not hold it any longer, and turned away to stare absently at the timbered tunnel mouth whence a faint clinking of hammer upon steel issued with monotonous regularity.
"I wish you hadn't said that, Amy—about the ideals."
"Why shouldn't I say it? I had to say it."
"I can't afford to play with too many fine distinctions. I have accepted the one great handicap. I may owe it to myself—and to some others—not to take on any more."
"I don't know what you mean now," she said simply.
"Perhaps it is just as well that you don't. Let's talk about something else; about the railroad. I told you that President Ford is coming over to have a wrestle with the Cortwright people, but I didn't tell you that he has already had his talk with Mr. Cortwright in person—in Chicago. He hasn't decided; he won't decide until he has looked the ground over and had a chance to confer with me."
She bridged all the gaps with swift intuition. "He means to give you the casting vote? He will build the Extension if you advise it?"
"It is something like that, I fancy; yes."
"And you think—you feel——"
"It is a matter of absolute indifference to me, officially. But in any event, Ford would ask for nothing more than a friendly opinion."