Rawlins remained calm. "There's only one girl in the world for me, and she's in Cambria, getting supper for me. However, I'm interested. Who is the lady?"
Throop dropped his humorous mask. "Miss McLaren wants to see you. She's fairly anxious about Hans—wants to go on his bond with you, or instead of you."
Hanscom gazed at the sheriff in silence, but Rawlins exclaimed: "Bless the girl! That's fine of her, but does she realize what going on this bond means?"
"She does, and she's willing to back Hans with two thousand dollars if necessary."
Rawlins, frankly astonished, asked: "Two thousand dollars! Has she got it?"
"She has, and a good deal more. Willing of the First National has been in touch with her people back East, and apparently there's no end to what they're ready to do for her. Somebody, a brother or cousin, has come to her rescue like a savings-bank. Hans, you do beat the devil for luck. I was ready to congratulate you before—now I am just plumb, low-down envious."
So far from filling the forester with joy, this news threw him into dark despair. If Helen turned out to be rich his case was even more hopeless than he had imagined it to be. It was sweet to be so defended, so rescued, but it was also disheartening. With wealth added to the grace which he adored in her, she was lifted far beyond his reach.
"Don't let her go on the bond," he said at last; "it's splendid of her, but if she does that she will be kept here, and I know she is crazy to get away, and we must not let her any deeper into this muss of mine."
Rawlins rose. "Well, I'll go see her, anyway. I'm for letting her help out if she's able and feels like it."
Throop followed him out and down the walk. "That girl's getting terribly interested in Hans—and she has a right to be. No man could have put in better work for a woman than he did for her. She says it's all her fault—and so it is, in a way." He chuckled. "Rather dashes him to find out she's a moneyed person, don't it? But what's the odds? He needn't complain, if she don't."