“You’re making it hard,” said the man who had spoken first.
Before Grant could answer, Clavering returned ready for his ride, but Grant gave him no opportunity to address Hetty and Miss Schuyler. “It is too far to drive to Allonby’s in the sled,” he said to them. “My sleigh is at your service. Shall I drive you?”
Hetty, for a moment, looked irresolute, but she saw Clavering’s face, and remembered what was due to him and what he had apparently suffered for her sake.
“It wouldn’t be quite fair to dismiss Mr. Clavering in that fashion,” she said.
Grant glanced at her, and the girl longed for an opportunity of making him understand what influenced her. But this was out of the question.
“Then, if he will be surety for their safety, the team is at Mr. Clavering’s disposal,” he said.
Clavering said nothing to Grant, but he thrust his hand into his pocket and laid a five-dollar bill on the table.
“I am very sorry I helped to destroy some of your crockery, fräulein, and this is the only amend I can make,” he said. “If I knew how to replace the broken things I wouldn’t have ventured to offer it to you.”
The little deprecatory gesture was graceful, and Hetty flashed an approving glance at him; but she also looked at Grant, as if to beseech his comprehension, when she went out. Larry, however, did not understand her, and stood gravely aside as she passed him. He said nothing, but when he was fastening the fur robe round her in the sleigh Hetty spoke.
“Larry,” she said softly, “can’t you understand that one has to do the square thing to everybody?”