"I'll go with you, Lydia,", exclaimed Levine, "hanged if I don't sell my Indian lands for real money, and go right along with you."
"Mr. Marshall says 'like Hell you'll get some Indian lands,'" mused the child.
Both men exclaimed together, "What!"
Lydia was confused but repeated her conversation with Marshall.
"So that's the way the wind blows," said Levine.
"You don't think for a minute there's a banker in town without one hand on the reservation," said Amos. "Lydia, you're old enough now not to repeat conversations you hear at home. Don't you ever tell anybody the things you hear me and Mr. Levine talk over. Understand?" sharply.
"Yes, Daddy," murmured Lydia, flushing painfully.
"You don't have to jaw the child that way, Amos." Levine's voice was impatient. "Just explain things to her. Why do you want to humiliate her?"
Amos gave a short laugh. "Takes a bachelor to bring up kids. Run along to bed, Lydia."
"Lydia's not a kid. She's a grown-up lady in disguise," said Levine, catching her hand as she passed and drawing her to him. "Good night, young Lydia! If you were ten years older and I were ten years younger—"