"One of yours worn out?" Pretended astonishment and happiness was in the tone and she smiled at him tolerantly.
"It's for contagion— It will cost fifty thousand dollars— I thought maybe you'd like to give it." She flung the words at him. She had been meaning to do it all day—"screwing up her courage" to it.... She fired her bomb and she watched, waiting for it to go off. She sat alert and anxious.
He chuckled. "I'm glad I have enough!"
She wheeled quickly— "You're going to do it?"
"I'm going to think about it—look into it," said the man of business. A little keen look had come into his face, breaking its lazy quiet.
Aunt Jane regarded it without fear. She was her tranquil self again. "If you look into it, you'll find we need it pretty bad," she said.
He had taken out his pencil and was making a note. "All right. I may give you two wings ... if you really need them!" The tone was teasing again.
"I don't need two," said Aunt Jane composedly. "Of course, we may need another—some time," she added thoughtfully.
His laugh was happy.
"You'll let me stay now, won't you?" He put back his pencil and settled reposefully in his chair and watched her.