“But I told you—”

He held up a hand. “And I’d just figured out how I could do it—when Martin came in and offered the lot for three hundred—fifty dollars down.”

Her eyes were on his face.

“Of course, yesterday, or day before, I should have said—we couldn’t do it.... But there was the money—in my hand, practically.”

“Did you give it to him?” She leaned forward, a little breathless.

He looked at her. “Do you think I did?”

“Why—I—don’t know.”

He got up and came over to her and bent down. “It is your Chinese coat!” he said. “You didn’t suppose I was going to mortgage your possessions—without letting you know!”

“You mean I can have it—the coat!” She had clasped her hands—she was gazing at something far beyond him—far beyond the room, it seemed.

He watched her face a minute. “You sure can have your coat—if you want it!” he said softly.