“Yes. Father was kind; I know that better than anyone else. But Mr. Pearson was right. Yes, he was right, and brave.”
“So I size it up. And I do sympathize with your father, too. This wa’n’t such an awful lot worse than a good many stock deals. And poor ’Bije was perfectly desp’rate, I guess. If it had gone through he’d have been able to square accounts with the Rubber Company; and just think what that would have meant to him. Poor feller! poor feller!” He sighed. She reached for his hand and stroked it gently with her own.
After another interval she said: “How I insulted and wronged him! How he must despise me!”
“Who? Jim? No, no! he don’t do any such thing. He knows you didn’t understand, and who was responsible. Jim’s got sense, lots of it.”
“But it is my misunderstanding and my insulting treatment of him which have kept you two apart—here, at any rate.”
“Don’t let that worry you, Caroline. I see him every once in a while, up to the city.”
“It does worry me; and it will, until it is made right. And,” in a lower tone, but with decision, “it shall be.”
She rose and, bending over, kissed him on the forehead. “Good night, Uncle,” she said.
Captain Elisha was disappointed. “What!” he exclaimed. “Goin’ aloft so soon? We ain’t had our readin’ yet. Pretty early to turn in, seems to me. Stay a little longer, do.”
“Not to-night, dear. I’m going to my room. Please excuse me this time.” She turned to go and then, turning back again, asked a final question.