“I don’t recollect that I mentioned that name,” he said. “I am not mentioning any names yet. There is time enough; Esther’s young. I didn’t come here to talk about my private affairs either, but, as we are talking, I’ll say my say. You never were the man for her, and you never will be. The thing for you to do is to forget her, go to Paris or wherever you want to, and make yourself into as good a picture painter as you can. And—this was what I started to tell you in the beginning—I don’t know that I may not be willing to help you do it. I don’t know any one in Paris, as it happens, but I have some good friends who do, who know some influential people over there. If I say the word they will give you letters of introduction. There may come a time when you’ll need help—even a little extra money maybe. Well—there you are.”
Bob was staring at him incredulously.
“Do you mean you would lend me money?” he gasped.
“I said perhaps those letters would fix it so you could get money if you needed it.”
“And—and you think I would take money from you?”
“Money is a handy thing to have, no matter where it comes from. There, there! keep your feet on the ground. Keep cool.”
Bob’s face was crimson. He forgot that he was addressing the great Foster Townsend, the big mogul of Harniss, forgot diplomacy, the difference in their ages, everything.
“Why—why, confound you!” he sputtered. “What are you trying to do; buy me off? Did you think I would—”
“Ssh! I have no idea of buying you off. I don’t need to, so far as that goes. I was trying to do you a good turn, that’s all.”
“Good turn! Look here, Captain Townsend! I’ll tell you something now. It isn’t your smart scheming and underhand planning and all the rest of it, that is sending me to Europe. That hasn’t influenced me in the least. No, nor it wasn’t Esther’s telling me I ought to go, either. I knew perfectly well where I ought to be and that was right here where I could block the little game you and—and—that other fellow were playing. If she—if I hadn’t found out from her—and from no one else—that—that—”