"What good is it to us?"
Pause. Ole noticed that Tidemand's composure began to fail him.
"All right. I'll take it. And whenever you want it back it will be for sale. I have a premonition that it will not be mine so very long."
"Well, God only knows. Anyway, I am doing what I can and should. I am glad the place will be yours. It is beautiful; it is not my fault we have not been there this summer. Well, this will help some; as for the rest, we'll see. I trust I can manage without closing up; that would be hard indeed. And worst for the sake of the children!"
Again Ole offered his assistance.
"I appreciate your help, and I will avail myself of it within reasonable limits. But a loss is a loss, and even if I weather the storm without going into bankruptcy I shall be a poor man all the same. I don't know whether I own a penny now or not—I am only glad that you didn't join me in that unhappy speculation, Ole; that is a blessing, anyway. Well, we'll see."
Ole asked:
"Does your wife know about this?"
"No; I'll tell her after the trip to-morrow."
"The trip? I'll cancel that, of course."