Such is the mortal’s egotism! One never thinks of others in connection with a selfish hope or idea, but believes that anything seen or heard must appertain to that one thing. So Paul thought Eleanor was the love this young man referred to, and that she had given him second-place because of Paul’s coming.
These thoughts flitted through his mind as young Baxter concluded, and Eleanor waited a moment before answering. Then she said with a sigh: “Dear Jack, a mild little flirtation never hurt any real case of love, and I’ve told you many times, that a game of love like this would improve or become fatal, because of such a flirtation. Like anti-toxin—it kills the germs or makes them wild so that no further doubt remains about the patient. Let’s use the hypodermic courageously and watch results. If the love-germ dies, then go and throw yourself on the railroad track and end your troubles. But should the opposite effect result, you can always think of me as the specialist who advised the heroic treatment!”
Paul was shocked to hear his “angel-girl” talk of her love in such a dreadfully frank way, but the suitor’s next sentence left no doubt in Paul’s mind that Eleanor was a horrid flirt.
“Well, Nolla, you must know best. Paul has been in love with you for a long time, now, and you’ve had many young admirers since you came to New York; so you understand and appreciate my present position and my right to demand one thing or the other—either I am the accepted one, or the other man. Both of us cannot be kept dangling about, nor take turns in loving when the other is absent from New York.”
Paul was distressed at hearing this—that Eleanor could accept the attentions of other men when he, Paul, was so hard at work out West, trying to succeed in his profession that he might offer her a suitable home! Now she was flirting with others, and this young man was heart-broken over her short-comings, even as he, Paul, was.
Polly saw Paul wheel and rush from the room, and immediately after that, Eleanor and Jack jumped up from the chairs and gazed at the door where the intruder had disappeared. When Polly saw who Eleanor’s companion was, she gasped in astonishment, for she believed it was Tom sitting before the fire.
Had Polly hurried after Paul, to explain matters to him, all would have ended well that evening, but she went to the room where her wraps had been left and sat down to think out the problem. Meantime, Paul found Mr. Dalken and drew him aside to say:
“Don’t ask questions, and don’t try to stop me, but I am going away as quick as I can. I’m through with girls for all time. They’re not to be trusted when a man’s absent. I’m going to live for my mother, hereafter, and make her life happy.”
Mr. Dalken was taken by surprise, because he had no key to this new puzzle, but he said: “Do wait, my boy, and have some refreshments with us. I have so much to ask you about the mine.”
“No—no! I can’t stay. The mine isn’t my affair anyway, and I was a fool to coax John to give me power-of-attorney to come East for him. Now I’m rushing back and he can send Tom Latimer the affidavit necessary for the meeting in January.”