“I know it and am ashamed of it,” Tom interrupted. “I was a villain, but I had sworn to tell you when I came back, and Irene knew it.”
“It does not matter now,” Rex said. “I was mistaken, and I tried religiously to manufacture a love for Irene, but I failed dismally. Still I believe I should have made the leap if something had not happened to open my eyes. Rena is the real one, and if I know how a fellow feels when he is in love, I am in love with her and am going to tell her so. Hold on, don’t get excited, but hear me out!” he continued, as Tom sprang up, exclaiming:
“This is too much, even from you. Why, she belongs to me.”
“That may be, but I shall propose to her just the same,” Rex said, adding, as Tom began to pace the room hurriedly:
“Do you know the conditions of Sandy McPherson’s will?”
“I should think so. I have heard them often enough,” Tom growled, and Rex went on:
“Then as a lawyer will you tell me what is to be done with that hundred thousand dollars if Rena marries you without my ever having said a word to her on the subject of matrimony?”
“It will go to thunder for what I care,” Tom replied, still excited and impatient.
“But I care,” Rex rejoined, “I have not a superabundance of money and would not object to a little of Sandy’s, especially as Colin is willing. So I shall propose to Rena, and if she refuses me I get the eighty thousand and Rena gets twenty thousand. That is plain without a lawyer, if I understand the will. If we are indifferent to each other we get ten thousand apiece and the rest goes to the South Sea Islanders, or somewhere. I’ve been reading the will over and am posted, and do not intend to let all that money slip through my fingers. Do you see?”
Tom had stopped walking and with his hands jammed into his pockets stood looking at Rex, wondering if he really were in his right mind. It was certainly a very different Rex from the one he had known. He must have met with a change, and Tom doubted if the change had improved him.