CHAPTER XXI.
TRUE TO HIS COLORS.
Owen Sheridan’s first impulse was to burst into the room. The mere voice of Jake Hines was like a challenge to him, filling him with suspicion and indignation. But in his work as a post-office inspector, discretion and caution were rapidly becoming habitual with him, and he waited quietly to learn what new rôle was being enacted by the young politician beyond the door.
“I tell you, Dallas,” Hines was saying, “it’s the only chance of savin’ your brother from goin’ to jail. If you’re the right kind of a sister, you won’t hesitate for a minute. What’s a little thing like marryin’ me compared to seein’ your brother in stripes?”
“Yes, Dallas,” said another masculine voice imploringly; “what Jake says is so. It depends entirely upon you whether I go to jail or not. The shortage hasn’t been discovered yet; but the auditor is due at the office next week, and as soon as he gets at the books I’m done for—unless I can replace the five thousand dollars before then.”
“And I’ve got the money right here,” said Hines. “Five thousand dollars in bills, girlie. All you’ve got to do is to promise to marry me, and as soon as the license is made out I’ll hand the roll to your brother, and he’ll be safe.”
“And it’ll be the last time I’ll enter a gambling house; I’ll promise you that, Dallas!” declared young Worthington. “You see me out of this scrape, and I’ll go straight from now on. You’ll do me this favor, won’t you, sis? You’re not going to be stubborn, and see your brother sent to prison. You’re the only one that can save me, Dallas. It’s entirely up to you?”
“But, Chester,” came the tremulous voice of Dallas, “what you ask is quite impossible. I couldn’t marry this man, even to save you from disgrace and imprisonment. I really couldn’t do it, Chester. I’d do anything else in my power to help you, dear; but that’s out of the question.”
“And why is it out of the question, I should like to know?” exclaimed Hines in an injured tone. “I ain’t such a bad feller, Dallas. There’s lots worse than me, I guess. To hear her talk, Chester, you’d think I was the worst demon that ever grew in the garden of love, wouldn’t you?”
“Jake has been a mighty good friend to me, sis,” declared young Worthington warmly. “It’s true I’ve only known him a few months, but that’s long enough for me to find out that he’s one of the best fellows in the whole world. He’s loaned me a lot of money already, and now that I’m in this big trouble he comes forward generously and offers to let me have the five thousand dollars to make good the shortage[Pg 52]——”
“Under the conditions mentioned,” interpolated Mr. Hines hastily.