Alec suddenly sprang from the bed. He paced the room with long nervous strides. He felt that never in his life had he faced such a crisis. Kars simply looked on.
At last the boy spoke something of his thought aloud.
"By Gee! I can't refuse it. It's—it's too big. Two weeks. She'll be crazy about it. She'll—by gad, I must do it. I can——"
He broke off abruptly. He came to the foot-rail of the bed. He stood with his great hands clenching it firmly, as though for support.
"I'll go, Kars," he cried. "I'll go! And it's just great of you. I—I—it was kind of hard. There's things——"
Kars nodded.
"Sure," he said, with a smile. "But—she'll wait for you—if she's the woman you guess. It's only a year. But say, you'll need to sign a bond. A bond of secrecy, and—good faith. There's no quitting—once it's signed."
The big man's eyes shone squarely into the boy's. And something of the dead father looked back at him.
"Curse it, I'll sign," Alec cried with sudden force. "I'll sign anything. Millions of dollars! I'll sign right away, and I'll—play as you'd have me."
The boy passed a hand through his hair. His decision had cost him dearly. But he had taken it.