"Better for him if he had let you be.
"But, maybe after all, it is the best thing that ever happened,—for Joe, I mean. It will let him see that brute force isn't everything; that there never was a strong man but there was a stronger one still. Eh! George."
Rita's mood changed.
"But, if you and Joe quarrel again, I'm going to run away. So there.
"I'm not beholden to any one now,—thanks to dear old Jake Meaghan. I can get money,—all I want. Then maybe Joe'll be sorry.
"You won't fight any more, George? Say you won't!"
She put her arm round my shoulder and her cheek against mine, in her old coaxing way.
Dear little woman! It was a shame to have worried her as Joe and I had done.
"Well, Rita," I laughed, "I promise you I won't fight if Joe won't. And, anyway,—Joe is not likely to seek another encounter till his arm and ribs are well; and that will take six weeks all told. So don't worry yourself any more about what is going to happen six weeks hence."
As Rita started out for home, I rose to accompany her to the boat.