"That would be simple. My partners would take it now and gladly."
"What else you do depends on her condition of mind and the extent to which you are willing to give way before the persistency of a woman who feels and does not or can not reason."
"Then I am not now to do anything but tell her that I will take her stock out of the business."
"That may relieve her. So far I can go with you. But, my dear Penhallow, she may be utterly unreasonable about your manufacture of cannon, and what then you may do I cannot say. How long will it be before you begin to turn out cannon?"
"Oh, two months or more. Many changes will be needed, but we have meanwhile an order for rails from the Baltimore and Ohio."
"Then we can wait. Now I am off for Grey Pine. See me about noon. Don't go back home now. That's all."
While the Squire walked away to the mills, McGregor was uneasily moving his ponderous bulk to and fro in the room.
"It's his damn tender, soft-hearted ways that will win in the end. My old Indian guide used to say, 'Much stick, good squaw.' Ann Penhallow has never in her whole life had any stick. Damn these sugar plum husbands! I'd like to know what Miss Leila Grey thinks of this performance. Now, there's a woman!"
When after a night of deep sleep Ann woke to find Leila standing by her bed, she rose on an elbow saying, "What time is it? Why are you here?"
"It is eight, aunt. You were ill last night; I stayed on your lounge."