“What?”
“Come out with a short statement telling the exact facts. I'd make no apologies or long explanation. Just the plain story as simply as you can.”
“Well, I'll not,” the lawyer broke out. “Easy enough for you to say what I ought to do. Look at who my friends are—the Fromes and the Merrills and the Gilmans. Best set in town. I strained a point when I broke loose from them to take up this progressive fight. They'd cut me dead if a story like this came out.”
“I daresay. Communities are loaded to the guards with respectable cowards. But if you stand on your own feet like a man they'll think more of you for it. Most of them will be glad to know you again inside of five years. For you're going to be successful, and people like the Merrills and the Gilmans bow down to success.”
The lawyer shook his head doggedly. “I'm not going to tell a thing I don't have to tell. That's settled.” He hesitated a moment before he went on. “I've got a reason why I want to stand well with the Fromes, Jeff. I'm not in a position to risk anything.”
Jeff waited. He thought he knew that reason.
“I'm going to marry Alice Frome if I can.”
“You've asked her.” Jeff's voice sounded to himself as if it belonged to another man.
“No. Not yet. Ned Merrill's in the running. Strong, too. He's being backed by his father and old P. C. Frome. The idea is to consolidate interests by this marriage. But I've got a fighting chance. She likes me. Since I went into this political fight against her father she's taken pains to show me how friendly she feels. But if this story gets out—I'm smashed. That's all.”
“Go to her. Tell her the truth. She'll stand by you,” his cousin urged.