第124章 PART FOURTH(32)

"There is no question of courage,"said the colonel."It is a question of dignity--of personal dignity.""Well,don't let that delay you,papa,"said his daughter,following him to the door,where she found him his hat,and Fulkerson helped him on with his overcoat."Ah shall be jost wald to know ho'it's toned oat.""Won't you let me go up to the house with you?"Fulkerson began.

"I needn't go in--"

"I prefer to go alone,"said the colonel."I wish to turn the points over in my mind,and I am afraid you would find me rather dull company."He went out,and Fulkerson returned with Miss Woodburn to the drawing-room,where she said the Leightons were.They,were not there,but she did not seem disappointed.

"Well,Mr.Fulkerson,"she said,"you have got an ahdeal of friendship,sure enough.""Me?"said Fulkerson."Oh,my Lord!Don't you see I couldn't do anything else?And I'm scared half to death,anyway.If the colonel don't bring the old man round,I reckon it's all up with me.But he'll fetch him.And I'm just prostrated with gratitude to you,Miss Woodburn."She waved his thanks aside with her fan."What do you mean by its being all up with you?""Why,if the old man sticks to his position,and I stick to March,we've both got to go overboard together.Dryfoos owns the magazine;he can stop it,or he can stop us,which amounts to the same thing,as far as we're concerned.""And then what?"the girl pursued.

"And then,nothing--till we pick ourselves up.""Do you mean that Mr.Dryfoos will put you both oat of your places?""He may."

"And Mr.Mawch takes the risk of that jost fo'a principle?""I reckon."

"And you do it jost fo'an ahdeal?"

"It won't do to own it.I must have my little axe to grind,somewhere.""Well,men awe splendid,"sighed the girl."Ah will say it.""Oh,they're not so much better than women,"said Fulkerson,with a nervous jocosity."I guess March would have backed down if it hadn't been for his wife.She was as hot as pepper about it,and you could see that she would have sacrificed all her husband's relations sooner than let him back down an inch from the stand he had taken.It's pretty easy for a man to stick to a principle if he has a woman to stand by him.

But when you come to play it alone--"

"Mr.Fulkerson,"said the girl,solemnly,"Ah will stand bah you in this,if all the woald tones against you."The tears came into her eyes,and she put out her hand to him.

"You will?"he shouted,in a rapture."In every way--and always--as long as you live?Do you mean it?"He had caught her hand to his breast and was grappling it tight there and drawing her to him.

The changing emotions chased one another through her heart and over her face:dismay,shame,pride,tenderness."You don't believe,"she said,hoarsely,"that Ah meant that?""No,but I hope you do mean it;for if you don't,nothing else means anything."There was no space,there was only a point of wavering."Ah do mean it."When they lifted their eyes from each other again it was half-past ten.

"No'you most go,"she said.

"But the colonel--our fate?"

"The co'nel is often oat late,and Ah'm not afraid of ouah fate,no'that we've taken it into ouah own hands."She looked at him with dewy eyes of trust,of inspiration.

"Oh,it's going to come out all right,"he said."It can't come out wrong now,no matter what happens.But who'd have thought it,when Icame into this house,in such a state of sin and misery,half an hour ago--""Three houahs and a half ago!"she said."No!you most jost go.Ah'm tahed to death.Good-night.You can come in the mawning to see-papa."She opened the door and pushed him out with enrapturing violence,and he ran laughing down the steps into her father's arms.

"Why,colonel!I was just going up to meet you."He had really thought he would walk off his exultation in that direction.