Kate closed her lips, looked at him with deep scorn, and walked
around the corner of the house. For a second he looked after her
threateningly, then he sprang to his feet, and ran to her,
catching her in his arms.
"Forgive me, dearest," he cried. "That took the wind out of my
sails until I was a brute. You'd no business to SAY a thing like
that. Of course we can't have the old Land King down on us.
We've got to have our share of that land and money to buy us a
fine home in Hartley, and fix me up the kind of an office I should
have. We'll borrow a rig and drive over to-morrow and fix things
solid with the old folks. You bet I'm a star-spangled old
persuader, look what I did with you --"
"You stop!" cried Kate, breaking from his hold. "You will drive
me crazy! You're talking as if you married me expecting land and
money from it. I haven't been home in a year, and my father would
deliberately kill me if I went within his reach."
"Well, score one for little old scratchin', pickin', Mammy!" he
cried. "She SAID you had a secret!"
Kate stood very still, looking at him so intently that a sense of
shame must have stirred in his breast.
"Look here, Kate," he said, roughly. "Mother did say you had a
secret, and she hinted at Christmas that the reason you didn't go
home was because your folks were at outs with you, and you can ask
her if I didn't tell her to shut up and leave you alone, that I
was in love with you, and I'd marry you and we'd get along all
right, even if you were barred from home, and didn't get a penny.
I just dare you to ask her."
"It's no matter," said Kate, wearily. "I'd rather take your
word."
"All right, you take it, for that's the truth," he said. "But
what was the rumpus? How did you come to have a racket with your
old man?"
"Over my wanting to teach," said Kate. Then she explained in
detail.
"Pother! Don't you fret about that!" said George. "I'm taking
care of you now, and I'll see that you soon get home and to
Grays', too; that's all buncombe. As for your share of your
father's estate, you watch me get it! You are his child, and
there is law!"
"There's law that allows him to deed his land to his sons before
he dies, and that is exactly what he has done," said Kate.
"The Devil, you say!" shouted George Holt, stepping back to stare
at her. "You tell that at the Insane Asylum or the Feeble Minded
Home! I've seen the records! I know to the acre how much land
stands in your father's name. Don't try to work that on me, my
lady."