"The house in town and the country place will have to go?"
"Then I needn't worry about it's being a last year's model," she laughed. Willie stared at her admiringly.
"I try to be; an easy winner, an easy loser. I'm awfully sorry for father, though. Did you--did you tell him anything?"
She shivered and mumbled, "What did he say to that?"
"He seemed immensely relieved. He said, 'God bless her.' His voice was very faint, but I think that's what he said."
"Maybe he did," Willie sighed. "Anyway, we're to meet him in town to-morrow."
He stared at her with hungry eyes, and his little lean fingers crept toward the exquisite hand of hers that lay supine, relaxed, with upturned fingers like the petals of an open rose. He took that flower in his hands timidly. She looked down into his famished eyes and smiled pitifully--perhaps a little for him, certainly for herself.
He overestimated the tenderness in her gaze and squeezed her fingers in his. She winced and drew her hand away.
"It was this ring again," she explained, though she had not meant to say the "again."
"My ring? Our ring?" he murmured, with such joy that her sportsmanship compelled a last effort at playing fair.
"Under the circumstances," she said, "I think I'd better return it to you--with thanks for the loan."
"I don't want it back!" he gasped. "I won't have it back."
"I want to marry you--just you," he pleaded. "The engagement stands."
"You're terribly polite, but I can't--not for charity."
"Charity--bosh!" he stormed. "I can't get along without you. You couldn't get along without a lot of money, Persis. If--if you'll let the engagement stand I'll put your father on his feet again. I'll--I'll do anything."
"How put him on his feet? I thought he was smashed?"
"He went to Chicago to raise a lot of money. He couldn't. He's coming back to face the music. It's a funeral march unless--unless--well, I could take up his obligations. I don't understand it very well myself, to say nothing of explaining it to you. But I've got a lot of money, and money is what your father's enemies want. He'll be all right if he's tided over the shallow places. So for my sake and your governor's, let me announce the engagement."
"Think what people would say. It looks so hideously mercenary on my part."