Part 50 (1/2)

Hastings did not seem surprised. ”Ah!” he said, ”I guess it's over that mortgage of his. It would be awkward for you and Gregory if Edmonds took the homestead and turned him out.”

Sally's face grew white, but she met his gaze steadily.

”Oh,” she replied, ”that's not what I would mind the most.”

Hastings reflected a moment or two. He thought that it was a very difficult admission for the girl to make, and that she had made it suggested that Hawtrey might become involved in more serious difficulties. He had also a strong suspicion of what they were likely to be.

”Sally,” questioned Hastings quietly, ”you are afraid of Edmonds making him do something you would not like?”

Though she did not answer directly, he saw the shame in the girl's face, and remembered that he was one of Wyllard's trustees.

”I must raise that money--now--and I don't know where to get more than five hundred dollars from. I might manage that,” she said.

”Well,” answered Hastings, ”you want me to lead you then, and I'm not sure that I can. Still, if you'll wait a few minutes I'll see what I can do.”

Sally left him, and he turned to his wife, whose expression suggested that she had overheard part of what was said and had guessed the rest.

”You mean to raise that money? After all, we are friends of his, and it may save him from letting Edmonds get his grip upon the Range,” she said.

Hastings made a sign of reluctant a.s.sent. ”I don't quite know how I can do it personally, in view of the figure wheat is standing at, and I don't think much of any security that Gregory could offer me. Still, there is, perhaps, a way in which it could be arranged, and it's one that, considering everything, is more or less admissible. I think I'll wait here for Agatha.”

Agatha was in the wagon driven by Sproatly. When Sproatly had helped her and Winifred to alight, Hastings, who walked to the house with them, drew Agatha into an unoccupied room.

”I'm afraid that Gregory's in rather serious trouble. Sally seems very anxious about him,” he said. ”It's rather a delicate subject, but I understand that in a general way you are on good terms with both of them?”

Agatha met his embarra.s.sed gaze with a smile. She knew that what he really wished to discover was whether she still felt any bitterness against Gregory or blamed him for pledging himself to Sally.

”Yes,” she answered, ”Sally and I are good friends, and I am very sorry to hear that Gregory is in any difficulty.”

Hastings still seemed embarra.s.sed, and she was becoming puzzled by his manner.

”Once upon a time you would have done anything possible to make things easier for him,” he said. ”I wonder if I might ask if to some extent you have that feeling still?”

”Of course. If he is in serious trouble I should be glad to do anything within my power to help him.”

”Even if it cost, we will say, about six hundred English pounds?”

Agatha gazed at him in bewilderment.

”There are some twenty dollars in my possession which your wife handed me not long ago,” she remarked in a puzzled tone.

”Still, if you had the money, you would be glad to help him--and would not regret it afterwards?”

”No,” a.s.serted Agatha decisively; ”if I had the means, and the need was urgent, I should be glad to do what I could.” Then she laughed. ”I can't understand in the least how this is to the purpose.”

”If you will wait for the next two or three months I may be able to explain it to you,” replied Hastings. ”In the meanwhile, there are one or two things I have to do.”

When he left her, Agatha sat still, wondering what he could have meant, but feeling that she would be willing to do what she could for Gregory.

Hastings' suggestion that it was possible that she still cherished any sense of grievance against him because he was going to marry Sally, brought a scornful smile to her lips. It was easy to forgive Gregory that, for she now saw him as he was--shallow, careless, s.h.i.+ftless, a man without depth of character. He had a few surface graces, and on occasion a certain half-insolent forcefulness of manner which in a curious fas.h.i.+on was almost becoming. There was, however, nothing beneath the surface. He was, it seemed, quite willing that a woman should help him out of the trouble in which he had involved himself, for she had no doubt that Sally had sent Hastings on his incomprehensible errand.