Part 47 (2/2)

There was no embarra.s.sment in Brand's manner. He looked as cool and inscrutable as usual.

”I'm rather glad we have met,” he said.

”I thought you had gone back to the Old Country,” Harding replied.

”No; I find it harder to sell my farm than I imagined. The settlement covenant's the trouble, and I don't feel inclined to give the land away.

I want a talk with you. Will you come to my hotel?”

Harding agreed, and a few minutes later they sat down in a quiet corner of the hotel lounge.

”How's your campaign against the moneylender progressing?” Brand began abruptly.

”Then you know something about it?”

”I'm not a fool. I've been watching the game with interest for some time. I have a reason for asking; you can be frank with me.”

Harding knew when to trust a man and, in spite of what had happened, he trusted Brand. When he had given him a short explanation, Brand seemed satisfied.

”Very well; now I have something to say. My prejudices are against you; they're on Mowbray's side, but I'm beginning to see that his position is untenable. It seems I can't get a fair price for my farm, and after spending some happy years on it, I have a sentimental affection for the place. Don't know that I'd care to see it fall into the hands of some raw English lad whose inexperience would be a danger to Allenwood. The drift of all this is--will you work the land for me if we can make a satisfactory arrangement?”

Harding hesitated.

”I don't know that I could take a favor----”

”From me? Don't make a mistake. I'm not acting out of any personal regard for you. On the whole, I'd rather see you in control of Allenwood than a mortgage broker; that's all.”

”Thanks! On that understanding we might come to terms.”

”Then there's another matter. Managing my farm won't help you much, and I feel that I owe something to the settlement. If it looks as if the moneylender would be too strong for you, and you're short of funds, you can write to me. I can afford to spend something on Allenwood's defense.”

They talked it over, and when Harding left the hotel he had promised, in case of necessity, to ask Brand's help. Moreover, although he had not expected this, he felt some sympathy and a half reluctant liking for his beaten rival.

During the same day Davies had a confidential talk with Gerald.

”Do you know that your mother and sister are in town with Harding?” he asked.

”Yes; but I haven't seen them yet.”

”Rather not meet Harding? Are you pleased that the man's going to marry your sister?”

”I'm not!” Gerald answered curtly.

He stopped writing and frowned at the book in which he was making an entry. He felt very bitter against Harding, who had insulted him, but he was moved by a deeper and less selfish feeling. It jarred upon his sense of fitness that his sister should marry a low-bred fellow with whom he was convinced she could not live happily. Beatrice had lost her head, but she was a Mowbray and would recover her senses; then she would rue the mistake she had made. She might resent Gerald's interference and would, no doubt, suffer for a time if he succeeded in separating her from her lover; but men, as he knew, got over an irregular pa.s.sion, and he had no reason to believe that women were different.

”She will marry him unless something is done,” Davies resumed cunningly.

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