Part 22 (2/2)
”Luke, old chap, I've gone dead against your wishes,” he jerked out.
”And--for the first time in my life--I'm not sorry. She'll have me.”
”I thought she would,” said Lucas. He grasped the boy's hand closely.
”There are times when a man--if he is a man--must act for himself, eh, Bertie?”
Bertie laughed a little. ”I don't believe it was against your wishes after all.”
”Well, p'r'aps not.” There was a very kindly smile in the sunken eyes. ”I guess you're a little older than I thought you were, and anyway, she won't marry you for the dollars.”
”She certainly won't,” said Bertie warmly. ”But she's horribly afraid of people saying so, since Nap--”
”Ah! Never mind Nap!”
”Well, it's made a difference,” Bertie protested. ”We are not going to marry for three years. And no one is to know we are engaged except you and her father.”
”She doesn't mind me then?”
There was just a tinge of humour in the words, and Bertie looked at him sharply.
”What are you grinning at? No, of course she doesn't mind you. But what's the joke?”
”Look where you're going, dear fellow. It would be a real pity to break your neck at this stage.”
Bertie turned his attention to his driving and was silent for a little.
Suddenly, ”I have it!” he exclaimed. ”You artful old fox! I believe you had first word after all. I wondered that she gave in so easily. What did you say to her?”
”That,” said Lucas gently, ”is a matter entirely between myself and one other.”
Bertie broke into his gay boyish laugh and sounded the hooter for sheer lightness of heart.
”Oh, king, live for ever--and then some! You're just the finest fellow in the world!”
”Open to question, I am afraid,” said the millionaire with his quiet smile. ”And as to living for ever--well, I guess it's a cute idea in the main, but under present conditions it's a notion that makes me tired.”
”Who said anything about present conditions?” demanded Bertie, almost angrily; and then in an altered voice: ”Old man, I didn't mean that, and you know it. I only meant that you will always be wanted wherever you are. G.o.d doesn't turn out a good thing like you every day.”
”Oh, shucks!” said Lucas Errol softly.
CHAPTER XV
THE CHAMPION
When Mrs. Errol remarked in her deep voice, that yet compa.s.sed the incomparable Yankee tw.a.n.g, that she guessed she wasn't afraid of any man that breathed, none of those who heard the bold a.s.sertion ventured to contradict her.
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