He thought I didn't know, but I did. Last
month--last month--" the man paused and his mouth worked,
though he bit his lips.
"Well, last month?" Lindsay repeated pitilessly.
"I got my hunch to quit. That fortune woman and--and other things.
The doctor told me to keep quiet and not get on my nerve. And I sort
of fixed it up with Jim in a letter. I told him I'd sold out my
interest in the firm and I was going to send him one more thousand
for graduatin' with and I was going to let him try for himself after
that. I knew that was all right, because he's told me of plenty of
rich young swells who had to. Fathers believed in it."
"He was going with Buck Williamson on the ranch," said Lindsay
slowly.
"That's it! Buck Williamson. He asked me wouldn't I look 'em up
after they got settled and try it out there. It was an awful nice
letter," said the man softly, "he's a real gentleman."
Lindsay jerked his head toward the dining-room.
"Was this the 'thousand'?" he asked coldly.
The man nodded.
"I've never been with him more than a day or two, you see, and I
thought I'd go up to New Haven this spring--when he graduated, and
see him. Just a day or two. And then I was planning to drop out. Of
course I never meant to see him much.
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