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how I happened to have it。 It's thisthis letter you wrote my boy。〃 He
extended the letter to her solomnly； in his left hand； and she took it gently
from him。 〃It was in his mail； after he was hurt。 You knew he never got it；
I expect。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； in a low voice。
He sighed。 〃I'm glad he didn't。 Not；〃 he added； quickly〃not but what you
did just right to send it。 You did。 You couldn't acted any other way when it
came right down TO it。 There ain't any blame comin' to youyou were
above…board all through。〃
Mary said； 〃Thank you；〃 almost in a whisper； and with her head bowed low。
〃You'll have to excuse me for readin' it。 I had to take charge of all his
mail and everything； I didn't know the handwritin'； and I read it all once I
got started。〃
〃I'm glad you did。〃
〃Well〃he leaned forward as if to rise〃I guess that's about all。 I just
thought you ought to have it。〃
〃Thank you for bringing it。〃
He looked at her hopefully； as if he thought and wished that she might have
something more to say。 But she seemed not to be aware of this glance； and sat
with her eyes fixed sorrowfully upon the floor。
〃Well； I expect I better be gettin' back to the office；〃 he said； rising
desperately。 〃I toldI told my partner I'd be back at two o'clock； and I
guess he'll think I'm a poor business man if he catches me behind time。 I got
to walk the chalk a mighty straight line these dayswith THAT fellow keepin'
tabs on me！〃
Mary rose with him。 〃I've always heard YOU were the hard driver。〃
He guffawed derisively。 〃Me？ I'm nothin' to that partner o' mine。 You
couldn't guess to save your life how he keeps after me to hold up my end o'
the job。 I shouldn't be surprised he'd give me the grand bounce some day； and
run the whole circus by himself。 You know how he isonce he goes AT a
thing！〃
〃No；〃 she smiled。 〃I didn't know you had a partner。 I'd always heard〃
He laughed； looking away from her。 〃It's just my way o' speakin' o' that boy
o' mine； Bibbs。〃
He stood then； expectant； staring out into the hall with an air of careless
geniality。 He felt that she certainly must at least say； 〃How IS Bibbs？〃
but she said nothing at all； though he waited until the silence became
embarrassing。
〃Well； I guess I better be gettin' down there；〃 he said； at last。 〃He might
worry。〃
〃Good…byand thank you；〃 said Mary。
〃For what？〃
〃For the letter。〃
〃Oh；〃 he said； blankly。 〃You're welcome。 Good…by。〃
Mary put out her hand。 〃Good…by。〃
〃You'll have to excuse my left hand；〃 he said。 〃I had a little accident to
the other one。〃
She gave a pitying cry as she saw。 〃Oh； poor Mr。 Sheridan！〃
〃Nothin' at all！ Dictate everything nowadays； anyhow。〃 He laughed jovially。
〃Did anybody tell you how it happened？〃
〃I heard you hurt your hand； but nonot just how。〃
〃It was this way；〃 he began； and both； as if unconsciously； sat down again。
〃You may not know it； but I used to worry a good deal about the youngest o' my
boysthe one that used to come to see you sometimes； after Jimthat is； I
mean Bibbs。 He's the one I spoke of as my partner； and the truth is that's
what it's just about goin' to amount to； one o' these daysif his health
holds out。 Well； you remember； I expect； I had him on a machine over at a
plant o' mine； and sometimes I'd kind o' sneak in there and see how he was
gettin' along。 Take a doctor with me sometimes； because Bibbs never WAS so
robust； you might say。 Ole Doc GurneyI guess maybe you know him？ Tall；
thin man； acts sleepy〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； one day I an' ole Doc Gurney； we were in there； and I undertook to show
Bibbs how to run his machine。 He told me to look out； but I wouldn't listen；
and I didn't look outand that's how I got my hand hurt； tryin' to show Bibbs
how to do something he knew how to do and I didn't。 Made me so mad I just
wouldn't even admit to myself it WAS hurtand so； by and by； ole Doc Gurney
had to take kind o' radical measures with me。 He's a right good doctor； too。
Don't you think so； Miss Vertrees？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Yes； he is so！〃 Sheridan now had the air of a rambling talker and gossip
with all day on his hands。 〃Take him on Bibbs's case。 I was talkin' about
Bibbs's case with him this morning。 Well； you'd laugh to hear the way ole
Gurney talks about THAT！ 'Course he IS just as much a friend as he is
doctorand he takes as much interest in Bibbs as if he was in the family。 He
says Bibbs isn't anyways bad off YET； and he thinks he could stand the pace
and get fat on it ifwell； this is what'd made YOU laugh if you'd been there；
Miss Vertreeshonest it would！〃 He paused to chuckle； and stole a glance at
her。 She was gazing straight before her at the wall； her lips were parted；
andvisiblyshe was breathing heavily and quickly。 He feared that she was
growing furiously angry； but he had led to what he wanted to say； and he went
on； determined now to say it all。 He leaned forward and altered his voice to
one of confidential friendliness； though in it he still maintained a tone
which indicated that ole Doc Gurney's opinion was only a joke he shared with
her。 〃Yes； sir； you certainly would 'a' laughed！ Why； that ole man thinks
YOU got something to do with it。 You'll have to blame it on him； young lady；
if it makes you feel like startin' out to whip somebody！ He's actually got
THIS theory： he says Bibbs got to gettin' better while he worked over there at
the shop because you kept him cheered up and feelin' good。 And he says if you
could manage to just stand him hangin' around a little maybe not much； but
just SOMEtimesagain； he believed it 'd do Bibbs a mighty lot o' good。
'Course； that's only what the doctor said。 Me； I don't know anything about
that； but I can say this muchI never saw any such a MENTAL improvement in
anybody in my life as I have lately in Bibbs。 I expect you'd find him a good
deal more entertaining than what he used to beand I know it's a kind of
embarrassing thing to suggest after the way he piled in over here that day to
ask you to stand up before the preacher with him； but accordin' to ole Doc
GURNEY； he's got you on his brain so bad〃
Mary jumped。 〃Mr。 Sheridan！〃 she exclaimed。
He sighed profoundly。 〃There！ I noticed you were gettin' mad。 I didn't 〃
〃No； no； no！〃 she cried。 〃But I don't understandand I think you don't。
What is it you want me to do？〃
He sighed again； but this time with relief。 〃Well； well！〃 he said。 〃You're
right。 It 'll be easier to talk plain。 I ought to known I could with you；
all the time。 I just hoped you'd let that boy come and see you sometimes；
once more。 Could you？〃
〃You don't understand。〃 She clasped her hands together in a sorrowful
gesture。 〃Yes； we must talk plain。 Bibbs heard that I'd tried to make your
oldest son care for me because I was poor； and so Bibbs came and asked me to
marry himbecause he was sorry for me。 And I