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himself of his coat； stopped unbuttoning his waistcoat； and looked
at her。
〃Like ez not thar'll be high water on the North Fork； ef this rain
keeps on；〃 said Peg； as if apologetically； looking toward the
window。
The other rain having ceased； Mr。 Hamlin began to unbutton his
waistcoat again。
〃I wanted to ask ye a favor about Mr。aboutJack Folinsbee；〃
began Peg again hurriedly。 〃He's ailin' agin； and is mighty low。
And he's losin' a heap o' money here and thar； and mostly to YOU。
You cleaned him out of two thousand dollars last nightall he
had。〃
〃Well？〃 said the gambler coldly。
〃Well； I thought ez you woz a friend o' mine； I'd ask ye to let up
a little on him；〃 said Peg； with an affected laugh。 〃You kin do
it。 Don't let him play with ye。〃
〃Mistress Margaret Moffat；〃 said Jack； with lazy deliberation；
taking off his watch； and beginning to wind it up； 〃ef you're that
much stuck after Jack Folinsbee； YOU kin keep him off of me much
easier than I kin。 You're a rich woman。 Give him enough money to
break my bank； or break himself for good and all； but don't keep
him forlin' round me in hopes to make a raise。 It don't pay；
Mistress Moffatit don't pay！〃
A finer nature than Peg's would have misunderstood or resented the
gambler's slang； and the miserable truths that underlaid it。 But
she comprehended him instantly； and sat hopelessly silent。
〃Ef you'll take my advice；〃 continued Jack； placing his watch and
chain under his pillow； and quietly unloosing his cravat； 〃you'll
quit this yer forlin'； marry that chap； and hand over to him the
money and the money…makin' that's killin' you。 He'll get rid of it
soon enough。 I don't say this because I expect to git it； for；
when he's got that much of a raise； he'll make a break for 'Frisco；
and lose it to some first…class sport THERE。 I don't say； neither；
that you mayn't be in luck enough to reform him。 I don't say；
neitherand it's a derned sight more likely！that you mayn't be
luckier yet； and he'll up and die afore he gits rid of your money。
But I do say you'll make him happy NOW； and； ez I reckon you're
about ez badly stuck after that chap ez I ever saw any woman； you
won't be hurtin' your own feelin's either。〃
The blood left Peg's face as she looked up。 〃But that's WHY I
can't give him the moneyand he won't marry me without it。〃
Mr。 Hamlin's hand dropped from the last button of his waistcoat。
〃Can'tgivehimthemoney？〃 he repeated slowly。
〃No。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Becausebecause I LOVE him。〃
Mr。 Hamlin rebuttoned his waistcoat； and sat down patiently on the
bed。 Peg arose； and awkwardly drew the portmanteau a little nearer
to him。
〃When Jim Byways left me this yer property；〃 she began； looking
cautiously around； 〃he left it to me on CONDITIONS； not conditions
ez waz in his WRITTEN will； but conditions ez waz SPOKEN。 A
promise I made him in this very room； Mr。 Hamlin；this very room；
and on that very bed you're sittin' on； in which he died。〃
Like most gamblers； Mr。 Hamlin was superstitious。 He rose hastily
from the bed； and took a chair beside the window。 The wind shook
it as if the discontented spirit of Mr。 Byways were without； re…
enforcing his last injunction。
〃I don't know if you remember him；〃 said Peg feverishly。 〃he was a
man ez hed suffered。 All that he lovedwife； fammerly； friends
had gone back on him。 He tried to make light of it afore folks；
but with me； being a poor gal； he let himself out。 I never told
anybody this。 I don't know why he told ME； I don't know；〃
continued Peg； with a sniffle； 〃why he wanted to make me unhappy
too。 But he made me promise； that； if he left me his fortune； I'd
NEVER； NEVERso help me God！never share it with any man or woman
that I LOVED； I didn't think it would be hard to keep that promise
then； Mr。 Hamlin； for I was very poor； and hedn't a friend nor a
living bein' that was kind to me； but HIM。〃
〃But you've as good as broken your promise already；〃 said Hamlin。
〃You've given Jack money； as I know。〃
〃Only what I made myself。 Listen to me； Mr。 Hamlin。 When Jack
proposed to me； I offered him about what I kalkilated I could earn
myself。 When he went away； and was sick and in trouble； I came
here and took this hotel。 I knew that by hard work I could make it
pay。 Don't laugh at me； please。 I DID work hard； and DID make it
paywithout takin' one cent of the fortin'。 And all I made；
workin' by night and day； I gave to him。 I did； Mr。 Hamlin。 I
ain't so hard to him as you think； though I might be kinder； I
know。〃
Mr。 Hamlin rose； deliberately resumed his coat； watch； hat； and
overcoat。 When he was completely dressed again； he turned to Peg。
〃Do you mean to say that you've been givin' all the money you made
here to this A 1 first…class cherubim？〃
〃Yes； but he didn't know where I got it。 O Mr。 Hamlin！ he didn't
know that。〃
〃Do I understand you； that he's bin buckin agin Faro with the money
that you raised on hash？ And YOU makin' the hash？〃
〃But he didn't know that； he wouldn't hev took it if I'd told him。〃
〃No； he'd hev died fust！〃 said Mr。 Hamlin gravely。 〃Why； he's that
sensitiveis Jack Folinsbeethat it nearly kills him to take
money even of ME。 But where does this angel reside when he isn't
fightin' the tiger； and is； so to speak； visible to the naked eye？〃
〃Hehestops here；〃 said Peg； with an awkward blush。
〃I see。 Might I ask the number of his roomor should I be a
disturbing him in his meditations？〃 continued Jack Hamlin； with
grave politeness。
〃Oh！ then you'll promise？ And you'll talk to him； and make HIM
promise？〃
〃Of course；〃 said Hamlin quietly。
〃And you'll remember he's sickvery sick？ His room's No。 44； at
the end of the hall。 Perhaps I'd better go with you？〃
〃I'll find it。〃
〃And you won't be too hard on him？〃
〃I'll be a father to him；〃 said Hamlin demurely； as he opened the
door and stepped into the hall。 But he hesitated a moment； and
then turned； and gravely held out his hand。 Peg took it timidly。
He did not seem quite in earnest； and his black eyes； vainly
questioned； indicated nothing。 But he shook her hand warmly； and
the next moment was gone。
He found the room with no difficulty。 A faint cough from within；
and a querulous protest； answered his knock。 Mr。 Hamlin entered
without further ceremony。 A sickening smell of drugs； a palpable
flavor of stale dissipation； and the wasted figure of Jack
Folinsbee； half…dressed； extended upon the bed； greeted him。 Mr。
Hamlin was for an instant startled。 There were hollow circles
round the sick man's eyes； there was palsy in his trembling limbs；
there was dissolution in his feverish breath。
〃What's up？〃 he asked huskily and nervously。
〃I am； and I want YOU to get up too。〃
〃I can't； Jack。 I'm regularly done up。〃 He reached his shaking
hand towards a glass half…filled with suspicious； pungent…smelling
liquid； but Mr。 Hamlin stayed it。
〃Do you want to get back that two thousand dollars you lost？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； get up； and marry that woman down stairs。〃
Folinsbee laughed half hysterically； half sardonically。
〃She won't give it to me。〃
〃No； but I will。〃
〃YOU？〃
〃Yes。〃
Folinsbe