"But I thought," she said, puzzled, "you went out of it long ago,
before--before--"
"The flood? Yes, my dear, I did. I've only been a silent partner for
years--and that in a very small way. But I regret to say that the
young asses who have been running it have got into trouble. And they
propose going into bankruptcy, confound them! It is very annoying,"
Lloyd Pryor ended calmly, "But I don't understand," she said; "what have you to do with it?"
"Well, I've got to turn to and pay their damned debts."
"Pay their debts? But why? Does the law make you?"
"The law?" he said, looking at her with cold eyes. "I suppose you mean
statute law? No, my dear, it doesn't."
"Then I can't understand it," she declared laughing.
"It's nothing very abstruse. I can't have stockholders who trusted our
old firm cheated by a couple of cousins of mine. I've assumed the
liabilities--that's all."
"But you don't have to, by law?" she persisted, still bewildered.
"My dear Nelly, I don't do things because of the law," he said
dryly. "But never mind; it is going to give me something to do. Tell
me about yourself. How are you?"
"I'm--pretty lonely, Lloyd," she said.
And he answered, sympathetically, that he had been afraid of that.
"You are too much by yourself. Of course, it's lonely for you. I am
very much pleased with this idea of the little boy."
She shook her head. "I can't take him."
"Why not?" he protested, and broke off. "Nelly, look! You are going to
have company."
He had caught sight of some one fumbling with the latch of the green
gate in the hedge. Helena opened her lips in consternation.
"Lloyd! It's old Mr. Benjamin Wright. He lives in that big house with
white columns on the top of the hill. Do you suppose he has come to
call?"
"Tell your woman to say you are out."
But she shook her head, annoyed and helpless. "Don't you see how tired
he is?--poor old man! Of course, he must come in. Go and help him,
Lloyd." She put her hands on his arm. "Please!" she said.
"No, thank you; I have no desire to help old gentlemen." And as she
left him and ran impetuously to open the door herself, he called after
her, "Nelly, don't have dinner held back!"