"But how did you happen to be here?"
"Oh, I've known Ed Manning years, in New York, Paris, all around. He
asked me to visit him some time. I wired and asked him if I could come
out for our honeymoon--you know, Harry, I'm such a d----d romantic son
of a gun, and once before I was out here at Ed's, and those d----d
nightingales, catbirds, what d'ye call 'ems----"
"--Mockers."
"Yes, mockers, they sung so sweet, especial in the evenings, you
know--and I'm so d----d romantic--always was thataway--and you know,
why, a fellow can be romantic on his honeymoon, can't he?--he can
just cut loose then an' be as big a d--n fool as he likes then--an'
get away with it, what? Say, can't he?"
--"Yes."
--"So that's why I came."
--"But--honeymoon? Are you going to be married?"
--"Naw! I ain't goin' to be married--I am married! Day before
yesterday, in New Orleans. And I don't believe in dandlin' an' foolin'
around about a little thing like that. Ain't you married yet?"
"No. Impossible. No preacher on Côte Blanche Bay or on our boat. I've
got Aunt Lucinda Daniver along, to take care of the proprieties. If I
should leave it to her, I never would be married."
"Why?"
"She thinks I'm broke."
"Yes, too bad about that! I wish I could swap bank rolls with you. Why
didn't you tell her the truth--and Helena, too? Why didn't you tell
'em it was your own yacht? Why didn't you tell 'em you're worth a few
millions and don't have to work?"
"I don't know--maybe I'm like you, Cal, foolish about nightingales and
things. But tell me--you never did tell them anything about that Sally
M. mine business, did you?"
"No, I should say not! Didn't you tell me you didn't want it to get
out? It was bad enough, the way old Dan and your--sainted father
handed it to each other over that mine, wasn't it? I know about it,
for I promoted that mine myself, and the name'll prove that--Sally M.
Byington, with the Byington left off! There wasn't a blasted thing in
it then. But when you--like a blame quixotic fool--after she was good
for six thousand a month velvet, and ore blocked out to last a
thousand years--why, then you fool around in Papa's records, and think
Papa wasn't on the square with old Dan. So on the quiet you get it all
made over, back to old Dan's daughter; and take a sneak into the
hazelbrush when she turns you down! Say, you know what I'd a-done?"
"No."
--"I'd a-held on to the mine and told the girl how much it was
bringin' in--that's my system. Then I'd a-got the mine and the girl
both, maybe!"