Then he caught sight of the Van Nostrand painting, and his slow glance
travelled from it to Helen. "That done for you, Sis? I never helt with
bare necks. Yes, Sis can marry, if she says so, though Ma wants her home.
But she ain't been writin' real cheerful. She--she's asked for money,
that's the size on't. An' here ye are up in arms an' she nigh sick. I
don't want nothing hid away f'om me; how come ye livin' in a place like
this?"
He rose laboriously, surveying through the open doorway the beautiful hall
and the dining-room; while I interposed some jesting talk on other
matters, for I had hoped to get Helen out of the Nicaragua before her
father's arrival, and still hoped to spare him knowledge of our worst
troubles.
"If Sis has been buyin' all this here, I ain't denying that I'll feel the
expense," he said, sticking to the subject; "but I guess we can manage."
Fumbling for his wallet, he drew some papers from it and handed them to
Helen, adding:--
"There, Sis; there they are."
"Money, Father?" she asked with indifference. "I don't believe I need
any."
"Don't ye? Ye wrote 'bout mortgagin'.
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