athies run away with me," objected Cronin, in a
surly tone. "And I'm no milksop, either. But I won't be a party to
harming that unfortunate Mr. Laurie and you may as well understand that
at the outset. I'm willing to do my share in blowing the Fernald mills
higher than a kite, and the two Fernalds with 'em; or I'll blow the two
Fernalds to glory in their beds. I could do it without turning a hair.
But to injure that helpless boy of theirs I can't and won't. That would
be too low-down a deed for me, bad as I am. He hasn't the show the
others have. They can fend for themselves."

"You make me sick!" replied Alf scornfully. "Why, you might as well
throw up the whole job as to only half do it. What use will it be to
take the old men of the family if the young one still lives on?"

"I ain't going to argue with you, Alf," responded Cronin stubbornly.
"If I were to talk all night you likely would never see my point. But
there I stand and you can take it or leave it. If you want to go on on
these terms, well and good; if not, I wash my hands of the whole affair
and you can find somebody else to help you."

"Of course I can't find somebody else," was the exasperated retort.
"You know that well enough. Do you suppose I would go on with a scheme
like this and leave you wandering round to blab broadcast whatever you
thought fit?"

"I shouldn't blab, Alf," declared Cronin. "You could trust me to hold
my tongue and not peach on a pal. I should just pull out, that's all. I
warn you, though, that if our ways parted and you went yours, I should
do what I could to keep Mr. Laurie out of your path."

"You'd try the patience of Job, Cronin."

"I'm sorry."

"No, you're not," snarled Alf. "You're just doing this whole thing to
be cussed. You know you've got me where I can't stir hand or foot. I
was a fool ever to have got mixed up with such a white-livered, puling
baby. I might have known you hadn't an ounce of sand."

"Take care, Sullivan," cautioned Cronin in a low, tense voice.

"But hang it all--why do you want to balk and torment me so?"

"I ain't balking and tormenting you."

"Yes, you are. You're just pulling the other way from sheer
contrariness. Why can't you be decent and come across?"

"Haven't I been decent?" Cronin answered. "Haven't I fallen in with
every idea you've suggested? You've had your way fully and freely. I
haven't stood out for a single thing but this, have I?"

"N--o. But----"

"Well, why not give i