w. You thought you did," the rebel replied complacently. "I see
by your knuckles you've been fighting. Hope it did you good."

"It did. Are you going to leave this office?"

"No, sir."

"I didn't think you would. Well, well! Out with it."

Mr. Daney drew a deal of pleasure from that invitation. "The boy
directs me to inform you, sir, that he will not accept the bonds nor
any monies you may desire to give him. He says he doesn't need them
because he isn't going to leave Port Agnew."

"Nonsense, Andrew. He cannot remain in this town. He hasn't the
courage to face his little world after marrying that girl. And he has
to make a living for her."

"We shall see that which we shall see," Mr. Daney replied
enigmatically.

"I wonder if it is possible he is trying to outgame me," old Hector
mused aloud. "Andrew, go back and tell him that if he will go to
California to live I will deed him that Lassen county sugar and white
pine and build him the finest mill in the state."

"The terms are quite impossible," Daney retorted and explained why.

"He shall get out of Port Agnew," The Laird threatened. "He shall get
out or starve."

"You are forgetting something, sir."

"Forgetting what?"

"That I have more than a hundred thousand dollars in bonds right in
that vault and that I have not as yet developed paralysis of the right
hand. The boy shall not starve and neither shall he crawl, like a
beaten dog currying favor with the one that has struck him."

"I am the one who has been struck--and he has wounded me sorely," The
Laird cried, his voice cracked with anger.

"The mischief is done. What's the use of crying over spilled milk?
You're going to forgive the boy sooner or later, so do it now and be
graceful about it."

"I'll never forgive him, Andrew."

Mr. Daney walled his eyes toward the ceiling. "Thank God," he murmured
piously, "I'm pure. Hereafter, every time Reverend Mr. Tingley says
the Lord's prayer I'm going to cough out loud in church at the line:
'Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against
us.' You'll hear that cough and remember, Hector McKaye."

A deeper shadow of distress settled over The Laird's stern features.
"You're uncommon mean to me this bitter day, Andrew," he complained
wearily. "I take it as most unkind of you to thwart my wishes like
this."

"I'm for true love!" Mr. Daney declared firmly. "Ah come, come now!
Don't be a stiff-necked old dodo. Forgive the boy."

"In