ht everything," she
whimpered.

"I supposed he was dead," said Lapham.

"Oh, don't SAY such a thing! It sounds as if you wished it."

"Why do you mind it? What do you let him blight everything for?"

"I can't help it, and I don't believe I ever shall. I don't know as
his being dead would help it any. I can't ever see him without feeling
just as I did at first."

"I tell you," said Lapham, "it was a perfectly square thing. And I
wish, once for all, you would quit bothering about it. My conscience
is easy as far as he is concerned, and it always was."

"And I can't look at him without feeling as if you'd ruined him, Silas."

"Don't look at him, then," said her husband, with a scowl. "I want you
should recollect in the first place, Persis, that I never wanted a
partner."

"If he hadn't put his money in when he did, you'd 'a' broken down."

"Well, he got his money out again, and more, too," said the Colonel,
with a sulky weariness.

"He didn't want to take it out."

"I gave him his choice: buy out or go out."

"You know he couldn't buy out then. It was no choice at all."

"It was a business chance."

"No; you had better face the truth, Silas. It was no chance at all.
You crowded him out. A man that had saved you! No, you had got greedy,
Silas. You had made your paint your god, and you couldn't bear to let
anybody else share in its blessings."

"I tell you he was a drag and a brake on me from the word go. You say
he saved me. Well, if I hadn't got him out he'd 'a' ruined me sooner
or later. So it's an even thing, as far forth as that goes."

"No, it ain't an even thing, and you know it, Silas. Oh, if I could
only get you once to acknowledge that you did wrong about it, then I
should have some hope. I don't say you meant wrong exactly, but you
took an advantage. Yes, you took an advantage! You had him where he
couldn't help himself, and then you wouldn't show him any mercy."

"I'm sick of this," said Lapham. "If you'll 'tend to the house, I'll
manage my business without your help."

"You were very glad of my help once."

"Well, I'm tired of it now. Don't meddle."

"I WILL meddle. When I see you hardening yourself in a wrong thing,
it's time for me to meddle, as you call it, and I will. I can't ever
get you to own up the least bit about Rogers, and I feel as if it was
hurting you all the while."

"What do you want I should own up about a thing for when I don't feel
wrong? I tell yo