the name, gave him an odd shortness of breath. It was weeks
since he had been here.

He realized of a sudden that he had brought nothing with him; no gift,
not even flowers. But there was enough to talk about. She'd forget
that. What a shower of gifts he would pour upon her--and upon Old Tom,
too! Good Old Tom! Tom had wanted to believe. Tom and he would be great
pals. They couldn't help being pals with just one thing, between them,
to love; one thing in all the world!

It was a disappointment to find the office empty, except for the father
himself, but Gray began with a rush, "Well, I told you I'd clear
myself, and--here I am, walking on air."

"You did it, eh? That's good news."

"We had a show-down at the bank. Henry Nelson and I locked horns
and--But here! Read what he signed. That cleans the slate. He'll do
anything further that may be necessary, officially. Where's "Bob"?"

"They're fishin' for a bit in one of your Avenger wells. She's out
there."

"So? I'd forgotten."

"Did you see--? Did Buddy have a talk with you? To-day, I mean?"

"Buddy? Oh, Buddy Briskow! I saw him for a moment only. She'll be back
soon, I dare say?"

Tom Parker stirred; it was a moment before he spoke, then it was with
apparent irrelevance that he said: "I'm sorry you and he didn't have a
good talk. 'Bob' asked him to see you--sent him there a-purpose." The
sight of Gray's smiling, eager, uncomprehending face caused the old
man's steady gaze to waver. He cleared his throat. "Buddy's a fine boy."

"Finest in the world! I claim responsibility for him, in a way. He's
part mine." Gray laughed; his eyes sparkled.

"Him and 'Bob' are out there together. They've been together a lot, Mr.
Gray. Both of 'em young, that-away--"

"Of course. I knew you'd both like--" Some quality in Tom's voice, some
reluctant evasiveness to his eyes, bore a belated message to the
younger man--snapped his chain of thought--dried the words upon his
lips. Into his eyes leaped a sudden, strained incredulity. Sharply, he
cried, "What do you mean?" Then, after an instant, "Why did he want to
see me?" The two men gazed squarely at each other for the first time.
"My God! Why--that's absurd! I--I brought him here. He's just a _boy_!"

"And she's just a girl, Mr. Gray."

The younger man shrank as if at a blow. He closed his eyes; he raised a
shaking hand to his face, which was slowly assuming the color of ashes.
"That's too--rottenly unfair!" he said, faintly.