sex, a reply. For the next moment, as they moved towards their rooms,
she said impatiently, "Well, you don't tell what Stacy said. Did you get
the money?"
I grieve to say that this soul of truth and frankness lied--only to his
wife. Perhaps he considered it only lying to HIMSELF, a thing of which
he was at times miserably conscious. "It wasn't necessary, dear," he
said; "he advised me to sell my securities in the bank; and if you only
knew how dreadfully busy he is."
Mrs. Barker curled her pretty lip. "It doesn't take very long to lend
ten thousand dollars!" she said. "But that's what I always tell you.
You have about made me sick by singing the praises of those wonderful
partners of yours, and here you ask a favor of one of them and he tells
you to sell your securities! And you know, and he knows, they're worth
next to nothing."
"You don't understand, dear"--began Barker.
"I understand that you've given your word to poor Harry," said
Mrs. Barker in pretty indignation, "who's responsible for the Ditch
purchase."
"And I shall keep it. I always do," said Barker very quietly, but with
that same singular expression of face that had puzzled Stacy. But
Mrs. Barker, who, perhaps, knew her husband better, said in an altered
voice:--
"But HOW can you, dear?"
"If I'm short a thousand or two I'll ask your father."
Mrs. Barker was silent. "Father's so very much harried now, George. Why
don't you simply throw the whole thing up?"
"But I've given my word to your cousin Henry."
"Yes, but only your WORD. There was no written agreement. And you
couldn't even hold him to it."
Barker opened his frank eyes in astonishment. Her own cousin, too! And
they were Stacy's very words!
"Besides," added Mrs. Barker audaciously, "he could get rid of it
elsewhere. He had another offer, but he thought yours the best. So don't
be silly."
By this time they had reached their rooms. Barker, apparently dismissing
the subject from his mind with characteristic buoyancy, turned into the
bedroom and walked smilingly towards a small crib which stood in the
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