Pasco Pepperill was comparatively genial, even boastful, on the rest of the way. When he arrived at Coombe Cellars, his wife heard the wheels and came to the door. She received Kate without cordiality, and took her husband’s little bag of clothes he had taken with him. Kate carried hers in her hand. “Anything in the cart? Shall I open?” asked Zerah. “Nothing—absolutely nothing. Leave the cart alone,” answered Pasco hastily. “Nothing at all.” Pepperill drew his horse away, unharnessed it, and ran the dog-cart into the coach-house. Then he stood for a moment musing, and looking at it. Presently he turned his back, locked the door, and left his conveyance undischarged of its load of shavings. “I may chuck ’em away, any time,” said he, “or give ’em to Zerah to kindle her kitchen fire with, or”— He did not finish the sentence, even in thought. CHAPTER XXV BORROWING AGAIN When Pepperill, tired with his long day’s journey, and harassed in mind, went to his bedroom, Zerah at once fell upon him. “How have you fared, I’d like to know? But lawk! what’s the good of my axing, when I’m pretty confident your journey has been all down hill, with an upset of the cart presently.” “And if it be so, who is to blame but your brother?” retorted Pepperill angrily. “My brother may have made his mistakes sometimes, but not always—you never by any chance fail to do the wrong thing.” “He has dragged me into this confounded affair of the Brimpts timber; and now—I cannot sell the bark or the oaks.” “He had nothing to say to the wool. What made you buy at a wrong price?” “The market is always changing.” “Yes—against your interests. We shall end in the workhouse.” “Things will come right.” “They cannot. Look here! Here is a lawyer’s letter about the coals. You must pay by the first of the next month, or they will put in the bailiffs.” “It will come right. I have had an offer.” “For the oak?” “No, of a loan. Kate, like a good and reasonable and affectionate girl, is going to get Jason to withdraw her money and lend it to me.” Zerah flushed crimson. “So!” she exclaimed, planting herself in front of her husband, and lodging her hands on her hips; “you want to swindle the orphan out of her little fortune. You know as well as I do, if that money gets into your hands, it will run between your fingers as has all other money that ever got there. Folks say that there is a stone as turns all base metal to gold. I say that your palm has the faculty of converting gold into quicksilver, that escapes and cannot be recovered.” “This is only a temporary embarrassment.” “It shall not be done,” said Zerah. “I don’t myself believe Jason will hear of it, and if he does, and prepares to carry it out, I’ll knock his head off—that’s my last word. The parson said I didn’t love Kate, that I was starving her; but I’ll stand up for her against you—and her own father if need be.”