Foster folded the document slowly. His glance moved to Tisdale, and his
eyes played every swift change from contrition to gratitude. Hollis
turned. "I want you to take the management of the whole mine," he said
mellowly. "At a salary of five thousand a year to start with. And as soon
as you wish, you may deliver this deed."
Foster's lips trembled a little. "You've made a mistake," he said
unsteadily. Then: "Why don't you take it to her yourself, Hollis?" he
asked.
Tisdale was silent. He turned back to the window, and after an interval,
Foster went over and stood beside him, looking down on the harbor lights.
His arm went up around Tisdale's shoulder as he said: "If Weatherbee could
know everything now; if he had loved her, put her first always, as you
believe, do you think he would be any happier to see her punished like
this?"
Still Tisdale was silent. Then Foster's arm fell, and he said desperately:
"Can't you see, Hollis? Weatherbee was greater than either of us, I grant
that. But the one thing in the world you are so sure he most desired--the
lack of which wrecked his life--the one thing I have tried for the hardest
and missed--has fallen to you. Go and ask her to sail to Alaska with you.
You'll need her up there to carry the honors for you. You prize her, you
love her,--you know you do."
CHAPTER XXXIII
THE CALF-BOUND NOTEBOOK
The statue was great. So Tisdale told Lucky Banks, that day the prospector
met him at the station and they motored around through the park. The
sculptor himself had said he must send people to Weatherbee when they
wanted to see his best work. It was plain his subject had dominated him.
He had achieved with the freedom of pose the suggestion of decision and
power that had been characteristic of David Weatherbee. Quick intelligence
spoke in the face, yet the eyes held their expression of seeing a far
horizon. To Hollis, coming suddenly, as he did, upon the bronze figure in
the Wenatchee sunshine, it seemed to warm with a latent consciousness. He
felt poignantly a sense of David's personality, as he had known him at the
crowning period of his life.
"It suits me," responded Banks. "My, yes, it's about as good a likeness as
we can get of Dave." He put on his hat, which involuntarily he had
removed, and started the car on around the curve. "But it's a mighty lot
like you. It crops out most in the eyes, seeing things off somewheres,
clear out of sight, and the way you carry your size. You was a team."
"I am sorry I missed those services," said Tisdale. "I meant to be here."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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