Lute moved, but so slowly that his progress to the door took almost a full minute. His wife paid no heed to the pleading looks he gave her and stood majestically waiting until he passed her and crossed the sill. Then she turned to me. “If you want me, just speak,” she said. “I shall be in the dining-room. There ain't no need for Comfort to know about this. She doesn't know that you've been away and hasn't been worried at all. I'll look out for her. Lute'll be with me, so you needn't fret about him, either.” She closed the door. “Now, Captain Dean,” I repeated, “what is it you have to say?” The captain's grim mouth twisted in a savage sneer. “You know what I'm goin' to say as well as I do,” he answered. “Possibly, but you had better say it.” “It won't take me long. You've sold that Shore Lane land to Jim Colton, ain't you?” “Yes.” My calm affirmative seemed to astonish him. I think he expected a denial. His hand left the doorknob and he stepped toward me. “You--HAVE!” he cried. “You don't even take the trouble to--You have the face to stand there and tell me--” He almost choked. “Captain Dean,” I interrupted, quickly, “wait a moment. Listen to me. I have sold Colton the land. I did not intend selling it at all, least of all to him, but circumstances compelled me to change my mind. I did it because I was obliged to. It is done. I am sorry I had to do it, but, under the same conditions, I should do it again. I am not ashamed.” He leaned forward, steadying himself with a hand upon the table, and stared at me. “You ain't ashamed?” he repeated. “You ain't ashamed! Why, you--Didn't you tell me you'd never sell that land? Didn't you promise me?” “I did not promise anything. At first I promised not to sell without letting you know of my intention. Afterward I took back that promise.” “But why did you sell? You said it wan't a question of price at all. You made your brags that it wan't! To me, over and over, you made 'em. And then you sneak off and--” “Stop! I did think it was not a question of price. Then I found out that it was.” He clenched his fist. “Damn you!” he shouted, furiously. “You liar! You sneak! After I--” “That is enough, Captain. This has gone far enough. I have sold the land--for what seemed to me a good reason--and your calling me names will not change the situation. I don't care to hear them. You had better go.” “WHAT?” “I say you had better go.” “_I_ go? You'll put me out?” “No, certainly not. But there is nothing to be gained by a quarrel, and so, for both our sakes, I think you had better go away.” For a moment I thought he would strike me. Then his fist fell heavily upon the table. His lips were quivering like those of an infirm person. He looked old, and I had never before considered him an old man. “What made you do it?” he cried, desperately. “What made you do it? Is it all settled? Can't you back out?” “No.”