Taylor took up the conversation. “Yes, I got here,” he said. “And when I got here--or a little before--” with a glance at the captain--“I found out what had been going on since I left. You old chump, Ros Paine! What did you do it for?” I looked at him and then at his companion. What I saw there confirmed my worst suspicions. “George,” I said, “if you have told him you must be crazy.” “I was crazy not to tell him before. I was crazy not to guess what you had been up to. But I didn't suppose anybody would be crazy enough to do what you did, Ros. I didn't imagine for a minute that you would be crazy enough to throw away your job and get yourself into the trouble you knew was sure to come, just to help me. To help ME, by the Lord! Ros! Ros! what can I say to you!” “You've said enough, and more than enough,” I answered, bitterly. “I did what I did so that you might keep your secret. I did it to help you and Nellie. And if you had kept still no one need ever have known, no one but you and I, George. And now you--” “Shut up, Ros!” he interrupted. “Shut up, I tell you! Why, confound you, what do you think I am? Do you suppose I would let you sacrifice yourself like that, while I set still and saw you kicked out of town? What do you think I am?” “But what was the use of it?” I demanded. “It was done. Nothing you could say would change it. For Nellie's sake--” “There! there!” broke in Captain Jed, “Nellie knows. George told her the day they was married. He told her before they was married. He was man enough to do that and I honor him for it. If he'd only come to me then it would have been a mighty sight better. I'd have understood when I heard about your sellin' Colton the land, and I wouldn't have made a jackass of myself by treatin' you as I done. You! the man that sacrificed yourself to keep my girl from breakin' her heart! When I think what you saved us all from I--I--By the Almighty, Ros Paine! I'll make it up to you somehow. I will! I swear I will!” He turned away and looked out of the window. George laid a hand on his shoulder. “I am the one to make it up, Cap'n,” he said, solemnly. “If I live I'll make it up to Ros here, and to you, and to Nellie, God bless her! I expected you would never speak to me again when I'd told you. Telling you--next to telling Nellie--was the toughest job I ever tackled. But I'll make it up to you both, and to Ros. Thank the Lord, it ain't too late to make it up to him!” “We'll both make it up to him, George,” replied Captain Jed. “As far as we can, we will. If he wants to come back to the bank this minute he can. We'll be proud to have him. But I cal'late,” with a smile, “he'll have bigger fish to fry than we can give him. If what we've just heard is true, he will.” “I don't know what you mean,” I answered. “And as for the bank--well, you forget one thing: I sold the Shore Lane and the town knows it. How long would the other directors tolerate me in that bank, after that, do you think?”