"Yes," she said, as if in answer to a question, "Ihave come here twice to-day." She nodded slightly toward Mrs.Fear."I can wait.I am very glad you bring good news."Joe turned dazedly toward the other."Claudine,"he said, "you've been telling Miss Tabor.""I cert'nly have!" Mrs.Fear's expression had cleared and her tone was cheerful."I don't see no harm in that! I'm sure she's a good friend of YOURS, Mr.Louden."Joe glanced at Ariel with a faint, troubled smile, and turned again to Mrs.Fear."I've had a long talk with Happy.""I'm awful glad.Is he ready to listen to reason?
she asked, with a titter.
"He's waiting for you."
"Where?" She rose quickly.
"Stop," said Joe, sharply."You must be very careful with him--""Don't you s'pose I'm goin' to be?" she interrupted, with a catch in her voice."Don't you s'pose I've had trouble enough?""No," said Joe, deliberately and impersonally, "I don't.Unless you keep remembering to be careful all the time, you'll follow the first impulse you have, as you did yesterday, and your excuse will be that you never thought any harm would come of it.He's in a queer mood; but he will forgive you if you ask him--""Well, ain't that what I WANT to do!" she exclaimed.
"I know, I know," he said, dropping into the desk-chair and passing his hand over his eyes with a gesture of infinite weariness."But you must be very careful.I hunted for him most of the night and all day.He was trying to keep out of my way because he didn't want me to find him until he had met this fellow Nashville.Happy is a hard man to come at when he doesn't care to be found, and he kept shifting from place to place until I ran him down.Then I got him in a corner and told him that you hadn't meant any harm--which is always true of you, poor woman!--and I didn't leave him till he had promised me to forgive you if you would come and ask him.And you must keep him out of Cory's way until I can arrange to have him--Cory, I mean--sent out of town.Will you?""Why, cert'nly," she answered, smiling."That Nashville's the vurry last person I ever want to see again--the fresh thing!" Mrs.Fear's burden had fallen; her relief was perfect and she beamed vapidly; but Joe marked her renewed irresponsibility with an anxious eye.