第29章

She was afraid to risk asking him to come back for a moment.He might refuse.Standing there, looking so resolute, so completely master of himself, so devoid of all suggestion of need for any one or anything, he seemed just the man to turn on his heel and depart.She descended to the walk and went to him.She said:

``Why are you acting so peculiarly? Why did you come?''

``Because I understood that your father wished to propose some changes in the way of better hours and better wages for the men,'' replied he.``I find that the purpose was--not that.''

``What was it?''

``I do not care to go into that.''

He was about to go on--on out of her life forever, she felt.

``Wait,'' she cried.``The men will get better hours and wages.

You don't understand father's ways.He was really discussing that very thing--in his own mind.You'll see.He has a great admiration for you.You can do a lot with him.You owe it to the men to make use of his liking.''

He looked at her in silence for a moment.Then he said: ``I'll have to be at least partly frank with you.In all his life no one has ever gotten anything out of your father.He uses men.

They do not use him.''

``Believe me, that is unjust,'' cried Jane.``I'll tell you another thing that was on his mind.He wants to --to make reparation for--that accident to your father.He wants to pay your mother and you the money the road didn't pay you when it ought.''

Dorn's candid face showed how much he was impressed.This beautiful, earnest girl, sweet and frank, seemed herself to be another view of Martin Hastings' character--one more in accord with her strong belief in the essential goodness of human nature.

Said he: ``Your father owes us nothing.As for the road--its debt never existed legally--only morally.And it has been outlawed long ago--for there's a moral statute of limitations, too.The best thing that ever happened to us was our not getting that money.It put us on our mettle.It might have crushed us.

It happened to be just the thing that was needed to make us.''

Jane marveled at this view of his family, at the verge of poverty, as successful.But she could not doubt his sincerity.

Said she sadly, ``But it's not to the credit of the road--or of father.He must pay--and he knows he must.''

``We can't accept,'' said Dorn--a finality.

``But you could use it to build up the paper,'' urged Jane, to detain him.

``The paper was started without money.It lives without money--and it will go on living without money, or it ought to die.''

``I don't understand,'' said Jane.``But I want to understand.

I want to help.Won't you let me?''

He shook his head laughingly.``Help what?'' inquired he.

``Help raise the sun? It doesn't need help.''

Jane began to see.``I mean, I want to be helped,'' she cried.

``Oh, that's another matter,'' said he.``And very simple.''

``Will YOU help me?''

``I can't.No one can.You've got to help yourself.Each one of us is working for himself--working not to be rich or to be famous or to be envied, but to be free.''

``Working for himself--that sounds selfish, doesn't it?''

``If you are wise, Jane Hastings,'' said Dorn, ``you will distrust--disbelieve in--anything that is not selfish.''

Jane reflected.``Yes--I see,'' she cried.``I never thought of that!''

``A friend of mine, Wentworth,'' Victor went on, ``has put it wonderfully clearly.He said, `Some day we shall realize that no man can be free until all men are free.' ''

``You HAVE helped me--in spite of your fierce refusal,'' laughed Jane.``You are very impatient to go, aren't you? Well, since you won't stay I'll walk with you--as far as the end of the shade.''

She was slightly uneasy lest her overtures should be misunderstood.By the time they reached the first long, sunny stretch of the road down to town she was so afraid that those overtures would not be ``misunderstood'' that she marched on beside him in the hot sun.She did not leave him until they reached the corner of Pike avenue--and then it was he that left her, for she could cudgel out no excuse for going further in his direction.The only hold she had got upon him for a future attempt was slight indeed--he had vaguely agreed to lend her some books.

People who have nothing to do get rid of a great deal of time in trying to make impressions and in speculating as to what impressions they have made.Jane--hastening toward Martha's to get out of the sun which could not but injure a complexion so delicately fine as hers--gave herself up to this form of occupation.What did he think of her? Did he really have as little sense of her physical charm as he seemed? No woman could hope to be attractive to every man.Still--this man surely must be at least not altogether insensible.``If he sends me those books to-day--or tomorrow-- or even next day,'' thought Jane, ``it will be a pretty sure sign that he was impressed--whether he knows it or not.''

She had now definitely passed beyond the stage where she wondered at herself--and reproached herself--for wishing to win a man of such common origin and surroundings.She could not doubt Victor Dorn's superiority.Such a man as that didn't need birth or wealth or even fame.He simply WAS the man worth while-- worth any woman's while.How could Selma be associated so intimately with him without trying to get him in love with her? Perhaps she had tried and had given up? No--Selma was as strange in her way as he was in his way.What a strange--original--INDIVIDUAL pair they were!

``But,'' concluded Jane, ``he belongs with US.I must take him away from all that.It will be interesting to do it--so interesting that I'll be sorry when it's done, and I'll be looking about for something else to do.''