Provided by some miracle I could win her consent,would you even consider me,and such an arrangement?""Frankly sir,"said Mr.Pryor,"I have reached the place where I would be----"whenever you come to a long black line like that,it means that he just roared a lot of words father never said,and never will--"glad to!To tell the truth,the thing you choose to jestingly refer to as `tinware'--I hope later to convince of the indelicacy of such allusion--would place you in England on a social level above any we ever occupied,or could hope to.Your education equals ours.You are a physical specimen to be reckoned with,and I believe what you say of yourself.There's something so clean and manly about you,it amounts to confirmation.A woman should set her own valuation on that;and the height of it should correspond with her knowledge of the world.""Thank you!"said Laddie."You are more than kind!more than generous!""As to the arrangements you could make for Pamela,"said Mr.
Pryor,"she's all we have.Everything goes to her,ultimately.
She has her stipulated allowance now;whether in my house or yours,it would go with her.Surely you wouldn't be so callous as to object to our giving her anything that would please us!""Why should I?"asked Laddie."That's only natural on your part.
Your child is your child;no matter where or what it is,you expect to exercise a certain amount of loving care over it.My father and mother constantly send things to their children absent from home,and they take much pleasure in doing it.That is between you and your daughter,of course.I shouldn't think of interfering.But in the meantime,unless Miss Pryor has been converted to the beauties of plowing through my continuous performance of over a week,I stand now exactly where I did before,so far as she is concerned.If you and Mrs.Pryor have no objection to me,if you feel that you could think of me,or find for me any least part of a son's place in your hearts,I believe I should know how to appreciate it,and how to go to work to make myself worthy of it."Mr.Pryor sat down so suddenly,the rail almost broke.I thought the truth was,that he had heart trouble,himself.He stopped up,choked on things,flopped around,and turned so white.I suppose he thought it was womanish,and a sign of weakness.and so he didn't tell,but I bet anything that he had it--bad!
"I'll try to make the little fool see!"he said.
"Gently,gently!You won't help me any in that mood,"said Laddie."The chances are that Miss Pryor repeated what she heard from you long ago,and what she knows you think and feel,unless you've changed recently.""That's the amount of it!"cried Mr.Pryor."All my life I've had a lot of beastly notions in my head about rank,and class,and here they don't amount to a damn!There's no place for them.
Things are different.Your mother,a grand,good woman,opened my eyes to many things recently,and I get her viewpoint--clearly,and I agree with her,and with you,sir!--I agree with you!""I am more than glad,"said Laddie."You certainly make a friend at court.Thank you very much!""And you will come----?"
"The instant Miss Pryor gives me the slightest sign that I am wanted,and will be welcomed by her,I'll come like a Dakota blizzard!Flos can hump herself on time for once.""But you won't come until she does?"
"Man alive!I can't!"cried Laddie."Your daughter said positively exactly what she meant.It was unexpected and it hit me so hard I didn't try to argue.I simply took her at her word,her very explicit word.""Fool!"cried Mr.Pryor."The last thing on earth any woman ever wants or expects is for a man to take her at her word.""What?"cried Laddie.
"She had what she said in her mind of course,but what she wanted was to be argued out of it!She wanted to be convinced!""I think not!She was entirely too convincing herself,"said Laddie."It's my guess that she has thought matters over,and that her mind is made up;but I would take it as a mighty big favour if you would put that little piece of special pleading squarely up to her.Will you?""Yes,"said Mr.Pryor,"I will.I'll keep cool and do my best,but I am so unfortunate in my temper.I could manage slaves better than women.This time I'll be calm,and reason things out with her,or I'll blow out my brains.""Don't you dare!"laughed Laddie."You and I are going to get much pleasure,comfort and profit from this world,now that we have come to an understanding."Mr.Pryor arose and held out his hand.Laddie grasped it tight,and they stood there looking straight at each other,while a lark on the fence post close by cried,"Spring o'ye-ar !"at them,over and over,but they never paid the least attention.
