"
"I confess I don't follow you there," he complained. "If he
doesn't--then I go to Singville."
"Wouldn't you rather?"
He raised himself stiffly into a sitting posture. "Would _you_?"
She did not hesitate in her reply. "Yes, papa. I _would_ rather--if I
were you."
"But since you're not me--since you are yourself--would you still rather
that I went to Singville?"
There was a little lift to her chin, a faint color in her face as she
replied: "I'd rather pay--however I did it. I'd rather pay--in any
way--than ask some one else to do it."
He fell back on the cushion of violet brocade. "So would I--if I had
only myself to think of. We're alike in that."
"Do you mean that you'd rather do it if it wasn't for me?"
"I've got to take everything into consideration. It's no use for me to
make bad worse by refusing a good offer. I must try to make the best of
a bad business for every one's sake. I don't want to take Davenant's
money. It's about as pleasant for me as swallowing a knife. But I'd
swallow a knife if we could only hush the thing up long enough for you
to be married--and for me to settle some other things. I shouldn't care
what happened after that.
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