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only what any one should have done； in humanity； and I； for one； am
only too glad she had the chance。 You mustn't exaggerate。 And nhead。
〃She might take the disease。 She might die。 It vas noble。〃 He
shuddered。 〃My Mina left to die all alone！〃
Orde rose to his feet with decision。
〃That is all right；〃 said he。 〃Carroll was glad of the chance。 Now
let me get you home。〃
But Heinzman's excitement had suddenly died。
〃No；〃 said he； extending his trembling hand； 〃sit down。 I want to
talk business。〃
〃You are in no condition to talk business；〃 said Orde。
〃No！〃 cried Heinzman with unexpected vigour。 〃Sit down！ Listen to
me！ Dot's better。 I haf your note for sefenty…five t'ousand
dollars。 No？〃
Orde nodded。
〃Dot money I never lent you。 NO！ I'm not crazy。 Sit still！ I
know my name is on dot note。 But the money came from somewheres
else。 It came from your partner； Joseph Newmark。〃
Orde half rose from his keg。
〃Why？ What？〃 he asked in bewilderment。
〃Den ven you could not pay the note； I vas to foreclose and hand
over dot Northern Peninsula land to Joseph Newmark； your partner。〃
〃Impossible！〃 cried Orde。
〃I vas to get a share。 It vas a trick。〃
〃Go on；〃 said Orde grimly。
〃Dere is no go on。 Dot is all。〃
〃Why do you come to tell me now？〃
〃Because for more than one year now I say to mineself； 'Carl
Heinzman； you vas one dirty scoundrel。 You vas dishonest； a sneak；
a thief'； I don't like to call myself names like dose。 It iss all
righdt to be smart； but to be a thief！〃
〃Why didn't you pull out？〃 asked Orde。
〃I couldn't！〃 cried Heinzman piteously。 〃How could I？ He haf me
cold。 I paid Stanford five hundred dollars for his vote on the
charter； and Joseph Newmark； he know dot； he can PROVE it。 He tell
me if I don't do what he say； he put me in jail。 Think of dot！ All
my friends go back on me； all my money gone； maybe my daughter Mina
go back on me； too。 How could I？〃
〃Well； he can still put you in prison；〃 said Orde。
〃Vot I care？〃 cried Heinzman； throwing up both his arms。 〃You and
your wife are my friends。 She save my Mina。 DU LIEBER GOTT！ If my
daughter had died； vot good iss friends and money？ Vot good iss
anything？ I don't vant to live！ And ven I sit dere by her always
something ask me：
〃Vell； I go；〃 he said at last。
〃Have you that note？〃 asked Orde。
〃Joseph Newmark； he keeps it most times；〃 replied Heinzman； 〃but now
it is at my office for the foreclosure。 I vill not foreclose； he
can send me to the penitentiary。〃
〃Telephone Lambert in the morning to give it to me。 No； here。
Write an order in this notebook。〃
Heinzman wrote the required order。
〃I go；〃 said he； suddenly weary。
Orde accompanied him down the street。 The German was again light…
headed with the fever； mumbling about his daughter； the notes；
Carroll； the voices that had driven him to righteousness。 By some
manoeuvring Orde succeeded in slipping him through the improvised
quarantine without discovery。 Then the riverman with slow and
thoughtful steps returned to where the lamp in the study still
marked off with the spaced replenishments from its oil reservoir the
early morning hours。
XLVI
Morning found Orde still seated in the library chair。 His head was
sunk forward on his chest； his hands were extended listless； palms
up； along the arms of the chair； his eyes were vacant and troubled。
Hardly once in the long hours had he shifted by a hair's breadth his
position。 His body was suspended in an absolute inaction while his
spirit battered at the walls of an impasse。 For； strangely enough；
Orde did not once； even for a single instant； give a thought to the
business aspects of the situationwhat it meant to him and his
prospects or what he could do about it。 Hurt to the soul he stared
at the wreck of a friendship。 Nothing will more deeply sicken the
heart of a naturally loyal man than to discover baseless his faith
in some one he has thoroughly trusted。
Orde had liked Newmark。 He had admired heartily his clearness of
vision； his financial skill； his knowledge of business intricacies；
his imperturbable coolness； all the abilities that had brought him
to success。 With a man of Orde's temperament； to admire is to like；
and to like is to invest with all good qualities。 He had
constructed his ideal of a friend； with Newmark as a basis； and now
that this； which had seemed to him as solid a reality as a brick
block； had dissolved into nothing； he found himself in the necessity
of refashioning his whole world。 He was not angry at Newmark。 But
he was grieved down to the depths of his being。
When the full sun shone into the library； he aroused himself to
change his clothes。 Then； carrying those he had just discarded； he
slipped out of the house and down the street。 Duke； the black and
white setter dog； begged to follow him。 Orde welcomed the animal's
company。 He paused only long enough to telephone from the office
telling Carroll he would be out of town all day。 Then he set out at
a long swinging gait over the hills。 By the time the sun grew hot；
he was some miles from the village and in the high beech woods。
There he sat down； his back to a monster tree。 All day long he
gazed steadily on the shifting shadows and splotches of sunlight； on
the patches of blue sky； the dazzling white clouds that sailed
across them； on the waving； whispering frond that over…arched him；
and the deep cool shadows beneath。 The woods creatures soon became
accustomed to his presence。 Squirrels of the several varieties that
abounded in the Michigan forests scampered madly after each other in
spirals around the tree trunks； or bounded across the ground in long
undulating leaps。 Birds flashed and called and disappeared
mysteriously。 A chewink； brave in his black and white and tan
uniform； scratched mightily with great two…footed swoops that threw
the vegetable mould over Orde's very feet。 Blazoned butterflies
the yellow and black turnus； the dark troilus； the shade…loving
nymphalisflickered in and out of the patches of sunlight。 Orde
paid them no attention。 The noon heat poured down through the
forest isles like an incense。 Overhead swung the sun； and down the
slope until the long shafts of its light lifted wand…like across the
tree trunks。
At this hint of evening Orde shook himself and arose。 He was little
nearer the readjustment he sought than he had been the previous
night。
He reached home a little before six o'clock。 To his surprise he
found Taylor awaiting him。 The lawyer had written nothing as to his
return。
〃I had things pretty well in shape；〃 he said； after the first
greetings had been exchanged； 〃and it would do no good to stay away
any longer。〃
〃Then the trouble is over？