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〃Oh； Aleck！〃 he said； reproachfully。 〃We've always worked so hard
and been so scrimped： and now that we are rich； it does seem〃
He did not finish； for he saw her eye soften； his supplication
had touched her。 She said； with gentle persuasiveness：
〃We must not spend the capital； dear； it would not be wise。
Out of the income from it〃
〃That will answer； that will answer； Aleck！ How dear and good you are！
There will be a noble income and if we can spend that〃
〃Not ALL of it； dear； not all of it； but you can spend a part of it。
That is； a reasonable part。 But the whole of the capital
every penny of itmust be put right to work； and kept at it。
You see the reasonableness of that； don't you？〃
〃Why； ye…s。 Yes； of course。 But we'll have to wait so long。
Six months before the first interest falls due。〃
〃Yesmaybe longer。〃
〃Longer； Aleck？ Why？ Don't they pay half…yearly？〃
〃THAT kind of an investmentyes； but I sha'n't invest in that way。〃
〃What way； then？〃
〃For big returns。〃
〃Big。 That's good。 Go on； Aleck。 What is it？〃
〃Coal。 The new mines。 Cannel。 I mean to put in ten thousand。
Ground floor。 When we organize； we'll get three shares for one。〃
〃By George； but it sounds good； Aleck！ Then the shares will be worth
how much？ And when？〃
〃About a year。 They'll pay ten per cent。 half yearly； and be
worth thirty thousand。 I know all about it； the advertisement
is in the Cincinnati paper here。〃
〃Land； thirty thousand for tenin a year！ Let's jam in the whole
capital and pull out ninety！ I'll write and subscribe right now
tomorrow it maybe too late。〃
He was flying to the writing…desk； but Aleck stopped him and put
him back in his chair。 She said：
〃Don't lose your head so。 WE mustn't subscribe till we've got
the money； don't you know that？〃
Sally's excitement went down a degree or two； but he was not
wholly appeased。
〃Why； Aleck； we'll HAVE it； you knowand so soon； too。 He's probably
out of his troubles before this； it's a hundred to nothing he's
selecting his brimstone…shovel this very minute。 Now； I think〃
Aleck shuddered； and said：
〃How CAN you； Sally！ Don't talk in that way； it is perfectly scandalous。〃
〃Oh； well； make it a halo； if you like； _I_ don't care for his outfit；
I was only just talking。 Can't you let a person talk？〃
〃But why should you WANT to talk in that dreadful way？ How would
you like to have people talk so about YOU； and you not cold yet？〃
〃Not likely to be； for ONE while； I reckon； if my last act was
giving away money for the sake of doing somebody a harm with it。
But never mind about Tilbury； Aleck； let's talk about something worldly。
It does seem to me that that mine is the place for the whole thirty。
What's the objection？〃
〃All the eggs in one basketthat's the objection。〃
〃All right； if you say so。 What about the other twenty？
What do you mean to do with that？〃
〃There is no hurry； I am going to look around before I do anything
with it。〃
〃All right； if your mind's made up；〃 signed Sally。 He was deep
in thought awhile； then he said：
〃There'll be twenty thousand profit coming from the ten a year
from now。 We can spend that； can we； Aleck？〃
Aleck shook her head。
〃No； dear；〃 she said； 〃it won't sell high till we've had the first
semi…annual dividend。 You can spend part of that。〃
〃Shucks； only THATand a whole year to wait！ Confound it； I〃
〃Oh； do be patient！ It might even be declared in three months
it's quite within the possibilities。〃
〃Oh； jolly！ oh； thanks！〃 and Sally jumped up and kissed his wife
in gratitude。 〃It'll be three thousandthree whole thousand！
how much of it can we spend； Aleck？ Make it liberal！do； dear；
that's a good fellow。〃
Aleck was pleased； so pleased that she yielded to the pressure and
conceded a sum which her judgment told her was a foolish extravagance
a thousand dollars。 Sally kissed her half a dozen times and even
in that way could not express all his joy and thankfulness。
This new access of gratitude and affection carried Aleck quite
beyond the bounds of prudence； and before she could restrain
herself she had made her darling another granta couple
of thousand out of the fifty or sixty which she meant to clear
within a year of the twenty which still remained of the bequest。
The happy tears sprang to Sally's eyes； and he said：
〃Oh； I want to hug you！〃 And he did it。 Then he got his
notes and sat down and began to check off； for first purchase；
the luxuries which he should earliest wish to secure。
〃Horsebuggycutterlap…robepatent…leathersdogplug…hat
church…pewstem…windernew teethSAY； Aleck！〃
〃Well？〃
〃Ciphering away； aren't you？ That's right。 Have you got the twenty
thousand invested yet？〃
〃No； there's no hurry about that； I must look around first；
and think。〃
〃But you are ciphering； what's it about？〃
〃Why； I have to find work for the thirty thousand that comes out
of the coal； haven't I？〃
〃Scott； what a head！ I never thought of that。 How are you
getting along？ Where have you arrived？〃
〃Not very fartwo years or three。 I've turned it over twice；
once in oil and once in wheat。〃
〃Why； Aleck； it's splendid！ How does it aggregate？〃
〃I thinkwell； to be on the safe side； about a hundred and eighty
thousand clear； though it will probably be more。〃
〃My！ isn't it wonderful？ By gracious！ luck has come our way at last；
after all the hard sledding； Aleck！〃
〃Well？〃
〃I'm going to cash in a whole three hundred on the missionaries
what real right have we care for expenses！〃
〃You couldn't do a nobler thing； dear； and it's just like your
generous nature； you unselfish boy。〃
The praise made Sally poignantly happy； but he was fair and just
enough to say it was rightfully due to Aleck rather than to himself；
since but for her he should never have had the money。
Then they went up to bed； and in their delirium of bliss they forgot
and left the candle burning in the parlor。 They did not remember
until they were undressed； then Sally was for letting it burn；
he said they could afford it； if it was a thousand。 But Aleck went
down and put it out。
A good job； too； for on her way back she hit on a scheme that would
turn the hundred and eighty thousand into half a million before it
had had time to get cold。
CHAPTER III
The little newspaper which Aleck had subscribed for was a Thursday sheet；
it would make the trip of five hundred miles from Tilbury's village
and arrive on Saturday。 Tilbury's letter had started on Friday；
more than a day too late for the benefactor to die and get into
that week's issue； but in plenty of time to make connection for the
next output。 Thus the Fosters had to wait almost a complete week to
find out whether anything of a satisfactory nature had happened to him