"You did? How?"
"I told her what you had really been working at."
The boy staggered under the force of this. "Holy smoke! Did you do
that?"
"Sure I did. It was the only way to save that dear old mother of yours.
I told your sister also that I was going to stop your white-marble
exercise, and I'm going to do it if I have to break your back."
There was no mistaking the sincerity and determination of Kelley's tone,
and the young man, so far from resenting these qualities, replied,
meekly: "I want to get out of it, Ed. I've been saying all day that I
must quit it. But what can I do?"
"I'll tell you my plan," said Kelley, with decision. "You've got to buy
my interest in the mine."
Morse laughed. "But I haven't any money. I haven't three hundred dollars
in the world."
"I'll take your note, provided your sister will indorse it, and she
will."
The young fellow looked up at his tall friend in amazement which turned
at last into amusement. He began to chuckle. "Good Lord! I knew you'd
made a mash on Flo, but I didn't know it was mutual. I heard her say,
'be sure and write.'" He slapped Kelley on the back. "There'll be
something doing when she comes back in the spring, eh?"
Kelley remained unmoved. "There will be if she finds you rolling that
white marble."
"She won't. I'll take your offer. But what will you be doing?"
"Climbing some Alaska trail," replied Kelley, with a remote glance.