It was getting late and Torrance evidently becoming impatient, when
Clavering, who had ignored the latter fact as long as he considered it
advisable, glanced at Hetty with a smile. He stood by the piano in the big
hall at Cedar Range, and she sat on the music-stool turning over one of
the new songs he had brought her from Chicago.
"I am afraid I will have to go," he said. "Your father is not fond of
waiting."
Though Hetty was not looking at him directly, she saw his face, which
expressed reluctance still more plainly than his voice did; but just then
Torrance turned to them.
"Aren't you through with those songs yet, Clavering?" he said.
"I'm afraid I have made Miss Torrance tired," said Clavering. "Still, we
have music enough left us for another hour or two."
"Then why can't you stay on over to-morrow and get a whole night at it? I
want you just now."
Clavering glanced at Hetty, and, though she made no sign, fancied that she
was not quite pleased with her father.
"Am I to tell him I will?" he asked.
Hetty understood what prompted him, but she would not commit herself. "You
will do what suits you," she said. "When my father asks any one to Cedar I
really don't often make myself unpleasant to him."
Clavering's eyes twinkled as he walked towards the older man, while Hetty
crossed the room to where Miss Schuyler sat. Both apparently became
absorbed in the books Clavering had brought, but they could hear the
conversation of the men, and it became evident later that one of them
listened. Torrance had questions to ask, and Clavering answered them.
"Well," he said, "I had a talk with Purbeck which cost us fifty dollars.
His notion was that the Bureau hadn't a great deal to go upon if they
meant to do anything further about dispossessing us. In fact, he quite
seemed to think that as the legislature had a good many other worries just
now, it would suit them to let us slide. He couldn't recommend anything
better than getting our friends in the lobbies to keep the screw on them
until the election."
Torrance looked thoughtful. "That means holding out for another six
months, any way. Did you hear anything at the settlement?"
"Yes. Fleming wouldn't sell the homestead-boys anything after they broke
in his store. Steele's our man, and it was Carter they got their
provisions from. Now, Carter had given Jackson a bond for two thousand
dollars when he first came in, and as he hadn't made his payments lately,
and we have our thumb on Jackson, the Sheriff has closed down on his
store. He'll be glad to light out with the clothes he stands in when we're
through with him."