So that's out of the way.
Now, help me."
"What a generous fellow you are!"
"Generous? Stuff! I need you. We're going to stay friends. You can
do what you damn please--I'll like you just the same. I may swat
you if you get in my way; but as soon as you were out of it--and
that'd be mighty soon and sudden, Grant, old boy--why, I'd be
friends again. Come, tell me how I'm to get clear of this
engagement."
"I can't talk about it to you."
"Why not?"
"Because I love her."
Craig gasped: "Do you mean that?"
"I love her--as much as I'm capable of loving anybody. Didn't I
tell you so?"
"I believe you did say something of the kind," admitted Craig.
"But I was so full of my own affairs that I didn't pay much
attention to it. Why don't you jump in and marry her?"
"She happens to prefer you."
"Yes, she does," said Craig with a complacence that roiled
Arkwright. "I don't know what the poor girl sees in me, but she's
just crazy about me."
"Don't be an ass, Josh!" cried Grant in a jealous fury.
Craig laughed pleasantly. "I'm stating simple facts." Then, with
abrupt change to earnestness, "Do you suppose, if I were to break
the engagement, she'd take it seriously to heart?"
"I fancy she could live through it if you could.
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