_ PART THREE
CHAPTER XVII
He felt strangely lost in the sudden emptiness of his existence, an existence that, only a few hours before, had welcomed the prospect of release from its bewildering fullness. He had gathered the results of his slowly-formulating consciousness, his tragic memory, to a final resolve in the return of the options to a county enhanced by the coming of a railroad whose benefits he would distribute to all. And now the railroad was no more than a myth, it had vanished into thin, false air, carrying with it....
He swept his hand through the papers of his vain endeavor, bringing a sudden confusion upon their order. His arm struck the glass of shot, and, for a short space, there was a continuous sharp patter on the floor. He rose, and paced from wall to wall, a bent shape with open, hanging hands and a straggling grey wisp of hair across his dry, bony forehead.
Footsteps crossed the porch, a knock fell upon the door, and Gordon responded without raising his head.
It was Simeon Caley.
He had not been in the house since, together with his wife, he had left it after Lettice's death. Sim's stained felt hat was pushed back from a wet brow, his gestures were urgent.
"Get your horse in the buggy!" he exclaimed; "I'll help you. Light out."
"'Light out'?" Gordon's gaze centered upon the other's excitement, "where?"
"That doesn't make much difference, so's you light. The County's mad clear through, and it's pretty near all in the village." Sim turned to the door. "I'll help you, and then--drive."
"I ain't agoing to drive anywhere," Gordon told him; "I'm where I belong."
"You don't belong in Greenstream after that piece in the
Bugle," his hand rested on the knob. "Tie up anything you need, I'll hitch the buggy."
"Don't you touch a strap," Gordon commanded; "because I won't put a foot in her."
"It'll all settle down in a little; then maybe you can come back."
"What'll settle down?"
"Why, the deal with the railroad."
"Sim," Gordon demanded sharply, "you never believed that in the paper?"
"I don't know what to b'lieve," the other replied evasively; "a good many say those are the facts, that you have the options."
"Get out of here!" Gordon shouted in a sudden moving rage; "and stay out; don't come back when you find what's what."
"I c'n do that. And I'll point out to you we just came for Lettice, we never took nothing of yours. I only stopped now to warn you away ... I'll hitch her up, Gordon; you get down the road."
"It's mine now, whose ever it was awhile back. I've paid for it. You go."
Simeon Caley lingered reluctantly at the door. Gordon stood rigidly; his eyes were bright points of wrath, his arm rose, with a finger indicating the world without. The former slowly opened the door, stepped out upon the porch; he stayed a moment more, then closed himself from sight. _