"That surprised me," said Polly.
"So it did me, for Fan always insisted it was the money and not the
man she cared for. Her first answer pleased me very much, for I
did not expect it, and nothing touches a fellow more than to have a
woman stand by him through thick and thin."
"She don't seem to have done it."
"Fan was right. Trix only waited to see how bad things really were,
or rather her mother did. She 's as cool, hard, and worldly minded
an old soul as I ever saw, and Trix is bound to obey. She gets
round it very neatly in her note, 'I won't be a burden,' 'will sacrifice
her hopes,' 'and always remain my warm friend,' but the truth is,
Tom Shaw rich was worth making much of, but Tom Shaw poor is
in the way, and may go to the devil as fast as he likes."
"Well, he is n't going!" cried Polly, defiantly, for her wrath burned
hotly against Trix, though she blessed her for setting the bondman
free.
"Came within an ace of it," muttered Tom to himself; adding
aloud, in a tone of calm resignation that assured Polly his heart
would not be broken though his engagement was, "It never rains
but it pours, 'specially in hard times, but when a man is down, a
rap or two more don't matter much, I suppose.
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