Page:Stewart Edward White--The Rose Dawn.djvu/103

Rh show, sometimes with scanty and inefficient help, but oftener by his own unaided and inadequate strength. For that reason the place never quite reached its proper efficiency. But Brainerd did not die, as he had been told he would, and a certain amount of produce got to the market. When the first fruit came in the Colonel offered to haul and market it with his own, charging a pro rata of expense. This seemed like a business proposition so, after some discussion, Brainerd assented. The Colonel was jubilant. He saw his chance. At the final accounting Brainerd's share proved to be pleasantly but unexpectedly heavy. On receiving it and the ingenious accounts the Colonel handed him, he said nothing. But the following season he quietly but briefly insisted that it was his turn to see to the marketing. He put it in such a way that the Colonel could not refuse.

"I don't know why, but that fellow makes me feel guilty!" he cried indignantly to Allie, "I'm ashamed to meet him"

"You falsified accounts; you know you did," accused Allie, "and now you're going to be found out. No wonder you're ashamed to meet him."

"Well," the Colonel defended himself, "that child ought to have a few clothes and heaven knows Brainerd can't get a start in that miserable place without a little money, and"

"I know. But now you must face the music."

The Colonel was very much disturbed. You would have thought, to judge by his furtive air whenever a fresh cloud of dust turned in to the Avenue of Palms, that he was a criminal in dread of the sheriff. He met Brainerd finally, with a false air of cheer.

"Well, my boy, fruit all sold?" he cried. "Afraid this year is not quite as good as last year. Can't expect two good years in succession, can we?"

Brainerd was eying him sardonically, and the Colonel, to his own indignation, found himself fidgeting like a school boy. Why, confound it! he was old enough to be this man's father, and he came from a proud old Blue Grass family, and he was lord of the Corona del Monte, and his name was known from end to end of the Californias. Nevertheless, he fidgeted.

"Judging by the results of our sales, you are right," said