Abruptly, out of one of their wordless
intervals, she said quickly:
"Congratulate me on being a rich woman! I got a check from an old,
almost forgotten, patient to-day. A hundred dollars, all in one lump!
It's a fortune in San Juan, isn't it?"
Norton laughed with her.
"I feel like spending it all in a breath," she ran on. "I went right
away to Mr. Engle and had him cash it so that I could see what five
twenty-dollar gold pieces looked like. And I chinked them and played
with them like a child! Do you think I am growing greedy for gold in
my old age? . . . You ought to see them piled up, though; five
twenties. Isn't gold a pretty thing? I've a notion to go get them and
show them to you; they're right on my table ..."
She broke off suddenly, her hand on his arm.
"Did you see some one out there at the corner of the house?" she asked
quickly. "Do you think . . ."
Then she laughed again and settled back in her chair.
"Already thinking somebody is going to steal my gold! My five
twenties. Just to punish myself I am going to leave them on my office
table all night; do you suppose I'll be wondering all the time if
somebody is crawling in at a window and taking them?"
Five minutes later she said good night and left him.
"I'll be up early in the morning," she said laughingly.
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