Are you ready to tell
me?"
"I am ready to ask you," she said.
"Thank you," said Mr. Winton. "I appreciate the difference. Surely a man
does enjoy counting for something with his women."
"Spoiled shamelessly, dearest, that's what you are," said Leslie. "A
spoiled, pampered father! But to conclude. Mr. Swain helped you. Pay back,
Daddy, no matter what the cost; pay _back_. You help _him_, I'll help
_you!_ My idea was this: for weeks I've foreseen that you wouldn't like to
leave business this summer. Douglas is delving into that investigation Mr.
Minturn started him on and he couldn't be dragged away. He's perfectly
possessed. Of course where my men are, like Ruth, 'there will be I also,'
so for days I've been working on a plan, and now it's all finished and
waiting your veto or approval."
"Thrilling, Leslie! Tell quickly. I'm all agog!"
"It's this: let's not go away and spend big sums on travel, dress, and
close the house, and throw our people out of work. Do you realize, Daddy,
how long you've had the same housekeeper, cook, maid and driver? Do you
know how badly I'd feel to let them go, and risk getting them back in the
fall? My scheme is to rent, for practically nothing, a log cabin I know, a
little over an hour's run from here--a log cabin with four rooms and a
lean-to and a log stable, beside a lake where there is grand fishing and
swimming.
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