Horace answered warmly, "Yes, of course, I am!"
* * * * *
By the dawn of day Floyd had become so much worse that a trained nurse was placed at his side, and the physician's verdict, that the boy might die at any moment, overshadowed the threats of the squatter father.
* * * * *
Lon Cronk had come alone to Everett's office on the hour set. Brimbecomb wondered vaguely where the other man was, and what was his concern in the affair.
After greeting Lon coldly, the young lawyer said: "I should like to know about your life, Mr. Cronk, how long your children have been away from you, and all about it."
"They've been gone since September," replied Lon. "They runned away from hum, and I ain't seed 'em till I found out that they was at Shellington's."
"And how did you discover them?"
"Saw Flea goin' up the steps," lied Cronk. "I knowed her the minute I see her, in spite of her pretty clothes."
"Then you applied to Mr. Shellington for them?"
"Yep."
"And he refused to deliver them up?"
"Yep--damn him! But I'll take 'em, anyway."
"Don't say that outside my office," warned Everett. "The law does not want to be threatened."
Lon remained silent.
"We'll have to deal with Mr. Shellington very carefully," cautioned the lawyer; "for he is proud and stubborn, and has a great liking for your children. In fact, I think he is quite in love with the girl."
Lon started to his feet, his swart face paling.
"He won't git her!" he muttered. "I've got plans for that gal, and I ain't goin' have no young buck kickin' 'em over, I kin tell ye that!"
Brimbecomb's words put a new light upon the matter. That Flea would be protected by the young millionaire Lon knew; but that the young man thought of marrying her had never come into his mind.
"I don't believe as how he'd marry a squatter girl," he said presently. "He won't, if I get her once to Ithaca!"
The mention of Brimbecomb's college town and birthplace brought a new train of thought to the lawyer.
"Have you lived in Ithaca many years?" he demanded.
"Yep."
"The first thing I shall do," said the attorney deliberately, "is to make a formal demand upon Mr. Shellington in your name, and get his answer. Please remain in town where I can see you, and if anything comes up I shall write you."