Captain Obed tried to put in a word.  “Don’t you see, Thankful?” he said.  “John knew you thought you owned the land and so—­”

“Hush!  Please don’t.  I—­I don’t see.  Mr. Kendrick, you—­you have prided yourself on bein’ honest with your clients, and Mr. Holliday Kendrick was your client.”

John smiled.  “I compromised there,” he answered.  “I returned his money and resigned as his attorney before I sent you the deed.  It was a compromise, I admit, but I had to choose between him and—­well, my honor, if you like; although that sounds theatrical.  I chose to be honest with myself—­that’s all.  The land is yours, Mrs. Barnes.”

He handed her the envelope containing the deed.  She took it and sat there turning it over and over in her fingers, not looking at it, but thinking, or trying to think.

“You give it to me,” she said.  “It was yours and you give it to me.  Why should you?  Do—­do you think I can take it from you?”

“Certainly, you must take it.”

“But I can’t!  I can’t!”

“Certainly you can.  Why not?”

“Why not?  After the things I’ve thought about you?  And after the way I’ve treated you?  And—­and after Emily—­”

“She didn’t know either,” broke in Captain Obed.  “She didn’t understand.  She—­”

“That’s enough, Captain,” interrupted John.  “Mrs. Barnes, you mustn’t misunderstand me again.  Neither you nor—­nor Miss Howes must misunderstand my motives.  I give this to you because I honestly believe it belongs to you, not because I expect anything in return.  I—­I confess I did hesitate a little.  I feared—­I feared she—­”

“He means Emily,” broke in the irrepressible captain.  “You mean Emily, don’t you, John?”

“Yes,” with some embarrassment.  “Yes, I do mean Miss Howes.  She and I had been—­friends, and I feared she might misinterpret my reasons.  It was not until yesterday afternoon, when I learned of the—­of the engagement, that I felt certain neither you nor she could misunderstand.  Then I felt perfectly free to send you the deed.”

Captain Obed, who had grasped his meaning, would have spoken, but Thankful spoke first.  She, evidently, was quite at sea.

“The engagement?” she repeated.  “What engagement?”

“Miss Howes’ engagement to Mr. Daniels.  They were congratulating him on his engagement yesterday at the station.  I overheard the congratulations.  I had not known of it before.”

At last Thankful understood.  She looked at the speaker, then at Captain Obed, and the color rushed to her face.

“And even though Emily—­Hush, Obed Bangs! you keep still—­and even though you knew Emily was engaged to Heman Daniels, you could still give me and her—­this?”

“Now, Mrs. Barnes, do you think—­”