drearily. "I didn't expect anything else," he said simply. "I knew what
I'd get. But whether you like it or not," and here he caught her
shoulder, his eyes holding hers, "as I told you before, I always got to
do what seems the best for you, no matter what's the cost."

Her face did not soften. She merely accepted this as she did all else
that he had to give her, himself included.

They had reached the end of a long alley, and now they turned and
retraced their steps, but they had traversed almost half of the distance
they had come before Pearl spoke again. "Well, now you've told me, what
else are you and Pop planning to do?"

He weighed his answer for a few moments. "I guess nothing," he said at
last. "I guess we'll leave it to you to send him about his business."

She stopped in the path and looked at him; her blue cotton gown fell in
long lines of grace about her slender figure. "If you and Pop want to
know what I'm going to do," she said, "I'll tell you. I'm going to
accept Rudolf's offer and go out on the road, that's what. You know by
this time that I can take care of myself."

He pondered this seriously, but without a change in the expression of
his face. "Would you go with him," he asked, "if Sweeney offers you as
much or more money?"

"Sweeney won't offer me more money. I know Sweeney and his limits,"
significantly, "and you won't make up the balance of what Sweeney lacks,
either, do you hear? Now you, and Pop, too, can just keep your hands
off. I manage this affair myself."