Chapter Twenty-eight


Bert was very late, that night. The children were all asleep, and
Nancy had dined, and was dreaming over her black coffee when, at
nine o'clock, he came in. He was not hungry--just hot and tired--
he wanted something cool. He had lunched late, in town, with both
the Pearsalls, had not left the table until four o'clock. And he
had news for her. He was leaving Pearsall and Pearsall.

Nancy looked at him stupefied. What did he mean? Panic seized her,
and under her panic something rose and exulted. Perhaps it was
trouble--perhaps Bert needed his wife again!

"I'm going in for myself," said Bert. "Now, don't look so scared;
it may be slow for a while, but there's big money in it, for me.
I'm going to be Albert Bradley, Real Estate. You see, I've been
advising Fred to handle this new proposition, down the Island, but
he's young, and he's rich, and his father's an old man. Fred won't
keep up the business when old Buck retires. He didn't want to
handle it and they both asked me why I didn't go into it for
myself. There's a pot of money in it, Nance, if I can swing it.
However, I never thought of it until Biggerstaff asked me if I
knew about anything of that kind--he's got some money to put in,
and so has Ingram. This was last week. Well, I went to see. ..."

Nancy listened, frightened and thrilled. Fear was uppermost;
before this she had seen something of daring business ventures in
her southern childhood. But on the other hand, there was the