“But you shouldn’t have said that,” said Mrs. Wade with a frightened little smile.
“No matter,” returned Brooks cheerfully. “I’ll take the blame of it with the others. You see they’ll have to have a scapegoat—and I’m just the man, for I got up the dance! And as I’m going away, I suppose I shall bear off the sin with me into the wilderness.”
“You’re going away?” repeated Mrs. Wade in more genuine concern.
“Not for long,” returned Brooks laughingly. “I came here to look up a mill site, and I’ve found it. Meantime I think I’ve opened their eyes.”
“You have opened mine,” said the widow with timid frankness.
They were soft pretty eyes when opened, in spite of their heavy red lids, and Mr. Brooks thought that Santa Ana would be no worse if they remained open. Possibly he looked it, for Mrs.
