Black Gold

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1922 Excerpt: ...who was so ready to stand by him in woe or weal. But, as his lips parted, there was borne through the open window the sound of Wolfe Naylor's voice shouting an order to one of the guards. And at the sound, a tinge of dread,--of sheer cowardice,--overspread Drace's countenance. He seemed to shrink within himself. "I must go, now," he said fussily, his eyes once more eluding her. "I have a very busy afternoon before me.... You are making a mountain out of a molehill, my dear; and imagining all manner of things that don't exist. I merely ask you to try to maintain harmony and good feeling, here, for a time;--to be civil to Naylor,--cordial to him when occasion demands it,--not to anger him. And on his part, I am certain he won't forget again the respect that is due you. I" "In other words," said the girl, slowly, "though you will see to it that he shall never marry me, I am to be polite and cordial to him, so that he may fancy I'll some day consent to marry him? And that will keep him in a good humor?" "You have no right to twist my words so!" fumed Drace, with the impotent bluster of a man hopelessly in the wrong. "You know very well, I never implied anything of the sort. I--I" "Then what else was implied?" she challenged. "After what happened this morning, if I am cordial and pleasant to him, won't Wolfe Naylor have every right to believe I no longer resent what he did;--and wouldn't an affection for him be the only thing that could make any girl fail to resent it? What better encouragement could he ask? It stands this way: lam to help you along by pretending to encourage him;---until you no longer have need of his services and until you can break the hold he has gained over you. That...


Genre: Literary Fiction