“MarcusISgoingaway，afterall，Mac，“saidTrinatoherhusbandthatdayashecameoutofhis“Parlors“andsatdowntothelunchofsausages，mashedpotatoes，andchocolateinthesitting-room。
　　“Huh？“saidthedentist，alittleconfused。“Who’sgoingaway？Schoulergoingaway？Why’sSchoulergoingaway？“
　　Trinaexplained。“Oh！“growledMcTeague，behindhisthickmustache，“hecangofarbeforeI’LLstophim。“
　　“And，say，Mac，“continuedTrina，pouringthechocolate，“whatdoyouthink？Mammawantsme——wantsustosendherfiftydollars。Shesaysthey’rehardup。“
　　“Well，“saidthedentist，afteramoment，“well，Iguesswecansendit，can’twe？“
　　“Oh，that’seasytosay，“complainedTrina，herlittlechinintheair，hersmallpalelipspursed。“Iwonderifmammathinkswe’remillionaires？“
　　“Trina，you’regettingtoberegularstingy，“mutteredMcTeague。“You’regettingworseandworseeveryday。“
　　“Butfiftydollarsisfiftydollars，Mac。Justthinkhowlongittakesyoutoearnfiftydollars。Fiftydollars！
　　That’stwomonthsofourinterest。“
　　“Well，“saidMcTeague，easily，hismouthfullofmashedpotato，“yougotalotsavedup。“
　　Uponeveryreferencetothatlittlehoardinthebrassmatch-safeandchamois-skinbagatthebottomofhertrunk，Trinabridledontheinstant。
　　“Don’tTALKthatway，Mac。’Alotofmoney。’Whatdoyoucallalotofmoney？Idon’tbelieveI’vegotfiftydollarssaved。“
　　“Hoh！“exclaimedMcTeague。“Hoh！IguessyougotnearerahundredAN’fifty。That’swhatIguessYOUgot。“
　　“I’veNOT，I’veNOT，“declaredTrina，“andyouknowI’venot。Iwishmammahadn’taskedmeforanymoney。Whycan’tshebealittlemoreeconomical？Imanageallright。No，no，Ican’tpossiblyaffordtosendherfifty。“
　　“Oh，pshaw！WhatWILLyoudo，then？“grumbledherhusband。
　　“I’llsendhertwenty-fivethismonth，andtellherI’llsendtherestassoonasIcanaffordit。“
　　“Trina，you’rearegularlittlemiser，“saidMcTeague。
　　“Idon’tcare，“answeredTrina，beginningtolaugh。“I
　　guessIam，butIcan’thelpit，andit’sagoodfault。“
　　Trinaputoffsendingthismoneyforacoupleofweeks，andhermothermadenomentionofitinhernextletter。“Oh，I
　　guessifshewantsitsobad，“saidTrina，“she’llspeakaboutitagain。“Sosheagainpostponedthesendingofit。
　　Daybydaysheputitoff。Whenhermotheraskedherforitasecondtime，itseemedharderthaneverforTrinatopartwithevenhalfthesumrequested。Sheansweredhermother，tellingherthattheywereveryhardupthemselvesforthatmonth，butthatshewouldsenddowntheamountinafewweeks。
　　“I’lltellyouwhatwe’lldo，Mac，“shesaidtoherhusband，“yousendhalfandI’llsendhalf；we’llsendtwenty-fivedollarsaltogether。Twelveandahalfapiece。That’sanidea。Howwillthatdo？“
　　“Sure，sure，“McTeaguehadanswered，givingherthemoney。
　　TrinasentMcTeague’stwelvedollars，butneversentthetwelvethatwastobehershare。Onedaythedentisthappenedtoaskheraboutit。
　　“Yousentthattwenty-fivetoyourmother，didn’tyou？“saidhe。
　　“Oh，longago，“answeredTrina，withoutthinking。
　　Infact，Trinaneverallowedherselftothinkverymuchofthisaffair。And，infact，anothermattersooncametoengrossherattention。
　　OneSundayeveningTrinaandherhusbandwereintheirsitting-roomtogether。Itwasdark，butthelamphadnotbeenlit。McTeaguehadbroughtupsomebottlesofbeerfromthe“WeinStube“onthegroundfloor，wherethebranchpost-
　　officeusedtobe。Buttheyhadnotopenedthebeer。Itwasawarmeveninginsummer。TrinawassittingonMcTeague’slapinthebaywindow，andhadloopedbacktheNottinghamcurtainssothetwocouldlookoutintothedarkenedstreetandwatchthemooncomingupovertheglassroofofthehugepublicbaths。Onoccasionstheysatlikethisforanhourorso，“philandering，“TrinacuddlingherselfdownuponMcTeague’senormousbody，rubbinghercheekagainstthegrainofhisunshavenchin，kissingthebaldspotonthetopofhishead，orputtingherfingersintohisearsandeyes。Attimes，abrusqueaccessofpassionwouldseizeuponher，and，withanervouslittlesigh，shewouldclasphisthickredneckinbothhersmallarmsandwhisperinhisear：
　　“Doyouloveme，Mac，dear？LovemeBIG，BIG？
　　Sure，doyoulovemeasmuchasyoudidwhenweweremarried？“
　　Puzzled，McTeaguewouldanswer：“Well，youknowit，don’tyou，Trina？“
　　“ButIwantyoutoSAYso；saysoalwaysandalways。“
　　“Well，Ido，ofcourseIdo。“
　　“Sayit，then。“
　　“Well，then，Iloveyou。“
　　“Butyoudon’tsayitofyourownaccord。“
　　“Well，what——what——what——Idon’tunderstand，“stammeredthedentist，bewildered。
　　Therewasaknockonthedoor。Confusedandembarrassed，asiftheywerenotmarried，TrinascrambledoffMcTeague’slap，hasteningtolightthelamp，whispering，“Putonyourcoat，Mac，andsmoothyourhair，“andmakinggesturesforhimtoputthebeerbottlesoutofsight。Sheopenedthedoorandutteredanexclamation。
　　“Why，CousinMark！“shesaid。McTeagueglaredathim，struckspeechless，confusedbeyondexpression。MarcusSchouler，perfectlyathisease，stoodinthedoorway，smilingwithgreataffability。
　　“Say，“heremarked，“canIcomein？“
　　Takenallaback，Trinacouldonlyanswer：
　　“Why——Isupposeso。Yes，ofcourse——comein。“
　　“Yes，yes，comein，“exclaimedthedentist，suddenly，speakingwithoutthought。“Havesomebeer？“headded，struckwithanidea。
　　“No，thanks，Doctor，“saidMarcus，pleasantly。
　　McTeagueandTrinawerepuzzled。Whatcoulditallmean？
　　DidMarcuswanttobecomereconciledtohisenemy？“I
　　know。“Trinasaidtoherself。“He’sgoingaway，andhewantstoborrowsomemoney。Hewon’tgetapenny，notapenny。“Shesetherteethtogetherhard。
　　“Well，“saidMarcus，“how’sbusiness，Doctor？“
　　“Oh，“saidMcTeague，uneasily，“oh，Idon’know。Iguess——I
　　guess，“hebrokeoffinhelplessembarrassment。Theyhadallsatdownbynow。Marcuscontinued，holdinghishatandhiscane——theblackwandofebonywiththegoldtoppresentedtohimbythe“ImprovementClub。“
　　“Ah！“saidhe，wagginghisheadandlookingaboutthesitting-room，“youpeoplehavegotthebestfixedroomsinthewholeflat。Yes，sir；youhave，forafact。“Heglancedfromthelithographframedingiltandredplush——
　　thetwolittlegirlsattheirprayers——tothe“I’mGrandpa“
　　and“I’mGrandma“pictures，notedthecleanwhitemattingandthegayworstedtidiesoverthechairbacks，andappearedtocontemplateinecstasytheframedphotographofMcTeagueandTrinaintheirweddingfinery。
　　“Well，youtwoareprettyhappytogether，ain’tyou？“saidhe，smilinggood-humoredly。
　　“Oh，wedon’tcomplain，“answeredTrina。
　　“Plentyofmoney，lotstodo，everythingfine，hey？“
　　“We’vegotlotstodo，“returnedTrina，thinkingtoheadhimoff，“butwe’venotgotlotsofmoney。“
　　ButevidentlyMarcuswantednomoney。
　　“Well，CousinTrina，“hesaid，rubbinghisknee，“I’mgoingaway。“
　　“Yes，mammawroteme；you’regoingonaranch。“
　　“I’mgoinginranchingwithanEnglishduck，“correctedMarcus。“Mr。Sieppehasfixedthings。We’llseeifwecan’traisesomecattle。Iknowalotabouthorses，andhe’sranchedsomebefore——thisEnglishduck。AndthenI’mgoingtokeepmyeyeopenforapoliticalchancedownthere。I
　　gotsomeintroductionsfromthePresidentoftheImprovementClub。I’llworkthingssomehow，oh，sure。“
　　“Howlongyougoingtobegone？“askedTrina。
　　Marcusstared。
　　“Why，Iain’tEVERcomingback，“hevociferated。“I’mgoingto-morrow，andI’mgoingforgood。Icometosaygood-by。“
　　Marcusstayedforupwardsofanhourthatevening。Hetalkedoneasilyandagreeably，addressinghimselfasmuchtoMcTeagueastoTrina。Atlastherose。
　　“Well，good-by，Doc。“
　　“Good-by，Marcus，“returnedMcTeague。Thetwoshookhands。
　　“Guesswewon’teverseeeachotheragain，“continuedMarcus。“Butgoodlucktoyou，Doc。Hopesomedayyou’llhavethepatientsstandinginlineonthestairs。“
　　“Huh！Iguessso，Iguessso，“saidthedentist。
　　“Good-by，CousinTrina。“
　　“Good-by，Marcus，“answeredTrina。“Youbesuretoremembermetomamma，andpapa，andeverybody。I’mgoingtomaketwogreatbigsetsofNoah’sarkanimalsforthetwinsontheirnextbirthday；Augustistoooldfortoys。ButyoucantellthetwinsthatI’llmakethemsomegreatbiganimals。Good-by，successtoyou，Marcus。“
　　“Good-by，good-by。Goodlucktoyouboth。“
　　“Good-by，CousinMark。“
　　“Good-by，Marcus。“
　　Hewasgone。
　　CHAPTER13