"So long as you're good-natured, you can make game
of me all you like. But I'm in earnest, all the same.
I'm not going to play the fool with my money and my power.
I have great projects. Sometime I'll tell you about them.
They will all be put through--every one of them. And you
wouldn't object to talking them over with me--would you?"
"My opinion on 'projects' is of no earthly value--to
myself or anyone else."
"But still you'd give me your advice if I asked it?"
he persisted. "Especially if it was a project in which you
were concerned?"
After a moment's constrained silence she said to him,
"You must have no projects, Mr. Thorpe, in which I
am concerned. This talk is all very wide of the mark.
You are not entitled to speak as if I were mixed up with
your affairs. There is nothing whatever to warrant it."
"But how can you help being in my projects if I put you there,
and keep you there?" he asked her, with gleeful boldness.
"And just ask yourself whether you do really want
to help it. Why should you? You've seen enough of me
to know that I can be a good friend. And I'm the kind
of friend who amounts to something--who can and will
do things for those he likes. What obligation are you
under to turn away that kind of a friend, when he offers
himself to you? Put that question plainly to yourself.
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