The seriousness of Porter's accident became clearer to Doctor Rathbone
the following day. He imparted this information to Allis; told her that
in all probability it would be weeks before her father would be strong
again.
“In the meantime, little woman, what are you to do with all these hungry
horses on your hands?” he asked.
The girl's answer came quickly enough, for she had lain awake through
all the dreary night, thinking out this problem. Without medical
knowledge she had felt certain that her father was badly injured, and
the gloomy future had come to her in the darkness instead of sleep.
“I'll look after them,” she answered the doctor, quite simply.
A smile of skepticism hovered about his full lips, as he raised his eyes
to the girl's face, but the look of determination, of confidence that he
met put his doubts to flight. “I believe you can do it, if any man can,”
and he put his big hand on her slight shoulders, as much as to say, “I'm
behind you; I believe in you.”
Of course an inkling of Porter's condition had to be given his wife,
though the full gravity was masked. This was done by Allis, and Mrs.
Porter immediately became a prey to abject despair.
The first thing to be done was to get rid of Diablo. She was too gentle
to ask that he be shot, but he must go, even if he be given away.
She would willingly have sacrificed all the horses. Always with their
presence had come financial troubles, spiritual troubles; now the lives
of those dear to her were in actual peril. No wonder the good woman was
rendered hysterical by the strong emotions that swayed her.
In her depression she somewhat startled Allis by insisting that they
must send for Mr. Crane at once. After all, it was not so unreasonable;
with the master of Ringwood helpless, who else could they consult with
over their entangled condition? For, the past year Porter had found it
necessary to keep in constant touch with the bank; so they must become
familiar with the details of the entanglement.
Mrs. Porter had come to have the utmost confidence in Crane's friendship
and ability; he was the one above all others to have Diablo taken off
their hands. So Philip Crane, to his intense delight, was summoned to
Ringwood. This was his first knowledge of Porter's mishap, for he had
been in New York.
Crane was supposed to possess a rare magnetism; most certainly men came
under his influence with a noiseless, cheerful complaisance. It may have
been that there was a slight fascination in the oblique contour of his
eyes, but in reality his power lay in his exquisite finesse; people
delved for him under the impression that they were laboring according to
the dictates of their own sweet wills. Figuratively speaking, he twisted
Mrs. Porter round his finger, and so delightfully, that she was filled
with gratitude because of Crane's kindness in their hour of trouble.
The matter of Diablo was settled in a minute; he would buy the horse
himself, and the price could be arranged when Mrs. Porter was able to
discuss the matter--that is, definitely; in the meantime he would pay
a thousand for him. He understood Porter had bough him for that price.
With a touch of kindly humor, Crane declared that he would have a small
bet on the horse for Allis the first time he started.
Beyond parting with Diablo, Allis would not go farther in the matter of
selling the horses; this was the full extent of her concession to the
mother. Had she known that her father had entered Diablo in the Brooklyn
Handicap she might even have refused to part with the horse. As it
happened, Porter had entered both Lucretia and Diablo in the Brooklyn a
day or so before his accident, but had not spoken of it.
Crane assured Mrs. Porter that she need not distract her mind over money
matters, the bank could easily carry their lead until her husband was
himself again. No matter how things turned out, it was a delicate matter
to touch upon, the possibility of Porter's condition taking a
serious turn, but coming from Crane it seemed like an earnest of his
sincerity--well, Mrs. Porter would find a friend in him, quite willing
and able to smooth their difficult path.
Crane had meant to defer any protestations of regard for Allis until
a propitious future, but with his quick perception he saw that the
psychological moment had been moved forward by the sudden effacement of
the master of Ringwood. If he spoke now to Mrs. Porter it would give
her a right to call upon his services. He would appear in the light of
a debtor; it would break down barriers which might seem to exist because
of their non-relationship.
Crane had not been without a suspicion that the younger man, Mortimer,
might prove a rival; heroics such as the Diablo episode were apt to
give young people a romantic interest in each other; Fate had more than
evened matters up by giving him the present opportunity. He thought with
some satisfaction how perfectly helpless Mortimer was in the present
instance, for he was most undeniably poor. It was an opportunity to be
grasped; and Crane never let the tide pass its flood in the waters of
his life.
So the banker spoke to Mrs. Porter of his strong love for Allis; so
delicately, and with so much sincerity, that she was completely won
over. It is true, the ground had been prepared for the seed, for the
mother had long feared that Allis might become attached to some one of
Porter's racing associates. Though strong in spiritual matters, the
good woman was not without worldly instinct. She was pleased with Crane
personally; he was not by any means a racing man; a rich banker, who
would make a most desirable husband for her daughter. Of course, it
would rest with the girl herself. Mrs. Porter would not coerce nor
influence her; but why should not Allis come to care for Crane under the
influence of his strong love?
Mrs. Porter's mind had rebounded from its dazed condition after her
husband's accident, and was now acute. All these thoughts came to her
with rapidity, as Crane talked with masterly judgment.
To the mother's suggestion that he speak to Allis he put forward a plea
of delicate consideration for the girl; he would rather deny himself; he
would wait patiently until her mind was in a happier condition. Cleverly
enough he knew that Mrs. Porter was now his ally, and would plead his
cause with less chance of failure than if he startled Allis by the
sudden fronting of life's great problem.
When Crane had gone Allis found her mother calmed by his visit; his
assurances had driven away distressing clouds of financial worry.
Almost immediately Mrs. Porter transmitted to the girl what had come to
her of Crane's declaration.
“It seems almost like an answer to my prayer,” she said to Allis; “not,
of course”--she interrupted herself--“that I've been praying for a
husband for you, but this wicked racing has warped the whole woof of
my life; it seemed inevitable in the strength of its contaminating
atmosphere that you would be wedded into it, though one were better dead
than willingly choose a path of sin.”
“Then you've settled it, mother!” Allis's big eyes took on a dangerous
look of rebellion.
“No, daughter; you must choose for yourself; only you will be wise not
to go contrary to your parent's wishes. I did--”
“But you are not sorry, mother?” there was reproach in the girl's voice.
“Not for having wedded your father, but because of his racing life. I
should have been firmer, and asked him to give it up before I married
him. He might have done it then. Mr. Crane is a gentleman, Allis. That
is a great deal nowadays, and he loves you most sincerely. Words often
mean very little, but one can tell--at least when they've come to years
of discretion they can--from a man's voice whether he is in earnest or
not. I suppose it is very worldly to speak of his riches, but in poverty
one can do very little, very little good. I had rather that you didn't
have to look with misgiving into the future, Allis; it has taken much
joy out of my existence. The dread of poverty is a nightmare; it wears
one's life threadbare. To the young, buoyed up by confidence in the rosy
future, this may seem sordid, but this feeling of insecurity mars many
lives which might otherwise be happy.
“You see, Allis,” her mother continued, “I know you are heart-whole, so
I can't cause you any misery by my well-meant advice. You've been a good
girl, and there has been nobody of your class about. Mr. Mortimer is,
I dare say, a gentleman, and I must confess I was afraid that you might
mistake a feeling of generosity to him for something stronger; but that
was only an idle fancy, I see. It would have been unfortunate if it
were otherwise, for he is very poor indeed. His small salary must be all
taken up in keeping himself, his widowed mother, and a younger sister.”
Allis gave a sudden start. She had not known these particulars of
Mortimer's life; but they carried certain explanations of his conduct.
Quite casually she had formed an impression that he was penurious;
something he had dropped about not being able to afford certain
pleasures. That was where the money went--to support his mother and
sister. Unwittingly her mother was pleading the cause of two men.
The mother's talk depressed Allis greatly. Why should this troublesome
matter come to her when she had so much to bear, so much to do. It gave
her quite a shock to find that as her mother talked she was not
thinking of Crane at all. She could not picture his face, even; just the
narrow-lidded eyes peeped at her in her thoughts once or twice; it would
be horrible to look into them forever and ever. The face of Mortimer,
pale and firm-set as it had been in that day of strife, was always
obliterating the other visage. Was her mother right? Was she so
heart-whole? As if her thoughts had bearing on her mother's mind, the
latter said: “I wouldn't have spoken to you of this matter while your
father is so ill if it weren't for the fact that our position is
very precarious. I can't understand just how badly off we are, but if
anything were to happen your father, I hardly know what would become of
us.”
“And Mr. Crane has promised to help us if--if--” There was a hard ring
in the girl's voice as she spoke, getting not past the “if,” refusing to
put into words the distressing thought.
“There is no 'if' about it, daughter. Mr. Crane is our friend, your
father's friend, and he is going to help us; and he only spoke of
his regard for you by way of an excuse--it was delicacy on his part,
thinking that I would have less compunction in accepting his good
offices. All I ask, girl, is that you will try to like Mr. Crane; if you
can't, well, you won't find me making you unhappy. But I can tell you
this, Allis, unless matters mend, and how the change is to come I can't
say, your father will lose Ringwood and it will belong to Mr. Crane.
Even if the horses were sold off, the money would not clear the debts;
besides, I think that even the horses are encumbered.”
Allis stood in indecision for a little, thinking deeply; then she went
up to her mother, and, taking her face in her hands, kissed her.
“I understand, mother,” she said, “you are worrying over the dear old
place, over my future, and over father, and it is nothing but worry,
worry, worry all the time. But I'll save Ringwood for you, mother.
I hope father will soon be well again and that luck will change; but
anyway, mother, I promise you that no matter what effort it costs me you
sha'nt sacrifice the dear old place.”
Mrs. Porter's eyes were wet with tears of gratitude. She was thinking
only of the redemption of the place through Crane; but Allis's words
had meant far more than she had taken from them. They were inspired by a
faith that she could save their fortunes without sacrificing herself to
Crane. If not, if she failed, she was brave, she was a Porter, and would
keep her word and save Ringwood, even at that price.