always courteous and very calm when dealing with his fellows, so I am
sure that my father-in-law must have been exceedingly violent when he
provoked Langdon to vocal wrath. I judge that Langdon, when he recovered
from his outbreak, regretted it extremely, and was inclined to blame me
for rather muddling the affair of Anson's mill. I may say that I had
been placed in rather a difficult position. The proprietor was absent,
and had not taken his foreman into his confidence, therefore this
foreman put difficulties in the way of investigation. The employees were
suspicious, not knowing what this research by a stranger meant, so I
went to Anson's house, hoping to find there someone with sufficient
authority to enable me to get the information I must have.
"I met Mrs. Anson, a kindly woman, but realised in a moment that no
authority had been delegated to her. She appeared afraid to suggest
anything, but called in her only daughter to assist at our conference.
The girl at once said she would accompany me to the mill, and did so. I
shall never forget with what infinite tact and persuasiveness she won
over the foreman, and it was quite evident that the workmen all knew and
liked her, for her very presence appeared to dissipate distrust. I saw
Miss Anson home, and it seemed, as my investigations progressed, many
conferences became more and more necessary. You're a young man, and
doubtless you know how it is yourself."
"As a matter of fact, I don't," interjected Stranleigh, "but I can
guess."
"Well--your guess is right. We had no difficulty with Mrs. Anson, but
both mother and daughter were uneasy about how the father would take it.
I wrote him what I hoped was a straightforward letter, putting the case
to him as man to man. He answered with a very brief and terse letter
that left me no doubt regarding his opinion, but my own communication
had arrived at an unfortunate time; the day after he had been ordered
out of our office. He at once enclosed my letter to Mr. Langdon, saying
in effect:--
"'This is the sort of man you sent like a wolf in sheep's clothing to my
home.'"
"Langdon telegraphed, asking if this was true. I, of course, had to
admit it was, with the result of instant dismissal. I never would have
let either mother or daughter know about this, but my reticence was
vain, for Mr. Anson wrote a stinging letter to his daughter saying she
could do what she pleased about marrying me, but that he had secured my
dismissal. It is strange," Challis murmured reflectively, speaking more
to himself than to his companion, "it is strange that a father rarely
recognises that when he comes to a difference with one of his children,
he is meeting, in part at least, some of his own characteristics. I
wonder if I shall ever be so unreasonable as----"
Stranleigh's eye twinkled as he remembered how firm the girl had been in
refusing the automobile invitation, yet giving no explanation of that
refusal.
"What Gertrude said to me was, holding her head very proudly: 'I have
received my father's permission to marry you, and if you are ready for
an immediate ceremony, I am willing.'
"We were married before the old man returned from New York."
"Has there been no further communication between Mr. Anson and
yourself?"
"On my part, yes; ignored by him. It was Gertrude who wished to stay in
Altonville. She knew a financial crisis was threatening her father, and
she hoped that in some way I should be able to advise him. That was not
to be. She requested permission to take away her belongings. This was
refused. Everything she possessed, Mr. Anson said, had been purchased
with his money. They remained at his home, and she was welcome to use
them at his house, any time she chose to return, but having exchanged
his care for that of another man, it was the other man's duty to provide
what she needed. This ended our communication, and brings us to the
present moment."
"Can you drive a car?" asked Stranleigh.
"Yes."
"The immediate question strikes me as being that of wearing apparel. I
propose to return with at least a box full. I don't like to be baffled,
and I wish Mrs. Challis to come out with us for a run. Will you
exchange seats, and drive me down to the mill?"
"You're up against a tough proposition," demurred Challis.
"A proposition usually gives way if you approach it tactfully, as Miss
Anson approached the manager. If you have never seen her father, he will
not recognise you, so let us call at the mill."
"He would not recognise me, but the foreman would, also many of the
men."
"We must chance that."
The two young men exchanged seats, and Challis at the wheel, with more
caution than ever Stranleigh used, sent the car spinning down the
slightly descending road by the margin of the lake, until they came to
the water level. No word was spoken between them, but his lordship
studied with keen scrutiny from the corner of his eye, the profile of
the intent driver. He was immensely taken with the young man, and
meditated on the story to which he had listened. The effect left on his
mind by that recital surprised him. It was a feeling of sympathy with
the old man who had acted so obstreperously, and gradually he placed
this feeling to the credit of Challis, who had shown no rancour against
his father-in-law, either in word or tone. Yes; he liked Challis, and
was sorry for the elderly Anson, one evidently advanced in years,
battling against forces that were too much for him, stubbornly using
antiquated methods in a world that had out-grown them; the muzzle-loader
against the repeating rifle. These two men should be pulling together.
"There's the factory," said Challis, at last, and Stranleigh, looking
up, beheld further down the valley a three-storied structure,
unexpectedly huge, built apparently for all the ages. There was no sign
of activity about it; but the roar of waters came to their ears; idle
waters, nevertheless, that were turning no wheels, the muffled sound of
an unimpeded minor cataract.
"By Jove!" cried Stranleigh, jumping out as the car stopped.
Challis said nothing, but an expression of deep anxiety darkened his
countenance. There were plastered here and there on the stone walls
great white posters, bearing printing like the headings of a
sensational newspaper, magnified several hundred times.
AUCTION SALE.
BY ORDER OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT,
that desirable property known as Anson's Mill, fully
equipped with machinery, in condition for immediate use,
with never-failing water power, which at slight expense may
be enormously increased; together with ten acres of freehold
land; without reserve to the highest bidder; on the
Seventeenth of November!
"A desirable property," said Challis, sadly, "which nobody desires
except the Trust, and probably _it_ cares nothing about it now."
"You forget that it is desired by Stanmore Anson."
"I am afraid that even he is tired of it by this time. I am sorry, but
I feared it was inevitable."
Stranleigh looked up at him.
"Could you make this factory pay, if it were given into your charge?"
"Not in its present condition."
"I mean, of course, with your recommendations carried out. If the mill,
free from all encumbrances, filled with modern machinery, rightly
placed, were put under your management, could you make it pay?"
Challis did not answer for some moments. His brow was wrinkled in
thought, and he seemed making some mental calculations.
"There would need to be a suitable amount of working capital----"
"Yes, yes; all that is understood. Could you make it pay?"
"I am almost sure I could, but there is that incalculable factor, the
opposition of the Trust."
"Damn the Trust!" cried Stranleigh. "I beg your pardon; I should have
said, blow the Trust! I thought I had lost the power of becoming
excited, not to say profane. It must be the exhilarating air of America.
The sale is a good way off yet, and I think it will be further off
before I get through with it. If you will accept the management, and
your father-in-law proves at all reasonable, I guarantee to find the
necessary money."
"You mean that, Mr. Ponderby----"
"Exactly. I am his chief business adviser, as well as his only
chauffeur. But we are forgetting the matter in hand. We must rescue the
wardrobe of Mrs. Challis. Drive on to the mansion. You know the way, and
I don't."
"I'm a warned-off trespasser, but here goes."
"You won't be called on to trespass very much. You're my chauffeur, _pro
tem_. Perhaps you won't need to enter the house at all. I shall see Mrs.
Anson before I meet her husband, if possible, and will try to persuade
her to give me the wardrobe."
"She would not have the courage to do that without her husband's
permission, and he will never give it."
"We'll see about that. Ah, the mill is not the only piece of property to
be sold!"
They had turned into a well-shaded avenue, to the massive stone
gate-pillars of which were attached posters similar to those at the
mill, only in this case it was "This valuable, desirable and palatial
residence," with the hundreds of acres of land attached, that were to be
knocked down by the auctioneer's hammer.
"I might have known," commented Stranleigh, "that if Mr. Anson was
bankrupt at his mill, he was also bankrupt at his house."
They drew up at the entrance. Stranleigh stepped down, and rang the
bell, Challis remaining in the car. Shown into the drawing-room, the
visitor was greeted by a sad-looking, elderly woman.
"Mrs. Anson," said the young man, very deferentially, "I expect your
forgiveness for this intrusion on my part when I say that I am here in
some sense as an ambassador from your daughter."
"From my daughter!" gasped the old lady in astonishment. "Is she well,
and where is she?"
"She is very well, I am glad to say, and is living with her husband over
in the village."
"In her last letter she said her husband was taking her to New York.
There had been a--misunderstanding." The old lady hesitated for a moment
before using that mild term. "On the day her letter was received, I went
to the hotel at which they were stopping, and was told by the landlord
they had gone, he did not know where. Do you tell me they have been
living in Altonville all the time?"
"I think so, but cannot be sure. I met Mr. and Mrs. Challis for the
first time only a week ago."
"I hope she is happy."
"She is," said Stranleigh confidently, "and before the day is done her
mother will be happy also."
Mrs. Anson shook her head. She was on the verge of tears, which
Stranleigh saw and dreaded. So he said hurriedly:
"You will select me what you think she should have at once, and I will
take the box or parcel to Altonville in my car."
"When at last her father saw that everything we possessed must be sold,"
rejoined Mrs. Anson, "he packed up in trunks what belonged to Gertrude,
and as we could not learn where to send them, Mr. Asa Perkins, a friend
of ours, who lives in Boston, lent us a room in which to store the
things, and they are there now."
"How odd!" exclaimed Stranleigh. "I met Mr. Perkins just before he left
his summer residence, and took the place furnished, acting for the
present tenant. It is much too large for him, and some of the rooms are
locked. Do you happen to have the key?"
"No; it is in the possession of the housekeeper. She is there still, is
she not?"
"Yes; I took the house as it stood, servants and all."
"I'll write a note to the housekeeper, then. What name shall I say?"
"Please write it in the name of Mr. Challis. He's outside now, in my
car."
"May I bring him in?" she asked, eagerly.
"Certainly," said Stranleigh, with a smile. "It's your house, you know."
"Not for long," she sighed.
"Ah,----" drawled Stranleigh, "Mr. Challis and I propose that this sale
shall not take place. If I may have a short conversation with your
husband, I think we shall come to terms."
An expression of anxiety overspread her face.
"Perhaps I had better not ask Jim to come in," she hesitated.
"Your husband does not know him, and I would rather you did not tell him
who is with me. Just say that Henry Johnson and a friend wish to
negotiate about the factory."
Stanmore Anson proved to be a person of the hale old English yeoman
type, as portrayed by illustrators, although his ancestors originally
came from Sweden. His face was determined, his lips firm, and despite
his defeats, the lurking sparkle of combat still animated his eyes.
"Before we begin any conversation regarding a sale," he said, "you must
answer this question, Mr. Johnson. Are you connected in any way,
directly or indirectly, with the G.K.R. Trust?"
"I am not connected with it, directly or indirectly."
"You state that on your honour as a man?"
"No; I simply state it."
"You wouldn't swear it?"
"Not unless compelled by force of law."
"Then I have nothing further to say to you, sir."
The old man seemed about to withdraw, then hesitated, remembering he was
in his own house. Stranleigh sat there unperturbed.
"You have nothing further to say, Mr. Anson, because two thoughts are
sure to occur to you. First, a man whose word you would not accept
cannot be believed, either on his honour or his oath. Second, the Trust
doesn't need to send an emissary to you; it has only to wait until
November, and acquire your factory at its own figure. No one except
myself would bid against the Trust."
"That's quite true," agreed Anson. "I beg your pardon. What have you to
propose?"
"I wish to know the sum that will see you clear and enable you to tear
down those white posters at the gates, and those on the mill."
Stanmore Anson drew a sheet of paper from his pocket, glanced over it,
then named the amount.
"Very good," said Stranleigh, decisively. "I'll pay that for the mill
and the ten acres."
"They are not worth it," said Anson. "Wait till November, and even
though you outbid the Trust, you'll get it at a lower figure."
"We'll make the mill worth it. You may retain the residence and the rest
of the property."
"There is but one proviso," said the old man. "I wish to name the
manager."
"I regret I cannot agree to that, Mr. Anson, I have already chosen the
manager, and guarantee that he will prove efficient."
"I'll forego your generous offer of the house and property if you will
allow me to appoint the manager."
"I am sorry, Mr. Anson, but you touch the only point on which I cannot
give way."
"Very well," cried Anson, angrily, his eyes ablaze. "The arrangement is
off."
Both young men saw that Stanmore Anson was indeed difficult to deal
with, as his ancestors had been in many a hard-fought battle.
"Wait a moment! Wait a moment!" exclaimed Challis. "This will never do.
It is absurd to wreck everything on a point so trivial. I am the man
whom Mr. Johnson wishes to make manager. I now refuse to accept the
position, but if the bargain is completed, I'll give Mr. Anson and his
manager all the assistance and advice they care to receive from me, and
that without salary."
"Be quiet, Challis!" cried Stranleigh.
"Challis! Challis!" interrupted the old man, gazing fiercely at his
junior. "Is your name Challis?"
"Yes, sir."
"You're not my son-in-law?"
"I am, sir."
"I did you a great injustice," admitted Anson. "No man has a right to
deprive another of his livelihood. I have bitterly regretted it. It is
you I wish appointed manager."
"Challis," said Stranleigh, "take the car, and bring your wife. Say her
father wishes to see her."
Challis disappeared, and in an incredibly short space of time, during
which Anson and Stranleigh chatted together, the door opened, and
Gertrude Challis came in.
"Father," she cried, "Jim says he's going to scrap all the machinery in
the factory. Shall we throw our differences on that scrap-heap?"
The old man gathered her to his breast, and kissed her again and again.
He could not trust his voice.
[Illustration: "'Shall we throw our differences on that scrap-heap?'"]
IV.--THE MAD MISS MATURIN.
"Would you like to meet the most beautiful woman in America?" asked
Edward Trenton of his guest.
Lord Stranleigh drew a whiff or two from the favourite pipe he was
smoking, and the faint suggestion of a smile played about his lips.
"The question seems to hint that I have not already met her," he said at
last.
"Have you?"
"Of course."
"Where?"
"In every town of any size I ever visited."
"Oh, I daresay you have met many pretty girls, but only one of them is
the most beautiful in America."
Again Stranleigh smiled, but this time removed his pipe, which had gone
out, and gently tapped it on the ash tray.
"My dear Ned," he said at last, "on almost any other subject I should
hesitate to venture an opinion that ran counter to your own experience,
yet in this instance I think you wrong the great Republic. I am not
very good at statistics, but if you will tell me how many of your
fellow-countrymen are this moment in love, I'll make a very accurate
estimate regarding the number of most beautiful women there are in the
United States."
"Like yourself, Stranleigh, I always defer to the man of experience, and
am glad to have hit on one subject in which you are qualified to be my
teacher."
"I like that! Ned Trenton depreciating his own conquests is a popular
actor in a new _role_. But you are evading the point. I was merely trying
in my awkward way to show that every woman is the most beautiful in the
world to the man in love with her."
"Very well; I'll frame my question differently. Would you like to meet
one of the most cultured of her sex?"
"Bless you, my boy, of course not! Why, I'm afraid of her already. It is
embarrassing enough to meet a bright, alert man, but in the presence of
a clever woman, I become so painfully stupid that she thinks I'm putting
it on."
"Then let me place the case before you in still another form. Would your
highness like to meet the richest woman in Pennsylvania?"
"Certainly I should," cried Stranleigh, eagerly.
Trenton looked at him with a shade of disapproval on his brow.
"I thought wealth was the very last qualification a man in your position
would care for in a woman, yet hardly have I finished the sentence, than
you jump at the chance I offer."
"And why not? A lady beautiful and talented would likely strike me dumb,
but if she is hideously rich, I may be certain of one thing, that I
shall not be asked to invest money in some hare-brained scheme or
other."
"You are quite safe from that danger, or indeed from any other danger,
so far as Miss Maturin is concerned. Nevertheless, it is but just that
you should understand the situation, so that if you scent danger of any
kind, you may escape while there is yet time."
"Unobservant though I am," remarked Stranleigh, "certain signs have not
escaped my notice. This commodious and delightful mansion is being
prepared for a house-party. I know the symptoms, for I have several
country places of my own. If, as I begin to suspect, I am in the way
here, just whisper the word and I'll take myself off in all good humour,
hoping to receive an invitation for some future time."
"If that's your notion of American hospitality, Stranleigh, you've got
another guess coming. You're a very patient man; will you listen to a
little family history? Taking your consent for granted, I plunge. My
father possessed a good deal of landed property in Pennsylvania. This
house is the old homestead, as they would call it in a heart-throb
drama. My father died a very wealthy man, and left his property
conjointly to my sister and myself. He knew we wouldn't quarrel over the
division, and we haven't. My activity has been mainly concentrated in
coal mines and in the railways which they feed, and financially I have
been very fortunate. I had intended to devote a good deal of attention
to this estate along certain lines which my father had suggested, but I
have never been able to do so, living, as I did, mostly in Philadelphia,
absorbed in my own business. My sister, however, has in a measure
carried out my father's plans, aided and abetted by her friend, Miss
Constance Maturin. My sister married a man quite as wealthy as herself,
a dreamy, impractical, scholarly person who once represented his country
as Minister to Italy, in Rome. She enjoyed her Italian life very much,
and studied with great interest the progress North Italy was making in
utilising the water-power coming from the Alps. In this she was ably
seconded by Miss Maturin, who is owner of forests and farms and
factories further down the river which flows past our house. Her
property, indeed, adjoins our own, but she does not possess that
unlimited power over it which Sis and I have over this estate, for her
father, having no faith in the business capacity of woman, formed his
undertakings into a limited liability company where, although he owned
the majority of stock during his life, he did not leave his daughter
with untrammelled control. Had the old man known what trouble he was
bequeathing to his sole heir, I imagine he would have arranged things a
little differently. Miss Maturin has had to endure several expensive
law-suits, which still further restricted her power and lessened her
income. So she has ceased to take much interest in her own belongings,
and has constituted herself adviser-in-chief to my dear sister, who has
blown in a good deal of money on this estate in undertakings that,
however profitable they may be in the future, are unproductive up to
date. I am not criticising Sis at all, and have never objected to what
she has done, although I found myself involved in a very serious action
for damages, which I had the chagrin of losing, and which ran me into a
lot of expense, covering me with injunctions and things of that sort. No
rogue e'er felt the halter draw, with a good opinion of the law, and
perhaps my own detestation of the law arises from my having frequently
broken it. If this long diatribe bores you, just say so, and I'll cut it
short."
"On the contrary," said Stranleigh, with evident honesty, "I'm very much
interested. These two ladies, as I understand the case, have been
unsuccessful in law----"
"Completely so."
"And unsuccessful in the projects they have undertaken?"
"From my point of view, yes. That is to say, they are sinking pots of
money, and I don't see where any of it is coming back."
"Of what do these enterprises consist?"
"Do you know anything about the conservation controversy now going on
in this country?"
"I fear I do not. I am a woefully ignorant person."
"My father had ideas about conservation long before the United States
took it up. It is on these ideas that Sis has been working. You preserve
water in times of flood and freshet to be used for power or for
irrigation throughout the year. Her first idea was to make a huge lake,
extending several miles up the valley of this river. That's where I got
into my law-suit. The commercial interests down below held that we had
no right to put a huge concrete dam across this river."
"Couldn't you put a dam on your own property?"
"It seems not. If the river ran entirely through my own property, I
could. Had I paid more attention to what was being done, I might perhaps
have succeeded, by getting a bill through the Legislature. When I tried
that, I was too late. The interests below had already applied to the
courts for an injunction, which, quite rightly, they received.
Attempting to legalise the action, not only did I find the Legislature
hostile, but my clever opponents got up a muck-raking crusade against
me, and I was held up by the Press of this State as a soulless
monopolist, anxious to increase my already great wealth by grabbing what
should belong to the whole people. The campaign of personal calumny was
splendidly engineered, and, by Jupiter! they convinced me that I was
unfit for human intercourse. Tables of statistics were published to
prove how through railway and coal-mine manipulation I had robbed
everybody, and they made me out about a hundred times richer than
I am, although I have never been able to get any of the excess cash.
Sermons were preached against me, the Pulpit joining the Press in
denunciation. I had no friends, and not being handy with my pen, I
made no attempt at defence. I got together a lot of dynamite, blew up
the partially-constructed dam, and the river still flows serenely on."
"But surely," said Stranleigh, "I saw an immense dam on this very river,
when you met me at Powerville railway station the other day?"
Trenton laughed.