TUESDAY EVENING
Harvey West liked to be comfortable. His rooms were in a quiet apartment
house on the West Side, within easy reach of the Metropolitan Elevated,
and not far from the big house where Jim Weeks held bachelor sway.
Harvey was not a musician, but a good piano stood in his sitting room.
He had accumulated a few etchings and two bronzes; and on the centre
table were piled the latest books. Harvey read these about as he
listened to Grand Opera--he recognized that a man should keep in touch
with such things. In a vague way he enjoyed them, but he was too honest
to cultivate the glib generalities that give so many men a rating
as connoisseurs of art, music, and literature. Harvey liked action.
Business appealed to him, anything with motion and excitement; then,
after the fever of the day, he was drawn to a few friends and a good
cigar. But back behind his straightforward democratic temperament there
was a dash of good blood, the sifting down of generations of gentlemen
and gentlewomen, that accounted for Harvey's inherent good taste. He
could not criticise the technique of a picture, but he never selected a
poor one. And the few books he really liked were the kind one can read
once a year with profit.
Early on this Tuesday evening Harvey was trying to read, but his eyes
would wander and his brow contract. At intervals he would turn in his
chair and endeavor to bring his thoughts back to the book. Finally he
shut it with a bang and, walking to the window, stood looking out over
the city. It had been a hard day for Harvey. He had passed hours waiting
to learn the result of Jim's efforts to head off McNally. The news that
C. & S.C. would undoubtedly control the Tillman City stock at election
had been closely followed by the discovery of unexpected strength in
the opposition directors. People used to say of Jim that he was never so
happy as when fighting in his last ditch, but Harvey derived no pleasure
from such operations. On this occasion he was particularly troubled. He
felt that his failure to tend to business the preceding afternoon had
contributed largely to the loss of Tillman City; and, worst of all, what
a fool Miss Porter must think him.
The boulevard below was hedged with two long rows of gas-lamps which
converged far away to the south. Sounds of the street floated up to
him--the clatter of hoofs on the asphalt, disjointed conversations
from wheelmen, juvenile calls and whistles. Harvey looked down at the
strolling crowds on the sidewalk, and felt lonely. He turned away from
the window, and took a cigar from the hospitable box on the mantel. Near
the box was a kodak picture of Miss Porter which he had taken some time
before. He held the picture to the light, and gazed at it earnestly.
“You had a fine laugh over me yesterday, didn't you, when your father
told you all about it?”
Harvey's big sitting room was popular. His friends had the comfortable
habit of dropping in at almost any hour of the day or night, sure of
a hearty welcome. But to-night the thought of visitors caused him to
replace the picture suddenly, seize his hat and stick, and start out
for--somewhere. At first he entertained a dim notion of going to Lincoln
Park, so he took the elevated down town, and started north on the Clark
Street cable. But as the car jolted along, he remembered that the band
did not play Tuesday evenings. He might take in the electric fountain,
but in the crowd you couldn't go about and look at people without being
in other people's way. Harvey was fond of the great public, but he liked
to hold himself in the background. He rode past the Park under the long
row of elms, gazing absently at the thronging walk where the middle
strata of North Side humanity take their evening promenade. Passing
the Park, he decided to go on to the Bismarck, where he could be among
people and yet remain alone.
A few minutes before eight he walked between the brown dragons which
guard the entrance, and crossed the raised pavilion between the street
and the garden. At the head of the stairs he paused a moment, then he
turned aside and seated himself at a table near by, where he could lean
against the railing and overlook the crowd below.
It was still somewhat early, and the long rows of white tables stood
vacant. By daylight the trees in a summer garden wear a homesick look,
but to-night the festooned incandescent lamps spread a soft yellow light
through the foliage, already thinned, though the night was warm, by
the touch of September; while high up on their white poles the big
arcs threw down a weird blue glare, casting a confusion of half-opaque
shadows upon the gravelled earth. Far to the front was the stage with
its half dome; the double-bass was tuning his instrument, a few others
were sorting music or running over difficult passages.
By this time the crowd was pouring in and spreading among the tables.
Harvey leaned back and watched the almost unbroken line that moved from
the gate to the steps. There were a great many family groups, with here
and there a chaperoned party from the suburbs. A sound of scraping
and squealing and grunting from the stage announced the orchestral
preliminaries. There was a scattering fusillade of applause as the tall
conductor appeared. Looking through the trees, Harvey could see him
rap his stand and raise both arms. The concert was on. Harvey's glance
shifted back to the stairway, and he started. On the bottom step,
looking about for a vacant table, was William C. Porter. Behind him,
standing, with head thrown back, was Miss Katherine Porter. For a moment
she looked at the shifting scene before her. Harvey noted with hungry
eyes the poise of her figure. Then she turned deliberately, and bowed to
Harvey with a bright smile.
A little later, as Harvey sat alone listening to the music, Mr. Porter
appeared, picking his way toward the centre aisle. Harvey watched him
idly. He finally reached the stairway, and came straight to Harvey's
table.
“Good evening, Mr. West,” he said, holding out his hand. “Won't you join
us? We shall be here for an hour, anyway.”
Harvey rose, and looked across the diagonal line of tables. Miss Porter
was leaning forward with a smile. Harvey's mind had been made up, but he
changed it and followed Mr. Porter.
Katherine received him brightly and immediately put him at ease. For the
time he forgot that Mr. Porter and he were nominal enemies. Mr. Porter
talked entertainingly of the people about them, a subject which Harvey
could continue with intelligence; and he was gratified to note the
interest in the daughter's eyes as he commented on the oddities of human
character.
They were looking at a party of Germans, who sat listening to the music
with the stolid interest of the race, when Mr. Porter rose and beckoned.
Katherine nodded to some one behind Harvey. A moment later he was
shaking hands with Mr. McNally.
“We've been watching for you for some time,” said Mr. Porter, as McNally
took the vacant chair.
“Have you?” McNally smiled easily. “I wish you had said that, Miss
Porter.”
“Oh, Mr. McNally, you know I was hoping for you.”
Harvey's eyes betrayed him, for she added in a bantering tone,--
“We must say such things to Mr. McNally, Mr. West; if we don't, he gets
simply unbearable.”
McNally looked at her with an amused expression. Evidently they
understood each other. As the banter continued, Harvey began to feel
uncomfortable. He tried to listen to the orchestra, which was playing a
lively march.
“Good, isn't it?” said Miss Porter to Harvey.
“Splendid,” he replied.
“Do you think so?” observed Mr. McNally. “Seems to me Bunge's a little
off to-night. Too much drum. Queer motions, hasn't he?”
Herr Bunge's motions were queer. He was very tall and spare, with an
angular, smooth-shaven face, and with a luxuriant growth of hair that
waved and flopped in the gentle breeze. His long arms were principally
elbow, and they swayed and crooked and jerked as though he were pulling
the music down out of the air. At times when he turned to the belated
second violins, his gaunt profile would appear in silhouette against a
glare of electric light.
“Do you know,” said McNally, fingering his programme, “Bunge ought to
stick to this kind of stuff. Last week I heard him play some of the
Queen Mab music, and it was wilful slaughter. Poor old Berlioz would
have sobbed aloud if he had heard it.”
Harvey felt awkward. He could not follow McNally's comments, and it
humiliated him. Miss Porter was quick to observe his silence, and
endeavored to draw him into the conversation, while Mr. McNally seemed
determined to hold the reins. There was some good-natured fencing, then
Mr. Porter rose.
“You'll excuse us, Mr. West,” he said pleasantly. “We have an engagement
for the latter part of the evening.”
“Yes,” added his daughter, “we promised to go out to Edgewater--the
Saddle and Cycle, you know.”
Harvey bowed and stood immovable, as father, daughter, and Mr. McNally
left the garden. She had given him a quick glance, and he wondered what
it meant. He sat down and absently broke the straws in his glass. The
orchestra had stopped, and a buzz of conversation floated into the
foliage. White-clad waiters bustled about with trays piled high.
After another number he started for home, blue and angry. As he left
the elevated and walked down Ashland Avenue, he saw that Jim's house
was lighted up, and he crossed over. Jim and he were better friends than
their relative positions indicated. Neither had family ties, and
Jim's interest in the younger man was perhaps the nearest approach to
sentiment he had felt for years. He seldom openly showed his regard, but
Harvey was perfectly conscious of it, and he valued it highly.
Jim was sitting alone at the table in the library. He greeted Harvey
by tipping back and waving toward a seat. The table was littered with
papers.
“How are you?” said Jim. “We've stolen a march on you.”
Harvey smiled, and threw himself wearily into a chair at the other end
of the table.
“What is it?” he asked. “C. & S.C. again?”
Jim nodded, and drawing out his cigar case, he took one and tossed the
case down to Harvey, then said:--
“Yes, and I think we've got 'em down. We've issued some more stock.”
He leaned on the table and spoke in a confidential tone. “And I reckon
Porter'll be doing a hornpipe when he finds it out.”
“Who took it?” asked Harvey.
“Spencer, Myers, and I. The books haven't been closed, you know.”
Harvey blew out a thin cloud of smoke, and looked at it meditatively.
“Nine thousand shares,” continued Jim, “If there's anything he can do
now, he's welcome to try.”
“Do you think he will try?”
“Oh, yes, he'll come at us with something or other. But he can't do a
thing.”
There was a long silence, then Harvey said,--
“You didn't pay cash for the stock?”
“Ten per cent,” Jim replied.
Harvey fingered his cigar. Every new move of Jim's bewildered him. Jim's
imperturbability, and his eagerness for a fight where some men would
be discouraged, were qualities that Harvey was slow in acquiring. His
admiration for Jim amounted almost to reverence. Perhaps had he realized
the bitter fighting that was yet to come, if he could have foreseen the
part that he was to play with zeal and judgment, he would have been even
more bewildered, but Harvey was plucky enough; it needed only the right
circumstances to develop him.
“If he does fight,” said Jim, breaking the silence, “if he succeeds in
landing on us, why, then, look out for war. I'll put my last cent into
M. & T. before I'll give him a chance at it.”
“Is he likely to grab the road?”
“Maybe he'll try. But I'll have five hundred men with guns in his way.
I'll tell you, West, I'm not going to give in. I never have yet.”
“No,” said Harvey, thoughtfully, “I don't believe you have.” And he
added, “I saw Porter to-night.”
“Where?”
“Up at the Bismarck. McNally was with him.”
“Anybody else?”
“His daughter.”
“Pretty girl, I hear.”
“Yes,”--Harvey spoke slowly,--“she is. A very pretty girl. Her father
seems to be a gentleman.”
“Oh, Porter's all right. He's doing what 'most any man in his place
would do. It's business. There's nothing personal in it.”
“I suppose not,” Harvey replied. “It's still a little odd to me. I'm
afraid I'd want to break his head.”
Jim laughed.
“You'll get over that. I reckon you haven't got anything against his
daughter.”
“Perhaps not,” said Harvey; “but that's different.”
“Oh, is it?”
Harvey sat for a moment without reply, then he tossed his half-smoked
cigar into the ashtray and rose.
“Don't go, West. I shall be up for a long while.”
“I'm tired,” Harvey replied. “I need sleep. Good night.”
Harvey walked home slowly. Once in his room, he did not light up;
instead he drew an easy-chair to the window and stretched out where he
could feel the breeze. It had been a strange evening. He went back over
the conversation in the Bismarck. Katherine had seemed even prettier
than usual; but before every picture of her rose the calm, smiling face
of McNally--McNally with his pudgy hands and his cool blue eyes, his
ease and his well-placed comment. Harvey rested an elbow on the sill and
looked out the window. The crowds were gone now. No sound came save the
rustle of the leaves and the occasional rumble of the elevated trains.
The moon was clouded, but over the trees the stars were out, as clear
and soft as on other evenings that had not seemed so dreary. He turned
away and walked over to the mantel, where Katherine's picture leaned
against the wall. He found it without striking a light, and brought it
to the window. By the dim light from the street and the sky, he could
see her face in faint outline.
“Well, Miss Katherine,” he said, looking into the shadowy eyes, “I guess
Jim Weeks isn't the only fighter here.”