"Certainly! As much as you want. Mr. Gyde left a large balance here.
Of course I can't hand that over to you yet, but the bank is prepared
to advance you whatever you require. The bank hopes that you will
continue to favor it with your patronage."
More than anything Mr. Delamare had said, this last little sentence
made Jack feel like a millionaire.
"Here's a pocket check book. Make out your check and I'll send it to
the teller with my O.K. You don't want to go out there yourself for
the reporters are lying in wait for you. That's why I told you to send
in an assumed name. They pester the life out of me. As soon as you're
safely out of the way I'll give out the story and be rid of them."
Jack took the offered pen and wrote his check, the banker watching him
with a smile. At the line for the amount Jack stuck; he thought of a
hundred dollars, five hundred, a thousand; higher than a thousand he
dared not go.
"Is that too much?" he asked, gasping a little.
"Not at all!" said Mr. Delamare, laughing. "Merely your income for
about half an hour!"
3
So Jack Norman came out of the National New York Bank eighty millions
richer than he went in. He left the building walking on air, and being
unaccustomed to that form of exercise it is not surprising that he
staggered a little, and collided with more than one matter-of-fact Wall
Street figure. A delightful insane phantasmagoria whirled through his
brain, blinding him to his earthly surroundings. He walked five blocks
before he had the least idea where he was going. Here a wild taxi-cab
almost ran him down, and he was brought back to earth with a bump.
"Good Lord! suppose I'd been laid out before I had a chance to spend a
dollar!" he thought with horror.
He looked at his watch. It was only half-past ten. It had taken him
less than an hour to acquire eighty millions. An hour and a half must
still pass before he could satisfy his great need of telling Kate what
had happened--that is unless he descended on her office and carried her
off bodily in a taxi-cab, like young Lochinvar. But he was doubtful
how Kate would take this. He was a little afraid of Kate.
In the meantime he had to see his lawyer. But he couldn't very well go
and ask a man to take charge of an eighty million dollar estate while
he looked like a tramp. Clothes!--enchanting thought; he was able to
buy anything in New York that caught his fancy. It need not be
supposed that the fair sex enjoys a monopoly of this passion; the young
male, being more restricted in his choice, brings to it a deeper, more
concentrated passion. The difference in shirt patterns! The design of
a cravat of which only four square inches is shown!
He retreated into the shelter of a doorway to consider this matter,
watching the passers-by meanwhile for inspiration. But he did not see
what he wanted. The young men looked either grubby or flash. Jack
discovered that he had a definite taste in clothes that he had never
been able to indulge.
He was aware of course of the subtle differences between ready-made and
made-to-order. But while he took the time to search out the best
tailor in New York he had to have something. Dimly he remembered
having heard of a fine old firm that outfitted men from top to toe. It
was on Madison avenue. He looked about for the nearest subway station,
and then remembered with a delightful start that there were such things
as taxi-cabs in the world, and his pocket was full of money.
He held up a negligent finger to a passing cab. He got in and, leaning
back luxuriously, wondered how the people who looked at him would look
if they knew!
At a few minutes before noon, an elegantly dressed young fellow,
conspicuous for his graceful figure and sparkling brown eyes, was
walking nervously up and down Centre street; ten paces each way and
back. A taxi-cab waited at the curb beside him. In one hand the young
man carried a pair of yellow chamois gloves, and swung a yellow malacca
stick in the other. He wore a boutonnière of corn-flowers.
As he waited his nervousness increased. It suddenly occurred to him
that to greet Kate with a flourish of the new Fedora, and hand her into
the waiting taxi might create a scandal in the eyes of her fellow
workers. Indeed he was not at all sure but that she might turn him
down flat. At the same time he began to worry about the yellow gloves
and the yellow stick--a thought too conspicuous for Centre street,
perhaps.
Finally he went to the cab and, unobtrusively dropping the stick
inside, paid the man off and let him go. He then thrust the gloves and
the boutonnière in his pocket, and felt much better.
When Kate finally did come down-stairs, her first glance overlooked the
new clothes entirely, and went straight to his eyes. Seeing the
beaming smile there, her eyes fell demurely. Then did she perceive the
finery from the feet up, but was too well bred to make any comment.
Jack was obliged to ask her very off-hand:
"Notice any change?"
"You look very nice to-day."
"Oh, I got tired going round like a rag-picker!"
She made no further remark, and Jack who had counted on creating more
of an effect than this, felt a little aggrieved. You never could get
any change out of this girl, he reflected. But just let her wait! She
was due to be surprised for once in her young life!
At the corner he held her in talk for a moment, while he searched for a
taxi out of the tail of his eye.
"Let's not go to Geiger's to-day."
"Geiger's is all right."
"I'm sick of the joint!"
"It's as good as any of the places around here."
"Let's go down-town."
"But you know I only have an hour."
A taxi came bowling through from the Bowery with its little "vacant"
flag raised. Jack held up a finger. It drew up beside them with
squealing brakes, and the chauffeur opened the door. Kate who had not
observed Jack's signal, turned her back on it.
"Get in," said Jack.
That was when she received her first shock. Her eyes opened very wide.
"Why, Mr. Norman!" she began.
"Get in!" said Jack so peremptorily, that in her state of fluster she
actually obeyed.
"Café Savarin," said Jack to the chauffeur.
The cab started with a jerk, throwing them back on the cushions. "Let
me out!" she said--but not very strongly.
He affected not to hear. There was a delicious satisfaction in seeing
the self-possessed little lady overcome with confusion, if only for a
moment.
"To-morrow I'll come for you in my own car," he said, nonchalantly.
"Are you crazy?" she murmured, really alarmed.