THE FOUR INITIALS
The offices of James Bansemer were two floors above those of
Robertson Ray Rigby in the U__ Building. The morning after Graydon
Bansemer's important visit to the home of the Cables, Eddie Deever
lounged into Rigby's presence. He seemed relieved to find that
the stenographer was ill and would not be down that day. The lanky
youngster studiously inspected the array of law books in the cases
for some time, occasionally casting a sly glance at Bobby. At last
he ventured a remark somewhat out of the ordinary--for him:
"That old man up in Bansemer's office gets on my nerves," said he,
settling his long frame in a chair and breaking in upon Rigby's
attention so suddenly that the lawyer was startled into a quick
look of interest.
"Old Droom? What do you know about him?"
"Nothing in particular, of course. Only he sort of jars me when he
talks." Rigby saw that the young man had something on his mind.
"I did not know that you were personal friends," ventured Rigby.
"Friends?" snorted Eddie. "Holy Mackerel! He scares the life out
of me. I know him in a business way, that's all. He came down here
three weeks ago and borrowed some books for Bansemer. I had to go
up and get 'em yesterday. I was smoking a cigarette. When I asked
the old guy for the books he said I'd go to hell if I smoked. I
thought I'd be funny, so I said back to him: "I'll smoke if I go
to hell, so what's the diff?" It went all right with him, too. He
laughed--you ought to see him laugh!--and told me to sit down while
he looked up the books. I was there half an hour and he talked all
the time. By jing! He makes your blood run cold. He up and said there
was no such place as hell. "Why not?" says I. "Because," says he,
"God, with all His infinite power, could not conceive of a space
huge enough to hold all the hypocrites and sinners." Then he grinned
and said he had set aside in his will the sum of a hundred dollars
to build a church for the honest man. "That will be a pretty small
church," says I. "It will be a small congregation, my son," says
he. "What few real honest men we have will hesitate to attend for
fear of being ostracised by society." "Gee whiz, Mr. Droom, that's
pretty hard on society," says I, laughing. "Oh, for that matter,
I have already delivered my eulogy on society," says he. "But it
ain't dead," says I. "Oh, yes; it's so rotten it must surely be
dead," says he in the nastiest way I ever heard. He's a fearful old
man, Mr. Rigby. He made a mean remark about that Mrs. David Cable."
"What did he say?" quickly demanded Bobby.
"He said he'd been reading in the papers about how she was
breaking into society. "She's joined the Episcopal church," says
he, sarcastic-like. "Well, there's nothing wrong in that,' says I.
'I know, but she attends,' says he, just as if she shouldn't. 'She
wouldn't attend if the women in that church wore Salvation Army
clothes and played tambourines, let me tell you. None of 'em would.
I knew her in New York years ago. She wasn't fashionable then. Now
she's so swell that she'll soon be asking Cable to build a mansion
at Rose Lawn Cemetery, because all of the fashionables go there.'
Pretty raw, eh, Mr. Rigby?"
"Oh, he's an old blatherskite, Eddie. They talk that way when they
get old and grouchy. So he knew Mrs. Cable in New York, eh? What
else did he say about her?"
"Nothing much. Oh, yes, he did say--in that nasty way of his--that
he saw her on the street the other day chatting with one of the
richest swells in Chicago. He didn't say who he was except that
he was the man who once made his wife sit up all night in the day
coach while he slept in the only berth to be had on the train. Do
you know who that could be?"
"I'm afraid Droom was romancing," said Bobby, with a smile.
"Say, Mr. Rigby," said Eddie earnestly, "what sort of business
does Mr. Bansemer handle?" Rigby had difficulty in controlling his
expression. "I was wondering, because while I was there yesterday
a girl I know came out of the back room where she had been talking
to Bansemer. She's no good."
"Very likely she was consulting him about something," said Rigby
quietly.
"She soaked a friend of mine for a thousand when she was singing
in the chorus in one of the theatres here."
"Do you know her well?"
"I--er--did see something of her at one time. Say, don't mention
it to Rosie, will you? She's not strong for chorus girls," said
Eddie anxiously. "A few days ago I saw a woman come out of his
office, heavily veiled. She was crying, because I could hear the
sobs. I don't go much on Bansemer, Mr. Rigby. Darn him, he called
me a pup one day when I took a message up for Judge Smith."
"See here, Eddie," said Rigby, leaning forward suddenly, "I've
heard two or three queer things about Bansemer. I want you to tell
me all you hear from Droom and all that you see. Don't you think
you could cultivate Droom's acquaintance a bit? Keep this very
quiet--not a word to anybody. It may mean something in the end."
"Gee whiz!" murmured Eddie, his eyes wide with interest. From that
day on he and Bobby Rigby were allies--even conspirators.
Later in the day Rigby had a telephone message from Graydon Bansemer,
suggesting that they lunch together. All he would say over the wire
was that he would some day soon expect Rigby to perform a happy
service for him. Bobby understood and was troubled, He suspected
that Graydon had asked Jane Cable to marry him and that she had
consented. He loved Graydon Bansemer, but for the first time in
their acquaintance he found himself wondering if the son were not
playing into the father's hands in this most desirable matrimonial
venture. With a shudder of repugnance he put the thought from him,
loyal to that good friend and comrade.
James Bansemer came into his office late that morning. He had
not seen Graydon the night before, but at breakfast the young man
announced his good fortune and asked for his blessing. To the son's
surprise, the elder man did not at once express his approval. For
a long time he sat silent and preoccupied to all appearance, narrowly
studying his son's face until the young man was constrained to
laugh in his nervousness.
"You love her--you are very sure?" asked the father at last.
"Better than my life," cried Graydon warmly.
"She has good blood in her," said Bansemer, senior, slowly, almost
absently.
"I should say so. Her father is a wonderful man."
"Yes, I daresay," agreed the other without taking his eyes from
the son's face.
"But you don't say whether you approve or disapprove," complained
Graydon.
"Would it change matters if I disapproved?"
"Not in the least, father. I love her. I'd hate to displease you
in--"
"Then, of course, I approve," said the other, with his warmest
smile. "Jane is a beauty and--I am proud of her."
"She is too good for me," lamented Graydon happily.
"I can't very well contradict her future husband," said the lawyer.
There was a hungry look in his eyes as he glanced from time to time
at the face of the boy who had his mother's unforgettable eyes.
A messenger brought Mrs. Cable's note to Bansemer soon after his
arrival at the office. He and Elias Droom were in the back office
when the boy came. They had been discussing the contents of a
letter that came in the early mail. The lawyer accepted the note
and dismissed the boy with the curt remark that he would telephone
an answer in person.
"It looks to me as though this is going to be a rather ticklish
affair," Droom resumed after the boy had closed the outer door behind
him. Bansemer's mind was on Mrs. Cable's note; a queer smile hung
on his lips.
"I'm rather touched by her astuteness," he said. "She's cleverer
than I thought. Oh," suddenly remembering that it was not Mrs.
Cable's letter they were discussing, "you always see the dreary
side of things, Elias."
"I haven't forgotten New York," said the clerk drily.
"Ah, but Chicago isn't New York, you know."
"Well, I was just reminding you. This man is going to fight back,
that is plain."
"That's what Mrs. Norwood promised to do, also, Elias. But she was
like a lamb in the end."
"I wouldn't be very proud of that affair, if I were you."
"See here, Droom, you're getting a trifle too familiar of late. I
don't like it," said Bansemer sharply.
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Bansemer," said Droom, scraping his foot
across the floor and looking straight past his master's head. "It's
for the good of the cause, that's all. It wouldn't do, on Graydon's
account, for you to be driven from Chicago at this time. You see,
he thinks you are beyond reproach."
"Curse your impudence, Droom, I won't be spoken to in that way,"
exclaimed Bansemer, white with sudden rage and loathing.
"Am I to expect my discharge, sir?" asked Droom, rubbing his hands
abjectly, but looking squarely into Bansemer's eyes for the first
time in their acquaintance. Bansemer glared back for an instant
and then shrugged his shoulders with a nervous laugh.
"We shan't quarrel, Elias," he said. "Speaking of Graydon, he is
to be married before long."
"I trust he is to do well, sir. Graydon is a fine boy."
"He is to marry David Cable's daughter."
"Indeed? I did not know that David Cable had a daughter."
"You know whom I mean--Jane Cable." He turned rather restlessly,
conscious that Droom's eyes were following him to the window. He
glanced again at Mrs. Cable's note and waited.
"I suppose you are pleased," said Droom, after a long pause.
"Certainly. Jane is a splendid girl. She's beautiful, accomplished
and--well, she's thoroughbred," said Bansemer steadily, turning to
face the old man.
"It is not necessary to remind you that she is a child of love,"
said Droom, "That's the genteel way to put it."
"It's not like you to be genteel, Elias. Still," and he sat down
and leaned forward eagerly, "she has good blood from both sides."
"Yes--the so-called best."
"You speak as if you know the truth."
"I think--yes, I'm sure I know. I have known for twenty years, Mr.
Bansemer. I had the same means as you of finding out whose child
she was."
"That's more than Mrs. Cable knows."
"She did not take the trouble to investigate. It's too late now."
"I don't believe you really know the names of her father and
mother," said Bansemer shrewdly. "You are trying to trick me into
telling you what I DO know."
"There are portraits of her ancestors hanging in Fifth Avenue,"
said Droom promptly. "Here," and he picked up a pencil, "I'll write
the initials of the two persons responsible for her existence. You
do the same and we'll see that they tally." He quickly scratched
four letters on a pad of paper. Bansemer hesitated and then slowly
wrote the initials on the back of an envelope. Without a word they
exchanged the papers. After a moment they both smiled in relief.
Neither had been tricked. The initials were identical.
"I imagine the ancestors hanging in Fifth Avenue would be amazed
if they knew the story of Jane," said Droom, with a chuckle.
"I doubt it, Droom. Ancestors have stories, too, and they hide
them."
"Well, she isn't the only girl who doesn't know."
"I dare say. It isn't a wise world."
"It's a lucky one. That's why it assumes to be decent."
"You are quite a cynic, Elias."
"By the way, now that your son is to marry her, I'd like to know
just what your game is."
Bansemer turned on him like a tiger, his steely eyes blazing.
"Game? There is no game, damn you. Listen to me, Droom; we'll settle
this now. I'm a bad man, but I've tried to be a good father. People
have called me heartless. So be it. But I love that boy of mine.
What little heart I have belongs to him. There can be no game where
he is concerned. Some day, perhaps, he'll find out the kind of a
man I've been to others, but can always remember that I was fair
and honest with him. He'll despise my methods and he'll spurn
my money, but he'll have to love me. Jane Cable is not the girl I
would have chosen for him, but she is good and true and he loves
her."
For the first time in his life Elias Droom shrank beneath the eyes
of his master. He hated James Bansemer from the bottom, of his
wretched soul, but he could not but feel, at this moment, a touch
of admiration.
Through all the years of their association Elias Droom had hated
Bansemer because he was qualified to be the master, because he
was successful and forceful, because he had loved and been loved,
because they had been classmates but not equals. In the bitterness
of his heart he had lain awake on countless nights praying--but not
to his God--that the time would come when he could stand ascendant
over this steely master. Only his unswerving loyalty to a duty
once assumed kept him from crushing Bansemer with exposure years
before. But Droom was not a traitor. He remained standing, lifting
his eyes after a brief, shifting study of his bony hands.
"You have nothing to fear from me," he said. "Your boy is the only
being in the world that I care for. He hates me. Everybody hates me.
But it doesn't matter. I asked what your game was because we know
Jane's father and mother. That's all. Mrs. David Cable, I presume,
can be preyed upon with safety."
"Mrs. Cable has much to lose," significantly.
"And how much to pay?" with a meaning look.
"That is her affair, Droom."
"I wouldn't press her too hard," cautioned Droom. "She's a woman."
"Never fear. I'm going there for dinner to-night. It's a family
affair. By the way, here's a letter from a distinguished political
leader. He suggests that I act on the city central committee for
the coming year. You've heard of him, I daresay. He says it will
mean a great deal to me here in Chicago."
"You are not going into politics?" scornfully.
"Elias, I'm pretty bad, but I'm not bad enough for local politics."
They heard someone at the outer door at that moment, and Droom glided
forth from the inner room to greet the visitor. It was Eddie Deever.
"Say, Mr. Droom, do you suppose Mr. Bansemer would object if I sat
down here for a few minutes to look over his books on Famous Crimes
in History? Old Smith hasn't got 'em."
"Go ahead," said Droom, taking his seat at the desk. "You are a
great reader, I perceive. A literary person like you ought to live
in Boston. Everybody reads in Boston."
"Boston?" sniffed Eddie, pulling a book from the shelf. "They're
still reading the Old Testament there."