Caroline sat by the library window, her chin in her hand, drearily
watching the sleet as it beat against the panes, and the tops of the
Park trees lashing in the wind. Below, in the street, the trolleys
passed in their never-ending procession, the limousines and cabs whizzed
forlornly by, and the few pedestrians pushed dripping umbrellas against
the gale. A wet, depressing afternoon, as hopeless as her thoughts, and
growing darker and more miserable hourly.
Stephen, standing by the fire, kicked the logs together and sent a
shower of sparks flying.
“Oh, say something, Caro, do!” he snapped testily. “Don’t sit there
glowering; you give me the horrors.”
She roused from her reverie, turned, and tried to smile.
“What shall I say?” she asked.
“I don’t know. But say something, for heaven’s sake! Talk about the
weather, if you can’t think of anything more original.”
“The weather isn’t a very bright subject just now.”
“I didn’t say it was; but it’s _a_ subject. I hope to goodness it
doesn’t prevent Sylvester’s keeping his appointment. He’s late, as it
is.”
“Is he?” wearily. “I hadn’t noticed.”
“Of course you hadn’t. You don’t notice anything. It doesn’t help
matters to pull a long face and go moping around wiping your eyes.
You’ve got to use philosophy in times like this. It’s just as hard for
me as it is for you; and I try to make the best of it, don’t I?”
She might have reminded him that his philosophy was a very recent
acquisition. When the news of their poverty first came he was the one
who raved and sobbed and refused to contemplate anything less direful
than slow starvation or quick suicide. She had soothed and comforted
then. Since the previous evening, when he had gone out, in spite of her
protestations, and left her alone, his manner had changed. He was still
nervous and irritable, but no longer threatened self-destruction, and
seemed, for some unexplained reason, more hopeful and less desperate.
Sylvester had ‘phoned, saying that he would call at the apartment at
two, and since Stephen had received the message he had been in a state
of suppressed excitement, scarcely keeping still for five minutes at a
time.
“It is just as hard for me as it is for you, isn’t it?” he repeated.
“Yes, Steve, I suppose it is.”
“You suppose? Don’t you know? Oh, do quit thinking about Mal Dunn and
pay attention to me.”
She did not answer. He regarded her with disgust.
“You are thinking of Mal, of course,” he declared. “What’s the use? You
know what _I_ think: you were a fool to write him that letter.”
“Don’t, Steve; please don’t.”
“Ugh!”
“Don’t you know he didn’t get the letter? I was so nervous and
over-wrought that I misdirected it.”
“Pooh! Has he ever stayed away from you so long before? Or his precious
mother, either? Why doesn’t she come to see you? She scarcely missed a
day before this happened. Nonsense! I guess he got it all right.”
“Steve, stop! stop! Don’t dare speak like that. Do you realize what you
are insinuating? You don’t believe it! You know you don’t! Shame on you!
I’m ashamed of my brother! No! not another word of that kind, or I shall
leave the room.”
She had risen to her feet. He looked at her determined face and turned
away.
“Oh, well,” he muttered, sullenly, “maybe you’re right. I don’t say
you’re not. Perhaps he didn’t get the letter. You sent it to his office,
and he may have been called out of town. But his mother--”
“Mrs. Dunn was not well when I last saw her. She may be ill.”
“Perhaps. But if you’re so sure about them, why not let it go at that?
What’s the use of fretting?”
“I was not thinking of them--then.”
As a matter of fact, she had been thinking of her uncle, Elisha Warren.
As the time dragged by, she thought of him more and more--not as the
uncouth countryman whose unwelcome presence had been forced into her
life; nor as the hypocrite whose insult to her father’s memory she
never could forgive or whose double-dealing had been, as she thought,
revealed; but as the man who, with the choke in his voice and the tears
in his eyes, bade her remember that, whenever she needed help, he was
ready and glad to give it.
She did not doubt Malcolm’s loyalty. Her brother’s hints and
insinuations found no echo in her thoughts. In the note which she had
written her fiancé she told of the loss of their fortune, though not of
her father’s shame. That she could not tell; nor did she ask Malcolm to
come to her--her pride would not permit that. She wrote simply of her
great trouble and trusted the rest to him. That he had not come was
due--so she kept repeating to herself--solely to the fact that he had
not received her letter. She knew that was it--she knew it. And yet--and
yet he did not come.
So, in her loneliness and misery, her guardian’s words returned again
and again to her memory: “Sometimes when things look all right they turn
out to be all wrong. If ever there comes a time like that to you and
Steve, remember you’ve got me to turn to.” The time had come when she
must turn to someone.
She would never go to him; she vowed it. She would not accept his help
if he came to her. But, if he was sincere, if he meant what he said,
why did he not come again to proffer it? Because he was not sincere,
of course. That had been proven long before. She despised him. But
his face, as she last saw it, refused to be banished from her mind.
It looked so strong, and yet gentle and loving, like the face of a
protector, one to be trusted through good times and bad. Oh, this
wicked, wicked world, and the shams and sorrows in it! “Malcolm, why
don’t you come to me?”
Stephen uttered an exclamation. Looking up, she saw him hurrying toward
the hall.
“Someone’s at the door,” he explained. “It’s Sylvester, of course. I’ll
let him in.”
It was not the lawyer but a messenger boy with a note. Stephen returned
to the library with the missive in his hand.
“He couldn’t get here, Caro,” he said, excitedly. “Wants us to come
right down to his office. Hurry up! Get your things on. The cab’s
waiting. Come! Rush! It may be important.”
The cab, an electric vehicle, made good time, and they soon reached the
Pine Street offices, where they were ushered at once into the senior
partner’s presence.
“Step into the other room,” said Mr. Sylvester, “and wait there, please.
I’ll join you shortly.”
The room was the large one where the momentous conference between
Captain Elisha and the three lawyers had so recently taken place.
Caroline seated herself in one of the chairs. Stephen walked the floor.
“Hope he doesn’t keep us waiting long,” he fumed. “I thought of course
he was ready or he wouldn’t have sent for us.”
“Ready?” his sister looked at him, questioningly. “Ready for what?” she
repeated, with sudden suspicion. “Steve, do you know what Mr. Sylvester
wishes to see us about?”
Her brother colored and seemed a bit disconcerted. “How should I know?”
he muttered.
“Is it something new about the estate or that man who owns it? You do
know something! I can see it in your face. What is it?”
“Nothing. How should I know what it is?”
“But you do. I believe you do. Look at me! What does Mr. Sylvester want
of us?”
The boy hesitated; then whirled and faced her. “See here, Caro,” he
said, “maybe I do know something--or I can guess. Now, whatever happens,
you’ve got to be a sensible girl. Certain things have to be dealt
with in a practical way, and we’re practical people. Sentiment--and
pride--and all that sort of stuff, are well enough, but business is
business and an engagement is an engagement. Now it’s right up to you
and--”
“Steve, what are you talking about?”
“That’s all right. I know what I’m talking about. Somebody in the
family must use common sense, and when it comes to holding a person to a
promise, then--Confound it, Sis, we can’t starve, can we?”
“What do you mean?” She rose and advanced toward him. “What do you mean
by a promise? What have you been doing?”
His confusion increased. He avoided her eyes and moved sullenly toward
the other side of the table.
“I haven’t done anything,” he grumbled, “that is, I’ve done what any
reasonable fellow would do. I’m not the only one who thinks.... Look
here! We’ve got a guardian, haven’t we?”
“A guardian! a _guardian_! Stephen Warren, have you been to him? Have
you--Was _that_ where you were last night?”
“Well, I--”
“Answer me!”
“What if I have? Whom else am I to go to? Isn’t he--”
“But why did you go to him? What did you say?”
“I said--I said--Never mind what I said. He agrees with me, I can tell
you that. You’ll thank your stars I did go, before very long. I....
S-sh! Here’s Sylvester.”
The door of the room opened. The person who entered, however, was not
the lawyer, but the very man of whom they had been speaking, Captain
Elisha himself. He closed the door behind him.
“Hello, Stevie,” he said, with a nod to the boy. Then, turning to his
niece, he stepped forward and held out his hand. “Caroline,” he began,
“I don’t doubt you’re some surprised to see me here; but I.... Why,
what’s the matter?”
The faces of the pair led him to ask the question. Stephen’s was red and
he looked embarrassed and guilty. Caroline’s was white, and she glanced
from her brother to her guardian and back again, with flashing eyes.
“What’s the matter?” repeated the captain. “Steve,” sharply, “have you
been making a fool of yourself again? What is it?”
“Nothing,” was the sulky answer; “nothing of consequence. Caro is--well,
I happened to mention that I called on you last night and--and she
doesn’t seem to like it, that’s all. As I told her, somebody in the
family had to use common sense, and you were our guardian and naturally,
under the circumstances.... Why, I’ll leave it to anyone!” with a burst
of righteous indignation. “You _are_ our guardian.”
He proclaimed it as if he expected a denial. Captain Elisha frowned.
“Humph!” he grunted. “That ain’t exactly news, is it, Steve? Seems to me
we’ve taken up that p’int afore; though, as I remember, you didn’t used
to be sot on all hands knowin’ it,” with dry sarcasm. “I don’t need even
your common sense to remind me of it just at this minute. Caroline, your
brother did come to see me last night. I was glad he did.”
She ignored him. “Steve,” she demanded, still facing the young man, “was
this, too, a part of your plan? Did you bring me here to meet--him?”
“No, I didn’t. Sylvester was to come to see us. You know that; he
telephoned. I didn’t know--”
The captain interrupted. “There, there, son!” he exclaimed, “let me say
a word. No, Caroline, Stevie didn’t know I was to meet you here. But
I thought it was necessary that I should. Set down, please. I know you
must be worn out, poor girl.”
“I don’t wish to sit. I want to know what my brother called to see you
about.”
“Well, there was some matters he wanted to talk over.”
“What were they? Concerning the estate?”
“Partly that.”
“Partly? What else? Captain Warren, my brother has hinted--he has
said--What does he mean by holding someone to a promise? Answer me
truthfully.”
“I shouldn’t answer you any other way, Caroline. Steve seems to be
worried about--now you mustn’t mind my speakin’ plain, Caroline; the
time’s come when I’ve got to--Steve seems to be worried about the young
man you’re engaged to. He seems to cal’late that Mr. Dunn may want to
slip out of that engagement.”
His niece looked at him. Then she turned to her brother. “You went to
_him_ and.... Oh, how _could_ you!”
Stephen would not meet her gaze. “Well,” he muttered rebelliously, “why
wouldn’t I? You know yourself that Mal hasn’t been near you since it
happened. If he wasn’t after--if he was straight, he would have come,
wouldn’t he? Mind, I don’t say he isn’t--perhaps he doesn’t know. But,
at any rate, something must be done. We had to face possibilities, and
you wouldn’t listen to me. I tried--”
“Stop!” she cut him short, imperiously. “Don’t make me hate you. And
you,” turning to her uncle, “did _you_ listen and believe such things?
Did you encourage him to believe them? Oh, I know what you think of my
friends! I heard it from your own lips. And I know why you think it.
Because they know what you are; because they exposed you and--”
“There, there! Caroline, you needn’t go on. I’ve heard your opinion
of my character afore. Never mind me for the minute. And, if you’ll
remember, _I_ ain’t said that I doubted your young man. You told me
that you thought the world and all of him and that he did of you. That’s
enough--or ought to be. But your brother says you wrote him two days ago
and he ain’t been near you.”
“I misdirected the letter. He didn’t receive it.”
“Um-hm. I see. That would explain.”
“Of course it would. That _must_ be the reason.”
“Yes, seem’s if it must.”
“It is. What right have you to doubt it? Oh, how can you think such
things? Can you suppose the man I am to marry is so despicable--so
_mean_ as to--as to--I’m ashamed to say it. Why do you presume that
money has any part in our engagement? Such trouble as mine only makes it
more binding. Do you suppose if _he_ were poor as--as I am, that I would
desert _him_? You know I wouldn’t. I should be glad--yes, almost happy,
because then I could show him--could--”
Her voice failed her. She put her handkerchief to her eyes for an
instant and then snatched it away and faced them, her head erect. The
pride in her face was reflected in Captain Elisha’s as he regarded her.
“No, no,” he said gently, “I never supposed you’d act but in one way,
Caroline. I knew _you_. And, as Steve’ll tell you, I said to him almost
the same words you’ve been sayin’. If Malcolm’s what he’d ought to be,
I said, he’ll be glad of the chance to prove how much he cares for your
sister. But Steve appeared to have some misgivin’s, and so--”
He paused, turned toward the door, and seemed to be listening. Caroline
flashed an indignant glance at her brother.
“And so?” she asked, scornfully.
“And so,” continued the captain, with a slight change in his tone, “it
seemed to me that his doubts ought to be settled. And,” rising, as there
came a tap at the door, “I cal’late they’re goin’ to be.”
He walked briskly over and opened the door. Sylvester was standing
without.
“Come, have they?” inquired Captain Elisha.
“Yes.”
“Fetch ‘em right in here. Steve, stand over nigher that corner. This
way, Caroline, if you please.”
He took his niece by the arm and led her to the side of the room not
visible from the doorway. She was too astonished to resist, but asked an
agitated question.
“What is it?” she cried. “Who is coming?”
“Some friends of yours,” was the quiet reply. “Nothin’ to be frightened
about. Steve, stay where you are.”
The boy was greatly excited. “Is it they?” he demanded. “Is it? By gad!
Now, Sis, be a sensible girl. If he should try to hedge, you hold him.
Hold him! Understand?”
“Steve, be quiet,” ordered the captain.... “Ah, Mrs. Dunn, good
afternoon, ma’am. Mr. Dunn, good afternoon, sir.”
For the pair who, followed by Sylvester, now entered the room were Mrs.
Corcoran Dunn and Malcolm.
They were past the sill before Captain Elisha’s greeting caused them to
turn and see the three already there. Mrs. Dunn, who was in the lead,
stopped short in her majestic though creaking march of entrance, and her
florid face turned a brighter crimson. Her son, strolling languidly at
her heels, started violently and dropped his hat. The lawyer, bringing
up in the rear, closed the door and remained standing near it. Caroline
uttered an exclamation of surprise. Her brother drew himself haughtily
erect. Captain Elisha remained unperturbed and smiling.
“Good afternoon, ma’am,” he repeated. “It’s been some time since you and
I run across each other. I hope you’re feelin’ pretty smart.”
Mrs. Dunn had faced some unpleasant situations in her life and
had proved equal to them. Usually, however, she had been prepared
beforehand. For this she had not been prepared--as yet. She had come
to the offices of Sylvester, Kuhn, and Graves, at the senior partner’s
request, to be told, as she supposed, the full and final details of
the financial disaster threatening the Warren family. If those details
should prove the disaster as overwhelming as it appeared, then--well,
then, certain disagreeable duties must be performed. But to meet the
girl to whom her son was engaged, and whom she and he had carefully
avoided meeting until the lawyers should acquaint them with the whole
truth--to meet this girl, and her brother, and her guardian, thus
unexpectedly and unprepared, was enough to shake the composure and nerve
of even such a veteran campaigner as Mrs. M. Corcoran Dunn.
But of the three to whom the meeting was an absolute
surprise,--Caroline, Malcolm and herself--she was characteristically the
first to regain outward serenity. For a moment she stood nonplused and
speechless, but only for a moment. Then she hastened, with outstretched
arms, to Caroline and clasped her in affectionate embrace.
“My dear child!” she cried; “my dear girl! I’m _so_ glad to see you!
I’ve thought of you so much! And I pity you so. Poor Malcolm
has--Malcolm,” sharply, “come here! Don’t you see Caroline?”
Malcolm was groping nervously for his hat. He picked it up and obeyed
his mother’s summons, though with no great eagerness.
“How d’ye do, Caroline,” he stammered, confusedly. “I--I--It’s a deuce
of a surprise to see you down here. The mater and I didn’t expect--that
is, we scarcely hoped to meet anyone but Sylvester. He sent for us, you
know.”
He extended his hand. She did not take it.
“Did you get my letter?” she asked, quickly. Mrs. Dunn answered for him.
“Yes, dear, he got it,” she said. “The poor fellow was almost crazy. I
began to fear for his sanity; I did, indeed. I did not dare trust him
out of my sight. Oh, if you could but know how we feel for you and pity
you!”
Pity was not what Caroline wanted just then. The word jarred upon her.
She avoided the lady’s embrace and once more faced the embarrassed
Malcolm.
“You got my letter?” she cried. “You _did_?”
“Yes--er--yes, I got it, Caroline. I--by Jove, you know--”
He hesitated, stammered, and looked thoroughly uncomfortable. His mother
regarded him wrathfully.
“Well,” she snapped, “why don’t you go on? Caroline, dear, you really
must excuse him. The dear boy is quite overcome.”
Captain Elisha stepped forward.
“Excuse me for interruptin’, ma’am,” he said, addressing the ruffled
matron; “but I know you’re sort of surprised to see us all here and
maybe I’d better explain. Mr. Sylvester told me you and your son had an
appointment with him for this afternoon. Now there was something we--or
I, anyhow--wanted to talk with you about, so I thought we might as well
make one job of it. Sylvester’s a pretty busy man, and I know he has
other things to attend to; so why not let him go ahead and tell you what
you come to hear, and then we can take up the other part by ourselves.
He’s told me what you wanted to see him about, and it’s somethin’ we’re
all interested in, bein’ as we’re one family--or goin’ to be pretty
soon. So suppose he just tells you now. Ain’t that a good idea?”
Mrs. Dunn looked at the speaker, and then at the lawyer, and seemed to
have caught some of her son’s embarrassment.
“I--we did have an appointment with Mr. Sylvester,” she admitted,
reluctantly; “but the business was not important. And,” haughtily, “I do
not care to discuss it here.”
The captain opened his eyes. “Hey?” he exclaimed. “Not important? You
surprise me, ma’am. I judged ‘twas mighty important. ‘Twas about the
real size of your father’s estate, Caroline,” turning to the girl. “I
thought Mrs. Dunn and Mr. Malcolm must think ‘twas important, for I
understand they’ve been telephonin’ and askin’ for appointments for the
last two days. Why, yes! and they come way down here in all this storm
on purpose to talk it over with him. Am I wrong? Ain’t that so, ma’am?”
It was so, and Mrs. Dunn could not well deny it. Therefore, she took
refuge in a contemptuous silence. The captain nodded.
“As to discussin’ it here,” he went on with bland innocence, “why, we’re
all family folks, same as I said, and there ain’t any secrets between us
on _that_ subject. So suppose we all listen while Mr. Sylvester tells
just what he’d have told you and Mr. Malcolm. It’s pretty hard to hear;
but bad news is soon told. Heave ahead, Mr. Sylvester.”
Mrs. Dunn made one more attempt to avoid the crisis she saw was
approaching.
“Surely, Caroline,” she said testily, “you don’t wish your private
affairs treated in this public manner. Come, let us go.”
She laid a hand on the girl’s arm. Captain Elisha quietly interposed.
“No, no,” he said. “We’ll all stay here. There’s nothin’ public about
it.”
Caroline, crimson with mortification, protested indignantly.
“Mr. Sylvester,” she said, “it is not necessary to--”
“Excuse me;” her uncle’s tone was sharper and more stern; “I think it
is. Go on, Sylvester.”
The lawyer looked far from comfortable, but he spoke at once and to the
point.
“I should have told you and your son just this, Mrs. Dunn,” he said.
“I intimated it before, and Miss Warren had already written you the
essential facts. A new and unexpected development, the nature of which I
am not at liberty to disclose now or later, makes Abijah Warren’s estate
absolutely bankrupt. Not only that, but many thousand dollars in debt.
His heirs are left penniless. That is the plain truth, I’m very sorry
to say. There is no hope of anything better. You’ll forgive me, Miss
Warren, I hope, for putting it so bluntly; but I thought it best to
avoid every possible misunderstanding.”
It was blunt, beyond doubt. Even Captain Elisha winced at the word
“penniless.” Stephen muttered under his breath and turned his back.
Caroline, swaying, put a hand on the table to steady herself. The Dunns
looked at each other.
“Thank you, Mr. Sylvester,” said the captain, quietly. “I’ll see you
again in a few moments.”
The lawyer bowed and left the room, evidently glad to escape. Captain
Elisha turned to Mrs. Dunn.
“And now, ma’am,” he observed, “that part of the business is over. The
next part’s even more in the family, so I thought we didn’t need legal
advice. You see just how matters stand. My niece is a poor girl. She
needs somebody to support her and look out for her. She’s got that
somebody, we’re all thankful to say. She’s engaged to Mr. Malcolm here.
And, as you’re his ma, Mrs. Dunn, and I’m Caroline’s guardian, us old
folks’ll take our affairs in hand; they needn’t listen, if they don’t
want to. I understand from Steve that Malcolm’s been mighty anxious to
have the weddin’ day hurried along. I can’t say as I blame him. And _I_
think the sooner they’re married the better. Now, how soon can we make
it, Mrs. Dunn?”
This unexpected and matter-of-fact query was variously received. Mrs.
Dunn frowned and flushed. Malcolm frowned, also. Steve nodded emphatic
approval. As for Caroline, she gazed at her guardian in horrified
amazement.
“Why!” she cried. “You--you--What do you mean by such--”
“Don’t be an idiot, Caro!” cut in her brother. “I told you to be
sensible. Captain Warren’s dead right.”
“Stevie, you stay out of this.” There was no misunderstanding the
captain’s tone. “When I want your opinion I’ll ask for it. And,
Caroline, I want you to stay out, too. This is my trick at the wheel.
Mrs. Dunn, what d’you say? Never mind the young folks. You and me know
that marriage is business, same as everything else. How soon can we have
the weddin’?”
Mrs. Dunn had, apparently, nothing to say--to him. She addressed her
next remark to Caroline.
“My dear,” she said, in great agitation, “this is really too dreadful.
This--er--guardian of yours appears to think he is in some barbarous
country--ordering the savages about. Come! Malcolm, take her away.”
“No,” Captain Elisha stepped in front of the door. “She ain’t goin’; and
I’d rather you wouldn’t go yet. Let’s settle this up now. I ain’t askin’
anything unreasonable. Caroline’s under my charge, and I’ve got to plan
for her. Your boy’s just crazy to marry her; he’s been beggin’ for her
to name the day. Let’s name it. It needn’t be to-morrow. I cal’late
you’ll want to get out invitations and such. It needn’t be next week.
But just say about when it can be; then I’ll know how to plan. That
ain’t much to ask, sartin.”
Much or little, neither Mrs. Dunn nor her son appeared ready to answer.
Malcolm fidgeted with his hat and gloves; his mother fanned herself with
her handkerchief. Caroline, frantic with humiliation and shame, would
have protested again, but her guardian’s stern shake of the head
silenced her.
“Well, Mr. Dunn,” turning to the groom-to-be; “you’re one of the
interested parties--what do you say?”
Malcolm ground his heel into the rug. “I don’t consider it your
business,” he declared. “You’re butting in where--”
“No, no, I ain’t. It’s my business, and business is just _what_ it is.
Your ma knows that. She and I had a real confidential up and down talk
on love and marriage, and she’s the one that proved to me that marryin’
in high society, like yours and the kind Caroline’s been circulatin’ in,
was business and mighty little else. There’s a business contract between
you and my niece. We want to know how soon it can be carried out, that’s
all.”
The young man looked desperately at the door; but the captain’s broad
shoulders blocked the way towards it. He hesitated, scowled, and then,
with a shrug of his shoulders, surrendered.
“How can I marry?” he demanded sullenly. “Confound it! my salary isn’t
large enough to pay my own way, decently.”
“Malcolm!” cried his mother, warningly.
“Well, Mater, what the devil’s the use of all this? You know.... By
Jove! you _ought_ to!”
“Hold on, young feller! I don’t understand. Your wages ain’t large
enough, you say? What do you mean? You was _goin’_ to be married, wasn’t
you?”
Mrs. Dunn plunged to the rescue, a forlorn hope, but desperate, and
fighting to the end.
“An outrage!” she blurted. “Malcolm, I forbid you to continue this
disgusting conversation. Caroline, my poor child, I don’t blame you for
this, but I call on you to stop it at once. My dear, I--”
She advanced toward the girl with outstretched arms. Caroline recoiled.
“Don’t! don’t!” she gasped. Captain Elisha spoke up sharp and stern.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” he said, “but I’ll be obliged if you’ll wait a
minute. Caroline, don’t you say a word. You say--you--” addressing
Malcolm, “that you can’t support a wife on your wages. You surprise me
some, considerin’ the swath you’ve been cuttin’ on ‘em--but never mind
that. Maybe they won’t keep automobiles and--er--other things I’ve heard
you was interested in, but if you cut them out and economize a little,
same as young married folks I’ve known have been glad to do, you could
scrape along, couldn’t you? Hey? Couldn’t you?”
Malcolm’s answer was another scornful shrug. “You belong on Cape Cod,”
he sneered. “Mater, let’s get out of this.”
“Wait! Put it plain now. Do I understand that you cal’late to break the
engagement because my niece has lost her money? Is that it?”
Mrs. Dunn realized that the inevitable was upon them. After all, it
might as well be faced now as later.
“This is ridiculous,” she proclaimed. “Every sane person knows--though
_barbarians_ may not--” with a venomous glare at the captain--“that,
in engagements of the kind in which my son shared, a certain amount
of--er--financial--er--that is, the bride is supposed to have some
money. It is expected. Of course it is! Love in a cottage is--well--a
bit _passé_. My son and I pity your niece from the bottom of our hearts,
but--there! under the circumstances the whole affair becomes impossible.
Caroline, my dear, I’m dreadfully sorry, dreadfully! I love you like my
own child. And poor Malcolm will be heartbroken--but--you _see_.”
She extended her hand in a gesture of utter helplessness. Stephen,
who had been fuming and repressing his rage with difficulty during the
scene, leaped forward with brandished fist.
“By gad!” he shouted. “Mal Dunn, you cad--”
His uncle pushed him back with a sweep of his arm.
“Steve,” he ordered, “I’m runnin’ this ship.” He gave a quick glance at
his niece, and then added, speaking rapidly and addressing the head of
the Dunn family, “I see, ma’am. Yes, yes, I see. Well, you’ve forgot one
thing, I guess. Caroline’s lived in high society, too. And I’ve been in
it a spell, myself. And Steve’s a boy, but he’s got a business head. If
there’s nothin’ in marriage but business, then an engagement is what I
just called it, a business contract, and it can’t be broke without the
consent of both sides. You wanted Caroline’s money; maybe she wants
yours now. If she does, and there’s such a thing as law, why, perhaps
she can get it.”
“That’s the talk!” cried Stephen exultingly.
“Yup; perhaps she can. She may be a business woman, too, you know. If
money and style and social position’s what counts and she wants to force
you to keep your promise, why, I’m her guardian and she can count on me
to back her up. What do you say, Caroline? I’m at your service. I--”
But Caroline interrupted him.
“Stop!” she cried wildly. “Oh, stop! Do you think--do you suppose I
would marry him now? _Now_, after I’ve seen what he is? Oh,” with a
shudder of disgust, “when I think what I might have done, I.... Thank
God that the money has gone! I’m glad I’m poor! I’m _glad_!”
“Caro, you fool!” shrieked Stephen. She did not heed him.
“Let me go!” she cried. “Let me get away from him; from this room! I
never want to see him or think of him again. Please! _Please_ let me go!
Oh, take me home! Captain Warren, _please_ let me go home!”
Her uncle was at her side in a moment. “Yes, yes, dearie,” he said,
“I’ll take you home. Don’t give way now! I’ll--”
He would have taken her arm, but she shrank from him.
“Not you!” she begged. “Steve!”
The captain’s face clouded, but he answered promptly.
“Of course--Steve,” he agreed. “Steve, take your sister home. Mr.
Sylvester’s got a carriage waitin’, and he’ll go with you, I don’t
doubt. Do as I tell you, boy--and behave yourself. Don’t wait; go!”
He held the door open until the hysterical girl and her brother had
departed. Then he turned to the Dunns.
“Well, ma’am,” he said, dryly. “I don’t know’s there’s anything more to
be said. All the questions seem to be settled. Our acquaintance wa’n’t
so awful long, but it was interestin’. Knowin’ you has been, as the
feller said, a liberal education. Don’t let me keep you any longer. Good
afternoon.”
He stepped away from the door. Malcolm and his mother remained standing,
for an instant, where they were when Caroline left.
The young man looked as if he would enjoy choking someone, the captain
preferably, but said nothing. Then Mrs. Dunn bethought herself of a way
to make their exit less awkward and embarrassing.
“My heart!” she said, gasping, and with a clutch at her breast. “My
poor heart! I--I fear I’m going to have one of my attacks. Malcolm, your
arm--quick!”
With an expression of intense but patient suffering, and leaning heavily
upon her son’s arm, she moved past Captain Elisha and from the room.
* * * * *
That evening the captain stood in the lower hall of the apartment house
at Central Park West, undecided what to do next. He wished more than
anything else in the world to go to his niece. He would have gone to her
before--had been dying to go, to soothe, to comfort, to tell her of his
love--but he was afraid. His conscience troubled him. Perhaps he had
been too brutal. Perhaps he shouldn’t have acted as he did. Maybe
forcing the Dunn fleet to show its colors could have been done more
diplomatically. He had wanted her to see those colors for herself, to
actually see them. But he might have overdone it. He remembered how she
shrank from him and turned to her brother. She might hate him more than
ever now. If so, then the whole scheme under which he was working fell
to pieces.
He was worried about Steve, too. That young man would, naturally,
be furious with his sister for what he would consider her romantic
foolishness. He had been warned to behave himself; but would he? Captain
Elisha paced up and down the marble floor before the elevator cage and
wondered whether his visiting the apartment would be a wise move or a
foolish one.
The elevator descended, the door of the cage opened, and Stephen himself
darted out. His face was red, he was scowling fiercely, and he strode
toward the street without looking in his guardian’s direction.
The captain caught him as he passed.
“Here, boy!” he exclaimed; “where’s the fire? Where are you bound?”
His nephew, brought thus unexpectedly to a halt, stared at him.
“Oh, it’s you!” he exclaimed. “Humph! I’m bound--I don’t know where I’m
bound!”
“You don’t, hey? Well, you can cruise a long ways on a v’yage like that.
What do you mean?”
“Aw, let me alone! I’m going to the club, I guess, or somewhere. Anyhow,
I won’t stay with her. I told her so. Silly little idiot! By gad, she
understands what I think of her conduct. I’ll never speak to her again.
I told her so. She--”
“Here! Belay! Stop! Who are you talking about?”
“Caro, of course. She--”
“You’ve run off and left her alone--to-night? Where is she?”
“Upstairs--and crying, I suppose. She doesn’t do anything else. It’s all
she’s good for. Selfish, romantic--”
He got no further, for Captain Elisha sent him reeling with a push and
ran to the elevator.
“Eighth floor,” he commanded.
The door of the apartment was not latched. Stephen, in his rage and
hurry, had neglected such trifles. The captain opened it quietly and
walked in. He entered the library. Caroline was lying on the couch,
her head buried in the pillows. She did not hear him cross the room. He
leaned over and touched her shoulder. She started, looked, and sat up,
gazing at him as though not certain whether he was a dream or reality.
And he looked at her, at her pretty face, now so white and careworn, at
her eyes, at the tear-stains on her cheeks, and his whole heart went out
to her.
“Caroline, dearie,” he faltered, “forgive me for comin’ here, won’t you?
I had to come. I couldn’t leave you alone; I couldn’t rest, thinkin’ of
you alone in your trouble. I know you must feel harder than ever towards
me for this afternoon’s doin’s, but I meant it for the best. I _had_ to
show you--don’t you see? Can you forgive me? Won’t you try to forgive
the old feller that loves you more’n all the world? Won’t you try?”
She looked at him, wide-eyed, clasping and unclasping her hands.
“_I_ forgive _you_?” she repeated, incredulously.
“Yes. Try to, dearie. Oh, if you would only believe I meant it for your
good, and nothin’ else! If you could only just trust me and come to me
and let me help you. I want you, my girl, I want you!”
She leaned forward. “Do you really mean it?” she cried. “How can you?
after all I’ve done? after the way I’ve treated you? and the things I’ve
said? You must _hate_ me! Everyone does. I hate myself! You can’t
forgive me! You can’t!”
His answer was to hold out his arms. Another moment and she was in them,
clinging to his wet coat, sobbing, holding him fast, and begging him not
to leave her, to take her away, that she would work, that she would not
be a burden to him--only take her with him and try to forgive her, for
he was real and honest and the only friend she had.
And Captain Elisha, soothing her, stroking her hair, and murmuring words
of love and tenderness, realized that his labor and sacrifice had
not been in vain, that here was his recompense; she would never
misunderstand him again; she was his at last.
And yet, in the midst of his joy, his conscience troubled him more than
ever.