CONCLUSION
The Simeon Deaves story began to appear in the editions that came out
at four o'clock that afternoon. Every paper in New York featured it.
The clever re-write men did their best on it, and the accounts varied,
though the main facts remained the same. Many of the papers ran a
two-column cut. Evan bought them all and retired to his room to await
developments.
The first came in the shape of a note from George Deaves, reading:
"The bonds were delivered to Mr. Verplanck shortly after my note. He
telephoned me, and I have just returned from seeing him. I suggested
you as the third member of the trust, to which he was agreeable. You
will be in charge of the administration, and a proper salary will be
paid you out of the fund. If you are agreeable please see Mr.
Verplanck to-morrow at eleven. Papa has been out since lunch. I shall
not mention to him that you had any foreknowledge of the affair, so he
won't suspect any collusion between us.
G. D."
Evan answered:
"I accept with pleasure."
Shortly after this, Simeon Deaves turned up at Evan's room. It was
evident as soon as he spoke that he had not yet read the afternoon
papers. He had been drawn to Evan's room on his wanderings by his
insatiable curiosity. Nothing in the room escaped his sharp, furtive
glances. The newspapers were lying about. Evan made no attempt to put
them away. The old man had to learn soon anyhow.
His glance was caught by his photograph in one of the sheets. He
pounced on it. Evan watched him slyly. The old man's face was a study
in astonishment.
"What's this!" he cried. "Do you know about it? Half a million for
charity! Who got up this lie!" He was as indignant as if he had been
accused of stealing the money.
"One of the papers mentioned the exact sum as four hundred thousand,"
said Evan innocently.
"It's a hoax."
"And they said U.S. government bonds, so I supposed the blackmailers
must have turned over what they got from you."
"Why should they go to all that trouble just to give it to charity?"
Evan was careful to maintain his detached air. "Well, I thought maybe
they were not common crooks, but socialists or anarchists or something
like that, who believed in dividing things up, you know."
"The scoundrels!" cried the old man. "I'll put a stop to their game.
I'll see Verplanck and get the bonds back."
"You can't see him to-day," said Evan carelessly. "It's after five.
He lives in the country."
"I'll see him in the morning, then."
"You'll have a chance to talk it over with your son in the meantime."
"What's George got to do with it? The money's mine!"
"Of course," said Evan carelessly.
He let the old man rage on without interruption. When he saw his
opportunity he said offhand: "Too bad to spoil this elegant publicity,
though."
"What do you mean?"
"It's in all the papers. Every man in the country will read it before
to-morrow morning. It will make over your reputation in a night."
"What do I care about my reputation?"
"If you call the scheme off, think how they'll get after you! Not only
an obscure sheet like the _Clarion_, but the entire press of the
country. Like a pack of hounds. They'll never let the story drop."
This thought gave the old man pause. He scowled at Evan.
Evan was making a pretence of cleaning a palette. "You'd hardly care
to venture out in the street after that. You'd be hooted; stoned,
perhaps. It's bad enough already. The reason you hired me was to
prevent unpleasant experiences. But if every paper in town got after
you--well, you couldn't go out except in a closed car."
The old man made a queer noise in his throat, and pulled at his seamy
cheek.
Evan went on without appearing to notice him: "It's a swindle, of
course, to try to make you out a philanthropist in spite of yourself.
They must have a funny sense of humour. But I couldn't help but be
struck by the opportunities for the right kind of publicity. You could
turn it so easily to your own advantage."
"How do you mean?" he asked.
"Take this philanthropic trust, or whatever they call it; excursions
for poor children! Good Lord! Every sob sister on the press would be
good for a column once a week. It's up to you to see that the
publicity is properly organised. Every time they give an excursion
have the stuff sent out. It's cheap at the price, if you ask me. You
couldn't buy it at any price. You'll be received with cheers on the
street then. No need to hire a body-guard. And you still do more or
less business. Think how it would help you in your business!"
The old man was greatly impressed. "Well, I'll think it over," he
said. "It's too much money. I'll offer to compromise with Verplanck
on half."
Evan saw that even this was an immense concession. "Talk it over with
Mr. George," he said.
"Oh, George is a fool!"
Evan, fearful of overdoing it, let the matter drop. Everything
depended on George now. The old man presently departed.
It may be mentioned here, out of its proper place chronologically, that
later that night Evan got another note from George Deaves:
"I have had it out with Papa. It took me two hours. But I won. There
will be no interference with the Deaves Trust. In the future I mean to
be firmer with Papa. I have given in to him too much.
G. D."
At six o'clock Evan heard a quick light step on the stairs and the
heart began to thump in his breast. He had been longing for this--and
dreading it. Corinna presented herself at his open door. She had
newspapers in her hand, and there was no doubt but that she had read
them. But if Evan had expected her to be pleased, he was sadly
disappointed. Her eyes were flashing.
"What does this mean?" she demanded, waving the papers.
"Dordess wrote the story," said Evan, sparring for time.
"I know he did. I have seen him. He referred me to you."
"Well, the story tells all," said Evan. "I didn't return the bonds,
but created a philanthropist out of Simeon Deaves."
"And rehabilitated him in the eyes of the public!" she cried bitterly.
"The unrepentant old scoundrel!"
"He'll find popularity so sweet he'll have to live up to it."
"He doesn't deserve it!"
Evan was moved to protest. "Look here, Corinna, you've nourished your
grudge against him for so long that you've positively fallen in love
with it. You're just sore now because it has been removed!"
"I might have expected you to say that!"
"Be fair, Corinna. I threshed my brains to find a way out that would
do everybody good. And this is all the thanks I get!"
"Much obliged, but I don't care to have anybody play Providence to me.
I expect to be consulted in matters that concern me. Good for
everybody, you say. How is the Deaves Trust good for me?"
"Why, the sum for supporting the excursions remains intact; the very
sum you asked for."
"But you've ousted me!"
"Not at all. What the papers do not state is that I have been
appointed the third trustee with power to administer the fund."
"What good will that do me?"
Evan said very off-hand: "Well, I thought you were going to administer
me."
He did not look at her as he said it. She gave him no sign. She was
silent for so long that a great anxiety arose within him. Yet he felt
that to speak again would only be to weaken his plea. He looked at
her. The shining head was studiously averted, the long lashes down.
Finally she said, low and firmly: "It is impossible."
"Why?" he demanded.
"You want a clinging vine," she said scornfully. "A tame woman who
will look up to you as the source of all wisdom!"
"If I did would I be asking you?" he said dryly.
"You hope to tame me."
"Never! The shoe is on the other foot. You want a husband whose neck
you can tread on."
"What difference does it make whose fault it is?" she said wearily.
"The fact remains we would quarrel endlessly and hatefully. It would
be degrading!"
"People who love each other always quarrel," said Evan cheerfully.
"There's no harm in it."
She stared at him.
"Let us quarrel--and continue to respect each other!"
She shook her head. "You speak about it too coldly."
"Cold--I?" he said. "You silence me when you say that! You know I am
not cold!"
"It is better for us to part," she said, moving towards the door.
He hastened to get between her and the door. "Corinna, the reason I am
obliged to fight you is because you wield such a dreadful power! In
reality I am terrified of you! If you married me I would have no
defences at all! I would be at your mercy because I love you so!"
"You're always laughing at me," she murmured.
"I swear I am not! People who love do not make bargains, Corinna. All
that I am or ever will be is yours. Take me and make what you can of
it!"
Corinna, who had not looked at him all this while, now turned a comical
face of remonstrance. "But you mustn't!" she said. "You mustn't give
in to me like that! You must oppose my temper and my wilfulness,
whatever I say!"
It was Evan's turn to stare. Then he understood that this was
surrender--Corinna's way. He laughed in pure delight and opened his
arms. "Come here, you wretch!"
She sidled towards him, blushing deeply, intolerably confused.
POSTSCRIPT
Two weeks later. The Executive Committee of the Deaves Trust was
holding an informal meeting. Said Evan:
"The _Ernestina_ is in commission again, but of course we don't want
her as long as the present skipper is in charge. I have found a new
boat, the _Thomas Higgins_, safe and comfortable. The only thing
against her is her name, and I propose to change that to _Corinna_."
"Silly!" said the other member of the committee.
"The owners have made me a fair price, and the other trustees have
authorized me to purchase her outright."
"Won't that take all our money?"
"No, indeed. I have arranged to run her three days a week to the town
of Redport, which wants a steam-boat service with the city. The
merchants of the town have guaranteed an amount of business sufficient
to pay operating expenses and interest on the investment. In addition,
on Thursdays and Sundays she will be available for charter. On Sundays
we can always get a big price for her. So you see, we'll not only have
our own steamboat, but our income, too."
"How clever you are!" said Corinna.
"After I arranged about that I went to see Dordess----"
"Was he friendly?"--this anxiously.
"Yes, indeed. We understand each other. I always was attracted to
him, and he is resigned to the inevitable now. He says he's content to
be an uncle to our children."
"_Evan!_"
"He was to sound the other fellows, you know, and find out how they
were disposed towards the new trips. Well, Anway and Tenterden decline
with thanks. That was to be expected. But the others, Domville,
Burgess, Minturn, and that odd little chap in the grey suit with the
big eyes----"
"Paul Roman."
"Yes, they're all crazy to come. They have accepted me as a necessary
evil. The little fellow, Roman, came into Dordess's office while I was
there. Shook hands with me like a little man. He has pluck, that kid.
I will never forget the dogged way he trailed me. By the way, why did
you never take him on the _Ernestina_?"
"We did sometimes, and sometimes he remained on shore to trail Simeon
Deaves. He made up as a girl, and you never spotted him. When you
came aboard the _Ernestina_ we had to hide him."
"The deuce you did!"
"What about Charley Straiker, Evan?"
"He's coming, too. Dear old Charl! We have had a heart-to-heart talk.
Everything is fixed up between us. You have never told me how you got
hold of him that day. I didn't like to ask him. Too sore a subject."
"There's nothing much to tell. I was in the library reading-room that
morning, not to get the money but just to watch out for danger. Paul
Roman got the books out. I saw Charley come in and sit down beside
him, and I knew what was up. I immediately went and sat down on the
other side of Charley. He was glad to see me. I was quite frank with
him. I introduced Paul Roman to him. I told him my story. It won his
heart, that's all."
"It wasn't the story, but your eyes, confound them!"
"Oh, you never will believe that anybody can be influenced by
disinterested motives!"
"How did you find out that other time that the bills were marked?"
"Tenterden has a brother in a bank. He told us about the warning sent
out by the Mid-City Bank."
"Corinna, how did you ever come to chum up with a woman like Maud
Deaves?"
"I didn't chum up with her. I never laid eyes on the woman. It came
about gradually. I found out early in the game that when we sent
letters to her it had the effect of exerting a tremendous pressure on
her husband to pay. Later, through the servants, whom Paul Roman had
bribed for me, I found out that she was in money difficulties. After
that every time we got the money I sent her part, and she worked for us
like one of ourselves. We never failed to get the money one way or
another, as you know."
"I know," said Evan ruefully.
"But don't let us talk of those times any more. It's a sore subject
with me, too."
"One more question, and I'll drop it forever. Confess that you came
and took a room at 45A Washington Square for the especial purpose of
seducing me."
"Evan! What a word to use!"
"I used it merely in a figurative sense, my child. Confess!"
"Well, of course when Paul Roman reported all that had happened that
day, and where you lived, and later when I learned through the Deaves'
servants that you had been engaged to go around with the old man, my
first thought was to win you to our side. Paul reported that you were
a gentleman, and seemed like a good sort of fellow."
"Oh, he did, did he?"
"In such a position, of course, if you were against us you could ruin
everything; while if you were on our side you would be invaluable. So
I went to that house and took a room, hoping to become acquainted with
you."
"You didn't stay long."
She looked at him through her lashes. "No, I fell in love with you,
confound you! It spoiled everything!"
"Corinna!" he cried delightedly. "I am beginning to think I shall yet
succeed in grafting a sense of humour on you!"
THE END