HEROISM, LOVE AND SOMETHING ELSE.
The embarrassment of both the girls had begun to wear off. The two
strange young men, notwithstanding the unaccounted-for absence of the
object of Helen's quest, began to appear less strange. Both possessed
potent attractions and undeniable magnetism.
The shy and shrinking Sadie was sure she liked that tall and slender
young man with the easy drawl and bright, humorous eyes immensely. The
boldness of his glances made her heart beat pleasantly. To her he
seemed to possess the master will and wit of the pair, and she felt
she could repose perfect confidence in him.
For her part Helen was uncertain just how to sense the situation. One
side of her will urged her to leave a message for her betrothed and
hurry away. Another strain of consciousness held her fast.
Travers Gladwin's psychic waves that had so utterly failed in the
grill room of the Ritz may or may not have had something to do with
this. He felt inspired with a desire to prolong the interview
indefinitely. He could not recall ever having been so attracted by the
charming personality of any girl as he was by this distressed maiden
who was so eager to see her Travers Gladwin.
He was flattered, even by the compliment of having the same name as
the unknown. As a further expression of sympathy with Helen in the
matter of Mr. Hogg he said earnestly:
"Do you mean to tell me that your aunt insists upon you marrying
this--hog?"
"Yes," replied Helen, passionately. "And he's awful, and I hate him,
and I won't--I just won't."
"I think you're absolutely right," Gladwin agreed with her.
"Oh, you do?" cried the delighted Helen. Then, turning triumphantly
upon her cousin she exclaimed:
"There!"
But Sadie's one idea did not include Mr. Hogg. She considered the
elopement as a separate matter in which Mr. Hogg was in no way
involved, wherefore she said:
"But you've only known Mr. Gladwin two weeks."
"I know," retorted Helen, "but I've loved him for four years."
"You've loved Travers Gladwin four years," said that young man in a
voice hollow with wonder.
"And only known him two weeks," cut in Whitney Barnes. "By Jove, he
must be one of those retroactive soul-mates."
"I've loved him four years," said Helen stiffly.
"You've loved him four years in two weeks," said Barnes in the tone of
one trying to do a sum. "I give up. I can't do it."
Helen faced the heretic Barnes and announced impressively:
"Ever since the time he so bravely risked his own life to save that
girl. It was splendid, noble!"
Travers Gladwin decided it was time to call a halt on the borrowing
proclivities of the unknown double. It was bad enough for some one to
appropriate his name, but also to take unto his bogus self the glory
of the real one's heroism was too much.
"You mean that time at Narragansett?" he opened.
"Yes," said Helen. "Four years ago when he dashed into the roaring
surf"----
"Yes, and fished out a cross-eyed colored lady," said Gladwin hotly.
"That's just it," returned Helen with flashing eyes and heaving bosom.
"If she had been beautiful or some one dear to him, it wouldn't have
been half so noble. Oh, it was fine of him!"
"And he told you about that?" asked Gladwin, numbed for the moment.
"No, he didn't. He's much too modest. I knew of it the day it
happened, and he has been my ideal ever since. But would you believe
it, when I first spoke to him about it he could hardly remember it.
Imagine doing such a brave thing, and then forgetting all about it."
"Oh, I've forgotten lots of such things," said the unrecognized hero.
Helen's lips curled with scorn.
"Yes," the young man was stung to go on, "and what Travers Gladwin did
wasn't brave at all."
"What!" Helen gasped.
"She was so fat she couldn't sink," derided Gladwin, "so I swam out to
her."
"Yes," bubbled over the young man, overjoyed at the opportunity of
discounting his own heroism, "I swam out to her. I told her to lie on
her back and float. Well, she did, and I"----
"You!"
"Why, yes--er--you see, I was with him. He pushed her to shore.
Simplest thing in the world."
Helen rose angrily. There was both indignation and reproach in her
voice.
"It's shameful to try and belittle his courage, and you say you're his
dearest friend." She paused for a moment, then went closer to the
young man and said in a different tone:
"Oh, I understand you now--you're saying that to try and make me
change my mind. But I shan't--not for anybody."
Helen crossed the room to her cousin and gave Sadie the benefit of the
look of defiance with which she had confronted Travers Gladwin.
"Oh, please, please don't say that, Helen," cried Sadie, all
a-flutter. "I know he will agree to a postponement."
"But I don't want any postponement," protested Helen. "I told you what
I intended doing and I'm going to do it."
"Go on, tell her again--we'd all like to hear it," broke in Gladwin.
Helen swung around and said dramatically:
"I'm going to marry Travers Gladwin to-night."
Travers Gladwin reeled a little where he stood, met and turned from
the beaming stare of Whitney Barnes. As he did so Helen came very
close to him, laid her hand on his arm and said tremulously:
"You are his best friend. Tell me honestly, don't you think I'm right
in wanting to marry him?"
This was a poser, but when he did summon an answer it came right out
from the heart, his eyes devouring the beautiful girl before him as he
spoke.
"Nothing on earth would please me so much as to have you marry Travers
Gladwin, and I promise you now that I am going to do everything in my
power to persuade you to do it."
"Oh, I am so glad!" Helen thanked him. A moment later she added with a
perplexed smile: "But why did you talk about his bravery as you did?"
"Well, you see"--the young man stopped.
"I suppose," Helen suggested brightly, "being so very fond of him, you
hated the idea of his marrying. Was that it?"
"Yes, but that was before I saw you. I hope you are going to like his
best friend just a little."
There was no mistaking the ardent emphasis on the last sentence and
Helen studied the young man's face curiously. She turned away with a
blush and walked across the room.