The Cost

IA TO T

D SCAR

UMONT

UR F

KE HIS

ULINE

THE D

OUGHBRED

JOHN

UNG A

ER EIGH

ISTER IN L

NING AT T

DUATED

ICE AMO

AND THE

ON T

E GOES INT

N IN HI

COYOTE

ORMS IN

A SEA

ONT BETR

E FALL

DESPERA

OTHER MA

TER THE L

E

INVITES

ment to the top story of the old Central Public School. Her mother brought her and, leaving

r-beds and "shrub" bushes, whose blossoms were wonderfully sweet if held a while in the closed hand; grape arbors and shade and fruit trees, haunted by bees; winding walks strewn fresh each spring with tan-bark that has such a clean, strong odor, especially just after

sister at Madison; and the Gardiners, coming from Cincinnati to live in the town where Colonel Gardiner was born and had spent his youth, bought the place. On our way to and from school in the first weeks of that term, pausing as always to gaze in through the iron ga

she induced several of the more daring girls to go with her to the pond below town and there engage in a raft-race with the boys. And when John Dumont, seeing that the girls' raft was about to w

; yet her voice was sweet and her manner toward others, gentle. She hid her face when Miss Stone whipped any one-more

cause his mind was incurious about books and the like, was absorbed in games, in playing soldier and robber, in swimming and sledding, in orchard-looting and fighting. He was impudent and domineering, a bul

red addition to his court a sound thrashing, he felt it must be modified somewhat to help him in his present conquest. He tied her hair to the back of her desk; he snowballed her and his sister Gladys home from school. He raided her playhouse and broke her dishes and-she giving desperate battle-fled with only the parents of her doll family. With Gladys shrieking for their

stance, anger at his own weakness in being fascinated by her. This discovery came while she was shut in the house with her sprained ankle. As she sat at her corner bay-window she saw him hovering in the neighborhood, now in the alley at the side of the house, now hurrying past, whistling loudly as if bent upon some gay and remote errand, now skulkin

n hair had darkened now to a beautiful brown with red flashing from its waves; and her skin was a clear olive pallid but healthy. And she had shot up into a ta

lively; not a bit "narrow" in judging him, yet narrow to primness in her ideas of what she herself could do, and withal charming physically. He would not have cared to explain how he came by the capacity for such

r-of drinking and gambling and wild "tears" in Detroit. And it was noted that the fast young men of Saint X-so every one called Saint Christopher-were going a more rapid gait. Those

ined his friends there without fear that the noise would break the sleep and rouse the suspicions of his father. That night, besides Braddock and Dumont, there were Jim Cauldwell and his brother Will. As they playe

d against Dumont, that "importer of Satan's ways into our peaceful midst," and against Charley Braddock with his "ante-room to Sheol"-the Reverend Sweetser had just learned the distinction between Sheol and Hades. The Presbyter

he and his friends had done, she took no such serious view of it as did her parents and his. The most she could do with her father was to persuade him to suspend sentence pending the conclusion of an investigation into Jack's doings at the University of Michigan and in Detroit

his account of his discoveries and of Dumont's evasive and reluctant admissions-an account so careful

husband for their daughter which only another such rare man as himself could live up to. Further, she had always been extremely reserved in mother-and-daughter talk with Pauline, and thus could not now give her a clear id

ilution of her father's dilution of the ugly truth. "He's sorry and won't do it again

ave charged against their own alternations of tyranny and license, had they

n, is my office, where I can

n, indifferently-he made small

nted to go

g," said old Dumont. "Now we'll

showed astonishing talent and twelve-to-fourteen-hour assiduity. He did not try

large cities-and they were. Seven months after he went to work he amazed and delighted his father by informing him that he had bought five hundred shares of stock in the mi

y. "He'll make the biggest kind of a fortune or th

ights of the regenerate; he went to Colonel

ear to hate as its habit of kindliness would concede. "Well, sir!"

aid, his face a study of youthful frankness: "You know

Gardiner shut

sir!" And he wa

hard," said Du

driving m

"You deceive others, but not me with my daughter's welfare as my first

sed his head. He met the colonel

rse than oth

-that any of them with a spark of decency-would do as y

hat I was ashamed of-of that," said

was shakin

night," he said. "Where and how did you sp

yes shifte

he muttered.

d I prepared for it so that I could do what was right. I'd rathe

thout speaking

that. The narrow old fool! He doesn't know what 'man of the world' means. But I'll marr

been so near her, though they had seen each other every few days and he had written her many letters which she had read, had tre

ng fast, her eyes fever-bright. "Father has fo

l, then, I don't care

sperate that sh

Jack-you KNOW

sent-never! I don't deserve that-and I can't stand it to los

hands, in her lap, were gri

hat, too-you don

thrilled through and through him. "Yes, Jo

had the chance clearly to write character. "No wonder I love you-there never was anybody so brave

flushed

ohn. They've always trusted me and le

she was, through and through, the sort

t be fair to us, why, we'll have a right to d

can stand it not to get what I've set my hea

er. And her parents had unconsciously driven her into a mental state in which, if he had committed a crime, it would have seemed to

h, "I can save him-he'll do anything for my sake." With the touching ignorance of youth

loyalty to her husband made her careful not to show it. She had small confidence in a man's judg

on the side porch after supper, "have y

deepening of the lines i

aybe we've been a

-" He shook his head. "Maggi

g time and had a normal human curiosity she did know a great deal. But, after the fashion of many of the women of the older generation, she had left undisturbed his delusion t

even to speak of him before a good woman. You must rel

life when she loves him unless you give her a reason that satisfies her. And if you don

nel, after a long pause. "She mus

ivia," continued Mrs. Gardiner. "But she won'

via before I

then her study, and was now graduated into her sitting-room. She was d

d reason, dear,"

t?" demand

d you already," replied her mother, tryi

naughty little children?" said Pauline, i

sharp in reproof. "How can you p

over herself. "I-I-where did you place fat

t red-brown hair. "You'll only have to wait under a little more trying circumstances. And if he's right

f age's lack of sympathy with youth, felt it with all the intensity of infatuated seventeen made doubly determined by opposition and concealme

only course-don't you, Pauline?" he said in a

-we-we've been sweethearts since we were c

hild? Won't you believ

her, she reverenced him. But between them, thick and high, rose the b

I

TO THE

ne ceased to resent her as an intruder. And soon she was

-general to her mother. Further, she had always had her own way-when it was the right way and did not conflict with justice to her brothers and sist

ps you'll learn to please to do sensibly." Again, her father would restrain her mother from interference-"Oh, let the girl alone. She's got

her secret. Of course, it was at night; of course, they were in the same bed. And when Olivia had heard she came nearer to the truth about Dumont than had Pauline's mother. But, while she felt sure there was a way to cure Pauline, she knew

uggested that she knew what she was talking about. "Your

" replied Pauline. "He won't list

g trouble? You wouldn't get married ye

inspection. So, she could not explain to her why there was necessity for haste, could not

ettled," she

und anywhere," went on

of his father's office ther

up with before she's had a chance to get acquainted with other men." Olivia drew this maxim from experience-she had been engaged to a school-days

ht her shallow and untrustworthy. She was confident, with inexperience's sublime incapacity for sel

aid in a tone that warned he

do you no harm." She suddenly sat up in bed. "A splendid i

ent and roused by Olivia's stories of her college experienc

r men and a music department for women. And it's going to have lots and lots of real university schools-when it gets the money. And there's a healt

never consent. It was all mother could do to

o with me, where he would

aughter away from Saint X and into new scenes where Dumont m

ascinated and absorbed by crowding new events, associations, occupations, thoughts. In spite of herself her old-time high spirits came flooding back. She caught herself humming-and checked herself reproachfully. She caught herself singing-an

wth of that pioneer life in which the men and the women had fought and toiled and enjoyed, side by side, in absolute equality, with absolute freedom of association. It recognized that its students had

ived in one of the hundred or more boarding-houses-a big, square, wh

ody and confirmed habits of shiftlessness and drunkenness. His country took his character and his health and paid him in exchange a pension which just about kept him in whisky and tobacco. So long as he was alive Mrs. Trent hated him as vigorously as her Christiani

bout it and served as a balcony for the second-story lodgers. There were broad halls through the middle of the house down-stairs and up. Olivia an

ow of the front room across the hall. She leaned so that she could see without being seen. Sharp against the darkening sky was the profile of a young man. Olivia joined her and followed her gla

in an undertone; he was not fifteen feet from them

few of the women. They felt that life was a large, serious business impatiently waiting for them to come and attend to it in a large, serious way better than it had ever been attended to before.

man was one of

e, isn't he?"

r of Dumont-there was the same look of superiority, of the "born to lead." But his face seemed to, have so

had penetrating, candid eyes that looked dark in the gaslight but were steel-blue. His face now wore the typical western-American expression-shrewd, easy-going good humor. Mrs. Trent, intrenched in state behind a huge, silver-plated coffee-urn with ivory-trimmed faucet, introduced him-Mr. Scarborough-to Olivia, to Pauline, to Sadie McIntosh, to Pierson and Howe and

ggesting a shaggy, tawny mane; though his hands were well-shaped they had the recent scars of hard manual labor. Thus, when Olivia spoke enthusiastically of

ough all the nerves instead of through the auditory nerve only. Further, he talked straight to Pauline, without embarrassment and with a quaint, satiric humor. She was forgett

air," thought she, "but he

ersistence was little short of heroism in view of the never-wholly-concealed suffer

pped as a child and brought up in the wi

s slyly amused by her cousin's unconscious pri

I

CARBO

ngs in Holland in the sixteenth century, had learned to despise them in England in the seventeenth century, had learned to laugh at them in Ameri

ence with a piercing look from under his aggressive eyebrows. But sometimes he would answer it. Once, for example, he looked coldly at the man who, with a covert sneer, had asked it, said, "You're impudent, sir. You insinuate I'm no

ense it wa

and priest. John Scarborough was trudging along the highway with his sister Kate. On horseback came Aubrey Walton, youngest son of the Earl of Ashford. He admired the rosy, pretty face of Kate Scarborough. He dismounted and, without so much as a glance at her brother, put

arborough left England in a smuggler and was presently f

t with three brother officers. That day Cromwell had driven out Parliament and had dissolved the Council of State. Three of the officers were of Cromwell's party; the f

uge fist down on the table and upsetting a mug. "He has set up

the darkness of filthy Fleet Street with a cut down his cheek from temp

plantations and drifted

could conceive of no superior between him and Almighty God. One autumn day in 1794 Gaston was out shooting with his youngest brother, John, their father's favorite. Gaston's gu

wilderness-to Tennessee,

d a brief recital of the ancestral murders which Paulin

rn?" she

son-the only one. It's a

he sent with the words might have been misunderstood by a young man e

alk of himself, and her imagination more than supplied that which his unaffected m

, for the higher gratification of the intense American passion for education. A small library had sprung up in one corner of the general room of the old farm-house-from the seeds of a Bible, an almanac, Milton's Paradise Lost, Baxter's Saint's Rest and a Government report on ca

eas of family and class and rank. She talked feelingly of the "lower classes" and of the duty of the "upper class" toward them. Her "goings-on" created an acid prejudice against higher education in her father's mind. As she was unfolding to him a plan for sending

repeat to her the conversation between himself

father, looking at him severely-but he looked severel

he son's voi

our m

, s

got mone

undred

hat e

time for a lo

vet waistcoat he wore even when he fed the pigs. He counted out upon his knee ten one-hundred-doll

ed Hampden. "I wish no

bove your keep," retorted hi

said Hampden, that being the easi

hat he purposed to pay hi

gs worth having. And I think one can't begin to act on that notion too early. If one is tryin

ress or any other external feature as a fac

too late in getting a start-so

for what?

rtune or succes

had a curious look in them-he was again exa

self-development. He starts at it when he's born, and the more of it he does the more he has to do. And-he can't p

evidently

she asked. She was thinking of her lover and h

s. Ambition means so m

ike to be rich and f

his mind it might sound like cant. So he changed the subject

V

ONT T

as visiting his mother; it was all but certain that Jack and Caroline would marry. "Her people want it," Jennie went on-she pretended to believe that Jack and Pauline had given each the other up-"and Jack's father is determined on i

she scouted the possibility of losing him, she was for the first time entertaining it-a cloud in the great horizon of her faith in the future;

e you. Do not deny me. It means everything to both of us-what I want to say to you." And he asked her to meet him in the little park in Battle Field on the bank of the river where no one but the factory hands and their families ever went, and they only in the evenings. The hour he fixed was ten the

hreats desperately real. He seemed depressed and gloomy; he would not look at her; he shook hands with her almost coldly, though they had not

a rage at your father for treating me so harshly. He wants me to marry a girl who's visiting us. He's always

full height, and her cheeks were flushed and her eyes curiously bright. He had stabbed

ok that way, Polly," he went on hastily. "You don't see what I'm driving at yet. I didn't mean t

l me, then?" she

ng away, going abroad. And I'm not to see you for

d at him

river where a white cottage shrank among the trees not far from a little church. "Mr. Barker lives there-you must have heard of

xpressed, not determ

ack," she s

upted bitterly. "You don't mean what you promised me. You care mor

er eyes and her mind on the little white c

married. Don't we belong to each other now?

ottage fascinated her-how she did long to be sure of him! And she felt so free, so absolutely her

o be against me, and I even doubt you. And-that's when the temp

rassed as it would be if she let him go so far away, free. And where was the harm in merely re

thers before me, do

o one. I be

down to the boat. She seemed to he

But she walked on, her will suspended, substituted for it his will and her jealousy and her fears of his yielding to the urgings of his father

marriage and for keeping quiet about it afterward. At the proper place in the brief ceremony Dumont, with a sly smile at Pauline which she faintly returned, produced the ring-he had bought it at Saint X a week before and so had started a rumor that he and Ca

let no man put asunder," ended

k was cold and at the touc

said in a low voice th

GOD joined us? If so, why do I feel as if I had committed a crime?" She looked guiltily at him-she felt no thrill of pride or love at the thought that h

u've done it?" h

d not

u, Polly, in spite of them. They might have known better than to try to

t not until she was years more experienced did she study that never-forgotten expression, study it as a whole-words, tone, look. Then, and

o give me a big interest in the busin

he stumbled and almost fell. The way danced before her eyes, all spotted w

He looked at her and she saw that his eyes were swimming. A sob surged into her thro

foreboding had retreated to the background. She beg

hills between which the river danced and sparkled as it journeyed westward. When she again became conscio

her hand and handkerchief. "But I

gold chain. "But you might wear it on this, round your neck. It'll he

d it and the ring in her bosom. Then she drew off a narrow hoop o

bewitching look, "may help you not

d Olivia just in time for them to go down tog

FRI

auline. They invited Scarborough to take the fourth place. Not only did Pierson sit opposite Olivia and Scarborough opposite Pauline three times a day in circumstances which make for intimacy, but also Olivia and Pierson studied together in his sitting-room and Pauline

w each the other thoroughly. Then, with the mind and character and looks and moods of each fully revealed to the other, they would drift or fly in opposite directions, wholly disillusioned. Occasionally they f

dreamed of-such a luxurious bachelor interior. Pierson's father had insisted that his son must go to the college where forty years before he had split wood and lighted fires and swept corridors to earn two years of higher education. P

ity of a whole year's experience where Scarborough was a beginner. "I'll

t fraternities," Scarboroug

f them here, and among them they get all the men with any claim to recognition. J

dy belong to

y, very few of us are Athenians and most of us are the rankest Macedonians. But the worst Greeks are better than the best barbs. They're the r

Scarborough was lo

next Saturday," said Pierson. "Th

--" Scarborough was red and be

er you. The cost's nothing at all, and the membe

. "But not precisely the kind of expense you mean. No-I can't join I

belong to one or the other of these fraternities or you'll be cut off

ting your kindness. But-I've made a sort of agreement with myself never to join anything that

le. You've got to yield to the prejudices of people in these matters. Why, even the barbs have no use for each other and look up to us. When we have an election in the Literar

I were propped up and weren't sure I could stand alone. I'm afraid to lean on any one or anything-my prop might give way. And I don't want

he said. "I'd like to myself if it

end," replie

end. To-day's go

wsbury hear you say that," said

, hadn't shown the greatest anxiety to please him and hadn't practically thrown herself at his head. His combination of riches, good looks, an easy-going dispos

artily but not with enthusiasm-he alway

alone. As she went through the woods beside him she was thinking so intensely that she could not talk. But he was not disturbed by her silence-was it not enough to be near her, alone with her, free to

me. Go on with your thinking-unl

ou if I did!" she said. "But-I shan't. And"-she frowned impatient

n't control

-one can," s

range matters that the future would control you? Anybody can SURRENDER

hostages in exchange for what you

in the future? The most I can say is t

to be of that disp

you like it or not." Scarboroug

me person you w

way. "What do you

thought-i

oor of her secret. "My coming here has made a sort of revolution in me already. I believe I've a more-more g

Scarborough. "One oughtn't to try to swim a wide riv

hed crimson and gave him a nervous lo

here that long, I believe-think of your whole life. The broader your mind and your life become, the less certain you'll be what sort of person

as if Scarborough were trying to turn her adrift in an open boat on a lon

eserting me. I'd keep them if their way w

u were-wer

came intensely

, went on: "I shouldn't marry until I w

man makes her husband

eals and ideas of life-and that-if-if she liked me, it would be because we suited each other. You wouldn't want to be-like those princesse

couldn't, even if

idea in connection with such an indelib

essing yourself. At first I thought yo

I'm only hoping I can help straighten a few things

nty-three-his personality usually dominated whomever he was with. It was not his size or appearance of strength; it was not any compulsion of manner; it was not even what he said o

af; he saw the secret of a professor's character in the way he had built out his whiskers to hide an absolute lack of chin and to give the impression that a formidable chin was there. He told her stories of life on his father's farm that made her laugh, other stories that made her feel like crying. And-he brought out the best there was in her. Sh

ng and her cheeks glowing. "The air was glorious,"

pite of his tight clothes he may

I

HIS FA

tudents as a man worth watching. The manner of this achievement was one of those forec

ed an earlier recognition of his real capacity. His position as leader made him manager of the Sigma Alpha combination of fraternities and barbs which for six years had dominated the Washington and Jefferson Liter

rs of barb disaffection, of threatened barb rev

nty votes." Pierson made himself easy-there was no danger of one of those hard-fought contests

, at the head of his forces massed in the left side of the hall. He had insisted on Scarborough's occupying

head. "Can't do it.

d. "Who's he? And wh

replied Scarborough, "

d man," said Pierson in a frien

the fraternity men. And-well, your candidate'll have

be a laugh," said Scarbo

urged Pierson.

that to yo

ere proposed and seconded. "The nominations for president are--" began the chairman, but bef

h embarrassment for his friend who was th

eled slowly from row to r

be superfluous for me to speak in this presence, he represents the masses of the membership of this society which has been too long dominated by and for its classes. It is time to compel the fraternities to take faction and caste an

a few barbs nervously applauded, the fraternity men of both factions, recovering themselves, raised a succession of ironical cheers. A shabby, frightened barb stood awkwar

eat." And he sprang to his feet, his face white. In a voice which he struggled in vain to keep to his wonted affected indifferent

allow man of perhaps thirty-five. "What right," he shouted shrilly, "has this Mr. Pierson to c

man rappe

apidly: "The question's the motion to adjourn. All in favor sa

anding, completely self-possessed. His voice was not raised but it vibrated thr

verride the rules and adjourn the meeting; but he could not take his eyes from Scarborough's, dared not disobey Scar

savagely; it was impossible for him to control himself to stay and witness the inevitable rout. He lounged down the wide aisle, his face masked in a supercilious smile, his glance contemptuously upon the jubilant barbs. They were

d Mrs. Trent's porch. In its darkness he saw the glowing end of a cigarette. "T

nutes," came the reply

nsibilities which made life alternately a keen pleasure and a pain to him, h

about you. I know they're unjust and-mean, which is worse. But, damn it, Scarboroug

t Scarborough

t. "I know you had a perfect right to do as you please

ndship mean if it forbids freedom? I didn't approve or condemn you because you belonged to a fraternity, and because you headed a clique that was destroying the Literary Society by making it a place for petty fraternity pol

rborough, forgive him generously, but not without making him realize that it was an act of generosity. As Scarborough

y always having my own way and by people letting me rule them. You gave me my first lesson in defeat. And-I needed it badly. As for your not telling me, you'd have r

the first chance I'd had to carry out the ideas I've thought over and thought over down there on the farm while I was working in the fields or lying in the hay, staring up at the sky. And I don't suppose in all the future I'll ever have a greater temptation to be false to myself than I had in the dread th

he defeat, putting himself in a worse light than he deserved. But Olivia, who never lost a ch

It was a piece of cold-blooded ambition. He'd sacrifice an

sentment for his sake. At dinner, when the four were together, she attacked Scarborough. Though she did not confess it, he forced her to see that at least his motives were not those she had

dropped her e

: "Go on-tell me just what you thi

But-I don't see how you

right-but the sort of righ

have been ashamed of you if you hadn't done it. And-oh, I despise weakness in a man most of all! And I l

hey were calling each the

same books, had similar tastes, disagreed sympathetically, agreed with enthusiasm. She saw a great deal of several other men in her class, enough not to make her preference for him significant to the college-or to herself. They went for moonlight straw-rides, on moonlight and

boast had been that he never took a "dose of drugs" in his life, and for at least seventy of his seventy-nine years he had been "on the jump" daily from long before

d; and in his stern eyes there was a look of stoic anguish. Each night, as they were carrying him to his own room, they took him near the bed; and he leaned forward, and the voice that in all their years had nev

even a stir. They did not offer to carry him in the next morning; nor did he turn his face from the wall. Sh

years was a journey no longer. They were a

in black, for Bladen Scarborough abhorred mourning as he abhorred all outward symbols of the things of the heart. But

is father,"

s safely forgotten she teased her-"

me sort of wall round her for him. It was in perfect good faith that she answered Olivia: "You don't understand him. He's a queer man-som

ce to Dumont. "I think you're mistaken about which

st any love but one man's, the wedding ring she always w

l do mighty well for hersel

soon think of falling in lo

feeling for Scarborough. She liked it so well that she repeat

I

NE AW

as irradiating a pale green world from a pale blue sky. The four windows of Pauline and Olivia's sitting-room were up; a warm, scented wind was blowing this way and that the stra

r expression slowly v

f last October, but still unable wholly to conceal how much at a dis

old him that he was interrupting, and he had too little vanity to see that t

ok which lay before her-a sol

s at the window, looking out longingly-sunshine, and soft air washed clean by the rains; the new-born

rkle as much in the waves of her hair as in her even white teeth

d at her and insta

ssay at the society to-night-they've fined me twice for neglecting it. But if you

ld look from

relentless shake of the head. "I've got t

elsa consedit

at the pious Aeneas," he grumbled. "Let's go out and w

te side of the table-the side nearer him. "I'll be generous and work the dicti

he asked, reluctantly d

fore they began to translate for the class-room-Dryden was near enough to the original to give them its spirit

rned the pages. "'At length rebuff'd,

er down," she interrupted. "

wn the middle of his forehead, plunged his elbows fiercely upo

craggy cliff

dismal errand

ce in the Latin?" he

the waving boughs. "Yes," she replied, hastily return

-song, then interrupted himself once more: "

o caede bovum'-go on-I'm

r

ere your promise

ll severely

is your lot-fo

the plates on w

, obviously weaving day-dreams round those boug

appy to-da

ank, clear expression-his favorite among his memory-pictures of her had it. "There's one thing that worries me-it's never off my mind longer than

d me," said he, "I hope you won't. But if

But ever since the first month I knew you, I felt that I could trust you, t

es twi

scales-just a little-wh

't admit that to any one else. I was carried away by an impulse. Not that I regret. In the only really important way, I

one," he said cheerfully, "I d

and I-we'd cared for each other ever since we were children. And then he went away to college. He did several things father didn't like.

nt to the window and st

n a rush, "And he came here l

s a long

e said in the tone of one who ha

gh did no

s I always did. But somehow, telling it out loud to some one else has made me see it in a different light. It didn't

st out appealingly: "Oh, I don't s

mself. His face was curiously white. It was in a

anted to do it. You mustn't get a false impression of him, Hampden. You'd admire and respect him. You-any one-would have done as he did in the same circumstan

Presently he began

rtain to be sooner or later. All I regret is that I did something that seems unde

them." Again she waited, but he did not speak, continued to look steadily out into the sky. "What

directly, face to face, from some one who had the right to know-you'd never have done it." He rested his arms on the table and looked straight at her.

d his gaze

ertain to be a full-blown rose. I love you as my father loved my mother. I shall love you always." His manner was calm, matter-of-fact; but there was in his musical, magical voice a certai

hadn't told me!

advice? No"-he shook his head slowly-"I co

aid anything t

en't harmed yourself. An

hand on her bosom where she could feel her wedding rin

ears older than you-many, many years

t wish

them! And they'll surely help you to wait till y

been what he was saying so gently that angered her. "You forget

rthy of your love. I'm sure it isn't prejudice tha

er feet, her

ESPISE you! Attacking the man I love an

t her look wit

m when you get over your anger. You'll do what you think right. But-be SURE, Pauline. Be SURE!" In his eyes th

he turned and left the room the warmth and joy died from air and sky and earth; both of them felt th

ing from shopping in Indianapol

from home?" she

ot look up as

stay-going in the mornin

st

ried to Jack-h

teen-oh, Pauline-" And Olivia gave way to te

pper nor at breakfast-Pauline

I

DECI

station, slowed down-there were people waiting on the platform-her father! He was glancing from window to window, trying to catch a glimpse of her; and his expression of almost agonized eagerness made her heartsick. She had been away from him for nearly seven months-long enough to break the habit which makes it impossible for members of a family to

flew into his arms. He held her away from

l?" he asked. "The te

with a reassuring h

We must hurry-she'll be impatient,

the front seat. "I don't see how the colonel ever knowed you," said

ordecai-you and the surrey and

She patterned after the old school, which held that for a woman to confess t

re whirling them home. She was so busily greeting the familiar stre

well as by training; he could not have SAID how beautiful, how wonderful he thought her, or how intensely he loved her.

; but her secret rushed from the background of her mind. "How could I have done it? How ca

surrey came up the drive-still the same dear old-youn

ust as when she, a little girl, fleeing from some frightful phantom of her own imagining, had rushed there for safety. She choked, she sobbed, she led her mother to the

or you, Polly," said sh

ng but you and fathe

other shook her head, mischief in her eyes that were young as a girl's-younger far

caught her in his arms. "Polly!" he exclaimed. "It

y from her and sank to

kneeling beside her, bathing her temples with cold water; her father and her husband w

to the two men to leave the room.

y. "What did he mean, mother?" She was hoping s

r own way, and it's your father's way. John has convinced him that he really has changed. We knew-that is, I suspected why you were coming, and

to see him now. I want this day with you and father. To-morrow-to-morrow, we'll-to-da

moment and, when she cam

going for father, and we'll walk in the garden and forg

ther kneeling beside his arm-chair and in a tremulous voice pouring out his gratitude to God for keeping

on-Amen." The serene quiet, the beloved old room, the evening scene familiar to her from her earliest childhood, her father's reverent, earnest voice, halti

th fingers that trembled with happiness, and, when she was in bed, put out the light and "tucked her in

the open window-how many springtimes had she sat there in the moonlight to watch, as now, the tulip

ine!" to start the tumult afresh. When the stars began to pale in the dawn she rose-she WAS sure. Far from sure t

ish THEM for MY

te and spelling-book, where she had read her favorite school-girl romances, where she had dreamed her own school-girl romance. She was waiting under the friendly old canopy of

mphant. He was too absorbed in his own emotion especially to note hers. B

her face as he added in a voice which at another time she might have thought strained: "Then, too, your father and mother and min

pressed her lips. She said pres

h wh

ve thought we're both too

oud possession. "What'd be the sense in th

hen she astonished him by flinging her arms round his neck and kissin

X

GHBRED R

the Battle Field Banner that she had "married the only son of Henry Dumont, of Saint Christopher, one of the richest men in our state

He lowered the paper from in fron

s married and gon

via," replied Pierson, av

orough, tranquil so far as Pierson could

n was

of the top row in the book-case. Pierson was watching him. "No-it's all right," he concluded. Scarborough was too straight and calm just to have received such a blow as that news would have been had HE cared for Pauline. Pierson liked his look better than ever befor

you, Scarboro

d to be only a freshman, oughtn't I?" He shrugged his

went much into the woods alone, took long walks at night. Olivia w

e said. "I've a brother like him-won't have sympath

I do for him?"

ing-he'd hate y

on and, seating himself at the table, began

ds until I was f

of the devil's worst devices-we

we," sai

n ours lots of times after the lights were out-saw him long after I'd convinced myself in daylight t

in the stable?"

didn't know what was coming till I saw the look in the ot

. The cards were so stained we could hardly see the faces. That made them look the more devi

d Pierson. "I'll bet

ered me. I said to them-pretty shakily, I guess: 'Come on, let's begin again.' But the farm-hand said: 'I reckon I'll get on the safe side,' and began to pray-how he roared! And I laughed-how wi

never touched

rnoon-let's have a game of pok

. They "cribbed" their way through recitations and examinations-as the faculty did not put the students on honor but watched them, they reasoned that cribbing was not dishonorable provided one did barely enough of it to pull him through. They drank a great deal-usually whisky, which t

undred dollars, half of it from Pierson. He went to Chicago and in three nights' play increased this to twenty-nine hundred. The noise of the unp

ain that the place would be well kept up. Hampden, poor in cash, had intended to spend the summer as a book agent. Instead, he put by a thousand dollars of his winnings to insure next year's expenses and visited Pierson at his family's cottage in the

He had taken on manners and personal habits befitting a "man of the world"-but he had not lost that simplicity and directness which were as unchangeably a part of him as the outlines of his face or the force which forbade him to be idle for a m

e was always master of himself and of the situation. Some of the fanatical among the religious students believed and said that he had sold himself to the devil. He would have been expelled summarily but for Pierson-Pierson's father was one of the two

is faithful fellow barbs called upon him to pray and to exhort. They came away more charmed than ever with their champion, and convinced that he was

they liked it that their leader was the brilliant, the talked-about, the sought-after person in the college. When he

le Field. It was the same then, essentially, as it was a few years later when the whole western country was discussing it. He seemed to depend entirely upon the inherent carrying power of his ably constructed sentences-like so many arrows, some flying gracefully, others straight and swift, all reaching the mark at which they were aimed. In those days, as afterward, he stood upon the platform almost motionless; his voice was clear a

tter postmarked Battle Field and addressed in printed handwriting. The env

ohn Dumont. It is their first child, the first grandchild of the Dum

is only enemies that interested him were those within himself. He destroyed envelope and clipping, then said to Pierson: "I neglected to celebr

"We'll get Chalmers to

n-we've got an hour and a half.

to-night and I'm dow

or the ball to begin." He lifted his glass. "To our ancestors," he said, "who repressed themselves, denied themselves, w

e." When they took the train for Battle Field they had spent all they had with them-had flung it away for dinners, for drives, for theaters, for suppers, for champagne. All the return journey Scarbor

he saw Olivia coming toward him. They had hardly spoken for s

nutes, Mr. Scarborough," she said

ered with strained courtes

e going to expel you and Fred Pierson the n

me of my awful danger." He looked

at they didn't do it long ago," she went on,

replied. "If you have nothing further I'l

I can't get accustomed to the change in you since last year. There used to be a good sid

d mockingly. "But I doubt

ong for me." Her voice trembled; she steadied it

Miss Shre

re engaged. I broke it last night.

gh flushe

"I didn't know

understood why you've been degrading yourself. And I haven'

on my courtesy,"

ng him down to a level at which HE may stay, while YOU are sure to rise again. You've got your living to make-I don't agree with those who think

. You misjudge him, believe

ed-yet. Do you think I cou

at's when he'd

a fool, like all women. But I ask you to let

t ME alone-to give MY

ances! You who pretended to be a man,

he face with a whip. Then he drew himself up with an expressio

look withou

as if she were a bad woman instead of one who ought to inspire a man to do and be his best. How ashamed she'd b

ent home. Pierson had never seen him in an ugly mood before. And he, too, was in an ugly mood-disgusted with his own conduct, angr

asked sourly. "What'

us sneer, "has been insulting me for your sins.

e slowly an

have believed you capable of a speech w

g a gentleman!" Scarborough looked amused contempt. "My de

to me especially a man who n

pinned him against the wall. "Take that back," he said,

ied Pierson, cool and disd

the wildest tempest of passion before an irrevocable act can be done. It came to him in the form of a reminder of his laughing

Pierson was readi

or you to absent yourself. They'll be out by eleven, and then, if you re

about an hour, the cards steadily against Chalmers and Brigham-the cards were usually against Brigham. He was a mere boy, with passionate aspirations to be

ng wildly, his hands and his voice trembling, his lips shriveled. With a sudden gesture Chal

almers. "You dirty little ch

sperate. I've lost everything, and my father can't give me any more. He's a poor man, and he and mother have been economizing and sacrificing to send me here. And when I saw I was

and virtuous, "how dare you say such a th

ling the truth. And nobody knows it better than YOU." This with a

tn't to have let the boy into our games. We must

an," objected Chalmers. "I confess, Scarborough, I don't un

miled satirically. "I suppose because I was sympathetic enough with you

do you

u thought he was too far gone to know what he was

ed face confirmed S

be charitable toward one another's DISCOVERED laps

ampden Scarborough's rooms on Saturday evening, February 20, 18-. And we pledge

rising and holding the pen toward Chalm

gned, and t

Scarborough to Wilton in an underton

mself at his desk and, taking his chec

n a stupor. "I've won about six hundred dollars from you, first and last-mor

id Brigha

re's the paper exonerating you. And

hoked bac

gs-bank book-it had a credit of twelve hundred dollars. 'Do you see that?' she said. 'When you were born I began to put by as soon as I was able-every cent I could from the butter and the eggs-to

ly, "but I've done much worse, Eddie. And it

oney, Scarborough. I mus

ck, Brigham. I owe it to you-I owe it to your mother. Th

y's pocket. "You and I are go

ut his hand and held Brigham's hand in a courage-giving grasp. "

d evaporated and his chief emotion was dread lest Scarborough might still be angry.

rough. "What you said was true, what Olivia sai

was a disgraceful lie. Will you

nt eyes. "Never! So help me God, never! It's one of three

as before. You'll s

ed, but for th

t of surroundings I can earn for myself. But I've got to grin and bear it. We'll stay on here together to the

o bed he looked up from his book to see before him Scarboro

sness beneath. "Hear me, ye immortal gods! Never again, never again, will I engage in any ga

n. "You're simply cutting yo

t out he paused at the edge of the bed and said: "And never again, so long as he wishes to retain his ti

alone, and I may stay poor and obscure, but I'

JOHN

ooking back upon the first

rly her duty to marry Jack; therefore, the doubting thoughts and the ache at the heart which would not ease were merely more outcroppings of the same evil part of her nature that had tempted her into deceiving her parents, and into entangling herself and Scarborough. She knew that, if she were absolutely fre

ere was, however, a miracle, undreamed of, mysterious, overwhelming-John Dumont, the lover, became John Dumont, the husband. Beside this transformation, the revelation that the world she loved and lived in did

nd self-absorbed, was amused whenever Pauline's gentleness reminded him of his mother'

Gardiner to go along-and Pauline's mother gave another of her many charming illustrations of the valuable truth that tact can always have its own way. Saint X was too keen-eyed and too interested in the new Mrs. Dumont to fail to note a change in her. It was satisfied with the surface explanation tha

he learned that she had a grandmotherly interest in her daughter-in-

ed carelessly

thing hurts me. Besides, if I wer

range. They went to the Waldorf-Scarborough and Pierson had been stopping there not a week before, making ready for that sensational descent upon Battle Field which has already been recorded. The first evening Dumont t

end word even, if you don't wish. I'll be tired from s

me from Europe. Pauline was at the hotel again at five; while she and Mrs. Fanshaw were having tea together in the palm garden a telegram was handed to her. She read

Weber and Fields', and two men asked, and we need another woman. I'd

reeable, never so agreeable as when it offered itself unannounced. It was toward the end of the dinner that Mrs. Fanshaw happened t

ree. Why, when we were in Paris on the return trip and had been married only two mont

he was Mowbray Langdon. He was now giving her a stare of amused mock-admiration. When he saw that he had her

hould distrust the other. Indeed, she only hazily knew what distrust

ce while her escort parleyed with the clerk within. "How much that man looks like Jack," she said to herself-and then she saw that it was indeed Jack. Not the Jack she thought she knew, but quite another person, the one he tried to hide from her-too c

was over for the moment. She lingered and made the others linger, wishing to give him time to get to his seats. When they entered the theater it was dark and the curtain was up. But her eyes, searching the few boxes visible from th

truth about her husband did not start a tempest of anger or jealousy, but set her instantly to sacrificing at the shrine of the great g

t recall a single thing that had occurred, a single word that had been said. At the end of the last act she again made them linger so that they were the last to emerge into

eaking-"You're very

Pauline, with a

your full growth yet." And on an impulse of intuitive sympathy Mrs. Fanshaw pressed h

at, hat and wrap on, and looked at a book. Half an hour, and she took off her hat and wrap, put them in a chair near where she was sitting. The watched hands of the clock crawled wearily round to half-past one, to two, to half-past two, to thr

d, leaving the lights on in the sittin

She listened-heard him muttering in the sitting-room. She knew now that a crash of some kind had

room, softly opened the door, looked into the sitting-room. A table and a chair lay

om her fixed, fascinated eyes, the soul of a girl of eighteen, full as much child as woman still. She sat down before him in a low chair, her elbows on her knees, her chin supported by her hands,

s until the clock struck the half-hour after six. Then

one and it had been put to rights. When he came, at twenty minut

. No matter-it was only to say I had to go out but would be back to lunch. Sorry I was kept so late last night. Glad you didn't wait up for me-but you might have left

her, she slowly turned and faced him. Their eyes met and he stop

aid evenly. "And this morning, I sat and wat

kind of groan he dropped into a chair, the surface of his mind

same even tone. "I understand now about-about Pa

nt, only calmness and all the strength he knew was in her nat

to do?" he asked a

iately. When she did, sh

his is-my punishment-the beginning of it. And now-there'll be the-the-baby-" A pause, then: "I must bear the consequenc

myself when you're in this mood. You wouldn't listen. But you're right about not going. If you did, it'd break your father's a

could meet her eyes. He tried it. Her look froze his flow of w

now. Surely you can't wish me to stay?" And into her voice surged all her longing to go,

as raging in him-hate because she was defying and dictating to him, passion because she was so beautiful as she stood there, like

f her cheeks and her look made

last five months," she said,

he fury he dared not show; for he sa

Only, we mustn't have a flare-up and a scandal. I'll never sp

o lunch. In the elevator he stole a glance at her-there was no color in her face, not even in h

her and mother," he said to himself. "A mighty close squeak. I was

r mother came to stay with her; and day after day the two women sat silent, Mrs. Gardiner knitting, Pauline motionless,

e it right," she reflected, with you

stirring in the bed beside her, the movement of some living thing. She looked and there, squeezed into the edge of the pillow was a miniature head of a little old man-

looking with faint curios

above the face and flapped about; and a very t

lected. Then memo

and tightened and tightened until she wondered how hands so small and new could cling so close and hard. Then that electric clasp suddenly tightened about her heart. She bu

bending anxio

dearest?" she asked.

through her tears. "Oh, mothe

se, all that spring and all that summer-or, so long as her b

I

G AM

Scarborough just establishing himself. He had taken two small and severely plain rooms in a quaint old frame

ked Pierson, lo

ramping those roads, and I've learned-you ought to have been along, Pierson. I know people as I never c

n Pierson's face. But Scarborough

ly. He had found, pasted to the wall, Scarborough's schedule of the daily division of his time; just above it, upon a shel

see, I'm going to finish this year-take the two years in one. Then I've registered in

a chair. "I see you allow yourself five hours for sleep,"

ince making out the schedule I've decided t

more l

ink, or worry, I'll need even less than the average man. I'm going t

! No

. I've simply chan

at the table and stared

ven's sake, don't let Olivia

two remaining available rooms at Scarborough's place. His bed was against the wall of Scarborough's bedroo

gong died away and he could collect his thoughts. But at four o'clock the next morning the gong penetrated t

nd muttering, he rose and in the starlight looked from his window. Scarborough was going up the deserted street on his way to the woods for his morning exercise. His head was thrown back and

h: "You get up too late, old man. My grandfather used to say that only a drone lies abed after two in the morning, wasting the best part of t

ed Scarborough, after a moment'

ons and lectures and for an hour or two late in the afternoon. He was able once more to play poker as late as he liked, and often had time for reading before the

ng house for which Scarborough had sold Peaks of Prog

man we had out last year," sai

eciated that a man can pay no higher compliment t

u'd tried to land them and failed-that shows the impression you mad

said Scarborough. "The experienc

nt. Our proposition is for much

not restrain a smile. "I've practically

here, and train them in your methods of approaching people. Then you'll take them to Wisconsin and Minnesota and send them out, each man to a district you select

lf in the fall. But this plan was most attractive-it would give him a new kind of experience and would put him in funds for the wait for clie

ng promised to behave himself, was permitted to attend the first lesson. The scholars at the Scarborough, School for Book Agents filled his quarters and

t's on every page, until you have by heart the passages I'll point out to you." He looked at Drexel-a freshman of twenty-two, with earnest, sleepless eyes and a lofty forehead; in the past winter he

he national administration to

. I want your

r. Scarborough, I th

and he glanced round. "Does any

friend. In the group round one of the windows a laugh started and spread everywhere exce

his book is not literature, gentlemen. It is a storehouse of facts. It is an educational work so simply written and so brilliantly illustrated that the very children will hang over its pages with delight. If you attend to your training in our comin

re inclined to smile

as I went on the book gradually forced itself upon me. And, long before the summer was over, I felt that I was an ambassador of education to those eager people. And I'm proud that I sold as many books as I did. Each book, I know, is a radiating center of pleasure, of thought, of aspiration

d his audience

mplish nothing. Learn your business. Put yourself, your B

and young women went thoughtfully away; they were revolving their initial lesson in the cardinal principle of success-enthusiasm. When the two friends wer

a lion-like toss that shook back the obstinate lock of hair from his forehead. He laid his hand on his friend's shoulder. "

class and afterward went to

ch them more in the next three months than they'll learn of the whole faculty. And this sum

alities she loved in Pierson, the one she loved most

as agent would try to sell him the book, he pretending to be an ignorant, obstinate, ill-natured, close-fisted farmer or farmer's wife. It was a liberal education in the art o

ality, and IF they had

ke the dumbest ass in the

rs, and that he himself had made forty-three hundred. Mills came and offered him a place in the publishing house at ten thousand a year and a commission. He instantly rejected it. He had

ding," said Mills. "Remember we'

ough, carelessly. "I've no desire to be rich. It's too easy, if

t known Scarborough's ability

here are only two ambitions for

swered Scarborough. "If I were to seek power, it'd b

," said Mill

"and bribes and browbeats, bully and co

it it's a

into my service to satisfy my needs. But I'm no

I

EIGHT

e daring speculations with New York as his base. Thus it came about that when Scarborough established h

r living basis of "let alone," they got on smoothly, rarely meeting except in the presence of servants or guests, never inquiring either into the other's life, carrying on all negotiations about money and other household matters through their secretaries. He thought her cold by nature-therefore absolutely to be trusted. And what other man wi

ctly the change in herself. But soon she was absorbed, her mind groping through letter after letter for the clue to a mystery. The Dumont she now knew stood out so plainly in those letters that she could not understand how she, inexperienced and infatuated tho

at she had been tricked. The slight surface resemblance between the two men, hardly more than the "favor" found in all men of the family of strong and tenacious will, had led her on to deck the abs

. She seated herself on the white bear-skin before the open fire; and with hands clasped roun

, the days and the nights were the cruele

ars old, she got her father and mot

the truth, though not the whole truth. The concealed part was that she would have made an open break with

its "home" each year. When he went she resolved to divide her year between her pleasure as a mother and

t years and a half after she left Battle Field-that Ham

ed by her changed young cousin rushing at her with great energy-"Dear, dear Olivia! And hardly any different-how's the baby

be so changed, yet-recognizable. I guess it's the

from her brow in two sweeping curves reflecting the light in sparkles and flashes. Her manner was still simple and genuine-the simplicity and genuineness of knowledge now, not of innocence. Extremes meet-but they remain extremes.

e quality of individuality, of distinction. Even in her way of looking clean and fresh she was different, as if those prime feminine esse

Albert your checks, too," said Pauline, putting her arm around her cousin's waist to escort her down the platform. At the entrance, with a group of station loungers gaping at i

de the coachman, and they were instantly in rapid motion. "That'll let us have twenty minu

ivia was astonished at the changes-the town of nine years before

arborough is. Everybody advised him against coming here, but he would come. And the town has grown, and at the same time h

on no matter where he w

-but not so soon

tall among a lot of bushes before i

d?" As Olivia put this question she watched

n New York and haven't stayed here longer than a few days until this summer. And he's been in Europe since April. No," she went on, "I've not seen a

t year. Then Scarborough again-how he had distanced all the others; how he might have the largest practice in the state if he would take the sort of clients most lawyers courted assiduously; how strong he was in politics in spite of the opposition of the professionals-strong because he had a genius for organization and also had the ear and the confidence of the people and the enth

st of this," said Olivia, "

le visits. They know him very well indeed. I think mother admires him almost as much as you do. Here's our place," she

s could be seen the panorama of Saint Christopher. To the left lay the town, its ugly part-its factories and railway yards-hidden by the jut of a hill. Beneath and beyond to the right, the shining river wound among fields brown where the harvests had been gathered, green and white where myriads of graceful tassels waved above acres on acres of I

creened verandas were in a cool twili

he wide reception hall. "Let's have tea on the east veranda. Its view i

t on through the splendidly-furnished drawing-room and were going through

ding behind her cousin. "We

Olivia. "I've never seen a bet

arborough, except-what is it

mblance to any one yo

ed Olivia, colo

ough, is

admitte

biguously: "The resemblance i

e seen that she was observed, she did not change expression. They went out upon the east veranda and Olivia stood at the railing. She ha

king servants in foreign-looking house-liveries were bringing a table on which was an enormous silver tray with a tea-service of antique silver and artistic china. As Olivia turned to seat herself a young man and a woman

d she had gone to her room before tea. Th

smiled and nodded, tu

e's a socialist, or something like that. He thinks up and says things to shock conservative, conventional people. He's rich and never has worked-couldn't if h

ed and Pauline poured the tea. As Olivia felt shy and was hungry, she ate the little sandwiches and looked and listene

ngs." Yet it irritated her to feel that, though they would care not at all for her low

" Langdon was drawling wi

been as abstracted as Olivia. "You've been filling

husband and Mrs. Dumont's and mine

gle improvement in any process of manufacture. But, on the other hand, the farmer'll have to sell his wool cheaper, the consumer'll have to pay a bigger price for blankets and all kinds of clothes, for carpets-for everything wool goes

n mock horror. "You must go at once, Mowbray, a

d; then went on: "And I've done my duty when I've stated the facts. Also, I'm taking a little stock in the new trust. But I don't pose as a 'captai

ledore and shuttlecock with what she regarded as fundamental morals. Langdon noted her expression and said to

o be shocked-and should be, if it weren't you who are

jest?" said Oli

all, my dear Mrs. Pierson. Every wo

Mrs. Pierson. Mr. Langdon pretends to have eccentric ideas-one of them is that everybody with brains should be put under the fee

old safe. "Go on, dear lady! Herron should get you to write our prospectus when we're ready to unload on the public. The dear public! How i

said Mrs. H

o," said M

es, Mowbray," said Mrs. Herro

expression, said as soon a

y worse for a woma

ther reason than because I don't do it, and didn't think l

ink of Langdon?

efective. I don't like the sor

the worse it was. Tricks and traps and squeezes and-oh, business is all vulgar and low. It's necessary, I suppose, but it's repuls

business. But-how could she without seeming to atta

d to any statement. "It's our private business," he said. "Let them howl. The fewer facts they have, the sooner they'll stop howling." But Dumont held firm for publicity. "There's no such thing as a private business nowadays," he replied. "

come down-Olivia was uncertain whether or not she was unjust to him when she suspecte

ll, fellow pirate: how go our plan

He fancies impudence is wit. He's devoid of moral sense or even of d

gly answering Lang

worthy chaplain, Herron, who secures us

ours of our months of plotting. Heaven be praised, the people won't have so much to waste hereafte

nced and he was put between Mrs. Herron and Olivia, with Dumont on her right. It was a round table and Olivia's eyes lingered upon its details-the embroidered c

a was free, drew her into his conversation with Mrs. Fanshaw; and then Mrs. Fanshaw began to talk with Mr. Herron, who was eating furiousl

eight of the twelve millions were on paper; but it was paper that would certainly pay dividends, paper that would presently sell at or near its face value. And this success had come when he was only thirty-four. His mind was

n London and Paris. But his face-alert, shrewd, aggressive-and his mode of expression made her feel that he was uninteresting because he was thinking of something which he did not care to expose to her and could not take his mind fro

o-day's commerce and finance that were regarded as fantastic, delirious a few years ago. He would reach out and out for hundreds of millions of capital; with his woolens "combine" as a basis he would build an enormous corporation to control the sheep industr

n while it fascinated. Partly through youth, more through that contempt for concealment which characterizes the courageous type of lar

self, not for the strength and the intellect it will build up. And he likes or

ears," she said to him, bec

raper, but we build sky-scrapers overnight. Time and space used to be the big elements. WE practically disr

l eleven o'clock. Then Dumont was so abrupt and surly that every one was grateful to Mrs. Fanshaw for taking him away to t

f good to see you, 'Livia-more even than I hoped. I knew you'd be sympathetic with me where you understood. Now

ndship means-and-

I

R-IN-LAW,

ie to themselves. Olivia was about to write to Scarborough, asking him to call, when she saw in the News-Bulletin that he had gone to Denver to speak. A week af

victoria with two women in it coming toward him on its way out. He drew his horse aside to make room. He was conscious that th

topped and Pauline said co

er woman-"My sister-in-law, Gladys Dumont"-then went on: "We've been lunching and sp

East," said Scarborough-th

ather says you never go anywhere, but I

I'll be gla

th us-day after

at-certainly

ast eight-at least

gh lifted

riage d

at once. "He's much younger. ISN'T he handsome! Th

eplied

queer when you first

ght Battle Field back to me-that was the happiest time of my life. But I was too young or too f

k then as h

was awkward at times. But-really he was the same person. I guess it was the l

in to dinner with me,"

say?" asked Pa

you wouldn't send him in to dinner with me-u

ainly-if

e Newnham droned and prosed, she watched Gladys lay herself out to please the distinguished Mr. Scarborough, successful as

giving them the look of black quartz in the sunshine. She was not tall, but her figure was perfect, and she had her dresses fitted immediately to it.

read in the center of the table. "Mr. Scarborough says," she called out, "character isn't a development, it's a disclosure. He thinks one is born a certain kind of person and that

I'm certain it's true. I used to dispute Mr. Scar

ly glanced away, and neither looked at the other again. When the men came up to the drawing-room to join the women, Gladys adroitl

ing issues, his eloquence in presenting them, the public confidence in his party through the dominance of a man so obviously free from self-seeking or political trickery of any kind. Dumont, to whom control in

o good. There's no way we can get our hooks in him. He don't give a damn for money. And as for

a million dollars among charities and educational institutions

reful we'll have to kill him off in convent

led," replied Merriweather. "The committees are afraid of him." Merriweather always took the gloomy view

e was beginning to "see" when Gladys expanded to him upon the s

That night, when the others had left or had gone to bed, Gladys followed her brother into the smoke-room adjoining the library. They sat in silence drinking a "night-

Scarborough?" her br

ise. "How do you mean?" she asked. She rarely answered a question immediately, no matter how simple it was,

do you

But I've seen him

make a mighty satisfactory husband for an ambitious w

d slowly lowered her sm

a man, unless she's married to him and has got o

ys slosh round in sentimental slop with her head above it an

t for you." And as she put down her glass she gave his hair an affectionate pull-which was her way o

I

G AT THE

is the average unmarried person. She had been eleven years a wand

nominally watched by her lazy, selfish, and physically and mentally near-sighted aunt. Actually her only guardian had been her own precocious, curiously prudent, curiously reckless self. She had been free to do as she pleased; and she had pleased to do very free indeed. She had learned all that her intense and catholic curiosity craved to know, had learned

e of baffling the hopes inspired by her beauty and encouraged by her seeming simplicity. And when her mother came-as she said to Pauline, "The only bearable view of mother is a

s dissipation. He tempered his indulgence in both nowadays with some exercise-his stomach, his heart, his nerves and his do

asked, just glancing at his wife. He never ventured to lo

color swiftly left her ch

like it, Glady

t straight to the point-she was in the habit of deciding for herself, of thinking what sh

for time to wrinkle her heart-before answering: "

hey were children and playmates and partners in the woes of John Dumont's raids upon their games. Just then La

a good match," he

beat and a suffocating ch

e succeede

o place to go. And it'd be good business for her-and for him, too, for th

d Pauline,

t would be a good

ound wildly, as her breath

n stro

ing a family co

ed, rising. "Take my c

rew a golf cape round her shoulders and stepped out on the veranda, closing the door-window behind her. It was a m

r of an hour the door-window opened and Lang

t he would not be intruding. He got a hat and

there's nothing little enough to express the human atom where the earth's only a grain. And then they go on to taunt me with how short-lived I am an

looked dark and ugly for me, I've gone where I could see them. And they seemed to draw all the fever an

that he had not seen any one so beautiful. She was all in black with a diamond star glittering in he

guises a compliment as a bit of raillery, "because you're of their fami

passion he had never seen or suspected in her before. She d

agine, how I long to LIVE! An

r confidential moods and to peer into the hidden places in thei

cause I'm a wife-that's anchor number three. And anchor number four-because I'm under the spell of

d sadly. "That's the skeleton at life'

ighed with some self-mockery. "It

V

ATED

ter; and Gladys, who had no lack of confidence in her power to charm when and whom

uss him did not discourage her. "But if he ever does care for a woman he'll care in the

said

ndurance, that she must fly from the spectacle of Gladys' growing intimacy with Scarborough; she told Gladys it was impossible

"And I've never enjoyed myself in m

a human being, one who was light-hearted and amusing, could tide her back to any sort of peace in the old life-her books and her dogs, her horseback and her drawing and her gardening. A life so full of events, so empty of

rest approach to an intim

f life when thorough friendships are made; even where they had been associates as children, the association had rarely been of the kind that creates friendship's democratic intimacy. They had no common traditions, no real class-feeling, no common enthusiasms-unless the passion for keeping rich, for getting richer, f

erce rivalry of fashionable ostentation. Then there were those who hung about the courts of the rich, invited because they filled in the large backgrounds and c

her." And at times she was self-reproachful for being thus exceeded in self-giving. Leonora, for example, told her her most intimate secrets, some of them far from creditable to her. Pauline told nothing in return. She sometimes longed for a confidant, or, rather, for some person who would understand without being told, some one like Olivia; but her imagination refused to picture Leonora as that kind of friend. Even mo

gh to shield him from the unobservant eyes of a world of men and women greedy of flattery and busy each with himself or herself. But for Leonora's sake she invited him. And Leonora was appreciative, was witty, never monotonous or commonplace, most helpful in gett

to buy a wedding present for Aurora Galloway. As she was passing the counter where the superintendent had his offi

duated pearls with a huge solitaire diamond clasp. "It's one of the finest we ever got together," he went on. "But you can s

the necklace as he held it out t

ghtened, as the implications of he

ropped it into the box, put on the lid. And

said Pauline, coldly. "I had

rintendent. I beg you, Mrs. Dumont, don't tell him I showed it to you. I've made some sort of a mistake. You'll ruin me if you speak of it to

uringly: "I understand-I'll say nothing. Please show me those

charge of this important customer, she was deep in the rubies which the

had learned nothing new; but it forced her to stare straight into the face of that which she had been ignoring, that which she must continue to ignore if she was to meet the ever heavier and crueler exactions of the debt she had incurred when she betrayed

se to confide in Leonora to the extent of encouraging her to hint who i

people who were spending too much money, of those who weren't spending enough money; of what she would do if she had money, of what many did to get money. Money, money, money-it was all of the web and most of the woof o

ney-flaunting throng. And presently the chatter seemed to her to be a maddening repetition of one word, money-the central idea in all the thought and all

spend it. They must have money or they're nobodies. And if they have money, who cares where

V

AMONG

she waited for a fitter to return from the workroom, she glanced at a newspaper spread upon the table so that its entire front page was in view. It was filled with an account of how the Woolens Monopoly

-town she stopped the carriage at the Savoy and sent the footman to the news-

iving the country an old-fashioned winter." On the way to the opera she was ashamed of her ermine wrap enfolding her from the slightest sense of the icy air. She did

do that!" prot

e alone, she bared her shoulders and arms again-"like a silly child," she said. But it gave her a certain satisfactio

the butler as he closed the do

k he is

I'd like to see h

nder his eyes, the lines of cruelty that were coming out strongly with autocratic power and the custom of receiving meek obedience. And her heart sank. "Useless," she said to herself. "Utterly useless!" And the

before the open fire. "H

ghted a cigar and began to smoke

t for business and finance. You formed your big combination, and because you understand everything about w

rike"-a grim smile that would have meant a great deal to her had she known the history of that strike and how hard h

ons for yourself and f

eloped my idea

was several minutes

o the world"-she looked at him suddenly, earnest, appealing-"he gives it freely. And he gets

presented to him some scheme for relieving him of the burden of h

d possibly spend. Why shouldn't a man with financial genius be like men with other kinds of genius? Why should he be t

est was she that she did not give

end with money without harming him, how much harder it must be to help strangers. Instead of those things, why not be really great? Just think, John, how the world would honor you and how you would feel, if you

hen a new idea was presented to him. And this was ce

le wages, and would give the people the benefit of what your genius for manufacturing and for finance has made possible? I think we who are so comfortable and never have to think of the ne

hout expense, but philanthropy at the expense both, of his fortune and of his position as a master. To use his brain and his life for those ungrateful people who derided his benefac

or, it might come to be very different with us-and-I'm thinking of Gardiner most of all. This'll ruin him some day. N

ly, without looking at her. "I never

in a changed, strange, strained voice: "What I asked to see you for was-John, won't y

d. "You've been listeni

g at the insult in the accusation tha

nation-about "the necessity of meeting fixed charges" which he himself had fixed, about "fair share of prospe

her expression, saw he had failed to convince her, into, his eyes came the look she understood well-the look t

own business," he ended, his t

, said: "All round us-here in New York-all over this country-away off in Europe-I can see them-I can feel them-SUFFERING! As you yourself said, it's HORRIBL

when she began that Vergil lesson which ended in a lesson in the pitilessness of consequences that was not yet finished, had her heart been so light, so hopeful. In vain she

They will-they MUST, since it is right!" And already she felt the easing of the bonds that had never failed to

herself the hopes, the wild, incredible hopes, which the very thought of freedom set to quiveri

box. She had forgotten inviting them. She gave Leonora the chair in front and took the one behind-Millicent Rowland, whom she herself brought, had the other front seat. As her chair was midway between the two, she was seeing acr

h a huge solitaire beyond question the string the jeweler's clerk had blunderingly shown her. And there was Dumont's

ghts. "No! No!" she protested. "How infamous to think such things of my best friend!" But she tried in vain to thrus

m feeling badly all at once. I'm afra

l, dear?" a

ed, in a voice which she succe

ove. Stay on-yo

he had set Millicent down she drew a long breath of relief. For the first time in seven years her course lay str

ing easing in the prices for raw wool, the Company are able to announce and take great pleasure in announcing a ten per cent. reduction." On the margin Dumont had scrawled "To go out to-morrow and to be followed in ten days by

only the beginning of the battle. Punishment on punishment for an act which seemed right at the time had made her morbid, distrustful of herself. And she could not conquer the dread lest her longing to be free was blinding her, was luring her on to fresh calamities, involving all whom she cared for, all who care

yrie, and the world and her father and mother would think she was absenting herself from her husband to attend

oon she wro

o stay here. I shall go West to-morrow. But I shall not go to my father's; beca

NE DU

ho took up her flirtation with him precisely where she had dropped it when they bade each the other a mock-mournful good-by five months before. They were so realistic that Pauline came to the satisfying conclusion that

ad said to herself, casting her keen eyes over the situation. "But there nev

of his winter trip West were confirmed by his saying quite casually: "Dumont's drop

rly three weeks, he asked her

rs playing with the close-cropped c

his eyes showing that he understood her and th

g to stay on-

. I've not made up my mind. Fate plays such quee

ter's the other night? 'If a stone, on its way from the sling through the a

eyes a look of pain so int

e as light as her look was dark, "and we must g

it lea

eplied with a sad smile. "It's

them and Langd

es. Good-by, Mrs. Dumont-keep away from the precipices. And if you should want to come back to us you'll have no trouble in finding us. We're a lot of slow old rotters, and we'll be

V

D THE

eyes in her glass; she had counseled with her maid-a discreetly and soothingly frank French woman. Too late to telephone him, she had overruled her longing to see him and had decided that at what she hoped was his "critical

arborough of the servant who b

ut walki

narrow fringe of wood skirting and shielding the drive. The grass and clover had been cut. Part of it was spread where it had fallen, part had been raked into little hillocks ready for the wagons. At the edge of one of these hillocks far down the slo

n he was still far enough away

used, debating whether to

eparated her at once from no matter what company. She had on a big garden hat, trimmed just a little with summer flowers, a blouse of some soft white material, with even softer

asting long shadows on the pale-bronze fields. A breeze had sprung up and was lifting from the dried and drying grass and clover

was the first time he had been alone with her since the afternoo

said when it seemed nec

c of thoroughbreds-obeyed because he felt that she was without fear, and because she had the firm but gentle hand that does not fret a horse yet does not let him think for an instant that he is or can be free. Then, too, he had his share of the universal, f

that are for those who have vigorous and courageous bodies and sensitive nerves. Whenever it was possible she fought out her ba

ng herself to long to see it. And there it was, unchanged like all the inflexible purposes that made his character and his career. And back to her came, as it had come many and many a time in those years, the story he had told her of his father and mother, of his father's love for his mother-how it had enfolded her fr

rtainly. "Don't look a

heir strength and know it will not fail them. And the sight of him, the look of him, filled her not with the mere belief, but with the absolute conviction that no malign power in all the world or i

e tears she had carefully wiped away. She clasped her hands meekly and looked-and

f a child just awake from a long, untroubled sleep. "But-you must not ask me. It's nothing that can be helped. B

-made her catch her breath. She instantly and instinctively knew when that "once" was. "I don't care to try it again, tha

peful, careless "Bob White!" from the rail fence edging the wheat field. A bumblebee grumbled among a cluster of swaying clover blossoms which the mower had spared. And the breeze

of some past sorrow which casts a retreating shadow over present joy to make it the brighter by contrast. "To-day-this afternoon it seemed as if the light were just about to go out-for good a

ere were some way in

ike the hero on the stage, that really help. I'm afraid the cr

udless blue; but in that word alone he could hear the rumb

le-they-it's like finding a wall at one's back when one's in dread of being surrounded. I suppose you don't realize how much it means to-to how many people-to watch a

e answered: "I needed to hear them to-day. For it seemed

t." She said t

have bought away some of my best men-bought them with those 'favors' that are so much more disreputable than money because they're respectable. Then they came to me"-he laughed unpleasantly-"and took me up into a high mountain and showed me all the kingdoms of the earth, as it were. I could be governor, senator

hey knew you no

looks as if I'll have t

have come to you. But what does it matter? YOU don't fight for victory, you

nk you," he sai

el as if I were sitting in a railway station waiting to begin my journey-wai

ound at the sky, at the horizon, at the fields f

e worst storms can't reach, there's always a sort of tremendous joy-the sense of being alive-just alive." She drew a long breath. "Often when I've

her, then restrained himself, pressed his

to be ashamed of

ncourage me applies to you, too-and more-more. You DO live. You ARE what you long to be. That ideal you're always trying to

ock, scattering wisps of hay over his mother and Scarborough. Pauline turned without getting up, caught her boy by the arms and with mock violence shook and thrust him deep down into the damaged hillock. She seemed to be making an outlet for some happiness too great to be co

ing, watching her with an exp

g, half-serious-"has been spending the heat and dust of the da

," repeated Pauline.

e the stars-a

her oases ahead. Goo

with her, bowed to the little boy with a formality and constraint that might have seemed ludicrous to an onlooker. He went toward his horse; Gardiner and his mother took the course at right angles acros

sked his mot

"Anyhow, I like him. I wish he'd co

ys cared for him, except as she always cared for difficult conquest? Hadn't Gladys again and again gone out of her way to explain that she wasn't in love with him? Hadn't

' efforts to curtain herself. Now she dwelt upon them with eager pleasure, and assured and reassured

II

HE F

ening. He had a sense of the end of a long strain of which he had until then been unconsciou

rgetic that it roused every living thing in the barnyard to protest i

hen she saw who it was, her irritated voice changed to welcome. "Why, howdy, Mr. Scarborough! I thought it was old John

mind me," said Scarborough. "I looked after my h

usty snore penetrated. "When anything out of the way happens, I g

exercise," he said. "But don't wake me with the others to

ights during the past four months. But the thoughts were vastly different; and soon those millions of monotonous murmurings from brook and field and forest were soothing his senses. He

t down to the summer dining-room-a shed against the back of the house with three of its walls latticed. In the adjoining kitchen Mrs. Gabbard and her daught

Scarborough, looking

e absence of embarrassment that, to one familiar with the awkward shyness of country people, would have told almo

corner of the table out h

hing the hens make their careful early morning tour of the inclosure to glean whatever might be there before scatt

ner nothing," compl

ite yet," he replied. "Jus

itality surged through him. And he vaulted a six-rail fence and ran on. Down the hollow drenched with dew, across the brook which was really wide enough to be called a creek, up the steep slope of the opposite hil

ed forward and rear so far that, forward, the horses were half canopied. Against Bill's return he borrowed Gabbard's fork and helped comple

ns until half-past eleven. Then they went into the s

day in harvest time's as many as she'll stand for. So we have

upon his back with a bunch of hay for an odorous pillow and his broad-brimmed straw hat for a light-shade. Scarborough was the fourth man to yield; as he dozed off his hat was hiding that smile of boundless content which comes only to

arborough at one end, Gabbard at the other, the strapping sons and the "hands" down either side. The whole meal was before them-huge platters of fried chicken, great dishes full of beans and corn and potatoes; plates piled high with hot corn bread, other plates of "salt-rising"; Mrs. Gabbard's miraculous apple pies, and

," said Gabbard. "This is the f

I did hope to get here for th

hich Gabbard had hesitated whether to "put in" or not. An hour after supper Scarborough could no longer hold his eyes open. "Wake me with

aid Mrs. Gabbard. "Eph says yo

ned my supper," replied Scarb

Mrs. Gabbard admitted. "Nothin' like

remark. When his head touched the pillow his brain instantly stopped the machinery. He needed no croonings or d

ck, chairman of the county committee of his party in the county in which his fa

Frankfort for the nomination

arkin couldn't get it for F

r him," replied Burdick. "H

deciding against his secret master with a brave show of virtue when he knew the higher courts must reverse him. For several years Scarborough had been looking forward to the inevitable open conflict between the forces of honesty in his party and the forces of the machine as ruled by the half-dozen big corporations

machine would be just then, with the people prosperous and therefore quiescent. And he had decided to stand aside for the time. He now saw that reluctance to attack Dumont had been at least a factor in this decision; and he also saw th

er WE win or there'll be no victory." He sprang from the fenc

k, as they walked toward the gate, w

nd his gang in the open. I'll get ex-Governor Bowen t

hook his

later, as they were separating, Scarborough to drive to Saint X, Burdick to go back to Marshalto

n digging a cyclone cellar. I've be

e villagers, the men who lived each man in his own house, on his own soil from which he earned his own living. Up and down and across the state he went, speaking, organizing,

-Judge Bowen's country place and spent two hou

ugh said, "to see so many youn

e standard only when the right voice calls. The right voice at the right time." He laid his hand on Scarborough's shoulder with affection and pride. "

I

OES INTO

heir main plants there and were in complete political control. While Larkin had no fear of the Scarborough movement, regarding it as a sentimental outburst in the rank and file of the party that would die away when its fomenter had been "read out of the party" at the convention by

out to the Eyrie to go through a lot of accumulated domestic business with Mrs. Dumont. When she in a most formal and unencouraging manner invited him to stop there, he eagerly accepted. "Thank you so much," he said effusively. "To be perfectly fr

auline. "There's plenty of room-the safe's

large bag-at sight of it Pauline had wondered why he had brought such a bag up from the ho

," said she, "James will come and

nce of myself, Mrs. Dumont, but would you mind going to the safe

nd she showed him the safe, in a small closet built into the lower part of the

u don't lock t

you spoke of

a bit of paper in one

rawer he opened, and handed it

he said, "I shall only bother you to let me sleep in the house. I'll be very busy all day each day I'm here." When she thought he had gone he returned t

g about it," Pau

ans and newspaper correspondents in the hotel office, he went by a devious route to a room on the floor below his own and, knock

tion of the tone of the man of large affa

ct attention to them." He had large, dreamy, almost sentimental, brown eyes that absurdly misrepresented his character, or,

look, Joe?" ask

im after I'd talked with you," said Culv

n sight more hell than I thoug

wouldn't be in the rottenest kind of a fix, with no property and no jobs, if we didn't ke

t, politics a mere game of chance-you won or you didn't win; and principles and oratory and likes and dislikes and resentments were so much "hot air." If t

gged inside pocket of his slouchy sack coat; after some fumbl

five-by 'safe' I mean those that'll stand by the organization, thick and thin. Insurgents, two hundred and ninety-five-those are the chaps that've gone clean crazy

of a man, could hardly have weighed more than a hundred pounds, had a bulging forehead, was bald and gray at the temples, eyes brown as walnut juice and quick and keen as a rat-terrier's. H

ted Larkin. Then, with a look at Culver

business with them?" inqu

ore," replied Larkin. "To-morrow night Conkey Sedgwick and my bo

u at seven to-morrow night," said Cu

banks, I hope,"

Culver answered with gracious condescension. "That's why I broug

he organization'll vote solid for Graney, and my fellows'll vote for John Frankfort. On the second ballot half my Frankfort crowd'll switch over to Graney. On the third I'll

a voice that left his hearers doubtful wheth

e holders and manipulators of the secret strings whereto were attached puppet peoples and puppet politicians. Seven years behind the scenes with Dumont's most private affairs had given him a thoroughgoing contempt for the ma

ention-he was at the Eyrie, and sent a servant to say to Mrs. Dumon

ling you for a

ve you of m

't thought of it since day before y

ned herself that he could not carry the convention; but his showing was a moral victory-and what a superb personal triumph! With everything against him-money and the machine and the skilful confusing of the issues by his crafty opponents-he had rallied about him almost all that was re

hese simple people, the brutal power of money was master just as in

ll into place; she turned the bolt and swung the door open. She reached into the safe. Suddenly she drew her h

it and throw the lock off the combination. Then she rose and slowly descended to the library. As she reappeared, empty-hand

been s

ad. "No," she sa

n, he leaned against the table, wiping

nt on, "it mu

open-mouth

fect calmness. "You have tried to make me a partner in that vile business. And-I refu

r-stricken drowning man, abo

m ruined!" he a

e to be. But I understand why you have become callous to the commonpla

t. Vast property interests are at stake on the result of t

Culver. You certainly can't be blamed for putting your money in a safe place. I take the responsibility for

aph him at once

"He might blame you sever

down the room. He flung his arm

I WILL! I'll bring men from down-town and have th

nced to

a strange courage-to dare to speak thus to me when your head should be hanging i

ed, and he low

humbly. "I'm not myself. I th

toward the door. At the threshold she turned. "I must say one thing further-THE CONVENTION MUST NOT BE PUT OFF. If it is adjourned to-morrow without making nominations, I shal

there was not left a trace of the New Yorker and ambassador condescending to westerners and underlings. Larkin cursed; Merriweather gave no outward sign. Pr

d he told them the last part

er, and he looked the impartial admira

t her threat-never in the

r as long as I have, you wouldn't say that," replied Culver.

we can-quietly." And he rapidly outlined a program that put all three at work within fifteen minutes. They met again at seven. Culver had t

weather, eying the heap, of pape

gested Culver, with a piti

r," he said to Culver. Then to Larkin: "Well, Joe, you'll

ruination to pay one without paying all. Perhaps you can use some of it betwee

it took some time as I had to p

them which Culver did not touch, and which Merriweather ate p

husiasm that cold cash in the pocket does. We'll pull through all right." He ate for a while in silence. Then: "This Mrs. Dumont must be an uncom

nd dreading Dumont's reply to his telegram. But nothing came either for him or for Merriweather. "Queer we don't get

y beyond a smile so faint

get the money just before I leave and take it back. And I'll not

ont nev

X

IN HIS

and Opera House, the second largest auditorium in the state. Pauline, in the most retired corner, could not see the Marion County delegation into which Scarborough went by substitutio

of her. "They almost tore the roof off. He's got the audience with him, even if the delegates are

ndidate, Mrs. Pier

t. But he wouldn't hear of it. He said it simply wouldn't do for him to make the fight to carry the con

reasonable,"

ot know it but he can lead men where they

s his modesty,"

f a vice, especially in

and while Larkin was apparently carrying everything through according to program, still it was impossible to conceive of such a man as Scarborough accepting defeat on test votes tamely taken. He would surely challenge. Larkin watched him uneasily, wondering at what

that Boss Larkin and his gang had been downed. At the call of Hancock County, another-a secret-Larkin henchman rose to eulogize "that stanch foe of corporate corruption and aggression, Hancock County's favorite son, the people's judge, Judge Edward Howel Graney!" Then the roll-call proceeded amid steadily rising excitement w

rman, and

he fourth word. There may have been ears offended by the thunder-clap which burst in that theater, but those ears were not Pauline's, were not in Olivia Pierson's box. And then came tumbling and roaring, huge waves of adulation, with

rd, though she knew that it was of and for right and justice-what else could that voice utter or the brain behind those proud features think? With her, and with all there, far more than his words it was his voice, like music, like magic, rising and falling in thrilling inflectio

ly he spoke with feeling strongly repressed; but he knew that if he was to win that day against such odds he must take those delegates by surprise and by storm, must win in a suddenly descended whirlwind of passion that would engulf calculation and craft, sordi

often said. "But when head is wrong, then heart

was riding a storm such as comes only when the fountains of the human deeps are broken

his orator moved an adjournment until "calmness and reason shall be restored." The answer made him shrink and sink int

e people longed to hear. A giant farmer, fiery and freckled, rose and in a voice like a bl

r feet, obeying the imperious inward command which made every one in that audience and most of the delegates leap up. And for ten long minutes, for six hundred cyclonic seconds, the people poured out their passio

re beside themselves; but it was no frenzy for blood or for the sordid things. It was the divine madness of the soldier of the right, battling for THE CAUSE, i

hastened to cover where he could resume the fight in the manner most to his liking. Again Scarborough was borne to the platform; again she saw him standing there-straight and mighty, but deathly pale, and sad-well he might be bowed by the

mmonplace and selfish, with only its impulses fine and high. If these moments of exaltation could but last, could but become the fi

ave lived one of those moments when the dreams com

crowd, were talking of Scarbor

Pauline turned suddenly and gave him a

X

OTE A

ling over with good humor-as always, when the world went well with him and so

forts because the control of its statute book was vital to him, had gone his way barely but, apparently, securely; Scarborough was beaten for governor by twenty-five hundred. Presently he had Culver in to begin the day's business. The first paper Culver handed him was a cipher telegram announcing the closing of an agreement which made the National Woolens Company absolute in the Northwest; the

Later returns show Scarborough elected by a narrow majority. But he wil

f his group was organized. And he knew that, in spite of his judges and his attorney-general and his legislative lobby and his resourceful lawyers and his subsidized newspapers, a governor of Scarborough's courage and sagacity could harass him, could force his tools in public office to activity against

They glanced at his face, winced, bent to their tasks. They knew that expressi

snapped, lifting the head of the nearest c

esident of the Woolens Trust. He came tiptoeing back to say in

he dignity of his chief lieutenants, themselves rich men and middle-aged or old, than he had for his offic

l audacity, if his magnetic, confidence-inspiring personality had not created in the minds of all about him visions of golden rivers widening into golden oceans, he would have been deserted

or-boy from the outermost of that maze of h

growled, and

e clerks' room made him fling his door open. "What the

s were engaged in a struggle with Fanshaw. His hat was

n," he shouted, as he caught sight o

lone," sna

ing his clothing and panting with exertion, excitement and anger.

aid Fanshaw. "The Montana election went against my crowd-I'm in the copper

ont. "It's been only three mont

covered himself and was eying Dumont with the cool, steady, significa

grier red. "I won't do it again!" and

clear a million. If I don't"-Fanshaw shrugged his shoulders-"I'll be cleaned out." He looked with na

shot straight

id with vicious emp

n his lips. "I'm a desperat

neck. The last strand of his self-restraint snapped. "Leave

eet, all in a blaze. "You scoundrel!" he sh

I'll have you thrown out," said Du

m with the dignified fury of the betrayed and

surveyed Fanshaw tranquilly. "Not a cent!" he repeated, a cruel smile in his ey

u," he said. "Your wealth will not save you

stache. Gloom was in his face and hate in his heart-not hate for Dumont alone but hate for all who were what he longed to be, a

muttered. "The col

code of morality-that curious code with its quaint, unexpected incorporations of parts of the decalogue and its quainter, though not so unexpected, infringements

're a pack of wolves. They've got m

on its once great fortune. He was neither a good boy nor a bad. But he was weak, and had the extravagant tastes and cynical morals to which he had been bred; and his intelligent brain was of the kind that goes with weakness-shrewd and sly, preferring to slink along the byways of craft even when the hi

ived and died in the odor and complacence of respectability. But not in the strain and stress of Wa

usly, upon carcasses of one kind and another. He participated in "strike" suits against big corporations-he would set on a pack of coyotes to dog the lions and to raise discordant howls that inopportunely centered public attention upon leonine, lawless doings; the lions would pay him well to call off the pack. He assisted sometimes wolves and sometimes coyotes in flotati

thful, his pockets full of money and his imagination afire with hopes of substantial wealth. But his course was steadily downward, his methods steadily farther and farther from the li

and lavished time and money on them. Thus she was deceived into cherishing the hope that her husband, small and timid though he was, would expand into a multi-millionaire and would help her to possess the splendor

hiefly in doing queer, dark things on the market with National Woolens, things he indirectly ordered done but refused to know the details of beyond the one important detail-the record of checks for the profits in his b

and lashed him on-to ruin. The coyote could put on the airs of a lion so long as the lion was his friend

d falsehood in his statement to Dumont-he did need two hundred thousand dollars; and he must have it before a quarter past two that d

id to the driver as he got into his hansom. Th

ompany. But he did not know that Herron was a man with a fixed idea, hatred of Dumont, and a fixed p

f law and public opinion in many states and in the nation. It was a splendid exhibition of legal piloting, and he was bitterly dissatisfied with the modest reward of ten millions of the preferred stock which Dumont apportioned to him. He felt that that would ha

ork for half what I've paid you. You're swollen with vani

utly insisting that he was still a young man whom hard work had made prematurely gray and somewhat wrinkled. Dumont's insinuation that he was old and stale set a gr

fled. But Herron's shrewd, experienced eyes penetrated the sham. He had intended to be cold. Scenting a "hard-luck yarn"

aid, dropping his prosperous pose, "I want t

knew of Fanshaw's domestic affairs, but like everybody else he had preten

he exclaimed. "I

went to him as a friend to ask him to help me out of

lf, to bring Dumont to an accounting for his depravity. Just as Dumont maintained with himself a character of honesty by ignoring all the dubious acts which his agents wer

his immured and blindfold conscience decided that he could afford

ne morality; nor had he been relaxed by having a handsome wife, looking scarce a day over thirty behind her veil or

certain,

my eyes were opened to scores of damning confirmations." He struck h

sympathetically and ha

re reliable. And I'll be glad to help you with advice. I feel that this is the begin

cial difficulties. Herron listened sympathetically, asked ingeniously illuminating questions, and in the end agreed to tide him over. He had assured himself that Fanshaw had simply undertaken too large an enterprise; the advance

ey went down-town to relieve Fanshaw of the pressure of the too heavy burden of copper stocks;

X

IN TH

athering in Dumont's eastern horizon, two o

ens Company, in making sweeping but stealthy changes in their prices, wages, methods and even in their legal status. They hoped thus to enable their Legislature plausibly to resist Scarborough's demand for a revision of the laws-why revise w

like water. This became a public scandal which made him stronger than ever and also made it seem difficult or impossible for the monopolies to get a corruptible Legislature at the ne

r and to keep them convinced. When Merriweather came on "to take his beating" from his employer he said among other things deprecatory: "Scarborough's a dreamer. His head's among the clouds." Dumo

progress with Scarborough's sister Arabella, now a widow and at her own invitation living with him in Indianapolis to relieve him of the social duties of his office. She was a dozen years more the Arabella who had roused her father

. Therefore he attached even more importance to Arabella's cordiality than did Gladys herself. And, when the Legislature adjourned and Scarborou

n the south veranda alone in the starlight. She was in

"You've no right to complain. You

one in which she uttered it. Not the careless tone of those who have never had or have never lost freedom, but t

adys, bitterly. "Everything

the stage of suppressed feeling where d

lways been a sort of amusement-and the oftener the man changed, the better the fun. I've known for several years that I simply must marry, but I'

well, Gladys, that

ther woman's house could be. But"-with a little so

made an impulsive move to put her arm round Gladys, t

really, when she's in love-oh, Pauline, do you think he cares at all for me?" And after a pause she went on, too absorbed in herself to observe

auline, in a voice so strained th

e: "How I hate being a woman! If I were a man I could find out the truth-settle it one way or the other. But I must sit dumb and wait, and wait, and wait! You don't know how I love him," she said brokenly, burying her face

was in love with Scarborough, was at last caught in her own toils, would go on entanglin

peak. It isn't fair to me-it isn't fair! I could stand anything-even giving him up-better

aid Pauline, to hersel

noticed how strained and distant you are toward each other. And you seem to avoid each othe

ne, slowly. "A-a

member it, after

said

But she was too intent upon her own affairs to pursue a subj

After all, why should I be ashamed of any one knowing I care for him?" And she sighed, laughed, went into the house, whistling

ro not to make up her mind, for she had done that while Gladys was confessing, but to decide how she could best

e had just gone out-"I think, Miss Gladys, she told t

e glowing, her eyes sparkling-she was quick to respond to impressions through the senses, and to-day she felt so well physically that it reacted upon her mind and forced h

nd walk with

elf disagreeable

out together, "dull as a love-sick German.

t." His old-young face was shadowed for an insta

ge. "For a woman, ghastly! Old and alone-either one's dreadful enough. But-the

l be a dismal failure. It's a ro

s glanced up at him admiringly. "I should have said yo

o. And sometimes

rample

me," he answe

e too much," she said with

plied. "But how am

smiling gaily up at him, letting

ask why you've refused to take your own m

who asked me. They were-" She did not finish what she feare

your money," he

ans," she explained. "Europea

y a rich man over here, you may be pretty sure he'll marry you for your money.

r heart beating faster-certainly his warning against rich su

were married or he might fancy you were using your money to tyrannize over him. I'

ld do what he pleased with it. I'd

spirit of this, liked

position. You might spoil him-great wealth is a great danger, and when it's suddenly acquired, and so easily- No, you'd bette

r the conversation to turn from the general to the particular. She went on, fo

ly. "But not with your medicine. E

Gladys, feeling tired and nervous from

laughed.

so very practical-with your politics and all that. And in an

t of my mystery. My real nam

eckles like the lady of Toboso?" Gladys' hands were whi

te, I don't know

d to send her news of your triumphs

away. "There are wicked enchanters. I'm po

-but how? What must she say to make him see? Did he expect her to ask him to marry her? She had heard that rich women often were forced to make this concession to the

ins, brown upon the white of the road. He glanced up-a cloud was

ing her by her arm. A short dash among the trees and bushes and th

red her. "But you must stand

ow scream of terror, fell against him, hid her face in his shoulder. She was trembling violently. He put his arm round her-if he had not supported her she would have fallen. She leaned against him, clinging to him, so that

he unconsciously betrayed the impulse

oser to him with a

he tried to draw herself away-or did she only make pretense to him a

ss-she, too, was drunk with the delirium of the storms raging without and within them. His brain swam giddily. The points of gold in her dark eyes were drawing him like so many powerful magnets.

est; a moment her thirsty heart drank in the ecstasy

-veil. His arms still held her, but where they had been like the clasp of life itself, they were now dead as the arms

ble to look you-or myself-in th

me to-to take advantage o

do what you did,"

erous," he answered. "But I des

ight not be so little as she feared. "I had the-the same impulse that you had." She looked at him timidly, with a pleading smile. "And please don't say you're sor

his nerves were tingling with the memory of that delirium, and his brain was throbbing with the surge of impulses long dormant, now imperious. But she was not even looking toward him-f

ing leaves to the highroad. She glanced anxiously at him as they walked toward the town

you?" she asked, as if not h

not a

look at m

mounting in his cheek

you've wronged me. Isn't it ungallant of you to act this w

said humbly, a

unaware of the meaning of her yielding. "He's so modest," she thought, and went on: "You won't p

picion, the realization of the

sn't even thinking of me." When she spoke her tone was cold and sneering: "I hope s

he bluffs she paused and there was an embarrass

et everything. I began really to live when I began to love her. And-every one must have a-a pole-star. And she's mine-the star I sail by

him coming after her. A few yards more and she sat down on a big boulder by the wayside. Until now all the wishes of her life had been more or less material, had been wishes which her wealth or the pos

ched teeth. "I hate him, but-if he came

uline was at

doesn't finish dressing nowadays until he has read t

auline. "Won't you brin

e on the first warm morning and hurry to it; and if her glance raised her hopes she would kneel upon the young grass and lower her head until her long golden hair touched the black ground; and the soil that had been hard and cold all winter would be cracked open this way and that; and from the cracks would issue an odor-the odor of life. And as she would peer

earth of her life she could see and feel the backward herald

er uncertainly in his hand. He looked at her, his eyes full of pity and grief. "Paul

him with clear directness: "I've not been showing you and

relieved him. He hesitat

himself would compel him "to give pain to your daughter whom I esteem highly," and he thought it only right "to prepare her and her family for what was com

s she finished and sat thinking of

Polly?" ask

she had been dreading! "Yes-it's true," she replied. "I've known about-a

of her father's fa

I came to-day to tell you the whole story-to be truthful and honest again. I'm sick of deception and evasion. I can't stand it any l

her father. "He shall not wr

at him. "Father

und her and drew

uade a child. "But it's right, Pauline. There are cases in which not

"I thought you and mother believed divorc

r's husband had turned out to be as you once thought him, would it be right for her to live on with him? To live a lie, to pretend to keep her vows to love and honor him? Would it be right to cond

ook at him. And at last she saw into his heart. "If I

went on, "your mother and I talked over what we sho

knew

were so young-so headstrong-and yo

brain wa

home and thought it best to leave you entirely fr

acrifice, of deceiving her parents and her child, of self-suppression and self-degradation, and th

were picking with sharp beaks at her aching heart. Half-way up the walk she turned and

cried. "If I had

er walk, went directly t

w morning," she began abruptly, her voice

Pauline. She said in a strained voice: "I had ho

full of herself to be interested in the answer, and went on: "I want you to

nervous turnin

? I went out of this house two hours ago loving him-to distraction. I came back hating him. And all that

ngs-she rose slowly, mechanica

true," she

hty Governor Scarborough. There's fire under the ice. I can fe

ister!" she thought. And she shut herself in her room and sta

II

SURP

rly smooth, but a sticky, foggy rain was falling. A deck-steward put her steamer-chair in a sheltered corner. Her maid and a steward

She turned her head. It was Langdon, whom she had not seen since she went below a few hours after Sandy Hook disappeared. Indeed, she had almost forgotten that he was on board and that her bro

grumbled. "Please

rdon," he said. "It was stupid of

the name

went on: "No-don't tell me. I've no desire to

d. "I wasn't reading.

ould not look at a woman when s

me if I didn't know how dull letters are. No intelligent person ever says anything in a letter nowadays. They use the teleg

y mout

lit

I ye

er

ir in strings

not so much interested in your beauty as I was in trying to

em," repli

nt, the other-the rever

asant firs

en the candy." And he leaned back and closed his eyes a

patiently. "What's t

end passes over to eternal bliss, why, being good Christians, we are not

l this beating about the bush. You ought to know

s wife for divorce-

ys, languidly. Suddenly she fl

oing to do? Can s

can-if she

Will she?" de

course when that kind of storm breaks. He had hoped you'd be there to smooth her down

she

e day you left. Don't you remem

head, with its thick, soft, waving hair, the oval face, the skin as fine as the petals at the heart of a rose, the arched brows and golden-

said. "Jack doesn't deserve her. He's not

-the one you admired so frantically-Governor Scarborough. He was chock ful

th some success at self-concealment

erious, his eyes amused. "That o

ood news.

ke it if you

eyes, then with a shrug sank back amo

e joke rather than a poor one. Will yo

speak when I'm looking such a wre

esides, this isn't romance. It's no high flight with all the longer drop an

at up and studi

. Each was leaning on an elbow, ga

subject as marriage. I'm far too tim

ous before, and she was thinking

attractive to a woman when he

son whom she had admired particularly for his seriousness. But she was in another mood now, another atmosphere-the atmosphere she ha

ed. But to his practised ear there was in her voice a

rty, scurrying clouds, she watching him. After a while he

mother an

will you sta

I should say," she an

then-

d strengthen and deepen until she looked so forlorn that he felt as if he must take her in his arm

herself and he marries

ew it about her as if she were cold. Bu

I. You wish freedom, not bondage, when you marry? I refuse to be bound, and I don't wish to bind any one. We have the same friends, the same tastes

for money than poor men," interrupted Gladys. An

igin. "When Scarborough told you that," he replied calmly, "he told you a great truth. But please reme

st of reaso

consolation-so do I. When one can't have the best one takes the best one

a and biscuits which he declined and she accepted. She tried the big, hard, tasteless disk between her strong white tee

sing," replied Langdon, carelessly. "She was-and is-and-" he

her glance in a calm, matter-of-fact way. She leaned back in her chair and they watched

" he asked after

plied. "I wa

-propo

es

it grow

es

mong her rugs and wraps until it touched hers. "It may turn out better than you anticip

d, without looking at him directl

X

BETRAYS

olitical club to which he belonged, he had received an intimation from the local "boss" that if Dumont's name were anywhere printed in connection with the case he would be held responsible. Thus it came to pass

tulating himself on his escape and

ic relations-a long first step toward complete subservience." Herron happened to have among his intimates the editor of an eminently respectable newspaper that prides itself upon never publishing private scandals. He impress

e and the discussion spread to other cities, to the whole country. By his audacity, by his arrogant frankness he had latterly treated public opinion with scantiest courtesy-by his purchase of campaign committees, and legislatures, and courts, Dumont had made himself in the public mi

New York newspaper published, without comment, in the center of a long news article on the case, two photographs of Dumont side by side-one taken when he first came to New York, clear-cu

hich insured the public damnation of Dumont, but there was no other prudent course. He assured himself that he knew Fanshaw to be an upright man; but he did not go to so perilous a length in self-deception as to fancy he could convince cynical and incredulous New York. It was to

divorce testimony, and the newspapers for being

tempt. His record's too bad. I happen to know he was in the News-Record office no longer ago than last month, begging for the sup

s it shield t

w-library, "it hasn't been able to get hold of a copy of the tes

sinking flames of the divorce discussion with a huge outpouring of oil. Indirectly and with great secrecy he sent a complete cop

opy of the News-Record. His face suggested that he was its owner, publisher and responsible editor, and that he expected then and ther

without delay, sir," he said in a shaky voice

dangerous to his financial standing than the fiercest assault upon his honesty as a financier; for it tore away the foundation of reputation-private character. A faithful transcript throughout, it portrayed him as a bag of slimy gold and gilded slime. He hated his own face staring out at him from a three-column cut in the center of the first page-its heavy jaw, its cynical mouth, its impude

t of his existence. "That's all. Clear out!" he exclaimed, and fell back into

was m

anced toward the front door the servant there coughed uneasily and

beginning to slide back in a snarl-it promised to be a sad morning

s in one of the inside pair of great double doors of the palace entrance. "It's q

on, but not trying sincerely. He saw three huge cameras, their operators under the black cloths, their lenses pointed at the door-waiting for him to appear. For the first time in his life he completely lost his nerve. Not

o?" he asked in a voice w

servant. "The basement door wou

t also. "Idiot! Is there no w

Having no imagination, his mind made no picture of the great captain of i

the window and looked out-there must have been five hundred people in the street, and vehicles were making their way slowly and with difficulty, drivers gaping at the house and joking with the

d told him he was wanted at the telephone. It was Giddings, who said in a voice that was striving in va

g the word out as short and

uieting rumors

o do the

anning-Smith and Cassell and H

down soon." And he hung up the receiver, muttering: "The ass! I

til nightfall. This news made his presence in the Street imperative. "They could

o rush along under the surface of his skin like a sheet of fire. Waves of fury surged into his brain, making him dizzy,

e ordered in

m. He ordered them aside and began to climb. As the upper part of his body rose above th

e palls or pirate flags. With a roaring howl he released his hold upon the ladder and shook both fists, his swollen face blazing between them. He tottered, fell backward, crashed upon the stone flooring of the area. Hi

y!" he

to excess-but theretofore only when HE chose, never when his appetite chose, never when his affairs needed a clear brain. No

leven o'clock. "It doesn't matter," said Giddings. "

between everybody knowing a thing privately and everybody knowing precisely the same thing publicly. In that newspaper exposure there was no fact of importance that was not known to the entire Street, to his chief supporters in his g

Woolens and in the stability of John Dumont had remained strong. But of all the cowards that stand sentinel for capital, the most craven is Confidence. At the

s control was in part through ownership of Woolens stock but chiefly through proxies sent him by thousands of small stock-holders because they had confidence in his abilities. To wrest

keep it fairly steady at about five points below the closing price of the previous day, by buying all that was offered-the early offerings were large, but not overwhelming. The supporters of other industrials saw that the assault on Woo

raid was a failure, if indeed it had been a real r

lnerable. Melville, president of the National Industrial, was a fanatically religious man, with as keen a nose for heretics as for rotten spots in collateral. He was peculiarly savage in his hatred of all matrimonial deviations. He was a brother of Fanshaw's mother; and she and Herron had been working upon him. But so long as Dumont's share in the scand

e amount of three millions and a quarter. Ten minutes later other banks and trust companies whose loans to Dumont and his allies either were on call

nal collateral securities. If he did not meet these demands forthwith the banks and trust companies, to protect themselves, would throw

hite, wrinkled lips, heavy circles suddenly appearing

ing the market, all except us. He says Dumont must be driven out of the Stre

tworks for the defense of his own interests. Dumont, the brain and the will of the group, had made no false moves in business, had been bold onl

retreated slowly here, advanced intrepidly there. On the one side, he held back wavering banks and trust companies, persuading some that all was well, warning others that if they pressed him they would lose all. On the other side, he faced his power

tickers clicked out: "It is rep

country, across the sea, poured in their selling orders upon the frenzied brokers. And all these forces of hysteria and panic, projected into that narrow, roofed-in space, made of it a chaos of contending demons. All stocks were caught in the upheaval; Melville's plans to limit t

for the most part engulfed. Giddings and a few selected friends reached the shore half-drowned and humbly applied at

ent only until the next annual meeting-less than two months away; and the Herron crowd had won o

X

ALLEN

Doctor Sackett's opiate had plunged him. At once his mind began to

g papers,"

lied the valet,

doorway. "I'm sorry, sir, but Doctor Sackett left strict

crowning touch in his most imperious expression

hot eyes to give him courage to stand firm. "The doctor'l

eak when he finished that only his will kept him from fainting. He took a stiff drink of the brandy

dy step left his room and descended to the library. Culver was there

d and drove off, Culver, bareheaded at the curb, looking dazedly after him. Before he reached Fifty-ninth Street he was half-sitting, half-reclining in the corner of the seat, his eyes closed and his senses sinking into a stupor from the fumes of the powerful doses of bran

f a dozen newspapers of the woman at the Flat-iron stand. As the hansom moved on he glanced at the head-lines-they were big and staring, but his

blowing straight up Broadway into his face, braced him like the tonic that it is. He straightened himself, recovered his train of th

s smash ME!" And he flung the newspapers out of the hansom

arly," yelled o

g," shouted the other

on, muttered and mumbled to himself, vague profanity aimed at

rtain how to greet the fallen king. He went straight to his office, unlocked his desk and, just in time to save himself from fainting, seized and half-emptied

very throb of his pulse a pain tore t

-you!" he said, his teeth clenched a

r prevented the Herron-Cassell raiders from getting control. Now that he could afford to look at his revenge-books he was deeply resenting the insults and indignities heaped upon him in

, far-away voice, without loo

nning but could find none. "They did

his old look and manner. "You lie, damn you!" he s

emembered the changed condi

" he exclaimed. "I wish you good morning,

he habit of implicit obedience to that voice s

head-lines or by Giddings' words. And from somewhere in the depths of his reserve-self he summoned

submitted to this master slavishly; the concession of an

Some called our loans and some demanded more collateral. And while I was fighting front and rear and both sides, bang came

Dumont. His head had fallen forward and he wa

using the slang of the Street which he habitually a

used himself-out of a stupor

loans." He lifted his head and pushed back his hair

s he passed through the offices on his way to the elevator. With glassy unseeing eyes he fumbled at the dash-board and side of the hansom; with a groan like a rheumatic old man's he lifted his heavy body up into the seat, dropped

omer, apparently a tourist, edging hi

replied in a low tone. "He was raided yesterday-woke up in the morning wort

most a beggarly five millions-what a dizzy precipice! Great indeed must be he who could fall so far. The driver peered through the trap, wondering why his disting

k, you fool," snapped Dumont. "

ithout sarcasm, thinking steadfastl

escorted him directly to the presence, or King Melville, because he had a caller who could not be summarily dismissed, had come out apologetically to conduct King Dumont to another aud

ing-a seat not unworthy of a man of rank in the plutocratic hierarchy, but

t-bosom. The third assistant cashier returned, roused him somewhat impatiently. "Mr. Melville

l," he jerked out, the haze clearing for a moment from his piercing, wicked eyes. And he stalked through the g

ide of traffic through that deep canon set his thoughts to whirling like drink-maddened bacchanals dancing round a punch-bowl. "That woman!" he exclaimed suddenly.

of the hansom. "Dumont's downfall!" he yelled in hi

paper and flung a

the boy, with an impudent grin, balancing

private life. He shrank and quivered. He pushed up the trap. "Hom

t cowering in the corner-the very calling him by his name, now a synony

s extent; of why he found himself lying in the depths, the victim of humiliations so frightful that they penetrated even to him, stupefied and crazed with drink and fever though he was. Hi

ertion-but he cast about in vain. "Yes, I'm done for." And flinging away the newspaper he settled back and ceased to try to think of his affairs. Aft

t as if he were a dying old man. "Pay the cabby," he said and groped his way into the house and to the elevator and mechanically

or-" bega

I tel

m door to door, locking them all. Then he seated himself in a lounging-chair before the long mirror. He stared toward the image of himself but was so dim-eyed t

red and abandoned husband. "Wife gone," he repeated. "Friends gone-" He laughed sardonically. "No, never had friends, thank God, o

ts shape, but he knew that it was vast, that it was scaly, with many short fat legs tipped with claws; that its color was green, that its purpose was hideous, gleaming in craft fro

drawer. "Yes," he reflected, "the revolver's in that drawer." He released the handles and stagge

is hand on it, shivered, drew his hand away-the steel and the pearl were cold. He closed the drawer with a quick push, opened it again slowly, took up the revolver, staggered over to hi

ing a suggestion, "why should I shoot myself? I ca

use of smashing 'em?" he said wearily.

e careful," he thought. "I'm n

be in kingdom come and shouldn't give a damn for anybody." He caught sight of his eyes in the mirror and hastily dropped his arm to his side. "No, I'd n

s radiating in glass when a stone strikes it. He looked at his face-white, wi

must call for help." He turned toward the door, plunged forward

he caught the thread of events. He turned his eyes and saw a nurse, seated at the head of

own her book and standing over him, her face

soon. But you must li

a bad

The bullet glanced round

a moment's thought. "I suppose everyb

t nobody knows. Even the servants don't know. Your

his eyes

time had passed, that he was much better

mbled gratefully. "What nice hands you have, nurse," and he lifted his glance to her face. He stared wonde

for you?" It cert

he asked, as if he fea

s-J

then he said: "W

te me that-wrot

ven't you seen the papers?

, Jo

es. Then he asked hesitatingly:

r in her voice nor in her face was there a

r slid from under each lid and stood in t

X

ERATE

it seemed the weakness of hunger rather than of illness. His head was clear, h

elf, "I'll be better than for years. I needed this." An

haps half an hour during which his mind had s

he foot of the bed. "Your wife was worn

s it?" he i

urs

month,

swered, smiling in antici

ithout change

s and three days. Tell Mr. Cul

the d

pposing. I shan't talk with Culver a minute by the clock. What I say will

he room to fetch Culver. "Now remember, Mr. Dumont-less than

had closed the door he said to Culver:

even," answered Culver. "They've

at's Great La

ever asked me for that quotation before. I'd no idea you'd want it." He went

with a satisfi

n-town-what

t o'c

rni

sir, m

and am getting facts for making my will. And stay down-town yourself all day-find out everything you can about National Woolens and that raiding crowd and about Great Lakes and Gulf. The b

clean figure of the nurse appea

ul not to let any one at his office know that you're connected with me. See him-ask him-no, telephone Tavistock to c

ll," sai

continued Dumont-"a great deal for me,

longer Culver lived in intimacy with Dumont the greater became to him the mystery of his combination of bigness and littleness, audacity and caution, devil and man. "It gets me," he often reflected, "how a man can plot to rob millions of people in

called out, lively as a boy: "SOMETHING t

shrewd of eye, rakish of mustache; by Dumont's direction he closed and locked the door. "Why!" he exclaimed, "you don't

on. "Dying-yes. Dying to get at 'em. Tavistock, we'll kick those fellows out of Wall Stre

med absorbed in a stock in which Tavistock did not know he had any interest whatever. "G. L. and G.?" he said.

t of the stock-holders-not all, only th

rs. Most of the stock's in s

h the b

can get you a fai

had long worked together in the speculative parts of Dumont's schemes. Dumont was the chief source of his rapidly growing fortune, though no one except Culver, not even Mrs. Tavistock, knew that they had business relations. Dumont move

aid Dumont. "Only the larg

of a man who can get hold of some one high

nty thousand-more if neces

ll

ou'll g

you. The dividend clerk made a memory list. I had him verify it this morning as early as he could get at the books. He says at least a third of the road is held in small lots abroad. He's been i

derstand that," he said. He glanced at the

stock's tied up in the Wentw

rs about his Great Lakes-why should he when it's supposed to be as sound and steady as Government bonds? That means

private secretary. But there must be others, as

Fanning-Smiths have only twenty-one thousand sha

s Fanning-Smith was an ass, but I never suspected him of suc

maining big lots as possible. Make the best terms you can-anything up to one hundred and twenty-five-and offer five or even ten dollars a share forfeit for the option. Make bigger offers-fifteen-where it's necessary. Set your people to work at

to cost you much more than a million. The fifty thousand you'll have to buy in the market may cost you six or seven millions." Tavistock recited these figures carelessly

there," said Dumont, pointing. "Bring me the I

ach. "The first check," he said, "you may use whenever you like. The others, except the last two, will be good after two o'clock to-day. The last two can be used any ti

he was tyrannical, treacherous even-in a large way, often cynically ungrateful. But he knew how to lead, knew how to make men forget all but the pa

y got the Woolens Company away from him. He lets it go without a murmur when he sees he's

f-aloud, "By Jove, of course!" to the amusement of those near him in the car. He went on to himself: "Why didn't I see it before? Because it's

ett came into Dumont's bedroo

say-not for a week. Absolute quiet, Mr. Dumo

ng well. I need the medicine I've had this morning, and Culver's bringing me another dos

risking y

'm risking it for what's more t

ite yoursel

n I'm getting ready to fight. There's something inside me-I don't know what-but it won't let me rest till i

ut with resignation-he was beginning to believe that for hi

nt, had been merged in Dumont's big personality. Whatever he did well seemed to Dumont merely the direct reflection of his own abilities; whatever he did ill seemed f

t he could do, to show that he had not learned the Dumont methods parrot-fashion, but intelligently, that

peculiarly app

n as Culver unfolded the information he had collected-clear, accurate, non-essent

time nor strength for emotion; he was using all his mentality in gaging what he had for the work in hand-just how long and how efficient was the broken sword with which he must face his enemies in a struggle that meant utter ruin to him if he failed. For he felt that i

mating the strength and the weaknesses of the enemy, and miscalculation would be fatal. At the end of three-quarters of an hour Culve

you to Giddings' place. Please go back down-town and-" He rapidly indicated half a dozen points which Culver had fa

himself to sleep. When Culver began to stamme

you can hold it down-or until you earn a better one. And you'll be loyal as Giddings was-just as long as it'

a cup of beef extract-"A very small cup," he grumble

ns, and the wrist was gaunt. Her gaze wandered to his face and rested there, in sympathy and tenderness. The ravages of the fever had been frightful-hollows where the swollen, sensual cheeks had been; the neck caved in behind and under the jaw-bones; loose skin hang

tled by the storm and fire of disease! I

use to let him undeceive it, though he might strive to show it what he was. But he knew that SHE saw him as he really was-knew him as only a husband and a wife can know each the other. And he respected her for the qualities which gave her a right to despise him,

at it was not anything favorable how could it be? In fact, fight though she did against the thought, into her mind as she looked, pitying yet shrinking, came his likeness to a wolf-starved and sick

of its paws. She felt that they deserved the thunderbolt he said he was about to hurl into them, but she could not help feeling pity for them. If what he said of his resources and power were true, how feeble, how helpless they were-pygmies fatuo

said to herself. Then to him: "Perhaps you'd like

ours ago. Yes, tell h

beat down the impulse to snatch it away, let

ng back," he said in a low voic

eve yet that it isn't a dream. I'd have said there wasn't a human being on ear

ted, sincere, tears dimmed Pauline's e

e went on. "But you came-and I'll not forget it.

her head

n words. All I'll say is, you're giving me a chance,

a moment, without speaking, without any def

-they're made differently from men. It was unnatural, her ever going away at all. But she's a good woman, and

love might change her mind; but duty was safe, was always there when a man came back from wanderings which were mere amia

er," he said, as Langdon entered, dressed i

h da

ings when he abandoned the ship. But the hull's ther

d you have down-town. When a man carries so much character in his face-it's like a woman wh

y other man would have done the same in his place. H

is honor-Wall S

cise

thought you controlled through other people's proxies and made your profits

Dumont. "And I believe in it still, Langdon!

ers. I've put my whole self into it. I conceived it. I brought it into the world. I nursed it and brought

would have said aloud, had Dumont been well: "I'm precious glad I ain't the creature those fangs are reaching for!"

ons of the stock left-about a hundred and twenty thousand sha

all if my mind hadn't been full of other things as

securities; they've put me in such a light that outside stockholders wouldn't send me their proxies now. To get back contro

he grave. Why bother about business? You've got enough-too

sleep, I couldn't live, if I didn't feel that I was on my way back to power. Now-in the

that's p

veral good railways and in the property here. The place at Saint X is Pauline's, but the things I can put up would bring four millions and a half at least at forced sa

al minutes. At last he s

e any one into his confidence. But he restrained his temper and

you s

ourself," he said coldly. "I can

Langdon hastily interposed. "Of course you can

would accept a favor from any one. He regarded fa

security," said Langdon. "

, NOT the National Industrial, but the Inter-State National. A million m

it. What's you

nt you quietly to organize a syndicate to buy what's offered. They must agree to sell it to me for, say, two points advance on what they pay for it. I'll put up-in your name-a million dolla

ly he said: "I think brother-in-law Barr

usand to a million on a less than thirty days' investm

efully brought up by his father to take care of a f

rders to take on Monday all offerings of National Woolens, prefer

o get up the syndicate

und that out when I was organizing my original combine. One thing more-very important. L

eave. He was asleep when the nurse, sent in by Langdon on his way out, reached his bed-the sound a

assure himself that all was going well. Next he called up in succession five of the great individual money-lenders of Wall Street, pledged them to secrecy and made arrangements for them to call upon him at his house

tered, when the last appointment

"to the Central Park Safety Deposit vaults and bring me from my compartment t

e box. Dumont's eyes lighted up at sight of it. "Ah!" he said, in a sigh of sati

nd, drew out the box and opened it. On the mass of stocks and bonds lay an envelope containing two lists-one, of the securities in th

he look of a surprised thief. But this weakness was momentary. He was soon absorbed in mentally arranging the securities t

lity-under his own code. For the code enacted by ordinary human beings to guide their foolish little selves he had no more respect than a lion would have for a moral code enacted by and for sheep. The sheep might assert that their code was for lions also; but why should that move the lions to anything but amusement? He had made his own code-not by special revelation from the Almighty, as did some of his fellow practitioners of high finance, but by especial command of his

elligent development, his by the right of mental might-HIS! Stake his

s no firmer believer in the gospel of divine right-the divine

st behind her. His face blanched and from his dry throat came a hoarse, strange cry-it certainly sounded like fright. "You startled me-that was all," he hastened to explain, as much to himse

VI

ER MAN'

ather over again, he and his family and the social and business world assumed that he was the reincarnation of the crafty old fox who first saw the light of day through the chinks in a farm-hand's cottage in Maine and last saw it as it sifted through the real-lace curtains of his gorgeous bedroom in his great Madison Avenue mansion. But in fact James was only physically and titularly the representative of his grandfather. Actually he was typical of the present gen

st wife, and Herron had induced him to finance the sy

m with his own, was too much for timidity. He had been born with a large vanity, and it had been stuffed from his babyhood by all around him until it was become as abnormal as the liver of a Strasburg goose-and as supersensitive. It suffered acutely as these Jacks went climbing up their bean-stalk wealth to he

ation came. He shivered, shrank,

see what was hatching there. Accordingly, he sent an inquiry back along his secret avenue. Soon he learned that Great Lakes was sound, but the Fanning-Smiths had gone rotten; that they were gambling in the stock of the road they controlled and were supposed in large part to own; that they were secretly selling its stock "short"-that is, were betting it would go down-when there was nothing in the condition of the property to justify a fall. He reflected on this situation and reached these conclusions: "James Fanning-Smith purpos

g-Smith's. To use courageous gambling as means to a foothold in business-he regarded that as wise audacity. To use a firm-established foothold in business as a means to gambling-he regarded that as

oving smoothly. Still very, very deep down his self-confidence was underlaid with quicksand. But Herron was adroit and convincing to the degree attainable only by those who deceive themselves before trying to deceive others; and James' cupidity and conceit were enormous. He ended by persuading himself that his house, directed and protected by his invincible self, could car

now secure-was not Dumont di

gh there was none to witness and to be impressed. In Wall Street there is a fatuity which, always epidemic among the small fry, infects wise and foolish, great and small, whenever a paretic dream of an enormous haul at a single cast of the net happens to come true. This paretic fatuity now had poss

, vain man can put into an expression of superiority. "Thank you, Mr. Fanshaw," he said. "But really, it's impossible. WE are perfectly secure. No one would venture to disturb US." A

icker-tape as it reeled off. His heavy cheeks

while his eyes were on the ticker-tape. Suddenly he saw upon it where it was bending from under the turning wheel a figure that made him drop the receiver and seize it

undred and fifteen. In his eyes stared the awful thought that was raging in his brain-"This may mean--" And his vanity instantly thrust out Herro

he breakers of an infernal sea. And on the ticker-tape James was reading the story of the cause, was reading how his Great Lakes venture was caught in those breakers, was rushing upon the rocks amid the despairing wails of its crew, the tr

. "It CAN'T be true! If it is

the booth at the other end and had closed the door. "

voice was like the shrill shriek of a coward in a perilous storm. It was in i

't keep me here. I'm having a hard enough time, watching this crazy marke

ody seemed to be on the outside; inside, he was dry and hot as a desert. If the price went no higher, if it did not come down, nearly all he had in the world would be needed to settle his "short" contracts. For he would have to deli

ce down-you must! You

gest member of the firm, a son of James' ol

do," pleaded James. "And I or

ng rot. I've been fighting

all his life he had got everything without fighting.

iskie had hung

o one disturbed him-when the battle is on who thinks of the "honorary commander"? At one o'clock he shook himself, bru

truck through his brain. He gave a loud cry between a sob and a shriek and, flinging hi

is shoulders, his whole body, s

istent jingling so close to his ear, lifted himself and answered-the te

he sai

" came the reply in Zabris

ho

eeze us. I had to throw over some Woolens

sheepishly at the portrait of his grandfather. When its eyes met his he flushed and shifted his gaze guiltily. "Must have

well-conducted battles, he was far removed from the blinding smoke, from the distracting confusion. He had placed himself where he cou

nd had stretched himself on a divan in his sitting-room in his palace. A telephone and a stock-ticker within easy reach were his field-glasses and his aide

who was aiming the guns they fired and at whom those guns were aimed. Such conditions would have been fatal to the barbaric struggles for supremacy which ambition has waged through all the past; they are ideal conditions for these modern conflicts of the market which more and more absorb the ambitions of men. Instead of shot and shell and regiments of "cannon food," there are battalions of capital, the paper certi

erful voice. "Never felt better in my life," was his answer to Tavistock's inquiry as to his health. "Even ol

ion, for its long freedom from his occasional but terrific assaults upon it, for

sunderstood. As he listened to the rehearsal of his own shrewd plans his eyes sparkled. "I'll

t the door after you, and let no one interrupt me until I call." He wished to have no restraint upon his

ock leading the Fanning-Smith crowd on to make heavier and heavier plunges, Dumont could see

ose Zabriskie, nominal lieutenant-commander, actual commander of the Fanning-Smith forces, advanced to give battle. Instead of becoming suspicious at the steadiness of the price under his attacks upon it, Zabriskie was lured on to sell more of those Great Lakes shares which he did not have. And

fierce cannonade of larger and larger buying orders kept up. When Great Lakes had mounted in a dozen bounds from one hundred and seven to one hundred and thirty-nine, he for the first time realized that he was facing not an unorganized speculating public but a compact army, directed by a single mind to a single purpose

is, he thought he could, for he did not dream of the existence of the "corner." But he chose the opposite course.

roperty I think they'll take to their heels," he said. But

okers joining in on either side; men shrieking into each other's faces as they danced round and round the Great Lakes pillar. The price went down, went up, went down, down, down-Zabriskie had hurled selling orders for nearly

the speculating public, mad to get rid of that which its own best friends were so eagerly and so frankly

east upright position upon his embossed leather throne. Then Zabriskie began stealthily to cover his appallingly long line of "shorts" by ma

enemy were escaping under cover of the demoralization, had decided no longer to delay the move for which he had saved himself. He h

whom he thought he had routed, he saw a new and more dreadful peril. Brackett, his firm's secre

's doing i

but also through Woolens. Two apparently opposing sets of his brokers were trading in Woolens, were hammering the price down, down, a point, an

ttlement time came-that was ruin. To sell Woolens, to help batter down its price, to shrink the value of his enormous investment in it-ruin again. To buy W

ting was dominant; he began to strike out wildly,

be able to pay for. At the Great Lakes post he was selling in the effort to force the price down, selling more and more of a stock he did not

ens-do the best you can to keep the price up, but sell at any price! We must have money-all we can get! And tell Farl

se and their associates were caught. Caught with promises to deliver thousands upon thousands of shares of Great

smash anyhow, and that we ain't alone in it." For he had in him the stuff that m

e scene which Dumont, sitting alone among the piled-up coils of ticker-tap

ers up to wealth. Then Rumor, released by Tavistock when Dumont saw that the crisis had arrived, ran hot foot through the Exchange, screaming into the ears of the brokers, shrieking through the telephones, howling over the telegraph wires, "A corner! A corner! Great Lakes is cornered!" Thousands besides the Fa

as torn away to the last shred; and men, turned brute again

is false or feeble friends, on the fickle public that had trampled and spat upon him. His wet hair was hanging in strings upon his forehead. His face was flushed and his green-gray eyes gleamed like a mad dog's. At intervals a jeer or a grunt of gratified appetite ripped from his mouth or nose. Like a great lean spider he lay hid in the center of that vast net of electric wires, watching his prey wri

door open and close. He wa

re speculating public of the country was involved. And expression of the emotions everywhere was by telegraph and telephone concentrated in the one hall, upon the faces and bodies of those few hundred brokers. All the passions which love of wealth and dread of want breed in the human animal were there finding vent-all degrees

phant gamblers, ten-score thousand toilers in the two great enterprises directly involved toiled tranquilly on-herding sheep and shearing them, weaving cloths and

was again his own; his enemies were under his heel, as much so as those heaps and coils of ticker-tape he had bee

-morrow"-a smile flitted round his mouth-"I'll hang

e infinite light of the late-spring afternoon reflected on the white enamel and white bro

s, his neck. It lay in a curling, coiling mat, like a serpent's head,

his pulse in vain. And Culver stood by, staring stupidly at th

VI

HE LONG

e did it come out that the cataclysm had been caused by a man ruined and broken and with his back against death's door to hold it shut; that Dum

e the opportunity that was his through Dumont's secret methods, Pauline's indifference to wealth and his own unchecked authority. He has got many an hour of-strictly private-mental gymnastics out of the moral problem he saw, in his keeping for himself and Gladys the spoils he gat

tell it-she said: "Whatever there may be, it's all for Gardiner. I waive my own rights, if I have any. But you must give me your word of honor that

well-"Inherited riches are a hopeless handicap," he often says t

ul

in the fall they were back at Saint X, at the old house in Jefferson Street. In the following June came Scarborough. She wa

stood, looked at her-the look she had seen that last afternoo

ping," he said, "at last-you! I can't put

had never shone clearly there before-the fire of her own real self, free and p

ber," he

are as SHE must have cared whe