Galusha the Magnificent

r lodger's "Cousin Gussie" was no less a person than the senior partner of the f

them! They are the biggest bankers in New England. I have heard father

I have always called him Cousin Gussie; that is," he added, "except

ed fo

e, in the-ah-banki

to work for Cabot, Bancroft a

No," he said. "Dear me, n

you gav

"I'd rather not talk about that. I've gotten over it a long while ago, or

the least understand, but she did

course I do believe it, if you say so, Mr. Bangs. And you think he would tell me what to do with this Dev

nodded

aking all sorts of-ah-investments for people, and taking care of their money, and all that sort

hipps

enough to keep one ma

ch in earnest to n

," he said. "I never

idea, Mr. Bangs; to write to your cousin, tell him every

he might go to Boston forthwith, on the very next train, and consu

No, I shouldn't, so please don't let's waste time arguin' about

that a letter

you went to your cousin that you could tell him this Development Co

oment, and then ruef

ume I could learn it-ah-by rote, perhaps, but I

te the letter, if you'll let me. And we'll ask him to write right back and tell us two things: Number One-Is the Development

it a wonderful idea. He was

e-ah-may consider your troubles almost at an end. I shouldn't be in th

now some one who will buy it at some price or other. And, no matter whether they do or not,

t of her lodger's confidence. And so when Primmie, in tears, came again that afternoon to beg to be retai

" she said. "It's just postponin' what is almost su

n extended fr

e says to me this mornin'. 'What's the matter, Posy?' he says. 'Seems to me you look sort of wilted lately. You better brace up,' he says, 'or folks'll be callin' you a faded flower.' 'Well,' says I, 'I may be faded, b

Bangs wrote it, with helpful suggestions, many of them, from Miss

school, I used to save up my cryin' until I got home. I'm the same now. This Development Company milk is spilled, and, whether any of it can be saved or not, there i

d it come the next day, nor the next. That week passed and no reply came fr

ent Company. Perhaps he hasn't had time to read the letter at all yet. Mercy me, you mustn't expect as busy a man as the head

eless. His daily walks now included trips to the post office. On one of those trips he caught a glimpse of Mr. Pulci

tical circular and humming "Beautiful Lady" all at the same

to amongst our midst, as the feller said. Have a chair, Perfessor. How's thin

e felt that politeness required it. When the laugh and smi

not too greatly occupied I should like

In fact, he was urged t

Perfessor? Haw, haw! I'd say he wan't, eh? Set down, set down

his companion's candid opinion concerning the shares of the Wellmouth

ner. He shot at least five deep-drawn puffs of smoke into

uff. "Wellmouth Development Company, e

o a certain extent,

u mean, intereste

nt, you know. As something

nkin' of puttin' so

ouldn't give any further particulars at the present time. You'll excuse me

t effect. But Raish was still uncertain just how

t's interval, "is-well, in short, I should like to know your opi

ll, you said

st suppose that I actually did wish to buy some of those

er together to hide the gleam behind them. He took the cigar from his mouth and held i

is feelings. The pause was not long, however. "Would I consider Wellm

s. Wou

ow all about Wellmouth Development. You

. The red of the Pulcifer cigar tip died o

that property behind it and all that future ahead of

m sure," confesse

returns, maybe-though you can't never tell. But for a feller that'

't kno

consider'ble sight. I think I can locate a fair-sized block of that stock at-well, at a little bit underneath the market price. I believe-yes, sir, I believe I can get i

? Is that a fair price, d

repeated. "Man alive, it's a darned LOW price! You buy Wellmouth Development at that price

ing humorous in this suggestion. Instead of appe

at is what my friend has been doing

. He looked puzzled

he demanded. "B

Mr. Pulcifer. She has had-ah-several s

me here to SELL some

d she was anxious to know what it was worth at the present time. W

e," he demanded, "what are you talkin' about? Who the dev

were cheap at that figure, that it was a very l

ew and sputtered like a stranded porpoise and his face be

Galusha, again, but

t want to buy 'em and I don't know anybody that does. Yes, and you tell her that if I did know anybody that was fool enough to bid one dollar of real money for 'em I'd sell him m

im, and was standing beside the desk. There

nded Mr. Pulcifer. Galush

ay that," he

ay that if Martha Phipps didn't like

know. But I shouldn't

Why not, for

e you were speaking has

do YOU know I w

ad stopped to think would send

swear!... Wouldn't

ou do know. Good-

d and, to tell the truth, somewhat d

I don't know's there's any use in your tellin' Martha what I said about them Development shares bein' c

derstood, Mr

. Now I tell you what to do: You tell Martha... yo

ood-day, Mr

stment in Wellmouth Development Company. And, as another week went by and still Cousin Gussie did not reply to the letter of inquiry, his uneasiness grew with his impatience.

r. Bangs," she said. "He's probably lookin' int

r. This sense of responsibility caused him to assume more and more optimism as his nervousness increas

he delays replying to our letter, the more certain I am that this is the case. You see, it is quite logical. Dear me, yes. If he were not interested at all he would have replied at once, any one would. And if only a littl

e's interested to death. Well, it begins to look as if that might be it. There, there, Mr. Bangs, I mus

e daylight, left a note on the dining table saying he would be back next day, and started on his long tra

im that Mr. Augustus Cabot was not in. Pressed still further, he admitted that he would not be in that day. No, he would not be

a low ebb, stroked his

e!" he observed.

anybo

ices people were constantly coming and going, the question was peculiar. The young guardian of the portal seemed to find it s

ou want to see

bot-Mr. Augu

y, I tell you. H

ne of the private offices, paused beside them. He looked at

ngs, isn't it? Glad to see you. Don't

e far-off and dismal days when he, Galusha, had worked-or attempted to work-in that ve

a was invited to come into

are-you are-What is your business

connection with th

work," he added. "Egyp

yes," he said, dou

ed it as a weird

ll a-ah-banker?"

. I'm second vice

have been in this place

d if there was anything he could do for his former associate. Galusha explained that he had come to t

is a relative of yours,

ee, he looks after things for

s away out in the Sierras, somewhere. Been there for a month and he won't c

e nervous breakdown. The physicians had ordered

deal more serious. He must get out of doors and stay there; go to bed early at night-i

me I must do. Rest and-ah-good air, you know, and pleasant people. I wa

s had so many years; you remember him. Thomas has gone along to see that the chief-Mr. Cabot, I mean-doesn't get a

arded out there. That would explain why I

e of the chief's outside affairs while Thomas is away. That is, he is in charge of everything that can be handled here. The

Barbour extended a moist and flabby hand. Minor excused himself and hastened out to the really important matters of life. Galusha told Barbour the story

shook

ugh I'm pretty sure he won't trouble the chief with your question. Doctors are mighty strict abo

artha had asked that no one but Cousin Gussie be told of her trouble. No

bour," he said, rising.

how it is. Drop in again, Mr.-er-Bar

tter in the least. Dear me, no. I am a relative of Mr. Cabot'

At any rate, Mr. Barbour for the fir

Bangs. Just a minute, if you please. Bangs? Why, ar

es, I am Ga

rite you to-day, Professor. Let me see, here's the memorandum n

ence and what those might mean to Martha Phipps were beginning to dawn upon him. He wanted to g

h-do. That is, Cousin Gussie-ah

'm going to tell you is good news, at that. I presume

d not heard. Nor, hearing now, did t

eated. "Ah-melo

he Tinplate

figures and stock quotations and references to "preferred" and "common" and "new issues" and "rights." He gathered that, somehow or other, he was to have more mon

r?" asked Mr. Barbour, co

e a story of his own, one which he might tell Miss

ing out of his daydream.

l over twelve thousand. A pretty nice little win

on. Dear me, I am afraid I w

t was what I intended writing you to ask. Do you wish me

ll excuse me, won't you, but really I must

usually attends to all this-your affairs, I mean-but I am trying not to trouble him

ery nicely. Thank you, M

he reached the street. But Martha Phipps-he had assured and reassured Martha Phipps that Cousin Gussie would help her out of her financial diff

nue to be encouraging? If he had not been so unreasonably optimistic it would be easier, but he had never once admitted the possibility of failure. A

ps' gate. And Fate so arranged matters that it was Primmie who heard th

cried, breathlessly. "It's all r

artled, sta

"How you do-ah-bounce at one, s

ut what I want to know is if it's goin' to keep ON be

peak lower. Yes, and don't-a

d up Miss Martha's trouble; you and them Ba

ks?... How di

. 'Twas in that note

t note was for Miss Phip

gone to Boston to see-er-what's-his-name and Somebody-else and-' Never mind, Bancroft's all I remember, anyhow. But it said you'd gone to them folks to see about 'stock matter.' Well, then I knew 'twas for Miss Martha. I didn't have no s

e request to speak in a low tone. Galusha g

, Primmie,

u? Have you,

, Primmie. I mean

Phipps was standi

on? I didn't expect you till to-night. What are you

d, the driver of the grocery cart, Primmie "spilled the beans." Sh

"he-he's done it. He says it's

imm

at's-his-name folks and he's got the good n

ard aghast. And then he saw Martha Phipps' face. Upon it were written such hope and relief and joy

" she gasped. "

uivered. His fac

hy, Miss M

lly to chatter. Martha noticed the c

e on front where it will boil quick.... No, Mr. Bangs, you mustn't tell me a word until you're warm and rested. You would like to go to your room, wouldn't

o be alone where no one could ask more embarrassing questions. Yet the last thing he saw as he closed his room door

ptimistic! What should he say? If he

in Gussie himself never saw the letter, Thomas, the secretary, would see it and very likely he would write encouragingly. He might-it was quite likely that he would-give the names of other Boston f

semblance to the hopeless, despairful narrative he had, while on the way down in the train, considered inevitable and the telli

ary man told you that he felt sure that your cousin, or his other secretary-how many secretaries does one man have to have, for

ad not until now realized how far he had gone in the other di

wasn't it?" re

bout that, as-ah-o

. It was a very white lie and not told with deliberation or malice aforethought. But, as so often happ