CHAPTER XIIITOM MEANS BUSINESS
Polly’s friends had not completed their dressing when Tom was announced, but she was waiting in the cozy library; so Tom crossed the long formal parlor in a few strides, when he caught sight of her in the softly shaded light of the floor-lamp.
“Polly! Oh, but I’m glad to see you again!” breathed he as he caught both hands and devoured her smiles with his eyes.
“I should hope you would be glad! Isn’t everyone I know glad to see me after they have been absent a long time?” laughed Polly, in a matter-of-fact tone.
But Tom glanced hastily about the room. Then he quite unexpectedly leaned forward and caught her face between his palms. “Polly Brewster, I’m going to salute you with a brotherly kiss!” whispered Tom, and immediately, he pressed a kiss upon her red lips—but Polly felt sure it wasnotlike John’s kisses.
She tried to free her head from his powerful hands, but he laughed masterfully and held her under the light while he gazed into her eyes. Finally Polly felt herself growing warm and flushed, and to stop his look she closed her eyes and began kicking at his shins.
With a happy laugh, Tom freed her face and picked her up in his arms. In three long strides he was over at the divan where he placed her, sitting upright. Then he sat down beside her.
“Why—Tom Latimer!” gasped Polly, angrily, trying to rearrange her hair which had become tumbled in the fray.
“Why—Tom Latimer!” laughed he, mimicking Polly very cleverly. “You don’t knowthisTom, do you, girl! But this is the Tom that you’ll know hereafter. I’m through acting like a woolly lamb just because Anne says that’s the only way to get a girl! You’re a Rocky Mountain girl and the only way to make you notice, is to use ranch methods to lasso you. That’s why I’m here in New York. Catch me letting a rich society darling like that Baxter spend the winter months making love to you, when I’m wasting my heart away at Pebbly Pit, hoping against hope for a nice long letter from you!”
TOM PICKED POLLY UP IN HIS ARMS.Polly’s Business Venture.Page 200
Tom’s frown and the tone in which he declared himself, made Polly want to laugh albeit she shrunk away, somewhat, for fear of a plot in his mind.
Tom had, in his fervor, lost control once, but he was too wise to indulge himself again, in such a manner. Tom had spent a great deal of time in studying, during the past year, the psychology of love, and now he was going to test his knowledge. He told John, just before he left the ranch, that once a girl liked a fellow, it was easy to make her love him, by judicious treatment. In explanation, he said:
“When Jeb wants to coax one of the burros to the barn, he doesn’t give him the measure of oats to eat out on the range—no, he leads the burro to the barn by holding the box of feed ahead of his nose!”
The Brewsters laughed at Tom’s idea, but he declared that that was the way he was going to get Polly. And all their arguments about giving Polly a chance to finish her studies and try out her beloved work, fell on dull ears. Tom started East!
“Polly, let’s all go to a good show, shall we?” was Tom’s unexpected invitation, just as his companion began to worry because he sat so close beside her.
“Oh! Yes—I think that will be lovely!” said Polly.
“All right! Run up and tell the others to get their caps and jackets on. I’ll telephone an agent and see what’s good.”
Polly ran out of the room, glad to have the problem of the evening’s entertainment solved for her, but still she felt a little disappointed because Tom could so eagerly suggest taking the family out when she wanted to have a tête-à-tête with him to ask about the mines. Tom’s plan about holding the temptation before a burro instead of surfeiting him with goodies, was evidently beginning to work.
The play was one of the most popular ones, and seats were in great demand. But money does anything in New York, so Tom secured splendid orchestra seats, and they reached the theatre just as the curtain went up on the first scene. The interior was darkened when they entered, and Polly could not tell who sat in front of her, until the first act ended and the lights were turned on.
Tom sat beside her, and began whispering in his free western voice, when a young man seated directly in front, turned deliberately around and stared at him. Polly gasped, and Eleanor nudged her in the side. It was Jack Baxter!
Without taking his eyes from Tom, Jack reached under the chair and got his hat. Then he dragged his coat over his arm, and got up. He bowed stiffly to the girls in Tom’s party, and went out. Tom waited until he was gone, then he looked down at Polly.
“Um! It was high time I came East, I see!”
“Why?” was Polly’s smiling rejoinder.
“By next Spring it might have been Tom who sat alone and felt like the fifth wheel in a wagon instead of Baxter. My, but I’m glad I came!”
Polly frowned, and Eleanor did her best to hear what was said between these twoapparentlyphlegmatic companions. But Tom meant his words for Polly’s ears only.
Once during the evening, when the light was so low that the theatre was almost dark, Tom changed his position in such a way that his arm rested over the back of Polly’s chair. In his interest in the scene on the stage, his hand dropped carelessly upon her shoulder. And Polly was too engaged with the play to remove it, or even change her position to allow it to fall back again.
Then Tom moved, so that his arms touched hers, and his hand that rested upon one knee, could cover Polly’s hand while the audience was enthralled by the burglar’s escape, and no one butEleanor had the slightest idea of what was going on in these two orchestra chairs. But Polly grew restive and tried to free her hand.
Then the lights went up again, and Tom moved away and said apologetically: “These seats are so cramped for such a great fellow as I am!”
And Polly replied tartly: “Yes, they really ought to allow more room for people’s hands and arms.”
Eleanor smiled wisely, and sent Tom a teasing look.
John Baxter did not come back to claim his seat that evening, and the play ended without Polly having given him another thought. Poor Jack!
After Tom reached New York, there seemed very little time for Polly in which to hunt up antiques in the country, or to attend sales that were advertised at various places. Then Winter weather set in, and that gave her the necessary excuse that the automobile could not travel in snow or mud.
All but Tom and Polly thought that Tom’s plot to win Polly from her chosen profession seemed to be succeeding. But Tom felt that he had not had much encouragement as yet; and Polly was having a very nice time with an oldfriend she liked better than other young men, without feeling unduly indebted for the pleasure.
Although the Latimers lived uptown in New York, they saw little of Tom during the first weeks of his return to the City. He stopped at a hotel not far from the Fabian’s place, and made duty-calls on his father and mother at regular intervals, but they understood what he came East for, and they wished him all success.
Time passed quickly, with a new pastime planned by Tom, for each day. And most of these pleasures included the other girls, as well as Polly. So the enjoyment was general, and Polly could not say that Tom tried to get her company for himself, by leaving her friends out of any fun.
December came in, and the Christmas season advanced, with Tom still leading a gay life and escorting the girls to every pleasure or entertainment they heard of; and Polly was still the kind little “sister” to him in every way, but nothing more.
Tom had selected his Christmas gift for Polly, but no one had been told about it. This he had kept absolutely secret. The Christmas Holidays came and all schools closed, so that the girls had no studies to attend to, and no art work to prepare.Jim Latimer and his chum Kenneth came home from Yale for the two weeks’ vacation, and they immediately called on Polly and Eleanor.
Tom saw how gladly Polly welcomed Jim and Kenneth, and he began to wonder if she really preferred a young boy’s society to his. Polly and Jim were about the same age—not quite eighteen, while he—Tom, was almost twenty-four. Such a decrepit old age!
The evening Jim planned to visit Polly and take Kenneth along for Eleanor, Tom, to the surprise of his parents, spent the entire evening with them; but he was not very attentive to what his mother said, nor did he seem over-pleased with being at home.
Jim and Kenneth were noisy, active young college boys, and they furnished lots of fun that evening, of the energetic, “center-rush” kind. But Polly was relieved when they had said good-night and were gone.
Eleanor laughed at the way Jim “rough-housed” both girls when he tried to kiss them good-night, and Polly indignantly told him he would never be invited there again! Jim laughed and caught hold of Polly to shake her for such a threat, but he smacked her loudly on the lips, instead.
As the two girls went upstairs to retire, Polly said: “I’m sure Jim wouldn’t have acted so silly if his big brother had been here!”
Eleanor then added: “We have such lovely evenings with Tom, that this sort of horse-play gets on my nerves!” Then she slyly watched her friend’s expression to try and read her mind.
“I wonder why Tom never came in tonight?” said Polly.
“Jack Baxter met me this afternoon, and he says Tom goes uptown regularly, to see a girl. Jack shadowed him and knows exactly where the girl lives. But he didn’t say I must not tell you,” said Eleanor, confidentially. Neither did she add that she had heard the address of this “girl” and knew it to be Tom’s home and mother.
Polly flushed, but said nonchalantly: “Poor Tom! He feels awfully bored with us girls, at times!”
“I should think so! especially if he came home for a visit with the idea of finding a nice girl to propose to. Now Jack thinks that Tom, with his good looks, his wonderful intelligence, and his family-tree, to say nothing of the Latimer fortune, ought to be able to take his pick of any New York girl that is looking for an ideal husband,” remarked Eleanor, guilelessly.
Polly flashed her a look. “Since when has Jack Baxter dropped his maligning of Tom Latimer, and started to admire him?”
Eleanor bit her lips to prevent a smile, but she replied, innocently: “Why, Jack always did admire Tom, even when he met him at Pebbly Pit. But he is jealous of him, for all the admiration he has for him. But I’ll tell you, Polly: I wouldn’t trust Jack in a case of ‘love or war.’ He’d as soon make Tom believe you were in love with another man, as anything else, if he could win a point by it.”
But Eleanor over-stepped her ambition this time. Polly quickly replied: “Then Jack must be trying to ‘win a point’ when he got you to tell me that Tom was calling on another girl, uptown.”
Eleanor realized her error and had common sense enough not to endeavor to explain it away. She merely said: “Oh well, Tom is too handsome a fellow to be wandering about New York these nights without a guardian. Some wide awake girl is going to snap him up the first chance!”
“Seems to me, Nolla, that Tom has been wandering about since he arrived in the City, with awhole bevy of guardians to keep him from snares and pitfalls. With all of us girls surrounding him, a fine chance any other girl could have found to snap him.”
Eleanor was evidently getting worsted in her well-meant plan to further Tom’s case, so she wisely decided to keep still.
Nothing was heard from Tom the next day, although Polly was sure he would call, or telephone, before evening. Then the telephone did ring, but it was Mr. Dalken, inviting the entire family over to his apartment for a party that evening.
“Just an impromptu affair, you know, with some of our old friends coming in to spend the evening.”
Mrs. Fabian accepted for herself and husband, and said she would see if the girls had any engagement. She came back to the living-room where they were waiting for dinner to be announced.
“Are you girls going out this evening, or have you any engagement at home?” asked she.
Nancy shook her head, and Eleanor replied: “For a great wonder, we haven’t a blessed thing on for tonight! First evening free in months!”
“Mr. Dalken wants us to come over and join some old friends, just for a nice visit,” ventured Mrs. Fabian, looking from one girl to the other.
“Fine! Anything but sitting here staring at Polly’s concerned face,” retorted Eleanor.
Mrs. Fabian smiled and went to answer Mr. Dalken, but Polly sat up and asked Eleanor what she meant by that.
“Oh, ask yourself, Polly, you’ve been mooning around all day looking like ‘Gottschalk’s Last Hope.’ One speaks to you, and you never hear what’s said. The very house could burn down but you’d never know it. You’d roast without feeling any sensation in it!” declared Eleanor, impatiently. Nancy laughed at both girls.
After dinner, while the girls were dressing to go to Mr. Dalken’s, Eleanor went to Polly’s room to be hooked up. When she saw Polly arrayed in one of her most fetching Paris dresses she stood and stared.
“Why! we’re not going to the Opera!” said she.
“We’re going to Mr. Dalken’s, aren’t we?” asked Polly.
“Yes, but Jack won’t be there—nor Tom, either,” was Eleanor’s smooth reply.
“I hadn’t thought of who might be there, I dressed for my old friend, Mr. Dalken. He is so correct in these matters, so I want to do justice to his friendship,” Polly scored this time.
Eleanor did not wait to be hooked up but rushed back to her own room, and when Polly met her again, down in the hall, she had changed her gown, also, and looked very attractive, indeed.
Because of the delay occasioned by Eleanor, the Fabian party was late in reaching Mr. Dalken’s. The other guests were already there, and to Polly’s intense gratification, not only was Jack assisting the host for the evening, but Tom sat in one corner of the large living room, looking at a book of snap-shots taken by Mr. Dalken while out in the Rockies. So engrossed was Tom in the pictures, that he did not lift his head when new-comers were welcomed.
Polly glanced over at the corner and finding Tom so interested in mountain charms, while female charms abounded so near him, she felt peeved and smiled radiantly on Jack. Eleanor saw, and determined that she would not permit matters to go astray again, as she had taken such trouble to get Mr. Dalken to plan this impromptu gathering just to give Polly the opportunity to seeboth suitors together—to the advancement of one or the other’s interest. Eleanor had no doubt that it would be Tom’s advancement.
So she flirted outrageously with Jack, to the amusement of Mr. Dalken who understood how matters were with all the young people. Thus Eleanor was cozily cornered with Jack in the den, doing her utmost to make him forget Polly for the time being, when the Jap came to the living-room door and announced a new caller.
CHAPTER XIVNECESSARY EXPLANATIONS
Eleanor was not to be seen when a young man came in the room and was joyously welcomed by everyone present. Tom Latimer had disappeared also, a short time before this, and Polly was sitting in the wide seat built in the window, staring out over the roofs of the buildings without seeing a thing.
The delighted exclamations from those in the room, however, drew her attention, and she was rejoiced to see Paul Stewart shaking hands with those crowding about him. So Polly left her shadowy retreat and ran over to welcome him, too.
Paul was saying: “Isn’t it too jolly of John to send me East for the Holidays, by making me power-of-attorney for the Stock-holders meeting the first of January. That was the only way I could have come—by having my fare paid!” Paullaughed because they all knew of his financial problems, and how he was striving to win success that he might propose to Eleanor.
Polly felt annoyed because she was sure Eleanor had led Tom to the den that she might advise him further in his love-affairs. And it was this interference by Eleanor, that roused much of Polly’s indifference or impatience towards Tom. Now she felt she had been given a good opportunity to square accounts with her chum.
Paul and she were standing alone for a moment, when she saw him looking about for someone. She gave the desired cue: “You’ll find Nolla with Tom, enjoying a tête-à-tête in Mr. Dalken’s little den across the hallway, Paul.”
As she watched Paul hurriedly excuse himself, she experienced a new sensation—that of gratified revenge on a friend. She walked about the room, apparently looking at the pictures, but really to reach the hall without attracting attention. Once she got out of the room, she made a dash for a shadowy corner made by an old ormolu secretaire between the two doors. She could see into the den and watch Paul’s next action.
Two huge Turkish chairs were drawn up before the fire-place but the electric lights were out and only the candles on the tables near the doorwere lighted. The leaping flames of the logs burning in the fire-place threw dancing shadows over the two occupants of the chairs, but anyone standing near the door could not see who these occupants were.
Paul crept stealthily over to the chairs, planning to surprise his two old friends—believing Tom to be one, and Eleanor the other. He lifted his hands with the intention of clapping them over Eleanor’s eyes to make her guess who was there, when he heard words that rooted him to the spot. Polly saw but could not hear, so she lost the best part of her retaliation on Eleanor.
Just as Paul was about to bring down his palms over Eleanor’s eyes, a strange voice murmured intensely: “You know how I feel about it, Nolla. This love is so absorbing that I cannot give my attention to studies, or to any other important matter. If I am treated to second place, now that another lover is at hand, I will clear out of New York and never be heard from again. In fact, I am going to purposely throw myself in the way of danger and end it all!”
Paul realized that another man had found his treasure and had been encouraged, or why should he be saying “given second-place now that another lover is at hand?” And it was evident thatsomeone knew of his, Paul’s, proposed visit, asthisyoung man knew of his coming to see Eleanor.
Such is the mortal’s egotism! One never thinks of others in connection with a selfish hope or idea, but believes that anything seen or heard must appertain to that one thing. So Paul thought Eleanor was the love this young man referred to, and that she had given him second-place because of Paul’s coming.
These thoughts flitted through his mind as young Baxter concluded, and Eleanor waited a moment before answering. Then she said with a sigh: “Dear Jack, a mild little flirtation never hurt any real case of love, and I’ve told you many times, that a game of love like this would improve or become fatal, because of such a flirtation. Like anti-toxin—itkillsthe germs or makes them wild so that no further doubt remains about the patient. Let’s use the hypodermic courageously and watch results. If the love-germ dies, then go and throw yourself on the railroad track and end your troubles. But should the opposite effect result, you can always think of me as the specialist who advised the heroic treatment!”
Paul was shocked to hear his “angel-girl” talkof her love in such a dreadfully frank way, but the suitor’s next sentence left no doubt in Paul’s mind that Eleanor was a horrid flirt.
“Well, Nolla, you must know best. Paul has been in love with you for a long time, now, and you’ve had many young admirers since you came to New York; so you understand and appreciate my present position and my right to demand one thing or the other—eitherIam the accepted one, or the other man. Both of us cannot be kept dangling about, nor take turns in loving when the other is absent from New York.”
Paul was distressed at hearing this—that Eleanor could accept the attentions of other men when he, Paul, was so hard at work out West, trying to succeed in his profession that he might offer her a suitable home! Now she was flirting with others, and this young man was heart-broken over her short-comings, even as he, Paul, was.
Polly saw Paul wheel and rush from the room, and immediately after that, Eleanor and Jack jumped up from the chairs and gazed at the door where the intruder had disappeared. When Polly saw who Eleanor’s companion was, she gasped in astonishment, for she believed it was Tom sitting before the fire.
Had Polly hurried after Paul, to explain matters to him, all would have ended well that evening, but she went to the room where her wraps had been left and sat down to think out the problem. Meantime, Paul found Mr. Dalken and drew him aside to say:
“Don’t ask questions, and don’t try to stop me, but I am going away as quick as I can. I’m through with girls for all time. They’re not to be trusted when a man’s absent. I’m going to live for my mother, hereafter, and make her life happy.”
Mr. Dalken was taken by surprise, because he had no key to this new puzzle, but he said: “Do wait, my boy, and have some refreshments with us. I have so much to ask you about the mine.”
“No—no! I can’t stay. The mine isn’t my affair anyway, and I was a fool to coax John to give me power-of-attorney to come East for him. Now I’m rushing back and he can send Tom Latimer the affidavit necessary for the meeting in January.”
“Now, now, Paul! You are a hot-headed young fellow and I feel sure matters can be explained quickly, if you will but wait!”
Paul scowled and stiffened his spine as he replied: “Mr. Dalken, I heard with my own ears,that Nolla is infatuated with another young man. She said,and Iheard her say it: ‘She was not certain which one of us she preferred but the test would show if she used a good dose of anti-toxin to help the germ! But I’m no ‘second fiddle’ even if that other fellow is! If a girl can’t tell whether she loves me without using hypodermics to help her find out, then she’s no wife for me! Maybe I’m a wild and woolly westerner from Denver, but believe me! we westerners never stand around waiting for a bit to be forced between our teeth.”
Mr. Dalken could hardly restrain his sudden desire to laugh, but he averted his head for a moment and covered his face with a handkerchief until he composed his risibles, then he said: “Still, I am sure I can mediate in this case, Paul. Only stay and let me inquire.”
“I guess not! No one can mediate between me and a flirt! I am through, I say, and I’m going home!”
So saying Paul thrust out his hand and Mr. Dalken had to take it. “Good-by, and say good-by to the others for me. This much I want you to do, as I will not see them again!”
Mr. Dalken went to the door with his excited guest and saw him go down on the elevator, thenhe rushed madly back to the telephone and ordered the man to detain the departing guest. Back to the den where he had seen Eleanor standing with Jack, was his next act, and dragging both out of the apartment and along the hall to the elevator, he pushed the button furiously.
While the wondering attendant was coming up, Mr. Dalken said: “What in the name of conscience did you two crazy creatures do or say to Paul Stewart, to drive him frantic?”
Jack stared in ignorance of what his guardian meant, but Eleanor gazed as if she thought Mr. Dalken had suddenly gone mad. The elevator stopped at their floor, and the man opened the gate. Mr. Dalken pulled his two companions on, and the man started down again.
All this time, Eleanor was speechless with doubt of Mr. Dalken’s sanity but the elevator man turned to him and said: “The young man I just took down, refused to remain. He said he would arrest anyone who tried to detain him against his will.”
Mr. Dalken ran his hands through his hair and rolled his eyes upward. Turning to Eleanor he hissed: “Whatdidyou say to Paul to make him act like a man in torment?”
“Paul! Are you crazy, Mr. Dalken?” asked Eleanor, fearfully.
“No, butyoumust be to throw over such a sweetheart. You’ll wait a long time before you get another like him, even though I do like Jack immensely, and will further his case when he meets the right girl. I’m sure you are not the right one, and you ought to know it, from what you told me yourself, yesterday. Can’t you see that Jack thinks he loves Polly, just because she won’t have him?”
“Of course I understand!” retorted Eleanor, but annoyed that her plot to bring Polly and Tom together again was exposed.
“Then why in the name of heavens did you send Paul away believing it wasyouthat Jack wanted?”
Before an answer could be given, the elevator reached the ground floor and the man quickly opened the doors. Out in the vestibule the telephone-operator was button-holing a young man and using every persuasion to detain him.
Jack Baxter had never seen Paul so he did not recognize him now. But Eleanor did, and she stood stock-still in such surprise that Mr. Dalken ran ahead without her.
“Paul, Paul! I knew you had made a mistake.Eleanor is here to explain everything,” said he, taking the place of the amazed servant.
“What can she explain that will change my opinion of her?” scorned Paul, sending a cold look at poor Eleanor.
“Nolla, come here, Paul wants you to explain,” begged Mr. Dalken, beside himself.
Her first surprise at finding Paul Stewart in New Yorkand in the house, passed over and Eleanor forgot Jack and everything else, as she rushed forward to welcome her old sweetheart.
“Paul—Oh Paul! When didyoucome?” cried she.
But Paul’s haughty stare stopped her when she was not ten inches from him. He turned to Mr. Dalken and said: “Now that you’ve broken your word with me, you had best explain.”
“Ibroken my word! I never gave my word to anything that is broken. Remember, Paul, you may be a hot-headed impulsive youth, but you cannot make such sweeping accusations without grounds for them. I am so sorry for you in your disappointment that I will excuse you this time, however, and explain for your benefit, that I caught hold of Jack and Nolla after you left and dragged them down here without ‘breaking my word’ as you claim, or any other unhonorabledeed. Unless you consider getting at the truth is unprincipled.” Mr. Dalken was stern and dignified in his self-justification, and Paul had the grace to flush uncomfortably.
Eleanor was standing, uncertain of what was best to do in this strange meeting. She had felt over-joyed a moment before, to find Paul there, but now she wondered why he was so angry, and why he had not waited to greet her, as long as he had been up in the apartment. Baxter, not feeling at home in this group, turned and asked the man to take him up again.
Mr. Dalken had not seen Jack leave again, so he turned to call him, but found he had disappeared.
“Nolla, what did you say to Paul when he met you?” demanded the older man.
“I? Why, Mr. Dalken, I never knew Paul was here. The first hint I had of something unusual was when you rushed in to drag us downstairs.”
Mr. Dalken was puzzled so he turned to Paul. “Then why did you say Nolla was a flirt and had made a fool of you? I thought she met you and began to tease, as she does everyone.”
“There was no need of her saying anything to me, as I heard her tell, when she was not awareof my standing behind her chair, that the young man she was with might prove to be the accepted love after all.” Then Paul repeated the substance of the talk he had overheard between Jack and Eleanor.
As he concluded, Eleanor laughed hysterically and held out her hands to Mr. Dalken beseechingly. “Oh, dear Dalky! Can’t you see how Paul misunderstood everything! I was speaking of Jack’s case with Polly, and advising him in regard to Tom. I know Jack is not seriously in love with Polly, but he fancies himself so, because Polly is so attractive and indifferent to him. As Jack has always been flattered and made love to by society girls, this unexpected attitude of Polly’s piqued the boy. I did my best tonight, to show all three of these silly young things where they stood in this serious matter. Andto think, I got myself in hot water for trying to help my friends!” Eleanor unexpectedly broke out in sobs and leaned her head against Mr. Dalken’s shoulder.
Paul began to accuse himself for being a brute, and Mr. Dalken patted Eleanor’s head and said comfortingly: “Never mind, Nolla dear. You’ll learn by bitter experience that the more one interferesin these love tangles for the sake of helping friends out of their troubles, the more our friends detest us and we end in falling into snares ourselves.”
“Um—don’t I know it now!” wept Eleanor, in a muffled voice, because her mouth was hard against her comforter’s coat.
Paul stood uncertain of what to say or do. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, and glanced around, but always brought his wandering eyes back to Eleanor’s shaking form.
An interruption, in shape of the entrance of some merry tenants of another apartment, suddenly caused Mr. Dalken to lift Eleanor’s head and hurry her, with Paul, into the reception room at one end of the main hall. Here they sat down to have an understanding.
When the facts were fully revealed, Paul was as grateful to Mr. Dalken for restraining him in his plans to run away, as Eleanor was for his hasty removal of her from upstairs, to the hall downstairs. And poor Mr. Dalken wasmostgrateful to find he had made peace between two disturbed young hearts. He got up and said: “Let’s hope you won’t curse me in the future, forthis reconciliation. And for goodness’ sake! Let me get upstairs to my guests, and help Taki serve refreshments, or the oysters will be ruined with stewing, while the wonderful French patties I got from Del’s, will be cold and clammy.”
Eleanor laughed, and beckoned Paul to come up again. So the grinning elevator man carried them up and very considerately accepted the tip Paul slipped into his palm as he stepped from the lift.
The Japanese butler had not waited for Mr. Dalken, however, and was passing the famous patties and sandwiches when the three absent members of the party entered again, and tried to act as if nothing unusual had happened.
Polly had witnessed Paul’s flying departure, and thereafter saw Jack and Eleanor astounded in the darkened library. When Mr. Dalken rushed in and dragged them both away, Polly stood open-mouthed and stared after them. The Jap wisely hurried forward and carefully closed the front door, then went back to his duties without showing that he had seen the queer performances of his master, or found Polly standing there, the single witness of the scene.
Polly still stood in the hall deeply perplexed, when Tom sauntered from Mr. Dalken’s bedroomwhere he had been smoking a cigarette to steady his nerves. Now he joined Polly and began a conventional phrase, but was suddenly interrupted by her.
“What does all this silly behavior mean?” demanded she.
“Do you refer to my behavior?” asked Tom, blandly.
Polly’s eyes snapped. “Of course not! Must you always think yourself first and foremost?”
As this was an unexpected and undeserved slap for Tom, he was still groping for a clue, when Polly’s angry impatience with herself for having made such a blunder in her calculations about Eleanor and the others, made her exclaim:
“Well, I can plainly see that Nolla will never make any sort of a business partner for me! Her foolish head is so turned by beaus, that she will never settle down until Paul has either spurned her love, or she is married and divorced again.Thenthere may be hopes of her attending to our work.”
As Tom was not aware of Paul’s sudden appearance and hasty departure, he still pondered what was best to say to Polly, in her unusual pettish mood. But she paid no heed to his silence and continued, like most women will when theyhave been mistaken, and fear the consequences of an ill-advised step.
“I declare! if Paul does come back and makes up with Nolla, I shall move heaven and earth to see that they are safely engaged this time! And that Jack Baxter, well, I’ll make Dalky ship him off to some distant college so there’ll be no further wasting of valuable time with him!”
This last declaration so over-joyed Tom that he found courage to offer a suggestion. But he was too unwise this time. “You’re absolutely right, Polly dear. That Baxter has nothing better to do than kill time. He never did a stroke of work in his life, nor did his father before him. Those young ‘lady’s men’ who live on their ancestor’s rewards of labor, never amount to a row of beans.”
Polly stared freezingly at Tom, but he was completely mesmerized with the romantic picture he was presenting, and so he continued oblivious of his companion’s expression.
“We’ll send Baxter flying, after this, and help poor Paul to hold his place with Nolla. I’ll wire Paul to fix it so he can come East for Christmas, and surprise Nolla. Then we’ll all announce a double engagement, eh?”Tom turned to watch Polly’s face as she surely must second his plan, but he changed his mind when he saw her frown. “As usual, Tom, you’re much too late in your brilliant ideas. Others are ahead of you. Paul has been here tonight and gone again, and Nolla will never have any engagement to announce—if she waits for Paul’s declaration.
“As forme! My announcements are being engraved now.”
Tom caught his breath in consternation at this news. “Your announcements, Polly!Oh, and you jilted me, after all!”
Polly enjoyed turning the knife in the wound, because she felt so wretched herself for having ruined Eleanor’s happiness.
“I could not jilt anyone who never proposed, could I? I have maintained for a long time, and everyone who knows me is aware of it, too—that I am engaged to my profession and I have ordered my announcements to that effect. I propose sending out my business cards the first week of January!”
The relief to Tom was so great that he sighed aloud: “Oh, thank heavens for that!”
“I knew you would be glad, Tom; so you seeyou are sensible after all, and can thank heaven that you had no cause to be jilted!” laughed Polly, maliciously, but she felt no satisfaction in this outcome of her understanding with Tom.
CHAPTER XVMUTUAL CONSOLATION
It was at this point in Polly’s independent speech that the door opened and Mr. Dalken came in with his two repentant lovers. Tom saw that the clouds had been dispersed and now there seemed to be a clear sky for Paul. But he was curious to hear what had happened during the short time he had been smoking that cigarette.
Polly also saw Paul return with Nolla, and when she saw the happy smiles on both faces, she groaned, and turned to go to the library where, so little time before, the tragic lover had escaped with a determination to never look at another girl as long as he lived—excepting his mother.
Tom followed Mr. Dalken to the dining-room to learn the particulars about the two individuals who had meekly followed the host back to the apartment; while Polly sank down in one of the Turkish arm-chairs recently occupied by the two plotting match-makers.
Mr. Dalken rolled his eyes ceiling-ward and complained: “I can’t understand why I should be chosen by Providence to act as peace-maker between jealous lovers, or quarrelsome husbands and wives. It is one of the most thankless jobs a man can have.”
Tom laughed in spite of his eagerness to be told the details. “Maybe it is because you have so muchfeelingfor heartsick mortals,” said he.
Mr. Dalken looked serious. “Yes, Tom my boy, you spoke the truth there. If anyone knows the misery caused by fools and faithlessness, I’m that one. Perhaps that is the reason I can mediate for my friends.”
“I was going to ask you to mediate for me, with Polly, but I haven’t the heart to ask you, now,” ventured Tom.
“Why, you big ninny, I’ve done nothing else but try to mediate between you two for the past two years. If matters haven’t reached a crisis by this time, I’d better give up the case and let you get a specialist,” exclaimed Mr. Dalken.
“Tell me exactly where I stand now, and I’ll excuse you from further annoyance on my part.”
“Great Scott, Man! Can’t you tell where you stand? How canIjudge. You surely don’t want me to propose for you, do you?”
Tom couldn’t afford to feel indignant, as he had to ask his friend what had happened to Paul and Eleanor, during his temporary absence from the others. So Mr. Dalken told as much of the story as he had been able to understand, concluding with the admonition: “Now that Jack can’t wile away time with Nolla, he will, doubtless, turn his full attention to Polly.”
That was the only malicious remark the poor man permitted himself to indulge in. But Tom took it seriously and said: “Thanks awfully, for the hint. I’ll keep after Polly myself, until Baxter gives up the chase.” And with that he hurried away to find Polly.
He found Paul and Eleanor sitting in the deep window-seat where Polly had been the early part of the evening, and as he wandered about for a glimpse of his “Heart’s Desire,” the Jap came over with a tray and said:
“Mis’r Tom look fer supper? Taki keep nice patty for him.”
Jack Baxter was near enough to hear Taki, and he laughed jeeringly as he said: “Oh, what a fine man you are, Taki! You know exactly what your master’s guests are wanting—patties or Pollies!”
Taki grinned but failed to grasp the youngman’s meaning. Tom did, however, and leaving the oyster patty on the tray, he stalked across to Jack and said, threateningly:
“How dare you speak like that? Mentioning Miss Brewster’s name in the same breath as an oyster patty or a poll-parrot.”
But the truth of the matter was, Jack had never meant to convey the meaning, when he said “Pollies,” that he spoke of parrots. So he instantly took the stand of the offended one.
“How dare you even hint at such an insult to a friend of mine? I consider Miss Brewster too far above either you or me to discuss her with you, about such matters.”
Wise Taki had disappeared quickly and in another moment the harassed host came hurrying from the serving board. He glowered upon Tom and Jack, and grasping each one by the arm, he hustled them out into the main hall of the building and then spoke.
“You two bullies go down in the street and fight it out. I’ll do you the favor to ring up the police station and call a cop to come around and take you both in custody—that’s where you belong, until you come to your senses. IfIwere a girl I’d never look at either of you again.”
But this advice cooled their anger, and the momentMr. Dalken turned to go back to his apartment both men laughed at the situation. Tom offered his hand and Baxter shook it. Then each apologised to the other, and in a few minutes they started for the door of the apartment.
But the door was locked, and, in front of it on the mat, were two small heaps: one was composed of Tom’s coat and hat, with a patty and sandwich on a wooden plate, on top of it. The other small heap was Jack’s dress-cape, with his silk hat topping it, and in the hat, were his gloves and the plate with refreshments. His cane hung on the door-knob.
All the bell-ringing Tom indulged in, thereafter, failed to bring any answer. So the two young men, highly amused by their host’s farewell act, ate the scanty refreshments handed out, and then left the two wooden plates in front of the door, with a note on each. The pencilled scrawls said: “Two hungry beggars thank the rich man who threw them the crumbs from his table.”
After they had gone down to the ground floor, Jack said: “I’ll try to get Dalken on the telephone and ask him to send us down enough company to keep us from going to sleep in the reception room.”
Tom laughed and stood eagerly waiting to hearthe reply. But the operator smiled and reported: “Mr. Dalken called down a few minutes ago, and said that he was not at home to anyone—not even to friends—until tomorrow morning.”
So the two chagrined young men left, and whatever they did during the next few hours, no one ever knew, but from that evening both forgot their rivalry and became fast friends. Jack suddenly decided to go West and finish his engineering studies in the mountains about Pebbly Pit. And Tom decided to make one last stand for Polly, and should she still refuse him on the basis that she must finish a business experience first, then he would knuckle down to hard work and forget all about her, forever.
It was easier for Jack to carry out his purpose than for Tom to leave New York and forget Polly. But Jack managed to do as he had outlined, and before Christmas Day he had said good-by and was on his way to Denver.
Tom spent so much time and preparation before the mirror in his room, perfecting himself in the art of proposing to Polly, in such a way that she would be impressed, that he became quite self-conscious of his pose and words. On Christmas Day, he planned to coax her away by herself, and then fall upon his knees and tell his story.He had a magnificent solitaire in his pocket, waiting to be displayed at the right moment.
No one saw Tom all that Christmas morning, although his friends called on the telephone, both at his home and at the hotel. He did not reply to any calls. But late in the afternoon he sauntered forth from his room, looking more like a silly dandy than a big sensible young man who was one of the best engineers in the West.
He got in a taxi and gave directions. In front of Mr. Fabian’s house, he paid the driver and went up the steps. After he had rung the bell, he felt in his pocket to make sure the ring-box was there. This was about the twentieth time he had assured himself.
The maid opened the door, and looked sorry for him.
“Miss Polly? Are the ladies in?” stammered Tom.
“No’m—no-sir, I mean,” returned the maid, confused at his certainty of finding them at home. “They went out an hour ago, after tryin’ to get you on the ’phone. They says they won’t be back till after midnight, sir.”
“Did they say where they were going?” asked Tom.
“No’m—No-sir! But I hear’n Miss Pollytalk to someone on the ’phone and she says: ‘Oh how lovely! We’ll all go with you. And we’ll meet you there for dinner,’” repeated the maid. “You see, I was openin’ th’ door to take more presents for the young ladies, so I hear’n that much of the talk from the table ’phone in the back hall.”
Tom thanked her with a sinking heart, and turned away. Once more his fingers mechanically felt for the ring box but he experienced no thrill this time, when he found it was safe.
He walked slowly cross-town and recklessly passed over Broadway with its traffic in full swing, looking neither to the right nor to the left. The officer shouted to rouse him from his apathy, but it failed to work.
He reached the park and found a bench. There he sat down without looking at the seat. A frantic boy ran over and yelled: “Get up, mister! Get up—you’se sittin’ on my Chrismus candy!”
Tom got up as mechanically as an automaton, but a few of the gummy candies clung to his coat-tails, while the boy fearful of losing such treasure ran after the man to pick off the sticky sweets.
When he found another bench that was clear,and no boys nearby to worry his soul, Tom sat down and sulked. Having practised so faithfully all that day, in adding the finishing touches of grace to his lesson of proposing, it was a bitter dose to find all his work was wasted. Polly had joyfully accepted someone else’s invitation to go away and have a good time, leaving him alone and heart-broken.
Sleet and drizzle began falling, and Tom was soon soaked through, but he was heedless of clinging clothes and wet shoes.
After an hour of self-pity, he got up and started down the drive. By this time he was almost frozen, but he congratulated himself on the fact that he might have pneumonia and die. Then Polly might feel sorry for her coldness!
Following the suggestion this idea presented, Tom wilfully waded through the slush in the gutters, and thoroughly drenched his patent-leather shoes in crossing the streets, until his feet were not only wet but freezing inside the shoes.
He found a cheap restaurant where the show-windows displayed baskets of artificial fruit; and as a center-piece of this decoration, there was a great block of ice holding up a dressed goose, with red holly twined about it.
Tom detested quick-lunch places where thesteam satisfied a man’s hunger, the moment he came in contact with its heavy odors, but he reveled in this evening’s opportunity to be a martyr, so he sat down and ordered corn-beef and cabbage because he loathed it.
Although he could not eat much of the delectable dish he had ordered, he was determined to finish his day accordingly. So he ordered Neapolitan ice-cream and coffee. The ice-cream was served with the tissue paper still wrapped about the cake—to prove that no hands had been in contact with the dessert before serving it. But the highly colored stripes of the soapy cream that refused to melt, even when he dropped a spoonful into his oily coffee, cured him of further martyrdom to the cause of love.
He hastily got up from the table, paid his ticket and ran out. By this time, he felt so sick and chilled that he gloated in the assurance that soon he would be in a raging fever. He pictured Polly’s regrets when she should return home at midnight and hear that he had been taken to a hospital, with a fatal case of double pneumonia. He had decided on having it double, after he left the restaurant, as that would kill him sooner. In this state of mind he had to dodge a taxi and slipped to fall into a mud puddle.
But Tom could not resist the desire to see his mother once more, before he died; and after fighting off this inclination for another hour or two, he was feeling so perfectly awful, that he knew his last call had come for him.
He had been sneezing every few minutes for the past hour, and his eyes were running like twin rivers. His nose was so stuffy that he could hardly enunciate the words, when he told a cabby to “Ta-ge me to sig siggy-sig West End Avenoo.”
During the short time he was in the cab, he could not breathe, and he had to keep his mouth open to be able to inhale any air at all. He paid off the taxi, and went to his mother’s apartment. Before he could change his mind about calling, he had pushed the bell-button.
He heard someone coming down the hall, and at the same time a door in front opened and the laughter and noise of many merry voices reached him as he stood waiting on the doormat.
“Good evening, Mr. Tom—a merry Christmas,” said the maid, smilingly.
“Goo’ ebeneeg, Kadrina,” mumbled Tom, scowling as he looked towards the front room whence came the merry-making.
“Don’ dell anyone I’m here, but dell ModderI’m sig and wand do see her ride away,” explained Tom, snuffingly.
“You got a bad cold in your nose, ain’t chew?” said Katrina, sympathetically.
“No!” shouted Tom, furiously. “I god’da case ob double pneumonia!”
Katrina jumped at the unexpected shout, and hurried to the front room to call her mistress. Instead of remembering to keep Tom’s presence a secret, she whispered loud enough for Polly to hear:
“Mr. Tom jus’ come in an’ his nose is red as a beet. His eyes is runnin’, too, an’ he needs a atmosizer to blow in his head, to clear out the snuffles so’s he kin open his lungs, widdout keepin’ his mouth open all th’ time.”
Instead of fainting with horror as Tom had pictured she might, Polly laughed at Katrina’s description, and Mrs. Latimer smiled and turned to her guests to excuse herself, by saying:
“Tom just came in, poor boy, with a stuffy cold in his head. I’ll put his feet in mustard and see that he drinks a hot glass of doctored lemonade, then I’ll be back.”
So Tom, instead of bidding his mother an eternal farewell and dying alone and abandoned, as he had planned, in a hospital ward, was soon madeto scald his feet in hot mustard water, while his mother’s flannel kimono replaced his bedraggled clothing, and a heavy blanket was wrapped about him, and he was offered a nasty drink of lemonade, but what else was in it other than lemon only his mother knew!
By this time he felt so wretched that he cared nothing for solitaires or fiancées; all he wanted was to get one good long breath through his nose once more before he choked to death.
His mother had returned to the merry-making in the parlors, and Tom sat huddled in his unbecoming bedding in his mother’s dressing-room. Every few minutes he had to use Katrina’s “atmosizer” for his nose, or gasp for breath.
Just as the perspiration began to pour out of every pore, and his feet felt like scalded lobsters, and the vaseline his mother had smeared in his eyes and over his nose, to void any chaffing, had been trickled all over his face, Polly tiptoed into the room that opened to the dressing-room where he sat.
He held his breath, fearing lest she hear him gasp and find him in this awful predicament. He could not see her after she closed the hall-door, but he wondered what she was doing. At this moment, a tickling in his nose began and he knewit portended a sneeze! He must prevent it, or Polly would track him down. If she ever saw him in this condition, after all his hard study to propose gracefully, he would take poison!
But the sneeze was imperative, and it burst forth in such an explosion, that Polly screamed faintly from just behind the door of the little room.
“Go’way! I won’d see anyone,” commanded Tom.
“But you’ll let me come and see how you are, won’t you, Tom dear?” coaxed Polly, appearing at the open door.
“No! You above everyone. I’m goin’ to a hozpidal as zoon ads the ambulance gomes, and I never wand to zee any ob my frien’z again. I’ll leave word no one ids to gome to my funeral, eider.”
“Tom, dearest, don’t talk like that! Where have you been today, to catch such an awful cold in your head?” said Polly.
“Id’z my lungz, I dell you! Double pneumonia. Leabe me to my fade, and forged me, Polly!” tears rose in his eyes at this pitiful picture of his lonely demise.
But Polly was practical, and stubborn to a degree. She refused to go, and when Mrs. Latimercame back, she told her that Tom ought to be in bed and given a great big dose of quinine—then he’d be all right in the morning.
“That’s exactly what we planned to do, Polly,” said Mrs. Latimer. “I sent Katrina to the drugstore for the pills, just now. But you run back and enjoy yourself, dear, as you can do nothing for Tom. He’s like all men—as grouchy as a bear with a sore head, the minute anything ails them.”
His mother laughed, and Polly stood smiling. Tom fumed. “Was this all the sympathy he was to win for his self-appointed martyrdom?”
Just as he had lost the last vestige of hope in life, Polly said to his mother: “I haven’t seen Tom before, today, to wish him a merry Christmas and to give him my present.”
“Oh!” ejaculated Mrs. Latimer, wisely, and slipped from the room, closing the hall door very quietly after her.
Tom opened one eye and began to wonder if it was worth while—this living business? When Polly smiled so angelically upon him, in spite of his ludicrous pose and appearance, he thought he might make one more trial of temporal existence.
Then Polly said, “I am sorry I could not reach you by telephone today, Tom. I had a littlesurprise for you, that I’m sure you will like. Shall I show you now?”
“Maybe it ids egsadtly wha’d I wads plannig to ags you?” said Tom, sitting up with interest, and forgetting the tub of hot water with his feet slowly par-boiling in it.
“Here it is. Isn’t it neat and business-like?” said Polly, as she handed him a small paste-board card.
Tom read: