XVIII
The next morning after breakfast Helen Briggs followed her husband into the study. “I want to speak to you, Douglas,” she said.
“Well?” He looked embarrassed, as he always did now on finding himself alone with her.
“It is about this house,” she went on. “Have you done anything about renting it this Winter?”
“No,” he replied, betraying a little impatience. “I’ve had other things to think about. Besides, I shall be over here now and then.”
“But it would hardly pay to keep the house open for that,” she insisted, gently. “Besides, it would be gloomy for you here——”
“Alone?” he said, sharply, looking up at her. “Yes,” he repeated, dryly, “it would be lonely.” He lifted his hand to his head. “I suppose you’re right about that,” he sighed. “I’ll speak to an agent to-morrow. We can doubtless rent it furnished.Still, it’s a little late in the season,” he concluded, vaguely.
“I shall want to have some of our things sent to Waverly,” she said. “I thought I would begin to get them together to-day.”
“Oh, don’t begin to break up till we’re ready to get out of here!” he exclaimed. “Wait till after the election. Besides, I expect Franklin West over in a few days, and I don’t want him to come into an empty house.” He was glad of the chance to mention West’s coming in this indirect way. He kept his eyes turned from his wife.
After a moment of silence she said, in a low voice: “He is coming here?”
He gave her a quick glance. “Yes; why not?”
She moved slightly, but she did not answer. She grew slightly paler.
“I know you don’t like him,” he went on, angry with himself for taking an apologetic attitude, “but surely you won’t object to his staying here a day or two. You’ve never objected before.”
“I didn’t know him then as I do now,” she said.
“What do you mean by that?” he asked, angrily. Then, when he saw that she had no replyto make, he went on, in a more conciliatory tone: “It will be impossible for me to avoid asking him. You know perfectly well——”
The blood had rushed to her face. “If he comes, Douglas,” she said, “I can’t stay here.”
He walked swiftly toward her and rested his hand on one of the chairs. His eyes shone. “I’ve stood enough of this behavior from you, Helen, and now I’m going to put my foot down. You sha’n’t stir out of this house. You’ll stay here, and you’ll receive Franklin West as you receive all my other friends. He knows you’re here, and I don’t propose to allow him to be insulted by your leaving. Do you understand?”
Helen bowed. “Perfectly,” she said, in a whisper.
“Then you’ll do as I say?”
“No,” she replied, quietly. “I’ll go. I’ll leave this very morning.”
“Then if you leave,” he said, “you’ll leave for good.”
“As you please.” Helen turned and walked slowly toward the door. He watched her angrily. As she opened the door she leaned against it heavily and caught her breath in a sob.
He stepped forward quickly and took her in his arms. “Helen,” he cried, brokenly, “I didn’t mean that! I didn’t know what I was saying! It’s because I love you that I’m so harsh with you. Can’t you see I’ve been in hell ever since this trouble began? Everything I’ve done has been done for you. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve done wrong. I’ve got into a terrible mess. But God knows I want to get out of it; and I will get out of it, if you’ll only have patience. I hate that man West as much as you do. But I can’t throw him down now. It would mean ruin for me. Only listen to reason, won’t you? Besides, you haven’t anything against West. Hasn’t he always treated you civilly?” He hesitated, watching the tears that ran down her cheeks. “Well, hasn’t he? Answer me, Helen.”
She drew herself away from him. She had a sudden temptation to tell him the whole truth. It seemed for an instant as if this avowal might clear up the whole trouble between them. Then she thought of what the other consequences might be, and she checked herself. “I can’t tell you, Douglas. You must not ask me to meet him again. I can’t look him in the face. The mere sight of him terrifies me.”
He looked helplessly at her, thinking that he understood the full meaning of her words. Then he turned away. “I never thought I should drag you into this, Helen,” he said, bitterly. “I—I don’t blame you. Of course, I know it is all my fault.”
“Then why not undo this fault?” she cried. “Why not——?”
He held out his hand despairingly. “Don’t!” he exclaimed. “You don’t understand. You can’t. You women never can.”
She dried her eyes and was about to leave the room. “Since you are determined not to have him here,” her husband remarked, with a resumption of reproach in his tone, “I’ll not ask him to stay. I’ll offer some excuse.”
During the rest of the day they did not refer to West again. The next morning Briggs looked for a letter from him from Boston, but none came. Two days later he received a brief note that West had dictated to his stenographer in Washington. Pressing business had called him home; he had not even stopped over in New York. So that scene with Helen might have been avoided, after all, Briggs thought, with a sigh. He tried to forget about the episode, however, and during thenext few days the pressure of campaign work absorbed him. The Citizens’ Club had endorsed his candidacy, and their support, he believed, would more than counterbalance the opposition within his own party. During the day he either received the crowds of importunate visitors, chiefly constituents with axes to grind, who seemed to think his time belonged to them, or he was working up the speeches that he was to deliver at night. He had long before ceased to write out what he intended to say; a few notes written on a card gave him all the cues he needed. He spent considerable time, however, in poring over statistics and over newspapers, from which he culled most of his material.
One morning, about two weeks before the election was to be held, Michael appeared in the library with a card and the announcement that the lady was waiting in the reception room.
“Miss Wing!” said Briggs, absently. “Where have I seen that name? What can she want with me?” Then his face brightened. “Oh, yes, I remember.” He looked serious again. “Why should she come here, to take up my time? I don’t believe I—Well, show her in, Michael,” he said, impatiently.
Miss Wing wore one of her most extravagant frocks. When Douglas Briggs offered his hand and greeted her, her face grew radiant.
“How good of you to remember me, Congressman. But then it’s part of your business to remember people, isn’t it?” she said, archly.
“It’s pretty hard work sometimes. But I remember you perfectly.”
“That’s very flattering, I’m sure.” Miss Wing sank into the seat Briggs had placed for her. “Well, Congressman, I’ve come on a disagreeable errand.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Briggs, with a smile.
“But with the best intentions in the world,” Miss Wing hastened to explain.
“That makes it all right, then.”
“It’s about—Well, I suppose I might come to the point at once. It’s connected with the Transcontinental Railway.”
“M’m! Aren’t your readers tired of hearing about that?”
Miss Wing shook her head. “Not when there are new and exciting developments,” she said, insinuatingly.
“Such as what?”
Miss Wing waited for a moment. “Well, thus far the papers have spared Mrs. Briggs.”
“Mrs. Briggs? What has Mrs. Briggs to do with that railroad?” In spite of his effort to keep his self-control, Douglas Briggs betrayed anger in his voice.
“Simply this,” Miss Wing went on, coolly. “I warn you it’s very unpleasant. But I—I consider it my duty to tell you.”
“Go ahead, then.”
Miss Wing fell into a dramatic attitude, her right hand extended and resting on her parasol. “I happen to know thatMr.Franklin West has taken advantage of his hold on you to make love to your wife.”
Briggs rose from his seat. “This is the worst yet,” he said, in a low voice.
Miss Wing lifted her eyebrows. “You don’t believe it?”
“Of course I don’t,” he replied, contemptuously.
“But I saw him with my own eyes. You’re still incredulous, aren’t you? It was the night of your ball in Washington.Mr.West was with Mrs. Briggs in the library. I saw him threaten her, and I saw that she was frightened. Knowingyour relations—excuse me, but I must be frank—knowing your relations, it wasn’t hard for me to understand what he was saying.”
Briggs looked angrily at his visitor. “Why have you come to me with this vile story?” he cried.
Miss Wing met his looks without flinching. “In the first place, because I thought you ought to know it.”
“That was why you waited for six months to tell me?” he said, scornfully.
“No. I waited because of my second reason. I knew that if you were nominated again the information would be more valuable to me. There!”
“How, more valuable?”
“You public men are so dull at times! It’s simply that I—well, I don’t want to publish the story, though it is a beautiful story. It’s not only a splendid sensation, but it’s a touch of romance in your stupid politics.”
“You want me to pay you not to publish the story—is that it?”
Miss Wing grew serious. “Exactly!”
Briggs smiled coldly. “Well, you’ve come to the wrong man. I’ve done a good many thingsin my career that I regret, but I’ve never yet submitted to blackmail.”
“That’s a hard word,Mr.Briggs.” Miss Wing glared at Briggs, but he made no comment. “You prefer, then, to have your wife’s name disgraced, perhaps?” she said.
“I tell you the whole story is a lie!”
“You believe that I’ve made it up, do you?”
Briggs laughed contemptuously. “Put any construction on my words that you please,” and he jammed his hand over the bell on the table beside him. “But let me tell you this, once for all: Not to protect my wife or myself will I be cajoled into paying one cent. Publish your article. Do all the mischief you can!”
Miss Wing rose indignantly. “I’ll queer your election for you!” she cried, as Michael entered.
“Show this lady out, Michael,” said Briggs, quietly.