CHAPTER XXIII
BLUNDERING OLD REGGIE
"Oh, Joe, I do believe I'll go shopping to-day."
Mabel turned from the window where she had been standing looking downinto the street. It was a glorious day, bright and sunshiny, and herface reflected the brightness of it.
"I do so like to shop in nice weather," she added, as she saw Joe'sindulgent smile. "And if you like, I'll stop and buy you some gorgeousneckties."
"Dear girl, is that a threat or a promise?" teased Joe.
"Very well, I shall be completely selfish and buy everything formyself," Mabel promptly replied, adding with a sigh: "How you do wreckmy generous impulses!"
"Didn't mean to, honey, honestly," said Joe, contritely, adding with acourage that none appreciated more than Mabel herself: "If you buy me anecktie, I swear to wear it whatever happens!"
Mabel made a face at him and disappeared into the other room, returningalmost immediately with her hat and coat on.
"I won't have much time between practice and the game," Joe told her,as they went down together in the elevator. "So have a good time, girl.Take in a show if you like."
Mabel promised to enjoy herself, and a few moments later they parted inthe sunny street, going their separate ways. Mabel turned to wave tohim before she was swallowed up in the crowd, and Joe thought with afull heart how lucky he was.
"If I were in poor old Jim's place now, how would I feel?" he askedhimself, and instinctively thrust the unpleasant thought away from him.He knew the agony of mind he would have suffered if at any time he hadbeen in danger of losing Mabel, and pity for his chum took on a newintensity. He was almost afraid to meet Jim for fear of seeing thathopeless, lost look in his eyes.
"He certainly knows--or guesses--something," he told himself. "If Iget a chance to-day I'll sound him out on the subject. After all, itsometimes helps a patient to have the wound lanced."
After the Giants had dropped another game, the chums, tired anddisgruntled, turned their steps toward the hotel again. Jim seemedmore than ordinarily depressed and met Joe's attempts at conversationwith discouraging monosyllables. Several times Joe tried to lead up tothe subject of Clara, only to be rebuffed by Jim's laconic replies.
After that Joe relapsed into silence, studying his chum thoughtfully.The thing was getting serious. Jim's silence and moroseness weregrowing on him. And the worst of it was that he did not seem to care.It was this very lethargy that Joe found most alarming. He would havewelcomed an outburst of some sort, even condemnation of Clara and heractions. It was Jim's brooding taciturnity that baffled him.
They had almost reached the hotel when Joe felt a hand on his arm andturned to find himself confronted by a dazzling person. He blinked, anddiscovered that the vision was Reggie, dressed as always, in the latestfashion from smart soft hat to immaculate spats. Reggie swung his caneand beamed. Perhaps because the friendly face with its inevitablemonocle was a welcome contrast to Jim's moodiness, Joe greeted hisbrother-in-law with more than usual enthusiasm.
"Say, but you're a sight for sore eyes, old chap!" he cried. "When didyou blow in?"
"About an hour ago. Been busy all this time lookin' up a novel tie ortwo. Stopped in all the shops hereabouts and, bah Jove, the best theycould show me was a creation of salmon pink with yellowish polka dots.No taste, no taste whatever, one might say!"
"Poor old Reggie!" said Joe, piloting him toward the hotel entranceand looking invitingly at Jim. "I'll put you wise to a couple of shopswhere you can get all the novel neckties you want. Come on upstairs,old boy, and see Mabel. She'll be pleasantly surprised. Coming, Jim?"
Jim hesitated for a moment, then nodded. The three stepped into theelevator and were swiftly shot up to the fourth floor. As they left theelevator, Reggie looked Jim over critically and gave vent to one of histoo-frank observations.
"Lookin' rather seedy, old chap," he said. "Off the feed bag andsleepin' badly, eh?"
"Not at all. I'm feeling as fit as a fiddle," retorted Jim, brusquely.
The curt tone caused Reggie to look at the other in mild surprise, and,seeing that he was about to give voice to this emotion, Joe quicklychanged the subject, keeping the conversation on safe ground until theyreached the door of his rooms.
Mabel had not yet returned from her shopping expedition, and Joe feltcuriously deserted as he led the way into the quiet place.
"Mabel is out buying up the department stores," he said. "Reckon shewill be back most any time now. Tell us about yourself, Reggie. Everyone well at home?"
Reggie glanced briefly at Jim, who had slumped into a chair and wasstaring abstractedly out of a window, then turned to Joe.
"Very well, old chap. In excellent health and spirits," he replied,puffing at a cigarette. "Missing Mabel, of course. It is really quiteremarkable how that girl stirs things up. Bah Jove, it's a gift. Ballyplace gone dead without her, you know."
"Do you think you can tell me anything about that?" inquired Joe, witha humorously uplifted eyebrow. "I know all there is to know aboutmissing Mabel!"
Jim turned from the window, rousing himself with difficulty from hisabstracted mood.
"I think she's coming now," he said. "Thought I caught a glimpse of ared hat in the crowd. Guess I'll be going, Joe," he added, listlessly."You three will have a lot to talk about."
"Hang around, old boy," urged Reggie, cordially, placing the monocle inhis eye the better to stare at the disconsolate Jim. "Always regard youas one of the family, don't we? You would be offending Mabel by runningaway just as she arrives, you know. Stick around, old chap. She willbe here presently. Ah, here she is now." He rose quickly, the monoclefalling to his immaculate waistcoat, the most genuine pleasure on histhin face.
He took a step toward the door, but Joe was before him. He caught hisyoung wife--and several bulky parcels--in a bear's hug, and when sheemerged several seconds later, her face was flushed and the little redhat was set distractingly over one eye.
"Oh, Joe, and it was a new one, too!" she wailed, evidently referringto the hat. "I had such a gorgeous time. I bought and bought andbought-- Who is that in the corner? Reggie, you old darling! Come hereand give me a hug. Oh, this is just the best surprise ever."
"Rippin'. Had an idea you would like it all along," replied Reggie,complacently, as he favored his sister with a brotherly embrace. "Youlook perfectly stunning, you know. I say," he added thoughtfully, "didyou see old Jim, hidin' over here in his corner? I take it your neglectis not intentional? No feud or the like, is there?"
"Oh, Reggie, don't be so silly," said Mabel, flushing a little as shewent over to Jim. "I just didn't see him at first, that's all."
She held out her hand and Jim squeezed it heartily. There was a dumbsuffering in his eyes that tugged at her heart. If she could only tellhim something about Clara, something reassuring and heartening!
Mabel was in the midst of a laughing recital of her shopping tour whenthe telephone rang and Joe, answering it, found that McRae was in thehotel lobby waiting to speak to him. Reluctantly Joe excused himself,while Mabel disappeared into the other room to get ready for dinner.
Reggie, left alone with Jim, turned his quizzical gaze upon the latter.It was evident that Reggie was very much puzzled by Jim's strangebehavior. And when Reggie scented a mystery he headed straight for thesolution of it with a doggedness worthy of a better cause.
"Hard luck the team's been runnin' in lately, old chap?" he began.
"No hard luck about it. Bad playing. Bad team work," snapped Jim.
"Well, you shouldn't worry, anyway, old chap, you really shouldn't,"reproved Reggie, mildly. "Bad for the game you know, and bad for thegood old constitution."
Jim looked at him, a slow anger in his eyes.
"If I never had anything worse than my constitution to worry about, I'dbe all right," he said, and turned his back upon Reggie, hoping thatsuch action would terminate the conversation. But Reggie, in sublimeignorance, blundered on.
"I say, Jim, I've got it now. Worried becau
se Clara couldn't come onwith Mabel, eh? No doubt she wanted to come--rather. I say, old chap,"he added, archly, lighting another gold-tipped cigarette, "better tendto your knittin'."
Jim, who had risen and was moodily pacing up and down, stopped andlooked at Reggie.
"What's that?"
The quiet of his tone disarmed Reggie, who went on beaming pleasantly.
"Why, that millionaire who is hangin' around Clara, you know. Mabelhas told you, hasn't she? Have I spilled the beans, Jim--let the jollyold cat out of the bag, and all that? Frightfully sorry. I thought youknew----"
Reggie's explanations and excuses wavered into silence before theexpression on Jim's face. At that moment he thought of nothing butescape, and with a few muttered phrases about "huntin' up Joe,"blundered from the room, leaving Jim to his furious thoughts.
When, a few moments later, the door opened to admit Joe, Jim turnedupon him, all the pent-up worry and nerve strain of the last few weeksfinding vent in a flood of words.
"I knew you and Mabel were holding something back all the time, Joe.I've known from Clara's letters, for a long time, that something waswrong. If you're a friend of mine and have any regard for me, tell meabout this millionaire who is hanging around Clara."
"Has Reggie----"
"Yes, Reggie has!" retorted Jim, grimly. "Go ahead, Joe, and tell methe truth."
Seeing that there was nothing for it, Joe told all he knew about Jim'srival, glossing over the details and making as light of the whole thingas possible.
"So that's that!" said Jim, quietly, when Joe's explanation hadstumbled into silence. "The end of everything!"
Joe, feeling deeply for his chum but powerless to comfort him, said,with a forced cheerfulness, "All this probably sounds a hundred timesworse than it really is, Jim. When you go down there----"
"If she wants to marry for money, let her!" interrupted Jim, with suddenferocity. "Do you suppose I'd deprive her of her pet millionaire? Notmuch!"