The Hundredth Chance

  CHAPTER XXIV

  THE GREAT BURDEN

  "By Jove!" said Bunny, in a voice of awe. "I never thought of that!Then--Maud--will be rich, will she? Rich as Croesus! Just think of it!Maud!" He drew a deep breath that ended in a whistle. "Puts adifferent complexion on things, eh, Jake, old feller?" he said.

  "Quite different," said Jake.

  He stood at the window, gazing forth into the murky atmosphere with hisbrows drawn. He looked like a man searching the far distance.

  Bunny glanced at him questioningly. "What does she say to it? Was it agreat shock?"

  "I don't know. I think it was. She said he once offered to provide forthe two of you, and leave you provided for at his death. But that wasbefore her marriage."

  "And now he's gone and left her the whole caboodle! Say, Jake, what's itcome to? Did the lawyer chap give you any idea?"

  "No one knew what the old man was worth," Jake said, with his eyes stillfixed steadily ahead. "He wasn't very great at spending money. But heowned a large factory, and had a vested interest in several others,besides some thousands in other concerns. The lawyer put it down at notless than two hundred and fifty thousand."

  "Jake!" Bunny began to execute an ecstatic war dance behind him.

  Jake wheeled sharply. "Don't do that here, Bunny! It's not decent."

  Bunny stopped. "Oh, sorry, Jake! I forgot. But aren't you pleased,old feller? You don't look it. Or is it just decency on your part?"

  "I'm pleased she's got enough to live on, yes," Jake said. "I don'tknow that a whole pile is specially good for anyone. And now look here,young chap! I'm going back directly after the funeral--I've got togo--and you're to stay and take care of her."

  Bunny's face fell. "Oh, I say, Jake, I'd sooner come with you."

  "That may be." Jake smiled momentarily. "But you've got to do asyou're told. See?"

  Bunny looked mutinous. "But she won't want me, Jake. She'll be much toobusy. And this is such a beastly hole. And there's the hunting. Youpromised I might hunt these holidays. Oh, I can't stick here. I shallonly be in the way." His eyes flashed sudden rebellion. "Can't andwon't, Jake!" he said boldly, "so that's settled."

  He stood and defied Jake openly for an instant, then flung round with adogged air and walked away.

  Jake remained motionless watching him. "Say, Bunny!" he said after amoment, his voice very soft and drawling.

  Bunny came to a stand before the fire which he poked with considerableviolence. He did not turn his head.

  "Put that thing down!" The order came from the further end of the room,but he obeyed it.

  There fell a brief silence, then from his post by the window Jake spoke."You can do as you like about it. You can come back with me to theStables. But you'll do all your riding on a leading-string if you do.And if you hunt, it'll be on foot."

  Bunny's face flamed scarlet. "Jake, you're a beast!" he said.

  "Oh, I can do beastlier things than that," Jake said. "I can give youone hell of a time, my son. I'm dashed ingenious in that respect when Igive my mind to it."

  Bunny growled something deep in his throat, and kicked the coals with asavage foot.

  Jake turned deliberately round, and looked at him, watched him with theutmost patience till he desisted; then,

  "Come here now," he said, "and have your head punched!"

  Bunny growled again less articulately, more ferociously.

  Jake left the window. The boy wheeled to meet him with the glare of atiger. "Touch me if you dare!" he exclaimed.

  There was a faint, relentless smile on Jake's face. He took Bunny bythe shoulders, and looked him full and straight in the eyes.

  Bunny stood before him for a space, with clenched hands. Then he droppedhis own eyes sullenly before that stern regard--slowly lowered his head.There fell a tense silence; then: "Get on with it, Jake!" he said in avoice half-sulky, half-submissive. And Jake abruptly moved, struck himtwice lightly on the side of the head. "That's for using the forbiddenlanguage," he said. "And that's for general fooling around. A taste ofthe leather would do you good, only I can't leather a jolly littlecock-sparrow like you. Don't you think you're rather a fool, Bunny? Ido."

  "I'm a damn' cad!" Bunny said with shaky vehemence, and pulled himselfaway with the words. "I can't help it. I don't see much of you now.And I do hate being left behind."

  He turned his back on Jake and leaned dejectedly against the highmantelpiece. But Jake's arm went round his shoulders, giving him acomforting squeeze.

  "Don't you know I'm trying to make a partner of you, my son?" he said inhis soft voice. "You needn't be so mighty difficult to handle. WhatI'm on to now is more than a one-man job. I'm wanting all the help Ican get."

  Bunny laid a hot cheek against his hand. "You know I'd do anything foryou, Jake," he said. He swallowed once or twice hard and faced round."Anything under the sun," he said.

  Jake's hand smote him the blow of good-fellowship. "I'm countingon--just that, sonny," he said.

  He turned round with the words. Someone was entering the room.

  "Hullo!" said Bunny. "Hullo, Maud!"

  He moved to meet his sister with a curious new shyness. She looked pale,aloof, very sad.

  "Jake has been telling you?" she said.

  Bunny nodded. "It's rather great, isn't it?" he said.

  She came slowly forward, not looking at Jake. "It's too great," shesaid. "I might have been glad of it once. But now--now--" She brokeoff.

  Jake drew forward a chair. "Reckon you'll find it just as useful now asthen," he said.

  She glanced at him quickly, and a tinge of colour rose in her face."Oh, I daresay we shall all find it useful," she said.

  Jake's expression was enigmatical. He stood up squarely, lookingstraight before him. "You'll be able to buy anything and everything youwant," he said, "to live where and how you like; in short you'll be in aposition to create your own atmosphere. Money is freedom; rememberthat! If you choose to buy a team of camels and trundle off into thedesert, there's no one can prevent you."

  She shivered as if a cold blast had struck her, and leaned towards thefire. "I'm not particularly fond of the desert," she said, in a lowvoice.

  "Oh, you needn't go alone," Jake said. "You'll be able to buy yourfriends by the score and populate all the lonely places."

  There was no sound of scoffing in his voice. It was even not without ahint of kindliness. But she shook her head in silence.

  And suddenly Bunny knelt down beside her, thrusting an impetuous armabout her waist. "Say, Maud, he's only rotting. We'll have a rippingtime together presently. Don't be so down in the mouth, old girl!There's plenty of fun to be got out of life."

  She smiled with lips that trembled. "I'm afraid I'm getting rather old,Bunny," she said wistfully, "old enough anyhow to know that moneydoesn't bring happiness."

  "Depends how you spend it," maintained Bunny stoutly. "Of course it is adownright curse to the people who hoard it--like that beast who buriedhis talent. But you can make any amount of happiness out of it if youtry. Think of the crowds you can reach with it! That's where the funcomes in. Why, you reap as fast as you sow!"

  Maud made a sudden quick gesture. "Bunny! How curious that you shouldsay that!"

  "Why?" Bunny opened his eyes in surprise.

  "Oh, never mind! It reminded me of something--something rather big--Ionce heard in a church here." Maud gently passed on as though it were amatter too sacred for discussion. "Perhaps you're right, dear. Perhapsthere is happiness to be got out of it. Anyhow we'll try, won't we?Won't we, Jake?"

  There was almost a note of entreaty in her voice; but she received noanswer. She turned sharply. Jake had gone.

  "Never mind!" said Bunny, quick to console. "He's busy. Letters orsomething. But you've got me. Say, Maud, you'll be able to keep themother above water now. That's rather a mercy anyway."

  He
almost forced her into the channel of his own cheery speculationswith the reflection that if it wasn't decent at least it was wholesome.

  But when he looked back upon that talk with her later, he could notremember that she had made a single suggestion of her own, or displayedthe smallest spark of enthusiasm in connection with the great fortunethat had come to her. She was tired of course and sad. No doubt shewould change her mind; but for the present she seemed to regard it onlyin the light of a new and heavy burden that had been laid upon her.Bunny could not understand it, but an uneasy wonder awoke and stirred inhis heart. Was it because she was married to Jake that she felt it hadcome too late? If so--if so--well, if so, poor old Jake!