CHAPTER XVIII
THE NAILING OF A FLAG
"Well--well--well!" drawled a voice at Richard Kendrick's elbow. "Howare you, old man? Haven't seen you since before the days of Noah! Off tothat country shop of yours? I say, take me along, will you? Time hangsheavy on my hands just now, and I want to see you anyhow, about a planof mine."
"Hop in, Lorimer. Mighty glad to see you. Want to go all the way toEastman? That's fine! This is great weather, eh?"
Belden Lorimer hopped in, if that word may be used to express his eageracceptance rather than the alacrity of his movements, for he wasaccustomed to act with as much deliberation as he spoke. He was one ofRichard's college friends, also one of his late intimate companions atclubs and in social affairs. Lorimer possessed as much money in his ownright as Richard himself, though his expectations were hardly as great.
"To tell the truth," said Lorimer, when the car had left the city andwas bowling along the main travelled highway "up the State," "I wantedto see you as much as anything to get a good look at you. Fellows sayyou've changed. Say you have that 'captain-of-industry' expression now.Say you've acquired that broad brow--alert eye--stern mouth--dominantchin--and so forth, that goes with indomitable determination to 'getthere.' To be sure, I'd have thought you'd arrived, or your familybefore you, but they say you've started out to arrive some more. It's awonderful example for a chap like me--fellows say. Think so myself. Mindimparting--"
Richard broke in on Lorimer's drawl. It was rather an engaging drawl, bythe way, and he had always enjoyed hearing it, but it struck upon hisears now with a certain futility. In a world of pressing affairs whyshould a man cultivate a tone like that? But he liked Lorimer too muchto mind how he talked.
"I'm delighted if I've acquired that expression," said he, letting outthe car another notch, although it was already in swift flight. "It'sbeen a lot of trouble. I've had to practise before a mirror a good deal.It was the chin bothered me most. It sticks out pretty well, but not asfar as my grandfather's. Could you advise any method of--"
"What I want to know is," proceeded Lorimer calmly, "how you came to gointo it. Understand you wanted to help fellow out of the ditch--good oldBenson--most worthy. Couldn't help him out without getting in yourself?But going to get out soon as possible, of course? Unthinkable for RichKendrick to be a country shopkeeper!"
"Unthinkable, is it? Wait till you see the shop. It's the most fun Iever had. Get out? Not by a long shot. I'm in for keeps."
"Not you. With the Kendrick establishments waiting for you to come intoyour own? Which will mean, in your case, becoming the nominal head of agreat system, while it continues to be run for you, as now, by a lot oftrained heads under salary--big salary."
"Great idea of my future you have, Lorry, haven't you? Well, I can'twonder. I've been doing my best for all the years of my life to implantthat idea in your mind. But, what about you? What are you at, yourself?You said you had a plan."
"He asks what I'm 'at,'" remarked Belden Lorimer to the rural landscapethrough which the car was passing. "Ever know me to be 'at' anything?It's as much as I can do to support life until I can be off on my nextlittle travel-plan. It's me for a leisurely cruise around the world, inthe governor's little old boat--the _Ariel_--painted up within an inchof her life, brass all shining, lockers filled, a first-class cookengaged, and a brand-new skipper and crew--picked men. Sounds prettygood to me. How about you? Shop keeping in it with that, me lord?"
His usually languid glance was sharp, as he eyed his friend.
"Jove!" ejaculated Richard Kendrick, under his breath.
"I thought so. 'Jove!' it is, too--and also Jupiter! You've always saidyou'd be ready when I was. Well, I'm ready."
Richard was silent for a long minute, while his friend waitedconfidently. Then, "Good luck to you, old Lorry," he said. "It's mightyfine of you to remember our ancient vow to do that trick some day. AndI'd like to go--you know that. But--I've a previous engagement."
"Not with that fool store up in the backwoods? Can't make me believethat, you know."
Richard's face was a study.
"Believe it or not, it's a fact. That store is the joint property ofBenson & Company. I'm the Company. I can't desert my partner just aswe're getting the ground under our feet."
"Well--I'll--be--hanged," drawled Lorimer, more heavily than ever, aswas his custom when opposed, "if I see it. You go and help a fellow outwith capital and set him on his feet. You save his pride, I suppose, bymaking yourself a partner. Fine, sporty thing to do. But you've done it.You've contributed the capital. Can't reasonably suppose youcontribute anything else. If you don't mind my saying it,your--previous--training--"
"Doesn't make me indispensable to the success of the business? Hardly,as yet. But for the very reason that I lack training, I've got to stayand get it."
"Take lessons in shopkeeping from Hugh Benson?"
"Exactly. And from Alf Carson. He's our manager."
"Don't know him. But from the way you allude to him I judgehe has the details at his fingers-ends. That's all right.Leave--him--on--the--job."
"I will--and stay myself."
Richard's eyes were straight ahead, as the eyes of a man must be whosepowerful car is running at high speed along a none too smoothly surfacedportion of state road. Therefore the glances of the two young men couldnot meet. But Lorimer's eyes could silently scan the well-cut profilepresented to his view against the green of the fields beyond.
"Never observed," said he, with a peculiar inflection, "justhow--rock-like--that chin of yours is, Rich. Reminds me of yourgrandfather's, for fair."
"Glad to hear it."
"You know," pursued Lorimer presently, "you gave me your promise, once,that you'd be with me on this cruise, whenever it came off. That's wherethe chin ought to come in. Man of your word, you know, and all that."
"I'm mighty sorry, my dear fellow. Let's not talk about it."
And clearly he was sorry. It had been a pleasant plan, and he had notforgotten the circumstances of the laughing yet serious pledge the twohad given each other one evening less than two years ago.
They kept on their way with a change of conversation, and at the rate ofspeed which Richard maintained were running into Eastman before theywere half done with asking each other questions concerning the monthsduring which they had seldom met.
"This the busy mart?" queried Lorimer, as the car came to a standstillbefore the corner store. "Well, beside Kendrick & Company's massiveedifices of stone and marble--"
"Luckily, it's not beside them," retorted Richard, maintaining his goodhumour. "Will you come in?"
"Thanks, I will. That's what I came for. Curiosity leads me to want toview you behind the--No, no, of course it's behind the office glasspartition that I'll view you, my boy. I want to hear Rich Kendricktalking business--with a big B."
"I'll talk business to you, if you don't let up," declared his friend."You've got to be cured of the idea that this is some kind of a joke,Lorry. Will you be kind enough to take me seriously?"
"Find--that--impossible," drawled Lorimer, under his breath, as hefollowed Richard into the store.
But once there, of course, his manner changed to the most courteous ofwhich he was master. He was taken to the office and there shook handswith Hugh Benson with cordiality, having known him at college as a manwho commanded respect for high scholarship and modest but assuredmanners, though of a quite different class of comradeship from his own.He talked pleasantly with Alfred Carson, and listened with evidentinterest to a business discussion between Richard and his associates, inthe course of which he discovered that however much or little Richardhad learned, he could speak intelligently concerning the matters then inhand. He went to lunch with Richard and Hugh Benson at a hotel, andlistened again, for a decision was to be made which called for haste,and no time could be lost in the consideration of it.
He spent the afternoon driving Richard's car on up the state, returningin time to pick up his friend at the appointed hour, late in
theafternoon, at which they were to start back to the city. Up to the lastmoment of their departure business still had the upper hand, and it wasnot until Benson and Kendrick parted at the curb that it ended for theday, as far as Richard's part in it was concerned.
"Six hours you've been at it," remarked Lorimer, as the car swung awayunder Richard's hand. "It makes me fatigued all over to contemplate suchzeal."
"Tell that to the men who really work. I'm getting off easy, to cut andrun at the end of six hours."
"Rich--" began his friend, then he paused. "By the Lord Harry, I'd liketo know what's got you. I can't make you and the old Rich fit togetherat all. You and your books--you and your music--and your pictures--yourpolo--your 'wine, women, and song'--"
"Take that last back," commanded Richard Kendrick, with sudden heat."You know I've never gone in for that sort of thing, except as all ourold crowd went in together. Personally, I haven't cared for it, and youknow it. It's travel and adventure I've cared for--"
"And that you're throwing over now for a country shop."
"That I'm throwing over now to learn the ABC in the training school ofresponsibility for the big load that's to come on my shoulders. I'vebeen asleep all these years. Thank Heaven I've waked up in time. It's nomerit of mine--"
"Mind telling me whose it is, then?"
"I should mind, very much--if you'll excuse me."
"Oh--beg pardon," drawled Lorimer.
Silence followed for a brief space, broken by Richard's voice, in itsold, genial tone.
"Tell me more about the cruise. It's great that you can have yourfather's yacht. I thought he always used it through the summer."
"He's gone daffy on monoplanes--absolutely daffy. Can't see anythingelse."
"I don't blame him. I might have gone in for aviation myself, if Ihadn't got this bigger game on my hands."
"Bigger--there you go again! Well, every man to his taste. Thegovernor's lost interest in the _Ariel_--let me have her without areservation as to time limit. Don't care for flying myself. Necessaryto sit up. Like to lie on my back too well for that."
"You do yourself injustice."
"Now, now--don't preach. I've been expecting it."
"You needn't. I'm too busy with my own case to attend to yours."
"Lucky for me. I feel you'd be a zealous preacher if you ever gotstarted."
"What route do you expect to take?" pursued Richard, steering away fromdangerous ground.
Lorimer outlined it, in his most languid manner. One would have thoughthe had little real interest in his plan, after all.
"It's great! You'll have the time of your life!"
"I might have had."
"You will have--you can't help it."
"Not without the man I want in the bunk next mine," said Belden Lorimer,gazing through half-shut eyes at nothing in particular.
Richard experienced the severest pang of regret he had yet known.
"If that's true, old Lorry," said he slowly, "I'm sorrier than I cantell you."
"Then--_come along_!" Lorimer looked waked up at last. He laid apersuasive hand on Richard's arm.
There was a moment of tensity. Then:
"If I should do it," said Richard, regarding steadily a dog in the roadsome hundred yards ahead, "would you feel any respect whatever for me?"
"Dead loads of it, I assure you."
"Sure of that?"
"Why not?"
"Be honest. Would you?"
"You promised me first," said Lorimer.
"I know I did. Such idle promises to play don't count when real lifeasks for work--it's no good reminding me of that promise. Answer mestraight, now, Lorry--on your honour. If I should give in and go withyou, you'd rejoice for a little, perhaps. Then, some day, when you andI were lying on deck, you'd look at me and think of me--against yourwill--I don't say it wouldn't be against your will--you'd think of me asa quitter. And you wouldn't like me quite as well as you do now. Eh? Behonest."
Lorimer was silent for a minute. Then, to Richard's surprise, he gave anassenting grunt, and followed it up with a reluctant, "Hang it all, Isuppose you're right. But I'm badly disappointed, just the same. We'lllet that go."
And let it go they did, parting, when they reached town, with thefriendliest of grips, and a new, if not wholly comprehended, interestbetween them. As for Richard, he felt, somehow, as if he had nailed hisflag to the mast!