He was mystified and not a little upset by this almost peremptorysummons from the old man. He hurried over to Droom's quarters thenext morning, after ascertaining that the steamer would not reachthe dock until two or three o'clock. Droom was at work on one ofhis amazing models.
"Hello," he said ungraciously. "I thought I invited you for to-night."
"I want to know something about it, Elias," said Graydon, sittingupon the end of the workbench. "She'll not get in before the middle ofthe afternoon, and she may not feel like going to Sherry's to-night."
"Just as she likes," said Droom pettishly. "You mean that she wouldnot like to be seen there with me unless there is to be somethingin it for her, eh?"
"Nonsense. You've got something on your mind, Elias. What is it?Why do you insist on going to-night?"
"I don't. It's to-night or not at all, however. I'm not in thehabit of letting people decide when I shall dine at Sherry's. Ifshe doesn't want to come, let her say so." That was all Graydoncould get out of him, so he left in a more perplexed frame of mindthan before.
He was at the dock long before the steamer came to a stop afterits eight days of ceaseless throbbing. She was waving to him fromthe rail, her face beaming with happiness. It was just as he hadseen it in his dreams of this day. More than ever he arrayed hislove against her principle; more than ever was he determined toovercome the obstacles which she had thrown up in her self-arraignment.
There was a cold, biting wind blowing, with the suggestion of snowin the skies. The passengers came down with rosy cheeks, colouredby the frost-laden hours on deck. After the tedious, disagreeablehour with the customs officials, the Cables were driven to theHolland House. Graydon Bansemer, sitting opposite to Jane in thecarriage, was almost speechless with joy and eagerness. The oldrestraint was still upon him, but it was being worn down by degreesas he gathered encouragement from the clear, inviting eyes of thegirl he worshipped. The love in those happy, glowing eyes couldnot be mistaken for loyal indifference.
She was more beautiful than ever to his hungry, patient eyes; shewas more desirable, more priceless. David Cable and his wife hadbeen immensely benefited in every way by their months abroad. Janehad found the sunshine for them and it had been her purpose in allthese months to keep them free from the shadows. They had travelledEurope over and they had lived in the full warmth of pleasure.
Cable took Graydon aside as they entered the hotel. The latterhad implored Jane to give him a few minutes alone at the earliestpossible moment.
"Tell me about your father, Graydon," said David Cable.
"He is still in--in Joliet," replied the young man quietly.
"He has not offered to help us in clearing up the mystery?"
"I have had no word from him, Mr. Cable. He seems to be in histomb. I am afraid he will not help us, sir. He has said he wouldnot; that means a great deal, I am sorry to say."
He then told him of Elias Droom's strange invitation, adding thathe believed the old man was ready to reveal all that he knew.
"She must go with you to-night, then," said Cable. "It is necessary.She wants to know the truth. She has said so."
"It won't matter, sir, so far as I am concerned. She--"
"She has come back, my boy, determined to go on with her plans.I am sorry, Graydon, but I am at last convinced that she means togive her life to the work."
"By Heaven, Mr. Cable, she shall not do it! I can't live withouther," cried Graydon miserably. Cable smiled sadly as he shook hishead.
At half past seven o'clock Jane Cable and Graydon met Droom atSherry's. She was paler than usual and there was a queer chill inher heart. Bansemer was more nervous than he had ever been beforein his life.
Elias Droom, the strangest creature in the big restaurant, aroseto greet them as they entered the doors. He had been waiting insideand out for half an hour, and his welcome was quite in keeping withhis character, He uttered a few gruff words of greeting to her,accompanied by a perfunctory smile that gave out no warmth; thenhe started off with rude haste toward the table he had reserved.Not a word concerning her welfare, her health, her return to thehomeland--no sign of interest or consideration. They followed himsilently, anxiously.
The old man was conspicuously repulsive in his finery. It isunnecessary to say that his clothes did not fit his lank figure:tailors cannot perform miracles. His long chin was carefully shaven,but the razor could not remove the ruts and creases that hid thethick stubble of grey and black. Not one but one hundred dinerslooked with curiosity upon the nervous, uncouth old man. There wasa buzz of interest and a craning of necks when the crowd saw thehandsome couple join him at the table in the corner.
"I wish you'd order the dinner for me, Graydon," he said, ratherplaintively. "I can pay for it, Miss Cable," he added with anattempt at joviality, "but I'm no good at ordering. These youngswells know all about it. Get champagne, Graydon. Order somethingnice for Miss Cable. Anywhere up to twenty dollars. I'm not amillionaire, Miss Cable. Tell the waiter I'll pay for it, Graydon.This is a swell place, isn't it, Miss Cable? I've never been inEurope, but they say they can't touch our restaurants over there.Get oysters, Graydon."
"By Jove, Elias, you are giving us a treat," laughed Graydon. Theold man's mood had changed suddenly. He was beaming in his effortto be agreeable. A glance around the room had convinced him thatthe prettiest woman there was sitting at his table. He felt a newsense of pride.
"I am proud of myself," said Droom--and he meant it.
"It's very good of you to ask me to come, Mr. Droom," said Jane,her bright eyes meeting his before they could lift themselves intothe customary stare above her head.
"I'm not so sure about that," said Elias. From time to time heglanced uneasily toward a table at his left. It was set for sixpersons, none of whom had arrived. "I trust it will not be the lasttime you will honour me, Miss Cable. I am getting very hospitablein my old age. If you don't mind, Graydon, I won't drink thiscocktail. I may take the champagne. I'm quite a teetotaler, yousee. Milk, always. By the way, Graydon," he said, turning suddenlyto the young man, "I suppose you've led her to believe that I hada motive in asking her to dine to-night--I mean other than thepleasure it would give to me."
"I--I rather thought something of the sort," stammered Graydon.
"Well, there is a motive. I've decided at last to tell all I knew.Don't look like that, Miss Cable. You'll attract attention. Calmyourself. It will be some time before the story is forthcoming.Besides, I doubt very much whether you'll get any great satisfactionout of it, although it may clear things up a bit for you. Ifyou've been hoping that your father and mother--well, we'll takeour time. Here are the oysters. Oysters make me think of yourfather, Graydon. Don't choke, my boy," he chuckled as Graydonstiffened quickly. "He had a woman arrested at her own dinner partyone night--right over there in Fifth Avenue, too. Search warrant,and all that. The oysters were being served when the papers wereserved. Ah, he was a great man for effective revenge. She had daredhim, you see. Did you ever hear of the other time when he permittedan ignorant host to invite two deadly enemies to the same dinner?One fellow had robbed the other fellow of his wife. Terrible scandal.Your father knew that they expected to kill one another on sight.And yet when the host told him whom he expected to invite he lethim ask the two men. He told me about it afterward. It amusedhim. Everybody but the host knew of the row and there was a panicin the drawing-room."
"Good Lord," gasped Graydon, helplessly pushing the oysters away."Why are you telling me this?"
"Oh, it was a great joke. It's a good dinner story. The joke comesin at the end. Both those fellows got tight and went home with theirarms about one another. By the way, Graydon, what do you hear fromyour father?"
Graydon looked uncomfortably at Jane, whose face was set withdistress.
"Elias, you've got no right to--" began the young man coldly.
"I beg your pardon if I've offended," said Droom abjectly. "I--Idon't know the etiquette of small talk--forgive me. I was interested,that is all."
br /> "It may interest you to know that I had a long talk with Mr. Cleggthis afternoon. He says there is a movement on foot to secure apardon for father. Father hasn't asked anyone to intercede. It isknown that he will go to England to live as soon as he is released.That's an inducement, you see," he said bitterly.
Droom's face turned a frozen white; his steely eyes took on apeculiar glaze, and his hand grasped his leg as if it were a viseintended to hold him in his chair.
"I haven't told you about it, Jane," went on Graydon. "Mr. Clegghas seen father and he says he is indifferent about it. He intendsto leave the country in any event. I am going to write to himto-night, asking him to let them apply for the pardon. It may savehim from three years more of servitude. Mr. Clegg is sure he canget his release--what's the matter, Elias?"
The old clerk's body had stiffened and the look in his face wassomething horrible to behold. Terror was visible in every lineament.His companions started from their chairs in alarm. With a mightyeffort the old man succeeded in regaining a semblance of self-control.His body relaxed, and his jaw dropped; his voice was trembling andweak as he responded, an apologetic grin on his face.
"Nothing--nothing at all. A momentary pain. Don't mind me. Don'tmind me," he mumbled. "I have them often. I think it's my heart.What were you saying, Graydon? Oh, yes, the pardon. I-I hope you'llmention me in writing to your father. Tell him I hope to--to seehim if he comes to New York."
"I don't believe he likes you, Elias," said Graydon, half jestingly.
"Wha--what has he said to you?" demanded Droom sharply.
"He rather resented your taking Jane and me to Joliet that day."The old man's grin was malicious. "He won't forgive you that."
"I shall never forget how he looked at you, Mr. Droom," said Janewith a shudder. Droom trembled with a new spasm of fear.
Attention was diverted by the arrival of the party of six. Themen were distinguished in appearance, the women aristocratic butspirited. That they were well known to many of the diners in thosedays at Sherry's was at once apparent; they were bowing right andleft to near-by acquaintances. After much ado they finally relapsedinto the chairs obsequiously drawn back for them and the buzz ofconversation throughout the place was resumed.
Graydon, lowering his voice, named the newcomers to Jane, who lookedat them with fresh interest. The names were well known to New Yorkand European society. For the moment Elias Droom was unnoticed. Hetook the opportunity to collect his nerves and to subdue his tooapparent emotion. Jane was recalled from her polite scrutiny of thewomen at the next table by hearing her name mentioned in Droom'shoarsest voice, modified into something like a whisper.
"Miss Cable, I not only asked you to come here in order to tellyou the name of your father, but to point him out to you."
There was an instant of breathless silence at the table. Sostartling was his announcement that every other sound in the roomescaped the ears of his two listeners.
"There was a new hundred dollar bill found in the basket with you.Your grandfather's signature was on that bill. He was the presidentof the bank which issued it. Your mother was--" Here he leanedforward and whispered a name that fairly stunned his hearers.Graydon caught his breath and a new light appeared in his eyes.He was beginning to believe that the old man's brain was affected.Jane leaned forward in her chair, an incredulous smile on her lips.
"Don't jest, Elias," began Graydon, somewhat roughly.
"I am not jesting. It is the truth, I swear it," snapped Elias.
"But, great Heaven, man, consider what you've said. It's one ofthe best families in this country-it's preposterous to say--"
"Of course, her family is one of the best. She was a blue stocking.That's where Miss Cable gets most of her good blood."
"My God, Elias, I can't believe it!" cried Graydon.
Jane was staring blankly at the old man's face.
"Your father will tell you the same. For more than twenty yearsI have known the secret. There is no documentary proof, but thismuch I do know: James Bansemer received fifty thousand dollars forkeeping his mouth closed. He found out the truth and he profitedby it as usual. Oh, he knew that hundred dollar bills are not leftwith pauper babes. I don't know how he unearthed the truth aboutMiss--"
"Sh! Don't mention the name aloud!"
"But he did unearth it, beyond all possible chance of mistake. Yourfather, Miss Cable, is sitting at that table. Don't look up justyet. He is staring at you. He doesn't know you, but he does knowyou are a pretty woman. The gentleman with the grey hair, Graydon.See? That man is her father."
Graydon half started up in his chair, his lips apart, his eyesriveted on the man designated. Every drop of blood seemed to havefrozen in his veins.
"Good God, Elias!" he whispered. "Why, that is--" The name stuckin his throat.
"The son of the man who signed the banknote. He is Jane's father.There's blue blood in him--there has been since King Henry's day--buthe is a villain for all that. Now, Miss Cable, I've done my duty.I've told you the absolute truth. You could not have expected more--youcould not have asked a greater climax. The name of Vanderbilt orAstor is no better known than that man's name, and no ancestry isbetter than that of your mother. I will now give to you one of thearticles of proof that connects you with their history." He handedto her a small package. "It is the letter written to James Bansemerby your paternal grandfather, agreeing to an appointment to discussa question of grave moment. I found the letter that same day, andI've kept it all these years. It bears your grandfather's signature.That is all. I heard part of that interview, and I stake my soulthat what I've told you is true."
Jane sat looking at him as if paralysed. Her mind was quite incapableof grasping the full import of his words--the words she had cravedfor so many months, and yet dreaded.
"I knew he was coming here to-night. He gives a theatre party.To-morrow he goes abroad. That is all."
"He's living in Paris," muttered Graydon mechanically. Jane spokefor the first time, as in a daze.
"I--I have seen him many times in Paris. My father? Oh, oh, itcan't be true."
"Jane, let me take you away from here--" began Graydon, observingher pallor.
"No. Let me stay. It can't matter, Graydon. I want to look at himagain and again," she said, shrinking back as if the whole worldwere staring at her. By the most prodigious effort she regainedcontrol of her fleeing composure. It was a trying moment.
"He's worth millions," said Droom. "It will be worth while for YOUto--"
"No!" she exclaimed passionately. "Do you think I will presentmyself to him after he has cast me off! No! a thousand times, no!"
At that instant the party of six hurriedly arose to leave the place.The tall man with the grey hair--the handsomest man of all--wasstaring boldly at Jane's averted face, now red with consciousness.As he passed her in going out of the room, his look grew moreinsistent. She glanced up and a faint smile crossed his face.
"Devilish handsome girl," he remarked to the man behind him andthen he passed out of her sight, perhaps forever.
"The woman with him?" cried Jane, her eyes following the beautifulcreature at his side, "is she my mother?"
"No," said Graydon, averting his eyes to avoid her expression; "sheis his wife."
Droom waited until the party was out of the restaurant beforeuttering a word.
"Inside of two years I have pointed out two fathers to theirchildren--yours and his, Jane. Your mothers are dead. There isn'tmuch choice as to fathers. If I were you, I'd say I had the betterof the bargain. Take an old man's advice, both of you, and letbygones be bygones. Start life now, just as if nothing had happenedbefore, and get every atom of happiness out of it that you can.Don't you two pay for the sins of your fathers."
"I couldn't live in New York if he were living here," murmuredJane.
"Hey, waiter, your bill," said Droom, with sudden harshness.
It was snowing and the wind was blowing a gale when they emergedfrom the place. Jane hung heavily upon Graydon's arm; he couldfeel
that she was sobbing. He did not dare to look into her face,but he felt something cruelly triumphant surging in his heart. EliasDroom waited until their cab came up. Then he offered his hand toboth, hesitatingly, even timidly.
"Good-night. Be happy. There is nothing else left for you but that.Graydon, when you write to your father, give him my love."
CHAPTER XXXIII
DROOM TRIUMPHS OVER DEATH