James Bansemer had not recklessly rushed into Mrs. Cable's presencewith threats of exposure; but on the contrary, he had calmly, craftilywaited. It suited his purpose to let her wonder, dread and finallydevelop the trust that her secret was safe with him. Occasionally,he had visited the Cable box in the theatre; not infrequently hehad dined with them in the downtown cafes and at the homes of mutualacquaintances; but this was the first time that James Bansemer hadenjoyed the hospitality of Frances Cable's home. His son, on thebest of terms with their daughter, was a frequent visitor there.
There was a rare bump of progressiveness in the character of GraydonBansemer. He was good-looking enough beyond doubt, and there was avast degree of personal magnetism about him. It seemed but naturalthat he should readily establish himself as a friend and a favouriteof the fair Miss Cable. For some time, James Bansemer had watchedhis son's progress with the Cable family, not once allowing hispersonal interest to manifest itself. It was but a question of timeuntil Mrs. Cable's suspense and anxiety would bring her to him,one way or another. Every word that fell from the lips of his sonregarding the Cables held his attention, and it was not long beforehe saw the family history as clearly as though it were an openbook--and he knew far more than the open book revealed.
Frances Cable was not deluded by his silence and aloofness; butshe was unable to devise means to circumvent him. Constant fearof his power to crush lurked near her day and night. Conscious ofher weakness, but eager to have done with the strife, sometimesshe longed for the enemy to advance. At first, she distrusted anddespised the son, but his very fairness battered down the barriersof prejudice, and real admiration succeeded. Her husband likedhim immensely, and Jane was his ablest ally. David Cable regardedhim as one of the brightest, young men on the Stock Exchange, andpredicted that some day he would be an influential member of thegreat brokerage firm for which he now acted as confidential clerk.Mr. Clegg, the senior member of the firm of Clegg, Groll & Davidson,his employers, personally had commended young Bansemer to Cable,and he was properly impressed.
Graydon's devotion to Jane did not go unnoticed. This very conditionshould have assured Mrs. Cable that James Bansemer had kept hersecret zealously. There was nothing to indicate that the young manknew the story of the foundling.
It was not until some weeks after the chance meeting in Hooley'sTheatre that Mrs. Cable came into direct contact with James Bansemer'sdesigns. She had met him at two or three formal affairs, but theirconversations had been of the most conventional character; on theother hand, her husband had lunched and dined at the club with thelawyer. At first, she dreaded the outcome of these meetings, butas Cable's attitude towards her remained unchanged, she began torealise that Bansemer, whatever his purpose, was loyal.
They met at last, quite informally, at Mrs. Clegg's dinner, a smalland congenial affair. When the men came into the drawing-room, afterthe cigars, Mrs. Cable, with not a little trepidation, motioned toMr. Bansemer to draw up his chair beside her.
"I have been looking forward with pleasure to this opportunity,Mr. Bansemer," she said, in a courteously acidulated way. "It hasbeen so long in coming."
"Better late than never," he returned, with marked emphasis.Fortunately, for her, the challenging significance of his words wasquickly nullified by the smile with which she was almost instantlyfavoured. "Twenty years, I believe--it certainly came very nearbeing 'never,'" he went on, abruptly changing from harsh to thesweetest of tones. "No one could believe that you--you're simplywonderful!" and added, pointedly, "But your daughter is even morebeautiful, if such is possible, than her--her mother."
Apparently, the innuendo passed unnoticed; in reality, it requiredall her courage to appear calm.
"How very nice of you," she said softly; and looking him full inthe face: "Her mother thanks you for the compliment."
It was a brave little speech; such bravery would have softened aman of another mould--changed his purpose. Not so with Bansemer.A sinister gleam came into his eyes and his attack became morebrutally direct.
"But the husband--has he never mistrusted?"
The blow told, though her reply was given with rippling laughterand for the benefit of any chance listeners.
"For shame, Mr. Bansemer!" she cried lightly; "after flattering meso delightfully, you're surely not going to spoil it all?"
Despite his growing annoyance, admiration shone clearly fromBansemer's eyes. His memory carried him, back some twenty years tothe scene in his office. Was it possible, he was thinking, that thecharming woman before him exercising so cleverly all the arts ofsociety, as if born to the purple, and the light-headed, frivolous,little wife of the Central's engineer were one and the same person?The metamorphosis seemed incredible.
Unwittingly, his manner lost some of its aggressiveness; and thewoman perceiving the altered conditions, quick to take advantage,resolved to learn, if possible his intentions. Presently, goingright to the point, she asked:
"Is that extraordinary looking creature you had in your officestill with you, Mr. Bansemer?"
"Extraordinary!" He laughed loudly. "He is certainly that, and more.Indeed, the English language does not supply us with an adjectivethat adequately describes the man."
The people nearest to them, by this time, had moved away to anotherpart of the large drawing-room; practically, the couple were bythemselves. She had been thinking, for a moment, reasoning witha woman's logic that it was always well to know one's enemy. Whenshe next spoke, it was almost in a whisper.
"How much does that terrible man know?"
"He is not supposed to know anything;" and then, with an enigmaticalsmile, promptly admitted: "However, I'm afraid that he does."
"You have told him? And yet, you promised nobody should know. Howcould---"
"My dear Mrs. Cable, he was not told; if he has found out--I couldnot prevent his discovering the truth through his own efforts," heinterrupted in a tone more assuaging than convincing to her; andthen, hitching his chair closer, and lowering his voice a note, hecontinued: "The papers had to be taken out--but you must not worryabout him--you can depend on me."
"Promise me that you will make him--I am so fearful of thatawful---" she broke off abruptly. Her fears were proving too muchfor her, and she was in imminent danger of a complete breakdown;all the veneer with which she had bravely commenced the interviewhad disappeared.
Bansemer endeavoured to soothe her with promises; but the poorwoman saw only his teeth in the reassuring smile that he presentedto her, together with the warnings that they were likely tobe observed. With the hardest kind of an effort, she succeededin pulling herself together sufficiently to bid good-night to herhostess.
When Mrs. Cable reached home that night, it was a full realisationthat she was irrevocably committed into the custody of thesecold-blooded men.
They met again and again at the homes of mutual friends, and shehad come to loathe the pressure of his hand when it clasped hers.The undeniable caress in his low, suggestive voice disturbed her;his manner was unmistakable. One night he held her hand long andfirmly in his, and while she shrank helplessly before him he eventenderly asked why she had not invited him into her home. It waswhat she had expected and feared. Her cup of bitterness was fillingrapidly--too rapidly. His invitation to dinner a fortnight later,followed.
Jane Cable was radiant as she entered the drawing-room shortlyafter the arrival of the two Bansemers.
"It's quite like a family party! How splendid!" she said to Graydonwith a quick glance in the direction of James Bansemer and DavidCable, who stood conversing together, and withdrawing her soft,white hand, which she had put forth to meet his in friendly clasp."It's too good to be true!" she went on in a happy, spontaneous,almost confiding manner.
The two fathers looked on in amused silence, the one full ofadmiration and pride for the clean, vigorous manhood of his sonawaiting to receive welcome from the adorable Jane; the other, longsince conscious of the splendid beauty of his daughter, mentallydeclaring that she never had appeared so
well as when standingbeside this gallant figure.
Other guests arrived before Mrs. Cable made her appearance in thedrawing-room. She had taken more time than usual with her toilet.It was impossible for her to hide the fact that the strain wastelling on her perceptibly. The face that looked back into her eyesfrom the mirror on her dressing-table was not the fresh, warm onethat had needed so little care a few short months before. Therewas a heaviness about the eyes and there were strange, persistentlines gathering under the soft, white tissues of her skin. But whenshe at last stepped into the presence of her guests, with ampleapologies for her tardiness, she was the picture of life and nerve.So much for the excellent resources of her will.
Bansemer was the last to present himself for her welcome, lingeringin the background until the others had passed.
"I'm so glad you could come. Indeed, it's a pleasure to---" Shespoke clearly and distinctly as she extended her hand; but as shelooked squarely into his eyes she thought him the ugliest man sheever had seen. Every other woman in the party was saying to herselfthat James Bansemer was strikingly handsome.
"Most pleasures come late in life to some of us," he returned,gallantly, and even Graydon Bansemer wished that he could have saidit.
"Your father is a perfect dear," Jane said to him, softly. "It wasnot what he said just then that pleased me, but what he left unsaid."
"Father's no end of a good fellow, Jane. I'm glad you admire him."
"You are not a bit like him," she said reflectively.
"Thanks," he exclaimed. "You are not very flattering."
"But you are a different sort of a good fellow, that's what I mean.Don't be absurd," she cried in some little confusion.
"I'm like my mother, they say, though I don't remember her at all."
"Oh, how terrible it must be never to have known one's mother,"said she tenderly.
"Or one's father," added James Bansemer, who was passing at thatinstant with Mrs. Cable. "Please include the father, Miss Cable,"he pleaded with mock seriousness. Turning to Mrs. Cable, who hadstopped beside him, he added: "You, the most charming of mothers,will defend the fathers, won't you?"
"With all my heart," she answered so steadily that he was surprised.
"I will include the father, Mr. Bansemer," said Jane, "if itis guaranteed that he possibly could be as nice and dear as one'smother. In that case, I think it would be--oh, dreadfully terriblenever to have known him."
"And to think, Miss Cable, of the unfortunates who have known neitherfather nor mother," said Bansemer, senior, slowly, relentlessly."How much they have missed of life and love!"
"That can be offset somewhat by the thought of the poor parentswho never have known a son or a daughter," said Jane.
"How can they be parents, then?" demanded Bobby Rigby, coming upin time.
"Go away, Bobby," she said scornfully.
"That's a nice way to treat logic," he grumbled, ambling on inquest of Miss Clegg.
"The debate will become serious if you continue," said Mrs. Cablelightly. "Come along, Mr. Bansemer; Mrs. Craven is waiting."
When they were across the room and alone, she turned a white faceto him and remonstrated bitterly: "Oh, that was cowardly of youafter your promise to me!"
"I forgot myself," he said quietly. "Don't believe me to be utterlyheartless." His hand touched her arm. Instantly her assumed calmgave way to her deep agitation, and with a swift change of manner,she turned on him, her passion alight.
"You---!" she stammered; then her fears found voice. "What do youmean?" she demanded in smothered, alarmed tones.
He desisted savagely and shrank away, the colour flaming into hisdisgusted, saturnine face. He did not speak to her again until hesaid good-bye long afterward.
As he had expected, his place at the dinner-table was some distancefrom hers. He was across the table from Jane and Graydon, and severalseats removed from. David Cable. He smiled grimly and knowinglywhen he saw that he had been cut off cleverly from the Cables.
"To-morrow night, then, Jane!" said Graydon at parting. No one wasnear enough to catch the tender eagerness in his voice, nor to seethe happy flush in her cheek as she called after him:
"To-morrow night!"
CHAPTER VIII
THE TELEGRAM