CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
At a latish seven, when the Grill had become nicely filled with arepresentative crowd, the Belknap-Jacksons arrived with his lordship.The latter had not dressed and I was able to detect thatBelknap-Jackson, doubtless noting his guest's attire at the lastmoment, had hastily changed back to a lounge-suit of his own. Also Inoted the absence of the Mixer and wondered how the host had contrivedto eliminate her. On this point he found an opportunity to enlightenme before taking his seat.
"Mark my words, that old devil is up to something," he darkly said,and I saw that he was genuinely put about, for not often does he fallinto strong language.
"After pushing herself forward with his lordship all through tea-timein the most brazen manner, she announces that she has a previousdinner engagement and can't be with us. I'm as well pleased to haveher absent, of course, but I'd pay handsomely to know what her littlegame is. Imagine her not dining with the Earl of Brinstead when shehad the chance! That shows something's wrong. I don't like it. I tellyou she's capable of things."
I mused upon this. The Mixer was undoubtedly capable of things.Especially things concerning her son-in-law. And yet I could imagineno opening for her at the present moment and said as much. And Mrs.Belknap-Jackson, I was glad to observe, did not share her husband'sevident worry. She had entered the place plumingly, as it were,sweeping the length of the room before his lordship with quite all themanner her somewhat stubby figure could carry off. Seated, she becameat once vivacious, chatting to his lordship brightly and continuously,raking the room the while with her lorgnon. Half a dozen ladies of theNorth Side set were with parties at other tables. I saw she wasimmensely stimulated by the circumstance that these friends wereunaware of her guest's identity. I divined that before the evening wasover she would contrive to disclose it.
His lordship responded but dully to her animated chat. He is neverless urbane than when hungry, and I took pains to have his favouritesoup served quite almost at once. This he fell upon. I may say that hehas always a hearty manner of attacking his soup. Not infrequently hemakes noises. He did so on this occasion. I mean to say, there was nofinesse. I hovered near, anxious that the service should be withoutflaw.
His head bent slightly over his plate, I saw a spoonful of soupascending with precision toward his lips. But curiously it halted inmid-air, then fell back. His lordship's eyes had become fixed uponsome one back of me. At once, too, I noted looks of consternation uponthe faces of the Belknap-Jacksons, the hostess freezing in the verymidst of some choice phrase she had smilingly begun.
I turned quickly. It was the Klondike person, radiant in the costumeof black and the black hat. She moved down the hushed room withwell-lifted chin, eyes straight ahead and narrowed to but a faintoffended consciousness of the staring crowd. It was well done. It wassuperior. I am able to judge those things.
Reaching a table the second but one from the Belknap-Jacksons's, sherelaxed finely from the austere note of her progress and turned to hercompanions with a pretty and quite perfect confusion as to which chairshe might occupy. Quite awfully these companions were the Mixer,overwhelming in black velvet and diamonds, and Cousin Egbert,uncomfortable enough looking but as correctly enveloped in eveningdress as he could ever manage by himself. His cravat had been tiedmany times and needed it once more.
They were seated by the raccoon with quite all his impressiveness ofmanner. They faced the Belknap-Jackson party, yet seemed unconsciousof its presence. Cousin Egbert, with a bored manner which I am certainhe achieved only with tremendous effort, scanned my simple menu. TheMixer settled herself with a vast air of comfort and arranged varioushand-belongings about her on the table.
Between them the Klondike woman sat with a restraint that wouldactually not have ill-become one of our own women. She did not lookabout; her hands were still, her head was up. At former times with herown set she had been wont to exhibit a rather defiant vivacity. Nowshe did not challenge. Finely, eloquently, there pervaded her areserve that seemed almost to exhale a fragrance. But of course thatis silly rot. I mean to say, she drew the attention without visibleeffort. She only waited.
The Earl of Brinstead, as we all saw, had continued to stare. Thriceslowly arose the spoon of soup, for mere animal habit was strong uponhim, yet at a certain elevation it each time fell slowly back. He wasacting like a mechanical toy. Then the Mixer caught his eye and noddedcrisply. He bobbed in response.
"What ho! The dowager!" he exclaimed, and that time the soup wassuccessfully resumed.
"Poor old mater!" sighed his hostess. "She's constantly taking uppeople. One does, you know, in these queer Western towns."
"Jolly old thing, awfully good sort!" said his lordship, but his eyeswere not on the Mixer.
Terribly then I recalled the Honourable George's behaviour at thatsame table the night he had first viewed this Klondike person. Hislordship was staring in much the same fashion. Yet I was relieved toobserve that the woman this time was quite unconscious of the interestshe had aroused. In the case of the Honourable George, who had franklyogled her--for the poor chap has ever lacked the finer shades in thesematters--she had not only been aware of it but had deliberately playedupon it. It is not too much to say that she had shown herself to be acreature of blandishments. More than once she had permitted her eyesto rest upon him with that peculiarly womanish gaze which, althoughsuperficially of a blank innocence, is yet all-seeing and even shootslittle fine arrows of questions from its ambuscade. But now she wasignoring his lordship as utterly as she did the Belknap-Jacksons.
To be sure she may later have been in some way informed that his eyeswere seeking her, but never once, I am sure, did she descend to even aveiled challenge of his glance or betray the faintest discreetconsciousness of it. And this I was indeed glad to note in her.Clearly she must know where to draw the line, permitting herself amalicious laxity with a younger brother which she would not have thepresumption to essay with the holder of the title. Pleased I was, Isay, to detect in her this proper respect for his lordship's position.It showed her to be not all unworthy.
The dinner proceeded, his lordship being good enough to compliment meon the fare which I knew was done to his liking. Yet, even in the verypresence of the boiled mutton, his eyes were too often upon hisneighbour. When he behaved thus in the presence of a dish of mutton Ihad not to be told that he was strongly moved. I uneasily recalled nowthat he had once been a bit of a dog himself. I mean to say, there wastalk in the countryside, though of course it had died out a score ofyears ago. I thought it as well, however, that he be told almostimmediately that the person he honoured with his glance was no otherthan the one he had come to subtract his unfortunate brother from.
The dinner progressed--somewhat jerkily because of his lordship'sinattention--through the pudding and cheese to coffee. Never had Iknown his lordship behave so languidly in the presence of food hecared for. His hosts ate even less. They were worried. Mrs.Belknap-Jackson, however, could simply no longer contain withinherself the secret of their guest's identity. With excuses to the deafears of his lordship she left to address a friend at a distant table.She addressed others at other tables, leaving a flutter of sensationin her wake.
Belknap-Jackson, having lighted one of his non-throat cigarettes,endeavoured to engross his lordship with an account of their lastelection of officers to the country club. His lordship was notproperly attentive to this. Indeed, with his hostess gone he no longermade any pretence of concealing his interest in the other table. I sawhim catch the eye of the Mixer and astonishingly intercepted from hera swift but most egregious wink.
"One moment," said his lordship to the host. "Must pay my respects tothe dowager, what, what! Jolly old muggins, yes!" And he was gone.
I heard the Mixer's amazing presentation speech.
"Mrs. Kenner, Mr. Floud, his lordship--say, listen here, is your rightname Brinstead, or Basingwell, like your brother's?"
The Klondike person acknowledged the thing with a faintly graciousnod. It carried an air, d
espite the slightness of it. Cousin Egbertwas more cordial.
"Pleased to meet you, Lord!" said he, and grasped the newcomer's hand."Come on, set in with us and have some coffee and a cigar. Here, Jeff,bring the lord a good cigar. We was just talking about you thatminute. How do you like our town? Say, this here Kulanche Valley----" Ilost the rest. His lordship had seated himself. At his own tableBelknap-Jackson writhed acutely. He was lighting a secondcigarette--the first not yet a quarter consumed!
At once the four began to be thick as thieves, though it was apparenthis lordship had eyes only for the woman. Coffee was brought. Hislordship lighted his cigar. And now the word had so run from Mrs.Belknap-Jackson that all eyes were drawn to this table. She hadcreated her sensation and it had become all at once more of one thanshe had thought. From Mrs. Judge Ballard's table I caught her glare ather unconscious mother. It was not the way one's daughter shouldregard one in public.
Presently contriving to pass the table again, I noted that CousinEgbert had changed his form of address.
"Have some brandy with your coffee, Earl. Here, Jeff, bring Earl andall of us some lee-cures." I divined the monstrous truth that hesupposed himself to be calling his lordship by his first name, and hein turn must have understood my shocked glance of rebuke, for a bitlater, with glad relief in his tones, he was addressing his lordshipas "Cap!" And myself he had given the rank of colonel!
The Klondike person in the beginning finely maintained her reserve.Only at the last did she descend to vivacity or the use of her eyes.This later laxness made me wonder if, after all, she would feel boundto pay his lordship the respect he was wont to command from her class.
"You and poor George are rather alike," I overheard, "except that heuses the single 'what' and you use the double. Hasn't he any right touse the double 'what' yet, and what does it mean, anyway? Tell us."
"What, what!" demanded his lordship, a bit puzzled.
"But that's it! What do you say 'What, what' for? It can't do you anygood."
"What, what! But I mean to say, you're having me on. My word youare--spoofing, I mean to say. What, what! To be sure. Chaffing lot,you are!" He laughed. He was behaving almost with levity.
"But poor old George is so much younger than you--you must makeallowances," I again caught her saying; and his lordship replied:
"Not at all; not at all! Matter of a half-score years. Barely ahalf-score; nine and a few months. Younger? What rot! Chaffing again."
Really it was a bit thick, the creature saying "poor old George" quiteas if he were something in an institution, having to be wheeled aboutin a bath-chair with rugs and water-bottles!
Glad I was when the trio gave signs of departure. It was woman's craftdictating it, I dare say. She had made her effect and knew when to go.
"Of course we shall have to talk over my dreadful designs on your poorold George," said the amazing woman, intently regarding his lordshipat parting.
"Leave it to me," said he, with a scarcely veiled significance.
"Well, see you again, Cap," said Cousin Egbert warmly. "I'll take youaround to meet some of the boys. We'll see you have a good time."
"What ho!" his lordship replied cordially. The Klondike person flashedhim one enigmatic look, then turned to precede her companions. Againdown the thronged room she swept, with that chin-lifted,drooping-eyed, faintly offended half consciousness of some staringrabble at hand that concerned her not at all. Her alert feminine foes,I am certain, read no slightest trace of amusement in her unwaveringlowered glance. So easily she could have been crude here!
Belknap-Jackson, enduring his ignominious solitude to the limit of hispowers, had joined his wife at the lower end of the room. They hadtaken the unfortunate development with what grace they could. Hislordship had dropped in upon them quite informally--charming man thathe was. Of course he would quickly break up the disgraceful affair.Beginning at once. They would doubtless entertain for him in a quietway----
At the deserted table his lordship now relieved a certain sickeningapprehension that had beset me.
"What, what! Quite right to call me out here. Shan't forget it.Dangerous creature, that. Badly needed, I was. Can't think why youwaited so long! Anything might have happened to old George. Break itup proper, though. Never do at all. Impossible person for him. Quite!"
I saw they had indeed taken no pains to hide the woman's identity fromhim nor their knowledge of his reason for coming out to the States,though with wretchedly low taste they had done this chaffingly. Yet itwas only too plain that his lordship now realized what had been theprofound gravity of the situation, and I was glad to see that he meantto end it without any nonsense.
"Silly ass, old George, though," he added as the Belknap-Jacksonsapproached. "How a creature like that could ever have fancied him!What, what!"
His hosts were profuse in their apologies for having so thoughtlesslyrun away from his lordship--they carried it off rather well. They werekeen for sitting at the table once more, as the other observant dinerswere lingering on, but his lordship would have none of this.
"Stuffy place!" said he. "Best be getting on." And so, reluctantly,they led him down the gauntlet of widened eyes. Even so, the tenthEarl of Brinstead had dined publicly with them. More than repaid theywere for the slight the Honourable George had put upon them in theaffair of the pianoforte artist.
An hour later Belknap-Jackson had me on by telephone. His voice wasnot a little worried.
"I say, is his lordship, the Earl, subject to spells of any sort? Wewere in the library where I was showing him some photographic views ofdear old Boston, and right over a superb print of our public libraryhe seemed to lose consciousness. Might it be a stroke? Or do you thinkit's just a healthy sleep? And shall I venture to shake him? How wouldhe take that? Or should I merely cover him with a travelling rug? Itwould be so dreadful if anything happened when he's been with us sucha little time."
I knew his lordship. He has the gift of sleeping quite informally whenhis attention is not too closely engaged. I suggested that the hostset his musical phonograph in motion on some one of the more audibleselections. As I heard no more from him that night I dare say my planworked.
Our town, as may be imagined, buzzed with transcendent gossip on themorrow. The _Recorder_ disclosed at last that the Belknap-Jacksonsof Boston and Red Gap were quietly entertaining his lordship, theEarl of Brinstead, though since the evening before this had been newsto hardly any one. Nor need it be said that a viciously fermentingelement in the gossip concerned the apparently cordial meeting of hislordship with the Klondike person, an encounter that had been watchedwith jealous eyes by more than one matron of the North Side set. Itwas even intimated that if his lordship had come to put the creaturein her place he had chosen a curious way to set about it.
Also there were hard words uttered of the Belknap-Jacksons by Mrs.Effie, and severe blame put upon myself because his lordship had notcome out to the Flouds'.
"But the Brinsteads have always stopped with us before," she wentabout saying, as if there had been a quite long succession of them. Imean to say, only the Honourable George had stopped on with them,unless, indeed, the woman actually counted me as one. Between herselfand Mrs. Belknap-Jackson, I understood, there ensued early thatmorning by telephone a passage of virulent acidity, Mrs. Effie beingheard by Cousin Egbert to say bluntly that she would get even.
Undoubtedly she did not share the annoyance of the Belknap-Jacksons atcertain eccentricities now developed by his lordship which made him attimes a trying house guest. That first morning he arose at five sharp,a custom of his which I deeply regretted not having warned his hostabout. Discovering quite no one about, he had ventured abroad insearch of breakfast, finding it at length in the eating establishmentknown as "Bert's Place," in company with engine-drivers, plate-layers,milk persons, and others of a common sort.
Thereafter he had tramped furiously about the town and its environsfor some hours, at last encountering Cousin Egbert who escorted him tothe Floud home for his first
interview with the Honourable George. Thelatter received his lordship in bed, so Cousin Egbert later informedme. He had left the two together, whereupon for an hour there wereheard quite all over the house words of the most explosive character.Cousin Egbert, much alarmed at the passionate beginning of theinterview, suspected they might do each other a mischief, and for somemoments hovered about with the aim, if need be, of preserving humanlife. But as the uproar continued evenly, he at length concluded theywould do no more than talk, the outcome proving the accuracy of hissurmise.
Mrs. Effie, meantime, saw her opportunity and seized it with a coolreadiness which I have often remarked in her. Belknap-Jackson,distressed beyond measure at the strange absence of his guest, hadcommunicated with me by telephone several times without result. Notuntil near noon was I able to give him any light. Mrs. Effie had thencalled me to know what his lordship preferred for luncheon. Replyingthat cold beef, pickles, and beer were his usual mid-day fancy, Ihastened to allay the fears of the Belknap-Jacksons, only to find thatMrs. Effie had been before me.
"She says," came the annoyed voice of the host, "that the dear Earldropped in for a chat with his brother and has most delightfullybegged her to give him luncheon. She says he will doubtless wish todrive with them this afternoon, but I had already planned to drive himmyself--to the country club and about. The woman is high-handed, Imust say. For God's sake, can't you do something?"
I was obliged to tell him straight that the thing was beyond me,though I promised to recover his guest promptly, should anyopportunity occur. The latter did not, however, drive with the Floudsthat afternoon. He was observed walking abroad with Cousin Egbert, andit was later reported by persons of unimpeachable veracity that theyhad been seen to enter the Klondike person's establishment.
Evening drew on without further news. But then certain elated membersof the Bohemian set made it loosely known that they were that eveningto dine informally at their leader's house to meet his lordship. Itseemed a bit extraordinary to me, yet I could not but rejoice that heshould thus adopt the peaceful methods of diplomacy for theextrication of his brother.
Belknap-Jackson now telephoning to know if I had heard thisreport--"canard" he styled it--I confirmed it and remarked that hislordship was undoubtedly by way of bringing strong pressure to bear onthe woman.
"But I had expected him to meet a few people here this evening," criedthe host pathetically. I was then obliged to tell him that theBrinsteads for centuries had been bluntly averse to meeting a fewpeople. It seemed to run in the blood.
The Bohemian dinner, although quite informal, was said to have beenhighly enjoyed by all, including the Honourable George, who was amongthose present, as well as Cousin Egbert. The latter gossiped brieflyof the affair the following day.
"Sure, the Cap had a good time all right," he said. "Of course heain't the mixer the Judge is, but he livens up quite some, now andthen. Talks like a bunch of firecrackers going off all to once, don'the? Funny guy. I walked with him to the Jacksons' about twelve or one.He's going back to Mis' Kenner's house today. He says it'll take a lotof talking back and forth to get this thing settled right, and it'sgot to be right, he says. He seen that right off." He paused as if tomeditate profoundly.
"If you was to ask me, though, I'd say she had him--just like that!"
He held an open hand toward me, then tightly clenched it.
Suspecting he might spread absurd gossip of this sort, I explainedcarefully to him that his lordship had indeed at once perceived her tobe a dangerous woman; and that he was now taking his own cunning wayto break off the distressing affair between her and his brother. Helistened patiently, but seemed wedded to some monstrous view of hisown.
"Them dames of that there North Side set better watch out," heremarked ominously. "First thing they know, what that Kate Kenner'llhand them--they can make a lemonade out of!"
I could make but little of this, save its general import, which was ofcourse quite shockingly preposterous. I found myself wishing, to besure, that his lordship had been able to accomplish his mission toNorth America without appearing to meet the person as a social equal,as I feared indeed that a wrong impression of his attitude would begained by the undiscerning public. It might have been better, I wasalmost quite certain, had he adopted a stern and even brutal method atthe outset, instead of the circuitous and diplomatic. Belknap-Jacksonshared this view with me.
"I should hate dreadfully to have his lordship's reputation suffer forthis," he confided to me.
The first week dragged to its close in this regrettable fashion.Oftener than not his hosts caught no glimpse of his lordshipthroughout the day. The smart trap and the tandem team were constantlyready, but he had not yet been driven abroad by his host. Each day healleged the necessity of conferring with the woman.
"Dangerous creature, my word! But dangerous!" he would announce."Takes no end of managing. Do it, though; do it proper. Take a highhand with her. Can't have silly old George in a mess. Own brother,what, what! Time needed, though. Not with you at dinner, if you don'tmind. Creature has a way of picking up things not half nasty."
But each day Belknap-Jackson met him with pressing offers of suchentertainment as the town afforded. Three times he had beenobliged to postpone the informal evening affair for a few smartpeople. Yet, though patient, he was determined. Reluctantly at last heabandoned the design of driving his guest about in the trap, but heinsistently put forward the motor-car. He would drive it himself. Theywould spend pleasant hours going about the country. His lordshipcontinued elusive. To myself he confided that his host was a nagger.
"Awfully nagging sort, yes. Doesn't know the strain I'm under gettingthis silly affair straight. Country interesting no doubt, what, what!But, my word! saw nothing but country coming out. Country quite allabout, miles and miles both sides of the metals. Seen enough country.Seen motor-cars, too, my word. Enough of both, what, what!"
Yet it seemed that on the Saturday after his arrival he could nolonger decently put off his insistent host. He consented to accompanyhim in the motor-car. Rotten judging it was on the part ofBelknap-Jackson. He should have listened to me. They departed afterluncheon, the host at the wheel. I had his account of such followingevents as I did not myself observe.
"Our country club," he observed early in the drive. "No one there, ofcourse. You'd never believe the trouble I've had----"
"Jolly good club," replied his lordship. "Drive back that way."
"Back that way," it appeared, would take them by the detached villa ofthe Klondike person.
"Stop here," directed his lordship. "Shan't detain you a moment."
This was at two-thirty of a fair afternoon. I am able to give but thebare facts, yet I must assume that the emotions of Belknap-Jackson ashe waited there during the ensuing two hours were of a quitedistressing nature. As much was intimated by several observanttownspeople who passed him. He was said to be distrait; to be smokinghis cigarettes furiously.
At four-thirty his lordship reappeared. With apparent solicitude heescorted the Klondike person, fetchingly gowned in a street costume ofthe latest mode. They chatted gayly to the car.
"Hope I've not kept you waiting, old chap," said his lordshipgenially. "Time slips by one so. You two met, of course, course!" Hebestowed his companion in the tonneau and ensconced himself besideher.
"Drive," said he, "to your goods shops, draper's, chemist's--where wasit?"
"To the Central Market," responded the lady in bell-like tones, "thento the Red Front store, and to that dear little Japanese shop, if hedoesn't mind."
"Mind! Mind! Course not, course not! Are you warm? Let me fasten therobe."
I confess to have felt a horrid fascination for this moment as I wasable to reconstruct it from Belknap-Jackson's impassioned words. Itwas by way of being one of those scenes we properly loathe yetmorbidly cannot resist overlooking if opportunity offers.
Into the flood tide of our Saturday shopping throng swept the car andits remarkably assembled occupants. The street fair gasp
ed. Thewoman's former parade of the Honourable George had been as nothing tothis exposure.
"Poor Jackson's face was a study," declared the Mixer to me later.
I dare say. It was still a study when my own turn came to observe it.The car halted before the shops that had been designated. The Klondikeperson dispatched her commissions in a superbly leisured manner,attentively accompanied by the Earl of Brinstead bearing packages forher.
Belknap-Jackson, at the wheel, stared straight ahead. I am told hebore himself with dignity even when some of our more ingenuouscitizens paused to converse with him concerning his new motor-car. Heis even said to have managed a smile when his passengers returned.
"I have it," exclaimed his lordship now. "Deuced good plan--go to thatRuggles place for a jolly fat tea. No end of a spree, what, what!"
It is said that on three occasions in turning his car and traversingthe short block to the Grill the owner escaped disastrous collisionwith other vehicles only by the narrowest possible margin. He may havecourted something of the sort. I dare say he was desperate.
"Join us, of course!" said his lordship, as he assisted his companionto alight. Again I am told the host managed to illumine his refusalwith a smile. He would take no tea--the doctor's orders.
The surprising pair entered at the height of my tea-hour and wereserved to an accompaniment of stares from the ladies present. To thisthey appeared oblivious, being intent upon their conference. Hislordship was amiable to a degree. It now occurred to me that he hadfound the woman even more dangerous than he had at first supposed. Hewas being forced to play a deep game with her and was meeting guilewith guile. He had, I suspected, found his poor brother far deeper inthan any of us had thought. Doubtless he had written compromisingletters that must be secured--letters she would hold at a price.
And yet I had never before had excuse to believe his lordshippossessed the diplomatic temperament. I reflected that I must alwayshave misread him. He was deep, after all. Not until the two left did Ilearn that Belknap-Jackson awaited them with his car. He loiteredabout in adjacent doorways, quite like a hired fellow. He waspassionately smoking more cigarettes than were good for him.
I escorted my guests to the car. Belknap-Jackson took his seat withbut one glance at me, yet it was eloquent of all the ignominy that hadbeen heaped upon him.
"Home, I think," said the lady when they were well seated. She said itcharmingly.
"Home," repeated his lordship. "Are you quite protected by the robe?"
An incautious pedestrian at the next crossing narrowly escaped beingrun down. He shook a fist at the vanishing car and uttered a stream ofoaths so vile that he would instantly have been taken up in anywell-policed city.
Half an hour later Belknap-Jackson called me.
"He got out with that fiend! He's staying on there. But, my God! cannothing be done?"
"His lordship is playing a most desperate game," I hastened to assurehim. "He's meeting difficulties. She must have her dupe's letters inher possession. Blackmail, I dare say. Best leave his lordship free.He's a deep character."
"He presumed far this afternoon--only the man's position saved himwith me!" His voice seemed choked with anger. Then, remotely, faint asdistant cannonading, a rumble reached me. It was hoarse laughter ofthe Mixer, perhaps in another room. The electric telephone has beenperfected in the States to a marvellous delicacy of response.
I now found myself observing Mrs. Effie, who had been among theabsorbed onlookers while the pair were at their tea, she havingoccupied a table with Mrs. Judge Ballard and Mrs. Dr. Martingale.Deeply immersed in thought she had been, scarce replying to hercompanions. Her eyes had narrowed in a way I well knew when shereviewed the social field.
Still absorbed she was when Cousin Egbert entered, accompanied by theHonourable George. The latter had seen but little of his brother sincetheir first stormy interview, but he had also seen little of theKlondike woman. His spirits, however, had seemed quite undashed. Herarely missed his tea. Now as they seated themselves they were joinedquickly by Mrs. Effie, who engaged her relative in earnest converse.It was easy to see that she begged a favour. She kept a hand on hisarm. She urged. Presently, seeming to have achieved her purpose, sheleft them, and I paused to greet the pair.
"I guess that there Mrs. Effie is awful silly," remarked Cousin Egbertenigmatically. "No, sir; she can't ever tell how the cat is going tojump." Nor would he say more, though he most elatedly held a secret.
With this circumstance I connected the announcement in Monday's_Recorder_ that Mrs. Senator Floud would on that evening entertainat dinner the members of Red Gap's Bohemian set, including Mrs. KateKenner, the guest of honour being his lordship the Earl of Brinstead,"at present visiting in this city. Covers," it added, "would be laidfor fourteen." I saw that Cousin Egbert would have been made theambassador to conduct what must have been a business of some delicacy.
Among the members of the North Side set the report occasioned thewildest alarm. And yet so staunch were known to be the principles ofMrs. Effie that but few accused her of downright treachery. It seemedto be felt that she was but lending herself to the furtherance of somedeep design of his lordship's. Blackmail, the recovery of compromisingletters, the avoidance of legal proceedings--these were hinted at. Formyself I suspected that she had merely misconstrued the seemingcordiality of his lordship toward the woman and, at the expense of theBelknap-Jacksons, had sought the honour of entertaining him. If, to dothat, she must entertain the woman, well and good. She was not one tofunk her fences with the game in sight.
Consulting me as to the menu for her dinner, she allowed herself to bepersuaded to the vegetable soup, boiled mutton, thick pudding, andcheese which I recommended, though she pleaded at length for a chanceto use the new fish set and for a complicated salad portrayed in herlatest woman's magazine. Covered with grated nuts it was in theillustration. I was able, however, to convince her that his lordshipwould regard grated nuts as silly.
From Belknap-Jackson I learned by telephone (during these days, beingsensitive, he stopped in almost quite continuously) that Mrs. Effiehad profusely explained to his wife about the dinner. "Of course, mydear, I couldn't have the presumption to ask you and your husband tosit at table with the creature, even if he did think it all right todrive her about town on a shopping trip. But I thought we ought to dosomething to make the dear Earl's visit one to be remembered--he's_so_ appreciative! I'm sure you understand just how thingsare----"
In reciting this speech to me Belknap-Jackson essayed to simulate thetone and excessive manner of a woman gushing falsely. The fellow wasquite bitter about it.
"I sometimes think I'll give up," he concluded. "God only knows whatthings are coming to!"
It began to seem even to me that they were coming a bit thick. But Iknew that his lordship was a determined man. He was of the bulldogbreed that has made old England what it is. I mean to say, I knew hewould put the woman in her place.