The Best Man Read online

  II

  CARRINGTON faced her swiftly. He had not expected this. There wassomething in her handsome eyes that barred the way to subterfuge. Thelie died unspoken, and he dropped his gaze and began to dig up the turfwith the toe of his shoe.

  "Is it my father, John?"

  "Yes. Oh, Kate," with a despairing gesture, "I'm the most miserablefellow alive! To think that this should fall into my hands, of all handsin the world!"

  "Perhaps it is better so," quietly. "Nothing is without purpose. Itmight have come to test your honesty. But you are sure, John; it is notguess-work?"

  "All the evidence is in my pocket. Say the word, and the wind shallcarry it down to the sea. Say the word, heart o' mine!"

  He made a quick movement toward his pocket, but she caught his arm.

  "Do nothing foolish or hasty, John. Tearing up the evidence would notundo what is done. Sooner or later murder will out. If my father isculpable, if in his thoughtless greed for money he has robbed the poor,he must be made to restore what he has taken. I know my father; what hehas done appears perfectly legitimate to him. Can he be put in prison?"

  "It all depends upon how well he defends himself," evasively.

  She went on. "I have been dreading something like this; so it is nogreat surprise to me. He is money-mad, money-mad; and he hears, sees,thinks nothing but money. But it hurts, John; I am a proud woman. Mygrandfather...." Her lips shut suddenly. "Money!" with a passionate waveof the hand. "How I hate the name of it, the sound of it, the thought ofit! I love my father," with a defiant pride; "he has always been tenderand kind to me; and I should not be of his flesh and blood had I not thedesire to shield and protect him."

  "The remedy is simple and close at hand," suggested Carrington gently.

  "Simple, but worthy of neither of us. I abhor anything that is notwholly honest. It is one of those strange freaks of nature (who holdsherself accountable to no one) to give to me honesty that is the sumtotal of what should have been evenly distributed among my ancestors. IfI were to tell all I know, all I have kept locked in my heart...."

  "Don't do it, girl; it wouldn't matter in the least. You are you; andthat is all there is to love. Why, I could not love you less if yourgreat-great-grandfather was a pirate," lightly. "Love asks no questions;and ancestors worry me not at all; they are all comfortably dead."

  "Not always. But if my perception of honor were less keen, I shouldlaugh at what you call your evidence."

  "Laugh?"

  "Yes, indeed. I very well understand the tremendous power of money."

  "Not more than I," sadly.

  She laughed brokenly. "More than you. I can picture to you just whatwill happen." She rose. "There will, of course, be a great newspaperclamor; the interstate commissioners will put their heads together;there will be investigations by the government. That will be the attack.The keenest lawyers are on the side of corporations; that is because thestate is niggard with her pay. Let me outline the defense. Father willresign from his high office, to be reelected later when the public coolsoff! A new directorate will fill the place of the present one. Suddenlyfalsified entries will be discovered; the head bookkeeper will havedisappeared. All fingers will point to him. He will be in South America,having been paid several thousand to go there. All this will make thepassing of the dividend perfectly logical. The matter will never betried in court. Money will do all this."

  "My dear little woman, you reason like Pythagoras; but," Carringtonadded gravely, "when I undertook to untangle this affair, I realized itshuge proportions. For every redoubt your father has, I have an assault,for every wall a catapult, for every gate a petard. But, as I saidbefore, you have only to say the word, and for the present nobody willbe any the wiser."

  "If I permitted you to do this, I should destroy my faith in both of us.It would erect a barrier which would be insurmountable. That is not theway out."

  "I have weighed all these things," discouragedly.

  He took the document from his pocket and caught it in a way thatindicated how easily it might be ripped into halves, the halves intoquarters, the quarters into infinitesimal squares of meaninglessletters.

  "Once more, shall I, Kate?"

  "No, John. That would only make our difficulties greater. But I do askthis one favor; put your evidence into the hands of a strange attorney,have nothing to do with the prosecution; for my sake."

  "I must have the night to think it over. Most of my attacks are notherein written; I dared keep them only in my head."

  "I am very unhappy," said the girl.

  He took her hand and kissed it reverently. He longed to console her, butno words he had in mind seemed adequate.

  "Fore!" came lazily over the knoll. They were no longer alone. Sotogether they wandered slowly back to the club-house. Tea was beingserved, and Carrington drank his abstractedly. From time to time hejoined the conversation, but without any heart. Some of the busierladies whispered that it looked this time as though Kate had given theyoung man his _conge_.

  On the way home Norah, with her humorous comment on the weekly budget ofgossip, saved the situation from any possible _contretemps_. Mrs.Cavenaugh was easy-going, but for all that she possessed remarkablyobservant eyes; and her eldest daughter was glad that they were occupiedelsewhere.

  Kate was very unhappy; her father was not honest, and the man she lovedhad come into the knowledge of the fact. Ah, how quickly shadow candarken sunshine!

  "What did you make it in to-day, Mr. Carrington?" asked Norah.

  "Make what?" he counter-questioned absently.

  "The course, Mr. Goose! What did you think I meant?"

  "Oh," lamely, "I made a bad play at the beginning, and gave it up."

  By this time they had arrived at the gates, and everybody was thankful;Mrs. Cavenaugh, because her nose smarted with sunburn; Norah, becausethe gown she was to wear at the dance that night was new; Kate, becauseshe wanted to be alone; and Carrington, because he wanted to learnwhether the Angel threw Jacob or Jacob threw the Angel. The driver andthe horses were glad to arrive because they were hungry.

  It took the young lawyer some time to dress for dinner that night. Hisusually direct mind vacillated between right and wrong, wrong and right;and he floated from one to the other like an unattached cork. He made adozen annoying blunders in dressing. And when finally the pier-glassreflected an irreproachable and finished picture, he searched hiscast-off vest for his growing monster and transferred it to the pocketof his coat. Monster! Here was no story-monster, like the creature of aFrankenstein; it was genuine, and was like to turn upon him at anymoment and rend him. He shrugged and proceeded down the stairs. Thereare soliloquies that sometimes leave an unpleasant taste behind. So hepinned his faith to the banner of the late genial and hopeful Micawber:something might turn up for the benefit of all concerned.

  The hall and living-room at the Cavenaugh manor were one and the same.There were bookcases ranging along the walls, window-seats, areading-table and an ancient chimney-seat. As Carrington turned thefirst landing he stopped.

  "Father, I think it positively dreadful the way you treat poor grandpa."This was Norah.

  There was a crackle of a newspaper.

  "Never mind, Norah, darling; your grandpa is used to it. It doesn'tmatter at all."

  It was the sight of the last speaker that brought Carrington to a stand.Norah's grandpa was no less a person than the shabbily dressed old manhe had seen at the station that afternoon. What kind of family skeletonin the closet was he that they kept him _en camera_? He coughed and wenton.

  Norah was plucky, whole-hearted, frank and encouraging.

  "Mr. Carrington," she said immediately, "this is my grandpa."

  Carrington did not hesitate a moment, but smiled and thrust out hishand, which the other grasped with a questioning air of diffidence.

  "Glad to meet you, sir," said Carrington.

  Cavenaugh _fils_ glanced over the top of his paper, scowled, and resumedhis reading. Kat
e hadn't come down yet, so she missed this scene. Whenshe did appear, there was no visible sign of any previous agitation. Sheand Norah were thoroughbreds.

  "Why, grandpa!" she cried, extending her hand.

  The old man bowed over it and kissed it, and his action was lackingneither in grace nor gallantry.

  "I happened to be down this way on business," said the old man with acovert glance at his son, "and thought I'd drop in."

  "Dinner is served," said the splendid butler, as he slid back the doorsto the dining-room.

  The old man looked about him questioningly, and Norah slipped her armthrough his. "You'll have to take me in, grandpa," she laughed.

  The old man's eyes shone for a moment, and he patted her hand.

  "I'm as proud as a king, Norah."

  Now, Carrington could read between the lines. It was manifestly plainthat grandpa was not welcome to Cavenaugh. But why? Mrs. Cavenaughscarcely tolerated him. While the girls seldom if ever spoke of him, itwas evident that both held him in their affections. There were manystrange things going on in the Cavenaugh manor; and Carrington enteredthe dining-room in a subdued state of mind.

  By degrees Norah succeeded in drawing the pariah out of himself.Carrington was soon listening to an amazing range of adventures. The oldman had seen Cuba in the filibusters' time, he had fought the Canadianconstabulary as a Fenian, he had been a sailor, and had touched theshores of many strange lands. Grandpa Cavenaugh was anything butilliterate. Quite often there was a flash of wit, a well-turned phrase,a quotation. He had, besides, a comprehensive grasp of the politics ofall countries.

  Carrington saw at once that his half-formed opinion was a house ofcards. There was no reason in the world why they should be ashamed ofhim, shunt him off into the side-track of obscurity, and begrudge him aplate at the table. Carrington realized that he was very close to somepeculiar mystery, and that the old man's bitterest enemy was his son.

  Throughout the meal the millionaire preserved a repelling silence. Fromtime to time, when there was laughter, he scowled. Once or twice Mrs.Cavenaugh essayed to pass an observation across the table to him, but acurt nod was all she received for her pains. Presently Cavenaugh droppedhis knife on his plate, and the pariah retreated meekly into his shell.In fact, he looked frightened, as if the thought had come to him that hehad made an irreparable blunder in warming under his grandchildren'ssmiles.

  "Carrington," said Midas, balling his napkin and tossing it on thetable, "your particular branch is corporation law, isn't it?"

  "Yes. The firm has some reputation in that branch." Carrington glancedcuriously at his host. What was coming now? Was it possible thatCavenaugh had in some way learned of his discoveries and was about toplacate him?

  "I believe you handled successfully the D. & M. railroad deal?"

  "We won in three courts."

  "Well," continued Cavenaugh, "I've been thinking of you to-day. The P. &O. counsel has had to give up on account of poor health, and Matthewsonspoke to me yesterday, asking if I knew a man who could fill his place.It pays seventeen thousand the year." He paused as if to let thismagnificent salary sink into the deepest crevice of Carrington's soul."What would you say to a permanent berth like that?" Cavenaughpositively beamed.

  Kate stared at her father in astonishment. Was it possible that he wasbeginning to look favorably upon Carrington? Her glance traveled toCarrington. His expression she found puzzling.

  "Seventeen thousand!" murmured the pariah, rubbing his hands, while hiseyes sparkled.

  Carrington deliberated for a space. He was hard put. He did not want torefuse this peace-offering, but nothing would make him accept it.

  "This is very fine of you. Two years ago I should have jumped at thechance. But my agreement with my partner makes it impossible. I can nothonestly break my contract within five years." He waited for the stormto burst, for Cavenaugh was not a patient man.

  "Are you mad?" whispered Kate. A flush of anger swept over her at thethought of Carrington's lightly casting aside this evident olive-branch.

  "Would you have me accept it?" he returned, in a whisper lower thanhers.

  She paled. "I had forgotten," she said, with the pain of quickrecollection.

  The dinner came to its end, and everybody rose gratefully, for thereseemed to be something tense in the air.

  "Seventeen thousand honest dollars!" murmured the pariah, tagging alongat the millionaire's heels.

  Carrington threw him a swift penetrating glance; but the old man waslooking ecstatically at the tinted angels on the ceiling. The old manmight be perfectly guileless; but Carrington scented the faintly bitteraroma of irony.

  Just before the carriage arrived to convey Carrington and the ladies tothe club dance, grandpa appeared, hat in hand and a humble smile on hisface. It was a very attractive face, weather-beaten though it was,penciled by the onset of seventy years.

  "You are not going, are you, grandpa?" asked Norah.

  "Yes, my child. I should be very lonesome here alone with your estimablefather. I'll drop in to-morrow for Sunday dinner; that is, if you arenot going to have company. I am glad that I met you, Mr. Carrington."

  "Poor old grandpa!" sighed Norah, when the door closed upon him. "He hasthe ridiculous idea that he isn't wanted."

  Nobody pursued the subject and Norah began to preen herself.

  An idea came to Carrington. He wanted to be rid of his document. Hespoke to Kate, who nodded comprehensively. She led him into thedining-room. In one corner, protected by a low screen, was a small safe.This she threw open, and Carrington put the envelope into one of thepigeon-holes. The safe was absolutely empty, a fact which puzzled himnot a little.

  "We seldom use this," said the girl, reading the vague unspoken questionin his eyes. "The jewel safe is up-stairs in my room."

  "It doesn't matter in the least," he replied, smiling, "so long as I maysafely rid myself of these obnoxious papers. And if you do not mind,I'll leave them there till Monday morning. I've thought it all out,Kate. A man's only human, after all. I could never prosecute the casemyself; I'd be thinking of you and the bread I have eaten. I'll turn thematter over to Challoner, and let him do as he thinks best. Of course, Ishall be called as a witness when the case comes up in court, if it everdoes."

  She did not reply, but shut the door of the safe and rose from herknees.

  The south side of the dining-room was made up of long colonial windowsthat opened directly upon the lawn. They were more like doors thanwindows. She locked each one carefully and drew the curtain.

  "Norah is probably growing impatient for us," she said.

  With an indescribable impulse he suddenly drew her into his arms andkissed her. It might be the last he could ever claim.

  "John!" she murmured, gently disengaging herself.

  "I love you," he said, "and I could not help it. Everything looks sodark."

  * * * * *

  The clock in the hall chimed the quarter hour after eleven. Cavenaughwas in his den. His desk was littered with sheets of paper, upon whichwere formidable columns of figures and dollar signs. He sat back in hischair and listened. He thought he heard a door or window close; hewasn't certain. It was probably one of the servants. He bit off the endof a fresh cigar and resumed his work. Let the young people play golf,if they wanted to, and dance and frivol away the precious hours; theywould never know the joy of seeing one become two, two become four, andso on, till the adding grew into the ransoms of many kings. Ay, this wasto live. Oh, the beautiful numerals! Brigade after brigade, corps aftercorps, they marched at a sign from him; an army greater than that ofkings. To sit in a little room, as in a puppet-booth, and juggle thepolicies of the nations! Yes, Kate should have a duke and Norah aprince; he would show them all some day. Recollecting Carrington, hefrowned. Did the fellow know anything, that he felt the power to refusean offer such as he had made at the dinner-table? Bah! It would be likecrushing some insect. He determined that this should be Carrington'slast visi
t. His pen moved once more, and presently he became lost in hisdreams of calculation.

  But Cavenaugh's ears had not deceived him, however, for he had heard thesound of a closing window. A window had been closed, but none of theservants had been at hand.

  At precisely eleven a man came swiftly but cautiously across the lawn.When he reached the long windows of the dining-room he paused, but notirresolutely. There was a sharp rasping sound, followed by the uncertainglare that makes the light of a dark-lantern separate and individual,and a window swung noiselessly inward. The room was in total darkness.The man wore a short mask, a soft felt hat well down over his eyes. Hecupped his hand to his ear and strained to catch any sound. Silence.Then he dropped behind the screen, consulted a slip of paper by thelight of his lantern, and with a few quick turns of the combination-knobopened the door of the safe. He extracted the envelope and thrust itinto his pocket, without so much as a glance at its contents. In makinghis exit, the window stuck on the sill. In pressing it the lock snappedloudly. This was the sound Cavenaugh heard. The burglar ran lightlyacross the lawn and disappeared beyond the hedges. And none too soon.

  The Cavenaugh drag rolled over the hill and went clattering up to theporte-cochere.

  On the way home Carrington, his mind still wavering between thisexpedient and that, decided that, after all, he would take charge of thepapers himself. It didn't seem quite fair that Cavenaugh's safe shouldprotect his ultimate disgrace. So, upon entering the house, he confidedhis desire to Kate, who threw aside her wraps and led him into thedining-room. She had her own reasons for wishing the papers out of thesafe. She turned on the lights and swirled the combination-knob. At thismoment Norah came in.

  "What are you doing?" she asked.

  "Mr. Carrington left some valuable papers in the safe, and he wantsthem."

  Carrington wondered why Norah gazed from him to her sister with so wildan expression.

  "Papers?" she murmured.

  Kate opened the door. She sprang to her feet in terror and dismay.

  "What is it?" cried Carrington, who saw by her expression that somethingextraordinary had happened.

  "They ... it is not there!"

  Norah sat down and hid her face on her arms.

  Carrington rushed over to the safe, stooped and made a hastyexamination. It had been opened by some one who knew the combination! Hestood up, a cold chill wrinkling his spine. He saw it all distinctly.Cavenaugh knew. He had known all along. Cavenaugh had overheard himspeak to Kate, and had opened the safe after their departure for theclub. It was all very cleverly done. He knew that Kate was utterlyblameless. Then it dawned upon him that, they appeared as though theyaccepted the catastrophe as not wholly unexpected! To what did thislabyrinth lead?

 

  A rattle of the curtain-rings wheeled them about. They beheld Cavenaughhimself standing in the doorway.

  "What's the trouble?" he asked, eying Carrington suspiciously.

  Carrington answered him icily. "I left some legal documents of greatvalue in this safe; they are no longer there."

  Cavenaugh's jaw dropped. He stared at Kate, then at Norah. If ever therewas written on a face unfeigned dismay and astonishment, it was on themillionaire's. A moment before Carrington would have sworn that he wasguilty; now he knew not what to believe. He grew bewildered. There hadcertainly been a burglar; but who was he?

  "Mr. Carrington," said Cavenaugh, pulling himself together with aneffort, "you need have no worry whatever. I will undertake to restoreyour documents. I offer you no explanations." He left them abruptly.

  The young lawyer concluded to grope no longer. Somebody else would haveto lead him out of this labyrinthine maze. All at once there came to hima sense of infinite relief. Providence had kindly taken the matter outof his hands.

  "Never mind, Kate," he said. "For my part, I should be entirelysatisfied if I never saw the miserable thing again."

  "Father will find it for you." Her eyes were dim with tears of shame.

  "What is it, girl?"

  "Nothing that I can explain to you, John. Good night."

  When he had gone to his room, Norah turned to her sister and sobbed onher breast.

  "Oh, Kate!"

  "What is the matter, child?"

  "I told grandpa the combination!"