LeVere

“ He had been an intimate friend of the elder Lefevre, and the son greeted him with respect and affection.
"Who is the gentleman?" said Dr Rippon, aside, when their greeting was over. "It does an old man's heart good to see and hear him," and the old doctor straightened himself. "But he'll get old too; that's the sad thing, from my point of view, that such beauty of person and swift intelligence of mind must grow old and withered, and slow and dull. What did you say his name is, John?"
"His name is Courtney—Julius Courtney," said Lefevre. ”

“ A shiver ran through the frame of both Lefevre and his companion, a convulsive shudder passed upon the unconscious body, and—a strange cry rang out upon the silence of the ward, and Lefevre withdrew his hands. He and the house-physician looked at each other pale and shaken. The nurse came running at the cry. Lefevre looked out beyond the screen to reassure her, and saw in the dim red reflection of the firelight a sight which struck him gruesomely, used though he was to hospital sights; all about the ward pale scared figures were sitting up in bed, like corpses suddenly raised from the dead. ”

“ Leigh, sternly, “figures don't speak to the average man, and often not even to the expert. The man behind the figures—that's what counts.”
An icy hand squeezed Tommy's heart. An expert at figures had paid for his education. The only figures that now came into his throbbing mind were: seventeen thousand dollars! And the man behind those figures was his own father!
“You must see Willetts again,” said Mr. Leigh, quietly. “Perhaps I'd better explain the figures to him myself, Thomas.” ”

“ What? I determined to ascertain. Casting about in my mind for the means of doing so, I remembered that the ventilator running up through the house opened first into the passage-way connecting Mr. Leavenworth’s bedroom and library, and, secondly, into the closet of the large spare room adjoining mine. Hastily unlocking the door of the communication between the rooms, I took my position in the closet. Instantly the sound of voices reached my ears; all was open below, and standing there, I was as much an auditor of what went on between Mary and her uncle as if I were in the library itself. ”

“ Happening to catch a glimpse of herself in the mirror for that purpose provided in an town cars, Grace smoothed her brow and smiled. A man would have required slathers of flattery to dispel ill-humor. With a woman, the truth is enough. A mirror does not lie. Providence is more than kind to them; even automatic.
If she wouldn't marry Reggie or the others and did marry H. R.— But how could she?
She was an imaginative American girl with a sunshiny soul and much vitality who lived in New York. She thought of her marriage to H. R. She thought of the newspapers! ”

“ But he one day chanced on Lever’s novels, and they put so much heart into him that his character quite altered, and he became the bravest of the brave.
Lever may not do as much for every one, but he does teach contempt of danger, or rather, delight in it: a gay, spontaneous, boyish kind of courage—Irish courage at its best. We may get more good from that than harm from all his tales of much punch and many drinking bouts. These are no longer in fashion and are not very gay reading, perhaps, but his stories and songs, his duels and battles and hunting scenes are as merry and as good as ever. ”

“ Lefevre stopped. There was a pause, in which Julius put his head out of the window, as if he had a mind to be gone that way. Then he turned with a marked control upon himself.
"Really, Lefevre," said he, "this is the queerest stuff I've heard for a long time! This is hallucination with a vengeance! I don't like to apply such a tomfool word to anything, but observe how all this has come about. An excellent old gentleman, who has been dining out or something, has a glimpse at night, on a crowded pavement, of a man who looks like a friend of his youth. Very well. ”

“ In the face of anguish like this, I could not keep still.
"Dear Miss Leavenworth," I essayed, "there is no cause for such despair as this. The future looks dark, but not impenetrable. Your cousin will listen to reason, and in explaining——"
But she, deaf to my words, had again risen to her feet, and stood before me in an attitude almost appalling.
"Some women in my position would go mad! mad! mad!" ”

“ Tell me about yourself, and let me see what I can do."
"You can do nothing," said Julius, sadly shaking his head. "Understand me; I am not going to state a case for diagnosis. Put that idea aside; I merely wish to confess myself to my friend."
"But surely," said Lefevre, "I may be your physician as well as your friend. As long as you have life there is hope of life."
"No, no, no, Lefevre! There is a depth of life—life on the lees—that is worse than death! ”

“ Weddell,” said the young clerk, looking straight into the old banker’s eyes, “you in common with other honest men have been wishing you could prevent Mr. Greener from wrecking the Iowa Midland. Now, Mr. Weddell,” he went on, eagerly, as the enthusiasm of the plan grew upon him, “I know all about Mr. Greener’s plans and resources and I want you to help me fight him. If you do we will win, sure.” ”

“ Buxton pitied herself, "you can't trust these corporations al- ways."
"You would think they would be honest, since they are so rich," wondered Mrs. Frost, without perceptible indignation.
"Oh, because one is rich it does not follow one is not honest," said Mrs. Buxton, defensively. "The Stuyvesants have always had a good reputation." Caste ties are strong.
"They say those New York families, especially in the four hundred, are no better than they ought to be. There's lots of divorces and—and"—with a wicked little shake of the head—" things we never hear of out here." ”

“ I went on, with passionate recklessness. "Balked in every other endeavor to learn the truth, I have come to you, whom I believe to be noble at the core, for that help which seems likely to fail us in every other direction: for the word which, if it does not absolutely save your cousin, will at least put us upon the track of what will."
"I do not understand what you mean," she protested, slightly shrinking.
"Miss Leavenworth," I pursued, "it is needless for me to tell you in what position your cousin stands. ”

“ Buxton was grateful, not to a foolish young gambler's bad play, but to the brokers. She thanked them effusively for their kindness to the widow of their old friend and client. Her belief in her intuition grew firm. One great man long ago called it a belief in his star.
"He always," she assured them,—she meant her husband,—"thought a great deal of you, and I cannot tell you how glad I am that I left the Lakeside stock in your care. ”

“ He shook his head at her and then at the window, and told her: "To jump out of that one would be as bad as having me arrested. Do you want the infernal reporters to make you ridiculous? Do you realize that I am the most-talked-about man in all New York? Don't you know what newspaper ridicule is? Don't you? Say no!"
To make sure of her own grasp of the situation Mrs. Goodchild, who was dying to shriek at the top of her voice, compressed her lips. H. R. instantly perceived the state of affairs and double-turned the key by fiendishly placing his right forefinger to his [Pg 125] own lips. ”

“ Is it not forced?"
"Well," began Lefevre.
"It is bad detective business," broke in Julius, "though it may be good friendship. You have thought there was trouble in this for me, and you wished to give me warning of it. But—que diable vas-tu faire dans cette galère? You are the best friend in the world, and whenever I am in trouble—and who knows? who knows? 'Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward'—I may ask of you both your friendship and your skill. One thing I ask of you here: don't speak of me as you see me now, thus miserably moved, to any one! ”

“ I sprang forward to speak to her, and then became rooted to the ground. It was she, indeed, as beautiful as ever; her pale face wore the very look I had last seen the night I saved her from the flood.
'Did you observe her companion?' said O'Grady, who fortunately had not noticed my confusion. 'It was De Vere. I knew he was here; and I suspect I see his plans.'
'De Vere!' said I, starting. 'De Vere with Miss Bellew! Are you certain?'
'Quite certain; I seldom mistake a face, and his I can't forget. But here's Guillemain. ”

“ Lewie had remonstrated with his mother, when she proposed accompanying him, and had urged her to accept his Uncle Wharton’s invitation to make his house her home. He was just at that age when boys love to appear independent and manly, and able to take care of themselves; and he had hoped that he should be allowed to go alone to school, as many of the other boys did, or perhaps to accompany his uncle and cousins. But to be taken there under the care of a woman, and to have her remain near him, as if he could not take care of himself! ”

“ The doctor began to wonder if he was a pickpocket, and to look about for the watchful eye of a policeman. He kept close behind him past the door of the Strand Theatre, when the throng became slacker, and the man turned quickly about and returned the way he had come. Then Lefevre had a glimpse of his face,—the merest passing glimpse, but it made him pause and ask himself where he had seen it before. A dark, foreign-looking man, with a haggard appeal in his eye: he tried to find the place of such a figure in his memory, but for the time he tried in vain. ”

“ Ethel did. She said, with conviction:
"And we'll all vote for him, too!"
The waiter laid a plate of sandwiches before Grace.
H. R. stared at them—a long time, as though he were crystal-gazing. He saw the labor-unions, the churches, the aristocracy, the bankers, the newspapers, the thoughtless, and the hungry; and all were with him and for him. He was the only man the Socialists really feared. If he was H. R. to New York, why should he not become H. R. to the nation?
He saw himself on the steps of the Capitol on a 4th of March. It was typical Rutgers weather. ”

“ How may I be of service to you?"
"I think you knew my husband, Colonel Channing. He was Frederick Buxton, superintendent of the Pittsburg, Indianapolis, and Chicago Railroad."
"Ah, yes," with a polite smile that invited family confidences. He did not remember the name or the man.
"Before he died he bought three hundred shares of Lakeside stock for me, which I hold." Mrs. Buxton felt faintly that she was not businesslike. But she had not time to act a part; so she was what she wished to be, unconsciously. Women would be sensible if they allowed themselves to be natural. ”

“ The colonel was frowning quite fiercely.
Tommy's heart leaped, for Colonel Willetts was a very rich man indeed. But he said, “A gift is, of course, out of the question.”
“That is why I have to break my rule two or three times a year. You wish friends to be interested in your Mr. Thompson's experiments. I don't blame you. No, I don't! But they might prove rather expensive. Yes, yes, I know you think they will be successful. Rivington telephoned to me that you were going to see Mead and Jim Wilson, and a few other unfortunate fathers of chums, but I'll save you the trouble. ”

“ Duvall laughed. "Monsieur Lefevre," he said, "I have a splitting headache, a bad wound in my cheek, and a burning desire to spend the next two hours talking to my wife." He drew Grace toward him, and put his arm through hers. "I am very much afraid that the explanation of [296] the disappearance of Mr. Stapleton's boy will have to be put off until tomorrow."
Monsieur Lefevre watched the two as they went, arm in arm, up the stairs.
"Mon Dieu!" he said softly to himself. "They are just as much in love with each other as ever." ”

“ While the archer renewed his search, vainly rummaging every nook and corner of the garret, John Lefevre carefully collected the bits of paper that were strewn over the floor, assorted them, and kneeling down beside the stool, on which he placed the lanthorn, examined the manuscript intently. Suddenly a tremor ran over his frame, and turning to the sergeant he said:
"There is every reason to believe that Christian Lebrenn is not in the house. ”

“ Never has man been put to such a task. Don't you know—can't you see what I am doing?"
She knew; she saw. She felt herself mistress of the situation. She therefore said, softly:
"I shouldn't want you to commit suicide here."
Hearing no reply, she looked at him. He was ready for it. She saw his nostrils dilate and his fists clench and unclench.
"Then I won't see you. But—but you can see me," he said.
She frowned.
He went on: "I shall lunch every day at Jerry's—small table in the northeast corner. At one o'clock every day for a whole month." ”

“ The Tribune man answered by turning pale. The others looked uneasy. When a well-dressed young man asks that question in New York there can be but two answers: Bloomingdale or Standard Oil.
H. R. was going to marry a rich banker's only daughter. He was therefore no lunatic.
H. R. was thenceforth regarded by the newspapers, and therefore by the public, as a fabulously rich man. This made him definitely Front Page. No other man ever became chronically that without committing murder or playing for the labor vote. ”