Portlaw

“ He looked curiously at Hamil; "particularly to Shiela," he repeated; but Hamil missed the expression of his eyes in the dusk.
"Are you really going to throw us over like this?" demanded Portlaw as the young men turned back together across the deck.
"Got to do it," said Hamil cheerfully, offering his hand in adieu.
"Don't plead necessity," insisted Portlaw. "You've just landed old man Cardross, and you've got the Richmond parks, and you're going to sting me for more than I'm worth. Why on earth do you cut and run this way?"
"No man in his proper senses really knows why he does anything. ”

“ Portlaw begged him to come—"
"What for? Oh, well, I guess I can answer that for myself; it's to save Portlaw some trouble or other—"
"You are very hard on people—very intolerant, sometimes—"
"I have no illusions concerning the unselfishness of Billy Portlaw. Look at him tagging after the doctors and bawling for pills!—with Garry lying there! He hustled him into a cottage, too—"
"He was quite right, Jim, Garry is better off—"
"So's William. Don't tell me, Constance; he's always been the same; he never really cared for anybody in all his life except Louis Malcourt. ”

“ Portlaw, laughing fatly, nodded. "Louis discovered your Circe through the glasses climbing into your boat—"
"What a busy little beast you are, Malcourt," observed Hamil, annoyed, glancing down at the small boat alongside.
"'Beast' is good! You mean the mere sight of her transformed Louis into the classic shote," added Portlaw, laughing louder as Hamil, still smiling through his annoyance, went over the side. ”

“ Personally she and Portlaw had been rather fond of one another; and to avoid trouble incident on hot temper Alida Ascott decamped, intending to cool off in the Palm Beach surf and think it over; but she met Portlaw at Palm Beach that winter, and Portlaw dodged the olive branch and neglected her so selfishly that she determined then and there upon his punishment, now long overdue.
"My Lord!" said Portlaw plaintively to Malcourt, "I had no idea she'd do such a thing to me; had you?"
"Didn't I tell you she would?" said Malcourt. "I know women better than you do, though you don't believe it." ”

“ He then drew off the water in the brown-trout ponds, sent in men with seines and shotguns, and finally, with dynamite, purged the free waters of the brown danger for good and all.
"When Malcourt comes back," observed Portlaw, "you'll have to answer for all this."
"I won't be questioned," said Hastings, smiling.
"Oh! And what do you propose to do next?"
"If I had the money you think of spending on ruined castles "—very respectfully—"I'd build a wall in place of that mesh-wire fence."
"Why?" asked Portlaw.
"The wire deceives the grouse when they come driving headlong through the woods. ”

“ There was not much fun in exploiting such a man. Besides, Hamil had turned uncomfortable, evidently considering it the worst of taste on Malcourt's part.
"What am I to do about that telegram?" he asked, lighting a cigarette.
Portlaw, immersed in sauce and the electrical problem, adjusted his mind with an effort to this other and less amusing question.
"Wire for particulars and sit tight," advised Portlaw. "We've just three now for 'Preference,' and if you go kiting off to town Hamil and I will be forced into double dummy, and that's a horrible mental strain on a man—isn't it, Hamil?" ”

“ The poise of her head, the lifted chin, every detail in the polished and delicately tinted surface reflected cool experience of the world and of men. Yet the eyes were young, and there was no hardness in them, and the mouth seemed curiously unfashioned for worldly badinage—a very wistful, full-lipped mouth that must have been disciplined in some sad school to lose its cheerfulness in repose.
"I am wondering," she said, "why Mr. Portlaw does not come and talk to me. We are neighbors in the country, you know; I live at Pride's Fall. ”

“ But Portlaw searched in vain for the humour which he had contrived somehow to miss. He also missed Malcourt on such occasions—Malcourt whose nimble intelligence never missed a trick!
"Thank the Lord he's coming!" he breathed devoutly. "It's bad enough to have a man dying on the premises without having an earthly thing to do while he's doing it.... I can see no disrespect to Hamil if we play a few cards now and then." ”

“ Portlaw took his offered hand as though dazed.
"You'll come back, of course," he said, "in a couple of days—or a week if you like—but you'll be back, of course. You know if there's anything the matter with your salary just say so. I always meant you should feel perfectly free to fix your salary to suit yourself. Only be sure to come back in a week, won't you?"
"Good-bye," said Malcourt in a low voice. "I'd like to talk to Hamil—if he can give me a few moments."
Bareheaded, Hamil stepped out into the clear, crisp, April sunshine where the buckboard stood on the gravel. ”

“ Portlaw was on his feet, startled eyes fairly protruding as he scanned incredulously the engraved card between his pudgy fingers.
"O Lord!" he bellowed; "it's all up! The entire bally business has gone up! That pup of a Louis!—Oh, there's no use!—Look here, Hamil! I tell you I can't believe it, I can't, and I won't—Look what that fool card says!"
And Hamil's stunned gaze fell on the engraved card:
"Mr. and Mrs. Neville Cardross have the honour of announcing the marriage of their daughter Shiela to Mr. Louis Malcourt." ”

“ You know, it's pitiable when I think what a clean-cut, decent-looking, decently set-up fellow you were only two years ago!—it's enough to make a cat sick!"
"Can I help what I look like!" bellowed Portlaw wrathfully.
"What an idiot question!" said Malcourt with weary patience. "All you've got to do is to cuddle yourself less, and go out into the fresh air on your ridiculous legs—"
"Ridiculous!" gasped the other. "Well, I'm damned if I stand that—!"
"You won't be able to stand at all if you continue eating and sitting in arm-chairs. You don't like what I say, do you?" with easy impudence. ”

“ I've half a mind to stop payment on that check—if that enlightens you any."
"There's an easier way," said Malcourt coolly. "You know how it is in sparring? You forecast what your opponent is going to do and you stop him before he does it."
"I'm not certain that he—did it," muttered Portlaw. "I can't afford to make a mistake by kicking out your brother-in-law." ”

“ Portlaw was so anxious for Louis to begin his duties that we decided to come at once, particularly as we both were somewhat worried over the serious illness of Mr. Hamil.
"He is very, very ill, poor fellow. The sudden change from the South brought on pneumonia. I know that you both and Gray and Cecile and Jessie will feel as sorry as I do. His aunt, Miss Palliser, is here. To-night I was permitted to see him. Only his eyes were visible and they were wide open. It is very dreadful, very painful, and has cast a gloom over our gaiety. ”

“ But what man supposes of woman is vain imagining; and in that shadowy neutral ground which lies between martyrdom and sin no maid dwells for very long before she crosses one frontier or the other.
When he descended the stairs once more he found Portlaw, surrounded by the contents of the mail-sack, and in a very bad temper, while Malcourt stood warming his back at the blazing birch-logs, and gazing rather stupidly at a folded telegram in his hands.
"Well, Hamil—damn it all! What do you think of that!" demanded Portlaw, turning to Hamil as he entered the room ”

“ He had physicians in consultation from Utica and Albany; he had nurses and oxygen; he had Miss Palliser on the telephone, first in New York, then at Albany, and finally at Pride's Fall, to tell her that Hamil was alive.
She arrived after midnight with Wayward. Hamil was still breathing—if it could be called by that name.
Toward dawn a long-distance call summoned Portlaw: Malcourt was on the end of the wire.
"Is Hamil ill up at your place?"
"He is," said Portlaw curtly. ”

“ How do you feel after your luncheon?"
"All right," said Hamil, smiling. "I'd like to start out as soon as Malcourt comes back."
"Oh, don't begin that sort of thing the moment you get here!" protested Portlaw. "My heavens, man! there's no hurry. Can't you smoke a cigar and play a card or two—"
"You know I've other commissions—"
"Oh, of course; but I hoped you'd have time to take it easy. I've looked forward to having you here—so has Malcourt; he thinks you're about right, you know. And he makes damn few friends among men—"
The door opened and Malcourt entered slowly, almost noiselessly. ”

“ Once he was obliged to return to Pride's Hall to inspect the progress of work for Mrs. Ascott; and it happened during his brief stay there that her engagement was announced.
"I tell you what, Hamil," said Portlaw confidentailly over their cigars, "I never thought I could win her, never in the world. Besides poor Louis was opposed to it; but you know when I make up my mind—"
"I know," said Hamil.
"That's it! First, a man must have a mind to make up; then he must have enough intelligence to make it up." ”

“ As they turned and strolled forward, Malcourt nudged him:
"Look at the fireworks over Lake Worth," he said; "probably Palm Beach's welcome to her new and beardless prophet."
"It's one of their cheap Venetian fêtes," muttered Portlaw. "I know 'em; they're rather amusing. If we weren't sailing in an hour we'd go. No doubt Hamil's in it already ”

“ In the morning he left for the North and Portlaw's camp. Gray drove him to the station; Cecile, in distractingly pretty negligee waved him audacious adieu from her window.
"Shiela seems to be ill," explained Gray, as the motor car shot out into the haze of early morning. "She asked me to say good-bye for her.... I say, Hamil, you're looking rather ill yourself. This climate is sure to get a white man sooner or later, if he remains too long. But the North will put you into condition. You're going straight to Portlaw's camp on Luckless Lake?" ”

“ No—no!"—lifting his hand with smiling depreciation as Tressilvain began to thank him. "One must look out for one's own family. It's natural—only natural to make some provision. Good-night, Helen! Good-night, Herby. Portlaw and I will take you on at Bridge if it rains to-morrow. It will be a privilege for us to—ah—watch your game—closely. ”

“ She added: "If we play to-morrow you stick to signals; do you understand? And keep your ring and your fingers off the cards until I can make up my mind about my brother. You're a fool to drink American whisky the way you did yesterday. Mr. Portlaw noticed the roughness on the aces; you pricked them too deep. You'd better keep your wits about you, I can tell you. I'm a Yankee myself."
"Right—O! But I say, Helen, I'm damned if I make out that brother of yours. Doesn't he live in the same house as his wife?"
Lady Tressilvain sat listening to the uproar from the dogs as Malcourt left the garden. ”

“ Women like to have a chance to forgive you; Louis says so, and he ought to know. What a devilishly noisy woodpecker!"
And, looking up, he drew bridle sharply.
For there, on the wood's edge, stood a familiar gray mare, and in the saddle, astride, sat Alida Ascott, busily hammering tacks into a trespass notice printed on white muslin, and attached to the trunk of a big maple-tree.
So absorbed was she in her hammering that at first she neither heard nor saw Portlaw when he finally ventured to advance; and when she did she dropped the tack hammer in her astonishment. ”

“ Man alive, you've wasted your youth," he insisted, genuinely grieved. "Well, wise men, chiefs, and sachems, here's more hair on your scalp-locks, and a fat buck to every bow!"
Malcourt picked up his glass. "Choh" he said maliciously; but Portlaw did not understand the irony in the Seminole salutation of The Black Drink; and the impudent toast was swallowed without suspicion.
Then Hamil's luggage arrived, and he went away to inspect his quarters, prepare for luncheon, and exchange his attire for forest dress. ”

“ Malcourt had carried himself and his newspaper to the farther end of the terrace, and now stood leaning over the balustrade, an unlighted cigarette between his lips.
"I suppose you'll go to Luckless Lake," observed Hamil, pausing beside Malcourt in his walk.
"Yes. There's plenty to do. We stripped ten thousand trout in October, and we're putting in German boar this spring."
"I should think your occupation would be fascinating."
"Yes? It's lonely, too, until Portlaw's camp parties begin. I get an overdose of nature at times. ”

“ No other living thing was in sight except the slim, blue dragon-flies, ceaselessly darting among the beach-grapes; nothing else stirred except those two figures on the dunes, moving slowly, heads bent as though considering the advisability of every step in the breaking sands. There was a fixed smile on the girl's lips, but her eyes were mirthless, almost vacant.
"So you've decided to go?" she said.
"Portlaw decides that sort of thing for me."
"It's a case of necessity?"
Malcourt answered lightly: "He intends to go. Who can stop a fat and determined man? Besides, the season is over ”

“ Porthstinian (the port of Justinian) , in Wales; Porth-y-cawl, corrupt. from Porth-y-Gaul (the harbour where the Gallic invaders used to land) , in Wales. In Ireland: Portraine, now Rathlin (the landing-place of Rachra) ; Portadown (at the fortress) ; Portlaw, Irish Port-lagha (at the hill) ; Portmarnock (the haven of St. Marnock) ; Port-na-Spania (the port of the Spaniard) , where one of the vessels of the Invincible Armada was wrecked, off the coast of Ireland; Port-Arlington, named after the Earl of Arlington in the reign of Charles II. ”