XXVI
A BLIND SIDING
When the President went back to the Naught-fifty after his visit to thedespatcher, he meant to tell Gertrude at once what he had done, and thereason therefore; but she had retreated to her stateroom, and in replyto his tap at the door had begged to be excused. After that, there wasample time for reflection, and the President walked the floor of thecentral compartment, smoking many cigars, and dividing the timeimpartially between wondering what had become of the other members ofthe party, and speculating as to the probable effect upon Gertrude'shallucination of the sudden and unannounced flitting.
Almost at the last moment, when he had begun to fear they had gone tothe theatre, Mrs. Dunham and the young people returned, full to the lipswith suppressed excitement; and in the midst of the bustle of departurethe two young women made a descent upon Gertrude's room, while Mrs.Dunham took the President aside. What passed between them, Quatremain,who was pretending to be asleep in the nearest chair, could notoverhear; but that Mrs. Dunham's news was startling and not altogetherunpleasant was plainly evident to the secretary.
By this time the private car had been switched to its place in thetrain, and when the steady rumbling of the wheels betokened thebeginning of the westward journey, Gertrude appeared with the two youngwomen, and there was a dramatic little scene in the central compartment,through which the secretary did not even pretend to sleep. ThePresident's daughter demanded to know where they were going, and why shehad not been told, ending by throwing herself into Mrs. Dunham's armsand crying as if her heart would break. And, for the first time inQuatremain's knowledge of him, the President had nothing to say, whileFleetwell spoke his mind freely, though in terms unintelligible to thesecretary, and Mrs. Dunham bore the weeping young woman away to theprivacy of her own stateroom. After which, Mr. Vennor, deserted of allof them, lighted another cigar and betook himself to the rear vestibule,to what meditative end Quatremain could only guess.
The train was well out of Denver and speeding swiftly through the nighton its flight over the swelling plain. The President stood at the reardoor of his car, gazing abstractedly at the bobbing and swaying frontend of the sleeper which had been coupled to the Naught-fifty at themoment of departure. After a time the train paused at a station, andwhen it moved on again the light from the operator's bay-window flashedupon the name over the door of the following car. The President saw itand started back with an ejaculation which would have sounded very likean oath, had there been any one to hear it. Then he came close to theglass-panelled door and scowled out at the Tadmor as if it were a thingalive and perversely and personally responsible for this latestinterference with his plans.
He was fond of boasting that he had no creed, but, in his way, FrancisVennor was a better fatalist than many who assume the name. When thegrim humor of the relentless pursuit began to appeal to him, thewrathful scowl relaxed by degrees and gave place to the metallic smile.It could scarcely be prearrangement this time, he decided; it was fateand no less; and having admitted so much, he crossed the platforms andlet himself into the ante-room of the Tadmor.
Brockway was still sitting in the smoking-room, and he was so takenaback that he returned the President's nod of recognition no lessstiffly than it was given. Whereupon Mr. Vennor entered the compartment,gathered up his coat-tails, and sat down beside the passenger agent tofinish his cigar.
Now Brockway inferred, naturally, that Gertrude's father had come tohave it out with him, and for the first five minutes he waited nervouslyfor the President to begin. Then it occurred to him that possibly Mr.Vennor had come to accord him the interview which Gertrude had promisedto procure for him; and he spent five other minutes of tongue-tiedembarrassment trying to pull himself together sufficiently to state hiscase with becoming clarity and frankness. The upshot of all this wasthat they sat smoking solemnly and in phlegmatic silence for upwards ofa quarter of an hour, at the end of which time the President rose andtossed his cigar-butt out of the window.
"Going on through with your people, are you?" he said, steadying himselfby the door-jamb.
"Yes; as far as Salt Lake," Brockway replied, wondering if he ought toapologize for the intention.
"H-m; changed your plans rather suddenly, didn't you?"
"The party changed them; I wasn't notified till ten minutes beforetrain-time."
"No? I suppose you didn't know we were going on to-night, either, didyou? or did the despatcher tell you?"
"No one told me. I knew nothing of it till I saw the Naught-fifty in thetrain."
"And that was?----"
"Just at the last moment--after the train had started, in fact."
"Ah. Then I am to understand that our movements have nothing to do withyour being here now?"
Brockway had begun by being studiously deferential and placable, but thequestions were growing rather personal.
"You are to understand nothing of the sort," he replied. "On thecontrary, I am here solely because you saw fit to change youritinerary."
President Vennor was so wholly unused to anything like a retort from ajunior and an inferior that he sat down in the opposite seat and feltmechanically in his pockets for a cigar. Brockway promptly capped theclimax of audacity by offering one of his own, and the President took itabsently.
"It is scarcely worth your while to be disrespectful, Mr. Brockway," hesaid, when the cigar was alight.
"I don't mean to be."
"But you intercepted my telegram this morning, and sent me a mostimpertinent reply."
"I did; and a little while before that, you had tried to knock me down."
"So I did, but the provocation was very considerable; you must admitthat."
"Cheerfully," said Brockway, who was coming to his own in the matter ofself-possession with gratifying rapidity. "But I take no shame for thetelegram. As I told Miss Gertrude, I would have done a much worse thingto compass the same end."
The President frowned and coughed dryly. "The incentive was doubtlessvery strong, but I am told that you have since been made aware of thefacts in the case--relative to my daughter's forfeiture of herpatrimony, I mean."
"The 'incentive,' as you call it, was the only obstacle. When I learnedthat it did not exist, I asked your daughter to be my wife."
"Knowing that my consent would be withheld?"
"Taking that for granted--yes."
"Very good; your frankness is commendable. Before we go any farther, letme ask one question. Would anything I could give you induce you to goabout your business--to disappear, so to speak?"
"Yes."
"Name it," said the President, with ill-concealed satisfaction.
"Your daughter's hand in marriage."
"Ah;"--he lost his hold upon the hopeful alternative and made nosign--"nothing less?"
"Nothing less."
"Very good again; then we may go on to other matters. How do you expectto support a wife whose allowance of pin-money has probably exceededyour entire income?"
"As many a better man has done before me, when the woman of his choicewas willing to put love before luxury," quoth Brockway, with morephilosophy than he could properly lay claim to.
"H-m; love in a cottage, and all that, I suppose. It's very romantic,but you'll pardon me if I confess I'm not able to take any suchphilosophical view of the matter."
"Oh, certainly; I didn't suppose you would be. But if you don't like it,the remedy is in your own hands," said Brockway, with great composure.
"Ah; yesterday you told me I was mistaken in my man; this time it is youwho are mistaken. Gertrude will get nothing from me."
Brockway met the cool stare of the calculating eyes without flinching,and refused to be angry.
"You know very well I didn't mean that," he said, calmly. "I wouldn'ttouch a penny of your money under any circumstances that I can imaginejust now."
"Then what do you mean?" demanded the President.
Brockway thought he might as well die fighting, so he shrugged hisshoulders and made shift to lo
ok indifferent and unconcerned.
"I'm well enough satisfied with my present income and prospects, andGertrude is quite willing to share them with me; but if you think I'mnot earning enough money, why, you are the President of a veryconsiderable railway company, and I'll cheerfully attack anything yousee fit to give me from the general passenger agency down."
"Ha!" said the President, and for once in a way he acknowledged himselffairly outdone in cold-blooded assurance; "you have the courage of yourconvictions to say that to me."
"Not at all," replied Brockway, riding at a gallop along the newlydiscovered road to the President's favor; "I merely suggest it to helpyou out. I'm very well contented where I am."
"Oh, you are. And yet you would consent to take service under me, afterwhat has passed between us? I say you have courage; I could break you ina year."
"Possibly; but you wouldn't, you know."
The President rose and held out his hand with a smile which no man mightanalyze.
"You refuse to be bullied, don't you? and you say you would attackanything. I believe you would, and I like that; you shall be given theopportunity, and under a harder master than you have ever had. You mayeven find yourself required to make bricks without straw. Come, now,hadn't you better retract and go about your business?"
"Never a word; and where Gertrude goes, I go," said Brockway, taking theproffered hand with what show of indifference he could command.
"Very well, if you will have it so. If you are of the same mind in themorning, perhaps you'd better join us at breakfast and we can talk itover. Will you come?"
"Yes, if you will tell the other members of your party why I am there."
The President smiled again, sardonically this time.
"I think the occasion for that has gone by," he said. "Good-night."
When the outer door closed behind his visitor, Brockway collapsed as washis undoubted privilege. Then he revived under the stimulus of anoverwaxing and masterful desire to see Gertrude again before heslept--to share the good news with her before the burden of it shouldcrush him. And he was considering how it might be brought about when theengineer blew the whistle for Bending Bow.