XXIV
A FINE LOVER
Karloff remained in seclusion till the following Tuesday; after thatday he was seen no more in Washington. From time to time some news ofhim filters through the diplomatic circles of half a dozen capitals toWashington. The latest I heard of him, he was at Port Arthur. It wasevident that Russia valued his personal address too highly to exile himbecause of his failure in Washington. Had he threatened or gone aboutnoisily, we should all have forgotten him completely. As it is, thememory of him to-day is as vivid as his actual presence. Thus, I givehim what dramatists call an agreeable exit.
I was in the Baltimore and Potomac station the morning after thatunforgetable night at Senator Blank's house. I had gone there to seeabout the departure of night trains, preparatory to making a flyingtrip to New York, and was leaving the station when a gloved handtouched me on the arm. The hand belonged to Mrs. Chadwick. She wasdressed in the conventional traveling gray, and but for the dark linesunder her eyes she would have made a picture for any man to admire. Shelooked tired, very tired, as women look who have not slept well.
"Good morning, Mr. Orator," she said, saluting me with a smile.
"You are going away?" I asked, shaking her hand cordially.
"'Way, 'way, away! I am leaving for Nice, where I expect to spend thewinter. I had intended to remain in Washington till the holidays; but Iplead guilty to a roving disposition, and I frequently change my mind."
"Woman's most charming prerogative," said I, gallantly.
What a mask the human countenance is! How little I dreamed that I wasjesting with a woman whose heart was breaking, and numbed with aterrible pain!
Her maid came up to announce that everything was ready for herreception in the state-room, and that the train was about to draw outof the station. Mrs. Chadwick and I bade each other good-by. Two yearspassed before I saw her again.
At eleven o'clock I returned to my rooms to pack a case and have thething off my mind. Tramping restlessly up and down before my bachelorapartment house I discerned M'sieu Zhames. His face was pale andtroubled, but the angle of his jaw told me that he had determined uponsomething or other.
"Ha!" I said railingly. He wore a decently respectable suit ofready-made clothes. "Lost your job and want me to give you arecommendation?"
"I want a few words with you, Chuck, and no fooling. Don't say that youcan't spare the time. You've simply _got_ to."
"With whom am I to talk, James, the groom, or Warburton, the gentleman?"
"You are to talk with the man whose sister you are to marry."
I became curious, naturally. "No police affair?"
"No, it's not the police. I can very well go to a lawyer, but I desireabsolute secrecy. Let us go up to your rooms at once."
I led the way. I was beginning to desire to know what all this meant.
"Has anybody recognized you?" I asked, unlocking the door to myapartment.
"No; and I shouldn't care a hang if they had."
"Oho!"
Warburton flung himself into a chair and lighted a cigar. He puffed itrapidly, while I got together my shaving and toilet sets.
"Start her up," said I.
"Chuck, when my father died he left nearly a quarter of a million infive per cents; that is to say, Jack, Nancy and I were given a yearlyincome of about forty-five hundred. Nancy's portion and mine are stillin bonds which do not mature till 1900. Jack has made several badinvestments, and about half of his is gone; but his wife has plenty, sohis losses do not trouble him. Now, I have been rather frugal duringthe past seven years. I have lived entirely upon my Army pay. I musthave something like twenty-five thousand lying in the bank in New York.On Monday, between three and four o'clock, Colonel Annesley will becomepractically a beggar, a pauper."
"What?" My shaving-mug slipped from my hand and crashed to the floor,where it lay in a hundred pieces.
"Yes. He and his daughter will not have a roof of their own: all gone,every stick and stone. Don't ask me any questions; only do as I ask ofyou." He took out his check-book and filled out two blanks. These hehanded to me. "The large one I want you to place in the Union bank, tothe credit of Colonel Annesley."
I looked at the check. "Twenty thousand dollars?" I gasped.
"The Union bank has this day discounted the colonel's note. It fallsdue on Monday. In order to meet it, he will have to sell what is leftof the Virginian estate and his fine horses. The interest will beinconsiderable."
"What--" I began, but he interrupted me.
"I shall not answer a single question. The check for three thousand isfor the purchase of the horses, which will be put on sale Saturdaymorning. They are easily worth this amount. Through whatever agency youplease, buy these horses for me, but not in my name. As for the note,cash my check first and present the currency for the note. No one willknow anything about it then. You can not trace money."
"Good Lord, Bob, you are crazy! You are giving away a fortune," Iremonstrated.
"It is my own, and my capital remains untouched."
"Have you told her that you love her? Does she know who you are?" I wasvery much excited.
"No,"--sadly, "I haven't told her that I love her. She does not knowwho I am. What is more, I never want her to know. I have thrown my armsroughly around her, thinking her to be Nancy, and have kissed her. Somereparation is due her. On Monday I shall pack up quietly and return tothe West"
"Annesley beggared? What in heaven's name does this all mean?" I wasconfounded.
"Some day, Chuck, when you have entered the family properly as mysister's husband, perhaps I may confide in you. At present the secretisn't mine. Let it suffice that through peculiar circumstances, thefather of the girl I love is ruined. I am not doing this for anytheatrical play, gratitude and all that rot,"--with half a smile, "Iadmire and respect Colonel Annesley; I love his daughter, hopelesslyenough. I have never been of much use to any one. Other persons'troubles never worried me to any extent; I was happy-go-lucky, carelessand thoughtless. True, I never passed a beggar without dropping a coininto his cup. But often this act was the result of a good dinner and aspecial vintage. The twenty thousand will keep the colonel's home, thehouse his child was born in and her mother before her. I am doing thiscrazy thing, as you call it, because it is going to make me ratherhappy. I shall disappear Monday. They may or they may not suspect whohas come to their aid. They may even trace the thing to you; but youwill be honor-bound to reveal nothing. When you have taken up the note,mail it to Annesley. You will find Count Karloff's name on it."
"Karloff?" I was in utter darkness.
"Yes. Annesley borrowed twenty thousand of him on a three months' note.Both men are well known at the Union bank, Karloff having a temporarylarge deposit there, and Annesley always having done his banking at thesame place. Karloff, for reasons which I can not tell you, did not turnin the note till this morning. You will take it up this afternoon."
"Annesley, whom I believed to be a millionaire, penniless; Karloff oneof his creditors? Bob, I do not think that you are treating me fairly.I can't go into this thing blind."
"If you will not do it under these conditions, I shall have to findsome one who will,"--resolutely.
I looked at the checks and then at him.... Twenty-three thousanddollars! It was more than I ever before held in my hand at one time.And he was giving it away as carelessly as I should have given away adime. Then the bigness of the act, the absolute disinterestedness ofit, came to me suddenly.
"Bob, you are the finest lover in all the world! And if Miss Annesleyever knows who you are, she isn't a woman if she does not fallimmediately in love with you." I slapped him on the shoulder. I wassomething of a lover myself, and I could understand.
"She will never know. I don't want her to know. That is why I am goingaway. I want to do a good deed, and be left in the dark to enjoy it.That is all. After doing this, I could never look her in the eyes asRobert Warburton. I shall dine with the folks on Sunday. I shallconfess all only to Nancy, who has always been
the only confidante Ihave ever had among the women."
There was a pause. I could bring no words to my lips. Finally Istammered out: "Nancy knows. I told her everything last night. I brokemy word with you, Bob, but I could not help it She was crying againover what she thinks to be your heartlessness. I _had_ to tell her."
"What did she say?"--rising abruptly.
"She laughed, and I do not know when I have seen her look so happy.There'll be a double wedding yet, my boy." I was full of enthusiasm.
"I wish I could believe you, Chuck; I wish I could. I'm rather glad youtold Nan. I love her, and I don't want her to worry about me." Hegripped my hand. "You will do just as I ask?"
"To the very letter. Will you have a little Scotch to perk you up abit? You look rather seedy."
"No,"--smiling dryly. "If she smelt liquor on my breath I should losemy position. Good-by, then, till Sunday."
I did not go to New York that night. I forgot all about going. Instead,I went to Nancy, to whom I still go whenever I am in trouble or indoubt.