The Golden House

it, which may have been financial, and Carmen had her reasons, which were probably purely social. What was the good of money if i

uence in the old order. His lot was not cast among the poor; most of his relations had solid fortunes, and many of them were millionaires, or what was equivalent to that, before the term was invented. But they made little display; none at all merely for the purpose o

t aggressive of speculators, and saw how easily every luxurious desire glided into fulfillment, he felt for the first time in his life the emotion of envy. It seemed then that only unlimited money could make the world attractive. Why, even to keep up with the unthinking whims of Miss Tavish would bankrupt him in six months. That little spread at Wherry's for the theatre party the other night, though he made light of it to Edith, was almost the price he couldn't afford to pay for Storm. He had a grim thought that midwinter flowers made dining as expensive as dying. Carmen, whom nothing escaped, complimented hi

d. It alarmed a hundred people, not on Henderson's account, but the

if he's extended, it's an excuse for settling up, and the shorts will squeal. I've seen H

t the mercy of a sweeping Street game. It occurred to him that he possibly might get a little lig

reate for herself. In an entrancing tea-gown, she sat by a hickory fire, with a fresh magazine in one hand and a big paper-cutter in the other. She rose at Jack's entrance, and, extending her hand, greeted him with a most cordial smile. It was so

d his chair and rested the tip of her forefinger for a se

ered," said Jack, st

" She was still behind him, and spoke low, but

hinking, "she's a good-hearted little thing, and understands men." He felt that he could tell

nding him the tea and

ragrance of the tea delic

eady," said Jac

the cigarettes, lit one for herself,

what

usiness worry. Have you

And then, leaning forward, "Do you mean that

es

rnestness: "I'm going to trust you, my friend. Henderson put it in himself! He t

there was no turn in the Street that she was not familiar with. But there was no apparent recognition of it, except in h

t is

"It's just this: I am on the Foundlings' Board with Mrs. Schuyler Blunt, and I don't know her, and you can't think how awkward it is having to meet her every week in that stiff k

old friend

e's a charm

s, but she is good-hearted. I suppose she is on all the charity boards

rted she might be she was very "snubby." "And it makes it all

"That's easy enough. We are just as good friends as ever, though I fancy she doesn't altogether approve of me lately. It's rathe

make a model of you. I am s

endship, and the possibility of it between a man and a woman. This sort of talk is considered serious and even deep, not to say philosophic. Carmen

im her hand, and then by an impulse she put her left han

about that rumor we were speaking

s understanding and his gratitude by bending o

al rebuffs in her day, this tolerant little woman, and the sting of their memory could only be removed when the people who had ignored her had to seek social favors she could give. If Henderson only cared as much for such things as she did! But he was at times actually brutal about it. He seem

aborate toilet for dinner. Yet it was elaborately simple. That sort needed more study

llables to her sweet attempts at conversation. The fact was that the day had been a perplexing one; he was engaged in one of his big fights, a scheme that aroused all his pugnacity and taxed all his resources. He would win-of course; he would smash everybody, but he would win. When he was in this mood Carmen felt that she was like a daisy in the path of a cyclone. In the first

gs homelike, Henderson noticed that she was more Carmenish than he had seen her in a long time. The sweet ways and the simple toilet must

s what,

do you

erson knew her to the least fibre of her self-seeking soul, and that she felt that there were currents in his life that she could not calculate. A man is so much more difficult to understand th

me everything I want b

he responded, with a grim smile

und. The Foundlings'

terested in

erested in those that find them. I told yo

Why don't you make it

h, dropping into the language of the Stre

on old Blunt?" and Henderson r

othing to you, but you don't understand what we women have

has sh

you say in the Street-freeze? Well

in. "Oh, I'll back yo

acked," said Carmen;

hat is y

r. Delancy dropped in this

O

Blunt well; they are old friend

nge w

do want you to do something for me; not for me exactly, but

The remark was a mistake, for it gave Carmen the advantage, and he did not believe it was just.

ation, and her eyes flared for an instant an

ok out for all

d hate him for a duck. It's just to help me, when you know,

it matter? Perhaps, after all, the woman

it. I'll make a memorandum this minute. Only don't yo

d. She went over and kissed her lord on the forehead, and sat on the arm of his chair, not too long, and then patted him

, with the feeling that he had been at the theatre

eable to him than lying, for the crafty world usually banks upon insincerity and indirectness. But while he kept his word he also kept his schemes to himself, and executed them with a single regard to his own interest and a Napoleonic selfishness. He d

elated with the turn things had taken for him, and was going in again, Henderson

rity, so called, was intent on fulfilling his part of the understanding with Carmen. This could best be effec

the dinner. She had gone to the Hendersons' to please Jack, in her policy of yielding in order to influence him

Edith, "who are the

to do a thing to please them, no use in doing it half-way,

, sug

'll be over from Wa

nd, oh, I'll as

it. I shouldn't wonder if he would

Tavish; they were at Henderson's

t's see. The S

ey wouldn't come. She wouldn't t

us. I don't think she w

do you wa

nt to offend Henderson just now. It's a little thing, anyway. What's the use of all this social nonsense? We are not responsible for eit

of the elder Miss Chesney. And Jack did persuade Mrs. Blunt to accept. In fact, she had a little cu

unbent more than anywhere else; he was credited with knowing a good deal more than he would tell. It was believed, in fact, that he had a great deal of influence. The President had been known to send for him on delicate personal business with regard to appointments, and there were certain ticklish diplomatic transactions that he was known to have managed most cleverly. His friends could see his hand in state papers. This he disclaimed, but he never denied that he knew the inside of whatever was going on in Washington. Even those who thought him a snob said he was clever. He had perfectly the diplomatic manner, and the reserve of one charged with grave secrets. Whatever he disclosed was always in confidence, so that he had the reputation of being as discreet as he was