A Hazard of New Fortunes, Part Fourth

e. He went to Maroni's for his dinner, for this reason and for others more obscure. He could not expect to do anything more with Dryfoos at once; he knew that Dryfoo

lest make the means of reopening the affair with him; perhaps Lindau, when he knew how matters stood, would back down altogether, and for March's sake would withdraw from all connection with 'Every Other Week' himself, and so leave

solemnity of aspect invited Fulkerson to confidence, and he said, as he pulled his napkin open and strung it, still a little damp (as the scanty, often-washed linen at Maroni's was apt to be), across his kne

ked Beato

s there's going to be

eaton as

d the literary editor about the chi

nda

is his

r expect after Lindau's expre

ndau's opinions didn't characterize his work on the magazine, he would not be made the

with his mother sick and his father growing old, he must begin to do something for them, but up to this time he had spent his salary even faster than he had earned it. When Fulkerson came in he was wondering whether he could get him to increase it, if he threatened to give up his work, and he wished that he

gether again. I got the old man to say that he had spoken to March a little too authoritatively about Lindau; that, in fact, he ought to have communicated his wishes through me; and that he was willing to have me get rid

he flask down he made the reflection that if he would drink water instead of Chianti he

hing Lindau for his private opinions; he says that if he consents

ti, and thought he would have it twice a week, or make Maroni keep the half-bottles

After a moment he said, desperately, "Beaton, you've g

let March go?"

m; nobody else could get the hang of the thing like he has; he's-a friend." Fulkerson said

ideals, I congratulate you. They're too expensiv

n, Bildad. Like to sprinkle a few

and then Beaton said, "I suppose you

nner before I tackled him. But something seems to be the

he found Fulkerson's misery a kind of relief from his own, and was willing to protract it a

do you

ld fool to go to

The old fools seem to

Southe

el Woo

mm

take to the colonel!"

is the man on horseback to Dryfoos's muddy imagination. He'd listen to him abj

slipped a dollar in his hand. "Never mind the coat; you can give the rest of my dinner to the poor, Paolo. Beaton, shake! You've saved my

that he would not take anything but coffee, he went back and ate some of the earlier courses. But with the pressure of his purpose driving him forward, he did not conceal from Miss Woodburn, a

ile she waited for the next word he made a pause, and then said, desperately

the case so bad as that? Wha

said Fulkerson. "I want

hoat you

ather. I suppose I ought to go to him a

of me? I don't think tha

to think Ah'm twahc

te paralyzed before you, an

lahvely kyand of pa

ll. If I can

maght beg

ows, I'd like to let yo

yfoos, for he doubted if she could grasp it, and he was profuse of his excuses for troubling her with the matter, and of wonder at himself for having done so. In the rapture of his concern at having perhaps ma

friendship? Wh

said you we' a pofect Bahyard in friendsh

ver supposed before that he was chivalrous in such matters, but he now began to see it in that ligh

t envy you you' next interview with Mr. Dryfoos. A

s confidences. "Ah, there's where your help comes in.

ou don't expect A

the preposterous notion; and Fulkerson said, "If I judged fr

Fulkerson," she said

me with; it's your father. I want your father to in

utiful, and so good. "Come raght with me this minute, if the cyoast's clea'." She went to the door of the diningroom and looked in across its gloom to the little gallery where her father sat beside a lamp r

" he pa

and went with him. "Ah suppose yo

e said. "The fact is, you know, I've been ov

's shoulder. "Look heah, papa! Mr. Fulkerson wants to

to put on in order to keep their glasses from falling off. His daughter continued: "He's got

exactly," said the colonel, "but Mr. Fulkerso

cried the girl. "Then Ah don't see but what you

aid Fulkerson, glad of the joking shape she had given the affai

him something of the high joy that an affair of honor would have brought him in the days when he had arranged for meetings between gentlemen. Next to bearing a challenge, this w

nature of the facts, "that Mr. Lindau had given Mr. Dryfoos of

t in; and then he wanted to withdraw his

"I do not agree with Mr. Lindau; I totally disagree with him on sociological points; but the course of the conversation had

hile Miss Woodburn perched on

onal censure in Mr. Lindau's questions concerning his suppressi

Fulkerson

ike Mr. March-I confess that my feelings are with him very warmly in

of the human mind, he wished that it was his hair, and not her fath

m his point of view, and Mr. Dryfoos was equally ri

arm. "Mah goodness! If nobody's in the wrong, ho

lkerson added, "no

lonel, "the case is one

hich 'll begin,

the assurance that in the expression of his peculiar views he had no intention of offering any personal o

concerned, he's got a hide like a hippopotamus. But what he hates is Lindau's opinions, and what he says is that no man who holds such opinion

lence. "And what do you expect m

advice-I thought yo

me to see M

is about the only thing he's ever read in 'Every Other Week,' and he's proud of your acquaintance. Well, you know"-and here Fulkerson brought in the figure that struck him

r impatience by holding her fan against her lips. Whatever the process was in the colonel's mind, he said at last: "I see no good reason for declining to act for you, Mr. Fulkerson, and I shall be

lkerson repea

m you that this mission is one no

colonel, and I assure yo

s character in which he is not a gentleman. We have alluded to this fact before, and I need no

gh in his heart he thought the

act for you, in this matter, merely as an intermedia

said Fu

me assurance, as to which party your o

all; Fulkerson felt that he was being tested, and he said, to gain time,

foos and Mr. March,

ge in both hands. "There can't be any choice fo

"If there had been any choice fo' you in such a cas

with a, literal application of the idea, "wa

t know; I sup

fairs of honor, he added: "In these matters a principal cannot appear without compromising his dignity. I bel

e level of the colonel's sentiments, though it would not be easy to say whether this was through the desperation bred of

talk with Dryfoos

said the colonel. "It is a questi

m to the door, where she found him his hat, and Fulkerson helped him on

the house with you?" Fulker

sh to turn the points over in my mind, and I am

to the drawing-room, where she said the Leightons were.

aid, "you have got an ahdeal

d half to death, anyway. If the colonel don't bring the old man round, I reckon it's all up

th her fan. "What do you mean

h got to go overboard together. Dryfoos owns the magazine; he can stop it, o

hat?" the g

ing-till we pic

Dryfoos will put you b

ma

the risk of that jo

rec

it jost fo

I must have my little

did," sighed the gir

fe. She was as hot as pepper about it, and you could see that she would have sacrificed all her husband's relations sooner than let him back down an inc

bah you in this, if all the woald tones against you." The

s long as you live? Do you mean it?" He had caught her hand to h

and over her face: dismay, shame, pride, tenderness. "You

n it; for if you don't, no

e was only a point of wa

eyes from each other ag

most go,"

colonel-o

ah fate, no' that we've taken it into ouah own hands." S

ong now, no matter what happens. But who'd have thought it, when I cam

od-night. You can come in the mawning to see-papa." She opened the door and pushed him

et you." He had really thought he would

n," the colonel began, gravely, "that

rch, and I guess the world won't come to an end if he bounces us both. But I'm everlastingly obliged to you, Colonel Woo

nxious to know the particulars of my interview with Mr. Dryfoos"; and in the statement which followed he did not spare him the smallest. It outlasted their walk and detained them long on th

took March's hand with high courage, and said, "Well, the old man sticks to his point, March." He added, with the sense of sayin

perhaps-perhaps we can save over our heroics for another occ

ing at each other rather queerly. Fulkerson was the first to rec

t he said this in tribute to his crippled self-respect

lkerson asked. "If Lindau won't wor

h this money?" He glanced at the heap of bi

d if I know: Can't we give it to the des

ght to use it in any w

foo

ther; but I guess I must." Fulkerson gathered up the money and carried it to Conrad. He directed him to account for it in

reward of his courage in having dared the worst. They both felt, as the newly plighted always do, that they were in the best relations with the beneficent powers, and that their felicity had been especially looked to in the disposition of events. They were in a glow of rapturous content with themselves a

their hopes seemed to his ignorance to involve certain sacrifices of personal feeling at which he hinted in suggesting that Dryfoos should now be asked to make some abstract concessio

Mr. Lindau's hand in the presence of Mr. Dryfoos and assuring him that I considered him a man

e the chance some day; and we would all lahke to join you. But at the

OR'S BO

ative r

as if it conceale

rts

out of too man

t to censure t

t he was not ready

of her

d to look at its dr

id for at every st

ht him to tru

ness to abide

gross appeti

en our friends w

ll its annoyan

else, is pretty