The Custom of the Country

wer would have been obtained by observing her father's business life. From the moment he set foot in Wall Street Mr. Spragg became another man. Physically the change revealed itself onl

t might flash across the darkness of a shuttered house-front. The shutters were more tightly barred than usual, when, on a morning some two weeks later than the date of the incidents last recorded, Mr. Spragg approached the steel and concrete tower in which his office occupied a lofty pigeon-hole. Events had moved rapidly and somewhat surprisingly in the interval, and Mr. Spragg had already accustomed himself to the fact that his daughter was to be married within the week, instead of await

ving chair, with feet adroitly balanced against a tilted scrap basket, his air of relaxed power made Mr. Dagonet's venerable eleganc

off, checked by a protest from Mr. Dagonet. "Oh, a PROFESSION, you call it? It ain't a business?" His smile grew more indulgent as this novel distinction dawned on him. "Why, I guess that'

with a leap. "It's because I knew he would manage to make cooking-stoves as unremunerati

rom Mr. Spragg; and the eyes of the tw

do, then?" the future

hesitated, as if aware of the inadequacy of the alternative, and

ck without disturbing his subtly-cal

hing like that to

visit. "Dear, no--he doesn't go in for 'luxe' editions

. "Wasn't he eve

couldn't have

to live on two hundred an

oved. "Does it cost anything like t

gitated the lower folds

way of something--I gu

ay us both in the end to keep him out of business," he sai

d ever celebrated, and her mother's fancy was already afloat on a sea of luxuries--a motor, a Fifth Avenue house, and a tiara that should out-blaze Mrs. Van Degen's; but these were movable benefits, to be conferred whenever Mr. Spragg happened to be "on the right side" of the market. It was a different matter to be called on, at such short not

ay he had put it to her at the opening of the talk of whic

might as well have married Millard Binch, instead of handing him over to Indiana Frusk! Couldn't her father understand that nice girls, in New York, didn't regard getting married like going on a buggy-ride? It was enough to ruin a girl's chances if she broke her engagement to a man in Ralph Marvell's set. All kinds of spiteful things would be said about her, and she would never be able to go with the right people again. They had better go back to Apex right off--it was they and not SHE who had wanted to leave Apex, anyhow--she cou

wrinkled hand, while the other dragged down the armhole of his waistcoat.

beetling like an Amazon's. "Do you think I'd c

and he won't mind beg

is back this minute. I'll tell him I thought he was a rich man, and now I see I'm mistaken--" She burst into shattering sobs, rocking her beautiful body back a

had almost always resulted as they wished. Undine did not have to send back her ring, and in her state of trance-like happiness she hard

ed to be married "right off," instead of waiting till June. This change of plan was made known to Mr. Spragg at a moment when he was peculiarly unprepared for the financial readjustment it necessitated. He had always declared himself able to cope with any crisis if Undine and her mother

Mrs. Spragg fought him inch by inch, her back to the wall--flinging out at l

k, and her husband turne

n earth--he di

r night at the theatre, and she's wi

together. "Warned her of what? What's Elmer

aid of his

earth can he say

wailed. "She's so nervous I ca

get round her again--make up to her? Is that what she means by 'talking'?" "I d

avy eyes exchanged conjectures: then Mr. Spragg rose from his chair, sayin

Mrs. Spragg and Undine, and they continued the bridal preparations, secure in their invariable experience that, once "father" had been convinced of the impossibility of evading their demands, he might be trusted to satisfy them by means wit

xpress elevator that was to carry him up to his office. At the door of the elevator a man

rudge against a man you tried to shoot him; in the west, you tried to do him in a mean turn in business; but in neither region was the cut among the social weapons of offense

r office? I was

t his side. They remained silent during the ascent to Mr. Spragg's threshold; but

LEFT--no; I'm carrying a

dow dimmed by a sooty perspective barred with chimneys, he seated himself at a dusty littered desk, and groped instinctively for the support of

wered. He leaned back, crossing his legs, and twisting his

nd I'm going to show you I'm not that kind. I'm going to put you onto a good thing--o

nd sat shuffling them like a pack of cards. He dealt them deliberately to

oung man easily. "But you'll find it's t

was one of the things you had against me. Well, maybe I did--but it taught me to talk, and to listen to the other fellows too. Just at present I'm one of Harmon B. Driscoll's private secretaries, and some of that Mealey House loafing has come in more useful than any job I ever put my

pocket and shifted his drowsy gaze

Now they've got all the street railroads in their pocket they want the water-supply too--but you

his waistcoat arm-holes and tur

long ago," he s

d; "but you know what wen

fting one hand to the Masoni

it with you, ain't out of it yet. He's the man the D

blem thoughtfully. "Drisc

"No, SIR--not by

rom the scrap basket and stra

ither; good morni

k eyes; but he made no motion to leave his seat. "Undine's to be

ened and he swung about

go

n't warn me off. I don't want to be invited to t

sive sound in Mr

see things big. That's the reason Apex was too tight a fit for me. It's only the little fellows that succeed in little places. Ne

missal: he was once more listening guardedly

UBLE--if you'd just step round with me to old Driscoll's

bar or two of "In the Gloaming"; then he said: "You want

in your native state. A man of your prominence owes it to the community,

together," he said at last,

de out of it? Ain't he alwa

bringing his clenched hand down on the desk, as

he said, moving toward the door. Near the threshold he paused to add carelessly: "Excuse my r

agg was

abashed. "I saw in the papers the

resume my daughter has her reasons," he sai

you to step round with me to old Driscoll's

d. Moffatt made a burlesque feint of evading a blow; then his face grew s

." He paused a moment, twisting his fingers about the heavy gold watch-chain that crossed his waistcoat. "Tell you what, Mr. Spragg, I don't bear malice--not against Undine, anyway--and if I could have afforded it I'd have been glad enough to oblige her and forget old times. But you didn't hesitate to kick me when I was down and it's taken me a day or two to get on my leg

ed a tooth-pick under his beard. His sallow cheek had turned a shade paler, and his brows hung threateningly over his half-closed eyes

mean YOU to talk--to old Driscoll." He paused, and th

d his watch. "I'll see you ag

! You'll only hear from me--through the Marvell family. Your n

in the outer office, and Mr. Spragg's

ll, glowing with haste and happiness, stood betwee

if I am--but first let me just say a word

the door. Marvell turned on Moffatt a bright gaze full of the instinctive hospitality of youth; but Moffatt looked straight past him at Mr. Spragg.

I breaking up an important confere

I'll step outside and woo the blonde while yo

broke off to scrutinize him. "But haven't we met

pragg. There was a perceptible pause, during which Moffatt's bright black glance rested questioningl

addressing himself amicably to Ralph. "Better late than n

o the outer office, where they heard him addressing