CHAPTER XII
ALICE HEATH HAS A VISION
This change of legal adviser, while very important to Ben Fordyce andthe Haneys, did not seem to trouble Allen Crego very much. As a matterof fact, he was about to run for Congress, and had all the business hecould attend to anyway. He liked the young Quaker, and responded "Allright" in the frank Western fashion, sending the Haneys away quite assolidly friendly as before. To Ben he was most cordial. "I'm glad you'regoing to settle here, and I'm specially glad you've got a retainer; forthe field is overcrowded, and it may take a long time for you to get aplace. We old fellows who came down along with the pioneers have animmense advantage. I wish you every success." And he meant it.
Only when he got home to Mrs. Crego did he come to realize what ahorrible injury he had permitted "a young and inexperienced Eastern boy"to do himself. "This connection will ostracize them both," his wifesaid.
He answered a little wearily. "Oh, now, my dear, I think you take yoursocial Medes and Persians too seriously. We lawyers can't afford toinquire into the private affairs of our clients too closely--especiallyif they are derived from the pioneer West. Ben Fordyce doesn't becomeresponsible for Haney's past; it is a business and not a socialarrangement."
"That's like a man," she responded; "they never see anything till itbumps their noses. They've both called on the Haneys and gone ridingwith them--or with the girl. They've even eaten luncheon there!"
"How dreadful! Mrs. Crego, you shock me!"
"If any evil comes of this--and there will be sorrow in it--you'll bemorally responsible. In the old days it didn't matter, but now nobodywho is anybody in this town can associate with people like the Haneysand not be hurt by it."
The judge ceased to smile. "Now, let this end the discussion. Fordycehas sense enough to take care of himself. He's just the man forHaney--he has time, good nature, and splendid connections. I am glad tobe rid of the business, and I am delighted to think this young fellowhas pleased Haney--"
"It isn't Haney. Don't you see? It's that girl. She has urged it--I'mperfectly sure."
"Stop right there!" he commanded, sharply. "I don't want to hear a wordof your insinuations. I'm tired of them. I'm ashamed of you." And hetook up his paper and walked away from her.
She was defeated at the moment, but hurried to the Congdons with hernews. Lee looked quite serious enough. "I don't believe I like thateither. What do you think, Frank?"
"All depends on Ben. If he makes it a business deal and keeps it so allright; if he don't, it may go against him in the town, as Helen says."
"Don't you think you'd better go see him and have a talk?"
"Nixie!" he answered, in swift negation. "Little Willie don't want totackle that delicate job. I'm subtle, but not so subtle as that. AliceHeath knows all we know and more, and you can bet they've talked thewhole thing over."
"But they may not realize the position of the Haneys."
"They may not; but I suspect they think they can carry any connectionthey choose to make, and I mostly think they can--ten generations ofQuaker ancestry--"
"But the people there don't know their ancestry."
"Well, go talk to them. I abdicate. Besides, I like the Haneys."
Mrs. Crego now laid her joker on the table. "Here's the point. That girlis _taken_ with Ben--it's all her plan."
Congdon started. "Sh! Don't say that out loud, Nell. That little wife istrue as steel."
"I don't care. My prophetic soul--"
Lee put in. "Prophetic pollywogs! Why, Helen, the girl is as simple andstraightforward as a boy of twelve."
"She seems that way, but I could see she was wonderfully attracted byBen and his singing that night here."
"That may be; so was I. Anyhow, I agree with Frank: it would be cruel tosay such a thing--even if it were so, which I don't for an instantbelieve. At the same time, I admit the connection will make talk and maycreate a prejudice. Maybe we'd better see Ben." She looked at herhusband.
He waved a protesting finger before his face. "Not on your life! Ben andI are friends. I like him immensely--too much to think of running such afrightful risk of offending him. If you interfere you do so at your ownperil."
Lee finally acquiesced in his judgment, and Mrs. Crego went home moredeeply troubled than her acquaintance with Alice Heath would seem towarrant. "Helen's an estimable person," said Frank Congdon, "and on thewhole I like her; but I wish she didn't take quite so much evil forgranted."
So as no one warned Ben Fordyce, he went gayly forward and hired acouple of nice rooms in a sightly block, and hung out a gilded sign. "Iam a citizen of Colorado now," he said to the Captain and Bertha thefirst time they called at his office.
Alice was there, and they were deep in discussion of the merits of apile of new rugs which were to match the wall-paper. Ben stoutly stoodfor the "ox-blood" and she for the "old gold." Ben explained. "Theentire extravagance of this office is due to her." He pointed anaccusing finger at Alice, who nodded shamelessly. "I was all forsecond-hand stuff, both for economy's sake and to show I'd been inpractice a long time."
"You'd need a battered second-hand set of whiskers to match," shereplied, and they all laughed at the notion. "No, Captain, being sureBen couldn't deceive anybody as to his age and experience, I argued forsigns of prosperity. New-born success has its weight, you know."
"Sure it has."
"People like silken rugs and mahogany furniture, even in the West."
"They do," Haney agreed.
Bertha, standing silently by, was vaguely resenting Alice's presence.This feeling was not defined, but it was strong enough to darken herface and take the sparkle out of her eyes. She would have liked to dothis work of fitting up his rooms; and he, on his part, saw that she wasin sombre mood, and sought opportunity to come to where she stood. "I'mbeing congratulated on all sides for becoming a citizen of Colorado.It's quite like being initiated into some new club. In an Eastern townthey'd let me jolly well alone. I'm going to like it immensely, I know,and it's really due to you."
She found words difficult at the moment. His face and voice dazzled herlike an open door towards sunshine, and after a moment's pause shelooked round the room, saying: "It's going to be fine."
"I want it comfy, so that you and the Captain will feel like coming downoften. We have a great deal to talk over before I shall really have afull understanding of your affairs. I'm going to bone into my bookshard," he added, boyishly. "To tell the truth, I've taken life prettyeasy. You see, my father left me a regular income, big enough to supportme while I was studying law, but not enough to marry on." She couldn'thave told why, but this subject troubled her and confused her. Sheturned away again as he continued: "Alice has a little, not much, in herown right, and so it is really up to me to settle down and get to work.Please don't think you are taking the time of a rich and busy man likeCrego. I am very grateful to you. It will enable us to plan a home herein the West."
Again that keen pang went through her heart, and he, looking towardsAlice, so worn and drooping, was touched with dismay, almost fear.
She was talking to the Captain, but was furtively watching Bertie andBen. "How erect and radiant and happy they are," she thought, and adoubt of the girl came into her mind. "She is so untrained and soyoung!" And in this mental exclamation she put her first fear that Benmight find his position as legal adviser complicated by the admirationof the Captain's wife.
Something weirdly intuitive had come to Alice Heath in these lateryears. As her health declined and her flesh purified, she had come topossess uncanny powers of vision, and at times seemed to read the veryinnermost thoughts of those about her. The loss of her beauty, which hadbeen exquisite as that of a rose, had made her morbid--which she knewand struggled against. She forecast the future, and this is disquietingto any one. "Here at this moment," she often said to herself, "my worldis flooded with sunshine--a static world in appearance. But how will itbe ten years from now? The clock ticks, the sun passes, the universalsway of death extends." With the
same acuteness with which she readother minds she read her own; but knowing that such imaginings wereunnatural and distressing, she fought against them; yet they came inspite of herself. And the picture of Bertha standing there beside Benfilled her with a prophetic vision of what the girl-wife was to become:"She will grow in grace and in dignity, in understanding. She's of goodstock. She's like a man in her power to raise herself above lowlyconditions. Why are there not female Lincolns? There are, and she is oneof them. Nearly all our great men were born and reared under conditionsruder than those which surrounded this girl. Why can't she rise? Shewill rise--and then--"
She did not pursue the clew further, for the Captain was speaking. "Andyou, miss, can be of just as great service to me wife. She's alone withme here in this town, and I'm a heavy load for her to carry. I am so.Now that her house is in order the days are long. The people she'd liketo know don't drop in, and I suspect it's because she's Mart Haney'swife."
She resumed her sprightly manner. "Oh no; I'm afraid if she were a poorgirl she'd find these same people still more indifferent."
"True, miss. But would they act the same if she were Mart Haney'swidow?"
She flashed a deep-piercing, wondering glance at him. "Ah, that would bedifferent. And yet," she hastened to say, "that would not make heracceptable to the really best people."
"What would, miss?" he asked, simply. "I'm a rough man, and I've led arough life. I begin to see things now that I never saw before. Whatwould give Bertha standing among the people you speak of?"
"Education, character. By character I mean she must be a personality."
"That she is!" He was emphatic in this.
"She certainly is a fascinating girl, and she promises to be a stillmore interesting woman."
"I'm not a wooden-head, miss. As a gambler, it was me business to readmen's faces. I see more than my little girl gives me credit for. I thinkI know why Mrs. Crego can't see us as we pass by, and I was wise to themfriends of yours the other day when they curled their tails and showedtheir teeth at sight of us. It's because Bertie is the wife of agambler. Isn't that so, now?"
She rose with a start, for Bertha was coming towards them. "Hush! don'ttalk about it any more--at present." And at this moment there passedbefore her eyes a vision of this big man, crushed and writhing on amountain-side, among deep green ferns. It lasted but an instant, likethe memory of an event in childhood; a spot transient as ashadow--disconnected, without precursor or sequence; like a cloud overthe wheat it gloomed a moment and was gone, and she gave herself up tothe influence of the sunny room and Ben's joyous plans.
This vision came back to her when she was alone in her own room an hourlater, and stayed with her persistently. What did it mean? Did itpresage an accident to him, or had it arisen from a vague knowledge ofthe cause of his wounding?
This singular and distressing rule governed her dreams of the future.They were all of sorrow, death, physical calamities; never, or veryrarely, of health and happiness; therefore, she seldom spoke of them."Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof," her father was wont tosay, and she had come to the same conclusion. Besides her faith in herpredictive dreams was by no means fixed. She had reached but onecomforting conclusion, and that was negative. If no vision came toreveal the future of any friend, she rested secure in the belief that heor she at least was to be free of disaster. It was a sweet andcomforting fact to remember that no vision of Ben's future had everentered her consciousness. She did not even dream of him. And this wasstill more wonderful, for she had always understood that those we loveare ever in our thoughts in slumber.
For some reason the day had been most wearing, and to dress for dinnerwas an effort. But she made herself as lovely as she could for Ben'ssake--and for the sake of the Congdons with whom they were to dine. "Weare to be alone," Lee had 'phoned, "for I want to talk with you like aDutch aunt."
Alice knew as well as if Lee had spoken it what was coming. They weregoing to protest against Ben's intimacy with the Haneys. And as soon asthey were in their carriage she warned Ben. "You want to be on yourguard to-night. The Congdons are going to advise you against acceptingthis retainer from Captain Haney."
He was too happy to do more than jokingly reply: "Too late! Bribe is inhand, and money mostly spent. What I want to ask you is more important.When are we to start our 'love in a cottage' idyl? It really lookspossible now. Isn't it beautiful to think we can really keep house outhere and pay our way?"
"Oh, Ben!"--there was a wail in her voice--"I don't seem to gain as Ishould! I'm completely tired out to-night."
He was all concern instantly, and putting his arm about her, tenderlyexclaimed: "Dear heart, it was my fault. You shouldn't have gone down atall."
"But don't you see how revealing it is? If I can't go down to youroffice to superintend the arrangement of a few rugs and chairs, how canI keep a house--your house--in order? No, dear boy, we mustn't think ofit--not now; perhaps by spring, but certainly not now."
He was both saddened and perplexed, and yet his disappointment was notso keen as it had been when she had put off their wedding-day the firsttime, and when she turned a white, despairing face up to him, sayingwildly: "Oh, Benny, why don't you give me up and marry some nice younggirl?" He only took her in his arms and shut her lips with a kiss.
"No more such talk," he said; "you're tired and a little morbid. Lee'slecture will do you good. I hope she gets after you for letting yourselfdown into these detestable moods."
Signs of their troubled ride were on their faces as they entered theCongdon sitting-room (which also served as hall), and Lee put her armabout her guest with compassion uppermost in her heart. "You don't looka bit well to-night. What have you been doing?"
"Nothing. That's the worst of it. If I'd been scrubbing floors orcleaning silver I'd feel that I had a right to be tired, but I've onlybeen down to Ben's new office overseeing the laying of three rugs. Ididn't lift a hand, and now look at me!"
When they were in the privacy of Lee's dressing-room the hostess studiedher guest critically. "You've something on your mind," she announced.
"I always have something on my mind."
"I know you do, and if you're ever going to get well you must get it offyour mind. Do I know what it is?"
"If you don't, you ought to. Since this retainer from Captain Haney, Benis urging an immediate marriage."
Lee Congdon was an unconquerable realist and truth-teller, and she couldnot at the moment utter any other than a divergent word. "We got youhere to-night to talk over that Haney business. We don't entirely likeit; at least, I don't. Frank has no responsibility, never had. Haney isnot a bad man, and she isn't a bit low or common; but folks think sheis. And it's going to hurt you both, I'm afraid, to have anything to dosocially with them."
"Oh, socially!" Alice cried, in disgust. "I thought we were coming tothe big and boundless West, where such things don't count."
"You have, and you haven't. The Springs is a little of the West, alittle of England, and a good deal of the East. It's a foolish town insome ways, and I warn you lots of nice people will find it inconvenientto call on you for fear of meeting Mrs. Haney."
"Oh, rats!"
"Absurd, isn't it? I'm glad you put on that dress. You don't look tirednow; your cheeks are blazing."
"With wrath--not health."
"At me?"
"Oh no. At these people who assume to dictate whom we shall know."
"They don't do that, dear; they only think you're paying too much forBen's new office. But come down to dinner; we'll fight this out later."
Congdon was outspoken in his admiration. "By the Lord, the climate isgetting in its work! Why, Alice, you're radiant. You're ten yearsyounger to-night!"
"That's because I'm angry."
"What about?"
"Your townspeople. Lee has made me feel as if I were the club-bar topicto-night."
Congdon became solemn--grim as a brazen image. "Mrs. Congdon, you'vebeen making some of your tactful remarks."
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p; "I have not. I've been talking straight from the shoulder, as I adviseyou to do."
He capitulated. "After the turkey. Come on, Ben, we're in for a lectureby the Professor-Doctor Lee Congdon."
Under the influence of his humor they took seats about the pretty,candle-lit table as gay a group as the city held--apparently; for Alicewas of that temperament which responds quickly and buoyantly to humor,and Frank Congdon never took anything quite seriously--except hisportrait-painting. He could do a cake-walk with any one, but he wouldnot discuss art with the unsympathetic. He always had a new story totell of his amazing experience. Something was always happening to him.Other men come and go up and down the whole earth without an adventure,but no sooner does Frank Congdon slip out of the door than thefates--generally the humorous ones--pounce upon him. Drunken women claimhim for a son. Sheriffs arrest him in the mountains and transport himlong distances, only to find him the wrong man. Confused Swedish mothersgive him babies to hold in the cars, and rush out just in time to getleft. And these tales lose nothing in his recount of them.
In the present instance he took up half the dinner-hour with adescription of his latest mishap. A neighbor's cook had suddenly gonemad, and had charged him with putting a spell over her. "Somebody callsme up on the 'phone this morning: 'Is this Frank Congdon?'... 'Yes.' ...'Hello, Frank, this is Henry. What you been doing to my cook?' ... 'Whatdoes she say I have?' ... 'Says you've hypnotized her--put a spell overher.' ... 'I pass.' ... 'Fact; she's crazy as a bed-bug, and we can't do athing with her--and she was _such_ a good girl. How could you,Frank?' ... 'I never saw the creature in my life.' ... 'Well, you'll seeher now. You're to come right over and remove this spell, or we won'thave any breakfast.'" Here Congdon looked solemnly round at his guests."Now wouldn't that convulse a body? I didn't know her name; on my word,I couldn't remember how she looked. But my curiosity was roused, andover I toddled. It was all true. Karen was in the kitchen, armed withthe jig-saw bread-knife and calling for me. Henry was all for myappearing suddenly at the door a la Svengali, and with a majestic waveof the hand lift the cloud from her brain. 'Not on your tintype,' saysI; 'I guess this is a case for the police. If I put this spell on thathell-cat it must have been by "absent treatment" during sleep, and it'sme to my studio again.' ... 'No you don't,' said Henry. 'You stay tillthis incubus is cleared away. It ain't reasonable to suppose that anignorant maid like this is going to charge a complete stranger with acrime of this kind unless--'
"'That's what I say. It isn't reasonable, I refuse to believe it.' Justthen something seemed to break loose in the back part of the house.Wash-boilers seemed to be falling on the kitchen range, and wild yellsmade Mrs. Henry turn pale.
"'That's your work, monster!' shrieked Henry.
"'Is it?' I said. 'My opinion is she's broke into your wine-cellar. It'syou to the police.'
"'Go calm her. Come, it's a fine chance to experiment.'
"'So it is--with a cannon. Do you mean to tell me seriously that shethinks I've hypnotized her?'
"Then he got down to business, and assured me that he was telling thetruth. This interested me, and I thought I'd chance opening thedoor--particularly as everything was quiet inside."
His company was very tense now, so vividly had he set the whole scenebefore them. "I opened the door, and found her standing at the far sideof the room, her hair in ropes and her eyes wild. She was 'bug-house'all right. 'Karen,' I said, in my most hypnotic voice, 'I lift thespell. You are free. Go back to work.'"
"What happened?" asked Alice, breathless with excitement.
His face was grave and his voice sad. "Not a thing! My Svengali passdidn't work. I was as the idle wind to her. Therefore, I withdrew and'phoned the police."
"What an extraordinary thing," said Ben.
Mrs. Congdon brightly answered: "It would be for any one else, but I'mso used to that now I don't mind. Whenever the telephone bell rings Iexpect to hear that Frank is sued for breach of promise, or arrested forburglary, or some little thing like that. If he were only a novelisthe'd make our everlasting fortune. But I know why he started thisstory--he wants to head off my talk with you about the Haneys, and Idon't intend to let him do it. Have you taken on Haney's legalbusiness?"
"Yes."
"For good and all?"
"Yes. He's advanced me part of my fee, and I've spent it for desks,rugs, and office rent. I think I may say the offer is accepted."
"I'm sorry," she said, simply.
Her husband objected. "I don't see why. Haney is a man of large means,his mines are paying hugely, and he needs some one to look after theinvestment side of his income, and to keep tab on the output of themines, and to be ready to settle any legal points that may come up.Ben's just the boy to do this."
Lee was firm. "That's one side of it. But these young people should notstart in wrong. Haney's past is said to be criminal, and Mrs. Haney iscalled low--"
Congdon hotly interrupted. "Who says so? It's a lie!"
"That's the talk over town. It was all right for Crego to transact theirbusiness, for he is an old and well-known lawyer here; but it'sdifferent with Ben, who is just starting."
Ben laughed. "Yes, it is different. Crego didn't need the job, and Ido."
"How bad do you need it?" she asked.
"Well, it makes it possible for us to marry at once and settle here." Helooked at Alice with a renewal of the admiration he had felt for her inthe days of their dancing feet. She shrank from his gaze, and Mrs.Congdon perceived it.
"You're not so poor as all that," she stated rather than asked.
"I don't suppose we're likely to need bread of a sort, but I don't feelable to buy or rent and keep house--or I didn't till Haney made thisoffer."
"How did he come to make it?"
His fair skin flushed at her question, for he couldn't quite bringhimself to tell the whole truth. He knew the decision came from Bertha,and at the moment, and for the first time, he saw how it might bemisconstrued. He evaded her. "Modesty forbids, but I suppose it mustcome out. It is all due to my open-faced Waterbury countenance. Hethinks I am at once able and honest."
"There you have it, Lee. Haney knows a good thing when he sees it."
Mrs. Congdon, putting the rest of her lecture aside for future use,said: "Well, if it's all settled, then I've no more to say. Probably I'mtoo fussy about what the town thinks, anyway."
"Precisely my contention, Mrs. Congdon," replied her husband.
She was audaciously frank and truth-seeking, but she could not say toany one but her husband that Little Mrs. Haney, expanding into adangerously attractive woman, was already in love with Ben Fordyce."There are limits to advice, after all," she said to Frank, when theywere alone.
"I'm glad you recognize the limit in this case," he replied, "but Idon't intend to worry. Ben is all right, and the girl has got to haveher tragedy sooner or later. If it isn't Ben, it will be somebody else.A wonder it wasn't with me."
"Oh, I don't know." She laughed. "I feel very secure about you."
"Am I such a bad shape?" he asked, with comical inflection.
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