"You haven"t spoken half a dozen words since you came home."
"Haven"t I? I must have been thinking."
"About the shops?" laying her hand on his and pressing it strongly.
"Yes. I"m afraid, heart o" mine, that it"s all over. If they do not strike now, they will later on; if not on this pretext, on some other."
"Why not let him go, John?"
"No." His jaws hardened. "It isn"t a question of his going or staying; it is simply a question of who is master, the employed or the employer. The men say it"s the principle of the thing; it shall be fought out on those grounds. I"m going down to the club to-night with d.i.c.k. I feel the need of getting out and breathing. d.i.c.k"s not the best company just now, but he"ll understand what I need. Poor devil!
he"s got his hands full, too."
She understood his mood, and offered no objection. She raised his hand and brushed it with her lips.
"I love you, John."
He smiled gratefully.
"You go over to mother"s for the evening, and I"ll drop in on the way home and pick you up."
Patty was in the music-room, so Mrs. Jack did not disturb her, but started at her basket-work. Mrs. Bennington read till eight, and retired. Patty played all the melancholy music she could think of.
When love first makes its entrance into the human heart, there is neither joy nor gladness nor gaiety. On the contrary, there is a vast shadow of melancholy, a painful sadness, doubt and cross-purpose, boldness at one moment and timidity at the next, a longing for solitude. Music and painting and poetry, these arts that only attracted, now engage.
So Patty played.
Sometimes Mrs. Jack looked up from her work, wondering. She had never heard Patty play so many haunting, dismal compositions. At nine the telephone rang, and she dropped her work instantly, thinking the call might be from John. Ah, if the men would only listen to reason!
"h.e.l.lo!"
"Is Mrs. Bennington at home?" asked a voice, unfamiliar to her ears.
"There are two. Which one do you wish?"
"Mrs. John Bennington."
"This is Mrs. John Bennington speaking. What is it?"
There was a pause.
"I have something very important to communicate to you. In the first place, you must use your influence in making Mr. Warrington withdraw his name as a candidate for nomination."
"Who is this speaking?" she asked sharply.
"Mr. McQuade."
The receiver nearly fell from her hand. McQuade? What in the world--
"Did you get the name?"
"Yes. But I fail to understand what you are talking about. I warn you that I shall ring off immediately."
"One moment, please. If you hang up the receiver, you will regret it.
I wish you no ill, Mrs. Bennington. If it were possible I should like to talk with you personally, for this matter deeply concerns your future happiness. I can not call; I have been ordered out of your husband"s house. It lies in your power to influence Warrington to drop his political ambition. Information has come to my hand that would not look very well in the newspapers. It is in my power to stop it, but I promise not to lift a hand if you refuse."
"I not only refuse, but I promise to repeat your conversation to my husband this very night." With that Mrs. Jack hung up the receiver.
She rose, pale and terribly incensed. The low fellow! How dared he, how dared he! "Patty!" The call brooked no dallying.
The music ceased. Patty came out, blinking.
"You called me, Kate?"
"Patty, McQuade has been calling me up on the telephone."
"Who?"
"McQuade, McQuade! He says that if I do not influence Mr. Warrington to withdraw his name--Did you ever hear of such a thing? I am furious! What can it mean? He says he has heard something about me which he can suppress but will not if I--Why, Patty, what shall I do?
What shall I do?" She crushed her hands together wildly.
"Tell John," said Patty sensibly.
"John? He would thresh McQuade within an inch of his life."
"Tell Warrington, then."
"He would do the same as John. But what can the wretch have found? G.o.d knows, Patty, I have always been a good, true woman. ... Think of that man"s telephoning me!"
Patty ran to her side and flung her arms about her brother"s wife.
Patty loved her.
"Don"t you bother your head, darling. It can"t be anything but a political dodge; it can"t be anything serious. McQuade is low enough to frighten women, but don"t let him frighten you. I know he lies,"
said the loyal Patty. "And now that I think it over, it would be best to say nothing to John or Richard. Fisticuffs would get into the papers, and it"s my opinion that"s just what this man McQuade wants.
He could swear to a thousand lies, if the matter became public. But oh!" clenching her hands fiercely, "I"d give a year of my life to see John thresh him. But you say nothing; let us wait and see."
Wise Patty!
At that very moment McQuade sat swinging in his swivel-chair. There was a smile of satisfaction on his face.
"That"ll bring "em," he said aloud, though he was alone. "That"ll bring "em both up here, roaring like lions. They"ll muss up the furniture, and then I can tell the reporters all about it. Even Walford can"t object this time."
He rubbed his hands together like Shylock at the thought of his pound of flesh. He had waited a long time. They had ordered him, McQuade.
who held the city in his hand--they had ordered him out of the house.
Not a grain of mercy, not half a grain. Two birds with one stone. He was shrewd for all his illiteracy. He knew women pa.s.sably well. This one would tell her husband, who would seek for immediate vengeance.
But sometimes chance overthrows the best-laid plans of cleverness and foresight. And this remarkable plan of McQuade"s was deranged by a chance guess by Patty.
Meantime at Martin"s it was growing lively. The bar was crowded, the restaurant was being liberally patronized, and persons went up the stairs that did not return. Jordan paid the check, and he and Osborne went out.