"No trouble. I merely severed my connection with him."
"Ah! When?"
"This morning."
"In that case," said Austin, laughing, "I"ve a job for you--"
"No, old fellow; and thank you with all my heart. I"ve half made up my mind to live on my income for a while and take up that Chaosite matter again--"
"And blow yourself to smithereens! Why spatter Nature thus?"
"No fear," said Selwyn, laughing. "And, if it promises anything, I may come to you for advice on how to start it commercially."
"If it doesn"t start you heavenward you shall have my advice from a safe distance. I"ll telegraph it," said Austin. "But, if it"s not personal, why on earth have you shaken Neergard?"
And Selwyn answered simply: "I don"t like him. That is the reason, Austin."
The children from the head of the stairs were now shouting demands for their father; and Austin rose, pretending to grumble:
"Those confounded kids! A man is never permitted a moment to himself. Is Nina up there, Eileen! Oh, all right. Excuses et cetera; I"ll be back pretty soon. You"ll stay to dine, Phil?"
"I don"t think so--"
"Yes, he will stay," said Eileen calmly.
And, when Austin had gone, she walked swiftly over to where Selwyn was standing, and looked him directly in the eyes.
"Is all well with Gerald?"
"Y-yes, I suppose so."
"Is he still with Neergard & Co.?"
"Yes, Eileen."
"And _you_ don"t like Mr. Neergard?"
"N-no."
"Then Gerald must not remain."
He said very quietly: "Eileen, Gerald no longer takes me into his confidence. I am afraid--I know, in fact--that I have little influence with him now. I am sorry; it hurts; but your brother is his own master, and he is at liberty to choose his own friends and his own business policy. I cannot influence him; I have learned that thoroughly. Better that I retain what real friendship he has left for me than destroy it by any attempt, however gentle, to interfere in his affairs."
She stood before him, straight, slender, her face grave and troubled.
"I cannot understand," she said, "how he could refuse to listen to a man like you."
"A man like me, Eileen? Well, if I were worth listening to, no doubt he"d listen. But the fact remains that I have not been able to hold his interest--"
"Don"t give him up," she said, still looking straight into his eyes. "If you care for me, don"t give him up."
"Care for you, Eileen! You know I do."
"Yes, I know it. So you will not give up Gerald, will you? He is--is only a boy--you know that; you know he has been--perhaps--indiscreet.
But Gerald is only a boy. Stand by him, Captain Selwyn; because Austin does not know how to manage him--really he doesn"t... . There has been another unpleasant scene between them; Gerald told me."
"Did he tell you why, Eileen?"
"Yes. He told me that he had played cards for money, and he was in debt.
I know that sounds--almost disgraceful; but is not his need of help all the greater?"
Selwyn"s eyes suddenly narrowed: "Did _you_ help him out, this time?"
"I--I--how do you mean, Captain Selwyn?" But the splendid colour in her face confirmed his certainty that she had used her own resources to help her brother pay the gambling debt; and he turned away his eyes, angry and silent.
"Yes," she said under her breath, "I did aid him. What of it? Could I refuse?"
"I know. Don"t aid him again--_that_ way."
She stared: "You mean--"
"Send him to me, child. I understand such matters; I--that is--" and in sudden exasperation inexplicable, for the moment, to them both: "Don"t touch such matters again! They soil, I tell you. I will not have Gerald go to you about such things!"
"My own brother! What do you mean?"
"I mean that, brother or not, he shall not bring such matters near you!"
"Am I to count for nothing, then, when Gerald is in trouble?" she demanded, flushing up.
"Count! Count!" he repeated impatiently; "of course you count! Good heavens! it"s women like you who count--and no others--not one single other sort is of the slightest consequence in the world or to it.
Count? Child, you control us all; everything of human goodness, of human hope hinges and hangs on you--is made possible, inevitable, because of you! And you ask me whether you count! You, who control us all, and always will--as long as you are you!"
She had turned a little pale under his vehemence, watching him out of wide and beautiful eyes.
What she understood--how much of his incoherence she was able to translate, is a question; but in his eyes and voice there was something simpler to divine; and she stood very still while his roused emotions swept her till her heart leaped up and every vein in her ran fiery pride.
"I am--overwhelmed ... I did not consider that I counted--so vitally--in the scheme of things. But I must try to--if you believe all this of me--only you must teach me how to count for something in the world. Will you?"
"Teach you, Eileen. What winning mockery! _I_ teach _you_? Well, then--I teach you this--that a man"s blunder is best healed by a man"s sympathy; ... I will stand by Gerald as long as he will let me do so--not alone for your sake, nor only for his, but for my own. I promise you that. Are you contented?"
"Yes."
She slowly raised one hand, laying it fearlessly in both of his.
"He is all I have left," she said. "You know that."
"I know, child."
"Then--thank you, Captain Selwyn."