Part 21 (1/2)
”What did I tell ye?” said Salters ”Don't sputter over your vittles, Dan”
CHAPTER IX
Whatever his private sorrows man, should keep abreast of his business Harvey Cheyne, senior, had gone East late in June to ht of her son drowning in the grey seas He had surrounded her with doctors, trained nurses, e-women, and even faith-cure companions, but they were useless Mrs Cheyne lay still and ether to any one ould listen Hope she had none, and who could offer it? All she needed was assurance that drowning did not hurt; and her husband watched to guard lest she should make the experiment Of his own sorrow he spoke little--hardly realised the depth of it till he caught hi-desk, ”What's the use of going on?”
There had always lain a pleasant notion at the back of his head that, so and the boy had left college, he would take his son to his heart and lead hiued, as busy fathers do, would instantly become his companion, partner, and ally, and there would follow splendid years of great works carried out together--the old head backing the young fire Now his boy was dead--lost at sea, as ittea-shi+ps; the as dying, or worse; he himself was trodden down by platoons of women and doctors and maids and attendants; worried ale of her poor restless whims; hopeless, with no heart to meet his many enemies
He had taken the wife to his ra palace in San Diego, where she and her people occupied a wing of great price, and Cheyne, in a verandah-rooraphist, toiled along wearily fro four Western railroads in which he was supposed to be interested; a devastating strike had developed in his luislature of the State of California, which has no love for its ainst him
Ordinarily he would have accepted battle ere it was offered, and have waged a pleasant and unscrupulous can But now he sat limply, his soft black hat pushed forward on to his nose, his big body shrunk inside his loose clothes, staring at his boots or the Chinese junks in the bay, and assenting absently to the secretary's questions as he opened the Saturdayhowand pull out He carried huge insurances, could buy himself royal annuities, and between one of his places in Colorado and a little society (that would do the wife good), say in Washi+ngton and the South Carolina islands, aOn the other hand
The click of the typewriter stopped; the girl was looking at the secretary, who had turned white
He passed Cheyne a telegra schooner ”We're Here” having fallen off boat great ti Gloucester Mass care Disko Troop for money or orders hat shall do and how is mama Harvey N
Cheyne
The father let it fall, laid his head down on the roller-top of the shut desk, and breathed heavily The secretary ran for Mrs Cheyne's doctor, who found Cheyne pacing to and fro
”What-what d'you think of it? Is it possible? Is there anyto it? I can't quite make it out,” he cried
”I can,” said the doctor ”I lose seven thousand a year--that's all”
He thought of the struggling New York practice he had dropped at Cheyne's ih
”You mean you'd tell her? 'Maybe a fraud?”
”What's the motive?” said the doctor, coolly ”Detection's too certain
It's the boy sure enough”
Enter a French maid, ie wages
”Mrs Cheyne she say you must come at once She think you are seek”
The master of thirty millions bowed his head h voice on the upper landing of the great white-wood square staircase cried: ”What is it? what has happened?”
No doors could keep out the shriek that rang through the echoing house a moment later, when her husband blurted out the news
”And that's all right,” said the doctor, serenely, to the typewriter
”About the only medical statement in novels with any truth to it is that joy don't kill, Miss Kinzey”
”I know it; but we've a heap to do first” Miss Kinzey was from Milwaukee, somewhat direct of speech; and as her fancy leaned towards the secretary, she divined there ork in hand He was looking earnestly at the vast roller-ht across Private car straight through--Boston Fix the connections,” shouted Cheyne down the staircase