Part 69 (1/2)
”I guess not. He hasn't paid you thirteen thousand dollars for board, has he?”
”Thirteen thousand dollars! Well, I guess not--scarcely. What are you talkin' about, Mr. Cabot? What is the joke?”
”I don't know. That's one of the things which, now that I am down here, I should like to find out. Somehow or other, since he has been on the Cape, he has managed to get rid of over thirteen thousand dollars. He SAYS he has given it to some of his mummy-hunting friends, but I am rather suspicious. He hasn't been organizing a clam trust, has he, Miss Phipps?”
Plainly, Martha did not know what to make of this speech. It was a joke, of course, but just where the point of the joke was located she was not sure. To her, thirteen thousand dollars was an enormous sum. The idea that her lodger, gentle, retiring little Galusha Bangs, possessed a half of that fortune was a joke in itself. But... And then she saw Galusha's face and the expression upon it.
”Why--why, Mr. Bangs!” she exclaimed.
Cabot turned and he, too, saw the expression. He burst out laughing.
”See!” he cried. ”Doesn't he look guilty? It IS a clam trust, Miss Phipps. By Jove, Loosh, you are discovered! Galusha Bangs, the Clam King! Ha, ha, ha! Look at him, Miss Phipps! Look at him! Did you ever see a plainer case of conscious guilt? Ha, ha!”
He was enjoying himself hugely. And really Galusha was a humorous spectacle. He was very red in the face, he was trembling, and he appeared to be struggling for words and finding none.
”I--I insist,” he stammered. ”I--I mean I protest. It is ridiculous--ah--ah--absurd! I--I--”
His cousin broke in upon him. ”Ha, ha!” he cried. ”The secret is out.
And you gave me to understand the mummy-hunters had it. Oh, Galusha!”
Galusha made another attempt.
”I--I told you--” he faltered. ”I--I told you--”
”You told me it had gone to Egypt. But I was suspicious, old man. Why, Miss Phipps, isn't it glorious? Look at him!”
Martha was looking. Her face wore a puzzled expression.
”Isn't it glorious?” repeated Cousin Gussie.
She shrugged. ”I suppose it is,” she said. ”Maybe it would be more so if I knew what it was all about. And Mr. Bangs doesn't look as if he found much glory in it.”
”Of course he doesn't. Serves him right, the rascal. You see, Miss Phipps, I am supposed to take care of his money for him, and, while I was away in the mountains, my secretary sent him a check for over fourteen thousand dollars, sent it to him by mistake. _I_ never should have done it, of course. I know him of old, where money is concerned.
Well, almost immediately after receiving the check, up he comes to our Boston office and--”
”Cousin Gussie! I--I protest! I--”
”Up he comes, Miss Phipps, and draws five thousand of the fourteen thousand in cash, in money, and takes it away with him. Then--”
”Cousin Gussie! Mr. Cabot!”
The tone in which Galusha spoke was so different from his usual one, and the fact of his addressing his relative as ”Mr. Cabot” so astonis.h.i.+ng, that the latter was obliged to stop even in the full tide of his enjoyment of the joke. He turned, to find Galusha leaning forward, one hand upon the center table, and the other extending a forefinger in his direction. The finger shook a little, but its owner's countenance was set like a rock. And now it was not crimson, but white.
”Mr. Cabot,” said Galusha, ”I must insist that you say no more on this matter. My personal business is--ah--presumably my own. I--I must insist. Insist--ah--absolutely; yes.”
His cousin looked at him and he returned the look. Cabot's hesitation was but momentary. His astonishment was vast, but he accepted the situation gracefully. He laughed no more.
”I beg your pardon, Galusha,” he said. ”I'm sorry. I had no thought of offending you, old man. I--well, perhaps I am inclined to joke too freely. But, really, I didn't suppose--I never knew you to be--”
He paused. Galusha's expression did not change; he said nothing.