Part 27 (1/2)

”No,” he said, ”you can take this Navajoa or I'll quit and go somewhere else. I wouldn't put up a single share of Tecolote if you'd give me your whole, danged bank.”

”Very well,” said the president with a fleeting smile, ”we'll accept your Navajoa. My secretary will arrange it--but mind this is on a call loan! Give him credit for five hundred more,” he added and the clerk showed Rimrock out.

There are certain formalities that the richest must observe before they can borrow half a million and it was nearly noon before Rimrock was free and on his way to the hotel. He was just leaping out of his taxicab when he saw Mrs. Hardesty reeling towards him.

”Oh, Rimrock!” she gasped, ”I've had such a blow--won't you take me back to my rooms? Oh, I can't explain it, but Whitney H. Stoddard is trying to force me to give up my stock! That Tecolote stock----”

”Here, get into this taxi!” said Rimrock on the instant, ”now where do you want to go?”

”To the St. Cyngia on Ninety-fifth Street--and hurry!” she commanded; and the chauffeur slammed the door.

”Now what's the matter?” demanded Rimrock hurriedly. ”I haven't got a minute to spare. Did you notice Navajoa? Well, I've got a buy order in----”

”Oh, no! I've seen nothing--not since he sent me that message! It seems he's back in town.”

”Who? Whitney Stoddard? Well, let me get out then--I've got to get back to that tape!”

”Oh, no!” she murmured sinking against him with a shudder, ”don't go and leave me alone. I need your help, Rimrock! My whole fortune is involved. It's either that or give back the stock.”

”What stock?” asked Rimrock, ”that two thousand Tecolote? Well, you just give that to me! Have you really got it, or are you just stalling? Let me look at it and I'll see you through h.e.l.l!”

”It's in my apartment,” she answered weakly. ”I'll show it to you when we are there. Ah, Rimrock, something told me you would come to save me. But--oh, I'm ready to fall.”

She dropped against him and the startled Rimrock took her quickly within his arm. They rode on swiftly and as she lay panting on his breast she told him the story of her misfortune.

”I don't deserve it,” she said, ”to have you help me, because I started to do you a wrong. I didn't know you then, nor your generous heart--and so I made the agreement with Stoddard. I was to go to Gunsight and get acquainted with you and get you to come back to New York--and for that I was to receive two thousand shares of Tecolote stock. Oh, not as a present--I'd never think of that--but far below what they are worth. It would take all the money I had in the world just to make a part payment on the stock. But I knew how wonderfully valuable they were and so I took the chance.”

She sighed and leaned against him closer while Rimrock listened eagerly for the rest.

”Can you understand now why I've seemed worried, and anxious and why I've concealed my affairs? I went there and met you, but when I refused to betray you I found I was caught in a trap. Whitney Stoddard is hounding you in every possible way to make you give up your mine, and after I refused to give back my stock he set out deliberately to ruin me!”

She shuddered and lay silent and Rimrock moved uneasily.

”What was it he wanted you to do?” he asked at last and she tore herself swiftly away.

”I can't tell you--here. But come up to my rooms. I defied him, but I did it for you.”

She fell quickly to rearranging her hair and hat in preparation for the short dash past the doorman and at the end she looked at him and smiled.

”I knew you would come,” she said; and as he helped her out he thrilled to the touch of her hand. At odd times before she had seemed old and blase, but now she was young and all-alive. He dismissed the taxi without a thought of his business and they hurried up to her apartments. She let herself in and as she locked the door behind them she reached up and took his big hat.

”You must stay a while,” she said. ”The servants are gone and I have no one to protect me if they come to serve the papers. Just start the fire--and if anyone knocks don't let them break down the door.”

She smiled again and a sudden giddiness seemed to blind Rimrock and make him doubt where he was. He looked about at the silken rugs and the luxurious hangings on the walls and wondered if it was the same place as before. Even when he lit the laid fire and sank down on a divan he still felt the sweet confusion of a dream; and then she came back, suddenly transformed by a soft house-gown, and looked him questioningly in the face.

”Can you guess,” she asked as she sat down beside him, ”what it was that he wanted me to do? No, not to betray you or get possession of your stock--all he asked was that I should marry you.”

”Marry me!” exclaimed Rimrock and his keen, staring eyes suddenly narrowed as she bowed her head.

”Yes, marry you,” she said. ”That was what made it so hard. Did you notice, when I stopped inviting you here? I was afraid, my Rimrock; I was afraid I might forget and--marry you. That was the one spot where Stoddard's plan failed, he forgot that I might fall in love. I loved you, Rimrock, loved you too much to marry you, and so I broke up all his plans. If I had married you, don't you see how easy it would have been for me to get hold of your stock? And that girl out there--the one I don't like--she would have thrown her vote to Stoddard. That alone would give him control, they would have fifty per cent. of the stock.”

”No they wouldn't,” corrected Rimrock, ”not if you've got that two thousand. That would give us fifty-one per cent!”