Part 2 (1/2)

”How much capital would he require?”

”Ten thousand dollars.”

”A large sum to risk.”

”Yes; but I do not think there will be any risk. The business is well established.”

”What do you know about Mr. Freeling?”

”Not a great deal; but if I am any judge of character, he is fair and honorable.”

Mrs. Dinneford turned her head that Granger might not see the expression of her face.

”You had better talk with Mr. Dinneford,” she said.

But Mr. Dinneford did not favor it. He had seen too many young men go into business and fail.

So the matter was dropped for a little while. But Mrs. Dinneford had set her heart on the young man's destruction, and no better way of accomplis.h.i.+ng the work presented itself than this. He must be involved in some way to hurt his good name, to blast his reputation and drive him to ruin. Weak, trusting and pliable, a specious villain in whom he had confidence might easily get him involved in transactions that were criminal under the law. She would be willing to sacrifice twice ten thousand dollars to accomplish this result.

Neither Mr. Dinneford nor Edith favored the business connection with Freeling, and said all they could against it. In weak natures we often find great pertinacity. Granger had this quality. He had set his mind on the copartners.h.i.+p, and saw in it a high road to fortune, and no argument of Mr. Dinneford, nor opposition of Edith, had power to change his views, or to hold him back from the arrangement favored by Mrs.

Dinneford, and made possible by the capital she almost compelled her husband to supply.

In due time the change from clerk to merchant was made, and the new connection announced, under the t.i.tle of ”FREELING & GRANGER.”

Clear seeing as evil may be in its schemes for hurting others, it is always blind to the consequent exactions upon itself; it strikes fiercely and desperately, not calculating the force of a rebound. So eager was Mrs. Dinneford to compa.s.s the ruin of Granger that she stepped beyond the limit of common prudence, and sought private interviews with Freeling, both before and after the completion of the partners.h.i.+p arrangement. These took place in the parlor of a fas.h.i.+onable hotel, where the gentleman and lady seemed to meet accidentally, and without attracting attention.

Mrs. Dinneford was very confidential in these interviews not concealing her aversion to Granger. He had come into the family, she said, as an unwelcome intruder; but now that he was there, they had to make the best of him. Not in spoken words did Mrs. Dinneford convey to Freeling the bitter hatred that was in her heart, nor in spoken words let him know that she desired the young man's utter ruin, but he understood it all before the close of their first private interview. Freeling was exceedingly deferential in the beginning and guarded in his speech. He knew by the quick intuitions of his nature that Mrs. Dinneford cherished an evil purpose, and had chosen him as the agent for its accomplishment.

She was rich, and occupied a high social position, and his ready conclusion was that, be the service what it might, he could make it pay.

To get such a woman in his power was worth an effort.

One morning--it was a few months after the date of the copartners.h.i.+p--Mrs. Dinneford received a note from Freeling. It said, briefly,

”At the usual place, 12 M. to-day. Important.” There was no signature.

The sharp knitting of her brows and the nervous crumpling of the note in her hand showed that she was not pleased at the summons. She had come already to know her partner in evil too well. At 12 M. she was in the hotel parlor. Freeling was already there. They met in external cordiality, but it was very evident from the manner of Mrs. Dinneford, that she felt herself in the man's power, and had learned to be afraid of him.

”It will be impossible to get through to-morrow,” he said, in a kind of imperative voice, that was half a threat, ”unless we have two thousand dollars.”

”I cannot ask Mr. Dinneford for anything more,” Mrs. Dinneford replied; ”we have already furnished ten thousand dollars beyond the original investment.”

”But it is all safe enough--that is, if we do not break down just here for lack of so small a sum.”

Mrs. Dinneford gave a start.

”Break down!” She repeated the words in a husky, voice, with a paling face. ”What do you mean?”

”Only that in consequence of having in store a large stock of unsalable goods bought by your indiscreet son-in-law, who knows no more about business than a child, we are in a temporary strait.”

”Why did you trust him to buy?” asked Mrs. Dinneford.

”I didn't trust him. He bought without consulting me,” was replied, almost rudely.