Part 31 (1/2)

”I most earnestly hope that you will,” answered Michael.

In spite of her hauteur she could not but be impressed by Michael's manner.

His grave tones and serious eyes told hear heart that here was something out of the ordinary, at least she gave Michael credit for thinking there was.

”I certainly shall not do anything of the kind without a good reason for it.” Starr's tone was determined and cold.

”And I can give you no reason beyond telling you that he is not such a man as a friend of yours should be.”

”What do you mean?”

”Please do not ask me. Please trust me and give me your promise. At least wait until I can write to your father.”

Starr rose with a look of her father's stubbornness now in her pretty face.

”I wish to be told,” she demanded angrily.

”You would not wish to be told if you knew,” he answered.

She stood looking at him steadily for a full moment, then with a graceful toss of her lovely head, she said haughtily:

”I must decline to accede to your request, Mr. Endicott. You will excuse me, I have a luncheon engagement now.”

She stood aside for him to go out the door, but as he rose with pleading still in his eyes, he said:

”You will write to your father and tell him what I have said? You will wait until you hear from him?”

”It is impossible, Mr. Endicott.” Starr's tone was freezing now, and he could see that she was very angry. ”Mr. Carter is my friend!” she flung at him as he pa.s.sed her and went out into the hall.

Another night of anguish brought Michael face to face with the necessity for an interview with Starr's mother.

Taking his cue from the hour Starr had set for his call, he went a little before eleven o'clock and sent up the card of the firm with his own name written below; for he had very serious doubts of obtaining an interview at all if the lady thought he might be there on his own business.

It is doubtful whether Mrs. Endicott recognized the former ”Mikky”

under the t.i.tle written below his most respectable law firm's name. Any representative of Holt and Holt was to be recognized of course. She came down within a half hour, quite graciously with lorgnette in her hand, until she had reached the centre of the reception room where he had been put to await her. Then Michael arose, almost from the same spot where she had addressed him nearly four years before, the halo of the morning s.h.i.+ning through the high window on his hair, and with a start and stiffening of her whole form she recognized him.

”Oh, it is _you_!” There was that in her tone that argued ill for Michael's mission, but with grave and gentle bearing he began:

”Madam, I beg your pardon for the intrusion. I would not have come if there had been any other way. I tried to find Mr. Endicott but was told he had sailed--”

”You needn't waste your time, and mine. I shall do nothing for you. As I told you before, if I remember, I think far too much already has been done for you and I never felt that you had the slightest claim upon our bounty.

I must refuse to hear any hard luck stories.”

Michael's face was a study. Indignation, shame and pity struggled with a sudden sense of the ridiculousness of the situation.

What he did was to laugh, a rich, clear, musical laugh that stopped the lady's tirade better than he could have done it in any other way.