Part 2 (2/2)

”Oh, pater's an old dolt!” exclaimed Howard impatiently. ”There's no fool like an old fool. Of course, he's sensible enough in business matters. He wouldn't be where he is to-day if he weren't. But when it comes to the woman question he's as blind as a bat. What right had a man of his age to go and marry a woman twenty years his junior? Of course she only married him for his money. Everybody knows that except he. People laugh at him behind his back. Instead of enjoying a quiet, peaceful home in the declining years of his life, he is compelled to keep open house and entertain people who are personally obnoxious to him, simply because that sort of life pleases his young wife.”

”Who was she, anyway, before their marriage?” interrupted Annie.

”Oh, a n.o.body,” he replied. ”She was very attractive looking, dressed well and was clever enough to get introductions to good people. She managed to make herself popular in the smart set and she needed money to carry out her social ambitions. Dad--wealthy widower--came along and she caught him in her net, that's all!”

Annie listened with interest. She was human enough to feel a certain sense of satisfaction on hearing that this woman who treated her with such contempt was herself something of an intriguer.

”How did your stepmother come to know Robert Underwood?” she asked. ”He was never in society.”

”No,” replied Howard with a grin. ”It was my stepmother who gave him the entree. You know she was once engaged to him, but broke it off so she could marry Dad. He felt very sore over it at the time, but after her marriage he was seemingly as friendly with her as ever--to serve his own ends, of course. It is simply wonderful what influence he has with her.

He exercises over her the same fascination that he did over me at college. He has sort of hypnotized her. I don't think it's a case of love or anything like that, but he simply holds her under his thumb and gets her to do anything he wants. She invites him to her house, introduces him right and left, got people to take him up. Everybody laughs about it in society. Underwood is known as Mrs. Howard Jeffries'

pet. Such a thing soon gets talked about. That is the secret of his successful career in New York. As far as I know, she's as much infatuated with him as ever.”

A look of surprise came into Annie's face. To this young woman, whose one idea of matrimony was steadfast loyalty to the man whose life she shared and whose name she bore, there was something repellent and nauseating in a woman permitting herself to be talked about in that way.

”Doesn't your father object?” she asked.

”Pshaw!” laughed Howard. ”He doesn't see what's going on under his very nose. He's too proud a man, too sure of his own good judgment, to believe for a moment that the woman to whom he gave his name would be guilty of the slightest indiscretion of that kind.”

Annie was silent for a minute. Then she said:

”What makes you think that Underwood would let you have the money?”

”Because I think he's got it. I obliged him once in the same way myself.

I would explain to him what I want it for. He will see at once that it is a good thing. I'll offer him a good rate of interest, and he might be very glad to let me have it. Anyhow, there's no harm trying.”

Annie said nothing. She did not entirely approve this idea of her husband trying to borrow money of a man in whom his stepmother was so much interested. On the other hand starvation stared them in the face.

If Howard could get hold of this $2,000 and start in the brokerage business it might be the beginning of a new life for them.

”Well, do as you like, dear,” she said. ”When will you go to him?”

”The best time to catch him would be in the evening,” replied Howard.

”Well, then, go to-night,” she suggested.

Howard shook his head.

”No, not to-night. I don't think I should find him in. He's out every night somewhere. To-night there's another big reception at my father's house. He'll probably be there. I think I'll wait till to-morrow night.

I'm nearly sure to catch him at home then.”

Annie rose and began to remove the dishes from the table. Howard nonchalantly lighted another cigarette and, leaving the table, took up the evening newspaper. Sitting down comfortably in a rocker by the window, he blew a cloud of blue smoke up in the air and said:

”Yes, that's it--I'll go to-morrow night to the Astruria and strike Bob Underwood for that $2,000.”

CHAPTER III.

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