Part 42 (1/2)
Tait and Forbes strolled aside from the traffic of the golf-course and found a quiet seat in the shade.
”And now tell me,” the Senator said; ”but first have a cigar?”
He took out a portly wallet stuffed with brown backs, the famous cigars made expressly for him in Havana. Forbes accepted one and sniffed its bouquet.
”It's a shame to waste these in the open air,” he said, and sprung a cigar-lighter he carried, holding the flame to Tait, who waived it with a sigh:
”Doctor's orders.”
”Then I won't.”
”Go on; I carry them for my friends. I love to see others enjoy what I can't. Well, I will smoke just one to celebrate the prodigal's return.”
And he took a cigar from the case as tenderly as if it were forbidden ambrosia. As Forbes made a light again, he asked:
”What's this about doctor's orders? You're the kind of picture that goes with the testimonials--after taking.”
”I'm a hollow sham, my boy; bad heart, bad liver, fat and sluggish, ordered to Carlsbad, but I hate to go. May have to,” he puffed. ”Did you see my daughter Mildred at the club-house?”
”No, I don't think so. I don't suppose I'd know her. She was a little tike in short skirts when I saw her last.”
”She's a big woman now--regular old maid--fanatic on charities--fine mind--great heart. Thinks too much about the poor and the downtrodden to be very cheerful company; but somebody ought to look after 'em, I suppose. She's one of those hotheads that are trying to make the world over. Sounds hopeless, but they do get a lot done. She thinks poverty is no more necessary than slavery was. And she says the same of the oldest profession in the world.
”Good Lord, Harvey, what that child knows! Her mother to her dying day never heard of half the things that young spinster discusses, and has never had a flirtation so far as I know. Her conversation is really what has turned my hair white. Things that used to be kept for the medical books or smoking-room conversation she tosses off glibly, earnestly, and--to me! And spends my money, too, on scientific rescue work among women who--whew! And to think her mother and I didn't dare to tell her things! Now she tells 'em to me! She knows more about the seamy side than I do. But she's wonderful, Harvey. I'm afraid of her, but I do admire and love her. Women like her make these mad tango-trotters look pretty cheap.”
Forbes resented the unintended criticism on the wonderful soul the tango mania had enabled him to meet and know so well so soon. He murmured something formulaic about his eagerness to see Mildred, and then he added, with a little hint of raillery:
”You congratulated me on my wealth. Am I to congratulate you the same way for your success with little Miss Neff?”
The Senator stared at him. ”My success with little Miss Neff? What do you mean? Who's little Miss Neff? Alice?”
”Yes.”
”The girl that was just here with her mother?”
”Yes.”
”What success should I have with her?”
Forbes was confused, and tried to back out, but Tait would know, and Forbes at last explained: ”Alice says that her mother is trying to marry her off to you.”
Tait's eyes popped, and his mouth gaped stupidly, then he swore with sonority, and blurted out: ”Do you mean that that old harridan of a Cornelia Neff has gone mad enough to--Why, Alice is younger than Mildred! I thought of her as a little tot. I tweaked her cheek and told her how sweet she was, and never dreamed she'd grown up yet. So that's why Cornelia has been so hospitable to me. I had a kind of sneaking fear that she wanted to add me to her own regiment of husbands. But it's her daughter, eh? Well, I'll be double--Is Alice in on the game, too?”
”Oh no; Alice is crazy to marry Stowe Webb.”
”Poor old Jim Webb's boy, eh?” Forbes nodded. ”Well, why doesn't she?”
”He has no money.”
”Oh, she's one of those.”
”He hasn't even a job.”