Part 70 (1/2)
”The older I grow,” Forbes interposed, ”the less I feel that people deserve either blame or praise for being what they are or doing what they do.”
”Don't waste your pity on her; she had none for you.”
”It's not pity--it's--”
Tait clapped his hand to his left side and choked back a cry of distress. Forbes turned to him with an exclamation of alarm. ”You ought to see your doctor.”
Tait shook his head: ”No, he'd only swear at me for disobeying him. I'm all right--if I can only avoid any excitement. Been going a little too hard. It's that d.a.m.ned dilated heart of mine. The doctor said I ought to be in bed to-night.”
”Why did you come here then?”
”Oh, young Webb was afraid that Alice's mother would drag her home if she knew I was not about. But I'm a fool. This life is killing me. I ought to run down to Vichy or Evian for a few days.”
”Yes; you mustn't delay any further.”
”I'll go if you'll come with me, Harvey. For one thing, it will get you away from that woman.”
”Oh, there's no danger from her,” said Forbes. ”She's married now.”
Tait shrugged his shoulders: ”That's when a woman is most dangerous.
Young girls tied to their mother's ap.r.o.n-strings are risky enough, the Lord knows, but when a woman unhappily married meets an old lover who is still unmarried--humph, the weather doesn't last long as a topic of conversation. You come along with me.”
Forbes felt doubly humiliated by his position. ”I don't like the idea of running away from a woman.”
”You're good enough soldier to know that there are times when it is cowardly not to run away. Do we go to Evian-les-Bains?”
”Yes. To-morrow, if you wish.”
”Good! And I want you to promise not to see that woman at all to-night.
There are a lot of sharp eyes about, and the gossips can work up a big trade on a very small capital. Will you promise?”
”You are needlessly worried.”
”Harvey, I never believed in playing with fire. I haven't asked you many favors. Will you grant me this one?”
Forbes was almost filial in his obedience: ”Why, of course I promise not to meet her if I can avoid it.”
”Good!” Tait rose to his feet with some difficulty. He was weak and shaken with premonitions. When a man's heart races and misses fire he is filled with dismay. He paused to lay his hands on Forbes' shoulders and plead as if for forgiveness for his solicitude. ”Harvey, you may think I'm an old fool, but if you didn't run away from this danger, in after years you might have been sorry that you didn't.”
”I understand,” said Forbes. ”G.o.d bless you, I appreciate it. I shall always be grateful for all you've done for me.”
”I've done nothing but make a crutch of you, used you to fill the place of my own boy. If only you could--but we won't talk of her. But if anything happens to me--”
”Nothing is going to happen to you.”
”I know that, but if anything should, I--I want you to promise to take care of Mildred. She'll have money enough--and so will you. I've fixed that--but--she'll need somebody to--well, we'll talk it over at Evian.
Let's go, home.”