Part 23 (2/2)
”There it is; count it.”
”What?”
”Twenty-five one-thousand-dollar notes. Anyhow, I think there are twenty- five of them, but I'm not sure. I counted them twice: once I made twenty- four and the next time twenty-six, but I had my gloves on; so I struck an averages and took the paying teller's word for it.”
Emerson leaped to his feet, staring at the dandy as if not comprehending this sudden turn of fortune.
”Did you rustle this money without any help?” he demanded.
”Abso-blooming-lutely!”
”Is it your own?”
”Well, hardly! It is so far from it that I was sorely tempted to spread my wings and soar to foreign parts. It wouldn't have taken much of a nudge to b.u.t.t me clear over into Canada this morning.”
”Where in the world did you get it, Al?”
”What difference does that make? I _got_ it, didn't I?” He slapped his trousers leg daintily with his stick. ”You can issue the stock in my name.”
Boyd seized the little fellow and whirled him around the room, laughing gleefully, lifted in one moment from the pit of despair to the height of optimism.
”Stop it! I'm all rumpled!” gasped Clyde, finally, sinking into a chair ”When I get rumpled in the morning I stay rumpled all day. Don't you touch me!”
”Whose money is this? What good angel took pity on us?”
Clyde's faded eyes dropped. ”Well, I turned a trick, and to all intents and purposes it is mine. There it is. I didn't steal it, and--you don't have to know _everything,_ do you? That is why I got the check cashed.”
”I beg your pardon,” Boyd apologized; ”I didn't mean to pry into your affairs, and it is none of my business, anyhow. I'm glad enough to get the money, no matter where it came from. I'd forgive you if you had stolen it.” He began to dress hurriedly. ”You are the fairy prince of this enterprise, Alton, and you can go to Kalvik and pick flowers or play the mandolin or do anything you wish. Now for a telegram to the bank at Seattle. We leave to-morrow.”
”Oh, here, now! I can't get my wardrobe ready.”
”Ward--nothing! You don't need any clothes! You can get all that stuff in Seattle.”
”Must have wardrobe,” firmly maintained Clyde. ”No can do without.”
”George and I will be in Seattle for several weeks, so you can come on later.”
”No, sir! I'm going to trail my bet with yours. I might change my mind if I hung around here alone. I'll make my tailor work all night to-night; it will do him good. But it upsets me to be hurried; it upsets me worse than being rumpled in the morning.”
That was a busy day for Boyd Emerson, but he was too elated to notice fatigue, even while dressing for the Waylands'. He had arranged to come an hour before dinner, that Mildred and he might have a little time to themselves, and his haste to acquaint her with the news of his success brought him to the Lake Sh.o.r.e house ahead of time. She did not keep him waiting, however, and when she appeared, gowned for dinner, he fairly swept her off her feet with his abruptness.
”It's a go, my Lady; I have succeeded.”
”I knew it by your smile. I am so glad!”
”Yes. I have all the money I need, and I am off for the Coast to-morrow.”
”Oh!” She drew back from him. ”To-morrow! Why, you wretch! You seem actually glad of it!”
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