Part 4 (1/2)

”Thank you,” said Mr. Colliver finding one of his own neck adornments growing tight.

”He was murdered,” the theologian went on, ”because he carried some diamonds for his wife in a pocket. Some thieves found it out.”

”What thieves?” Colliver demanded.

”It is one of the undiscovered murders on the high seas,” the professor said placidly.

”Mighty awkward for you,” Colliver said, still angry.

”Fortunately I had an alibi,” said the other, ”I was violently ill of _mal de mer_.”

”Mighty convenient,” Colliver commented.

Later he asked the purser's private opinion of the professor. Myers Irving joined with Colliver in resenting the professor's attack on business men.

”Ordinarily,” Colliver said, ”I don't like advertising men, but you're different. They're like vultures after my account as a rule.”

”You'd have to force your account on me,” said Myers Irving seriously.

”I'm not an ordinary business or advertising man. Primarily I'm a business builder. I leave nothing to underlings. I direct everything personally. I take few accounts. If my clients don't make good on their end of it I give them up. I make money for my clients. I have no other ambition. I believe in advertising. It might be that fellow Trent jumped ash.o.r.e for some publicity stunt. Supposing he said he did it because he forgot to order some special dish at the Adelphi or Midland? Such a dish would get more publicity than you could shake a stick at. But I'm not here to talk shop.”

Colliver watched the trim advertising man saunter off.

”A bright boy,” commented the Troy magnate, ”maybe he'll be surprised before this trip is over. Maybe he'll have to talk shop.”

Captain Sutton listened to the purser's explanation as though they were entirely reasonable. But all the time he said to himself, ”why need he have been afraid of me?”

Anthony Trent bought himself a suit of clothes in the city and set out for London on the ten o'clock train. An Army List showed him the names of the officers of the City of London Regiment. He decided to call upon the adjutant, a Captain Edgell. It took him little time to find out that Edgell had resumed his former occupation of stock broker and was living with his family at Banstead in Surrey.

Edgell was a golfer of distinction and before the war had been a scratch man at the club on the Downs. Five years absence had sent his handicap up a bit but he was engaged in pulling it down when a golfing stranger from the United States giving the name of Trent who had the club's privileges for the day asked him if he could introduce him to a member for a round of golf. It so happened that most of the men waiting to play were ruddy faced gentlemen with handicaps of from twelve up to twenty-four. They did not excite Edgell.

”Glad to,” he said heartily. He had been brigaded with Americans and liked them. ”Do you play a strong game?”

”I have a two handicap at Wykasol,” Trent said.

”Good business,” cried Edgell, ”we'll play together.”

They played. They became intimate during the game and Edgell learned with regret that Trent was not one of the many American business men engaged in their work in London. Trent beat the stockbroker on the twenty-third hole.

”If I could only putt like that,” said Edgell, ”I'd have a chance for the open champions.h.i.+p.”

”I wish I could drive a ball the length you do,” Trent said not to be outdone.

”Of course you'll have dinner with us,” the stockbroker said. ”We don't dress for it any more since the war so you've no excuse. I learned to make c.o.c.ktails from some of your fellows in France so you ought to feel at home.”

”As home used to be,” Trent corrected. ”I'd love to come if I'm not putting you out.”

Edgell's home was a half-timbered house standing in an acre of lawn and flower garden. It was thoroughly comfortable. There seemed to be a number of children but they did not obtrude. Trent could see them playing in different parts of the garden, the little ones with their nurse and the elder playing clock golf on a perfect green in front of the house. Always the quiet secure atmosphere of a home such as this brought to Anthony Trent a vision of what he had lost or rather of what he could never obtain.

Little six-year old Marjorie Edgell liked Trent on sight and liking him announced it openly. She told him what a great man her father was and how he had medals and things. Finally she asked the visitor whether he would not like to have medals. It was the opportunity for which Trent had been looking. Ordinarily averse to talking of himself, he wanted to get on to the subject of the war with the late adjutant of the seventy-eighth.

”I have,” he told little Marjorie.