Part 31 (2/2)

Lorimer turned to him with an air of grave rebuke.

”You know, Thayer, for you were there. But the res' do' know. How could they? They were n' there.” He paused long enough to empty the gla.s.s before him. Then he braced one hand against the edge of the table and raised the other, as if to add emphasis to his words. ”I was there, an'

you were there, an' Arlt was there. n.o.body else was there. If they had been, they'd know 'bout it, to-night. Plucky fellow, Arlt, an' he d'serves his success. If 't had n' been for you an' me, Thayer, Arlt would have gone under, though. No wond' Frau Arlt calls me _Lieb Sohn_.

If it had n' been for me, she would n' have had any _sohn_ 't all. With me, there's pair of us.”

He delivered himself of this long speech with an air of portentous gravity. Then he turned away from Thayer and smiled benignly up the table. Side by side at the farther end, Arlt and Beatrix seemed powerless to take their eyes from his face. Lorimer caught the eye of Beatrix and instantly his face lighted, as he kissed his hand to her.

”Supper's a gran' success, dear girl,” he called gayly. ”Ought to be, cost 'nough, an' has been no end trouble; but it pays. People will know wha' we think of Arlt now. He's geniush, 'n no mishtake; are n' you, Arlt?”

”Bobby,” Sally whispered; ”I must go away, I can't bear this for another minute.”

Bobby nodded comprehendingly.

”Slip out, the next time he begins on Thayer. I think you can do it, and you oughtn't to stay. I wish the others would go, too.”

”They may follow me. I would break it up, if I dared; but--Bobby, I'm afraid.”

”So am I,” Bobby growled through his shut teeth. ”Come back in the morning, Sally. Beatrix may need you. I'd go with you now; but I dare not leave things.”

But Lorimer's eye was upon them.

”Wha' now, Sally?” he asked jovially. ”Bobby been making a bad pun, that you look so savage?”

Sally hesitated. For one instant, she eyed her host as if he had been a scorpion that had crawled across her path. Then she controlled herself, and her voice took on its customary mocking drawl.

”No; I only feel savage because I know you must have set the clocks ahead. Just see! It is high time we all were going home, and you know I always hate to start.”

Lorimer glanced at the clock on the mantel. Then he turned to the man behind his chair.

”Stop tha' clock!” he commanded. ”We can' have anybody talk 'bout going home yet. Night's only jus' begun, an' there's quarts more champagne.

Beatrix did n' wan' us to have any; but I don' believe in being stingy.”

Sally had already risen, and one or two other women, casting furtive, apologetic glances towards Beatrix, were hurriedly following Sally's example. In the slight confusion, it seemed to Thayer that his chance had come, and he took it. Unfortunately, however, for the once he had reckoned without his man. He had kept careful count of the gla.s.ses which Lorimer had emptied since he had sat down at the table, and he knew that the danger limit was not far distant. In fact, the danger limit was already pa.s.sed. Thayer had had no means of taking into account the gla.s.ses which Lorimer had slyly emptied, during his short absence from the room before they had gone to the table. The mischief was already done. The slightest shock which could disturb Lorimer's present mood would be sufficient to destroy his whole mental balance past any possibility of restoration. Thayer's error in judgment promptly furnished the shock.

Lorimer had turned again to the butler at the back of his chair.

”Fill thish up,” he demanded, as he pointed to his gla.s.s.

With a swift gesture, Thayer caught the man's attention, and shook his head. The man hesitated, halting between two masters. The one paid him his wages; the other commanded his entire respect, and it was not easy for him to choose the one whom he should obey.

”Fill thish up, I shay!” Lorimer's voice was thicker, his accent imperious.

Swiftly the old butler glanced at Thayer as if for instructions, and Thayer again shook his head. This time, Lorimer saw the signal. The next instant, his empty gla.s.s was flying straight in the direction of Thayer's face.

There was a frightened outcry from the women; but Thayer swerved slightly to one side, and the gla.s.s crashed harmlessly against the mantel. There followed the tinkle of the falling pieces, then a stillness so profound that from one end to the other of the long room Lorimer's heavy breathing was distinctly audible. The impending crisis seemed to paralyze the guests. Those who had risen, stood motionless in their places; the others made no effort to rise. They remained there together, silent, pa.s.sive, tense, with Lorimer facing them all, like a savage beast at bay.

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