第19章

Presbury had decided that it was best to make no advance, but to wait until they heard from Siddall.He let a week, ten days, go by; then his impatience got the better of his shrewdness.He sought admittance to the great man at the offices of the International Metals and Minerals Company in Cedar Street.After being subjected to varied indignities by sundry under-strappers, he received a message from the general through a secretary: ``The general says he'll let you know when he's ready to take up that matter.He says he hasn't got round to it yet.'' Presbury apologized courteously for his intrusion and went away, cursing under his breath.You may be sure that he made his wife and his stepdaughter suffer for what he had been through.Two weeks more passed--three--a month.

One morning in the mail there arrived this note--type-written upon business paper:

JAMES PRESBURY, Esqr.:

DEAR SIR:

General Siddall asks me to present his compliments and to say that he will be pleased if you and your wife and the young lady will dine with him at his house next Thursday the seventeenth at half-past seven sharp.

ROBERT CHANDLESS, Secretary.

The only words in longhand were the two forming the name of the secretary.Presbury laughed and tossed the note across the breakfast table to his wife.

``You see what an ignorant creature he is,'' said he.

``He imagines he has done the thing up in grand style.

He's the sort of man that can't be taught manners because he thinks manners, the ordinary civilities, are for the lower orders of people.Oh, he's a joke, is Bill Siddall--a horrible joke.''

Mrs.Presbury read and passed the letter to Mildred.

She simply glanced at it and returned it to her step-father.

``I'm just about over that last dinner,'' pursued Presbury.``I'll eat little Thursday and drink less.

And I'd advise you to do the same, Mrs.Presbury.''

He always addressed her as ``Mrs.Presbury''

because he had discovered that when so addressed she always winced, and, if he put a certain tone into his voice, she quivered.

``That dinner aged you five years,'' he went on.

``Besides, you drank so much that it went to your head and made you slather him with flatteries that irritated him.He thought you were a fool, and no one is stupid enough to like to be flattered by a fool.''

Mrs.Presbury bridled, swallowed hard, said mildly:

``We'll have to spend the night in town again, I suppose.''

``You and your daughter may do as you like,'' said Presbury.``I shall return here that night.I always catch cold in strange beds.''

``We might as well all return here,'' said Mildred.

``I shall not wear evening dress; that is, I'll wear a high-neck dress and a hat.''

She had just got a new hat that was peculiarly becoming to her.She had shown Siddall herself at the best in evening attire; another sort of costume would give him a different view of her looks, one which she flattered herself was not less attractive.But Presbury interposed an emphatic veto.

``You'll wear full evening dress,'' said he.``Bare neck and arms for men like Bill Siddall.They want to see what they're getting.''

Mildred flushed scarlet and her lips trembled as though she were about to cry.In fact, her emotion was altogether shame--a shame so poignant that even Presbury was abashed, and mumbled something apologetic.

Nevertheless she wore a low-neck dress on Thursday evening, one as daring as the extremely daring fashions of that year permitted an unmarried woman to wear.It seemed to her that Siddall was still more costly and elegant-looking than before, though this may have been due to the fact that he always created an impression that in the retrospect of memory seemed exaggerated.It seemed impossible that anyone could be so clean, so polished and scoured, so groomed and tailored, so bedecked, so high-heeled and loftily coiffed.

His mean little countenance with its grotesquely waxed mustache and imperial wore an expression of gracious benignity that assured his guests they need anticipate no disagreeable news.

``I owe you an apology for keeping you in suspense so long,'' said he.``I'm a very busy man, with interests in all parts of the world.I keep house--some of 'em bigger than this--open and going in sis different places.I always like to be at home wherever my business takes me.''

Mrs.Presbury rolled her eyes.``Isn't that WONDERFUL!''

she exclaimed.``What an interesting life you must lead!''

``Oh, so--so,'' replied the general.``But I get awful lonesome.I'm naturally a domestic man.Idon't care for friends.They're expensive and dangerous.

A man in my position is like a king.He can't have friends.So, if he hasn't got a family, he hasn't got noth--anything.''

``Nothing like home life,'' said Presbury.

``Yes, indeed,'' cried Mrs.Presbury.

The little general smiled upon Mildred, sitting pale and silent, with eyes downcast.``Well, I don't intend to be alone much longer, if I can help it,'' said he.

``And I may say that I can make a woman happy if she's the right sort--if she has sense enough to appreciate a good husband.'' This last he said sternly, with more than a hint of his past matrimonial misfortunes in his frown and in his voice.``The trouble with a great many women is that they're fools--flighty, ungrateful fools.If I married a woman like that, I'd make short work of her.''

``And she'd deserve it, General,'' said Mildred's mother earnestly.``But you'll have no trouble if you select a lady--a girl who's been well brought up and has respect for herself.''

``That's my opinion, ma'am,'' said the general.

``I'm convinced that while a man can become a gentleman, a woman's got to be born a lady or she never is one.''

``Very true, General,'' cried Mrs.Presbury.``Inever thought of it before, but it's the truest thing Iever heard.''

Presbury grinned at his plate.He stole a glance at Mildred.Their eyes met.She flushed faintly.

``I've had a great deal of experience of women,'' pur-sued the general.``In my boyhood days I was a ladies'