Adventure Magazine, March 1916 — page 47: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The secret Stephen will have to get to work to manage the family fortune, won’t he?”’ “‘That’s what he’s afraid of. He isn’t say- ing much about his brother’s death, and he doesn’t want it known by the public for at least a year because, as he explained to me, Otto was just in the midst of a great big deal down there in South America, and it can still be pulled through provided the news don’t get out. But Stephen says that if it does, it will cut the estate almost in half. He’s quite scared about it. He made me promise in all kinds of ways that I’d keep it secret when I go back to New York. I told him if he’d pay my expenses for a year’s .trip through Europe, I’d keep my mouth shut. And I really believe he’s going to do it.” Ward smiled at the amazing crudeness of the woman, but she puzzled him neverthe- less. She seemed to have not the slightest feeling of sorrow over the death of the man she was about tomarry. Then Nellie’s odd phrase, in telling him of the engagement, re- curred to him and he concluded that it was the Blaydon fortune and social position that had been the attraction more than the Blaydon heart. “You say that Caprice was old and not fit to put to sea?” he asked, still maintaining his air of indifference. “Yes. Stephen wanted Otto to sell. her, but that was another thing that showed what a queer cuss Otto was. He said it wouldn’t be honest to sell a boat like that to any one, and besides he didn’t want the Blaydon’s private yacht to fall into the hands of some of the hoi-pollot who might get into a scandal and bring the family name into it even indirectly. That was the one thing in the world that Otto Blaydon feared most—a scandal in the Blaydon family. He watched Stephen like a hawk, and only gave him enough allowance to get along on com- fortably for fear that, if he had too much money, he’d get into a scandal somehow with his easy-going ways.” “Then Stephen has no money of his own?” “Not a cent. The old man, Nellie’s grandfather, was another crank like Otto and didn’t believe in leaving any of the Blaydon fortune to be squandered by a man who. might not be careful enough of his reputation and the reputation of the family. He made a hard and fast agreement with Otto before he died that Otto would take of Caprice entire charge of his estate and keep Stephen on just allowance enough to let him live decently and easily. Otto had to promise not to give Stephen one extra cent unless Stephen earned it by some work that would reflect credit on the name. Name! Lord, if I was as careful of my name as these Blaydons, it would keep me thin worrying about it. But I’d miss an awful lot of fun in New York.” ? Ward laughed at the wry grimace she made at the thought of such a sacrifice. ‘Stephen seems perfectly contented with the arrangement,” he observed. “Oh, yes. Stephen isn’t so much of a spender. He isn’t really bad; he just likes a good easy time, with plenty to eat and drink and no worry. He likes to stay up late at night while the fun’s going on and sleep late in the morning so as not to see people going to business. That’s why he’s sleeping so late this morning, I guess. He can’t get out of the habit.” : “He isn’t sleeping,’ Ward said. ‘In fact, he shamed us all by our laziness this morning. He was up before sunrise, had his breakfast and went fishing.” She stopped short and turned upon him, her keen, self-confident eyes searching into his. “Say that again,” she ordered. Ward looked at her in surprise. Her tone was as peremptory as her manner, and both struck him as being rather uncalled for. - “T say,” he repeated, “that he was up before sunrise this morning, had his break- fast and went fishing.” “Who did?” “Why, Stephen Blaydon, of course.” She frowned upon him in angry unbelief, ““Voung man,”’ she'said. “TI never call a man a liar unless I know him pretty well. I’m sorry we’re such slight acquaintances,” Ward flushed, and his look showed her plainly that he resented her remark. “Go on and get mad if you want to,” she said, noddirig her head accusingly. “If I think you’re lying to me, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t tell you so. If I had to keep it in, ’d bust. Either you’re lying or there’s something queer somewhere. Tell me what makes you think Stephen Blaydon went fishing.” He shrugged his shoulders at the useless- ness of being angry at such a woman. In spite of his resentment, there was some- thing refreshing in her brutal frankness. Eomichoo 45 - Ar gue As (E@)