The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 163: what you’re looking at

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

PLAYING A SURE GAME. *“T know that. But you don’t earn enough, and it isn’t steady. I admit that the profession is honorable, even lofty. But dammit, what a girl wants now is money. Eleanor spends more in a year than you make.” “But if she was willing, and we started right, I’ve got enough to keep us from asking help of you. We could add to that. And my books are success- ful.” “Pah! I’m not afraid of your asking help! Pd give you a lift now if you asked it. It isn’t that. Mrs. Thorpe has set her heart on Eleanor marrying Van Noonck. Now, between you and me Van Noonck is an ass. But he is very rich. And it is riches that count with Mrs. Thorpe.” “ Then there is no hope?” ‘“* Not the slightest.” “Can't we have a talk with Mrs. Thorpe and Eleanor? ” “Sure. Come along.” In one of the finest parlors they found Mrs. Thorpe, Nell, and Mr. Van Noonck. Mrs. Thorpe looked up in severe surprise when she saw } arrow. “ What d’ye think? ” blurted out Mr. Thorpe. “The boy wants to marry Nell!” “Oh, I am amazed!~’ said AIr. Van Noonck. Mrs. Thorpe’s amazemcnt was too deep for words. She simply stared at Nell, and then at Yarrow. “Hear what [ said?” hlurted the self-made Mr. Thorpe. “ He wants to marry Nell.” “Preposterous! How dare he! When we were so kind—to ” ““ Mama!” This from Eleanor herself brought a pause. “You know what I mean. Mr. Yar- row is a gentleman and all that, but— this—is impossible.” ““T don’t see why!” said Nell. “ Mr. Yarrow—Mr. Yarrow—oh—I love Mr. Yarrow.” ‘*That’s business,” said Mr. Thorpe. ‘Let this painful interview come to a close,” said Mrs. Thorpe, rising to the extreme height of her lately found dignity. “I am weary of it. Mr. Van Noonck is a gentleman who devotes his life to the poor.” 159 “Yes, but I want a man who will de- vote his life to me. Me! I propose to be the zé in this case.” “Silence! You are vulgar. Permit me.” And Mrs. Thorpe, realizing that the sea was getting deeper, sailed majes- tically out of the room. Mr. Van Noonck spoke to Eleanor, and with a glance that meant “do something,” cast at Yarrow, she accompanied the clergyman from the room. ‘““T’m sorry for you, boy,” said Mr. Thorpe. “ Danged if I ain’t. Have a drink? What’ll it be? Oh, yes. Well, drink hearty. Now you see the ways of women. I can’t do a thing. Not a thing. If it was a Greaser down in Argentina trying to sell a ship load of hides, I could think of something. But with a woman, and that woman Mrs. Thorpe! ” And he threw up his hands. “Then personally you have no objec- tion to me?” “Oh, as to that, I say you are a gen- tleman and a good fellow. But I think —well, what the mischief is it what I think? Mrs. Thorpe does the thinking for the family in all such matters. Bet- ter forget it and find another girl. Some one—er—some one more like yourself.” “ Tuh, I thank you. I want to say, however, that so long as Nell loves me, and remains unmarried, I shall not lose hope.” “ You will not meet her?” “Tevery time I get a chance.” Then Mr. Thorpe turned angry. “ What do you mean by that? You will see her against my commands! My commands, sir, as regards my family, shall be respected! ” This, after his statement that Mrs. Thorpe was the power, made Yarrow smile, whereat Mr. Thorpe became still more angry. It all ended with hard words, and Yarrow, filled with wounded pride and discouraged love, went off to the billiard room. It was not pleasant at the Ponce de | Leon after that for either Eleanor or Yarrow. They saw each other frequently, but always at a distance. Mr. and Mrs. Thorpe had held a secret and strenuous (COL ElOOO YN S COL