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Read Ebook: Thirty by O Brien Howard Vincent Amick Robert Wesley Illustrator
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Ebook has 1988 lines and 71652 words, and 40 pages
I AN UNINVITED GUEST
II A BLOW--AND A RESOLUTION
V A SLEEPER WAKES
VI DEAD IDOLS
X A BLUFF CALLED
"What right have you to put such impudent questions to us, anyway?" he demanded hotly.
It was hard to refuse Imrie--a million times harder than all the rest
"I say, you know," he said between puffs, "business is the--greatest--game--in the world"
The air was surcharged with expectancy
THIRTY
AN UNINVITED GUEST
Roger Wynrod was the first down to breakfast, and he was feeling far from well. But a glass of bitters, followed by half a grapefruit and a large cup of coffee, made him more nearly his usual cheerful self. He had a word and a smile for each one of the houseparty, as they straggled in, albeit the memory of last night's disastrous game haunted him uncomfortably. The fact was that once again he faced the necessity of appealing to his sister for further funds, and he had his doubts as to how she would take it.
The meal lacked something of the cheer usually characteristic of Judith Wynrod's gatherings. Perhaps it was due to the lateness of the hour and the feverishly high stakes of the night before, or perhaps it was only the sultriness of the morning. At any rate, a certain constraint was in evidence, and no one showed any desire to linger longer than was necessary. As one by one her guests withdrew, with more or less perfunctory excuses, Judith remained sprightliness itself, laughingly protesting at the desertion of Faxon, suddenly called to town on private business, and threatening dire things to vivacious little Mrs. Baker if her dentist detained her too long to catch the late afternoon train. But when they were all gone, little lines of weariness crept into her face, and she arose irresolutely and stood for a while watching her brother who, deeply sunk in the columns of baseball news, was unconscious of her scrutiny.
She studied him thoughtfully, the corners of her mouth drooping. It was that feature which modified her otherwise complete resemblance to her brother. She had the same undulant black hair, the same oval face and olive complexion, the same snapping eyes. But where his mouth was merely handsome, or, perhaps, better, affectionate, hers was firm and determined. One might say, in comparing the two, that if Roger wanted anything he would ask for it, whereas Judith would demand it.
She herself was not conscious of anything approaching such masterfulness or determination in her character. She had never experienced the sensation of breaking down opposition. But that was merely because there had never been any opposition offered her. Orphaned when scarce out of childhood, with an incredible fortune and no near relatives, she, like her brother, had had only to ask; it had never been necessary to demand. But of the latent strength of her will there were not lacking evidences.
Be that as it may, her time for action had not yet come. How deeply worried she had grown about Roger, no one guessed, least of all the boy himself. There was no escaping the knowledge that she was in a sense responsible for him; the terms of their father's will had made her trustee of her brother's half until he should reach the age of thirty. Of course, she ought to do something, she had often told herself, something radical and decisive; but she was too indolent, too definitely in a groove, too bored with herself and her surroundings, to take that keen interest essential to decisive action. So, with another sigh, she passed through the long window opening on the piazza, and thence to the lawn beyond.
Roger awoke just a minute too late to the fact that they had been alone together and that he had missed the opportunity he had been waiting for. He always preferred to approach Judith on money matters casually, and not as though the occasion were of his own seeking. It certainly was absurd for a man of his years and income to be kept in leading-strings by his own sister. However, there was no help for it, and Judith had always been a good sort, he would say that for her. He needed a cheque, and he might as well get it over with at once.
He found her in the garden, examining some flowers which had just been set out. Flowers were her one hobby, and he knew that a resort to them usually indicated a certain degree of boredom with those around her. But he went straight to the point.
"Say, sis, I'm running into town presently. Can you come in and draw me a cheque? Better make it five hundred this time, to keep me going a while."
"You lost again last night, Roger?"
"Lost?" He laughed mirthlessly. "Lord! Yes, I lost all right. The family resources can stand it, can't they?"
"How much?"
"Oh, don't ask me to figure now. My head's like a ship in a storm this morning. I don't know--lots."
"How much, Roger?"
"Oh, come on, sis, I'm in a hurry. Draw the cheque like a good girl ... let's talk about it to-morrow." Suddenly he caught the expression on his sister's face. It was an expression he seldom saw; one that he did not like. "Well, if you have got to have the horrible truth," he snapped petulantly, "I'm cleaned out ... absolute bust ... I still owe a few hundred to Faxon," he added reluctantly.
She sighed. "Again."
"Nothing's broken right for me. Absolutely nothing. You saw yourself the way the cards treated me last night."
Her eyes flashed. "You've got to be fairly sober to play a decent game of cards, Roger."
He looked aggrieved. "I was sober--almost. Sober enough, anyway. It was luck, I tell you--just the beastly rotten luck I always have. I never did have any luck, from the day I was born. Why, any other chap, with my chances ..."
"Roger," interrupted his sister shortly, as if she had not heard him at all. "Why do you find it necessary to throw away every cent you get? What's your idea?"
"My idea?"
"Yes. What's in your head about the future? What are you going to do with yourself? What do you think about--about--oh, things in general?"
He looked his bewilderment. "I'm afraid I don't quite connect, sis ..."
"I want to know if you've--well--I'd like to know ... just how you stand with yourself."
Her brother eyed her curiously. "What's struck you anyway?" he demanded. "What's happened to make you take on like this all of a sudden?"
"Nothing. It's not sudden. I've wanted to have this talk with you for a long time--not that it does any good ... we'll probably drag along the same old way." She sat thoughtfully silent for a moment. "I'll draw you a cheque, of course," she added listlessly. "You must pay up your debts at once. But you do worry me ..."
"Miss Wynrod?"
"What is it, Huldah?"
Roger stopped his discourse and the maid advanced with a card. Judith took it and knitted her brows as she read.
"Who is it, sis?"
"Well, he has got nerve," cried Roger. "That's that Socialist sheet, isn't it? Why, they take a crack at us once a week regular. And now they've got the gall to send a man out here. Tell him to go to the devil."
Judith turned to the maid. "Tell him that I am not at home, please, Huldah."
"I thought that would be the message," said a cheerful voice beyond the hedge, "so I didn't wait for it." A moment later a tall figure of a man emerged and took off his hat with an awkward bow.
"Good morning, Miss Wynrod." His bronzed, angular face, with its deep-set eyes and wide mouth, softened in a smile which was undeniably pleasing.
"I believe you heard my message."
"Clearly. But if you had known that I had come all the way out from the city on a very hot morning, merely to do you a favour, I don't think you would have given it." He surveyed her reproachfully. Then his lips parted again in a smile. "Won't you give me five minutes, Miss Wynrod--please."
Judith was no exception to the rule that curiosity is a dominant motive in human conduct. Besides, she had already succumbed to the curious stranger's magnetic geniality.
She hesitated. "Well ..." He took it to be acquiescence.
"Thanks very much. Now could I have this five minutes with you--alone?"
Roger frowned at the request, and winked at his sister.
"This is my brother. Anything that concerns me will concern him."
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