第72章

"How are independence and public spirit these days?""Very well, thank you.How are Development Companies developing?"He put back his head and laughed.He did not seem a bit chagrined or discomfited.The joke was on him, but he could enjoy it, nevertheless.In spite of my antagonism toward this man I could not help admiring certain traits of his character.He was big, in every way.Little repulses or setbacks did not trouble him.

"Say," he said, "how did you know about that cat?""Saw his footprints," I replied."They were all over the scheme.

And your friend Keene purred too loud."

"I don't mean that.Keene was a fool; that was plain enough for anyone to see.I had to use him; if Barclay hadn't been sick it might have been different.But how did you come to send me that message about the butter? Man, that is one of my favorite sayings--the choking the cat thing! How did you know that? I never said it to you.""Oh, it is an old saying.I have heard it often; and it did seem to fit in this case.I imagined you would understand and appreciate.""Um--yes," dryly."I appreciated all right.As to understanding--well, I'll understand later on.That's another little conundrum for me to work out.Somebody's been talking, of course.Here!

hold on!" as I was walking away: "Don't go.I want to talk to you."He characteristically did not ask whether or not I wanted to talk to him, but, as I happened to be in no hurry, I stopped and waited for him to continue.He thrust his hands into his pockets and looked me over, very much as he might have looked over a horse he was thinking of buying.

"Paine," he said, suddenly, "do you want to go to work?""Work?" I repeated."I am at work already.""You've got a job, such as it is.It might be work for the average jay, but it isn't for you.I'll give you something to work at--yes, and work for."

I stared at him in wondering suspicion.

"What is this; another Development Company?" I demanded.

"Ha! ha! not this time.No, this is straight.If you'll say that you'll work for me I'll make an opening for you in my New York office."I did not answer.I was trying to fathom the motive behind this new move.

"I'll put you to work in my office," he went on."It may not be much to begin with, but you can make it anything you like; that'll be up to you.As to salary--well, I don't know what you're getting in that one-horse bank, but I'll double it, whatever it is.That will be the start, of course.After that it is up to you, as Isaid."

"Mr.Colton this may be a good joke, but I don't see it--yet.""I don't joke often in business; can't afford to.""You are really serious? You mean what you say?""Yes."

"But why? You don't know anything about me.""I know all that is necessary.And I have found out that you are all right, so far as bank work goes.That fellow Taylor and some others told me that.But I didn't need their telling.Why, man, it is part of my trade to know men when I see them.I have to know 'em.I said a while ago that you didn't belong in this forsaken hole of a town.God knows it IS forsaken! Even my wife is beginning to admit that, and she was the keenest to come here.

Some day I shall get sick of it and sell out, I suppose.""Sell out?"

"Oh, not yet.Mabel--my daughter--seems to like it here, for some unknown reason, and wants to stay.And I don't intend to sell until I've bought--what I set out to buy.But I'm not the subject we're talking about just now.You are.Come! here's your chance to be somebody.More chance than I had, I'll tell you that.You can go to work in my office next week, if you want to.Will you?"I laughed at the idea.I believed I had found the motive I was seeking."Of course not," I said."You can't close the Lane by that kind of bribery, Mr.Colton.""Bribery be hanged! Come, come, Paine! Wake up, or I shall think your brains aren't up to standard, after all.When I bribe Ibribe.When I ask a man to work for me there are no strings tied to the offer.Forget your picayune land for a minute.Time enough to remember that when I've got it, which will be some day or other, of course.I'm making you this offer because I want you.You're sharp; you saw through that Development game.You're clever--your sending me that 'cat' message proves it.And your not telling me where the idea for the message came from proves that you can keep your mouth shut.I could use a dozen fellows like you, if I could get them.You interested me right at the start.A chap with sand enough to tell Jim Colton to go to the devil is always interesting.

I'm offering you this chance because I think it is a good chance for both of us.Yes, and because I like you, I suppose, in spite of your pig-headedness.Will you take it?""No, thank you," I answered.

"Why? Because you can't leave your sick mother? She'll be all right.I was talking with the doctor--Quimby, his name is, isn't it--and he happened to mention that he was encouraged about her.

Said she had been distinctly better for the last month."I could not believe it.Doctor Quimby had said nothing of the sort to me.It was impossible.Mother BETTER!

"That doesn't mean she is going to be well and strong again, of course," he added, not unkindly."But I think Quimby believes she may be well enough to--perhaps--sit up one of these days.Be wheeled about in a chair, or something of that sort...Why!

what is the matter? You looked as if I had knocked you out.

Hasn't the doctor said anything to you?"

"No," I stammered.I WAS knocked out.I could not believe it.

Mother, the bed-ridden invalid of six long years, to be well enough to sit up! to use a wheeled chair! It could not be true.It was too good to be true.

"So, you see, you could leave her all right," went on Colton."If it was necessary you could get a nurse down here to look after her while you were away.And you might get home every fortnight or so.

Better take my offer, Paine.Come!" with a grunt of impatient amusement, "don't keep me waiting too long.I am not used to coaxing people to work for me; it is usually the other way around.