Robert Kimberly. Spearman Frank Hamilton
Alice had sung for them. Afteraccepting for the De Castro dinner, Robert at thelast moment sent excuses. Dolly masked herfeelings. Imogene and Charles complained a little, but Arthur De Castro was so good a host that healone would have made a dinner go.
MacBirney, after he and Alice had gone to theirrooms for the night, spoke of Robert's absence."I don't quite understand that man," he mused."What do you make of him, Alice?"
Alice was braiding her hair. She turned fromher table. "I've met him very little, youknow-when we called at his house, and twice at theNelsons'. And I saw very little of him last night.He was with that drinking set most of the evening."
MacBirney started. "Don't say 'that drinkingset.'"
"Really, that describes them, Walter. I don'tsee that they excel in anything else. I hatedrinking women."
"When you're in Rome, do as the Romans do,"suggested MacBirney, curtly.
Alice's tone hardened a trifle. "Or at leastlet the Romans do as they please, without comment."
"Exactly," snapped her husband. "I don'tknow just what to make of Kimberly," he went on.
"Charles, or the brother?"
"Robert, Robert. He's the one they all playto here." MacBirney, sitting in a lounging-chair, emphasized the last words, as he could do whenimpatient, and shut his teeth and lips as he didwhen perplexed. "I wonder why he didn't cometo-night?"
Alice had no explanation to offer. "Charles,"she suggested, tying her hair-ribbon, "is very nice."
"Why, yes-you and Charles are chummyalready. I wish we could get better acquaintedwith Robert," he continued, knitting his brows."I thought you were a little short with him lastnight, Alice."
"Short? Oh, Walter! We didn't exchange adozen words."
"That's just the way it struck me."
"But we had no chance to. I am sure I didn'tmean to be short. I sang, didn't I? And moreon his account, from what Dolly had said to me, than anybody else's. He didn't like my singing, but I couldn't help that. He didn't say a single word."
"Why, he did say something!"
"Just some stiff remark when he thanked me."
Alice, rising, left her table. MacBirney laughed.
"Oh, I see. That's what's the matter. Well, you're quite mistaken, my dear." Catching Alicein his arms as she passed, in a way he did when hewished to seem affectionate, MacBirney drew hiswife to him. "He did like it. He remarked tome just as he said good-night, that you had a finevoice."
"That does not sound like him-possibly hewas ironical."
"And when I thanked him," continuedMacBirney, "he took the trouble to repeat: 'Thatsong was beautifully sung.' Those were his exactwords."
In spite of painful experiences it rarelyoccurred to Alice that her husband might bedeceiving her, nor did she learn till long afterwardthat he had lied to her that night. With herfeelings in some degree appeased she only made anincredulous little exclamation: "He didn't askme to sing again," she added quietly.
MacBirney shrugged his shoulders. "He is peculiar."
"I try, Walter," she went on, lifting her eyes tohis with an effort, "to be as pleasant as I can toall of these people, for your sake."
"I know it, Alice." He kissed her. "I knowit. Let us see now what we can do to cultivateRobert Kimberly. He is the third rail in thiscombination, and he is the only one on the boardof directors who voted finally against taking us in."
"Is that true?"
"So Doane told Lambert, in confidence, andLambert told me."
"Oh, Lambert! That detestable fellow. Iwouldn't believe anything he said anyway."
MacBirney bared his teeth pleasantly. "Pshaw!You hate him because he makes fun of yourChurch."
"No. I despise him, because he is a Catholicand ridicules his own."
Her husband knew controversy was not the wayto get a favor. "I guess you're right about that,Allie. Anyway, try being pleasant to Kimberly.The way you know how to be, Allie-the way youcaught me, eh?" He drew her to him with breezyenthusiasm. Alice showed some distress.
"Don't say such things, please."
"That was only a joke."
"I hate such jokes."
"Very well, I mean, just be natural," persistedMacBirney amiably, "you are fascinating enoughany old way."
Alice manifested little spirit. "Does it makeso much difference to you, Walter, whether wepay attention to him?"
MacBirney raised his eyebrows with a laughingstart. "What an innocent you are," he cried ina subdued tone. And his ways of speech, if everattractive, were now too familiar. "Difference!"he exclaimed cheerily. "When they buy he willname the figure."
"But I thought they had decided to buy."
"The executive committee has authorized thepurchase. But he, as president, has been giventhe power to fix the price. Don't you see? Wecan afford to smile a little, eh?"
"It would kill me to smile if I had to do it formoney."
"Oh, you are a baby in arms, Allie," exclaimedher husband impatiently, "just like your father!You'd starve to death if it weren't for me."
"No doubt."
MacBirney was still laughing at the idea whenhe left his wife's room, and entering his own, closed the door.
Alice, in her room, lay in the darkness for along time with open eyes.
CHAPTER VII
The test of Alice's willingness to smile camewithin a brief fortnight, when with the DeCastros, she was the guest of Imogene Kimberlyat The Cliffs, Imogene's home.
"This is all most informal," said Imogene, asshe went downstairs arm-in-arm with Alice; "asyou see, only one-half the house is open."
"The open half is so lovely," returned Alice,"that I'm glad to take the other half on faith."
"It was my only chance-this week, and asDolly says, I 'jumped at it'! I am sorry yourhusband has disappointed us."
"He was called to town quite unexpectedly."
"But Providence has provided a substitute.Robert Kimberly is coming." Alice almost caughther breath. "He is another of those men,"continued Imogene, "whom you never can get whenyou want them. Fortunately he telephoned amoment ago saying he must see Charles. I answeredthat the only possible way to see him was to comeover now, for he is going fishing and leaves atmidnight. The guides wired this morning thatthe ice is out. And when the ice goes out,"Imogene raised her hands, "neither fire norearthquake can stop Charles. Here is Robertnow. Oh, and he has Doctor Hamilton withhim. All the better. If we can get both we shallhave no lack of men."
Robert Kimberly and Doctor Hamilton werecoming down the hall. "How delightful!" criedImogene, advancing, "and I am so glad you'vecome, doctor."
Kimberly paused. He saw Alice lingering behindher hostess and the De Castros with FritzieVenable coming downstairs.
"You have a dinner on," he said to Imogene.
"Only a small one."
"But you didn't tell me-"
"Just to give you a chance to show yourindifference to surprises, Robert."
She introduced Doctor Hamilton to Alice."These two are always together," she explainedto Alice, lifting her fan toward the doctor and herbrother-in-law. "But any hostess is fortunate tocapture them like this, just the right moment."
Hamilton, greeting Alice, turned to Imogene: "What is this about your husband's going toLabrador to-morrow?"
"He is going to-night. The salmon are doingsomething or other."
"Deserted Gaspé, has he?"
"Temporarily," said Imogene, pausing to givean order to a butler. Robert waited a momentfor her attention. "I brought the doctor," heexplained, "because I couldn't leave him to dinealone. And now-"
"And