A Man of Two Countries Part 21

"I--think so," Winifred replied, reflectively, as if he had asked whether she liked cuc.u.mbers, and his face clouded, for no reason.

"Vicarious experience," she added, mischievously.

"Oh!"

"I have admired men; liked a few immensely," she admitted, frankly. "But the mysterious glow which comes--it has never enveloped me," she ended abruptly. "Since we are getting so personal, how about yourself?"

"I----" he hesitated.

"You needn't finish!" Winifred nodded, laughing. "Other men swear by the little G.o.d that they have never loved--never--until----" Once more Winifred found her facile tongue had led her into difficulties.

"Other men lie--I do not; yet you evidently do not believe me."

"Yes, I do! That is what I so like about you. People believe you, trust you, know where you are to be found."

"I know no other way," replied the Senator. "It is no merit. I simply find it awkward and inconvenient to prevaricate."

"You are to be congratulated," murmured the girl, ransacking her memory for another man who could say as much.

An eddy of the flowing stream of guests brought Mrs. Burroughs towards them. Mrs. Latimer, too, came into the deep window s.p.a.ce, the ladies talking animatedly.

"Am I not right, Winnie?" appealed Mrs. Latimer, after the felicitations of the day had been exchanged. "I say that a woman has never had a love affair worthy of the name who hasn't had a lover called 'Jack.'

Jack--the care-free; Jack--the debonair; Jack--the dare-devil! It's all in the name, Jack."

"Alas!" moaned Winifred, entering into the gay spirit of the moment.

"Alack, woe is me! That I must confess my poverty before woman"--she glanced at Danvers--"and man! I've had lovers of many names--Henry and Jim and--and--Bi----" she seemed out of names--"and of many hues--Brown and Green and Black; but never a Jack for me!"

"If you haven't had an adorer by that name," laughed Mrs. Latimer, "it's because no man in the state answers to the name of Jack!" They all joined in the merriment, to Winifred's confusion.

"'Thou, too, Brutus!'" she quoted reproachfully. "What will Senator Danvers think of me, with such a reputation as you give."

"Suppose I have my name changed," suggested Danvers.

"Philip suits you very well," Miss Blair answered, sedately. "You intimated a few minutes ago that you were rather inexperienced," she went on daringly. "If this winter you will try for such a reputation as Mrs. Latimer gave me, I'll agree to meet you on the field of battle." As she concluded the doctor came up and the joke was explained to him. He turned to the Senator.

"_You're_ too old to have your name changed, or to affect the tender pa.s.sion, Phil. Leave that to younger men--to me! I'll have my name changed to Jack, right away; and as for loving, I have always loved thee!" bowing to Winifred.

A chorus of shrieks greeted the doctor's declaration.

"No," insisted Philip, when his voice could be heard, "I am going to enter the lists, inexperienced as I am."

The challenge in his eyes was good to see, but Winifred could not meet them. Delighted at the sight, the doctor changed the subject, and soon the group broke up.

As Danvers greeted others, he noticed Eva Latimer in earnest conversation with Mr. William Moore. He bowed in pa.s.sing, but their lowered voices paused only long enough for the conventional greeting.

After making the round of the parlors, Danvers found the doctor and soon afterward they returned to their hotel.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Chapter VI

Il Trovatore

The next morning Judge Latimer was surprised to find his wife taking a sudden interest in politics.

"Why is there so much opposition to Mr. Burroughs for United States senator?" she inquired.

"Several reasons," he answered, evasively, thinking she would not be interested to pursue the subject.

"But he will be elected."

"That remains to be seen."

"He has thirty pledged out of the whole ninety-four, and several----"

"How do you know? Where did you get your information?" Latimer spoke sharply.

"Mr. Moore--n.o.body talked of anything else, it seems to me," amended Mrs. Latimer, with what carelessness she could a.s.sume. "Since the legislators have been arriving I have heard nothing discussed so much as Mr. Burroughs' chances of winning the election."

"That comes of living in a hotel," said the judge, bitterly. "Burroughs'

headquarters are on this floor, too, confound it! I wish we had not given up our home."

"I don't," cried Eva. "Politics are lots of fun! I had no idea how much until this winter. It's so exciting!"

She did not tell her husband that the Honorable William Moore had been at considerable pains to interest her in the coming struggle, even prolonging his frequent calls unduly, in giving her an insight (so far as he thought necessary) into the workings of practical politics as expounded and promulgated by Mr. Burroughs and himself. So delicately had he broached what had been in his mind since the night of Eva's dinner party that before she was aware she had promised that she would do what she could to forward Burroughs' cause with recalcitrant members.

The political manager had a.s.sured her that his patron, in his grat.i.tude, would make the reward for her services magnificently great.

Mrs. Latimer had not been cajoled into this without some scruples, for she well knew what her husband would think. She remembered, too, certain interviews of her own with Burroughs, which she would have liked to forget; but it was many years ago that he had made love to her, and she succeeded in allaying the troublesome reproaches of conscience by the justification of the urgent need of retrieving their fortunes. If Arthur could be made minister to some foreign capital (her ambition had vaulted to Berlin) he need never suspect her share in its offer.

Mr. Moore had told her that only a rich man could afford to be at the head of one of the larger legations, and had most thoughtfully placed certain mining shares in her name, whose value had already increased gratifyingly. When Arthur should ask her how he could accept such a position, she would triumphantly produce the fortune made from these shares, and explain that she had judiciously invested the small patrimony from her father's estate. It all seemed easy to the ambitious woman. Only a little effort to interest certain men--could anything be easier?

And the gold which she had found after Moore's last call! When she had sent him word he told her that he had its duplicate; to use the money, since she had found it. The temptation was great. Arthur was always complaining of unpaid accounts. She settled certain debts with a light heart. He would never think to inquire about them.

So now she merely looked misunderstood as she continued: "It is nothing to us, of course, whether Mr. Burroughs is elected; but"--she hesitated, not knowing how best to proceed--"I'm sure a word from you would have great influence with the members."

Latimer was dumfounded. Then he began to laugh.

"You would make a first-cla.s.s lobbyist!" he said lightly. "Have a care!

A word from you would be worth ten of mine." Then, more seriously: "Don't talk too much of this, Eva. It is going to be a bad business before a senator is elected. Ugly rumors are heard already. I know of----" He changed his words. "Mr. Burroughs is not respected among men of integrity. Not even among men of low standards. His wealth is his only a.s.set. Unscrupulous, defying investigation----" He pulled himself up. Never before had he expressed so definite a judgment on the millionaire.

But though he cautioned his wife, Latimer had no suspicion that it might be necessary. She had lived purely on the surface, showing no interest in anything but dress, society, herself. It did not occur to him that ambition might render her something more than a b.u.t.terfly. In this respect Moore read the woman more accurately.

That week Helena was billed for Italian opera. The announcement of _Il Trovatore_ made Danvers' heart leap with desire to hear it once more. He knew it was doubtful whether the company could sing, but it could not be wholly bad.

When he first heard the opera, during a boyish holiday in London, it was at the height of its popularity, and every evening of his vacation found him enthralled in the boxes. The isolation of the frontier had but made the old music more loved, and Philip decided to make up a box party of his friends. Miss Blair had told him that she had never heard it in its entirety. She should be the guest of honor. Judge and Mrs. Latimer, Blair, the doctor from Fort Benton and O'Dwyer should complete the party.