It was his experience that a sixty…horse…power racing…machine is a
jealous mistress。 For retrospective； sentimental； or philanthropic
thoughts she grants no leave of absence。 But he had not escaped。
Jimmie had halted him； tripped him by the heels； and set him again
to thinking。 Within the half…hour that followed those who rolled
past saw at the side of the road a car with her engine running； and
leaning upon the wheel； as unconscious of his surroundings as
though he sat at his own fireplace； a young man who frowned and
stared at nothing。 The half…hour passed and the young man swung
his car back toward the city。 But at the first road…house that showed
a blue…and…white telephone sign he left it； and into the iron box at
the end of the bar dropped a nickel。 He wished to communicate with
Mr。 Carroll； of Carroll and Hastings； and when he learned Mr。 Carroll
had just issued orders that he must not be disturbed； the young man
gave his name。
The effect upon the barkeeper was instantaneous。 With the aggrieved
air of one who feels he is the victim of a jest he laughed scornfully。
〃What are you putting over？〃 he demanded。
The young man smiled reassuringly。 He had begun to speak and；
though apparently engaged with the beer…glass he was polishing；
the barkeeper listened。
Down in Wall Street the senior member of Carroll and Hastings
also listened。 He was alone in the most private of all his private
offices； and when interrupted had been engaged in what； of all
undertakings； is the most momentous。 On the desk before him
lay letters to his lawyer； to the coroner； to his wife； and hidden
by a mass of papers； but within reach of his hand； was an
automatic pistol。 The promise it offered of swift release had
made the writing of the letters simple； had given him a feeling
of complete detachment； had released him； at least in thought；
from all responsibilities。 And when at his elbow the telephone
coughed discreetly； it was as though some one had called him
from a world from which already he had made his exit。
Mechanically； through mere habit； he lifted the receiver。
The voice over the telephone came in brisk； staccato sentences。
〃That letter I sent this morning？ Forget it。 Tear it up。 I've been
thinking and I'm going to take a chance。 I've decided to back you
boys； and I know you'll make good。 I'm speaking from a road…house
in the Bronx； going straight from here to the bank。 So you can begin
to draw against us within an hour。 Andhello！will three millions
see you through？〃
From Wall Street there came no answer； but from the hands of the
barkeeper a glass crashed to the floor。
The young man regarded the barkeeper with puzzled eyes。
〃He doesn't answer；〃 he exclaimed。 〃He must have hung up。〃
〃He must have fainted！〃 said the barkeeper。
The white…haired one pushed a bill across the counter。 〃To pay
for breakage；〃 he said； and disappeared down Pelham Parkway。
Throughout the day； with the bill； for evidence； pasted against
the mirror； the barkeeper told and retold the wondrous tale。
〃He stood just where you're standing now；〃 he related； 〃blowing
in million…dollar bills like you'd blow suds off a beer。 If I'd
knowed it was him； I'd have hit him once and hid him in the
cellar for the reward。 Who'd I think he was？ I thought he was
a wire…tapper； working a con game！〃
Mr。 Carroll had not 〃hung up；〃 but when in the Bronx the
beer…glass crashed； in Wall Street the receiver had slipped from
the hand of the man who held it； and the man himself had fallen
forward。 His desk hit him in the face and woke himwoke him
to the wonderful fact that he still lived； that at forty he had been
born again； that before him stretched many more years in which；
as the young man with the white hair had pointed out； he still
could make good。
The afternoon was far advanced when the staff of Carroll and
Hastings were allowed to depart； and； even late as was the hour；
two of them were asked to remain。 Into the most private of the
private offices Carroll invited Gaskell； the head clerk； in the
main office Hastings had asked young Thorne； the bond clerk；
to be seated。
Until the senior partner has finished with Gaskell young Thorne
must remain seated。
〃Gaskell；〃 said Mr。 Carroll； 〃if we had listened to you； if we'd run
this place as it was when father was alive； this never would have
happened。 It hasn't happened； but we've had our lesson。 And
after this we're going slow and going straight。 And we don't need
you to tell us how to do that。 We want you to go awayon a month's
vacation。 When I thought we were going under I planned to send the
children on a sea voyage with the governessso they wouldn't see the
newspapers。 But now that I can look them in the eye again； I need
them； I can't let them go。 So； if you'd like to take your wife on an
ocean trip to Nova Scotia and Quebec； here are the cabins I reserved
for the kids。 They call it the royal suitewhatever that isand the trip
lasts a month。 The boat sails to…morrow morning。 Don't sleep too late
or you may miss her。〃
The head clerk was secreting the tickets in the inside pocket of
his waistcoat。 His fingers trembled； and when he laughed his
voice trembled。
〃Miss the boat！〃 the head clerk exclaimed。 〃If she gets away from
Millie and me she's got to start now。 We'll go on board to…night！〃
A half…hour later Millie was on her knees packing a trunk； and
her husband was telephoning to the drug…store for a sponge…bag
and a cure for seasickness。
Owing to the joy in her heart and to the fact that she was on her
knees； Millie was alternately weeping into the trunk…tray and
offering up incoherent prayers of thanksgiving。 Suddenly she
sank back upon the floor。
〃John！〃 she cried； 〃doesn't it seem sinful to sail away in a
'royal suite' and leave this beautiful flat empty？〃
Over the telephone John was having trouble with the drug clerk。
〃No！〃 he explained； 〃I'm not seasick now。 The medicine I want is
to be taken later。 I know I'm speaking from the Pavonia； but the
Pavonia isn't a ship； it's an apartment…house。〃
He turned to Millie。 〃We can't be in two places at the same
time；〃 he suggested。
〃But； think；〃 insisted Millie； 〃of all the poor people stifling
to…night in this heat； trying to sleep on the roofs and fire…escapes；
and our flat so cool and big and prettyand no one in it。〃
John nodded his head proudly。
〃I know it's big；〃 he said； 〃but it isn't big enough to hold all
the people who are sleeping to…night on the roofs and in the
parks。〃
〃I was thinking of your brotherand Grace；〃 said Millie。 〃They've
been married only two weeks now； and they're in a stuffy hall
bedroom and eating with all the other boarders。 Think what our
flat would mean to them； to be by themselves； with eight rooms
and their own kitchen and bath； and our new refrigerator and the
gramophone！ It would be heaven！ It would be a real honeymoon！〃
Abandoning the drug clerk； John lifted Millie in his arms and
kissed her； for； next to his wife； nearest his heart was the
younger brother。
The younger brother and Grace were sitting on the stoop of the
boarding…house。 On the upper steps； in their shirt…sleeves； were
the other boarders； so the bride and bridegroom spoke in whispers。
The air of the cross street was stale and stagnant； from it rose
exhalations of rotting fruit； the gases of an open subway； the
smoke of passing taxicabs。 But between the street and the hall
bedroom； with its odors of a gas…stove and a kitchen； the choice
was difficult。
〃We've got to cool off somehow；〃 the young husband was saying；
〃or you won't sleep。 Shall we treat ourselves to ice…cream sodas
or a trip on the Weehawken ferry…boat？〃
〃The ferry…boat！〃 begged the girl； 〃where we can get away from
all these people。〃
A taxicab with a trunk in front whirled into the street； kicked
itself to a stop； and the head clerk and Millie spilled out upon
the pavement。 They talked so fast； and the younger brother and
Grace talked so fast； that the boarders； although they listened
intently； could make nothing of it。
They distinguished only the concluding sentences：
〃Why don't you drive down to the wharf with us；〃 they heard the
elder brother ask； 〃and see our royal suite？〃
But the younger brother laughed him to scorn。
〃What's your royal suite；〃 he mocked； 〃to our royal palace？〃
An hour later； had the boarders listened outside the flat of the
head clerk； they would have heard issuing from his bathroom the
cooling murmur of running water and from his gramophone the
jubilant notes of 〃Alexander's Rag…time Band。〃
When in his private office Carroll was making a present of the
royal suite to the head clerk； in the main office Hastings； the
junior partner； was addressing 〃Champ〃 Thorne； the bond clerk。
He addressed him familiarly and affectionately as 〃Champ。〃 This
was due partly to the fact that twenty…six years before Thorne had
been christened Champneys and to the coincidence that he had
captained the football eleven of one of the Big Three to the
championship。
〃Champ；〃 said Mr。 Hastings； 〃last month； when you asked me to
raise your salary； the reason I didn't do it