This shifting of the burden to her appealed to Carrie. The semblance of the load without the weight touched the woman’s heart.
“Can’t you wait a little while yet?” she said tenderly. “I’ll try and find out when he’s going.”
“What good will it do?” he asked, holding the same strain of feeling.
“Well, perhaps we can arrange to go somewhere.”
She really did not see anything clearer than before, but she was getting into that frame of mind where, out of sympathy, a woman yields.
Hurstwood did not understand. He was wondering how she was to be persuaded — what appeal would move her to forsake Drouet. He began to wonder how far her affection for him would carry her. He was thinking of some question which would make her tell.
Finally he hit upon one of those problematical propositions which often disguise our own desires while leading us to an understanding of the difficulties which others make for us, and so discover for us a way. It had not the slightest connection with anything intended on his part, and was spoken at random before he had given it a moment’s serious thought.
“Carrie,” he said, looking into her face and assuming a serious look which he did not feel, “suppose I were to come to you next week, or this week for that matter — to-night say — and tell you I had to go away — that I couldn’t stay another minute and wasn’t coming back any more — would you come with me?” His sweetheart viewed him with the most affectionate glance, her answer ready before the words were out of his mouth.
“Yes,” she said.
“You wouldn’t stop to argue or arrange?”
“Not if you couldn’t wait.”
He smiled when he saw that she took him seriously, and he thought what a chance it would afford for a possible junket of a week or two. He had a notion to tell her that he was joking and so brush away her sweet seriousness, but the effect of it was too delightful. He let it stand.
“Suppose we didn’t have time to get married here?” he added, an afterthought striking him.
“If we got married as soon as we got to the other end of the journey it would be all right.”
“I meant that,” he said.
“Yes.”
The morning seemed peculiarly bright to him now. He wondered whatever could have put such a thought into his head. Impossible as it was, he could not help smiling at its cleverness. It showed how she loved him. There was no doubt in his mind now, and he would find a way to win her.
“Well,” he said, jokingly, “I’ll come and get you one of these evenings,” and then he laughed.
“I wouldn’t stay with you, though, if you didn’t marry me,” Carrie added reflectively.
“I don’t want you to,” he said tenderly, taking her hand.
She was extremely happy now that she understood. She loved him the more for thinking that he would rescue her so. As for him, the marriage clause did not dwell in his mind. He was thinking that with such affection there could be no bar to his eventual happiness.
“Let’s stroll about,” he said gayly, rising and surveying all the lovely park.
“All right,” said Carrie.
They passed the young Irishman, who looked after them with envious eyes.
“’Tis a foine couple,” he observed to himself. “They must be rich.”
Chapter XVI
A Witless Aladdin — The Gate to the World
In the course of his present stay in Chicago, Drouet paid some slight attention to the secret order to which he belonged. During his last trip he had received a new light on its importance.
“I tell you,” said another drummer to him, “it’s a great thing. Look at Hazenstab. He isn’t so deuced clever. Of course he’s got a good house behind him, but that won’t do alone. I tell you it’s his degree. He’s a way-up Mason, and that goes a long way. He’s got a secret sign that stands for something.”
Drouet resolved then and there that he would take more interest in such matters. So when he got back to Chicago he repaired to his local lodge headquarters.
“I say, Drouet,” said Mr. Harry Quincel, an individual who was very prominent in this local branch of the Elks, “you’re the man that can help us out.”
It was after the business meeting and things were going socially with a hum. Drouet was bobbing around chatting and joking with a score of individuals whom he knew.
“What are you up to?” he inquired genially, turning a smiling face upon his secret brother.
“We’re trying to get up some theatricals for two weeks from today, and we want to know if you don’t know some young lady who could take a part — it’s an easy part.”
“Sure,” said Drouet, “what is it?” He did not trouble to remember that he knew no one to whom he could appeal on this score. His innate good-nature, however, dictated a favourable reply.
“Well, now, I’ll tell you what we are trying to do,” went on Mr. Quincel. “We are trying to get a new set of furniture for the lodge. There isn’t enough money in the treasury at the present time, and we thought we would raise it by a little entertainment.”
“Sure,” interrupted Drouet, “that’s a good idea.”
“Several of the boys around here have got talent. There’s Harry Burbeck, he does a fine black-face turn. Mac Lewis is all right at heavy dramatics. Did you ever hear him recite ‘Over the Hills’?”
“Never did.”
“Well, I tell you, he does it fine.”
“And you want me to get some woman to take a part?” questioned Drouet, anxious to terminate the subject and get on to something else. “What are you going to play?”
“‘Under the Gaslight,’” said Mr. Quincel, mentioning Augustin Daly’s famous production, which had worn from a great public success down to an amateur theatrical favourite, with many of the troublesome accessories cut out and the dramatis personae reduced to the smallest possible number.
Drouet had seen this play some time in the past.
“That’s it,” he said; “that’s a fine play. It will go all right. You ought to make a lot of money out of that.”
“We think we’ll do very well,” Mr. Quincel replied. “Don’t you forget now,” he concluded, Drouet showing signs of restlessness; “some young woman to take the part of Laura.”
“Sure, I’ll attend to it.”
He moved away, forgetting almost all about it the moment Mr. Quincel had ceased talking. He had not even thought to ask the time or place.
Drouet was reminded of his promise a day or two later by the receipt of a letter announcing that the first rehearsal was set for the following Friday evening, and urging him to kindly forward the young lady’s address at once, in order that the part might be delivered to her.
“Now, who the deuce do I know?” asked the drummer reflectively, scratching