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Chicago Princess

<h2>CHAPTER XXIV</h2></div> Now it was full speed ahead and a direct line for Corea. Once in the open sea, we struck straight through the Archipelago and took our chances of running down an island, as the captain had said. There was no dawdling this time, for the engines were run to the top of their power. As was the case with our former voyages in these waters, the weather was perfect and the sea smooth. Our dinner that night was on the whole a silent festival. The jovial captain did not come down, and Mr. Hemster sat moodily at the head of the table, absorbed in thought and doubtless tortured with anxiety. Cammerford was the only member of the party who endeavoured to make a show of cheerful demeanour. His manner with women was one of deferential urbanity, and, as he never ventured to joke with them, he was justly popular with the sex. I quite envied him his power of pleasing, which was so spontaneous that it seemed a natural and not an acquired gift. The man appeared to possess an almost hypnotic power over his fellow-creatures, and although I believed him to be one of the most untrustworthy rascals alive, yet I felt this belief crumbling away under the magnetic charm of his conversation. 289 The old gentleman at the head of the table was evidently immune so far as Cammerford’s fascination was concerned. I surmised that there had come a hitch in the negotiations between them. There was no trace of uneasiness in Cammerford’s attitude, and his voice was as mildly confident as ever. No one would guess that he was practically a self-invited guest at this board. Our host was completely taciturn, but the unbidden guest never risked a snub by addressing a direct question to him, although he airily included Mr. Hemster with the rest of us within the area of his polite discourse. Hilda was scarcely more responsive than Mr. Hemster and seemed troubled because he was troubled, and as I possessed an instinctive dislike for Cammerford it will be seen that he had a most difficult rôle to play, which he enacted with a success that would have done credit to Sir Henry Irving himself. If there was indeed, as I suspected, a conflict between the elder man and the younger, I found myself wondering which would win, but such a quiet atmosphere of confidence enwrapped the latter that I began to fear Mr. Hemster had met his match, in spite of the fact that he held all the trump cards. Cammerford represented the new school of financiers, who juggled with billions as a former generation had played with millions. My sympathies were entirely with Mr. Hemster, but if I had been a sporting man my bet would have been laid on Cammerford. I mention this as an instance of the hypnotic power I have referred to. I knew that Cammerford could not form his gigantic trust and leave Mr. Hemster out; therefore, as I say, the elder man290 held the trumps. Nevertheless the bearing of Cammerford indicated such reserved assurance that I felt certain he would ultimately bend the old man to his will, and I watched for the result of this opposition of forces with the eagerness with which one awaits the climax of an exciting play on the stage. After dinner Hilda came on deck for half an hour or thereabouts, and we walked up and down together. The excitement of the day and the uncertainty that lay ahead of us had told heavily on the poor girl, and I had not the heart to persuade her to remain longer on deck. She was rather depressed and admittedly weary of the life we were leading. So I took cowardly advantage of this and proposed we should get married at the American Consulate as soon as the yacht returned to Nagasaki. Then, I said, we could make our way to Yokohama and take passage on a regular liner for San Francisco. To this proposal she made no reply, but walked demurely by my side with downcast eyes. “Think of the glories of Chicago at this moment!” I cried enthusiastically, wishing to appeal to the home feeling. “Dinner finished; the roar of the traffic in the streets; the brilliancy of the electric light; the theatres open, and the gay crowds entering therein. Let us make for Chicago.” She looked up at me with a wan little smile, and laughed quietly. “You do need a guardian, as Papa Hemster says. I suppose it is about noon in Chicago at the present moment, and I don’t see why the theatres should be291 open at that hour. It is the roar of the wheat pit, and not of the traffic you are hearing. I fear your visit to Chicago was of the briefest, for your picture is not very convincing. Still, I confess I wish I were there now, if you were with me.” Then with a slight sigh she added, “I’ll accept that guardianship at Nagasaki. Good-night, my dear,” and with that she whisked away and disappeared before I was aware of her meditated escape. I lit a fresh cigar and continued my promenade alone. As I walked aft I caught snatches of the musical monotone of Cammerford’s voice. Ever since dinner time he had been in earnest conversation with Mr. Hemster, who sat in his usual chair at the stern of the boat. So far as I am aware, Mr. Hemster was leaving the burden of the talk to the younger man, who, from the tone of his voice, seemed in deadly earnest. At last Mr. Hemster got up and threw his cigar overboard. I heard him say: “I told you, Mr. Cammerford, that I would not discuss this matter further until I reached Nagasaki. The papers are all in my desk under lock and key in the room at the hotel, and that room is closed and sealed. I’ll say no more about this scheme until I am back there.” “And when you are back there, Mr. Hemster, what action are you going to take?” “Whatever action seems to be best for my own interests, Mr. Cammerford.” “Well, from most men that reply would be very unsatisfactory. However, I am glad to say I trust you292 completely, Mr. Hemster, and I know you will do the square thing in the end.” “I’m glad you think so,” said the old man curtly, as he went down the stairway. Cammerford stood there for a few moments, then strode forward and joined me. “May I beg a light of you?” he asked, as if he were conferring a favour. I don’t care to light one cigar from another, so I struck a match and held it while he took advantage of the flame. “Thanks. Now, Tremorne, I want to talk with you as to a friend. We were friends once, you know.” “True; the kind of friend the celebrated phrase refers to, perhaps.” “What phrase?” “‘God protect me from my friends,’ or words to that effect.” He laughed most genially. “That’s one on me,” he said. “However, I look on our score as being wiped out. Can’t you let bygones be bygones?” “Oh, yes.” “You see you are in a way responsible. I have turned over the money to you. Granted I was forced to do so. I claim no merit in the matter, but I do say a bargain is a bargain. I showed you the old man’s letter to me, in which he said if I did thus and so by you, he would join me in the big beef combine. You remember that, don’t you?” 293 “Naturally, I shouldn’t soon forget it, or forget the generosity of Mr. Hemster in writing it.” “Oh, generosity is cheap when you are doing it at somebody else’s expense. Still, I don’t complain of that at all. What I say is this: I’ve kept my part of the contract strictly and honestly, but now the old man is trying to euchre me.” “I remember also, Mr. Cammerford, that you said Mr. Hemster was a rogue or dishonest, or something of like effect.” “Well, so he is.” “In that case, why do you object to being euchred by him?” “Well, you see, I had his promise in writing, and I thought I was safe.” “You have it in writing still, I presume. If he does not live up to what he has written, you probably have your recourse at law, for they say there is no wrong without a remedy.” “Oh, that’s all talking through your hat. It isn’t a lawsuit I’m after, but the co-operation of Mr. Hemster. What chance would I have against a man of his wealth?” “I’m sure I don’t know. What is it you wish from me? Advice?” “I wanted to explain the situation that has arisen, and I wish to know if you have anything to suggest that will lead the old man to do the square thing?” “I have no suggestion to make, Mr. Cammerford.” “Supposing he does not keep his promise, don’t you294 think it would be fair that the money I expended on the strength of it should be returned to me?” “It does seem reasonable, I admit.” “I am glad to hear you say so, and to tell the truth, Mr. Tremorne, it is just the action I should expect of you.” “What action?” “The returning of the money, of course.” “Bless my soul, you don’t suppose I’m going to return a penny of it, do you?” “Ah, your honesty is theory then, not practice.” “My dear sir, my honesty is both theory and practice. The money is mine. I made you no promises regarding it. In fact, I refused to make any promise when you offered me half the amount. If I had made any engagements I should have kept them.” “I see. I take it then you do not regard yourself as bound by any promises the old man made on your behalf?” “Certainly not. I knew nothing of the matter until you showed me his letter.” “Your position is perfectly sound, Mr. Tremorne, and I unreservedly withdraw the imputation I put upon your honesty a moment since. But the truth is that this amount represents a very serious loss to me. It was a sprat thrown out to catch a whale, or, rather, a whale thrown out to catch a shoal of whales. But if I lose the whale and do not catch my shoal, then I have done a very bad piece of business by coming East. Through this proposed combine I expected to make several millions. Now, if you will join in with me, and put295 your half-million into the pool, I’ll guarantee that before a month you have doubled it.” “You gave me a chance like that once before, Mr. Cammerford.” The man laughed heartily as if I had perpetrated a very amusing joke. “Oh, yes, but that was years ago. We have both learned a good deal since.” “I certainly have, Mr. Cammerford. I have learned so much that I will not part with a penny of the money; not a red cent of it, as we say out West. That sum is going to be safely salted down, and it’s not going to be salted in a corned-beef tub either. I don’t mind telling you that I intend to get married upon it at the American Consulate at Nagasaki before a week is past.” “Really? Allow me to congratulate you, my boy. I surmised that was the way the land lay, and I quite envy you your charming young lady.” “Thanks!” “But you see, Mr. Tremorne, that makes your money doubly safe. I noticed that Mr. Hemster is as fond of Miss Stretton as he is of his own daughter, and if you give me the half million, he’ll see to it that you make a hundred per cent on it.” “I don’t at all agree with you, Mr. Cammerford. To speak with brutal frankness, if I trusted you with the money which you once succeeded in detaching from me,—if I trusted you with it again,—he would merely look upon me as a hopeless fool, and I must say I think he would be right.” John C. Cammerford was a man whom you couldn’t296 insult: it was not business to take offence, so he took none, but merely laughed again in his free-hearted way. “The old man thinks I don’t see what his game is, but I do. He is playing for time. He expects to hold me out here in the East, dangling this bait before me, until it is too late for me to do anything with my options. Now, he is going to get left at that game. I have more cards up my sleeve than he imagines, but I don’t want to have any trouble with him: I want to deal with him in a friendly manner for our mutual benefit. I’ll play fair if he plays fair. It isn’t too much to ask a man to keep his word, is it!” “No, the demand doesn’t appear excessive.” “Very good. Now, I wish you would have a quiet talk with him. I can see that he reposes great confidence in you. You have admitted that my request is an honest one, so I hope you won’t mind just presenting my side of the case to him.” “It is none of my business, Mr. Cammerford. I could not venture to take such a liberty with Mr. Hemster.” “But you admit the old man isn’t playing fair?” “I admit nothing of the sort: I don’t know his side of the story at all. He may have reasons for declining to deal with you, which seem to him conclusive.” “Granted. But nevertheless, don’t you think he should return the money given on the strength of his promise?” “Really I would rather not discuss the matter any297 further, Mr. Cammerford, if you don’t mind. I overheard you telling him at the head of the companion-way that you trusted him completely. Very well, then, why not continue to do so?” Cammerford gave a short laugh that had little of mirth in it: his politeness was evidently becoming worn threadbare, and I imagine he was inwardly cursing my obstinacy. There was silence between us for several minutes, then he said sharply: “Is this yarn about the kidnapping of his daughter all guff?” “Who told you about it?” I asked. “Oh, he did: gave that as the reason he didn’t wish to talk business.” “The story is true, and I think the reason is valid. If you take my advice, you will not talk business with him in the face of his prohibition until his mind is at rest regarding his daughter.” “Well, I guess I’ll take your advice; it seems to be the only thing I’m going to get out of you. I thought the daughter story was only a yarn to bluff me from coming aboard the yacht.” “It wasn’t, and furthermore, I don’t think you showed your usual perspicacity in not accepting Mr. Hemster’s intimation that he didn’t want to be bothered at this particular time.” “Oh, well, as to that,” said Cammerford, confidently, “the old man has been making a monkey of me for some weeks now, and the whole matter might have been settled in as many hours if he had cared to do so. He isn’t going to shake me off so easily as he thinks.298 I’ll stick to him till he keeps his promise, and don’t you forget it.” “All right, I’ll endeavour to keep it in mind.” “You won’t be persuaded to try and lure him on to the straight and narrow path of honesty, Mr. Tremorne?” “No, I’m not sure that he’s off it. I have always found him treading that path.” “I see. Well, good-night. When do we reach that outlandish place,—whatever its name is?” “We ought to arrive at Chemulpo some time to-morrow night.” “Chemulpo, is it? Well, I wish it was Chicago. So long.” “Good-night,” I responded, and with that he left the world to darkness and to me. <hr /> 299 <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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