CHAPTER XIII

BUT IS RESCUED

By the time he reached Saint X our young “man of affairs” believed his conscience soundly converted to his adventure; and, as he drove toward the house, a final survey of his defenses and justifications satisfied him that they were impregnable.  Nevertheless, as he descended from the station hack and entered the grounds of the place that in his heart of heart was all that the word “home” can contain, he felt strangely like a traitor and a sneak.  He kept his manner of composed seriousness, but he reasoned in vain against those qualms of shame and panic.  At the open front door he dared not lift his eyes lest he should be overwhelmed by the sight of that colossal figure, with a look in its face that would force him to see the truth about his thoughts and his acts.  The house seemed deserted; on the veranda that opened out from the back parlor he found Dory Hargrave, reading.  He no longer felt bitter toward Dory.  Thinking over the whole of the Ranger-Whitney relations and the sudden double break in them, he had begun to believe that perhaps Adelaide had had the good luck to make an extremely clever stroke when she shifted from Ross Whitney to Hargrave.  Anyhow, Dory was a fine fellow, both in looks and in brains, with surprisingly good, yes, really amazing air and manner—­considering his opportunities; he’d be an ornament to any family as soon as he had money enough properly to equip himself—­which would be very soon, now that the great Dawson was about to open fire on the will and demolish it.

“Howdy,” he accordingly said, with only a shade less than his old friendliness, and that due to embarrassment, and not at all to ill feeling.  “Where’s mother—­and Del?”

“Your sister has taken your mother for a drive,” replied Hargrave.

“Smoke?” said Arthur, extending his gold cigarette case, open.

Dory preferred his own brand of cigarettes; but, feeling that he ought to meet any advance of Arthur’s, he took one of the big, powerful Egyptians with “A.K.” on it in blue monogram.  They smoked in silence a moment or so, Arthur considering whether to practise on Dory the story of his proposed contest, to enable him to tell it in better form to his mother and sister.  “I’ve been to Chicago to see about contesting the will,” he began, deciding for the rehearsal.

“I supposed so,” said Hargrave.

“Of course, for mother’s and Del’s sake I simply have to do it,” he went on, much encouraged.  “Anyone who knew father knows he must have been out of his mind when he made that will.”

“I see your point of view,” said Dory, embarrassed.  Then, with an effort he met Arthur’s eyes, but met them fearlessly.  “You misunderstood me.  I think a contest is a mistake.”

Arthur flamed.  “Naturally you defend your father,” he sneered.

“Let us leave my father out of this,” said Dory.  His manner made it impossible for Arthur to persist.  For Dory was one of those who have the look of “peace with honor” that keeps to bounds even the man crazed by anger.