CHAPTER XVII

PERILS IN MRS. HILARY STANFORD'S PATH

DUNBAR breakfasted late the morning following his offer of marriage. His early morning ride had been extended to greater length than was his custom. Engrossed in his thoughts of the woman he had asked to be wife to him and of his own relation to her, he had so much relaxed control that his horse had wandered into an unaccustomed by-path.

It was wholly characteristic of the man that he should submit himself, his relation to the charming woman, the woman herself, to a rigid analysis, flinching from no consideration. As to himself, his conclusion was that after the contest he had neither desire nor intention of abating in any degree his determination to possess her as a life companion, indeed, it seemed to him one of the results of the previous evening was the growth of a great compassion for her and a greater desire to stand between her and the rough world. As to herself, he felt that her unwillingness to

accede to his demand was due to a morbidity which was a result of reaction from the long strain she had been under. He was convinced he possessed her love, and, in her willingness to sacrifice herself for his career, he not only saw the evidence of an unselfish love for him, but her claim to the respect she mistakenly thought she had sacrificed in flying in the face of the conventional restrictions modern society imposes on its weaker members. So his final conclusions were that he would not have things different except it were a complete surrender on the part of Mabel Stanford. He rode back to his breakfast better satisfied with himself for his long thought.

As he turned over his horse to his groom, waiting in front of his hotel, he found Van Zandt, the broker, at his side with outstretched hand.

"Dunbar," said the broker, "I want to make amend and apology for what I said and did the last time we met. I didn't know the whole thing then as I do now, and I was worried, just out of a hot fight. I was all wrong. Will you accept my apology and take my hand?"

"A man can do no less, Van Zandt, after such an apology," said Dunbar, taking the proffered hand.

But it was a cold grasp and he would have moved off had not the broker detained him.

"I have been wigged a good deal by Kitty," Van Zandt continued, "for my conduct on that occasion. But that is not the reason why

I come to you. At that time I did not know the whole of Edgar's game-didn't learn it until we came to settle up after that bear campaign, and he was confessing defeat. You were right in protecting yourself and the property. I know that now. He's a cold proposition, that Edgar. I want to tell you how he treated me. My clerk made an error in the statement by which a quarter of a million less than was due to me was called for from him. I never discovered the error until after his check in settlement had been received. Then I hunted up the way it had occurred, sent him a new statement and wrote a letter explaining matters. Well, sir, that fellow wrote back that he had settled matters according to my statement and that, so far as he was concerned, the incident was closed."

"Then you have a suit at law against him?" asked Dunbar.

"Oh, no. I could not afford that, though I did win," nonchalantly replied the broker. "Couldn't afford to incur the antagonisms of the crowd of which he's the leader. No, there's more than one way of getting your rights.

Well, you're in a sound interest now. Stick to it. You're better off. I say that, who am on the other side of the market."

Dunbar, who was yet in his riding clothes, again attempted to move away, but the broker detained him.

"Henry Morton is here," he said. you know him?”

"Do

"You mean the financier? I have never even seen him.”

"Is that so? Well, he is a true financier, a big man, of great power. Nothing speculative about H. M. Close connections with the biggest of European capitalists. I'll introduce you, you, if you like. Good acquaintance to

have."

Dunbar coldly thanked the broker and made the third attempt to get away. Again the broker detained him by saying:

"Mrs. Van Zandt and Kitty are here with me. They will be glad to meet you, I am sure."

In the coldest manner, Dunbar expressed the hope that the ladies were in the enjoyment of good health, and this time succeeded in getting away, and without committing himself to a pledge to meet the wife and daughter of the broker.

A Wall Street acquaintance joined Van

Zandt as Dunbar ascended the steps of the hotel and asked:

"Who's your friend with the lardy-dah togs?"

"That is the man who downed us in the bear campaign on Universal last May,” answered Van Zandt, briefly.

"The devil! J. Percival Dunbar, eh?"

"The same. And there's nothing lardy-dah about him."

"I should say not-not about a man who can turn the trick on an old hand like C. C. Edgar."

Unconscious of the comment, Dunbar prepared for his breakfast, and when it was over sought his inamorata. He could not find her among those listening to the morning concert and sauntered to one of the front verandas. There he discovered her with a stately appearing, elderly gentleman beside her, who was a stranger to him. He was about to retire when Mrs. Stanford, perceiving him, made him a sign to approach. As he obeyed

he not only observed the welcome light in her soft brown eyes, but a curious expression of kindly inquiry which he thought was somewhat pathetic. Reaching the pair, Mrs. Stanford said:

"Mr. Morton, permit me to present Mr. J. Percival Dunbar."