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Show ..iillH"""""" ' I HI I mil in; !'r . i: I rrhe Recluse 1 of Fifth J Avenue j I U WYNDHAM j J MARTYM Copyrtubt in the United States I ii 1 "" 1 ' i ' 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 r. WND Service CHAPTER VIII Continued 16 Life hn been very good to Paul Raxon. He hart always won. Again wa again Ills unfortunnte entanglements entangle-ments with women had threatened to briiis hi"' newspaper notoriety, but lie hurt evaded It somehow. lie won-ilered won-ilered why, of lnte, he had been thinking think-ing of the girl who died so conveniently convenient-ly In a sculptor's studio, the sculptor who hnd endured the censure that should have been his. Raxon believed be-lieved that it was because he had been born to a great destiny, and doubts of future success did not trouble him. McKlmber broached the subject that filled their minds one day as they milked back from golf. He had been shown by his campaign manager that Haxon's press notices far exceeded his own In frequency and interest. "You certainly have a fine press a:ent," McKlmber said, not without 'The best." said Raxon. "So long 3 he remains the best he gets a very large salary. If l.e falls off, I shall jet rid of him. He knows that. One might say," Raxon went on, "that that Is my method always. I pay more than the union scale, because I want i result above the average." "Maybe you're wasting your money." Raxon shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe." "The public buildings of this country coun-try are the best in the world," McKlmber Mc-Klmber declared. He had been reading read-ing something of the enthusiasm Rux-ra Rux-ra had created among federations of women's clubs. "You probably think so," Raxon speed idly. "You could sit before the Hateliouse at, let us say, Harrisburg, and think it was the last thing in architectural ar-chitectural art. I am going to stamp out monstrosities in stone and melodramas melo-dramas in marble. We have not yet evolved a national style, but we shall." He paused a moment to greet Robin McKimber and Agatha Brown. lie had noticed of late that the two were very friendly. They made a splendid pair. He commented on it. McKim ber grunted, .He had other plans for his son. Me found himself tilled with Increasing bitterness. "When can we have a talk?" McKlmber Mc-Klmber said abruptly. "What are we doing now?" "You know what I mean. I'm going to let you. into our confidence, and ycti ought to know that strangers Mioukln't hear it." "Whose confidence?" "The party's confidence. It's a big thing, itaxon." "Ought I to hear it? Am I important impor-tant enough?" Raxon "s manner had so hint of sarcasm in it, but McKim-lr McKim-lr knew that the other was laughing 'I liim. "Tomorrow night the young Ifople are having a dance. I keep 'ite hours. What about midnight? Toil have never yet been in my tower 'tt'(!y have you? Sneed shall bring Jin up there at twelve." McKlmber felt himself dismissed. He frowned as he glanced at the trailer man. The interview In the lower room woL'ld need careful han-'ling. han-'ling. He wondered if he had under-'stlmated under-'stlmated Raxon. When Robin joined him McKimber "as still fuming. Unwisely he told his '"ii of the coming interview, but not its nature. Still more unwisely K"lin, by this time head over ears in ,l)ve with Agatha I'.rown. confided in for the news. She had always seemed "Kdy- to chat about his parents. "1 don't understand it at nil," said Itn. "Father came here for some Mrposc of his own which I" haven'! '"'tight on to, but it's political. Of "'"rse you haven't followed American Cities of late or you'd Iukav my fa-"w fa-"w was some punkin up the state, "e refused the nomination for governorship," gover-norship," "Why such modesty?" she asked. "Because he wants something big- "The senate, I suppose?" 1 wondered why it was he anie here when we have never had inJ social relations with the Kaxons. know now." He spoke confidentially, tomorrow night, up in his tower ;"'n, father is going to lay down the p,w to your Mr. Raxon. Just because "Won made a lot of money doesn't y lie Is fit to represent New York ' Washington. I think father pays '"j'rely ton much attention to Rax-''l'8 Rax-''l'8 claims. He couldn't get in pos-J-v- What do you think?" "flint politics Is very dull." , Tl'ey won't bother us." he said ten-Ptly. ten-Ptly. "We shan't know they exist, ;;'"ia. i shall be looking in your t!and forgetting time and space." ''at vhi make you a very agree-Jnnclng agree-Jnnclng partner," she laughed. "stoil n little. "I'm sorry, Robin, ,v shall not be dancing together "'""rruw (iveulng. It is my night off, 'Til come with you." he said enger-l.v. enger-l.v. Do let me drive you in " lhat would never do. I snouW dismissed directly I returned cT you ,st B, ere nm1 dance . ; t ie Raxon gir s and their friends. I lit you realize how much you've neglected them?" "I didn't come here to dance with 'em, he retorted. "I C!lme In tne I". st instance because father has something to tell Raxon from the national na-tional committee. I stayed because I saw you. If I've neglected the Raxon plrls it Is absolutely your fault Thev should blame you for It." "They ' do," she answered. "Mrs Raxon, who was my friend, is growing cold. I shall not be here long." "Then marry me and get a lifelong Job. You'll like it, sweetheart. I'm not half good enough for you, but day by day you'll learn to love me more and more." Is tliis a proposal?" She laughed. "It's the first I've made since lunch," he returned. "And I shall give you my usual answer. an-swer. I like you, Robin. You are one of the most attractive people I have met. I think It would not be hard to get absolutely crazy about you." "How soon can you start?" "I'm afraid I never can. Your father fa-ther wouldn't permit it. I've watched him, Robin, when you've been dancing or talking to me. Do you suppose it was just idly that he told me last night that he had a great future planned for you?" "He often says that," Robin answered. an-swered. "That's why he wants to go to Washington. He's thinking of politics poli-tics and diplomacy." "He was thinking of the sort of woman he Intends you to marry. I can't blame him. He feels lie is fighting fight-ing for you against an unknown worn- xfnk "Maybe You're Wasting Your Money." an who may be a common adventuress for all he knows. On the whole, I rather like your father." "The old man's all right," Robin said calmly, "and I probably respect him more than anyone else: but I'm no Chinese ancestor worshiper. I shall choose my own wife. If he objects, the loss is his." "You'd starve, my bold and brave Robin." "Not on your life, Amethysta. I'm no idle society boy, although I play society games. I've an interest in the works which I earned. He'd have to buy me out, and it would be cheaper to have me remain. Also, I control some basic patents that he uses. I invented them, if you can believe it." "How clever of you," she cried. "Do you know I had no idea you had ever worked. You play so well, you see." "Amethysta," he said earnestly, "there isn't such an awful lot of liapr piness in this world. Why do you want to rob me of my chance of it?" "If there was anything I could do to make you happy. I would do it if I had mvself only to think about. Don't follow' me. I've got to get back to the house and arrange an elaborate menu." She left him with a smile. It was not easv to respond to it. So far in his life young McKimber had obtained what he' wanted. He realized that he hnd never wanted anything very stronglv until now, when his first serious seri-ous defeat had been met. Inside the house Agatha Brown met h"You allow- that McKimber boy to innopolize too much of your time.' ne grumbled; "the McKimbers are absolutely ab-solutely without social weight ln so many words that is wha Mi. McKimber told Robin about social sectaries. sec-taries. Don't talk about him now. i I've got to go into New York ana se L'ncle Peter." "Anything developed?" he demanded eagerly. "Yes. At midnight tomorrow there's a big dance here, you remember. remem-ber. Mr. McKimher is going to see Mr. Raxon and tell him he has no chance politically." "How do you know that? So you are pumping him. Clever girl. That's why you are letting him waste his time." "It's not being clever." she returned, flushing: "it's being dishonorable. I'm not pumping him. I'm letting him talk, and that's almost as bad." The man who was 'Enry seemed little interested In Robin McKimber. He was excited at the idea of the interview in-terview on the morrow. "I believe that's the big thing." he : said. "I wish I knew what old Peter j has up his sleeve." "Has Mr. Rradney finished his work ! up there?" she asked. j "This very morning. That's the real reason I waited for you. That d d 1 Raxon has'no fixed habits. , He crops up In most unexpected places. Sneed ) reported after breakfast that he and old McKimber were on the golf links. Rradney got busy at once with his Job ! and I attended to the cleaning of the I room. I didn't hear Raxon come In. You know how silently he walks. Slid- j denly I looked around and saw liim. i He made a motion for me not to say i anything. He was listening." 'Enry 1 laughed. "I didn't laugh then. Nita. j What do you think it was? He thought old Bradney sawing a board out of sight was a rat. Fortunately Rradney bad just finished and was listening lis-tening to what we were saying. Rax-on's Rax-on's afraid of no man. but he hates rats. He made me look down behind the books. I could see Bradney's face distinctly, because he hadn't quite finished. fin-ished. I was flustered. I said I saw a big sewer rat." "Poor Uncle Fleming." Nita cried. "Oh. daddy, what a situation!" "Raxon suggested sending for a fox terrier that the head chauffeur owns. Any decent dog would have worried Bradney's face to ribbons. I couldn't have that. I suggested traps and said the 'Igginses had a bait that old Henry the Eighth used. He said the rat would take it and die in such a way that the air would be poisoned. He went to a drawer and took out an automatic. au-tomatic. I thought then and there everything was up. I couldn't let him take a pot-shot at Bradney. Remember, Remem-ber, Bradney was listening to all this and not able to make a move." "Oh. daddy," the girl cried, "what happened?" "The 'Igginses' rat-bait won. I said to shoot under a heavy wooden bookcase book-case might set the house on fire. It wasn't till I saw him outside witn Malet that I pulled Bradney out head foremost. Of course he blamed me for not keeping a better lookout. It all came because I was actually doing the work for which I am being paid. Let me know what Mr. Milman says." Neeland Barnes walked toward the'; pantry, wnere rrauuey was cieaumg some silver. ' I "Hello, old sewer rat," said 'Enry j genially. He took a seat and lighted j a cigarette. Then he complained aboil' j young McKimber's attentions to his j daughter. Bradney did not take hfs i side. "I've watched them." said Bradney, i "and I think they are the handsomest j pair I've ever seen. You must admit that, physically, he is superb. You I are wrong in thinking he is forcing' unwelcome attentions on Nita. He is ! humble and adoring. I'm not much of a judge of these affairs, but I think she likes him." Bradney sighed. "1 should like to lie looked at as I've caught her looking at him. "And I .rather like old McKimber," Bradney said. "It is true he has drunk the wine of Babbitry largely, but that is what every successful man quaffs. If he is autocratic and wants his way. you must remember he is the bead of a tremendous business and accustomed to men taking orders from him. Hi-wife Hi-wife is quite genial and unaffected." Barnes could not dismiss his grievance griev-ance against fr- family lightly. "I hope he won't try to be autocratic with me because I'm annoyed with hi son and heir." 'Enry put a silver carafe ca-rafe on a tray. "This waiting business busi-ness palls after a time. There's Malel eating, drinking and smoking with tin best, while we have to work for a llv ing. Actually he had the nerve ti call me down the other night in Fren.-l because I upset something over hin while I was trying to hear what Itax on was saying to McKimber." "Don't get quarrelsome here." Brad ney cautioned him. "Wait till it i finished. A great deal depends or, veil." "All right." said Barnes, racking up his tray "The parasite departs. I I watch my step." (TO BE CONTINUED.) |