sarcastically. "Do you realizethat I shall hardly survive your marriage with the editor of_Liberty_. I shall be kicked off--requested to resign from half adozen boards for having such a son-in-law--"
"There's freedom for you," said Ben.
"And," continued Mr. Cord, "if it were known that I consented to themarriage, and actually consorted with such fellows! You must realize,Crystal, that most of the most influential men in the country thinkthe way Eddie does. Half my boards are composed of older Eddies."
"You'll do better to resign from them, then," said Crystal.
Ben had been very much struck by Crystal's suggestion.
"Really, Mr. Cord," he said, "I believe that is a great idea ofCrystal's. I really believe if capital had more idea of the realviews of labor--as you said, you eventually adopt all our ideas, whywouldn't an intimate knowledge of individuals hurry that process?"
"Simply because I should lose all influence with my own people bymerely investigating you in a friendly spirit."
"Glory!" exclaimed Ben, with open contempt for such people. "Think ofpenalizing the first honest attempt to understand!"
"You see the point of my plan, don't you, Ben?" said Crystal.
"You bet I do."
"That's wonderful," she answered, "for you've only heard half of it.In July, August, and September, we will come here to Newport, and youwill get to understand father's--"
"Hold on," cried Ben, "just a moment. That is absolutely impossible,Crystal. You don't understand. The paper couldn't keep me a day if Idid that."
"Ha!" cried Mr. Cord, coming suddenly to life. "There's freedom foryou!"
"That would be very cruel of the owners, Ben, but if they did--"
"It wouldn't be cruel at all," said Moreton. "They wouldn't have anychoice. I should have lost all influence with my readers, if it wereknown--"
"Glory!" said Mr. Cord. "Think of penalizing the first honest attemptto understand the capitalistic class!"
Ben stood silent, caught in the grip of an intellectual dilemma whichhe felt every instant would dissolve itself and which didn't.
Crystal for the first time moved away from her father. "Those are myterms," she said. "I stay with the man who agrees to them, and if youboth decline them--well, I'll go off and try and open the oyster bymyself."
There was a long momentous pause, and then Tomes's discreet knock onthe door.
"Mr. Verriman on the telephone, madam."
"I can't come," said Crystal. "Ask him to send a message."
"Don't you see, Crystal, what your plan would do?" said her father."Either it would make Moreton a red revolutionist and me a persecutingBourbon, or else it would just ruin us both for either of ourobjectives."
"It won't ruin you for my objectives," said Crystal, "and women aremore human, you know, than men."
Another knock at the door. Tomes's voice again:
"Mr. Verriman wishes to know if he might dine here this evening?"
"No," said Cord, looking at Crystal.
Crystal raised her voice. "Certainly, Tomes. Say we shall be delightedto have him--at eight."
Both men turned to her.
"Why did you do that, Crystal? Verriman--here--to-night?"
Crystal did not answer--the identity of their tones, their words,and their irritation with her should have told them the answer, butdidn't.
She knew that only opposition to Eddie and Eddie's many prototypescould weld her two men solidly together.
THE END
The Beauty and the Bolshevist Page 13