The Main Chance
Page 37
CHAPTER XXXVII
"A PECULIAR BRICK"
It was Fenton who most nearly voiced the public sorrow at the death ofWarrick Raridan. His address at the memorial meeting of the Clarkson BarAssociation surprised the community, which knew Fenton only as acorporation lawyer who rarely made speeches, even to juries. Fenton putinto words the general appraisement of Warry Raridan--his social graceand charm, his wit and variety. People who hardly knew that Raridan hadbeen a lawyer were surprised that the leader of the Clarkson bar dweltupon his instinctive grasp of legal questions, "the thoroughness of hisresearch and the clarity and force with which he presented legalpropositions." Raridan was a lawyer with an imagination, Fenton said,thus seizing what had been considered a weakness of character and makingit count as an element of strength. Fenton was not given to carelesspraise, and what he said of Raridan had much to do with formulating theopinion that was to pass into Clarkson history. The last few months ofWarry's life had won him this eulogy--the work which he had done forEvelyn. Fenton had learned to know him well after the appointment ofSaxton as receiver. He had thrown a number of important questions toWarry to investigate, and he had been amazed at his young lieutenant'scapacity and industry. He did not know that a woman had been theinspiration of this work; he thought that it proceeded from Saxton'sinfluence and the pleasure Warry found in labor that brought him nearhis friend.
It was not alone Warry's death, but the sharp, tragic manner of it, sowretchedly inconsonant with his life, that grieved and shocked thecommunity. But this too had its compensations; for many read into hislife now a recklessness and daring which it had lacked. They spoke ofhim as though he had been a young soldier who had fallen at the firstskirmish, without having been tried in battle; all spoke of his promiseand mourned that his life had been harvested before he had finishedsowing. On every hand his good deeds were recounted; many unknownwitnesses rose to tell of acts of generosity and kindness which wouldnever have been disclosed in his lifetime. Those who had really knownhim no longer lamented his erratic habits. They now magnified histalents; and his whimsical, fanciful ways they attributed to genius.
It was much easier to account for Raridan than to explain Wheaton. Mostof the people of Clarkson did not understand his flight, if he hadneither stolen the bank's money nor killed Warry Raridan. There was adisposition for a time to reject the story of the tragedy at thePoindexter ranch house as it had been given out by Bishop Delafield andJohn Saxton; but the bishop's word in the matter was final; he was not aman to conceal the truth. Those who had seen most of Wheaton were themost puzzled. The men who remained at The Bachelors' were stunned bythe whole affair, but in particular they failed to grasp the curiousphase presented by Wheaton's connection--or lack of connection--with it.They expected him to return, and even discussed what should be theirattitude toward him if he came back. As the days passed and nothing washeard, they gradually ceased talking of him; but by silent assent no onetook the seat he had occupied at their table. When presently thelandlord sent Wheaton's things to be stored in the cellar, and new menappeared in the places of Raridan and Wheaton, they exchanged the oblongtable for a round one, to take away whatever ill luck might follow theplaces of the lost members of their board.
The chief shock to William Porter was a shock to his pride. He hadtrusted Wheaton as implicitly as he trusted any man, and while his trustat all times had limitations, he had extended these beyond precedent inJames Wheaton's case. Saxton and Bishop Delafield had gone to him assoon as possible, with Fenton. It was important for Porter to understandexactly what had occurred at the Poindexter ranch house. The newspapershad now announced Wheaton's flight; it was natural that the bank shouldfall under suspicion, and that all of Porter's interests should bejeopardized. A cashier implicated in some way in a murder, and in fullflight for parts unknown, created a situation which could not beignored. But Porter met the issue squarely and sanely.
The expert accountants who were put to work on the bank's books made anabsolutely clean report, and the minutest scrutiny of the securities ofthe bank proved everything intact. Wheaton had been a master of orderand system. The searching investigation of experts and directorsrevealed nothing that was not creditable to the missing cashier.
"Well, sir," said Porter, "you've got me. I guess Jim was crooked someway, but he didn't do us up. I guess there's nothing we can say againsthim."
"His case is unusual," said Fenton. "I think we'd better leave it to thepsychologists."
It was necessary to fill Wheaton's place, and while they were castingabout for a cashier Porter and Thompson received offers from a Chicagosyndicate for their stock in the bank. The offer was advantageous; bothof the founders were old and both were in broken health. They debatedlong what they should do. The bank was a child of their own creating;Porter was particularly loath to part with it; but Evelyn, to whom hebrought the matter in a new spirit of dependence on her, finallyprevailed upon him. They closed with the offer of the syndicate, partingwith the control but remaining in the directorate. Porter had otherinterests that required his attention, chief among which was theTraction Company; and after the bank question had been determined, hegave himself to a careful study of its affairs.
"I guess this thing ain't so terribly rotten after all," he said oneday, at a conference with Saxton and Fenton. The earnings were steadilyincreasing.
"No, it's making a showing now, and unless you want to keep it for along run you had better sell it before you get into a strike or a rowwith the city authorities or something like that, to spoil it. And Ifancy that Saxton's making a showing that the next fellow can't beat.One thing's sure," said Fenton, "some extensions and improvements havegot to be made the coming summer, and they will take money."
"Well, we won't make them," Porter declared. "We'll reorganize and bondand get out."
While the newspapers, and the judge of the court to whom he reported,praised Saxton, Porter never praised him. It was not his way; but Fentontook care that Porter should understand fully the value of Saxton'sservices. Praise had not often been John Saxton's portion, and he wasnot seriously troubled by Porter's apparent indifference. He was notworking for William Porter, he told himself, at times when Porter'sattitude annoyed him; he was working for the United States DistrictCourt; and he went on doing his duty as he saw it. He was, however,anxious to be relieved, but Fenton begged him to remain through thereorganization. He liked Saxton and admired his steady persistence.Together they worked out the problem of the proposed new company, andmanaged it with so much tact and self-effacement that Porter believedall their suggestions to have originated with himself.
"It's simpler that way," said Fenton, speaking to Saxton one day of thenecessity of this method of procedure. "He's a perfect brick, and he'lllike us a lot better if we let him think he's doing all the work."
"He is a brick all right," said John thoughtfully, "but he's a peculiarbrick."