Jacob's Ladder Part 44

If, on the other hand, Lord Felixstowe, or even you, Mr. Pratt, would like to see a little New York night life, I will do my best."

"I am for the giddy whirl," Felixstowe declared promptly. "I have eaten strange and delicious food of an exhilarating character. The flavour of terrapin is upon my palate. I am imbibing New York. It is getting into my blood."

"You are also imbibing a considerable quant.i.ty of Pommery," Jacob observed. "I may have letters for the English mail at nine o'clock to-morrow morning, remember."

"You will find me waiting by your bedside," the young man promised.

"To-night the magic of a strange city calls."

"If you will take the car home, Mr. Pratt," Morse suggested, "Lord Felixstowe and I will take a taxi--that is to say, unless you care to join us."

Jacob shook his head.

"Show Lord Felixstowe everything there is to be seen," he begged. "As soon as my brother is out of danger, I'll have a turn around myself."

Towards three o'clock, Jacob, who was reading in bed, heard stealthy footsteps in the next room. He coughed and Felixstowe at once entered.

"So you've got back," Jacob remarked, laying down his book.

Felixstowe's tie had escaped an inch or two to the right, his theatre hat was set well on the back of his head, his expression was beatific.

"Jacob, old bean," he declared, sitting down heavily upon the bed, "we've got the knock. London's a back number. We're beaten at the post."

"In what respect?"

"The la.s.ses!" Felixstowe exclaimed, smacking the part of the bed where he imagined Jacob's leg to be,--"the la.s.ses, the drink and the gilded halls! And I'll tell you another thing. Our friend Morse can take off his spectacles and go a bit. He's no stranger on the merry-go-rounds.... Gee! What's that?"

The young man slipped from the bed and crossed the room to where, on a very handsome little round table, a bottle of whisky and other appurtenances were attractively displayed.

"The one thing I needed to send me to sleep like a top was a nightcap," he declared, mixing himself a drink. "Jacob, have you any more relatives? Let's visit 'em all."

"You go to bed," Jacob insisted. "I'm going to turn out the light directly."

Lord Felixstowe, his gla.s.s in his hand, one-stepped lightly out of the room, humming under his breath a little ditty which seemed to contain dual references to a prospective sovereignty of the May and the hour at which he would like his shaving water. Jacob turned over and slept the sleep of the just.

CHAPTER XXVI

Soon after breakfast, on the following morning, Doctor Bardolf was shown into Jacob's sitting-room. He held his watch in his hand.

Outside the house, the engine of his great automobile was purring gently.

"No change, Mr. Pratt," he announced. "All the symptoms, however, continue to be decidedly favourable."

"Capital!" Jacob exclaimed. "When shall you be here again?"

"I am coming in this afternoon, simply in case that slight alteration in my patient's condition should have occurred, which will enable you to visit him. I rather gather, from certain indications, that the change is close at hand."

"Very considerate of you, I am sure, Doctor," Jacob observed gratefully.

"In the meantime, Mr. Pratt," the physician enquired, replacing his watch in his waistcoat pocket, "can I be of any service to you? Your brother is a personal friend of mine as well as a patient, and I should like to show you any attention agreeable to you. Would you care, for instance, to see over one of our big hospitals?"

"I'm not keen about it," Jacob admitted frankly. Doctor Bardolf smiled.

"Like your brother, Mr. Jacob," he remarked, "you're candid, I see.

I'm afraid I sometimes let my professional predilections run away with me. I'll send you cards, if you will allow me, for two clubs I think you would like to see something of, and if you'll do me the honour of dining with me one night, as soon as your brother's condition has shown the change we are waiting for, I shall be honoured."

"Very kind of you--delighted," Jacob murmured.

Whereupon the physician took his leave and was succeeded within a very few moments by Morse. The latter bowed to Jacob and rather ignored Felixstowe's frivolous salutation.

"Mr. Pratt," he begged, "can I have a few words with you on business?"

"Certainly," Jacob a.s.sented. "That's what I'm here for. Sit down, do."

The secretary accepted an easy-chair but waved away the proffered cigar.

"I guess you fully understand, sir," he began, "how important it is to keep your brother's condition absolutely secret. The moment the change that the doctor is looking for takes place, we shall give it out that he has returned from the Adirondacks with a slight fever and is compelled to rest for a day or two. Until then, we've got to bluff for all we are worth."

"I am rather taking your word for this," Jacob said. "In my country, the stock market is not quite so sensitive as regards personalities."

"Mighty good thing, too," Morse remarked approvingly. "Down in Wall Street, some one only has to start a rumour that the chairman of one of the great railway companies is sick, and the stock of that company slides a notch or two before you know where you are. However, to return to my point," he continued, leaning forward in his chair and becoming more earnest in his manner, "your brother, Mr. Pratt, is a very prominent figure in Wall Street. As his partner, you can form a pretty fair idea as to what his monthly profits are. At first he was absolutely driven by circ.u.mstances to be a large operator upon the stock markets. Nowadays, this has become one of his favourite hobbies."

"Does he gain or lose by it?" Jacob enquired.

"He makes money," Morse replied. "But then he never gambles--what we should call gambling in this country. He only deals in the sound things, and if the market sags he simply holds on. That brings me, sir, to the princ.i.p.al reason why I was glad to see you over on this side. Three days before he was taken ill, your brother cleaned up a little deal by which he made the best part of half a million dollars and opened a very large account in railroads. The last word he said to me on business was that he guessed he'd have to find the best part of a million dollars before he began to draw in the profits, for, owing to conditions with which you don't need to worry, all railway stocks have fallen during the last two weeks."

"I noticed that in the papers," Jacob admitted.

"Last week," Morse continued, "I went around to see the brokers, Worstead and Jones of Wall Street, and they agreed to carry over without hesitation. This week the differences come to six hundred and twenty-eight thousand dollars, and by an inviolable law of Exchange the money has to be found. The stocks, as you will see from the list which I have here, are the best in the States. Your brother himself knew that the recovery would not be till the beginning of next month.

This illness of his was so unexpected, however, that he had no time to make any provision for paying these differences. We have a matter of seven million dollars on deposit at various banks in the city, but I can't touch those amounts and no more could you, as they are part of Mr. Samuel's private fortune. What I want you to do, sir, if you don't mind being so kind, is to take up these differences this week, and if a further drop should take place before next settlement, you and I and Mr. Samuel's legal adviser can apply to the Courts for a power of attorney."

"I came over to help in every possible way," Jacob reflected, "and I have credit for about that amount at the First National Bank. You want a cheque, then, for--"

"Dear me, no, Mr. Pratt!" the other interrupted. "I don't figure in this. To-morrow, by the first mail, we shall get the stockbroker's note showing the exact difference. If you will draw your cheque then, payable to the stockbrokers, they will give you a receipt. The moment Mr. Samuel can hold a pen, we can transfer the amount back again to your credit. The only point is that your cheque must be on an American bank, so that the actual cash can be handled."

"As it happens, that can be arranged," Jacob promised. "You can rely upon me, Mr. Morse."

"That's very kind of you indeed, Mr. Pratt," Morse declared heartily.

"I have a heavy mail to attend to this morning, so if you'll excuse me I'll be getting on with it now," he added, rising to his feet. "I have ordered the car for you and Lord Felixstowe. You will find the chauffeur an exceedingly intelligent man, and he will take you around New York and show you some of the things you ought to see. I should suggest luncheon at the Ritz-Carlton or the Plaza."

"That sounds all right," Jacob a.s.sented. "I beg that you won't worry about us. We can look after ourselves quite well."

"And you'll be back by four o'clock to see Doctor Bardolf," Morse enjoined. "You won't forget that he is an exceedingly punctual man."

"We'll be back on time without fail," Jacob promised.

Jacob and his companion spent the morning very much in the manner suggested. The latter was much quieter than usual, so much so that in the lounge after luncheon at the Ritz-Carlton, Jacob commented upon his silence.