John Marsh's Millions Part 42

"You are very good."

With another ceremonious salute, he opened the door leading to the female ward and disappeared.

"Honestly, mother," gasped Tod, "you take my breath away. You've seen that man only once, and yet you call him 'dear man' and squeeze his arm and all that kind of thing. He must think you're crazy."

"I wish you wouldn't be so critical, son," replied his mother, with mock severity. "We were asking a favor. It is no time to be freezingly formal."

"Freezingly formal?" echoed the young man. "Why, you've invited him to dinner!"

"Well, you shall chaperon us," she answered, laughing. More seriously she went on: "Besides, I had an object! Your stepfather, Mr. Marsh, has followed me here!"

"Jimmy?" cried Tod, surprised. "Did you see him?"

"No, he came to the hotel and tried to force his way in. I refused to see him, but he wouldn't go, so I called the porter and had him removed from the door of my rooms."

Tod rubbed his hands gleefully.

"Good!" he cried joyfully. "That's bully!"

"He acted like a madman," went on his mother. "He said he was sorry and would make any amends if only I would forgive him, but I wouldn't listen."

"I told you what you might expect with a man of that kind. I don't see how you ever married him. I ought to have kicked him downstairs when he first patted me on the head and called me sonny boy."

"To think," wailed Mrs. Marsh, "that his millions consisted of the property left to this poor girl by her father. My whole life wasted----"

"Oh, come now, mother," protested Tod, "not your whole life! You lived happily with my father for eleven years."

"I mean--my widowhood has been wasted," replied his mother, with a sigh.

Further conversation was interrupted by the entrance of old man Collins, who, going to the desk, gathered pen, ink, and paper and then made his way solemnly upstairs. He had no sooner disappeared than the door of the female ward opened and Mrs. Johnson appeared. Addressing Mrs. Marsh, she said respectfully:

"If you will step this way, madam, you can see Miss Marsh for a few minutes."

"That's Paula's nurse," whispered Tod.

He also rose and went toward the ward with his mother, but the nurse held up her hand.

"Not you, sir, only the lady," she said.

"There's no danger, is there?" inquired Mrs. Marsh timidly.

"Oh, she's not very dangerous! She won't bite you!" grinned Tod rea.s.suringly.

"This way, please, m'm," said the nurse.

Holding the door open for the visitor, Mrs. Johnson waited until she had entered and then closed it carefully behind her. Tod stood looking after the two women until the door was shut in his face, then he walked over to the window and stood gazing disconsolately out into the grounds. How he envied his mother that brief interview with Paula. Never so much as now did he realize how he loved her. Each day that went by without his seeing her seemed to make his pa.s.sion burn stronger. And to think that she was kept an unwilling prisoner within these grim walls! Nervously he began to pace the floor. When would Ricaby be back? The examination would soon take place upstairs. They ought to corner Cooley before it began. Would they succeed in frightening him? So preoccupied was he with his thoughts that he did not hear anyone enter. But a cough suddenly made him look up. The old male attendant was standing by the foot of the staircase, looking at him:

"Say, Collins," exclaimed the young man, "can't you get me a brandy and soda? I'm awfully dry. This place gives me the blues."

The old man shook his head violently.

"Not without a prescription, sir," he said, with a grimace.

"Temperance--oh, my G.o.d!--horrible temperance--don't ask me--don't---- I've got a little bottle upstairs. It's got a linament label on it, but it's all right--Old Crow."

"Never mind," laughed Tod, "I'll wait till I get to the hotel."

The old man turned to go. Suddenly he stopped, and hesitatingly he said:

"Please, sir--how's the old spot----"

"What old spot?" demanded Tod.

"Why, Twenty-sixth and Broadway--Del's----"

"Oh, it's moved uptown long ago. It's Forty-fourth and Fifth Avenue now."

"Oh, yes-- I forgot-- Charley's dead, too, isn't he? Ah, times change.

You know, I miss the music--and the lights--the low-neck dresses and the popping of corks, but I'll tell you a funny thing, sir. The guests act more human-like here. Yes, they're more human. They don't blame one for everything. If the cooking goes wrong they roast the cook, and when they get their bills the cas.h.i.+er gets h.e.l.l--not me. This place isn't as black as it's painted. The only thing is, when they drink champagne at Christmas and New Years they drink it out of tumblers. That's bad, isn't it--that's awful bad!"

Shaking his head, he toddled out of the office.

Tod took out a cigarette and lighted it. His mother had been gone a long time. He wondered what was keeping her and what Paula said to her.

Suddenly the ward door opened and Mrs. Marsh reappeared, her manner greatly agitated.

"Oh, Tod!" she exclaimed excitedly, "we must get her out of this place at once. The poor girl is nearly frightened to death! She should never have been sent here. It's an outrage. She is perfectly rational. She's just nervous and afraid--that's all!"

"Of course, she's all right!" retorted Tod. "We've known that right along."

"Yes," said his mother contritely, "we should have taken care of her from the first, and not let her go among strangers. It's your stepfather's fault."

"Well, what can we do to mend matters?" demanded Tod, with some impatience.

"The poor girl begged me so hard to take her to the hotel with me. I'm so upset I---- When does her case come up?"

"In about a week," replied Tod doggedly, "and until then I'm going to stay right here every minute of the time."

"Supposing I speak to Dr. McMutrie?" suggested his mother.

Tod shook his head.

"There's some legal process to go through. We have to get the consent of the person who placed her here. Cooley and Jimmy alone can do it. They must! We'll make them----"

"Hus.h.!.+" cried his mother warningly. "Here's your stepfather."

James Marsh appeared at the top of the staircase, and after glancing furtively around, as if to make sure that his wife and stepson were alone, he slowly descended and came toward where they were standing.

He was pale and his manner was greatly agitated. Deep lines furrowed his face as if he had pa.s.sed nights without sleep. He must have been aware that his wife and stepson were in the asylum, for he evinced no surprise at seeing them. On the contrary, he seemed relieved. Advancing quickly he held out his hand to his wife:

"Amelia!" he exclaimed imploringly.