Robert Kimberly

"He will not give you anything."

"He has so much money; how can he possiblyneed it all?"

"You forget, Francis, that nobody needs moneyso much as those that have it."

"Ah!"

"Hamilton may have no more money than Ihave, and you don't ask me for a million dollars."

"It is not necessary to ask you. You know Ineed it. If you could give it to me, you would."

"If I gave you a million dollars how should Iever get it back?"

Francis spoke with all seriousness. "God willpay you back."

"Yes, but when? That is a good deal of moneyto lend to God."

"It is a good deal."

"When do I get it back, and how?"

"He will surely pay you, Robert; God pays over there."

"That won't do-over there. It isn't honest."

Francis started. "Not honest?"

"You are offering deferred dividends, Francis.What would my stockholders say if I tried thatkind of business? Gad, they would drag me intocourt."

"Ah, yes! But, Robert; you pay for to-day: he pays for eternity."

Kimberly smoked a moment. "In a propositionof that kind, Francis, it seems to me the questionof guarantees is exceedingly important. You goodmen are safe enough; but where would the badmen come in on your eternal dividends?"

"You are not with the bad men, Robert. Yourheart is not bad. You are, perhaps, cruel-"

"What?"

"But generous. Sometime God will give youa chance."

"You mean, sometime I will give God a chance."

"No, Robert, what I say I mean-sometime,God will give you a chance."

Charles Kimberly's impatient voice was heardfrom the pergola.

"Robert! We've been waiting thirty minutes,"he stormed.

"I am just coming."

CHAPTER IX

That afternoon MacBirney played golf withCharles Kimberly. Toward five o'clock,Alice in one of the De Castro cars drove around toThe Hickories after him. When he came in, shewas sitting on the porch with a group of women, among them Fritzie Venable and Lottie Nelson.

"I must be very displeasing to Mrs. Nelson,"Alice said to her husband as they drove away."It upsets me completely to meet that woman."

"Why, what's the matter with her?" askedMacBirney, in a tone which professing friendlysurprise really implied that the grievance mightafter all be one of imagination.

"I haven't an idea," declared Alice a littleresentfully. "I am not conscious of having done athing to offend her."

"You are oversensitive."

"But, Walter, I can tell when people mean to be rude."

"What did Mrs. Nelson do that was rude?"asked her husband in his customary vein ofscepticism.

"She never does anything beyond ignoringme," returned Alice. "It must be, I think, thatshe and I instinctively detest each other. Theywere talking about a dinner and musicaleThursday night that Mr. Robert Kimberly is giving atThe Towers. Miss Venable said she supposedwe were going, and I had to say I really didn'tknow. We haven't been asked, have we?"

"Not that I know of."

"Mrs. Nelson looked at me when Fritzie spoke;I think it is the first time that she ever has lookedat me, except when she had to say 'good-morning'or 'good-evening.' I was confused a littlewhen I answered, I suppose; at any rate, sheenjoyed it. Mr. Kimberly would not leave us out, would he?"

"I don't think so. He was playing golf thisafternoon with Cready Hamilton, and he stoppedto offer me his yacht for the week of the cup races."

"Why, how delightful! How came he ever todo that?"

"And I think he has made up his mind what heis going to do about placing me on the board,"continued MacBirney, resuming his hard, thinmanner and his eager tone of business. "I wishI knew just what is coming."

Alice had scarcely reached her room when shefound the dinner invitation. She felt a little thrillof triumph as she read it. Her maid explainedthat the note had been laid in the morning withMrs. De Castro's letters.

Late in the evening Kimberly came over withhis sister-in-law, Imogene. The De Castros wereat the seashore overnight and the visitors' cardswere sent up to the MacBirneys. It was warmand the party sat on the south veranda.Kimberly talked with Alice and she told him theyhoped to be present at his dinner.

"You are sure to be, aren't you?" he asked."The evening is given for you."

"For us?"

"No, not for 'us,' but for you," he saiddistinctly. "Mr. MacBirney has said he is fondof the water-you like music; and I am tryingsomething for each of you. I should have askedyou about your engagements before the cardswent out. If there is any conflict the date caneasily be recalled."

"Oh, no. That would be a pity."

"Not at all. I change my arrangements whennecessary every ten minutes."

"But there isn't any conflict, and I shall bedelighted to come. Pray, how do you know I likemusic?"

"I heard you say so once to Arthur De Castro.Tell me what you are amused about?"

"Have I betrayed any amusement?"

"For just about the hundredth part of a second,in your eyes."