 | After Death — What |  |
4. Part IV
In the next few weeks Tod sold another car for Rookers, and another, and another. Almost steadily, these days, he was out of town — in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington — then Pittsburgh — then Boston once again. Irene saw little of him, and he saw little of Irene; but she saw much of Blandy. Blandy saw to that.
One evening, late, Blandy called on her. Her maid was out, and she was alone — he had made sure of that. He was as cool and debonair as ever, and quite as gentlemanly; but he was clearly worried.
"I — I don't want to hurt you," he began, "and yet I don't know how to say this without offending you."
He drew forth a crumpled piece of paper, crushed it into her hand, and then turned his back upon her without another word.
Irene unfolded the paper and stared at it speechlessly. It was her own I. O. U. for seven hundred dollars.
"I — I gave this to Mrs, Orleans today," she stammered, rising. "How did you get it?"
He turned back to her.
"I met her in the nick of time," he said.
"She was on the point of deserting you — breaking her friendship with you. She was on the point of breaking up all the friendships you have. She justified herself. You owed her seven hundred dollars, and she didn't see how you could ever pay her. I showed her."
He stopped. Irene's breath came quick and fast.
"I showed her," he repeated calmly. "I paid the debt myself."
Irene caught at the back of a chair. Her face was livid with anger.
"You — you didn't dare!" she cried.
Blandy waited until the storm was over. Then he bowed gravely to Irene and took his hat and overcoat. He stepped to her side.
"My queen," he said gravely, slowly, "remember this — life is well worth living. You've got to live, you know!"
Within the next few months Irene realized this. She needed the life she was living, she needed her friends, and she needed easy money.
Within the next few months Blandy had paid another gambling debt of hers, and had received her haughty thanks. Haughty or otherwise, her thanks were something. He had made a distinct advance.
| After Death — What | |