Again, Ike turned to the skies. Suddenly came a change. His doubtful demeanor disappeared. He met the stern countenance of his employer with a glad smile of confidence and a.s.surance. To him, in the hour of need, had been vouchsafed a solution of his problem. "Miss Sereny,"

he explained, with great satisfaction, "she done tell me not to drive no fas'er den er hoss an' ker'idge kin go. Dat's jes how fas' ah goes."

Obadiah leaped into his car and slammed the door. "Take me to my office," he blazed.

Ike obeyed him, running, it may be noted, at a speed well above that usually attained by the horses and carriages of Serena's fond remembrance.

Obadiah entered his office yet much irritated by the recent examination of his chauffeur. "Jones," he shouted peevishly.

"At your service, Sir," responded the ever courteous private secretary, ceasing his social plannings for the House of Dale, hurriedly, and leaving the bookkeeper sorely embarra.s.sed in his labors, through the loss of the voucher from which he was working s.n.a.t.c.hed away by Mr.

Jones, and borne into the manufacturer's presence, as proof that his absence was due to zealous watchfulness of his employer's interests, rather than to personal motives.

"Tell Mr. Wilkins that I want to see him."

"Immediately, sir." Obadiah's voice demanded speed and Mr. Jones sped, bearing the bookkeeper's work away with him.

In a moment the expeditious private secretary returned followed by Hezekiah Wilkins who pa.s.sed on into Obadiah's room and closed the door.

Obadiah was waiting behind a large desk in the center, and motioning to his legal adviser to be seated, made known his business in these words.

"An embarra.s.sing personal matter has occurred, Hezekiah, in which I must ask your a.s.sistance." The manufacturer chose his words with care.

Diplomacy is necessary when asking corporation lawyers to attend to the minor concerns of life. "It is so small a matter, I hesitate to ask your advice."

Mr. Wilkins was short and fat. His head was bald and his face intellectual. There was a glint of humor in his eyes which was very noticeable when he removed his nose gla.s.ses for purposes of gesticulation. His defective sight did not prevent him from casting a keen glance at his employer, meanwhile tapping upon his front teeth with the gold frame of his gla.s.ses. "Don't hesitate on my account, Obadiah." There was a shadow of a smile on the attorney's face.

"I've done everything for you, but--" he intended to suggest as a pleasantry--"bail you out of jail," but after a second's consideration of his employer's grim countenance, he continued, "buy you a marriage license," as being less likely to affront a sensitive soul.

Now, Obadiah Dale had never given a moment's consideration to a second marriage, and the thought that his attorney harbored inner suspicions of matrimonial designs upon his part interfered with the thread of his remarks. "What put that into your head?" he demanded, testily.

"Put what?" The fat face of the lawyer reflected great innocence.

"Marriage licenses," retorted Obadiah.

"Oh," chuckled the attorney, and quite frankly for one of his profession, he confessed, "It just slipped out, I suppose."

The mill owner gave Hezekiah a severe glance as if to warn him of the grave danger of slips of the tongue to one in his profession.

This attention was lost, because the lawyer seemed greatly interested in the erection of a sign over the way.

Finding looks unavailing, Obadiah reverted to his business. "A fellow on a motorcycle ran into my car this morning. He broke a leg and they took him to the hospital where he is now, I believe."

"Who was to blame?" asked the attorney.

"I can't tell," Obadiah replied crossly, as he remembered Ike's testimony. "I can't get a thing out of that fool chauffeur of mine.

His story is absurd."

"Were there witnesses?"

"One, I think, besides my daughter."

"What does she say?" Hezekiah tickled his chin with his gla.s.ses and examined the picture moulding as if it were something unique in that line.

"I have not asked her, directly. I thought it inadvisable. I gather that she believes herself to blame because she told the chauffeur to hurry home."

"Ahem," said the lawyer, resuming his dental tattoo with great spirit.

"Who had the right of way?"

"The motorcycle was approaching from the right," admitted Obadiah grudgingly.

Hezekiah arose to his feet and moved around until he stood opposite to his employer. "Keep out of court, Obadiah," he warned him. "A jury will soak you in this kind of case. How far can I go in a compromise?"

he concluded, perfunctorily.

"I won't pay a cent," roared Obadiah, flying into a rage. "They can't bleed me."

Hezekiah understood the manufacturer's mood. He paused for a minute and then continued very calmly. "How about a couple of hundred dollars and hospital expenses?"

"No."

"The fellow's hospital expenses?" There was a persuasive note in the lawyer's voice.

"No!" Obadiah's face was flushed and set in its obstinacy.

"The man may be poor. He may have dependents who will be deprived of the actual necessities of life. It could easily be that suffering and want would arise from this little case." There was a pleading note in Hezekiah's voice and almost a look of entreaty upon his kindly face.

"I don't give a hang," snarled Obadiah. "That's their bad luck, not mine."

Yet, the attorney waited, silently watching the angry manufacturer thrust papers from side to side of his desk.

Finally he glanced up. His temper had worn itself out. "Fix it up for twenty-five dollars," he snapped. "That's my limit."

Hezekiah shrugged his shoulders in frank disgust at the smallness of the sum named, nodded his head in recognition of his instructions and left the room.

CHAPTER VII

JOE PROVES INTERESTING

The morning was beautiful. During the hours of darkness a shower had cleansed the great outdoor world with its gentle moisture. Now, in all of its new laundered freshness, the earth welcomed the warm rays of the rising sun, sweeping with millions of scintillating reflections through the air, clear and pellucid in its purity. The rays sparkled and glittered on the drops of moisture which clung to the gra.s.s blades and to the leaves. They gave warm caresses to the bushes and to the trees and from the upturned faces of the flowers, waving coyly and coquettishly, they stole sly kisses, until the blossoms blushed red and pink and hid their faces beneath the leaves for very shame.

Down from the hills danced a gentle breeze, and, catching the naughty lovemakers, laughed merrily and rushed away to whisper the story in the branches of the trees. The birds overheard it and they laughed, too, and spread the news, the naughty gossips, in a cheery chorus of song.

Then the world awakened and heard the laughter of the wind and the merry song of the birds and felt the caress of the sun and wise men threw back their shoulders and took deep draughts of the morning air and were happy, too.

At the hospital, a nurse in her garb of white was humming softly as she moved about among the awakening patients, setting the ward in order. She stopped by a bed to remove a gla.s.s from the enameled table.

A big, handsome fellow, arrayed in pink pajamas, opened a pair of black eyes beneath a mop of disheveled black hair and smiled up at her.

"Good morning," she greeted him. "How are you this morning?"