Books: The Lion and the Mouse

C >> Charles Klein >> The Lion and the Mouse

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"Stop--stop--not another word," he cried impatiently, "you have
diagnosed the disease. What of the remedy? Are you prepared to
reconstruct human nature?"

Confronting each other, their eyes met and he regarded her without
resentment, almost with tenderness. He felt strangely drawn
towards this woman who had defied and accused him, and made him
see the world in a new light.

"I don't deny," he admitted reluctantly, "that things seem to be
as you describe them, but it is part of the process of evolution."

"No," she protested, "it is the work of God!"

"It is evolution!" he insisted.

"Ah, that's it," she retorted, "you evolve new ideas, new schemes,
new tricks--you all worship different gods--gods of your own
making!"

He was about to reply when there was a commotion at the door and
Theresa entered, followed by a man servant to carry down the
trunk.

"The cab is downstairs, Miss," said the maid.

Ryder waved them away imperiously. He had something further to say
which he did not care for servants to hear. Theresa and the man
precipitately withdrew, not understanding, but obeying with
alacrity a master who never brooked delay in the execution of his
orders. Shirley, indignant, looked to him for an explanation.

"You don't need them," he exclaimed with a quiet smile in which
was a shade of embarrassment. "I--I came here to tell you that I--
" He stopped as if unable to find words, while Shirley gazed at
him in utter astonishment. "Ah," he went on finally, "you have
made it very hard for me to speak." Again he paused and then with
an effort he said slowly: "An hour ago I had Senator Roberts on
the long distance telephone, and I'm going to Washington. It's all
right about your father. The matter will be dropped. You've beaten
me. I acknowledge it. You're the first living soul who ever has
beaten John Burkett Ryder."

Shirley started forward with a cry of mingled joy and surprise.
Could she believe her ears? Was it possible that the dreaded
Colossus had capitulated and that she had saved her father? Had
the forces of right and justice prevailed, after all? Her face
transfigured, radiant she exclaimed breathlessly:

"What, Mr. Ryder, you mean that you are going to help my father?"

"Not for his sake--for yours," he answered frankly.

Shirley hung her head. In her moment of triumph, she was sorry for
all the hard things she had said to this man. She held out her
hand to him.

"Forgive me," she said gently, "it was for my father. I had no
faith. I thought your heart was of stone."

Impulsively Ryder drew her to him, he clasped her two hands in his
and looking down at her kindly he said, awkwardly:

"So it was--so it was! You accomplished the miracle. It's the
first time I've acted on pure sentiment. Let me tell you
something. Good sentiment is bad business and good business is bad
sentiment--that's why a rich man is generally supposed to have
such a hard time getting into the Kingdom of Heaven." He laughed
and went on, "I've given ten millions apiece to three
universities. Do you think I'm fool enough to suppose I can buy my
way? But that's another matter. I'm going to Washington on behalf
of your father because I--want you to marry my son. Yes, I want
you in the family, close to us. I want your respect, my girl. I
want your love. I want to earn it. I know I can't buy it. There's
a weak spot in every man's armour and this is mine--I always want
what I can't get and I can't get your love unless I earn it."

Shirley remained pensive. Her thoughts were out on Long Island, at
Massapequa. She was thinking of their joy when they heard the
news--her father, her mother and Stott. She was thinking of the
future, bright and glorious with promise again, now that the dark
clouds were passing away. She thought of Jefferson and a soft
light came into her eyes as she foresaw a happy wifehood shared
with him.

"Why so sober," demanded Ryder, "you've gained your point, your
father is to be restored to you, you'll marry the man you love?"

"I'm so happy!" murmured Shirley. "I don't deserve it. I had no
faith."

Ryder released her and took out his watch.

"I leave in fifteen minutes for Washington," he said. "Will you
trust me to go alone?"

"I trust you gladly," she answered smiling at him. "I shall always
be grateful to you for letting me convert you."

"You won me over last night," he rejoined, "when you put up that
fight for your father. I made up my mind that a girl so loyal to
her father would be loyal to her husband. You think," he went on,
"that I do not love my son--you are mistaken. I do love him and I
want him to be happy. I am capable of more affection than people
think. It is Wall Street," he added bitterly, "that has crushed
all sentiment out of me."

Shirley laughed nervously, almost hysterically.

"I want to laugh and I feel like crying," she cried. "What will
Jefferson say--how happy he will be!"

"How are you going to tell him?" inquired Ryder uneasily.

"I shall tell him that his dear, good father has relented and--"

"No, my dear," he interrupted, "you will say nothing of the sort.
I draw the line at the dear, good father act. I don't want him to
think that it comes from me at all."

"But," said Shirley puzzled, "I shall have to tell him that you--"

"What?" exclaimed Ryder, "acknowledge to my son that I was in the
wrong, that I've seen the error of my ways and wish to repent?
Excuse me," he added grimly, "it's got to come from him. He must
see the error of HIS ways."

"But the error of his way," laughed the girl, "was falling in love
with me. I can never prove to him that that was wrong!"

The financier refused to be convinced. He shook his head and said
stubbornly:

"Well, he must be put in the wrong somehow or other! Why, my dear
child," he went on, "that boy has been waiting all his life for an
opportunity to say to me: 'Father, I knew I was in the right, and
I knew you were wrong.' Can't you see," he asked, "what a false
position it places me in? Just picture his triumph!"

"He'll be too happy to triumph," objected Shirley.

Feeling a little ashamed of his attitude, he said:

"I suppose you think I'm very obstinate." Then, as she made no
reply, he added: "I wish I didn't care what you thought."

Shirley looked at him gravely for a moment and then she replied
seriously:

"Mr. Ryder, you're a great man--you're a genius--your life is full
of action, energy, achievement. But it appears to be only the
good, the noble and the true that you are ashamed of. When your
money triumphs over principle, when your political power defeats
the ends of justice, you glory in your victory. But when you do a
kindly, generous, fatherly act, when you win a grand and noble
victory over yourself, you are ashamed of it. It was a kind,
generous impulse that has prompted you to save my father and take
your son and myself to your heart. Why are you ashamed to let him
see it? Are you afraid he will love you? Are you afraid I shall
love you? Open your heart wide to us--let us love you."

Ryder, completely vanquished, opened his arms and Shirley sprang
forward and embraced him as she would have embraced her own
father. A solitary tear coursed down the financier's cheek. In
thirty years he had not felt, or been touched by, the emotion of
human affection.

The door suddenly opened and Jefferson entered. He started on
seeing Shirley in his father's arms.

"Jeff, my boy," said the financier, releasing Shirley and putting
her hand in his son's, "I've done something you couldn't do--I've
convinced Miss Green--I mean Miss Rossmore--that we are not so bad
after all!"

Jefferson, beaming, grasped his father's hand.

"Father!" he exclaimed.

"That's what I say--father!" echoed Shirley.

They both embraced the financier until, overcome with emotion,
Ryder, Sr., struggled to free himself and made his escape from the
room crying:

"Good-bye, children--I'm off for Washington!"

THE END

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