第80章

"Well, ladies," said he, "we begin life again.A clean slate, a fresh start--as if nothing had ever happened."Susan looked at him to try to give him a grateful and sympathetic smile.She was surprised to see that, so far as she could judge, he had really meant the words he had spoken.

"Yes, I mean it," said he."Always look at life as it is--as a game.With every deal, whether you win or lose, your stake grows--for your stake's your wits, and you add to 'em by learning something with each deal.What are you going to do, Mabel?""Get some clothes.The water wrecked mine and this rain has finished my hat.""We'll go together," said Burlingham.

They took a car for Louisville, descended before a department store.Burlingham had to fit himself from the skin out; Mabel had underclothes, needed a hat, a dress, summer shoes.Susan needed underclothes, shoes, a hat, for she was bareheaded.They arranged to meet at the first entrance down the side street;Burlingham gave Susan and Mabel each their fifty dollars and went his way.When they met again in an hour and a half, they burst into smiles of delight.Burlingham had transformed himself into a jaunty, fashionable young middle-aged man, with an air of success achieved and prosperity assured.He had put the fine finishing touch to his transformation by getting a haircut and a shave.Mabel looked like a showy chorus girl, in a striped blue and white linen suit, a big beflowered hat, and a fluffy blouse of white chiffon.Susan had resisted Mabel's entreaties, had got a plain, sensible linen blouse of a kind that on a pinch might be washed out and worn without ironing.Her new hat was a simple blue sailor with a dark blue band that matched her dress.

"I spent thirty-six dollars," said Burlingham.

"I only spent twenty-two," declared Mabel."And this child here only parted with seven of her dollars.

I had no idea she was so thrifty."

"And now--what?" said Burlingham.

"I'm going round to see a friend of mine," replied Mabel."She's on the stage, too.There's sure to be something doing at the summer places.Maybe I can ring Miss Sackville in.There ought to be a good living in those eyes of hers and those feet and ankles.I'm sure I can put her next to something.""Then you can give her your address," said Burlingham.

"Why, she's going with me," cried Mabel."You don't suppose I'd leave the child adrift?""No, she's going with me to a boarding house I'll find for her,"said Burlingham.

Into Mabel's face flashed the expression of the suspicion such a statement would at once arouse in a mind trained as hers had been.Burlingham's look drove the expression out of her face, and suspicion at least into the background."She's not going with your friend," said Burlingham, a hint of sternness in his voice."That's best--isn't it?"Miss Connemora's eyes dropped."Yes, I guess it is," replied she."Well--I turn down this way.""We'll keep on and go out Chestnut Street," said Burlingham.

"You can write to her--or to me--care of the General Delivery.""That's best.You may hear from Tempest.You can write me there, too." Mabel was constrained and embarrassed."Good-by, Miss Sackville."Susan embraced and kissed her.Mabel began to weep."Oh, it's all so sudden--and frightful," she said."Do try to be good, Lorna.You can trust Bob." She looked earnestly, appealingly, at him."Yes, I'm sure you can.And--he's right about me.Good-by."She hurried away, not before Susan had seen the tears falling from her kind, fast-fading eyes.

Susan stood looking after her.And for the first time the truth about the catastrophe came to her.She turned to Burlingham.

"How brave you are!" she cried.

"Oh, what'd be the use in dropping down and howling like a dog?"replied he."That wouldn't bring the boat back.It wouldn't get me a job.""And you shared equally, when you lost the most of all."They were walking on."The boat was mine, too," said he in a dry reflective tone."I told 'em it wasn't when we started out because I wanted to get a good share for rent and so on, without any kicking from anybody."The loss did not appeal to her; it was the lie he had told.She felt her confidence shaking."You didn't mean to--to----" she faltered, stopped.

"To cheat them?" suggested he."Yes, I did.So--to sort of balance things up I divided equally all I got from the tug people.What're you looking so unhappy about?""I wish you hadn't told me," she said miserably."I don't see why you did.""Because I don't want you making me into a saint.I'm like the rest you see about in pants, cheating and lying, with or without pretending to themselves that they're honest.Don't trust anybody, my dear.The sooner you get over the habit, the sooner you'll cease to tempt people to be hypocrites.All the serious trouble I've ever got into has come through trusting or being trusted."He looked gravely at her, burst out laughing at her perplexed, alarmed expression."Oh, Lord, it isn't as bad as all that,"said he."The rain's stopped.Let's have breakfast.Then--a new deal--with everything to gain and nothing to lose.It's a great advantage to be in a position where you've got nothing to lose!"