Capitalists and financiers -- Fiction; Criminals -- Fiction; Wall Street (New York, N.Y.) -- Fiction
On the next day Jerningham's limousine took Miss Keogh and her
hand-luggage to the steamer.-Jerningham was there to see her off.
She had invited a dozen of her friends to do the same, and they were
there--all of them women and most of them frankly envious, for her
stateroom was full of beautiful flowers and baskets of wonderful
fruit--quite as if she already were a millionaire!
As she said good-by to Jerningham there was in her eyes a look of
intelligent, almost cold-blooded, gratitude which seemed to embrace Mr.
Jerningham's kindness, his thoughtfulness, and his bank account.
“I wish you a very pleasant voyage!” he said. “Think over my offer. When
you get to London will you mail these letters for me? Remember, you are
to cable if you need anything, money or advice--or a husband. And cable
at once if Mrs. Deering cables. Good-by! _Bon voyage!_”
When Miss Keogh came to open the package of letters she found in it
thirty-three, stamped with British stamps, on stationery of Thornton's
Hotel'! They were addressed in a woman's handwriting to various business
houses, some of which she recognized as manufacturers of medical goods
and agents of mineral waters of the kind used by people who suffer
from kidney diseases. It made her think that if--between the deluge
of medical prospectuses and Miss Keogh's efforts--Mrs. Deering did
not cable for her only daughter it would be a wonder! Jerningham was
neglecting nothing to succeed.
V
Frank Wolfe's first task in his new and now famous job consisted
of helping Jerningham buy two automobiles. Then, when the weather
permitted, they toured Westchester County and Long Island.
Usually they took along some of Frank's men friends. It was pleasant
work---at the rate of twenty-five thousand dollars a year.
Jerningham did not again refer to his love-affair, and Frank could not
very well allude to it; but it was perfectly plain to the young man that
within a very short time their friendship would be sufficiently strong
to justify Mr. Jerningham in asking Frank to help actively in the search
of the vanished Naida Deering.
One day Mr. Jerningham waited in vain for young Mr. Wolfe. They had
planned to go to Mount Kisco to look at a farm that was offered for
sale, Mr. Jerningham having developed the usual millionaire's desire
to own an estate. At one o'clock the telephone-bell rang. Jerningham
answered in person. He heard a feminine voice say that Mr. Wolfe
regretted that a severe indisposition had prevented him from going
as usual to Mr. Jerningham's rooms, but he hoped to be sufficiently
recovered to have that pleasure on the next day.
Jerningham merely said, “Say I hope it is nothing serious--and ask him,
please, whether there is anything I can do.”
Silence. Then: “He says, 'No--thanks!' It is nothing very serious.”
“Tell him not to come down until he has entirely recovered and to take
good care of himself. Good-by!”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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