Flowing gold

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Flowing Gold, by Rex Beach This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: Flowing Gold Author: Rex Beach Posting Date: December 24, 2009 [EBook #6425] Release Date: September, 2004 First Posted: December 10, 2002 Language: English *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FLOWING GOLD *** Produced by Joshua Hutchinson, Charles Aldarondo and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team [Illustration: See p 34 "I'M AWFULLY SORRY, TOO, DAD"] FLOWING GOLD By Rex Beach TO THE ONE WHOSE FAITH, ENTHUSIASM, AND DEVOTION CONSTITUTE A NEVERFAILING SOURCE OF INSPIRATION, MY WIFE, SWEETHEART, AND PARTNER FLOWING GOLD CHAPTER I Room service at the Ajax is of a quality befitting the newest, the largest, and the most expensive hotel in Dallas While the standard of excellence is uniformly high, nevertheless some extra care usually attaches to a breakfast ordered from the Governor's suite—most elegant and most expensive of all the suites—hence the waiter checked over his card and made a final, fluttering examination to be sure that the chilled fruit was chilled and that the hot plates were hot before he rapped on the door A voice, loud and cheery, bade him enter Would the gentleman wish his breakfast served in the parlor or—No, the gentleman would have it right in his bedroom; but first, where were his cigarettes? He hoped above all things that the waiter had not forgotten his cigarettes Some people began their days with cold showers—nothing less than a cruel shock to a languid nervous system An atrocious practice, the speaker called it—a relic of barbarism—a fetish of ignorance Much preferable was a hygienic, stimulating cigarette which served the same purpose and left no deleterious aftereffects The pajama-clad guest struck a light, inhaled with abundant satisfaction, and then cast a hungry eye over the contents of the rubber-tired breakfast table He, too, tested the temperature of the melon and felt the cover of the toast plate "Splendid!" he cried "Nice rooms, prompt service, a pleasant-faced waiter Why, I couldn't fare better in my best club Thanks to you, my first impression of Dallas is wholly delightful." He seated himself in a padded boudoir chair, unfolded a snowy serviette and attacked his breakfast with the enthusiasm of a perfectly healthy animal "Is this your first visit here, sir?" "Absolutely Dallas is as foreign to me as Lhasa It is the Baghdad of my dreams and its streets are strange Perhaps they are full of adventure for me I hope so Anything exciting can happen in a town where one has neither friends nor acquaintances, eh? You are a well-read man, I take it." "I? Why—" "At any rate, you have heard it said that this is a small world." "Yes, sir." "Good! I merely wish to deny authorship of the saying, for it is false This is a large world What is more, it is a world full of cities like Dallas where men like you and me, Heaven be praised, have neither friends, acquaintances, nor relatives In that respect, it is a fine world and we should devoutly give thanks for its Dallases and its—Dalsatians Jove! This ham is delicious!" The waiter was accustomed to "morning talkers," but this gentleman was different He had an air of consequence, and his voice, so deep, so well modulated, so pleasant, invested him with unusual distinction Probably he was an actor! But no! Not in the Governor's suite More likely he was one of the big men of the Standard, or the Gulf, or the Texas To make sure, the waiter inquired: "May I ask if you are in oil, sir?" "In oil? Bless me, what a nauseating question—at this hour of the day!" "'Most everybody here is in oil We turn dozens away every day, we're that full It's the boom I'm in oil myself—in a small way, of course It's like this: sometimes gentlemen like—well, like you, sir—give me tips They drop a hint, like, about their stocks, and I've done well—in a small way, of course It doesn't cost them anything and—some of them are very kind You'd really be surprised." "Oh, not at all." The occupant of the Governor's suite leaned back in his chair and smiled widely "As a matter of fact, I am flattered, for it is evident that you are endowed with the money-making instinct and that you unerringly recognize it in others Very well, I shall see what I can do for you But while we are on the subject of tips, would you mind helping yourself to a dollar out of my trousers pocket?" The waiter proceeded to do as directed, but a moment later announced, apologetically: "Here's all I find, sir It's mostly pennies." He exposed a handful of small coins "Look in my coat, if you will." But the second search resulted as had the first "Strange!" murmured the guest, without rising "I must have been robbed I remember now, a fellow crowded me as I left my train Um—m! Robbed—at the very gates of Baghdad! Dallas is a City of Adventure Please add your tip to the check, and—make it two dollars I'd like to have you serve me every morning, for I cannot abide an acid face at breakfast It sours my whole day." Calvin Gray finished his breakfast, smoked a second cigarette as he scanned the morning paper, then he dressed himself with meticulous care He possessed a tall, erect, athletic form, his perfectly fitting clothes had that touch of individuality affected by a certain few of New York's exclusive tailors, and when he finally surveyed himself in the glass, there was no denying the fact that he presented an appearance of unusual distinction As he turned away, his eyes fell upon the scanty handful of small coins which the waiter had removed from his pocket and for a moment he stared at them reflectively, then he scooped them into his palm and, with a smile, announced to his image: "It would seem that it is time for us to introduce ourselves to the management." He was humming a tune as he strode out of his richly furnished quarters The Governor's suite at the Ajax is on the mezzanine floor, at the head of the grand staircase As Gray descended the spacious marble steps, he saw that the hotel was indeed doing a big business, for already the lobby was thickly peopled and at the desk a group of new arrivals were plaintively arguing with a bored and supercilious room clerk Some men possess an effortless knack of commanding attention and inspiring courtesy Calvin Gray was one of these Before many moments, he was in the manager's office, explaining, suavely, "Now that I have introduced myself, I wish to thank you for taking care of me upon such short notice." "It was the only space we had If you wish, I'll have your rooms changed as soon as—" "Have you something better?" Haviland, the manager, laughed and shook his head "Scarcely! That suite is our pet and our pride There's nothing to beat it in the whole Southwest." "It is very nice May I inquire the rate?" "Twenty-five dollars a day." "Quite reasonable." Mr Gray beamed his satisfaction "It is the only suite we have left We've put beds in the parlors of the others, and frequently we have to double up our guests This oil excitement is a blessing to us poor innkeepers I presume it's oil that brings you here?" Gray met the speaker's interrogatory gaze with a negative shake of the head and a smile peculiarly noncommittal "No," he declared "I'm not in the oil business and I have no money to invest in it I don't even represent a syndicate of Eastern capitalists On the contrary, I am a penniless adventurer whom chance alone has cast upon your hospitable grand staircase." These words were spoken with a suggestion of mock modesty that had precisely the effect of a deliberate wink, and Mr Haviland smiled and nodded his complete comprehension "I get you," said he "And you're right The lease hounds would devil you to death if you gave them a chance Now then, if there's any way in which I can be of service—" "There is." Gray's tone was at once businesslike "Please give me the names of your leading bankers I mean the strongest and the most—well, discreet." During the next few minutes Gray received and swiftly tabulated in his mind a deal of inside information usually denied to the average stranger; the impression his swift, searching questions made upon the hotel manager was evident when the latter told him as he rose to go: "Don't feel that you have to identify yourself at the banks to-day If we can accommodate you—cash a check or the like—" "Thank you." The caller shook his head and smiled his appreciation of the offer "Your manner of conducting a hotel impresses me deeply, and I shall speak of it to some of my Eastern friends Live executives are hard to find." It is impossible to analyze or to describe that quality of magnetic charm which we commonly term personality, nevertheless it is the most potent influence in our social and our business lives It is a gift of the gods, and most conspicuous successes, in whatever line, are due to it Now and then comes an individual who is cold, even repellent, and yet who rises to full accomplishment by reason of pure intellectual force or strength of character; but nine times out of ten the man who gets ahead, be he merchant, banker, promoter, or crook, does so by reason of this abstract asset, this intangible birthright Gray possessed that happy quality It had made itself felt by the waiter who brought his breakfast and by the manager of the hotel; its effect was equally noticeable upon the girl behind the cigar counter, where he next went An intimate word or two and she was in a flutter She sidetracked her chewing gum, completely ignored her other customers, and helped him select a handful of her choicest sixty-cent Havanas When he finally decided to have her send the rest of the box of fifty up to his room and signed for them, she considered the transaction a tribute to her beauty rather than to her ability as a saleswoman Her admiring eyes followed him clear across the lobby Even the blase bell-captain, by virtue of his calling a person of few enthusiasms and no illusions, edged up to the desk and inquired the name of the distinguished stranger "from the No'th." Gray appeared to know exactly what he wanted to do, for he stopped at the telephone booths, inquired the number of the leading afternoon newspaper, and put in a call for it When it came through he asked for the city editor He closed the sound-proof door before voicing his message, then he began, rapidly: "City editor? Well, I'm from the Ajax Hotel, and I have a tip for you I'm one of the room clerks Listen! Calvin Gray is registered here—got in last night, on gum shoes… Gray! Calvin Gray! Better shoot a reporter around and get a story… You don't? Well, other people know him He's a character—globe trotter, soldier of fortune, financier He's been everywhere and done everything, and you can get a great story if you've got a man clever enough to make him talk But he won't loosen easily… Oil, I suppose, but—… Sure! Under cover Mystery stuff! Another big syndicate probably… Oh, that's all right I'm an old newspaper man myself Don't mention it." All American cities, these days, are much the same Character, atmosphere, distinctiveness, have been squeezed out in the general mold For all Calvin Gray could see, as he made his first acquaintance with Dallas, he might have been treading the streets of Los Angeles, of Indianapolis, of Portland, Maine, or of Portland, Oregon A California brightness and a Florida warmth to the air, a New England alertness to the pedestrians, a Manhattan majesty to some of the newer office buildings, these were the most outstanding of his first impressions Into the largest and the newest of these buildings Gray went, a white tile and stone skyscraper, the entire lower floor of which was devoted to an impressive banking room He sent his card in to the president, and spent perhaps ten minutes with that gentleman He had called merely to get acquainted, so he explained; he wished to meet only the heads of the strongest financial institutions; he had no favors to ask—as yet, and he might have no business whatever with them On the other hand—well, he was a slow and careful investigator, but when he moved, it was with promptitude and vigor, and in such an event he wished them to know who he was Meanwhile, he desired no publicity, and he hoped his presence in Dallas would not become generally known—it might seriously interfere with his plans Before he left the bank Gray had met the other officers, and from their manner he saw that he had created a decided impression upon them The bank president himself walked with him to the marble railing, then said: "I'd like to have you wait and meet my son, Lieutenant Roswell He's just back from overseas, and—the boy served with some distinction A father's pride, you understand?" "Was Lieutenant Roswell in France?" Gray inquired, quickly "Oh yes He'll be in at any minute." A shadow of regret crossed the caller's face "I'm sorry, but I've arranged to call on the mayor, and I've no time to lose What unit was your son with?" "The Ninety-eighth Field Artillery." The shadow fled Mr Gray was vexed at the necessity for haste, but he would look forward to meeting the young hero later "And meanwhile," Roswell, senior, said, warmly, "if we can be of service to you, please feel free to call upon us I dare say we'd be safe in honoring a small check." He laughed pleasantly and clapped his caller on the back A fine man, Gray decided as he paused outside the bank And here was another offer to cash a check—the second this morning Good address and an expensive tailor certainly did count: with them as capital, a man could take a profit at any time Gray's fingers strayed to the small change in his trousers pocket and he turned longing eyes back toward the bank interior Without doubt it was a temptation, especially inasmuch as at that moment his well-manicured right hand held in its grasp every cent that he possessed This was not the first time he had been broke On the contrary, during his younger days he had more than once found himself in that condition and had looked upon it as an exciting experience, as a not unpleasant form of adventure To be strapped in a mining camp, for instance, was no more than a mild embarrassment But to find oneself thirty-eight years old, friendless and without funds in a city the size of Dallas—well, that was more than an adventure, and it afforded a sort of excitement that he believed he could very well do without Dallas was no open-handed frontier town; it was a small New York, where life is settled, where men are suspicious, and where fortunes are slow in the making He wondered now if hard, fast living had robbed him of the punch to make a new beginning; he wondered, too, if the vague plans at the back of his mind had anything to them or if they were entirely impracticable Here was opportunity, definite, concrete, and spelled with a capital O, here was a deliberate invitation to avail himself of a short cut out of his embarrassment A mere scratch of a pen and he would have money enough to move on to some other Dallas, and there gain the start he needed—enough, at least, so that he could tip his waiter and pay cash for his Coronas Business men are too gullible, any how; it would be a good lesson to Roswell and Haviland Why not—? Calvin Gray started, he recoiled slightly, the abstracted stare was wiped from his face, for an officer in uniform had brushed past him and entered the bank That damned khaki again! Those service stripes! They were forever obtruding themselves, it seemed Was there no place where one could escape the hateful sight of them? His chain of thought had been snapped, and he realized that there could be no short cut for him He had climbed through the ropes, taken his corner, and the gong had rung; it was now a fight to a finish, with no quarter given He squared his shoulders and set out for the hotel, where he felt sure he would find a reporter awaiting him CHAPTER II The representative of the Dallas Post had anticipated some difficulty in interviewing the elusive Calvin Gray—whoever he might be—but luck appeared to be with him, for shortly after his arrival at the hotel the object of his quest appeared Mr Gray was annoyed at being discovered; he was, in fact, loath to acknowledge his identity Having just returned from an important conference with some of the leading financiers of the city, his mind was burdened with affairs of weight, and then, too, the mayor was expecting him—luncheon probably—hence he was in no mood to be interviewed Usually Mr Gray's secretary saw interviewers However, now that his identity was known, he had not the heart to be discourteous to a fellow journalist Yes! He had once owned a newspaper—in Alaska Incidentally, it was the farthest-north publication in the world Alaska! The reporter pricked up his ears He managed to elicit the fact that Mr Gray had operated mines and built railroads there; that he had been forced into the newspaper game merely to protect his interests from the depredations of a gang of political grafters, and that it had been a sensational fight while it lasted This item was duly jotted down in the reportorial memory Alaska was a hard country, quite so, but nothing like Mexico during the revolution Mexican sugar and mahogany, it transpired, had occupied Mr Gray's attention for a time, as had Argentine cattle, Yucatan hennequin, and an engineering enterprise in Bolivia, not to mention other investments closer to home Once the speaker had become reconciled to the distasteful necessity of talking about himself, he suggested an adjournment to his rooms, where he would perhaps suffer less embarrassment by reason of his unavoidable use of the personal pronoun real and caused him to yearn poignantly for human comfort He thought of Ma Briskow, finally She was human; she had a heart And Dallas was a sort of homey place; anyhow, the bellboys at the Ajax knew and liked him That was probably because he had tipped them handsomely, but what of that? If they'd be kind to him now he'd tip them more handsomely than ever Lonely men —old ones—must expect to pay for what they get He bought a ticket to Dallas Ma Briskow's eyes were dim; nevertheless, she saw the change in Calvin Gray when, late the following afternoon, he came to see her "Land sakes!" she exclaimed, in a shocked voice "Pa never said you was ailin' Why, Mr Gray!" "I'm not really ill," he told her, wearily, "just old I've had a bad night." Seating himself beside her couch, he took her hand in his and made her tell him all about herself He had brought her an armful of flowers, as usual, and extravagant gifts for her adornment—giving, it seemed, was his unconscious habit While she admired them with ecstatic "Ohs!" and "Ahs!" he busied himself with bowls and vases, but Ma noted his fumbling uncertainty of touch and the evident effort with which he kept up his assumption of good cheer She told him, finally: "Something mighty bad has happened to you, Mr Gray." He gazed at her mutely, then nodded "Is it something about the—the Princess of Wichita Falls?" "Yes, Ma." "Tse! Tse! Tse!" It was a sympathetic cluck "Was she a wicked princess?" The query was gently put, but it deeply affected the man He tried to smile, failed, then like a forlorn little boy he came and bowed his head beneath her hand "I knew you'd understand, Mother Briskow, so I—I ran to you with my hurt, just as I used to run to my Mother Gray." After a while he continued in a smothered voice: "She isn't a wicked princess She didn't mean to hurt me and—that's what makes it hurt so deep She tumbled the old duke's castle down upon his head; tumbled the old duke out of his dreams He isn't a duke any longer." "He'll allus be a duke," Mrs Briskow firmly declared "He was born that way." "At any rate, he's a sad old duke now; all his conceit is gone You see, he was a vain old gentleman, and his courtiers used to tell him he was splendid, handsome —They said he looked as handsome as a king, and by and by he began to think he must be a king His enemies sneered at this and said he was neither duke nor king, but a—a mountebank That made him furious, so he went to war with them, and, by Jove, he fought pretty well for an old fellow! Anyhow, he licked 'em When they fell down and begged for mercy he knew he was indeed a great person—greater even than he had suspected and worthy of any princess in the land." "Pshaw! Ain't a duke higher than a princess?" "No, Ma Not higher than this princess Her father made all the laws She is very noble and very good Good princesses are scarce and—and so, of course, they're very high But the Duke of Dallas didn't stop to think of that He told himself that he was so strong and so rich and so desirable that she would be flattered at his notice He got all dressed up and went to call on her, and, on the way, whenever he looked into a shop window, he didn't see the buns and the candies and the dolls inside; all he saw was his own reflection It looked so magnificent that he strutted higher and thought how proud he was going to make her "I guess that was the trouble with the old duke all along; he had never looked deeply enough to see what was inside Anyhow, what do you think, Ma? While he'd been off at war conquering people and making them acknowledge that he was a king, the little princess had fallen in love with—with his nephew Nice boy, that nephew, and the duke thought a lot of him." Ma Briskow's hand, which had been slowly stroking Gray's bent head, ceased its movement; she drew a sharp breath "There happened to be an old mirror in the princess's boudoir, and while the duke was waiting for her he saw himself in it He saw himself just as he was, not as he had looked in the shop windows, for it was a truthful mirror and it told everything My! That was a bad moment for the Duke of Dallas, when he saw that he wasn't young and beautiful, but old and wrinkled and—funny That was bad enough, but when he looked again and saw the princess whom he loved in the arms of his handsome nephew, why, he gave up All his fine garments fell off and he realized with shame that, after all, he was only the withered mountebank "When he got home his castle had collapsed There wasn't a stone standing, so he ran away—ran to his mother." "Oh, Mr Gray!" Ma Briskow quavered "I could cry An' after all you done for Buddy!" The man shook his head vigorously, still with his face hidden "It isn't Buddy It's youth Youth needs no fine adornment, no crown, no victory." "What you goin' to do?" she asked him "Go on playing the duke, I suppose; rebuild the castle the best way I can That's the hard part If I could run away and forget, but—I can't The old duke walled himself in He must grin and strut and keep people from guessing that he's only a fraud until he can find a hole in the wall through which he can creep." There was a long silence, then Ma inquired: "Would you like to tell me something about the little princess? Sometimes it helps, to talk." "N-not yet." "You're a duke, an' the best one that ever lived, Mr Gray You can't fool me; I've met too many of 'em That lookin'-glass lied! Real dukes an' kings an' such people don't get old It's only common folks There's lots of magic, the world's full of it, an' your castle is goin' up again." "After a fashion, perhaps"—Gray raised his head and smiled crookedly—"but it will never be a home, and that's what I wanted most of all Do you think I'm very weak, very silly to come to you for a little mothering?" "That's the kind of children mothers love best," the old woman said, then she drew him down to her and laid her cheek against his "There! I've made you cry," he exclaimed, reproachfully "What a selfish beast I am! I'll go now." "Won't you stay an' have supper with Allie an' me? We're awful lonesome with Pa gone Allie's out som'er's, but—it would do me good to know you was here an' it 'll do you good to stay You can rest yourself while I take my nap." Ma Briskow did not wish to take a nap, but she knew that Gray needed the solace of his own thoughts just now, so, when he agreed, she sent him downstairs First balm, indeed, had come to the man; the smart was less intense To put his trouble into words somehow lightened it; then, too, the grateful knowledge that some warmth of sympathy was his made it easier to bear But it remained a cruel burden That gentle, dreamy soul up yonder could not know how it hurt How could she understand, for instance, what it meant to go back and face the deadly dull routine of a life from which all zest, all interest, had fled? A routine broken only by moments of downright torture Yes, and the effort it would take to smile! God! If there were only some way to break his fetters, slip his gyves! Gray's brain, like his body, had grown tired and feverish To be sure, little more than a day had gone by since he had sallied forth like a knight, but it seemed a year, an age, and every hour brought a new and keener distress He found it possible now, for the first time, to relax a bit physically, so he closed his eyes and lay back in an easy chair while the twilight stole in upon him Sooner or later his mind, too, would cease its torment, for pain distils its own anodyne Then he would sleep It would be a blessing to forget for even an hour, and thus gain strength with which to carry on the fight But what a useless battle it was! He could never win; peace would never come He heard Allie enter the house, but he did not stir He would have to put on the mask soon enough, for, of course, she must never suspect, on Buddy's account The room, which had grown agreeably dark, was suddenly illuminated, and he lurched to his feet to find the girl facing him from the door She was neither startled nor surprised at his presence, and when he tried to smile and to greet her in his accustomed manner, she interrupted him by saying: "I knew you were here." "So? Then Ma is awake again?" Allie shook her head vaguely "I knew you were here the minute I came in I can 'most always tell." There had been a shadow of a smile upon her lips, but it vanished; a look of growing concern crept over her face "What's the matter? Whatever has happened, Mr Gray?" "Why, nothing I was feeling tired, worn out Indulging myself in a thoroughly enjoyable fit of the blues." His voice broke when he tried to laugh Allie uttered a quick, low cry, a wordless, sympathetic sound Her dark eyes widened, grew darker; she came forward a step or two, then she halted "Would you rather be alone?" she asked He signified his dissent, and she went on: "I know what the blues are like I sit alone in the dark a good deal." She busied herself about the room for a few moments, straightening things, adjusting the window shades Allie had the knack of silence, blessed attribute in man or woman, and to Gray's surprise he found that her mere presence was comforting She startled him by saying, suddenly: "You're hurt! Hurt badly!" He looked up at her with an instinctive denial upon his lips, but, realizing the futility of deceit, he nodded "Yes, Allie." The girl drew a deep breath, her strong hands closed, harshly she said: "I could kill anybody that hurt you I wanted to kill Buddy that time Is it those Nelsons? Have they got you down?" There was something fierce and masterful in Allie's concern, and her inquiry carried with it even more than a proffer of help; she had, in fact, flung herself into a protective attitude She suggested nothing so much as a lioness roused "No, no! It is nothing like that I merely fooled myself—had a dream You wouldn't understand, my dear." Allie studied him soberly for a moment "Oh yes, I would! I do! I understand perfectly Nobody could understand as well as I do." "What do you mean by that?" "I've been hurt, too." She laid a hand upon her breast "That's why I sit in the dark." "My dear child! I'm sorry Gus said you were unhappy, but I thought it was merely—the new life You're young; you can forget It's only us old ones who can't forget Sometime you must tell me all about it." The girl smiled faintly, but he nodded, positively: "Oh, it's a relief to tell somebody! I feel better already for confiding in Ma Yes, and your sympathy is mighty soothing, too It seems almost as if I had come home." He closed his eyes and laid his head back Allie placed her hand upon his forehead and held it there for a moment before she moved away It was a cool and tranquilizing palm and he wished she would hold it there for a long time, so that he could sleep, forget— Allie Briskow went to her room, and there she studied her reflection in the mirror carefully, deliberately, before saying: "You can do it You've got to do it, for he's hurt When a girl is hurt like that, it makes a woman of her, but when a man's hurt it makes him a little boy I—I guess it pays to keep on praying." It was perhaps a half hour later that Ma Briskow heard a sound that caused her to rise upon her elbow and listen with astonishment It was the sound of low, indistinct, but joyous singing; it came from Allie's room Allie singing again! What could have happened? Slowly Ma's face became wistful, eager "Oh, Mister Fairy King!" she whispered "Please build up his castle again You can do it There's magic in the world Make him a duke again, an' her a queen, for yours is the power an' the glory for ever an' ever Amen!" 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