Mayo trudged on in silence, kicking the sand.
"Seems to me the smallest thing that girl could have done was to offer
to get you a hearing with her old man. It was some chore you did for
her, mate!"
"I had to save myself. A few more in the party didn't matter."
"These society girls think of themselves first, of course! I don't
suppose you give a hoot for my advice, Captain Mayo, but I'm talking to
you in the best spirit in the world."
"I know you are, Captain Downs," declared the young man, his sullenness
departing. "I didn't mean to show bristles to you! I'll try to see
Marston. It 'll be a hard stunt. But I'm in the mood to try anything. By
gad! if they lug me to jail, I'll go kicking!"
"That's the spirit, boy. And if you can get in a few kicks where Julius
Marston can see 'em they may count. He's the boss! I don't think I'll go
any farther with you. This is too hard footing for an old waddler like
me. Good luck!"
They shook hands and turned their backs on each other with sailor
repression in the matter of the emotions.
The young man went on his way, wondering in numbed despair how he could
have left Alma Marston with merely a curt word of farewell.
Mayo lurked that evening in the purlieus of Jersey City, and entered the
metropolis after midnight on a ferryboat which had few passengers and
afforded him a dark corner where he was alone. He found lodgings in
humble quarters on the East Side.
In the morning he nerved himself to the ordeal of appearing in the
streets. His belief in his own innocence made his suffering greater as
he waited for the clap of a heavy hand on his shoulder and the summons
of an officer's voice. He knew that the eyes of Uncle Sam are sharp and
his reach a long one. He had firm belief in the almost uncanny vigilance
of government officers. He was rather surprised to find himself at last
in the outer office of Marston & Waller.
He sat down on a bench and waited for a time in order to regain
his self-possession. He wanted to control features and voice before
accosting one of the guardians of the magnate. But the espionage of the
attendants did not permit loiterers to remain long in that place without
explanation. A man tiptoed to him and asked his name and his business.
"My name doesn't matter," said Mayo. "But I have important business
with Mr. Marston. If you will tell him that the business is most
important--that it is something he ought to know, and that--"