Flowing Gold | Page 5

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.
Gray noted the effect upon his visitor of the Governor's suite and soon
had the young man at ease, with a Corona between his teeth. Then
followed a full three-quarters of an hour, during which the visitor
discoursed in his very best style and his caller sat spellbound, making
occasional hieroglyphic hen tracks upon his note paper and
congratulating himself upon his good luck in striking a man like this in
one of his rare, talkative moods. Gray had set himself deliberately to
the task of selling himself to this gentleman of the press, and, having
succeeded, he was enough of a salesman to avoid the fatal error of
overselling.
Alone at last, a sardonic grin crept over his features. So far, so good.
Now for the rest of those bankers and the mayor. Gray was working
rapidly, but he knew no other way of working, and speed was essential.
It seemed to him not unlikely that delay of the slightest might force him
to turn in desperation to a length of lead pipe and a mask, for--a man

must live. As yet he had no very definite plans, he had merely
undertaken to establish himself in a position to profit by the first
opportunity, whatever it might be. And opportunity of some sort would
surely come. It always did. What is more, it had an agreeable way of
turning up just when he was most in need of it.
Gray called at several other banks that morning. He strode in swiftly,
introduced himself with quick incisiveness, and tarried only long
enough to fix himself indelibly in the minds of those he had come to
see, then he left. There are right and wrong ways of closing a deal or of
ending an interview, and Gray flattered himself that he possessed
"terminal facilities." He was very busy, always a bit pressed for time,
always a moment late; his theory of constant forward motion never
permitted an awkward pause in conversation. On the street, his long
legs covered the ground at something less than a run, his eyes were
keenly alert, his face set in purposeful lines. Pedestrians turned to look
after him.
At the mayor's office he was denied admission to the chief executive,
but insisted so peremptorily as to gain his end. Once inside, he
conveyed his compliments with such a graceful flourish that his
intrusion assumed the importance of a ceremony and the People's
Choice was flattered. He inferred that this Calvin Gray made a practice
of presenting his formal respects to the dignitaries of all the large cities
he visited and deemed it a favor to them. No doubt it was, if he so
considered it, for he appeared to be fully aware of his own importance.
After all, it was an agreeable practice. Since no man in public life can
risk offending people of importance, His Honor unbent. Gray turned a
current jest upon Texas politics into a neat compliment to the city's
executive; they laughed; formality vanished; personal magnetism made
itself felt. The call ended by the two men lunching together at the City
Club, as Gray had assumed it would, and he took pains that the bankers
upon whom he had called earlier in the morning should see him in
company with the mayor.
He returned to his hotel that afternoon pretty well satisfied with his
efforts and hopeful that some of the seed he had sown broadcast would

be ripe for the reaping ere-long. But he received an electric shock as he
approached the desk, for the bell captain addressed him, saying:
"Mr. Haviland wishes to see you at once, in his office."
"Indeed? Anything important?"
"Very important, sir. I've been waiting for you to come in." There was
something ominous about this unexpected summons, or perhaps about
the manner of its delivery. At any rate, suspicion leaped into Gray's
mind.
So! Haviland was wise! Quick work that. Evidently he had investigated,
through those mysterious sources of information available to great
hotels. Or perhaps some one had seen and recognized him. Well, that
was the way his luck had run, lately --every break against him.
Now--Gray's shoulders lifted in a shrug of resignation--there was
nothing to do except wave aside the blindfold and face the firing squad
like an officer and a gentleman. But it was a pity that the crash had
come so soon; fortune might have given him at least a short