The Lever | Page 9

before the war cloud gathers too heavily over England and Germany to prevent the grievous calamity which threatens these nations. Shall I give you other data?"
"But the Consolidated Companies separates the world into two parts--" the Senator began.
"Precisely--into those who are stockholders and those who are not. Both are benefited by the existence of the corporation. But is there any question as to which is the more favored class?"
"None whatever," Kenmore replied, with decision.
"Then may I call to-morrow to learn in which class you decide to place yourself?" Gorham asked, as he rose and slipped into his overcoat.
"No," the Senator replied, after a moment's thought. "I will send my secretary to you to arrange the matter of taking over stock to the amount of one hundred thousand dollars in the Consolidated Companies--Unlimited!"

III
If punctuality is a virtue presaging business success, Allen gave evidence, the following afternoon, of a brilliant future. Previously, he had made no criticism of the condition in which his motor-car was delivered to him at the garage, but this time the men found him strangely unreasonable. The brasses had to be repolished, the hood opened up, and the dust wiped from the long-neglected creases, and every detail was inspected with a carefulness which created comment.
"Goin' to sell his car," one of the men remarked, sententiously, to which sage comment his companion nodded acquiescence.
In spite of the delay thus caused, Allen shut off his power in front of the hotel entrance at exactly the appointed hour. He bounded into the lobby, and a few moments later was ushered into the elevator and guided to the Gorhams' apartment.
"Why, it's Riley!" the caller exclaimed, enthusiastically, as the door was opened for him by Mr. Gorham's aged retainer--"it's the same Riley who used to box my ears when I tramped over his flower-beds in Pittsburgh."
The old man regarded the visitor attentively. "Shure it's Misther Allen Sanford, grown out iv his short pants into a fine young man, so he has." A broad grin replaced the questioning expression on his face. "I did box ye'er ears good, didn't I, sor? but go along wid yer, th' trouble ye made me, ye an' Miss Alice a-traipsin' over me flower-beds." Then, with a sigh: "Ah, sor, I remimber it as if 'twas yisterday. Miss Alice's mother was livin' thin, God rist her soul. Thank ye, sor, f'r remimberin' me. I'll call Mrs. Gorham an' Miss Alice."
It was the girl who appeared first, greeting Allen with frank cordiality.
"Eleanor will be ready in a moment," she said. "Isn't this the greatest coincidence?" she continued. "Yesterday at this time I had no idea you were within a thousand miles, and now it seems as if we might almost be back in Pittsburgh again, living the same childish life and playing the same games."
"It was certainly a dandy coincidence for me," Allen agreed, "but I don't quite follow you back to the kid games we played."
"Why, Allen!" Alice reproached him, "have you forgotten the motor rides you and I took with wash-tubs, turned upside down, for seats, and the remnant of your express-wagon for a steering-wheel? My! how fast we used to go!"
"That's so!" he admitted. "I'd forgotten all about it. You used to look great sitting on that tub."
"Freckles and all?"
"I didn't remember the freckles, either, until you spoke of them. You were a little corker, even then."
"Even then?" Alice repeated, without intending to.
"No one has told you that you've gone backward in looks, has he?" Allen laughed, looking straight into her face. Then he continued: "There's one other game we played, which I haven't forgotten: Do you remember how we used to keep house together? You were Mrs. Allen Sanford then, and we had everything fixed up--"
Alice sobered. "I--I think I have forgotten that one," she said. "Isn't it ridiculous what games children do play?"
"But the motor-car game has come true," he insisted, "and you'll look just as good to me sitting in the real car, as you used to on top of that tub. And as for the other--"
"How long Eleanor is taking!" she interrupted; "I'll run and find her." With which she disappeared, returning almost immediately, accompanied by Mrs. Gorham.
"I shan't be asked again, if I keep you waiting so long, shall I?" Eleanor apologized.
"The appointed time always arrives at the same moment that Mrs. Gorham does," Allen replied.
"So!" Eleanor was frankly surprised by the boy's gallantry. "If this is a sample, I must agree with your father that diplomacy is your natural field. It would be a pity to waste that in a business office."
"Don't you join the opposition, Mrs. Gorham," he said, seriously. "I'm going to have a hard enough time with the pater as it is. Now, if you're ready, shall we start? It isn't going to be the most sociable arrangement