The President | Page 5

Moreover, it
showed wisest balance from base to brow; with the face free of beard
and mustache, while the yellow hair owned no taint of curl--altogether
an American head on Farnese shoulders refined.
Richard made no speed with his dressing. What with refusing several
waistcoats--a fastidiousness which opened the slant eyes of Matzai,
being unusual--and what with pausing to smoke a brooding cigar, it
stood roundly twelve before he was ready for the street. One need not
call Richard lazy. He was no one to retire or to rise with the birds; why
should he? "Early to bed and early to rise" is a tradition of the
copybooks. It did well when candlelight was cheap at a dollar the dozen,
but should not belong to a day of electricity no dearer than the sun.
Before going out, Richard crossed to a writing cabinet and pressed a
button, the white disk whereof showed in its mahogany side. It was not
the bell he used for the wheat-hued Matzai, and owned a note peculiar
to itself. As though in response came Mr. Gwynn, irreproachable,
austere.

Upon the advent of Mr. Gwynn, one might have observed sundry
amazing phenomena, innocent at that. Mr. Gwynn did not sit down, but
stood in the middle of the room. On the careless other hand, Richard
did not arise from the chair into which he had flung himself, but sat
with his hat on, puffing blue wreaths and tapping his foot with a rattan.
"Mr. Gwynn," quoth Richard, "you will catch the four-o'clock limited
to New York. Talon & Trehawke, Attorneys, Temple Court, have on
sale a majority of the stock of the Daily Tory. Buy it; notify those in
present charge of the editorial and business departments of the new
proprietorship. There will be no changes in the personnel of the paper
so far as refers to New York. You are to say, however, that you will
give me charge in Washington. Talon & Trehawke can put you in
control, and forty-eight hours should be enough to carry out my plans.
The balance of the stock you will buy up at your leisure. This is
Tuesday; have the bureau here ready for me by Thursday evening."
Mr. Gwynn inclined his head.
"Can you give me, sir, some notion of what Talon & Trehawke are to
have?" asked Mr. Gwynn.
"Their letter addressed to you--here it is--says that sixty per cent. of the
stock can be had for two millions eight hundred thousand."
"Very good, sir," and Mr. Gwynn bowed deeply.
Richard pulled on his gloves to depart, whereat Mr. Pickwick yelped
frantically from his cushion. Richard tapped Mr. Pickwick with the
lacquered rattan.
"Old man," said Richard, "I am going to take a look at the lady I love."
Mr. Pickwick moaned querulously, while Richard sought the street.
Richard, the day before, dispatched a note and a card to Mrs.
Hanway-Harley and had been told in reply that he might call to-day at
three. Richard decided to repair to the club, and wait for three o'clock.

Richard, during his week in Washington, had found a deserted corner in
the club and pre-empted it. At those times when he honored the club
with his presence, he occupied this vantage point. From it he was given
both a view of the street and a fair survey of the apartment itself. No
one approached him; his atmosphere was repellant; beyond civil nods,
curtailed to the last limit of civility, his intercourse with his fellows had
not advanced.
On this afternoon as Richard smoked a solitary cigar and reviewed the
thin procession of foot passengers trudging through the snow beneath
his window, he was attracted by the loud talk of a coterie about a table.
The center of the group was Count Storri--a giant Russ. This Storri did
not belong to the Russian legation, did not indeed reside in town, and
had been vouched into the club by one of his countrymen. He had onyx
eyes, with blue-black beard and mustaches which half covered his face,
and hair as raven as his beard. Also he valued himself for that a favorite
dish with him was raw meat chopped fine with peppers and oil.
Storri's education--which was wide--did not suffice to cover up in him
the barbarian, videlicet, the Tartar--which was wider; and when a trifle
uplifted of drink, it was his habit to brag profoundly in purring, snarling,
half-challenging tones. Storri boasted most of his thews, which would
not have disgraced Goliath. He was at the moment telling a knot of
gaping youngsters of monstrous deeds of strength. Storri had crushed
horseshoes in his hand; he had rolled silver pieces into bullets between
thumb and finger.
"See, you children, I will show what a Russian can do!" cried Storri.
Storri came over