the titan-第58章

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t　no　one　quarrel　with　Stephanie　Platow。　　She　was　an　unstable　chemical　compound；　artistic　to　her　finger…tips；　not　understood　or　properly　guarded　by　her　family。　　Her　interest　in　Cowperwood；　his　force　and　ability；　was　intense。　　So　was　her　interest　in　Forbes　Gurneythe　atmosphere　of　poetry　that　enveloped　him。　　She　studied　him　curiously　on　the　various　occasions　when　they　met；　and；　finding　him　bashful　and　recessive；　set　out　to　lure　him。　She　felt　that　he　was　lonely　and　depressed　and　poor；　and　her　womanly　capacity　for　sympathy　naturally　bade　her　be　tender。

Her　end　was　easily　achieved。　　One　night；　when　they　were　all　out　in　Bliss　Bridge's　single…stickera　fast…sailing　saucerStephanie　and　Forbes　Gurney　sat　forward　of　the　mast　looking　at　the　silver　moon　track　which　was　directly　ahead。　　The　rest　were　in　the　cockpit　〃cutting　up〃laughing　and　singing。　　It　was　very　plain　to　all　that　Stephanie　was　becoming　interested　in　Forbes　Gurney；　and　since　he　was　charming　and　she　wilful；　nothing　was　done　to　interfere　with　them；　except　to　throw　an　occasional　jest　their　way。　　Gurney；　new　to　love　and　romance；　scarcely　knew　how　to　take　his　good　fortune；　how　to　begin。　　He　told　Stephanie　of　his　home　life　in　the　wheat…fields　of　the　Northwest；　how　his　family　had　moved　from　Ohio　when　he　was　three；　and　how　difficult　were　the　labors　he　had　always　undergone。　He　had　stopped　in　his　plowing　many　a　day　to　stand　under　a　tree　and　write　a　poemsuch　as　it　wasor　to　watch　the　birds　or　to　wish　he　could　go　to　college　or　to　Chicago。　　She　looked　at　him　with　dreamy　eyes；　her　dark　skin　turned　a　copper　bronze　in　the　moonlight；　her　black　hair　irradiated　with　a　strange；　luminous　grayish　blue。　Forbes　Gurney；　alive　to　beauty　in　all　its　forms；　ventured　finally　to　touch　her　handshe　of　Knowles；　Cross；　and　Cowperwoodand　she　thrilled　from　head　to　toe。　　This　boy　was　so　sweet。　　His　curly　brown　hair　gave　him　a　kind　of　Greek　innocence　and　aspect。　　She　did　not　move；　but　waited；　hoping　he　would　do　more。

〃I　wish　I　might　talk　to　you　as　I　feel；〃　he　finally　said；　hoarsely；　a　catch　in　his　throat。

She　laid　one　hand　on　his。

〃You　dear！〃　she　said。

He　realized　now　that　he　might。　　A　great　ecstasy　fell　upon　him。　　He　smoothed　her　hand；　then　slipped　his　arm　about　her　waist；　then　ventured　to　kiss　the　dark　cheek　turned　dreamily　from　him。　　Artfully　her　head　sunk　to　his　shoulder；　and　he　murmured　wild　nothingshow　divine　she　was；　how　artistic；　how　wonderful！　With　her　view　of　things；　it　could　only　end　one　way。　　She　manoeuvered　him　into　calling　on　her　at　her　home；　into　studying　her　books　and　plays　on　the　top…floor　sitting…room；　into　hearing　her　sing。　　Once　fully　in　his　arms；　the　rest　was　easy　by　suggestion。　　He　learned　she　was　no　longer　innocent；　and　then　In　the　mean　time　Cowperwood　mingled　his　speculations　concerning　large　power…houses；　immense　reciprocating　engines；　the　problem　of　a　wage　scale　for　his　now　two　thousand　employees；　some　of　whom　were　threatening　to　strike；　the　problem　of　securing；　bonding；　and　equipping　the　La　Salle　Street　tunnel　and　a　down…town　loop　in　La　Salle；　Munroe；　Dearborn；　and　Randolph　streets；　with　mental　inquiries　and　pictures　as　to　what　possibly　Stephanie　Platow　might　be　doing。　　He　could　only　make　appointments　with　her　from　time　to　time。　　He　did　not　fail　to　note　that；　after　he　began　to　make　use　of　information　she　let　drop　as　to　her　whereabouts　from　day　to　day　and　her　free　companionship；　he　heard　less　of　Gardner　Knowles；　Lane　Cross；　and　Forbes　Gurney；　and　more　of　Georgia　Timberlake　and　Ethel　Tuckerman。　　Why　this　sudden　reticence？　On　one　occasion　she　did　say　of　Forbes　Gurney　〃that　he　was　having　such　a　hard　time；　and　that　his　clothes　weren't　as　nice　as　they　should　be；　poor　dear！〃　Stephanie　herself；　owing　to　gifts　made　to　her　by　Cowperwood；　was　resplendent　these　days。　　She　took　just　enough　to　complete　her　wardrobe　according　to　her　taste。

〃Why　not　send　him　to　me？〃　Cowperwood　asked。　　〃I　might　find　something　to　do　for　him。〃　He　would　have　been　perfectly　willing　to　put　him　in　some　position　where　he　could　keep　track　of　his　time。　　However；　Mr。　Gurney　never　sought　him　for　a　position；　and　Stephanie　ceased　to　speak　of　his　poverty。　　A　gift　of　two　hundred　dollars；　which　Cowperwood　made　her　in　June；　was　followed　by　an　accidental　meeting　with　her　and　Gurney　in　Washington　Street。　　Mr。　Gurney；　pale　and　pleasant；　was　very　well　dressed　indeed。　　He　wore　a　pin　which　Cowperwood　knew　had　once　belonged　to　Stephanie。　　She　was　in　no　way　confused。　　Finally　Stephanie　let　it　out　that　Lane　Cross；　who　had　gone　to　New　Hampshire　for　the　summer；　had　left　his　studio　in　her　charge。　　Cowperwood　decided　to　have　this　studio　watched。

There　was　in　Cowperwood's　employ　at　this　time　a　young　newspaper　man；　an　ambitious　spark　aged　twenty…six；　by　the　name　of　Francis　Kennedy。　　He　had　written　a　very　intelligent　article　for　the　Sunday　Inquirer；　describing　Cowperwood　and　his　plans；　and　pointing　out　what　a　remarkable　man　he　was。　　This　pleased　Cowperwood。　　When　Kennedy　called　one　day；　announcing　smartly　that　he　was　anxious　to　get　out　of　reportorial　work；　and　inquiring　whether　be　couldn't　find　something　to　do　in　the　street…railway　world；　Cowperwood　saw　in　him　a　possibly　useful　tool。

〃I'll　try　you　out　as　secretary　for　a　while；〃　he　said；　pleasantly。　〃There　are　a　few　special　things　I　want　done。　　If　you　succeed　in　those；　I　may　find　something　else　for　you　later。〃

Kennedy　had　been　working　for　him　only　a　little　while　when　he　said　to　him　one　day：　〃Francis；　did　you　ever　hear　of　a　young　man　by　the　name　of　Forbes　Gurney　in　the　newspaper　world？〃

They　were　in　Cowperwood's　private　office。

〃No；　sir；〃　replied　Francis；　briskly。

〃You　have　heard　of　an　organization　called　the　Garrick　Players；　haven't　you？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Well；　Francis；　do　you　suppose　you　could　undertake　a　little　piece　of　detective　work　for　me；　and　handle　it　intelligently　and　quietly？〃

〃I　think　so；〃　said　Francis；　who　was　the　pink　of　perfection　this　morning　in　a　brown　suit；　garnet　tie；　and　sard　sleeve…links。　　His　shoes　were　immaculately　polished；　and　his　young；　healthy　face　glistened。

〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　want　you　to　do。　　There　is　a　young　actress；　or　amateur　actress；　by　the　name　of　Stephanie　Platow；　who　frequents　the　studio　of　an　artist　named　Cross　in　the　New　Arts　Building。　　She　may　even　occupy　it　in　his　absenceI　don't　know。　　I　want　you　to　find　out　for　me　what　the　relations　of　Mr。　Gurney　and　this　woman　are。　　I　have　certain　business　reasons　for　wanting　to　know。〃

Young　Kennedy　was　all　attention。

〃You　couldn't　tell　me　where　I　could　find　out　anything　about　this　Mr。　Gurney　to　begin　with；　could　you？〃　he　asked。

〃I　think　he　is　a　friend　of　a　critic　here　by　the　name　of　Gardner　Knowles。　　You　might　ask　him。　　I　need　not　say　that　you　must　never　mention　me。

〃Oh；　I　understand　that　thoroughly；　Mr。　Cowperwood。〃　Young　Kennedy　departed；　meditating。　　How　was　he　to　do　this？　With　true　journalistic　skill　he　first　sought　other　newspaper　men；　from　whom　he　learneda　bit　from　one　and　a　scrap　from　anotherof　the　character　of　the　Garrick　Players；　and　of　the　women　who　belonged　to　it。　　He　pretended　to　be　writing　a　one…act　play；　which　he　hoped　to　have　produced。

He　then　visited　Lane　Cross's　studio；　posing　as　a　newspaper　interviewer。　　Mr。　Cross　was　out　of　town；　so　the　elevator　man　said。　His　studio　was　closed。

Mr。　Kennedy　meditated　on　this　fact　for　a　moment。

〃Does　any　one　use　his　studio　during　the　summer　months？〃　he　asked。

〃I　believe　there　is　a　young　woman　who　comes　hereyes。〃

〃You　don't　happen　to　know　who　it　is？〃

〃Yes；　I　do。　　Her　name　is　Platow。　　What　do　you　want　to　know　for？〃

〃Looky　here；〃　exclaimed　Kennedy；　surveying　the　rather　shabby　attendant　with　a　cordial　and　persuasive　eye；　〃do　you　want　to　make　some　moneyfive　or　ten　dollars；　and　without　any　trouble　to　you？〃

The　elevator　man；　whose　wages　were　exactly　eight　dollars　a　week；　pricked　up　his　ears。

〃I　want　to　know　who　comes　here　with　this　Miss　Platow；　when　they　comeall　about　it。　　I'll　make　it　fifteen　dollars　if　I　find　out　what　I　want；　and　I'll　give　you　five　right　now。〃

The　elevator　factotum　had　just　sixty…five　cents　in　his　pocket　at　the　time。　　He　looked　at　Kennedy　with　some　uncertainty　and　much　desire。

〃Well；　what　can　I　do？〃　he　repeated。　　〃I'm　not　here　after　six。　　The　janitor　runs　this　elevator　from　six　to　twelve。