Extravagant Living CHAPTER 23.
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Profound, however, as was the indignation of Mr. Allen, another, and to him, less agreeable sensation, soon pervaded his mind. The threat of Mr. Thornhill, he felt to be no idle bravado. There was something about the man, which showed him to be in earnest. He would hardly have made the journey from New Orleans to Baltimore, for the settlement of this especial business — if he had not felt strongly on the subject.
It was also true, that Mr. Allen had treated Mrs. Wilding most unjustly, retaining thousands of dollars in his hands, and using the money for his own purposes — while she, in extreme destitution, in a far-off city, vainly appealed to him for a settlement of her husband's estate. As for his story about depreciated stocks, that was all a subterfuge, The money had been used for his own purposes, almost as soon as it came into his hands, as had been thousands of dollars besides, belonging to other interests and estates, and which the mystified claimants sought fruitlessly to obtain.
Some hints to this effect having reached Mr. Thornhill, he had determined upon the course adopted with Mr. Allen as the one most likely to bring him at once to terms. And he was not in error. The lawyer's shrewdness and cunning were for once at fault. He was not so certain of being able to parry blows from such new and formidable weapons, and had well-grounded fears, that if he gave the Southerner battle, he would most likely receive some cruel thrusts in vulnerable places. But how was his demand to be met? How was he to raise immediately, the large sum of six thousand dollars? It was but too true, that only a single acre of his prospectively valuable property, away on the confines of the city, remained in his possession — and that would scarcely sell for as many hundreds, as he needed thousands. He owned the house he lived in, but it was already mortgaged for nearly all it was worth. There were in his hands, a few thousand dollars of trust-money, but under certain restrictions that made it unavailing for his own purposes.
What then was to be done? How was the sum due the estate of Mrs. Wilding to be raised? In this dilemma, Mr. Allen thought of his son-in-law; and a gleam of light flashed through his mind. Pinkerton & Lee were doing a heavy and profitable business. Their credit was undoubted. The lawyer mused for some time; then taking up his pen, he dashed off a note to Mr. Thornhill, asking whether his own obligation, payable in six months, and endorsed by Pinkerton & Lee, would be accepted for the amount due Mrs. Wilding, adding something about the "ruinous sacrifice" at which the stock would have to be sold, if thrown into market now. A prompt affirmative was returned.
A sigh escaped the lips of Mr. Allen as he read Mr. Thornhill's answer. It would be rather humiliating to his pride to ask his son-in-law for this endorsement — his son-in-law, whom he had once treated with such smarting insolence; and towards whom he had never acted with even common civility — until money gave him a position which extorted respect. But he had virtually offered the endorsement, and there was no retreat now.
"My Dear Mark" this was the tenor of a note which found its way into the hands of Mr. Pinkerton, while he yet mused, with no very pleasant feelings, over the information he had received from the real-estate broker concerning his father-in-law's valuable piece of property — "My dear Mark, if you can call around at my office within an hour, do so, if you please. I wish to see you for something very particular."
Such a note from Mr. Allen, at any time previous to this, would have been a pleasant incident to Mr. Pinkerton. He would have felt it as a kind of triumph over the pride andprejudice of his father-in-law. But the effect produced, was altogether different now. The letter came with a dim shadow of approaching trouble.
"I wonder what he wants so particular with me, all at once?" This was the spirit in which the note was received.
"Ah, Mr. Pinkerton! Glad to see you. Thank you for responding to my request so promptly," said Mr. Allen, as Mark entered his office.
Never before had the proud, aristocratic man bent himself down to the husband of his daughter, after the peculiar fashion in which it was now done. Never had he been so cordialin his speech — so familiar in his manner.
"Can I do anything for you?" was the smiling, yet partially embarrassed response of the young man, who, in the slight confusion of his thoughts, used the very form of speech he would rather have avoided.
"Well, I think you can, my boy," said Mr. Allen, with increasing familiarity of tone and manner. "I find myself very unexpectedly called upon to pay over a balance of six thousand dollars due an estate in New Orleans. Unfortunately the money was invested for the benefit of the estate, so soon as received, in certain bank stocks which have suffered a temporary depreciation. These cannot now be sold, except at a serious loss, which the heirs of the estate refuse to allow. I cannot afford to meet the loss. In a few months the stock will be up to par again, when it can be sold. Now, the credit of your firm is so good, that the agent of the heirs is perfectly willing to take my notes at six months, with the endorsement of Pinkerton and Lee, and close the matter without the serious loss which I shall otherwise be compelled to sustain. What say you? Can such a thing be done?"
"I presume so," was the rather cold reply of Mr. Pinkerton.
"Ah! you relieve my mind very much," quickly spoke out Mr. Allen. "I made the request with great reluctance; and shall not soon forget your kind and prompt response."
"It will always give me pleasure to serve you to any extent in my power," said Pinkerton, forcing himself into the expression of a cheerfulness and cordiality which he did not feel.
When the two men separated, it was with very different feelings. The one was elated by the prospect of an easy exit from a very serious difficulty — while the other saw a precipitous mountain suddenly stretching across his path, to attempt to scale, which would be fraught with imminent danger.
"How shall I act in the matter?" This was now the question most earnestly debated by Pinkerton. The endorsement had been promised, and must be given. But was it to be given with or without the cognizance of Mr. Lee? The lesson received by Pinkerton, when in co-partnership with Ackland, had never been forgotten. Most careful had he been, in no instance, to use the name of the present firm for his own purposes. Now he was in a sudden and altogether unexpected strait. Had anyone but Mr. Allen made the request, it would have been promptly rejected. In this case, the promise to endorse paper to the amount of six thousand dollars had been made as just said, and must be kept.
All through the day, Pinkerton pondered the matter — through half the night he lay awake, vainly seeking to arrive at some conclusion in which his mind could rest satisfied. The longer he dwelt on the subject, the more reluctant was he to ask of Mr. Lee for the privilege of making the endorsements. The possibility of a refusal on the part of Mr. Lee — which would place him in a still worse dilemma, was the consideration that at last enabled his mind to reach a decision. He determined to make the endorsements without referring the matter to his partner — and he did so. As he wrote the name of the firm on the backs of three notes, each for the sum of two thousand dollars, there was a shadow on his feelings, and a gloomy foreboding of coming evil in his mind.
And, in truth, Mark Pinkerton had committed another great mistake. The temptation was strong — but the error involved none the less danger.
Mr. Thornhill gained his object; and Mr. Allen escaped an exposure which the indignant Southerner would certainly have made.
From that time, new dangers beset the way of Pinkerton, new snares were gathering for his unwary feet. The shrewd, unscrupulous man who had stooped to him, was not the one to have so pliant an instrument within his grasp, and not use it for his own purposes. He had struggled hard with pride, before gaining his own consent to ask the first favor. That barrier broken down — all further scruples were at an end.
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