At the club he took into his confidence old Senator Tingley, his bosom friend and his partner in many a stealthy business adventure which neither would have cared to have had visited by any ray of the sunlight of publicity. Business aside--how often it is necessary to leave out of account a man’s way of making his money!--business aside, Tingley was a kindly old patriarch, as genial as wise. Said he:
“He’s got her hypnotized,” said Clearwater.
“Don’t talk like a child,” replied Tingley. “Nature’s got her hypnotized. You could have prevented this if you’d married her off pretty soon after she got to the marriageable age. She’s simply obeying nature that refuses to be put off any longer. We parents are damn fools not to realize that our children, even our pure, innocent daughters, are human.”
Clearwater did not see how to deny Tingley’s unromantic but impressively simple and sensible explanation. However, he felt that he owed it to his daughter’s innocence to say something in mitigation. Said he:
“And probably will be after they’re married. Certainly will be, if he knows his business at all. He’ll have the inside track and it’ll be his fault if he don’t convince her that he, the only man she ever knew, is a wonder of a special creation. She’ll never suspect that all men are pretty much the same.”
Clearwater winced before the frankness of his friend, too old to make pretenses and too wise to believe them. Said he:
“Well--in a nominating convention, if you want to beat a popular candidate, you’ve got to have a man to beat him with. It’s the same way in these heart matters. Find another man--one she’ll like better.”
Clearwater groaned. “These damned young nincompoops you find round in society!” he cursed. “Really I can’t blame her for taking the first fellow with jump and ginger.”
Old Tingley nodded. “The altar men--the fellows that’ll marry young girls--do seem to be mighty poor pickings. At least here in Washington--in ‘our set.’”
When Helm entered the presence of Eleanor his manner had lost its frigidness and reserve but none of the gravity. She flung herself into his arms, clung to him passionately with a complete giving up of herself to her love for him. He held her, he caressed her gently, he showed in every look and gesture how deeply he loved her. Yet--if she had not been so intoxicated by her emotions, she would have felt, would have seen that this peculiar young man not only was master of her love but also was master of his own.