“You've started at the wrong end, but it doesn't matter. Frank Woods has used the money entrusted him by the French Government to gamble with. He counted on the contracts with the International Biplane people to bring him clean and leave him a comfortable fortune besides. The end of the war and the wholesale cancellation of government contracts killed that. To cover his deficits, he borrowed from the Capitol Loan and Trust, and they are hunting for their money now.”
“How did you find all this out, Jim?” I demanded breathlessly.
“From friends, good friends, Bupps. Men who knew that if I asked for this unusual information, I had need of it and that I wouldn't abuse their confidence.”
“And now that you've got it, what are you going to do with it?”
“I have sent messages to Woods, to his apartment, to the club and to the International plant, saying that I want to see him. I know he is working like the devil to get the contracts to furnish the government with mail planes for next year. If he gets that contract, he may possibly pull through, for the bank would probably extend his credit, but if knowledge of his illegal use of the money entrusted to him by the French Government ever gets out, he knows it's the stripes without the stars for him.”
“Be careful when you meet him, Jim,” I warned. “He'll go to the limit, you know, to save himself.”
“He's all front, Bupps; just like Zalnitch. I'll give him three days to straighten out his affairs and get away. If he hasn't left by then, I'll put all the evidence I have into the hands of the Capitol Loan and Trust.”
“Are you going to tell Helen about this?” I asked.
Jim pondered a moment. “I haven't decided that yet. If I was sure Woods would go away without any trouble, I think I'd leave her in ignorance; but he might use her to save himself.”
“How do you mean?”
“I'm not so blind I can't see that Helen's infatuated with the man. If he is blackguard enough to ask her again to go with him, I think she would go, and that would pretty effectively tie my hands.”
“You mean that for Helen's sake you wouldn't prosecute Woods?” I demanded. “That's stupid sentimentality.”
“It's for Helen's sake that I'm doing all this,” Jim insisted. “Don't think for a moment I would stop the prosecution just because she was with him. The reason my hands would be tied is because Helen's money would pay his obligations.”
“Helen's money?” I laughed. “Helen hasn't as much as I have.”
Jim flushed. “Helen is quite a wealthy woman, Bupps. When I went into the army I wanted to leave Helen perfectly easy in a financial way while I was gone, so I transferred all my railroad stock to her, so that she might draw the interest. I haven't asked her for it since I came home, because, in the light of our recent differences, I was afraid she might think I didn't trust her.”
“And do you suppose Woods knows that?”
“Of course he knows it!” Jim burst out. “She must have told him. Why do you suppose he played around so long before deciding to make love to Helen? Oh, it's all so simple and clear to me now that I wonder at my stupidity.”
I glanced at my watch.
“Good lord, Jim! You've almost made me lose my case. I have only three minutes to get to the court-house. Hold up the climax until I get back, if you can.”
I jumped for the elevator and rushed to my appointment, getting there just in time. The news of the morning had so raised my spirits that I was filled with an immense enthusiasm. Everything went my way. My summing up was a masterpiece of logic, if I do say so myself, and my client received a substantial judgment.
There is no moment sweeter in a young lawyer's life than when another lawyer, of big reputation, congratulates him on his conduct of a case. My cup was filled to overflowing, and I must confess I had little thought for Jim's affairs when I lunched that day with Stevenson and McGuire, councils for the L. L. &G. The prognostications that they made for my future were so exaggerated that a bigger man than I might well have been excused for increased head and chest measurements.
At half past two I went back to the office to announce the good news to Jim. I had made up my mind before luncheon to spend the afternoon on the links in honor of my victory, but the clouds, which had been heavy during the morning, by two o'clock opened up a steady drizzle. Jim was at his desk when I came in bringing the glad tidings. He got up and gripped my hand.
“Good boy, Bupps! I knew you'd do it. Thank the Lord your affairs are going well anyway.”
“Has something happened since I've been out?” I asked.
“Yes. The First National telephoned about eleven o'clock saying that Helen wanted to borrow quite a large sum of money on her railroad stock and asking if I knew about it. They thought the money was probably for me and they wanted to ask if I'd be willing to wait a few days.”
“How much was it?”
“Fifty thousand dollars.”
“Is the stock worth that much, Jim?”
“Yes,” said Jim seriously, “the stock is worth twice that. That's why I have to go slow. She could sell that stock for fifty thousand at any broker's in five minutes.”
I whistled. “Gee! Fifty thousand. Woods must have asked her for it because he knew you were after him.”
“It's open warfare now. I told the bank I knew what the money was for and that it would cause no inconvenience to me to have them hold up the loan for a few days. In fact I asked Sherwood, the cashier, to wait until he saw me before making the loan.”
Just then the telephone rang. Jim answered it.
“Hello—Yes—Woods?—Where are you now?” He listened a moment. “I understand—Eight-thirty promptly?—I'll be there—Yes, I understand—I'll be there.”
He hung up the receiver and looked at me with twinkling eyes.
“The shoe is beginning to pinch, Bupps. That was Woods. He asks me to meet him alone this evening at the country-club, at eight-thirty promptly. Says he wants to see me urgently on business that concerns us both.”
“Did he ask you to come alone?”
“Yes. He distinctly said that I was to come alone and be prompt.”
“Jim,” I argued, “you can't go out there alone to meet that man. It's too infernally dangerous.”
“There's no danger, Bupps; but I'm not going alone. Helen is going with me.”
He opened the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out a leather portfolio, into which he put all the letters and telegrams that were scattered about his desk.
“I'm going to prove to Helen, in his presence, what kind of man he is; that he loves her only for the money I gave her, and to save his yellow hide. I'm going to tear out of her heart all the affection she ever had for him. I think, after that, she will not only come back to me, but she will love me all the more for having known Frank Woods. No matter how badly a leg or an arm may be shattered, a quick, clean operation may cause the parts to grow together again, stronger than they were before. I think I win, Bupps.”