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Chapter II.
BEGINNING THE DANCE.
It developed, luckily for me, that my lawyers had allowed
themselves to become unduly excited over a trifle. A discrepancy
had been discovered in my agent's accounts; it was clearly
established that he had been speculating; but the fellow's
excessive modesty and moderation had saved me from any serious
inconvenience or loss.
Some twenty thousand or so was the amount, and I did not even put
myself to the trouble of recovering it. I placed a friend of
mine, a plodder and one of those chaps who are honest on account
of lack of imagination, in the position thus vacated and sighed
with mild relief.
My experiment with Harry had proved a complete success. Left to
the management of his own affairs, he had shown a wisdom and
restraint none the less welcome because unexpected. He was glad
to see me, and I was no less glad to see him.
There was little new in town.
Bob Garforth, having gambled away his entire patrimony, had shot
and killed himself on the street; Mrs. Ludworth had publicly
defied gossip and smiled with favor on young Driscoll; the new
director of the Metropolitan Museum had announced himself an
enemy to tradition and a friend of progress; and Desiree Le Mire
had consented to a two weeks' engagement at the Stuyvesant.
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