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The Cost
by David Graham Phillips
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I A FATHER INVITES DISASTER
II OLIVIA TO THE RESCUE
III AND SCARBOROUGH
IV A DUMONT TRIUMPH
V FOUR FRIENDS
VI 〃LIKE HIS FATHER〃
VII PAULINE AWAKENS
VIII THE DECISION
IX A THOROUGHBRED RUNS AWAY
X MRS。 JOHN DUMONT
XI YOUNG AMERICA
XII AFTER EIGHT YEARS
XIII 〃MY SISTER IN LAW； GLADYS
XIV STRAINING AT THE ANCHORS
XV GRADUATED PEARLS
XVI CHOICE AMONG EVILS
XVII TWO AND THE BARRIER
XVIII ON THE FARM
XIX PAULINE GOES INTO POLITICS
XX A MAN IN HIS MIGHT
XXI A COYOTE AT BAY
XXII STORMS IN THE WEST
XXIII A SEA SURPRISE
XXIV DUMONT BETRAYS DUMONT
XXV THE FALLEN KING
XXVI A DESPERATE RALLY
XXVII THE OTHER MAN'S MIGHT
XXVIII AFTER THE LONG WINTER
THE COST
I。
A FATHER INVITES DISASTER
Pauline Gardiner joined us on the day that we； the Second Reader class； moved from the basement to the top story of the old Central Public School。 Her mother brought her and； leaving； looked round at us； meeting for an instant each pair of curious eyes with friendly appeal。
We knew well the enchanted house where she livedstately； retreated far into large grounds in Jefferson Street； a high brick wall all round； and on top of the wall broken glass set in cement。 Behind that impassable barrier which so teased our young audacity were flower…beds and 〃shrub〃 bushes； whose blossoms were wonderfully sweet if held a while in the closed hand； grape arbors and shade and fruit trees； haunted by bees； winding walks strewn fresh each spring with tan…bark that has such a clean； strong odor； especially just after a rain； and that is at once firm and soft beneath the feet。 And in the midst stood the only apricot tree in Saint X。 As few of us had tasted apricots； and as those few pronounced them better far than oranges or even bananas； that tree was the climax of tantalization。
The place had belonged to a childless old couple who hated childrenor did they bar them out and drive them away because the sight and sound of them quickened the ache of empty old age into a pain too keen to bear？ The husband died； the widow went away to her old maid sister at Madison； and the Gardiners； coming from Cincinnati to live in the town where Colonel Gardiner was born and had spent his youth； bought the place。 On our way to and from school in the first weeks of that term； pausing as always to gaze in through the iron gates of the drive； we had each day seen Pauline walking alone among the flowers。 And she would stop and smile at us； but she was apparently too shy to come to the gates； and we； with the memory of the cross old couple awing us； dared not attempt to make friends with her。
She was eight years old； tall for her age； slender but strong； naturally graceful。 Her hazel eyes were always dancing mischievously。 She liked boys' games better than girls'。 In her second week she induced several of the more daring girls to go with her to the pond below town and there engage in a raft…race with the boys。 And when John Dumont； seeing that the girls' raft was about to win； thrust the one he was piloting into it and upset it； she was the only girl who did not scream at the shock of the sudden tumble into the water or rise in tears from the shallow； muddy bottom。
She tried going barefooted； she was always getting bruised or cut in attemptsusually successful at boys' recklessness； yet her voice was sweet and her manner toward others； gentle。 She hid her face when Miss Stone whipped any one more fearful far than the rise and fall of Miss Stone's ferule was the soaring and sinking of her broad； bristling eyebrows。
From the outset John Dumont took especial delight in teasing herJohn Dumont； the roughest boy in the school。 He was seven years older than she； but was only in the Fourth Readera laggard in his studies because his mind was incurious about books and the like； was absorbed in games； in playing soldier and robber； in swimming and sledding； in orchard…looting and fighting。 He was impudent and domineering； a bully but not a coward； good…natured when deferred to； the feared leader of a boisterous； imitative clique。 Until Pauline came he had rarely noticed a girlnever except to play her some prank more or less cruel。
After the adventure of the raft he watched Pauline afar off； revolving plans for approaching her without impairing his barbaric dignity； for subduing her without subduing himself to her。 But he knew only one way of making friends； the only kind of friends he had or could conceiveloyal subjects； ruled through their weaknesses and fears。 And as that way was to give the desired addition to his court a sound thrashing； he felt it must be modified somewhat to help him in his present conquest。 He tied her hair to the back of her desk； he snowballed her and his sister Gladys home from school。 He raided her playhouse and broke her dishes andshe giving desperate battlefled with only the parents of her doll family。 With Gladys shrieking for their mother； he shook her out of a tree in their yard； and it sprained her ankle so severely that she had to stay away from school for a month。 The net result of a year's arduous efforts was that she had singled him out for detestationthis when her conquest of him was complete because she had never told on him； had never in her worst encounters with him shown the white feather。
But he had acted more wisely than he knew； for she had at least singled him out from the crowd of boys。 And there was a certain frank good…nature about him； a fearlessnessand she could not help admiring his strength and leadership。 Presently she discovered his secretthat his persecutions were not through hatred of her but through anger at her resistance； anger at his own weakness in being fascinated by her。 This discovery came while she was shut in the house with her sprained ankle。 As she sat at her corner bay…window she saw him hovering in the neighborhood； now in the alley at the side of the house； now hurrying past； whistling loudly as if bent upon some gay and remote errand； now skulking along as if he had stolen something； again seated on the curbstone at the farthest crossing from which he could see her window out of the corner of his eye。 She understoodand forthwith forgave the past。 She was immensely flattered that this big； audacious creature； so arrogant with the boys； so contemptuous toward the girls； should be her captive。
When she was in her first year at the High School and he in his last he walked home with her every day； and they regarded themselves as engaged。 Her once golden hair had darkened now to a beautiful brown with red flashing from its waves； and her skin was a clear olive pallid but healthy。 And she had shot up into a tall； slender young woman； her mother yielded to her pleadings； let her put her hair into a long knot at the back of her neck and wear skirts ALMOST to the ground。
When he came from Ann Arbor for his first Christmas holidays each found the other grown into a new person。 She thought him a marvel of wisdom and worldly experience。 He thought her a marvel of ideal womanhoodgay； lively； not a bit 〃narrow〃 in judging him； yet narrow to primness in her ideas of what she herself could do； and withal charming physically。 He would not have cared to explain how he came by the capacity for such sophisticated judgment of a young woman。 They were to be married as soon as he had his degree； and he was immediately to be admitted to partnership in his father's woolen millsthe largest in the state of Indiana。
He had been home three weeks of the long vacation between his sophomore and junior years。 There appeared on the town's big and busy stream of gossip； stories of his life at Ann Arborof drinking and gambling and wild 〃tears〃 in Detroit。 And it was noted that the fast young men of Saint Xso every one called Saint Christopherwere going a more rapid gait。 Those turbulent fretters against the dam of dullness and stern repression of even normal and harmless gaiety had long caused scandal。 But never before had they been so daring； so defiant。
One night after leaving Pauline he went to play poker in Charley Braddock's rooms。 Braddock； only son of the richest banker in Saint X； had furnished the loft of his father's stable as bachelor quarters and entertained his friends there without fear that the noise would break the sleep and rouse the suspicions of his father。 That night； besides Braddock and Dumont； there were Jim Cauldwell and his brother Will。 As they played they drank； and Dumont； winning steadily； became offensive in his raillery。 There was a quarrel； a fight； Will Cauldwell； accidently toppled down a steep stairway by Dumont； was picked up with a broken arm and leg。
By noon the next day the town was boiling with this outbreak of deviltry in the leading young men； the sons and