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f together to renew the combat； either he would die outright or he would abandon himself to the appetite which had just shown itself dangerously near to being the strongest of the several passions ruling him。
When Culver passed to the Herron coterie and the Fanning…Smiths and Great Lakes and Gulf； Dumont was still motionlesshe was now estimating the strength and the weaknesses of the enemy； and miscalculation would be fatal。 At the end of three…quarters of an hour Culver stopped the steady； swift flow of his report〃That's all the important facts。 There's a lot more but it would be largely repetition。〃
Dumont looked at him with an expression that made him proud。 〃Thanks； Culver。 At the next annual meeting we'll elect you to Giddings' place。 Please go back down…town and〃 He rapidly indicated half a dozen points which Culver had failed to see and investigatethe best subordinate has not the master's eye； if he had； he would not be a subordinate。
Dumont waved his hand in dismissal and settled himself to sleep。 When Culver began to stammer thanks for the promised promotion； he frowned。
〃Don't bother me with that sort of stuff。 The job's yours because you've earned it。 It'll be yours as long as you can hold it downor until you earn a better one。 And you'll be loyal as Giddings wasjust as long as it's to your interest and not a second longer。 Otherwise you'd be a fool； and I'd not have you about me。 Be off！〃
He slept an hour and a half； then Pauline brought him a cup of beef extract〃A very small cup；〃 he grumbled good…humoredly。 〃And a very weak； watery mess in it。〃
As he lay propped in his bed drinking itslowly to make it last the longerPauline sat looking at him。 His hands had been fat and puffy； she was filled with pity as she watched the almost scrawny hand holding the cup to his lips； there were hollows between the tendons； and the wrist was gaunt。 Her gaze wandered to his face and rested there； in sympathy and tenderness。 The ravages of the fever had been frightfulhollows where the swollen； sensual cheeks had been； the neck caved in behind and under the jaw…bones； loose skin hanging in wattles； deeply…set eyes； a pinched look about the nostrils and the corners of the mouth。 He was homely； ugly even； except the noble curve of head and profile； not a trace of his former good looksbut at least that swinish； fleshy； fleshly expression was gone。
A physical wreck； battered； torn； dismantled by the storm and fire of disease！ It was hard for her to keep back her tears。
Their eyes met and his instantly shifted。 The rest of the world saw the man of force bent upon the possessions which mean fame and honor regardless of how they are got。 He knew that he could deceive the world； that so long as he was rich and powerful it would refuse to let him undeceive it； though he might strive to show it what he was。 But he knew that SHE saw him as he really wasknew him as only a husband and a wife can know each the other。 And he respected her for the qualities which gave her a right to despise him； and which had forced her to exercise that right。 He felt himself the superior of the rest of his fellow…beings； but her inferior； did she not successfully defy him； could she not； without a word； by simply resting her calm gaze upon him； make him shift and slink？
He felt that he must change the subjectnot of their conversation； for they were not talking； but of theirherthoughts。 He did not know precisely what she was thinking of him； but he was certain that it was not anything favorable how could it be？ In fact； fight though she did against the thought； into her mind as she looked； pitying yet shrinking； came his likeness to a wolfstarved and sick and gaunt； by weakness tamed into surface restraint； but in vicious teeth； in savage lips； in jaw made to crush for love of crushing； a wicked wolf； impatient to resume the life of the beast of prey。
By a mischance unavoidable in a mind filled as was his he began to tell of his revengeof the exhibition of power he purposed to give； sudden and terrible。 He talked of his enemies as a cat might of a mouse it was teasing in the impassable circle of its paws。 She felt that they deserved the thunderbolt he said he was about to hurl into them； but she could not help feeling pity for them。 If what he said of his resources and power were true； how feeble； how helpless they werepygmies fatuously disporting themselves in the palm of a giant's hand； unconscious of where they were； of the cruel eyes laughing at them； of the iron muscles that would presently contract that hand andshe shuddered； his voice came to her in a confused murmur。
〃If he does not stop I shall loathe him AGAIN！〃 she said to herself。 Then to him： 〃Perhaps you'd like to see Langdonhe's in the drawing…room with Gladys。〃
〃I sent for him two hours ago。 Yes； tell him to come up at once。〃
As she took the cup he detained her hand。 She beat down the impulse to snatch it away； let it lie passive。 He pressed his lips upon it。
〃I haven't thanked you for coming back；〃 he said in a low voice； holding to her hand nervously。
〃But you know it wasn't because I'm not grateful； don't you？ I can hardly believe yet that it isn't a dream。 I'd have said there wasn't a human being on earth who'd have done itexcept your mother。 No； not even you； only your mother。〃
At this tribute to her mother； unexpected； sincere； tears dimmed Pauline's eyes and a sob choked up into her throat。
〃It was your mother in you that made you come；〃 he went on。 〃But you cameand I'll not forget it。 You said you had come to stayis that so； Pauline？〃
She bent her head in assent。
〃When I'm well and on top againbut there's nothing in words。 All I'll say is； you're giving me a chance； and I'll make the best of it。 I've learned my lesson。〃
He slowly released her hand。 She stood there a moment； without speaking； without any definite thought。 Then she left to send Langdon。
〃Yes；〃 Dumont reflected； 〃it was her duty。 It's a woman's duty to be forgiving and gentle and loving and purethey're made differently from men。 It was unnatural； her ever going away at all。 But she's a good woman； and she shall get what she deserves hereafter。 When I settle this bill for my foolishness I'll not start another。〃
Dutythat word summed up his whole conception of the right attitude of a good woman toward a man。 A woman who acted from love might change her mind； but duty was safe； was always there when a man came back from wanderings which were mere amiable； natural weaknesses in the male。 Love might adorn a honeymoon or an escapade； duty was the proper adornment of a home。
〃I've just been viewing the wreck with Culver；〃 he said； as Langdon entered； dressed in the extreme of the latest London fashion。
〃Much damage？〃
〃What didn't go in the storm was carried off by Giddings when he abandoned the ship。 But the hull's there andoh； I'll get her off and fix her up all right。〃
〃Always knew Giddings was a rascal。 He oozes piety and respectability。 That's the worst kind you have down…town。 When a man carries so much character in his faceit's like a woman who carries so much color in her cheeks that you know it couldn't have come from the inside。〃
〃You're wrong about Giddings。 He's honest enough。 Any other man would have done the same in his place。 He stayed until there was no hope of saving the ship。〃
〃All lost but his honorWall Street honor； eh？〃
〃Precisely。〃
After a pause Langdon said： 〃I'd no idea you held much of your own stock。 I thought you controlled through other people's proxies and made your profits by forcing the stock up or down and getting on the other side of the market。〃
〃But； you see； I believe in Woolens；〃 replied Dumont。 〃And I believe in it still； Langdon！〃 His eyes had in them the look of the fanatic。
〃That concern is breath and blood and life to me； and wife and children and parents and brothers and sisters。 I've put my whole self into it。 I conceived it。 I brought it into the world。 I nursed it and brought it up。 I made it big and strong and great。 It's mine； by heaven！ MINE！ And no man shall take it from me！〃
He was sitting up； his face flushed； his eyes blazing。 〃Gadhe does look a wild beast！〃 said Langdon to himself。 He would have said aloud； had Dumont been well： 〃I'm precious glad I ain't the creature those fangs are reaching for！〃 He was about to caution him against exciting himself when Dumont sank back with a cynical smile at his own outburst。
〃But to get down to business；〃 he went on。 〃I've eleven millions of the stock leftabout a hundred and twenty thousand shares。 Gladys has fifty thousand shareshow much have you got？〃
〃Less than ten thousand。 And I'd have had none at all if my mind hadn't been full of other things as I was sailing。 I forgot to tell my broker to sell。〃
Dumont was reflecting。 Presently he said： 〃Those curs not only took most of my stock and forced the sale of most of my other securities； they've put me in such a light that outside stockholders wouldn't send me their proxies now。 To get back control I must smash them； and I must also acquire pretty nearly half the shares； and hold them till I'm firm in the saddle again。〃
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