the fortunes of oliver horn-第37节
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e under similar circumstances； and what any other woman would have thanked him for。 Why was everybody here against himeven the girl herself！ What sort of people were these who would stand by and see a woman insulted and make no defence or outcry？ He could not have looked his father in the face again； nor Sue； nor anyone else in Kennedy Square； if he had failed to protect her。
For a moment he hesitated； his eyes searching each face。 He had hoped that someone who had witnessed the outrage would come forward and uphold his act。 When no voice broke the stillness he crossed the room and taking the lithographer's hand； extended rather sullenly； answered； quietly： 〃If Miss Grant is satisfied； I am；〃 and peace was once more restored。
Margaret sharpened her charcoals and bent over her drawing。 She was so agitated she could not trust herself to touch its surface。 〃If I am SATISFIED；〃 she kept repeating to herself。 The words； somehow； seemed to carry a reproach with them。 〃Why shouldn't I be satisfied。？ I have no more rights in the room than the other students about me； that is； I thought I hadn't until I heard what he said。 How foolish for him to cause all this fuss about nothing； and make me so conspicuous。〃
But even as she said the words to herself she remembered Oliver's tense figure and the look of indignation on his face。 She had never been accustomed to seeing men take up the cudgels for women。 There had been no opportunity； perhaps； nor cause； but even if there had been； she could think of no one whom she had ever met who would have done as much for her just because she was a woman。
A little sob； which she could not have explained to herself； welled up to her throat。 Much as she gloried in her own self…reliance； she suddenly and unexpectedly found herself exulting in a quality heretofore unknown to herthat quality which had compelled an almost total stranger to take her part。 Then the man himself！ How straight and strong and handsome he was as he stood looking at Judson； and then the uplifted arm； the quick spring； and； best of all； the calm； graceful way in which he had handed her the chair！ She could not get the picture out of her mind。 Last； she remembered with a keen sense of pleasure the chivalrous look in his face when he held out his hand to the man who a moment before had received its full weight about his throat。
She had not regained mastery of herself even when she leaned across her drawing…board； pretending to be absorbed in her work。 The curves of the Milo seemed in some strange way to have melted into the semblance of the outlines of other visions sunk deep in her soul since the days of her childhoodvisions which for years past had been covered over by the ice of a cold； hard puritanical training； that had prevented any bubbles of sentiment from ever rising to the surface of her heart。 As remembrances of these visions rushed through her mind the half…draped woman； with the face of the Madonna and the soul of the Universal Mother shining through every line of her beautiful body； no longer stood before her。 It was a knight in glittering armor now； with drawn sword and visor up； beneath which looked out the face of a beautiful youth aflame with the fire of a holy zeal。 She caught the flash of the sun on his breastplate of silver； and the sweep of his blade； and heard his clarion voice sing out。 And then again； as she closed her eyes； this calm； lifeless cast became a gallant； blue…eyed prince； who knelt beside her and kissed her finger…tips； his doffed plumes trailing at her feet。
When the band of students were leaving the rooms that night； Margaret called Oliver to her side； and extending her hand； said； with a direct simplicity that carried conviction in every tone of her voice and in which no trace of her former emotions were visible：
〃I hope you'll forgive me； Mr。 Horn。 I'm all alone here in this city and I have grown so accustomed to depending on myself that； perhaps； I failed to understand how you felt about it。 I am very grateful to you。 Good…night。〃
She had turned away before he could do more than express his regret over the occurrence。 He wanted to follow her； to render her some assistance； to comfort her in some way。 It hurt him to see her go out alone into the night。 He wished he might offer his arm； escort her home； make some atonement for the pain he had caused her。 But there was a certain proud poise of the head and swift glance of the eye which held him back。
While he stood undecided whether to break through her reserve and join her； he saw Mrs。 Mulligan come out of the basement； stop a passing stage； and； helping Margaret in； take the seat beside her。
〃I am glad she does not go out alone；〃 he said to himself and turned away。
CHAPTER XIII
BELOW MOOSE HILLOCK
It was not long before the bare rooms of the Academy Schoolowing to the political situation； which necessitated the exercise of economies in every directionbegan to suffer。
One night the students found the gas turned out and a small card tacked on the door of the outer hall。 It read
SCHOOL CLOSED FOR WANT OF
FUNDS。 WILL PERHAPS BE
OPENED IN THE AUTUMN。
Signs of like character were not unusual in the history of the school。 The wonder was； considering the vicissitudes through which the Academy had passed； that it was opened at all。 From the institution's earlier beginnings in the old house on Bond Street； to its flight from the loft close to Grace Church and then to the abandoned building opposite the old hotel near Washington Square； where Amos Cobb always stayed when he came to New York； and so on down to its own home on Broadway； its history had been one long struggle for recognition and support。
This announcement； bitter enough as it was to Oliver； was followed by another even more startling； when he reached the office next day； and Mr。 Slade called him into his private room。
〃Mr。 Horn；〃 said his employer； motioning Oliver to a seat and drawing his chair close beside him so that he could lay his hand upon the young man's knee； 〃I am very sorry to tell you that after the first of June we shall be obliged to lay you off。 It is not because we are dissatisfied with your services； for you have been a faithful clerk； and we all like you and wish you could stay； but the fact is if this repudiation goes on we will all be ruined。 I am not going to discharge you； I'm only going to give you a holiday for a few months。 Then； if the war…scare blows over we want you back again。 I appreciate that this has come as suddenly upon you as it has upon us； and I hope you will not feel offended when； in addition to your salary； I hand you the firm's check for an extra amount。 You must not look upon it as a gift； for you have earned every cent of it。〃
These two calamities were duly reported in a ten… page letter to his mother by our young hero； sitting alone； as he wrote； up in his sky…parlor； crooning over his dismal coke fire。 〃Was he； then； to begin over again the weary tramping of the streets？〃 he said to himself。 〃And the future！ What did that hold in store for him？ Would the time ever come when he could follow the bent of his tastes？ He was getting on so welleven Miss Grant had said soand it had not interfered with his work at the store； either。 The check in his pocket proved that。〃
His mother's answer made his heart bound with joy。
〃Take Mr。 Slade at his word。 He is your friend and means what he says。 Find a place for the summer where you can live cheaply and where the little money which you now have will pay your way。 In the fall you can return to your work。 Don't think of coming home； much as I should like to put my arms around you。 I cannot spare the money to bring you here now； as I have just paid the interest on the mortgage。 Moreover； the whole of Kennedy Square is upset and our house seems to be the centre of disturbance。 Your father's views on slavery are well known； and he is already being looked upon with disfavor by some of our neighbors。 At the club the other night he and Judge Bowman had some words which were very distressing to me。 Mr。 Cobb was present； and was the only one who took your father's part。 Your father； as you may imagine； is very anxious over the political situation； but I cannot think our people are going to fight and kill each other； as Colonel Clayton predicts they will before another year has passed。〃
Oliver's heart bounded like a loosened balloon as he laid down his mother's letter and began pacing the room。 Neither the political outlook； nor club discussions； nor even his mother's hopes and fears； concerned him。 It was the sudden loosening of all his bonds that thrilled him。 Four months to do as he pleased in； the dreadful mortgage out of the way for six months； his mother willing； and he with money enough in his pocket to pay his way without calling upon her for a penny！ Was there ever such luck！ All care rolled from his shoulderseven the desire to see his mother and Sue and those whom he loved at home was forgotten in the rosy prospect before him。
The next day he told Mr。 Slade of his plans； and read him part of his mother's letter。
〃Very sensible woman； your mother；〃 his employer answered； with his bluff heartiness。 〃Just the thing fo
