第5章
"You don't have to tell ME about Henry," he protested. "I've known Henry twenty-five years. If Henry got his deserts," he exclaimed hotly, "he wouldn't be a consul on this coral reef; he'd be a minister in Europe. Look at me! We're the same age. We started together. When Lincoln sent him to Morocco as consul, he signed my commission as a midshipman. Now I'm an admiral. Henry has twice my brains and he's been a consul- general, and he's HERE, back at the foot of the ladder!""Why?" demanded the girl.
"Because the navy is a service and the consular service isn't a service. Men like Senator Hanley use it to pay their debts. While Henry's been serving his country abroad, he's lost his friends, lost his 'pull.' Those politicians up at Washington have no use for him. They don't consider that a consul like Henry can make a million dollars for his countrymen. He can keep them from shipping goods where there's no market, show them where there is a market."The admiral snorted contemptuously. "You don't have to tell ME the value of a good consul. But those politicians don't consider that.
They only see that he has a job worth a few hundred dollars, and they want it, and if he hasn't other politicians to protect him, they'll take it." The girl raised her head.
"Why don't you speak to the senator?" she asked. "Tell him you've known him for years, that----""Glad to do it!" exclaimed the admiral heartily. " It won't be the first time. But Henry mustn't know. He's too confoundedly touchy.
He hates the IDEA of influence, hates men like Hanley, who abuse it. If he thought anything was given to him except on his merits, he wouldn't take it.""Then we won't tell him, " said the girl. For a moment she hesitated.
"If I spoke to Mr. Hanley," she asked, "told him what I learned to-night of Mr. Marshall, "would it have any effect?""Don't know how it will affect Hanley, said the sailor, "but if you asked me to make anybody a consul-general, I'd make him an ambassador."Later in the evening Hanley and Livingstone were seated alone on deck. The visit to Las Bocas had not proved amusing, but, much to Livingstone's relief, his honored guest was now in good-humor. He took his cigar from his lips, only to sip at a long cool drink. He was in a mood flatteringly confidential and communicative.
"People have the strangest idea of what I can do for them," he laughed. It was his pose to pretend he was without authority. "They believe I've only to wave a wand, and get them anything they want.
I thought I'd be safe from them on board a yacht."Livingstone, in ignorance of what was coming, squirmed apprehensively.
"But it seems," the senator went on, " I'm at the mercy of a conspiracy. The women folk want me to do something for this fellow Marshall. If they had their way, they'd send him to the Court of St. James. And old Hardy, too, tackled me about him. So did Miss Cairns.
And then Marshall himself got me behind the wheel-house, and Ithought he was going to tell me how good he was, too I But he didn't."As though the joke were on himself, the senator laughed appreciatively.
"Told me, instead, that Hardy ought to be a vice-admiral."Livingstone, also, laughed, with the satisfied air of one who cannot be tricked.
"They fixed it up between them," he explained, " each was to put in a good word for the other." He nodded eagerly. "That's what Ithink."
There were moments during the cruise when Senator Hanley would have found relief in dropping his host overboard. With mock deference, the older man inclined his head.
"That's what you think, is it?" he asked. "Livingstone," he added, "you certainly are a great judge of men!"The next morning, old man Marshall woke with a lightness at his heart that had been long absent. For a moment, conscious only that he was happy, he lay between sleep and waking, frowning up at his canopy of mosquito net, trying to realize what change had come to him. Then he remembered. His old friend had returned. New friends had come into his life and welcomed him kindly. He was no longer lonely. As eager as a boy, he ran to the window. He had not been dreaming. In the harbor lay the pretty yacht, the stately, white-hulled war- ship. The flag that drooped from the stern of each caused his throat to tighten, brought warm tears to his eyes, fresh resolve to his discouraged, troubled spirit. When he knelt beside his bed, his heart poured out his thanks in gratitude and gladness.
While he was dressing, a blue-jacket brought a note from the admiral. It invited him to tea on board the war-ship, with the guests of the SERAPIS. His old friend added that he was coming to lunch with his consul, and wanted time reserved for a long talk.
The consul agreed gladly. He was in holiday humor. The day promised to repeat the good moments of the night previous.
At nine o'clock, through the open door of the consulate, Marshall saw Aiken, the wireless operator, signaling from the wharf excitedly to the yacht, and a boat leave the ship and return.
Almost immediately the launch, carrying several passengers, again made the trip shoreward.
Half an hour later, Senator Hanley, Miss Cairns, and Livingstone came up the waterfront, and entering the consulate, seated themselves around Marshall's desk. Livingstone was sunk in melancholy. The senator, on. the contrary, was smiling broadly. His manner was one of distinct relief. He greeted the consul with hearty good-humor.
"I'm ordered home!" he announced gleefully. Then, remembering the presence of Livingstone, he hastened to add: "I needn't say how sorry I am to give up my yachting trip, but orders are orders. The President," he explained to Marshall, " cables me this morning to come back and take my coat off." The prospect, as a change from playing bridge on a pleasure boat, seemed far from depressing him.