Here again was insidious flattery, the insinuation that Bobby must be thoroughly aware of the business methods of the times.
Of course, the idea is new to me, said Bobby, assuming as best he could the air of business reserve which seemed appropriate to the occasion; but I should say, in a general way, that I should not care to give up the identity of the John Burnit Store.
That is a fine and a proper spirit, agreed Mr. Trimmer, with great enthusiasm. I like to see it in a young man, but Ive no doubt that we can arrange that little matter. Of course, we would have to incorporate, say, as the Burnit-Trimmer Mercantile Corporation, but while having that name on the front of both buildings, it might not be a bad idea, for business as well as sentimental reasons, to keep the old signs at the tops of both, just as they now are. Those are little details to discuss later; but as the stock of the new company, based upon the present invoice values of our respective concerns, would be practically all in your hands and mine, this would be a very amicable and easily arranged matter. I tell you, Mr. Burnit, this is a tremendous plan, attractive to the public and immensely profitable to us, and I do not know of anything you could do that would so well as this show you to be a worthy successor to John Burnit; for, of course, it would scarcely be a credit to you to carry on your fathers business without change or advance.
It was the best and the most crafty argument Mr. Trimmer had used, and Bobby carried away from the Traders Club a glowing impression of this point. His father had built up this big business by his own unaided efforts. Should Bobby leave that legacy just where he had found it, or should he carry it on to still greater heights? The answer was obvious.
CHAPTER IV AGNES EMPHATICALLY DECIDES THAT SHE DOES NOT LIKE A CERTAIN PERSON
She did not return until the end of that act, and found Bobby ready to go, pleading early morning business.
Is it important? she
asked.
Whos the chap with the silky mustache? he suddenly demanded, unable to forbear any longer. Hes a new one.
The eyes of Agnes gleamed mischievously.
Bobby, Im astonished at your manners, she chided him. Now tell me what youve been doing with yourself.
Trying to grow up into John Burnits truly son, he told her with some trace of pompous pride, being ready in advance to accept his rebuke meekly, as he always had to do, and being quite ready to cover up his grievous error with a change of topic. I had no idea that business could so grip a fellow. But what Id like to find out just now is who is my trustee? It must have been somebody with horse sense, or the governor would not have appointed whoever it was. Im not going to ask anything Im forbidden to know, but I want some advice. Now, how shall I learn who it is?
Well, replied Agnes thoughtfully, about the only plan I can suggest is that you ask your fathers legal and business advisers.
He positively beamed down at her.
Youre the dandy girl, all right, he said admiringly. Now, if you would only
Bobby, she interrupted him, do you know that we are standing up here in a box, with something like a thousand people, possibly, turned in our direction?
He suddenly realized that they were alone, the others having filed out into the promenade, and, placing a chair for her in the extreme rear corner of the box, where he could fence her off, sat down beside her. He began to describe to her the plan of Silas Trimmer, and as he went on his enthusiasm mounted. The thing had caught his fancy. If he could only increase the profits of the John Burnit Store in the very first year, it would be a big feather in his cap. It would be precisely what his father would have desired! Agnes listened attentively all through the fourth act to his glowing conception of what the reorganized John Burnit Company would be like. He was perfectly contented now. His headache was gone; such occasional glimpses as he caught of the play were delightful; Mr. Trimmer was a genius; the Traders Club a fascinating introduction to a new life; Starlett and Allstyne a joyous relief to him after the sordid cares of business. In a word, Agnes was with him.
Do you think your father would accept this proposition? she asked him after he was all through.
I think he would at my age, decided Bobby promptly.
That is, if he had been brought up as you have, she laughed. I think I should study a long time over it, Bobby, before I made any such important and sweeping change as this must necessarily be.
Oh, yes, he agreed with an assumption of deep conservatism; of course Ill think it over well, and Ill take good, sound advice on it.
I have never seen Mr. Trimmer, mused Agnes. I seldom go into his store, for there always seems to me something shoddy about the whole place; but to-morrow I think I shall make it a point to secure a glimpse of him.
Bobby was delighted. Agnes had always been interested in whatever interested him, but never so absorbedly so as now, it seemed. He almost forgot the stranger in his pleasure. He forgot him still more when, dismissing his chauffeur, he seated Agnes in the front of the car beside him, with Starlett and Allstyne and Aunt Constance in the tonneau, and went whirling through the streets and up the avenue. It was but a brief trip, not over a half-hour, and they had scarcely a chance to exchange a word; but just to be up front there alone with her meant a whole lot to Bobby.