"But," he wound up, "I've stayed plain Ed Gideon.I never have let prosperity swell _my_ head.And anyone that knows me'll tell you I'm a regular fool for generosity with those that come at me right....I've always been a favorite with the ladies."As he was pausing for comment from her, she said, "I can believe it." The word "generosity" kept echoing in her mind.
Generosity--generosity.How much talk there was about it!
Everyone was forever praising himself for his generosity, was reciting acts of the most obvious selfishness in proof.Was there any such thing in the whole world as real generosity?
"They like a generous man," pursued Gid."I'm tight in business--I can see a dollar as far as the next man and chase it as hard and grab it as tight.But when it comes to the ladies, why, I'm open-handed.If they treat me right, I treat them right." Then, fearing that he had tactlessly raised a doubt of his invincibility, he hastily added, "But they always do treat me right."While he had been talking on and on, Susan had been appealing to the champagne to help her quiet her aching heart.She resolutely set her thoughts to wandering among the couples at the other tables in that subdued softening light--the beautifully dressed women listening to their male companions with close attention--were they too being bored by such trash by way of talk? Were they too simply listening because it is the man who pays, because it is the man who must be conciliated and put in a good humor with himself, if dinners and dresses and jewels are to be bought? That tenement attic--that hot moist workroom--poverty--privation--"honest work's" dread rewards----"Now, what kind of a man would you say I was?" Gideon was inquiring.
"How do you mean?" replied Susan, with the dexterity at vagueness that habitually self-veiling people acquire as an instinct.
"Why, as a man.How do I compare with the other men you've known?" And he "shot" his cuffs with a gesture of careless elegance that his cuff links might assist in the picture of the "swell dresser" he felt he was posing.
"Oh--you--you're--very different."
"I _am_ different," swelled Gideon."You see, it's this way----" And he was off again into another eulogy of himself;it carried them through the dinner and two quarts of champagne.
He was much annoyed that she did not take advantage of the pointed opportunity he gave her to note the total of the bill;he was even uncertain whether she had noted that he gave the waiter a dollar.He rustled and snapped it before laying it upon the tray, but her eyes looked vague.
"Well," said he, after a comfortable pull at an expensive-looking cigar, "sixteen seventy-five is quite a lively little peel-off for a dinner for only two.But it was worth it, don't you think?""It was a splendid dinner," said Susan truthfully.
Gideon beamed in intoxicated good humor."I knew you'd like it.Nothing pleases me better than to take a nice girl who isn't as well off as I am out and blow her off to a crackerjack dinner.Now, you may have thought a dollar was too much to tip the waiter?""A dollar is--a dollar, isn't it?" said Susan.
Gideon laughed."I used to think so.And most men wouldn't give that much to a waiter.But I feel sorry for poor devils who don't happen to be as lucky or as brainy as I am.What do you say to a turn in the Park? We'll take a hansom, and kind of jog along.And we'll stop at the Casino and at Gabe's for a drink.""I have to get up so early " began Susan.
"Oh, that's all right." He slowly winked at her."You'll not have to bump the bumps for being late tomorrow--if you treat _me_ right."He carried his liquor easily.Only in his eyes and in his ever more slippery smile that would slide about his face did he show that he had been drinking.He helped her into a hansom with a flourish and, overruling her protests, bade the driver go to the Casino.Once under way she was glad; her hot skin and her weary heart were grateful for the air blowing down the avenue from the Park's expanse of green.When Gideon attempted to put his arm around her, she moved close into the corner and went on talking so calmly about calm subjects that he did not insist.
But when he had tossed down a drink of whiskey at the Casino and they resumed the drive along the moonlit, shady roads, he tried again.
"Please," said she, "don't spoil a delightful evening.""Now look here, my dear--haven't I treated you right?""Indeed you have, Mr.Gideon."
"Oh, don't be so damned formal.Forget the difference between our positions.Tomorrow I'm going to place a big order with your house, if you treat me right.I'm dead stuck on you--and that's a God's fact.You've taken me clean off my feet.I'm thinking of doing a lot for you."Susan was silent.
"What do you say to throwing up your job and coming to Chicago with me? How much do you get?""Ten."
"Why, _you_ can't live on that."
"I've lived on less--much less."
"Do you like it?"
"Naturally not."
"You want to get on--don't you?"
"I must."
"You're down in the heart about something.Love?"Susan was silent.
"Cut love out.Cut it out, my dear.That ain't the way to get on.Love's a good consolation prize, if you ain't going to get anywhere, and know you ain't.And it's a good first prize after you've arrived and can afford the luxuries of life.But for a man--or a woman--that's pushing up, it's sheer ruination!
Cut it out!"
"I am cutting it out," said Susan."But that takes time.""Not if you've got sense.The way to cut anything out is--cut it out!--a quick slash--just cut.If you make a dozen little slashes, each of them hurts as much as the one big slash--and the dozen hurt twelve times as much--bleed twelve times as much--put off the cure a lot more than twelve times as long."He had Susan's attention for the first time.
"Do you know why women don't get on?"
