would also have an opportunity to study him for themselves
and see what they really did think without committing
themselves in any way.
But in the meantime in connection with Dillard, Rita and
Zella there had been a development which, because of the
problem it had posed, was to be affected by this very
decision on the part of the Griffiths. For following the
evening at the Shuman home, and because, in spite of
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Clyde’s hesitation at the time, all three including Rita
herself, were still convinced that he must or would be
smitten with her charms, there had been various hints, as
well as finally a direct invitation or proposition on the part of
Dillard to the effect that because of the camaraderie which
had been established between himself and Clyde and these
two girls, they make a week-end trip somewhere—
preferably to Utica or Albany. The girls would go, of course.
He could fix that through Zella with Rita for Clyde if he had
any doubts or fears as to whether it could be negotiated or
not. “You know she likes you. Zell was telling me the other
day that she said she thought you were the candy. Some
ladies’ man, eh?” And he nudged Clyde genially and
intimately,—a proceeding in this newer and grander world
in which he now found himself,—and considering who he
was here, was not as appealing to Clyde as it otherwise
might have been. These fellows who were so pushing
where they thought a fellow amounted to something more
than they did! He could tell.
At the same time, the proposition he was now offering—as
thrilling and intriguing as it might be from one point of view—
was likely to cause him endless trouble—was it not? In the
first place he had no money—only fifteen dollars a week
here so far—and if he was going to be expected to indulge
in such expensive outings as these, why, of course, he
could not manage. Carfare, meals, a hotel bill, maybe an
automobile ride or two. And after that he would be in close
contact with this Rita whom he scarcely knew. And might
she not take it on herself to become intimate here in
Lycurgus, maybe—expect him to call on her regularly—and
go places—and then—well, gee—supposing the Griffiths—
his cousin Gilbert, heard of or saw this. Hadn’t Zella said
that she saw him often on the street here and there in
Lycurgus? And wouldn’t they be likely to encounter him
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somewhere—sometime—when they were all together? And
wouldn’t that fix him as being intimate with just another
store clerk like Dillard who didn’t amount to so much after
all? It might even mean the end of his career here! Who
could tell what it might lead to?
He coughed and made various excuses. Just now he had a
lot of work to do. Besides—a venture like that—he would
have to see first. His relatives, you know. Besides next
Sunday and the Sunday after, some extra work in
connection with the factory was going to hold him in
Lycurgus. After that time he would see. Actually, in his
wavering way—and various disturbing thoughts as to Rita’s
charm returning to him at moments, he was wondering if it
was not desirable—his other decision to the contrary
notwithstanding, to skimp himself as much as possible over
two or three weeks and so go anyhow. He had been saving
something toward a new dress suit and collapsible silk hat.
Might he not use some of that—even though he knew the
plan to be all wrong?
The fair, plump, sensuous Rita!
But then, not at that very moment—but in the interim
following, the invitation from the Griffiths. Returning from his
work one evening very tired and still cogitating this gay
adventure proposed by Dillard, he found lying on the table
in his room a note written on very heavy and handsome
paper which had been delivered by one of the servants of
the Griffiths in his absence. It was all the more arresting to
him because on the flap of the envelope was embossed in
high relief the initials “E. G.” He at once tore it open and
eagerly read:
“MY DEAR NEPHEW:
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314
“Since your arrival my husband has been away most
of the time, and although we have wished to have you
with us before, we have thought it best to await his
leisure. He is freer now and we will be very glad if you
can find it convenient to come to supper with us at six
o’clock next Sunday. We dine very informally—just
ourselves—so in case you can or cannot come, you
need not bother to write or telephone. And you need
not dress for this occasion either. But come if you can.
We will be happy to see you.
“Sincerely, your aunt,
“ELIZABETH GRIFFRRHS.”
On reading this Clyde, who, during all this silence and the
prosecution of a task in the shrinking room which was so
eminently distasteful to him, was being more and more
weighed upon by the thought that possibly, after all, this
quest of his was going to prove a vain one and that he was
going to be excluded from any real contact with his great
relatives, was most romantically and hence impractically
heartened. For only see—here was this grandiose letter
with its “very happy to see you,” which seemed to indicate
that perhaps, after all, they did not think so badly of him. Mr.
Samuel Griffiths had been away all the time. That was it.
Now he would get to see his aunt and cousins and the
inside of that great house. It must be very wonderful. They
might even take him up after this—who could tell? But how
remarkable that he should be taken up now, just when he
had about decided that they would not.
And forthwith his interest in, as well as his weakness for,
Rita, if not Zella and Dillard began to evaporate. What! Mix
with people so far below him—a Griffiths—in the social
scale here and at the cost of endangering his connection
with that important family. Never! It was a great mistake.
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Didn’t this letter coming just at this time prove it? And
fortunately—(how fortunately!)—he had had the good sense
not to let himself in for anything as yet. And so now, without
much trouble, and because, most likely from now on it
would prove necessary for him so to do he could gradually
eliminate himself from this contact with Dillard—move away
from Mrs. Cuppy’s—if necessary, or say that his uncle had
cautioned him—anything, but not go with this crowd any
more, just the same. It wouldn’t do. It would endanger his
prospects in connection with this new development. And
instead of troubling over Rita and Utica now, he began to
formulate for himself once more the essential nature of the
private life of the Griffiths, the fascinating places they must
go, the interesting people with whom they must be in
contact. And at once he began to think of the need of a
dress suit, or at least a tuxedo and trousers. Accordingly the
next morning, he gained permission from Mr. Kemerer to
leave at eleven and not return before one, and in that time
he managed to find coat, trousers and a pair of patent
leather shoes, as well as a white silk muffler for the money
he had already saved. And so arrayed he felt himself safe.
He must make a good impression.
And for the entire time between then and Sunday evening,
instead of thinking of Rita or Dillard or Zella any more, he
was thinking of this opportunity. Plainly it was an event to
be admitted to the presence of such magnificence.
The only drawback to all this, as he well sensed now, was
this same Gilbert Griffiths, who surveyed him always
whenever he met him anywhere with such hard, cold eyes.
He might be there, and then he would probably assume
that superior attitude, to make him feel his inferior position,
if he could—and Clyde had the weakness at times of
admitting to himself that he could. And no doubt, if he
(Clyde) sought to carry himself with too much of an air in
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316
the presence of this family, Gilbert most likely would seek to
take it out of him in some way later in connection with the
work in the factory. He might see to it, for instance, that his
father heard only unfavorable things about him. And, of
course, if he were retained in this wretched shrinking room,
and given no show of any kind, how could he expect to get
anywhere or be anybody? It was just his luck that on
arriving here he should find this same Gilbert looking
almost like him and being so opposed to him for obviously
no reason at all.
However, despite all his doubts, he decided to make the