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out。 They walked more and more swiftly until toward the last they were
almost running。 At the corner of Fifteenth Street and First Avenue Hilda
stopped。 ‘‘I'll go through to Stuyvesant Square；'' she said； ‘‘and wait
there on a bench near the Sixteenth Street entrance。 You'll be quick；
won't you？''
Sophie went to Mr。 Feuerstein's number and rang。 After a long wait a
slovenly girl in a stained red wrapper； her hair in curl…papers and one
stocking down about her high…heeled slipper； opened the door and said：
‘‘What do you want？ I sent the maid for a pitcher of beer。''
‘‘I want to ask about Mr。 Feuerstein；'' replied Sophie。
The girl's pert； prematurely…wrinkled face took on a quizzical smile。
‘‘Oh！'' she said。 ‘‘You can go up to his room。 Third floor； back。
Knock hardhe's a heavy sleeper。''
Sophie climbed the stairs and knocked loudly。 ‘‘Come！'' was the
answer in German； in Mr。 Feuerstein's deep stage…voice。
She opened the door a few inches and said through the crack： ‘‘It's
me； Mr。 FeuersteinSophie Liebersfrom down in Avenue AHilda's
friend。''
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‘‘Come in；'' was Mr。 Feuerstein's reply； in a weary voice； after a pause。
From Ganser's he had come straight home and had been sitting there ever
since； depressed； angry； perplexed。
Sophie pushed the door wide and stood upon the threshold。 ‘‘Hilda's
over in Stuyvesant Square；'' she said。 ‘‘She thought you might be sick；
so we came。 But if you go to her； you must pretend you came by
accident and didn't see me。''
Mr。 Feuerstein reflected； but not so deeply that he neglected to pose
before Sophie as a tragedy…king。 And it called for little pretense； so
desperate and forlorn was he feeling。 Should he go or should he send
Sophie about her business？ There was no hope that the rich brewer
would take him in； there was every reason to suspect that Peter would
arrange to have the marriage quietly annulled。 At most he could get a
few thousands； perhaps only hundreds； by threatening a scandal。 Yes； it
would be wise； on the whole； to keep little Hilda on the string。
‘‘I am very ill；'' he said gloomily； ‘‘but I will go。''
Sophie felt hopeful and energetic again。 ‘‘I won't come up to her till
you leave her。''
‘‘You are a good girla noble creature。'' Mr。 Feuerstein took her
hand and pretended to be profoundly moved by her friendship。
Sophie gave him a look of simplicity and warm…heartedness。 Her
talent for acting had not been spoiled by a stage experience。 ‘‘Hilda's my
friend；'' she said earnestly。 ‘‘And I want to see her happy。''
‘‘Noble creature ！'' exclaimed Mr。 Feuerstein。 ‘‘May God reward
you！'' And he dashed his hand across his eyes。
He went to the mirror on his bureau； carefully arranged the yellow
aureole； carefully adjusted the soft light hat。 Then with feeble step he
descended the stairs。 As he moved down the street his face was mournful
and his shoulders were droopeda stage invalid。 When Hilda saw him
coming she started up and gave a little cry of delight； but as she noted his
woebegone appearance； a very real paleness came to her cheeks and very
real tears to her great dark eyes。
Mr。 Feuerstein sank slowly into the seat beside her。 ‘‘Soul's wife；'' he
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
murmured。 ‘‘Ahbut I have been near to death。 The strain of the
interview with your father the anguishthe hopeoh； what a curse it is to
have a sensitive soul！ And my old trouble''he laid his hand upon his
heart and slowly shook his head‘‘returned。 It will end me some day。''
Hilda was trembling with sympathy。 She put her hand upon his。
‘‘If you had only sent word； dear；'' she said reproachfully； ‘‘I would have
come。 OhI do love you so； Carl！ I could hardly eat or sleepand''
‘‘The truth would have been worse than silence；'' he said in a hollow
voice。 He did not intend the double meaning of his remark； the Gansers
were for the moment out of his mind； which was absorbed in his acting。
‘‘But it is over for the present yes； over； my priceless pearl。 I can come
to see you soon。 If I am worse I shall send you word。''
‘‘But can't I come to see you？''
‘‘No； bride of my dreams。 It would not besuitable。 We must
respect the little conventions。 You must wait until I come。''
His tone was decided。 She felt that he knew best。 In a few minutes
he rose。 ‘‘I must return to my room；'' he said wearily。 ‘‘Ah； heart's
delight； it is terrible for a strong man to find himself thus weak。 Pity me。
Pray for me。''
He noted with satisfaction her look of love and anxiety。 It was some
slight salve to his cruelly wounded vanity。 He walked feebly away； but it
was pure acting； as he no longer felt so downcast。 He had soon put Hilda
into the background and was busy with his plans for revenge upon Ganser…
…‘‘a vulgar animal who insulted me when I honored him by marrying his
ugly gosling。'' Before he fell asleep that night he had himself wrought up
to a state of righteous indignation。 Ganser had cheated； had outraged
himhim； the great； the noble； the eminent。
Early the next morning he went down to a dingy frame building that
cowered meanly in the shadow of the Criminal Court House。 He
mounted a creaking flight of stairs and went in at a low door on which
‘‘Loeb； Lynn； Levy and McCafferty'' was painted in black letters。 In the
narrow entrance he brushed against a man on the way out； a man with a
hangdog look and short bristling hair and the pastily…pallid skin that comes
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
from living long away from the sunlight。 Feuerstein shivered slightly
was it at the touch of such a creature or at the suggestions his appearance
started？ In front of him was a ground…glass partition with five doors in it。
At a dirty greasy pine table sat a boyone of those child veterans the big
city develops。 He had a long and extremely narrow head。 His eyes
were close together； sharp and shifty。 His expression was sophisticated
and cynical。 ‘‘Well； sir！'' he said with curt impudence； giving Feuerstein
a gimlet…glance。
‘‘I want to see Mr。 Loeb。'' Feuerstein produced a cardit was one of
his last remaining half…dozen and was pocket…worn。
The office boy took it with unveiled sarcasm in his eyes and in the
corners of his mouth。 He disappeared through one of the five doors；
almost immediately reappeared at another； closed it mysteriously behind
him and went to a third door。 He threw it open and stood aside。 ‘‘At
the end of the hall；'' he said。 ‘‘The door with Mr。 Loeb's name on it。
Knock and walk right in。''
Feuerstein followed the directions and found himself in a dingy little
room； smelling of mustiness and stale tobacco； and lined with law books；
almost all on crime and divorce。 Loeb； Lynn； Levy and McCafferty were
lawyers to the lower grades of the criminal and shady only。 They
defended thieves and murderers； they prosecuted or defended scandalous
divorce cases； they packed juries and suborned perjury and they tutored
false witnesses in the way to withstand cross…examination。 In private life
they were four home…loving； law…abiding citizens。
Loeb looked up from his writing and said with contemptuous
cordiality： ‘‘Oh Mr。 Feuerstein。 Glad to see youAGAIN。 What's
the troubleNOW？''
At ‘