"Ah," said I; "that Louisianian cousin of mine, who may or may not live
the year out," recalling the old lawyer's words. "He seems to hang on
pretty well. I hope he'll be interesting; few rich men are. He writes
like a polite creditor. What did the old fellow say was the matter
with him? heart trouble, or consumption? I can't remember." I threw
the note aside and touched up some of my dispatches.
Precisely at ten o'clock the door opened and a man came in. He was
fashionably dressed, a mixture of Piccadilly and Broadway in taste. He
was tall, slender, but well-formed; and his blonde mustache shone out
distinctly against a background of tanned skin. He had fine blue eyes.
"Have I the pleasure of speaking to John Winthrop of New York?" he
began, taking off his hat.
I rose. "I am the man."
He presented his card, and on it I read, "Philip Pembroke."
"Philip Pembroke!" I exclaimed.
"Evidently you are surprised?" showing a set of strong white teeth.
"Truthfully, I am," I said, taking his hand. "You see," I added,
apologetically, "your family lawyer--that is--he gave me
the--er--impression that you were a sickly fellow--one foot in the
grave, or something like. I was not expecting a man of your build."
The smile broadened into a deep laugh, and a merry one, I thought,
enviously. It was so long since I had laughed.
"That was a hobby of the old fellow," he replied. "When I was a boy I
had the palpitation of the heart. He never got rid of the idea that I
might die at any moment. He was always warning me about violent
exercises, the good old soul. Peace to his ashes!"
"He is dead?"
"Yes. When I took to traveling he all but had nervous prostration. I
suppose he told you about that will I made in your favor. It was done
to please him. Still," he added soberly, "it stands. I travel a deal,
and no one knows what may happen. And so you are the John Winthrop my
dad treated so shabbily? Oh, don't protest, he did. I should have
hunted you up long ago, and given you a solid bank account, only I knew
that the son of my aunt must necessarily be a gentleman, and,
therefore, would not look favorably upon such a proceeding."
"Thank you," said I. The fellow pleased me.