Bob had worked himself into a state of frenzy.  I had never seen him so excited as when he stood in front of me and almost shouted this fierce self-denunciation.

“For heaven’s sake, Bob, pull yourself together,” I urged.  “The captain on the bridge there is staring at you wild-eyed, and Katherine will be up here to see what has happened.  Now, be a good fellow, and let us talk this thing over in a sensible way.  At the gait you are going we can do nothing to help out your friends.  Besides, what is there for you and me to take ourselves to task for?  We are no wreckers and none of our dollars is stained with Frenzied Finance.  My father, as you know, despised Reinhart and his sort as much as we do.  Be yourself.  What does this girl want you to do?  If it is anything in reason, call it done, for you know there is nothing I won’t do for you at the asking.”

Bob’s hysteria oozed.  He dropped on the rail-seat at my side.

“I know it, Jim, I know it, and you must forgive me.  The fact, is, Beulah Sands’s story has aroused a lot of thoughts I have been a-sticking down cellar late years, for, to tell the truth, I have some nasty twinges of conscience every now and then when I get to thinking of this dollar game of ours.”

I saw that the impulsive blood was fast cooling, and that it would only be a question of minutes until Bob would be his clearheaded self.

“Now, what is it she wants you to do?” I persisted.  “Is it a case of money, of our trying to tide her father over?”

“Nothing of that kind, Jim.  You don’t know the proud Virginia blood.  Neither that girl nor her father would accept money help from any one.  They would go to smash and the grave first.”

He paused and then continued impressively: 

“This is how she puts it.  She and her father have raked together her different legacies and turned them into cash, a matter of sixty thousand dollars, and she got him to consent to let her come up here to see if during the next six months she might not, in a few desperate plunges in the market, run it up to enough to at least regain the trust funds.  Yes, I know it is a wild idea.  I told her so at the beginning, but there was no need; she knew it, for she is not only bright, but she has the best idea of business I ever knew a woman to have.  But it is their only chance, Jim, and while I listened to her argument I came around to her way of thinking.”

“But how did she happen to come to you with this extraordinary scheme?” I interrupted.

“It’s this way—­her father, who knew Randolph & Randolph through your father’s handling of the Seaboard’s affairs, learned of my connection with the house, and gave her a letter, asking me to do what I could to help his daughter carry out her plans.  She wants to get a position with us, if possible, in some sort of capacity, secretary, confidential clerk, or, as she puts it, any sort of place that will justify her being in the office.