“But I must hurry and tell you about General Mainwarren,” continued the Colonel. “As I said before, he distinguished himself during this war with Russia; became the pride of the people and the idol of his soldiers. After the war, he fell into disfavor, owing to views which were regarded as—as—disloyal. He was opposed to the general economic conditions—to the Trusts and the power wielded by them. This was strange, inasmuch as his elder brother was the head of the great Ores and Minerals Trust, of which the Coal Trust was one of the subsidiary organizations. I never knew the precise rights of the matter, but the General fell into disfavor and was retired from active service on half pay. He was not honored with a title as had been officers of far less distinguished service, but was studiously ignored in this respect by the Sovereign. For a brief period he lived in comparative poverty and obscurity. His brother’s only son was fatally injured one day in an accident. The news was carried to the young man’s father. He was an old man and its suddenness overwhelmed him. He dropped where he stood and never recovered consciousness. Everything he possessed had been left to his only son and this son survived the father by only a few hours, dying intestate. His uncle, the General, was the only relative and he inherited everything as the heir-at-law of the son. Thus, in one day, he saw himself lifted into the position of one of the richest men in the country.”
“What a strange turn of fortune!” exclaimed the Professor.
“Yes,” answered the Colonel; “but that is not all there is to tell. After he came into these immense properties, a change seemed to pass over him. Where before he had figured as the friend of the masses, he now appeared as the direct reverse. In fact, various industrial measures adopted by him were of so grasping, uncompromising and offensive a character as to draw forth widespread condemnation. Even the government protested. It regarded his line of action as calculated to foment public discontent and was, therefore, a menace. And so it came about that where his championship of popular rights had before drawn upon him the displeasure of the Throne, he was now in disfavor at Court for his radical course in precisely the opposite direction. Curious, is it not?”
“That’s the way of mankind,” commented Kearns. “It was the same in our day. One kind of a man in adversity and a totally different kind of a man in prosperity. How often one sees that!”
“I don’t care what they say of Cousin Mainwarren,” interposed Beatrice warmly. “I believe he has a kind heart. But to come back to our subject,” she added, addressing Kearns, “is it true that the ladies at that time——”
Her question was interrupted by the entrance of a servant, who announced the arrival of General Mainwarren. The Colonel hurried out to receive him.
A few moments later he returned, accompanied by a man of most striking personality. He was tall beyond the usual height, broad shouldered and massive, with a large, strong face, every line and contour of which was indicative of resolution and power.
The new-comer greeted Beatrice with cheery courtesy and the Colonel presented General Mainwarren to his guests.
“I need not disguise from you, gentlemen,” said the General, “that I know of the experiences through which you’ve passed. The wildest rumors on the subject are current in Pemberton and the newspapers are full of them. However, I trust you won’t allow this to distress you. May I ask how you like the new condition of things?” The General turned a keen and searching glance upon them as he put the question.
“Well,” laughed the Professor, “it used to be the custom with the reporters of our day, when foreigners landed upon our shores, to inquire how they liked the country. As the visitor’s actual experience consisted of a five minutes’ sojourn on the dock, the question was naturally difficult to answer. It seems to me we are much in the same position.”