He met an individual whose antecedents no doubt did have the same number of fingers and toes as his own, but whose “thinking matter” in her brain seemed to operate differently from his own; and whose experience in life had been very different; one of whose position in the chain of physiological development he knew much intellectually, but whose innate appreciation of facts and ability to perform he had no adequate realizing sense whatever; her avenue to truth, through heredity, being quite different from his own.
They were fellow passengers upon one of the palatial steamers which then first appeared upon the North Atlantic, and it took her only the ten days’ voyage to capture the Professor, his charming manners, his intellectual efforts and his anthropological researches, all complete.
How did she do it? and what did she propose to do with him after she got him?
The answer might be given in a single sentence: she met him first with his own weapons, charming manners and an intellect as bright as his own; then caught him because he was objectively philosophic and for pure science, so called, while she was subjectively philosophic and for pure material results. She was quite as philosophic as he was,—also knew chalk from cheese when she saw it. The Professor preferred to analyze the composition before forming an opinion. While he was analyzing, she so mixed the ingredients in his mental laboratory that he could no longer differentiate or reason upon the subject of a marriage at all: and in truth it must be stated, his own youth was not much inclined that way either. His heart got the better of his head.
Thus was the youthful Professor actually forced to accept the situation philosophically. He flattered himself that in time he would be able to investigate more fully, and make any needed adjustments later on. She flattered herself that she would be quite equal to any emergency that might arise, as she proposed not only to push him to the very front among his contemporaries, but also use his exalted position to attain her own social ends.
When they first met, both away from home, in mid-ocean, their mental activities alert, stimulated by what each had experienced abroad, and little on hand to occupy the time, the conditions were favorable. Even the menu on board ship was highly seasoned after its kind, during the day, and after dark the stars twinkled doubly in the heavens above, and the mysterious depths below, while they looked at “the Dipper” together.
No sooner did the charmingly vivacious young lady observe the Professor’s attractive appearance than she made up her mind; and noticing that he sat at the Captain’s table as one of the selected few on board, she determined to know him personally.
Professor Cultus in young manhood certainly did look handsome, of the intellectual type. His dark eyes were noticed by others besides Miss Carlotta Gains. The prospect of this new acquaintance was quite enough to cause her to exert herself, so she frankly told Fraulein Ritter, under whose care she was returning home, that she would like immensely to have that gentleman presented to her.
Carlotta had been to Berlin, taking lessons in singing under Fraulein Ritter’s direction and chaperonage; had been under rather strict surveillance while studying, and had not much enjoyed that particular phase of a young woman’s student life in Berlin. When once clear of the Continental proprieties, the American girl began again to assert herself. Carlotta was certainly fortunate in having such a one as Fraulein Ritter to consult, for she in turn was quite an authority in her own branch. Educated at Weimar during the days of Liszt’s supremacy, Fraulein Ritter had no small reputation afterwards from her publications relating to music in general and voice culture in particular. Incidentally she had met not a few of the members attending the congress,—in fact, Professor Cultus had already been presented to her in Berlin; so there being nothing to shock Fraulein’s German sense of propriety in granting Carlotta’s request, an introduction followed.
“Professor, allow me to present you to my pupil, Miss Carlotta Gains. Possibly you have heard of her father, Mr. Anthony G. Gains, of Silverton, Eldorado.” Why Fraulein should have supposed that any knowledge of Anthony Gains out in Eldorado could possibly have reached the Professor can only be attributed to the benign influence of Carlotta’s lucky star, and the other well authenticated fact that “the world is not so big after all.” As luck would have it, the Professor had known Mr. Gains fairly well, and not so many years back, when at the early stage of his career he had been called upon to give expert testimony in a certain law suit involving technical information. The Professor had found Mr. Gains a first-rate, all-round, square-minded American, from his point of view, and Grab Gains, as his Eldorado friends dubbed him, had much appreciated the young scientist’s unbiased clear statements as a witness. Being astute and practical in business, upon gaining the law suit he had given his expert, on the spot, the biggest fee he had received up to that time,—not for his testimony—oh, no,—for some other work which came up incidentally, quite beyond his expenses and regular charge.