Truth to tell the contract of Perkins and Baylis had less attraction for the Committee at that particular moment than the picture in the Tribune. Somehow, the picture had captured its imagination. Whether it was the leggings, the “bobbed” hair, the Joan of Arc profile, or the “gallus” smile of the undefeated Miss Sally, it was quite certain that the last had not been heard of her historic actions.
The Committee of Ways and Means was not alone in its response to the picture in the Tribune and the great deeds it commemorated. It was the talk of the whole city. Josiah moved that day and for many days in a kind of reflected glory. Wherever he went congratulations were showered upon him. Three cheers were given him at the Club when he came in to lunch. There was a decided tendency to identify him personally with Sally’s fame, which, if exceedingly gratifying, was in the peculiar circumstances not a little disconcerting.
For one thing, he was rather at a loss to know what line he should take in the matter. On the unhappy occasion of Sally’s going to prison he had written her what he called “a very stiff letter.” In pretty blunt language he had told her that as she had disgraced him in the sight of the world he should have no more to do with her and that he intended to disinherit her.
To this letter no reply had been received. It was the kind of letter which did not call for one. Since that time nothing had passed between Sally and himself on that subject or on any other. But for some months now Josiah had rather keenly regretted that his attitude had been so definite. The war seemed to soften the past and to sharpen the present. In some respects he was a changed man; one less overbearing in temper, one less harsh in judgment.
The times had altered. Life itself had altered. He was not a man to cry over spilt milk, or to deplore the bygone, but at this moment he had one sharp regret. Some weeks before Sally had burst into fame he had made up his mind to restore her to his will and meant to write and tell her so. But for a man of his sort the task was hard and he had weakly put it off from day to day. And now, alas, it was too late to do it with the grace of the original intention. It would seem like compulsion now. Josiah was keenly vexed with himself. Nothing could have been more eloquent of the rule which hitherto had controlled his life, “Do not put off until to-morrow, etc.” In times like those a cardinal maxim.
XXXVIII
THE Mayor was in a false position in regard to his youngest daughter and he had only himself to blame. But much of his strength lay in the fact that he was the kind of man whom experience teaches. Delays, it seemed, were highly dangerous. He must make up his mind to put his pride in his pocket.
It was not an easy or pleasant operation, but it had to be performed. Nevertheless, the town had been ringing a full ten days with the name of Sally before he could bring himself to turn out after dinner of a December evening and walk along the road as far as The Gables.