The Plum Tree (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 edition. Excerpt: ...a servant appeared, I said, "Show this man the door." Granby turned white and, after a long look into my face, said in a broken voice to Roebuck: "For.iGod's sake, don't go back on me, Mr. Roebuck. Do what you can for me." As the curtain dropped behind him, I looked expectantly at Roebuck, sweating with fright for his imperiled millions. Probably his mental state can be fully appreciated only by a man who has also felt the dread of losing the wealth upon which he is wholly dependent for courage, respect and self-respect. "Don't misunderstand me, Harvey," he began to plead, forgetting that there was anybody else to save besides himself. "I didn't mean---" "What did you mean?" I interrupted, my tone ominously quiet. "We didn't intend--" began Partridge. "What did you intend?" I interrupted as quietly as before. They looked nervously each at the other, then at me. "If you think Burbank's the man," Roebuck began again, "why, you may go ahead--" There burst in me such a storm of anger that I dared not speak until I could control and aim the explosion. Partridge saw how, and how seriously, Roebuck had blundered. He thrust him aside and faced me. "What's the use of beating around the bush?" he said bluntly. "We've made damn fools of ourselves, Senator. We thought we had the whip. We see that we haven't. We're mighty sorry we didn't do a little thinking before Roebuck sent that telegram. We hope you'll let us off as easy as you can, and we promise not to meddle in your business again--and you can bet your life we'll keep our promise." "I think you will," said I. "I am a man of my word," said he. "And so is Roebuck." "Oh, I don't mean that," was my answer. "I mean, when the Granby object-lesson in the stupidity of premature ingratitude is complete, you...