He was standing before the picture as she entered. Even in the
trying contiguity of that peerless work he would have been called a
fine-looking man. As he advanced to greet her, it was evident that
his military title was not one of the mere fanciful sobriquets of the
locality. In his erect figure and the disciplined composure of limb and
attitude there were still traces of the refined academic rigors of West
Point. The pliant adaptability of Western civilization which enabled
him, three years before, to leave the army and transfer his executive
ability to the more profitable profession of the law, had loosed sash
and shoulder-strap, but had not entirely removed the restraint of the
one, or the bearing of the other.
"Spencer is in Sacramento," began Mrs. Tucker in languid explanation,
after the first greetings were over.
"I knew he was not here," replied Captain Poindexter gently, as he drew
the proffered chair towards her, "but this is business that concerns
you both." He stopped and glanced upwards at the picture. "I suppose
you know nothing of his business? Of course not," he added reassuringly,
"nothing, absolutely nothing, certainly." He said this so kindly, and
yet so positively, as if to promptly dispose of that question before
going further, that she assented mechanically. "Well, then, he's taken
some big risks in the way of business, and--well, things have gone bad
with him, you know. Very bad! Really, they couldn't be worse! Of course
it was dreadfully rash and all that," he went on, as if commenting
upon the amusing waywardness of a child; "but the result is the usual
smash-up of everything, money, credit, and all!" He laughed and
added: "Yes, he's got cut off--mules and baggage regularly routed and
dispersed! I'm in earnest." He raised his eyebrows and frowned slightly,
as if to deprecate any corresponding hilarity on the part of Mrs.
Tucker, or any attempt to make TOO light of the subject, and then
rising, placed his hands behind his back, beamed half-humorously upon
her from beneath her husband's picture, and repeated: "That's so."
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