After Larry's many days and nights of futile searching of his brain for a plan that would accord with his fundamental idea for awakening the unguessed other self of Maggie, the plan, which finally came to him complete in all its details in a single moment, was so simple and obvious that he marveled it could have been plainly before his eyes all this while without his ever seeing it. Of course the plan was dangerous and of doubtful issue. It had to be so, because it involved the reactions of strong-tempered persons as yet unacquainted who would have no foreknowledge of the design behind their new relationship; and because its success or failure, which might also mean his own complete failure, the complete loss of all he had thus far gained, depended largely upon the twist of events which he could not foresee and therefore could not guide.
Briefly, his plan was so to manage as to have Maggie received in the Sherwood household as a guest, to have her receive the frank, unquestioning hospitality (and perhaps friendship) of such a gracious, highly placed, unpretentious woman as Miss Sherwood, so distinctly a native of, and not an immigrant to, the great world. To be received as a friend by those against whom she plotted, to have the generous, unsuspecting friendship of Miss Sherwood--if anything just then had a chance to open the blinded Maggie's eyes to the evil and error of what she was engaged upon, if anything had a chance to appeal to the finer things he believed to exist unrecognized or suppressed in Maggie, this was that thing.
And best part of this plan, its effect would be only within Maggie's self. No one need know that anything had happened. There would be no exposure, no humiliation.
Of course there was the great question of how to get Miss Sherwood to invite Maggie; and whether indeed Miss Sherwood would invite her at all. And there was the further question, the invitation being sent, of whether Maggie would accept.
Larry decided to manipulate his design through Dick Sherwood. Late that afternoon, when Dick, just returned from the city, dropped into, as was his before-dinner custom, the office-study which had been set aside for Larry's use, Larry, after an adroit approach to his subject, continued:
"And since I've been wished on you as a sort of step-uncle, there's something I'd like to suggest--if I don't seem to be fairly jimmying my way into your affairs."
"Door's unlocked and wide open, Captain," said Dick. "Walk right in and take the best chair."
"Thanks. Remember telling me about a young woman you recently met? A Miss Maggie--Maggie--"
"Miss Cameron," Dick prompted. "Of course I remember."
"And remember your telling me that this time it's the real thing?"
"And it IS the real thing!"
"You haven't--excuse me--asked her to marry you yet?"
"No. I've been trying to get up my nerve."
"Here's where you've got to excuse me once more, Dick--it's not my business to tell you what should be your relations with your family--but have you told your sister?"
"No." Dick hesitated. "I suppose I should. But I hadn't thought of it--yet. You see--" Again Dick hesitated.
"Yes?" prompted Larry.
"There are her relatives--that cousin and uncle. I guess it must have been my thinking of them that prevented my thinking of what you suggest."
"But you told me they hadn't interfered much, and never would interfere." Larry gently pressed his point: "And look at it from Miss Cameron's angle of view. If it's the real thing, and you're behaving that way toward her, hasn't she good grounds for thinking it strange that you haven't introduced her to your family?"
"By George, you're right, Captain! I'll see to that at once."
"Of course, Dick," Larry went on, carefully feeling his way, "you know much better than I the proper way to do such things--but don't you think it would be rather nice, when you tell your sister, that you suggest to her that she invite Miss Cameron out here for a little visit? If they are to meet, I know Miss Cameron, or any girl, would take it as more of a tribute to be received in your own home than merely to meet in a big commonplace hotel."
"Right again, Captain! I'd tell Isabel to-night, and ask her to send the invitation--only I'm booked to scoot right back to the city for a little party as soon as I get some things together, and I'll stay overnight in the apartment. But I'll attend to the thing to-morrow night, sure."
"May I ask just one favor in the meantime?"
"One favor? A dozen, Captain!"
"I'll take the other eleven later. Just now I only ask, since you haven't proposed, that you won't--er--commit yourself any further, in any way, with Miss Cameron until after you've told your sister and until after Miss Cameron has been out here."
"Oh, I say now!" protested Dick.
"I am merely suggesting that affairs remain in statu quo until after Miss Cameron's visit with your sister. That's not asking much of you, Dick--nor asking it for a very long time."
"Oh, of course I'll do it, Captain," grumbled Dick affectionately.
"You've got me where I'll do almost anything you want me to do."
But Dick did not speak to his sister the following evening. The next morning news came to Miss Sherwood of a friend's illness, and she and her novel-reading aunt hurried off at once on what was to prove to be a week's absence. But this delay in his plan did not worry Larry greatly as it otherwise would have done, for Dick repeated his promise to hold a stiff rein upon himself until after he should have spoken to his sister. And Larry believed he could rely upon Dick's pledged word.
