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Chapter 64






Now that Dr. James was gone, Cowperwood was faced with many labors which had accumulated during his absence. These would require months of concentrated energy and attention, the while he found it necessary to turn to certain phases of his personal problems, one of which was a letter from Aileen, in which she stated that while the alterations being made in the new addition were going forward under the supervision of Pyne, the architect, she felt that Cowperwood should return to New York as soon as possible in order to look the whole plan over, so that he could either approve or disapprove before it was too late. She was not sure there would be space enough in the new gallery for the pictures he had recently added to his collection. While she respected Mr. Cuthbert’s opinion as an art expert, there were times when she felt that Cowperwood would disagree wholeheartedly with him if he were present.

Cowperwood realized that this was something that deserved his attention. Still, at this particular time he felt he could ill afford a trip to New York. There were too many urgent matters of policy and practical details concerning the underground that demanded his personal supervision. Of course, Lord Stane, who was frequently about, assured him of the now probably smooth future of the entire system, and by his interest and efforts succeeded in lessening the former friction among the varied interests. Stane seemed to be very much relieved and pleased at his recovery.

“Well, Cowperwood, ” he said to him the first morning after his return, “you look as good as new. How did you do it? ”

“I didn’t do it, ” replied Cowperwood. “It was all the work of my old friend, Jeff James. He’s pulled me out of a few illnesses in the past, but this time he pulled me out of a financial jam as well.”

“You’re right there, ” said Stane. “You certainly fooled the public in a masterly fashion.”

“That was Jeff’s brilliant idea. He not only took me on the trip to allay suspicion and rumor, but he cured me en route, ” said Cowperwood.

Another matter that compelled his personal attention at this time was the discussion with Rexford Lynnwood, one of the three American sculptors whose names had been suggested by Jamieson regarding the tomb he proposed to have built. Lynnwood’s qualifications appealed to Cowperwood because of the fact that in connection with a prize recently offered for a tomb and statue to mark the grave of a lately deceased governor of one of the southern states, his design carried on one of its surfaces a reproduction of the cabin in which the man had been born, and at the foot of a huge, moss-covered oak tree was drawn the outline of a horse which he had ridden in various battles of the Civil War. As Cowperwood looked at it, he was touched by the pathos and simplicity of the whole conception.

Later as he sat opposite Lynnwood on the other side of his massive working desk, he was struck by the man’s classic features, his deep-set eyes, and tall angular figure. In fact, he immediately liked the fellow.

As Cowperwood explained to Lynnwood, his idea for the tomb leaned toward the Greco-Roman style of architecture, but not in its purest conception. Rather, he would like it to be a modification, with some originality of design in its details. It was to be large, because he had always liked the idea of space, and was to be made of pebble-gray granite of rich texture. He would like a narrow slit of a window at one end, and a place for two sarcophagi, with two heavy bronze doors opening into the tomb itself. Lynnwood approved and was even delighted with the opportunity of executing this structure. He drew several sketches as Cowperwood talked, and these pleased Cowperwood greatly. A contract was agreed upon and he was instructed to begin work at once. As Lynnwood began gathering his designs and placing them in his portfolio, he paused and looked at Cowperwood.

“Well, Mr. Cowperwood, ” he said as he was leaving, “judging from the way you look, I’m sure it will be a long time before you will be needing this. At least, I sincerely hope so.”

“Well, thank you very much, ” said Cowperwood, “But don’t count on that.”


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