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There was a tone in Gray's voice when he spoke of the Briskows that gave Barbara Parker a wholly new insight into his character; it was with a feeling that she knew him and liked him better that she said: "You think a lot of those nesters, don't you?" "More than they believe, and more than I would have thought possible," he readily declared. "I'm a lonesome institution.
And you haven't any," he told Miss Good when they had a chance for a word alone. "I have no feelings?" "None. Or you'd see that I'm perishing of curiosity." She shook her head, and her blue eyes laughed at him provokingly. "Curiosity is fatal only to cats. It is good for people." "I shall find out all about you." "How?" "By cross-examining the Briskows, perhaps."
It had proved a happy choice, for the hotel sat upon the top of the world, and beneath it lay outspread the whole green and purple vastness of the earth. The Briskows were entranced, of course, and, once they had established themselves here, they never thought of moving, nor did it occur to them that there might be other mountains than these, other hotels as good as this.
When it drew near the time for him to leave, and he announced that the driver of his hired car had been instructed to return for him, there was protest, loud and earnest, from the Briskows, father and son.
Even the waiters, Allie felt sure, noted the difference between the Briskows and the other guests, and only with difficulty concealed their contempt. The occasional presence of Mrs. Ring, handsome, dignified, unruffled, intensified that contrast and fairly shouted the humiliating announcement that here were three nobodies who wanted to be somebodies, but never could.
Naturally Gray had put no faith in that wild declaration, nevertheless it was plain that the girl that all three Briskows needed a friend to guide them. He sighed with resignation, but reflected that, inasmuch as he had put his hand to the plow, he must turn the furrow. After all, he could well afford to spare a week to put that girl on the road to happiness.
On the whole, however, he was glad of an excuse to go, for the Briskows had returned and had bought a home in Dallas, and he was eager for a sight of them. Mr. Roswell's greeting was quite as cool as his letter; but he betrayed a keen interest in the progress of their joint affairs and asked a good many searching questions. Gray answered frankly.
Never but once before had the Briskows seen their daughter in a mood like this, and that was on the occasion of their first visit to Dallas. Now they sat numb and speechless as she raved on: "Playin' with us to amuse himself! It's a game with him. He 'ain't got anything better to do. Why, he even shows us how to dress! 'With a touch, he says, 'I work miracles.
I've told you one; I'm too fond of you Briskows to risk ruining Buddy." "What's the other one?" "A purely personal reason. I have a definite something to do here in Texas. Before I can accomplish it, I shall have to make a lot of money, but that I shall do easily. I make money rapidly when I start." "You gotta git goin' afore long."
He told himself, in terms of the oil fields, that here was a dry well that the girl was a "duster." Having exhausted the usual commonplace topics in the course of a monologue that induced no reaction whatever, he voiced a perfectly natural remark about the wonder of sudden riches. He was, in a way, thinking aloud of the changes wrought in drab lives like the Briskows' by the discovery of oil.
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