The Best Man

In Short

This volume presents a novella alongside three shorter tales, all centered on the collision between romantic longing and the rigid codes of honor held by gentlemanly characters. Through sharp, often ironic prose, the narrative examines men who find themselves trapped by their own principles and the women who must navigate those obstacles to reach them. While the primary story deals with a high-stakes ethical dilemma involving a corrupt father, the collection as a whole remains a study of the Victorian-era social contract, enduring because of its keen observations on the quiet, often agonizing ways that character is tested.

The Story

The title story, The Best Man, follows John Carrington, a lawyer who accidentally comes into possession of incriminating evidence against the father of the woman he loves, Kate Cavenaugh. Carrington is an honest man, yet he finds himself caught between his duty to the law and his devotion to a woman whose father is clearly a predator—a man who has grown wealthy through the exploitation of the poor. Kate, who shares her father’s social standing but is repulsed by his greed, confronts Carrington. She knows her father’s nature and insists that the truth must come out, despite the shame it brings to her family.

As Carrington struggles with this burden, he encounters a mysterious older man—"Grandpa Cavenaugh"—who is being treated as a pariah by his own son, the millionaire. It is revealed that this older man is a former adventurer who has spent his life in the shadows. When the millionaire father attempts to bribe Carrington into a lucrative, corrupt position, the moral stakes intensify. The resolution arrives through a startling act of disclosure: Grandpa Cavenaugh reveals that he has his own leverage over his son. By using the very documents and secrets his son tried to bury, the older man forces the millionaire to consent to the marriage between Kate and Carrington. The story concludes with a cynical, yet pragmatic, recognition that secrets—even shameful ones—often determine the course of family alliances.

The remaining stories in the volume follow a similar trajectory. In Two Candidates, the plot centers on the rivalry between two men, Williard and Newcomb, who are not only political opponents but also friends vying for the same woman. Their public fight is a facade; privately, they respect one another, but the mechanisms of party politics and the perceived demands of their social roles force them into a standoff. The drama shifts to The Advent of Mr. "Shifty" Sullivan, which injects a gritty, street-level reality into the polished parlors of the upper class. A former prizefighter is introduced to a refined social circle, leading to a series of comedic misunderstandings and a revelation about the true character of the rector, who was once a fighter himself. In The Girl and the Poet, a woman takes the initiative to overcome the "foolish pride" of the man she loves, who refuses to propose because of his financial struggles. In each case, the narrative arc moves from a state of concealment or misunderstanding to a moment of direct, often humbling, confrontation where love and honesty finally prevail over social artifice.

How It Unfolds

The discovery of the secret Carrington holds a document that could destroy the man he wishes to call his father-in-law. He recognizes that duty is an "implacable goddess" that often pits his conscience against his heart.

The confrontation with the beloved Kate refuses to hide from the truth, demanding that Carrington confront her father’s history. She acknowledges that her father is "money-mad" and expresses a desperate desire to protect the family name while honoring her own pride.

The intervention of the pariah The sudden appearance of the elder Cavenaugh shifts the power dynamic within the household. He uses his knowledge of his son’s illegal land-grabs to force an end to the millionaire's obstruction.

The final surrender The millionaire is forced to yield to the marriage, proving that his greed is ultimately no match for the leverage held against him. The story closes with the realization that such secrets are often "kept in the family" to ensure stability.

The People

John Carrington is the central figure, defined by an unwavering, almost debilitating honesty. He wants to marry Kate Cavenaugh, but his integrity acts as a barrier, as he refuses to use the evidence he possesses to blackmail her father. Kate Cavenaugh is an intelligent, proud woman who acts as the moral compass of the story; she seeks to shield her father out of filial duty but ultimately values justice over blind loyalty. The millionaire, Henry Cavenaugh, represents the antithesis of these two; he is a man whose identity is entirely tied to his fortune, and he views all relationships as transactions. The "pariah," or Grandpa Cavenaugh, serves as the catalyst for change; he is a man of the world, experienced and ruthless, who understands that to fight a man like his son, one must be willing to use the same tools of leverage that the wealthy use against the poor.

In Its Own Voice

"Duty is an implacable goddess, and those who serve her most loyally are most ruthlessly driven."

This reflection captures the internal conflict Carrington faces when his professional responsibilities clash with his personal desires.

"I love my father; he has always been tender and kind to me; and I should not be of his flesh and blood had I not the desire to shield and protect him."

Kate articulates the specific moral weight of her position as she balances her disgust for her father’s ethics with her deep-seated love for him.

What It's Really About

At its heart, the book explores the tension between "public" and "private" morality in early twentieth-century America. It asks whether a person can remain truly honest in a society that rewards ruthless ambition and political maneuvering. The characters often find themselves acting in ways that contradict their true feelings because they are bound by the expectations of their class—what they perceive as "manly" behavior or the proper way to conduct a courtship. The book argues that true integrity requires a willingness to expose the "family skeleton" and that individuals are often forced to choose between the comfortable lies of their social station and the often painful, but necessary, clarity of the truth.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate the brisk, observational style of early twentieth-century American fiction will find these stories highly engaging. They feel like snapshots of a bygone era, where the social stakes of a dinner party or a political campaign were treated with the weight of a life-altering drama. The warmth of the writing is tempered by an underlying cynicism about human nature and the corrupting power of wealth.

The book is not without its challenges; the period attitudes toward gender and class are very much a product of their time, and the dialogue sometimes leans into stylized, "tough-guy" slang that can feel dated. However, the emotional core—the struggle to be honest in a world that encourages posturing—remains remarkably relevant. If you enjoy a story where people talk in long, thoughtful sentences about the state of their souls, or if you simply have an interest in the social customs of the 1900s, this collection provides a thoughtful, if occasionally melancholic, look at the compromises we make for the people we love. It leaves the reader with a lingering sense of how delicate the balance is between our public personas and the private, messy truths that actually drive our lives.