The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-10-10
Office, where he saw Mr. Frederic Brown

Office, where he saw Mr.. Frederic Brown
Romayne sitting at big desk.
"De OF mans on ter yer" cried Nine
thirteen, breaking In upon him; yer mes
sage come inter de station an de blame fool
read it out loud, an OF Wright wuz in dere
an heered it, an he tux it of wild him, an
he'll give Miss Mabel hell''
Nine-thirteen couldn't stop to choose his
words, aud he had lost all fear of the
slender, well dressed young fellow who sat
before him.
"Say that over again and say 1t slowly"
said Brown-Romayne quietly and Nine
thirteen went over it again. But she
amt dere." he finished; she's went away
early wild her a MT"
Young Brown Romayne sat for min
ute. How have you come to know all
this and why have you come to me now!"
he asked.
Nine-thirteen looked ssheepish- IL
watched yer till knew bout yer. knowed
de oil man warn't in it. kase you never
coined round wen he was dere4 an wen he
come inter de offs an | seen he was on ter
yer, come down ter tell yer dat de game
wuz up, an / done it 'cause-'cause"-
Nine-thirteen paused; he wasn't used to
psychological subtleties. 'fMiss Mabel,
she's corker," he added. And the remark
was neither irreverent nor irrelevant.
Young Brown-Romayne saw the whole
thing in fash He was big, manly fel-
low, and he did just what he would have
done if Nine-thirteen had been big and
wore patent feathers and q twice around
tie. He reached out and shook Nine-thir-
teens grimy paw fervently. Then he said
four words that bathed the soul Of Nine
thirteen in bliss, ''What shall we dor" he
asked.
eff / wuz youze," answered Nine-thir-
teen, judicially-and Brown-Romayne
never smiled-"Pd git de bulge on de old
jay. I'd find Miss Mabel and get married
fore seen him agin."
A sudden light broke into the young
mans eyes. "You say sheswent away with
her aunt"
81 amt dead sure, but thought it must
a bin de ant She looked like Mrs.
Wright" answered Nine-thirteen, care
fully.
Browu-Romayne pulled out his watch.
"It's 2:30," he said; "her aunt lives in
Brick Church. fancy Mabel has gone to
spend the day with her. It's worth trying
anyway. I'll do it. You're brick, Nine
thirteen. won't forget you" His hand
moved toward his pocket. mo-" he said
suddenly. rising and closing his desk.
"come along; may want you"
So down they went and pushed their
way through Barclay streets fruit stalls
and trucks and children and boarded the
stuffy ferryboat. with its smell of the
stable. Brown-Romayne looked straight
ahead of him without a word. "He's doin
de heavy thinkin act" said Nine-thirteen
to himself. And he was. When they had
got safely into the train on the New Jersey
side he turned to Nine-thirteen, IF / find
her." he said, you shall be best man, Nine
thirteen" Nine thirteen looked sheepish-
ly delighted. He didn't know what a best
man was
1t was O'Clock when Nine-th1rteen went
quietly into station 81 that night, and sit
ting down swung his feet nOnchalantly.
Here, you Nine-thirteen, give an 40
count of yourself" growled the clerk.
you've been away since o'clock. Where
in - have you been?"
Been bein bes' man to Miss Mabel
Wright's weddin," answered Nine-thirteen
coolly, IAN 1 couldn't git back no sooner,
cause de bes' maa has to see de bridal
couple off on DER. weddin journey. Mine
went to de Isle of Shoals" ne volunteered
magnanimously-New York Evening Sun