Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-23
A GAME Of. QUIx 0TISM
BY TON GALLON.


Written for The Evening Star.
by Jove! old chap-I like YOU You're
the right sort of friend, you are 1 can
| always sum UP a. man in five minut es
| there's no deceiving me-. you know Hang
| all formalities say-introduct;ons and all
| that kind of thing 1 like you" The bows
handsome face was flushed, his ewes were
| wild; he had tilted his hat to the back of
his head. He caught the man he addressed
| by the ARM swaying a little unsteadily-
| phnklng at Eim Il say. YOU know he
added, I'VE mustn't lose sight of each other
-eh?"
"a wise precaution, certainly, so far as
you are concerned" laughed the other.
! rather YEARLY. But. come-what do YOU
| want to do? I think I'll go home"
"Home"' cried the boy, shaking his ne
friend boisterously. What suggestion.
No-let's stick together; we haven't known
each other half an hour yet"
Which is perhaps fortunate from yorr
point of view,' muttered the other. Aloud.
he said: well, my dissipated unknown.
what Is your program? Come who are
you; what are you where you going?
I've got you out of a row in that very
shady place'-he jerked his head toward
the lighted doorway behind them-"but
tnat doesn't necessarily mean undying
friendship in return If that's your game
perhaps I'd better have left YOU to get ont
of the row yourself-again from your point
of view"
Il don't know what you're talking about"
replied the boy, n little sleepily. ..Rut I'1I
tell you what Wen do" he added rapidly
striving to stand steadily for a moment:
Wen go to my place Jolly little rooms:
Wen have another drink-and a chat Come
along!'
Here.stop, my young friend If you
won't think for yourself 1 must do it for
you. You're rot bad sort of fellow, as
b Boys go; don't want to get you into trou
young. What about your people?"
People be hansed!' was the reply "I'm
my own master, I'd have you know. Here
come on; we can't talk in the street" He
swung round, and noisily hailed passing
hanson, and began to drag the other man
toward it.
We'll. suppose I'd better see you home.
at all events muttered the other
The boy shouted an address in Kensing.
ton, and the cab ratified of. The bow talk
ed Observation-Disclosures broke into song
NJ now and then; the other man leaned back
IN the cab and looked before him down the
almost deserted streets. He was thinking
IN dull fashion: thinking of the hours
long since gone by-when he had been as
this boy, with all life opening before him
a road sweet and pleasant, to be trodden
with head erect. and confident eyes that
watched for victory: thinking of how often
ne ne naa neen content to crawl in the dust
little that he should think of that now.
Such thoughts had troubled him once: but
ne mad since learned to dismiss them with
a shrug-to laugh at the old platitudes IF
virtue which had once meant SO much to
him. -'0e" ~
He reused himself with start. to find
that the cab was stopping. He saw with
something of contempt, that the bow had
fallen asleep, his head nodding down
stupidity on his breast. He reused him
sharpy-almost shaking him out Of the ca h
to the pavement The boy put some silver
into the drivers hand and then thrust his
arm through that of his companion
Here we are!'' he exclaimed BY Joye,
m half asleep: I want something to 'liven
me up. Come on-this way"
No. shan't come in.'' replied the other,
CHANGING up at the windows of the place.
and catching the CLEAN of the summer
dawn that was struggling in the sky.
You'd better get to bed. young 'un''
You're not going to leave me like this"
was the reply. Bed, indeed. Come I tell
you you shan't co." r.
1t had been the mood Of the man to
yield to every passing impulse throughout
his life; 1t was much easier than to
struggle He yielded now. and went up the
stairs. After all. he thought. it would
be lighter matter to get rid of this i'm
Fortunate youth in an hours time than to
have discussion with him in the street
The flat into which the boy noisily STUN
bled was well and prettily furnished: SEEM
ed almost to show the touch of a feminine
hand in its arrangement of flowers and
knick-knacks. One small electric light
glowed at the side of the room: the boy
turned all the others fully on: they showed
CHASTITY white against the dull rosy light
which was coming family in through the
curtains.
The visitor had strolled across to the