The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-08-30
A GAME OF QUIXOTISn.
By TOM GALLON.
Icopyrigh., 1898. by the Author,

by Jove, Old chap, like you.
You re the right sort of friend, you are.
I can always sum up man in five min
utes. There's no dcceiving me, you
know. Hang all forlnalities, I say-in-
Productions and all that kind OF thing.
I like you. The boys handsome face
was flushed his eyes were wild. lie
had tilted his hat to the back of his
head. He caught the man he addressed
by the arm, swaying a little unsteadsly
blinking at him. II 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? think I'll so
home.
'Home!' cried the boy, shaking his
new friend boisterously. "What Il sac
gestion! No, let's stick together. We
haven known each other half an hour
yet.
(Which is perhaps fortunate from
your point of view, - muttered the 9th
er. Aloud he said: 'Woll my dissi-
pated unknown, what is your pro-
gramme. Come, who are you, what are
you, where are you going? I've got you
out Of a row in that very shady place.
-Le ierlSed his head toward the lighted
doorway behind them-''but that does
not necessarily mean undying friend
ship in return. If that's your game,
perhaps I'd better have left you to get
out OF the row yourself-again from
your point Of view.
81 don't know what you're talking
about, replied the boy little sleepily.
but I'll tell you What We'll do" he
added rapidly, striving to stand steadi-
| ly for a moment. ''We'll go to nay
place. Jolly little rooms. Well have
another drink and q chat. Come along. -
"Here-stop, my young friend. If
you won't think for yourself, I must do
it for you. You re not a bad sort of fell
low, as boys go. I dom want to get
you into trouble. l hate family Jars,
and you're very young. What about
your people,"
"People be hanged" was the reply.
Gym my own master, I'd have you
know Here come Oh. We can't talk
in the street He swung around, and
noisily hailed passing hanson and be-
gan to drag the other man toward it.
"Well, suppose I'd better see you
home at all events - muttered the other.
The boy shouted an address in Ken
sington, and the cab ratified off The
boy talked asmodically-even broke
into song now and then. The other man
leaned back in the cab and looked be-
fore him down the almost deserted
streets. He was thinking in a dull fash
ion, 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 he had been content to crawl in
the dust Of unhallowed byways. 1t an
gored him q little that he should think
of that now. Such thoughts had trou-
bled him once, but he had since learned
to dismiss them with shrug-to laugh
at the old platitudes of virtue which
had once meant SO much to him.
| He reused himself with a start, to
find that the cab was stopping. He saw,
| with something of contempt, that the
boy had fallen asleep, his head holding
down stupidity ON his breast. He reused
him sharply, almost sha.ling him out OF
the cab to the pavement The boy put
some silver into the driver hand, and
then thrust his arm through that of his
companion.
"Here we are, he exclaimed "By
Jove, I'm half asleep | want some
thing to liven me up. Come On, this
way
sNo, I shan't come in, . replied the
other, ela9cing 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 mo like
this, - was the reply Bed indeed!
Come, tell you you shan't ao'
1t had been the mood Of tho man to
yield to every passing impulse through
out his life; it was SO 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 importunate youth in an hour $
time than to have &, discussion with him
III the street.
| The fat into which the boy noisily
stumbled was well and prettily furnish
ed, seemed almost to show the touch of
a feminine hand in it's arrangement OF
flowers and l1lickllnacks. 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 i'll through the curtains.
! The visitor had strolled across to the
fireplace and stood there, modify look
ing at some photographs ranged on the
shelf; he had picked up one and was
examining it. He set it down sharply
and turned to his young host.
"Now," he said, sis the time for for
malities-for introductions. In a pro-
sale world we must be careful of the
conventions, you know. am Richard
Felgate''-he bowed little ironically
90 !.