Arizona republican., 1899-01-19

l you met her, can't you"
 Stop tkcre,' said Alonzo. lie had risen, too, and though he preserved mach compcsurc ar abrupt wave of his i hanG bespoke excitement. II deny that Kathleen Kcnnaird ever engaged herself to ne because, as you put it, had lots Of money"
 Then you're wrong" said Lexing- ton. gazing down at lis well varnisheC! boots. You're (vith another twirl of the ccrstache tip) dead wrong, l assure you"
 Alonzo gnawed his lips. "Phl," he cried, what are you saying?"
 "Only the truth"
 ''The trEtl1"
 "Yes. yes"
 But you must be mad to state that Kathleen-Oh! no. TO, no, Phil!''
 Alorzo had caught his friend by either shoulder and was plunging a penetrating look into his eyes. The latter, with coldncss unexpected yet distinct. answered, while Alonzo with drew from him:
 Its so odd. You ought to know life You're old enough"
 Philip. Philipl' broke from Alonzo I'm so sorry I asked you to go to her. But you're my friend still? It isn't my lost money that you're thinking of? No, no, Phil, not you: not you.''
 Don't be tiresome.'
 Lexington might have said volumes and yet not have expressed more pun gent little series of words than those three.
 I'll try not to be tiresome," came Alonzo's answer, as if between shut teeth. Its quite clear to me, Philip, that ny request bores you.''
 Well" returned Philip, doggedly, after slight silence, lit does.''
 1t wouldn't have done so a short time ago.
 II don't understand"
 "DoE't you? do."
 "You seem angry at me-" muttered Philip; and for no reason"
 For no rcason?"
 None that l can see. A short while ago? YCu mean, then"
 "Ohi l mean what I mean, Philip. There's hardly any favor that you'd have refused me q short time ago. Now you find me of no Importance. I've lost my money, and I'm not worth cultivat- ing"
 Lexington flushed hotly and tossed his head. Isn't that rather upcivil of you?" he drowned.
 "Yes, if you choose. But the uncivil- ity of raw truth has sometimes a cer- tain refreshing refinement"
 Il don't grasp your paradoxes. You always excelled in them, however"
 Alonzo had grown very pale. ''Let it all rest there. then, Philip he said. You've disappointed me horribly. Good by," and he turned on his heel with dismissal at once quiet and inn pcrious.
 Lexington walked to door and seized it's knob. '.Ohl just as you please he said sullenly. ''You keep up your pride, b@t Tn afraid it won't serve you ;s well as you think. With regard to the money ! owe you, since we've both been mentioning money SO So broadly, III do my best
 Bat here Alonzo shot out these ring ing words:
 T don't want a dime from you, and I'll be only too glad if you'll consider that debt cancelled, so to speak, by the cessation of our acquaintance
 Across another threshold Alonzo swiftly quilted the room. No sooner was he alone, however, than he re preached himself for undue severity. And yet he did not regret having broken with this man. It was mercilessly patent to him that Lexington had been the most time-serving of friends. A kind of clairvoyancc had told him this, by flashes at once intuitive and acute Hundreds of other men, placed like him. self, might have meant as much 2s he and said great deal less. But Alonzo had rarely dealt in self-restraints Those who liked him best liked him be- cause of such candOrs; those who liked him least did So because his free speech, his wearing the heart on the sleeve, re- pelled them from the point of view of taste, if from none other. And these latter critics would have been just the ones to denounce his openness with Lexington as vulgar, however much they disapproved the conduct of LcXing- ton himself. They were already sup piled with many instances of his pre- vious harum-scarum dcpOrtIncnt. They would have told you that he lacked gen tility to almost the verge of grossness, and that ''his being such . good fellow at heart was merely the shallow ex- cuse made for him by spirit of faithful indulgence.
 But perhaps if they could have seen him seated in solitude long after Lex ington had left him forever, and have marked the twitching of his lips, the moisture that glistcned in lis honest eyes, the occasional clinching of his hands or nervous tappings of his feet against the floor, tlcy might have been touched by form of human sorrow which ranks with the moot piteous we are ever called upon to undergo. For Alonzo had meant generously, kindly, even nobly toward his world, and was now being confronted with it's hollow ness and hardness. But yesterday pco- pie had smiled on him who to-day chose to veil their Indifference. He had referred with cynical phrase to his own position as q favorite. But he had never really believed his own bi' ter