The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1900-08-24


Princes street enjoying the mild sun
shine. and the little thrill Of easter!y
wind that tossed the flags along the
terrace OF palaces. and tumbled the
green trees in the garden. The band
was playing down in the valley under
tho castle; and when it came to the
turn OF the pipers he heard their wild
sounds with stirring of the blood.
Something dfstantly martial woke in
him; and he thought of Miss Macken-
zie, whom he was to meet that day ct
| dinner.
Now, it is undeniable that he should
! have gone directly to the bank. but
right in the way stood the billiard room
OF the hotel where Alan was almost
certain to be found; and the tempta-
ton proved too strong. He entered the
billiard room and was instantly greet
ed by his friend, cue in hand.
Nicholson" said he, II want you to
lend me a pound or two till Monday"
You've come to the right shop.
haven't you?" returned John. 81 have
twopence."
Nonsense" said Alan. "You can
get some. Go and borrow at your tall
or's; they all do 1t. Or. I'll tell you
what; pop your watch"
"Oh, yes, dare say" said John.
And how about my father?"
How is he to know? He doesn't
wind 1t up for you at night, does he?"
inquired Alan, at which John guffawed.
mo, seriously; am in fix" contin-
ued the tempter. Il have lost some
money to man here. I'll give it you
tonight, and you can get the heir
loom out again on Monday. Come; it's
small service, after all. would do
a good deal more for you"
Whereupon John went forth. and
pawned his gold watch under the as
sumed name Of John Frogs, IS Pleas
ance. But the nervousness that as
sailed him at the door of that inglori-
Gus haunt-a pawnshop-and the eff
Tort necessary to invent the pseudonym
(Which, somehow, seemed to him a
necessary part Of the procedure), had
taken more time than he imagined:
and when he returned to the billiard
room with the spoils the bank had al
ready closed its doors.
This was a shrewd knock. ga niece
OF business had been neglected." He
heard these words in his fathers
trenchant voice, and trembled, and then
lodged the thought. After all, who
was to know? He must carry four
hundred pounds about with him till
Monday, when the neglect could be
surreptitiously repaired; and mean
while he was free to pass the after
noon on the encircling divan of the
billiard room, smoking his pipe, sipp-
Ing pint of ale, and enjoying to the
masthead the modest pleasures of adj.
miration.
None can admire like young man.
Of all youths passions and pleasures.
tnls is the most common and least al
loyed; and every graceful reach, every
easy, stand-off attitude of waiting: ay.
and down to his shirt-sleeves and wrist
links. were seen by John throug Oh a
luxurious glory. He valued himself
by the possession Of that royal friend.
Rugged himself upon the thought. and
swan in warm azure; his own defects,
like vanquished difficulties, becoming
things on which to plume himself. Only
when he thought Of Miss Mackenzie
there fell upon his mind a shadow of
regret; that young lady was worthy
of better things than plain John Mich
olson, still known among schoolmates
by the derisive name of Fatty: and
be felt ii he could chalk a cue or stand
at ease with such a careless grace as
Alan he could approach the object OF
his sentiments with less crushing
sense of inferiority.
Before they parted Alan made a
proposal that was startling in the ex-
IRENE. He would be at Colette's that
night about twelve, he said. Why would
not John come there and get the
money? To go to Colettes was to see
life, indeed, it was wrong; it was
against the laws, it partook, in a very
dingy manner, Of adventure. Were it
known, it was the sort of exploit that
disconsidered young man for good
with the more serious classes, but gave
him standing with the riotous And
yet Colette's was not hell; it could not
come, without vaulting hyperbole, un-
der the rubric Of gilded saloon; and,
If 1t was sin to go there the sin was
merely local and municipal. Colette
(whose name do not know how to
spell, for was never in epistolary COM
munication with that hospitable out
law was simply an unlicensed publ
can, who gave suppers after eleven at
night, the Edinburgh hour Of closing.
II you belonged to club you could get
much better supper at the same hour
and lose not jot in public esteem. But
If you lacked that qualification, and
were an hungered, or inclined toward
convivality at unlawful hours, ,Colette's
was your only port. You were very
ill-supplied. The company was not re-
crufted from the Senate or the church.
though the bar was very well represent
ed on the only occasion on Which I
few in the face of my country's laws,
and, taking my reputation in my hand,
penetrated into that grim supper house,
And Colette's frequenters, ,thrillingly
conscious Of wrong-doing. and that
two-handed engine (the policeman) at
the door, " were perhaps inclined 10
somewhat feverish excess But the