The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-08-16

duty to hand over to the British Linen
Company's Bank, he had the whole af-
ternoon at his disposal. He went by
Princes street enjoying the mild SUM
shine, and the little thrill. Of easteTly
! 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
the castle; and when it came to the
turn OF the pipers he heard their wild
sounds with a stirring OF the blood.
Something distantly martial woke In
him; and he thought OF Miss Macken-
zie, whom he was to meet that day ct
dinner. an .Ei NJ
Now 1t is nndeniable 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-
|stion 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 pound or two till Monday"
you've come to the right shop.
haven't you returned John. Il have
twopence. Z" 3a
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 5. ". 5
'oh, YES, dare say" said John.
"And how about my father?'' G8
How Is he to know? He doesn't
wind 1T up for you at night, does he z"
inquired Alan, at which John guftawed.
No, seriously;sI am in a fix; contin-
ued the tempter. II have lost some
money to a man here. III give 1t you
tonight, and you can get the heir
loom out again on, Monday, Come: is's
.a~smaii- service, after all. u would do
q good deal more for you. as
Whereupon John went forth, and
pawned his gold watch UNDER the as
sumed name Of John Frogs, IS Pleas
Iance. @Bnt the nervousness that as
sailed him at the door Of that singlori-
GUS haunt-a pawnshop and the eff
fort necessary toinvent the pseudonym
(Which, somehow seemed I'd him a
necessary part Of the spr0cedure), had
taken more time than he imagined;
fand when he returned to the billiard
room with the spoils the bank. had all
ready closed Its doors. tf5t
This was shreWd knock. ia piece
Of business had been neglected" He
heard these words in his fathers
trenehant 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 livanf Of the
billiard room, smoking his pipe, sipp-
ling e pint of ale, and enjoying to the
masthead the modest pleasures Of adj
'miration @ M tss
None can admire like a voting man.
OF all youths ASSIGNS and pleasures,
this Is the most common and least all
loyed; and every graceful reach, every
easy, stand-off attitude OF waiting: ay,
and down to his shirt-sleeves and wrist
links, were seen BIZ John through a
sluxlrious glory. 4 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 careless grace as
Alan he could approach the object OF
his sentiments with a less crushing
sense of inferiority.
i 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 Colette's was to see
life, indeed, 81 it was wrong; 1t was
against the laws, 1t partook, in a very
,dingy. manner, of adventure. Were it
known, it was the sort of exploit that
,disconsidered d young man for good
with the more serious classes,but gave
him a standing with the riototis. And
yet Colettess was not a hell; it could not
come, without vatiIting hyperbole, un-
der the rubric of gifded saloon; and,
lie 1t was a sin to go there the sin was
merely local and municipal. Colette
twhose name do not know how to
spell, forI 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.
If you belonged to club you could get
a much better supper at the same hour
and lose not a jot in public esteem. But
If you lacked that qualification, and
were an hungered, or inclined toward
conyiyality at unlawful hours, Colette's
was your only port. You were very
ill-supplied. The company was not re-
cruited from the Senate or the church.
though the bar was very well represent
/ ed on the only occasion ons which ]
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