The Jersey City news., 1903-01-23

you see the crest?" pointing to the ex-
quisite inlaid work.
why" l said eagerly, 'it is the
crest off,
''Yes, noted king,n Dan completed,
'sand these were made by his express
command. But never mind" he broke
of, Its merely a part OF the story
am going to tell you when we get to
my rooms. l am always thinking of
it, night and day, day and night. Talk
to ME or I'll be drinking again. This
is the first time I've been sober in a
month. It's drink or morphine or
something like. Do you ever see any
thing of the old glee boys?"
''Once in awhile. You know" said
1, lighting a cigarette, 'all the fellows
but you and l had money. Most of
them are carrying on the business of
their paters and ornamenting dinner
parties and cotillons."
81 thought that you had rich un-
cle," said Dan.
81 did have. but he is no more" And
I told him all about the bequest.
He laughed so long and heartily over
it that | was glad for his sake that it
had happened. Already | was begin
ming to look wholly upon the humorous
side OF the affair.
''It is almost too good not to be print
ed," he said. But his son may square
matters when he dies"
81 do not want matters squared"
growled. 81 can earn living for
few years to come. | shan't worry"
by the way, is that Miss Landors
whom you used to rave about in your
letters married yet?"
mo" Miss I5andors was Phyllis
only to her intimate friends. / called
the waiter and ordered him to replen-
ish my stein, Dan watching me curl
ously the while. mo, Miss Landors is
not married yet"
81 have often wondered what she
looked like" he mused.
when do you go on your vacation%
l asked irrelevantly.
"In a week or ten days-maybe to-
morrow. It's according to how long |
a~t---"
was sorry that he had recalled to
me the name of Phyllis. 1t dampened
my sociability. was not yet prepared
to take him into my confidence. The
ale. however, loosened our tongues,
and. though we did not talk about our
present affairs. we had pleasant time
recounting the days when we were
young in the sense that we had no real
trouble. Those were the times when
we We're earning $15 and 500 the week;
when our watches were always in dur
ance vile; when. we lied to the poor
washerweman and to the landlady;
when we would always be around to-
morrow and settle up with our cred
iters.
There was no ennui those days."
laughed Hillars.
True. Do you remember the day
you staid in bed because it was cheap
er to sleep than work on an empty
stomach?'
''And do you remember the time /
saved you from jail by giving the sher-
iff my new spring overcoat to pay a
washerwoman's bill of six months
standing?"
Il hung around Jersey City that
day" said l. And then there was more
ale, and so on. 1t was when at last
we rose.
We'll. we'll go back to the office and
get your case" said Dan. where's
your trunk %
"At the Victoria
''All your luggage must be sent to
my rooms. | viii not hear of your go
ing elsewhere for lodging while in
town. have a floor. and you shall
share it. It's bachelors ranch from
basement to garret, inhabited by art
lists. journalists, one or two magazine
men. a clever novelist and three of our
New York men. There is no small fry
save myself We have little banquets
every Friday night, and they some
times last till Saturday noon. I've
taught the Frenchman who represents
the Paris Temps how to play poker
and he threatens to become my Frank
enstein. who win eventually devour
me-" Hillars laughed. and it sounded
like the laughter of other days Jack,
think you will do me good. Stay
(To be cnntinhed.l
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