The San Francisco call., 1904-06-19

cots long suit"
Il There was a great bond OF
friendship between the two; per-
haps they followed in this the law that
opposites attract each other. For jim
mie Spencer was the reverse Of Henry
Walcot in almost every particular.
Where Henry was tall and dark. Jim
mie was rather the medium height,
and so inclined to rotundity of figure
that his face, beaming always with
good humor, inevitably suggested to
an observer the qualifying adjective
chubby"
why do 1 like Henry so well?" said
Jimmie one day in reply to question;
Because he is such july felloW ana
knows how to keep his mouth smut
Saw. do you know" growing suddenly
enthusiastic, Henry can speak Eng
hsh, German and Spanish, but, oy
Joyei he knows how to keep quiet IN
about fourteen other languages, not
counting dialects and slang
why do like Jimmie! sald denry,
musingly. Because he is a jolly good
fellow and knows how to talk, L sup
pose"
So they sat now in front OF cheer
fnI fire in WaIcot's rooms, smoking ana
talking Jimmie was chatting away as
usual, but there was something a DIT
distraught in his manner which dio not
escane the keen eye of his friend. BY
ond bv. even Jimmie's fund OF small
talk seemed exhausted, and each sat
smoking and muslng.
IT was Henry who broke the silence.
"Sit UP, Jimmie, and talk out IKE
a man." said he, with laugh: 1Ou
know yon never tramped all tne way
up here in the snow ana tnen ClilOeu
three flights of stairs just 10 nave d
49, 0,,9 Nth II mani What have you
got on your mind?"
Jimmie looked up Queerly, ana catcn-
Inc, The friendly CLEAN in the others s eye
he laughed himself and replied:
mo dcdging you, you sly dog! De,
ueve YOU are a mind-reader, anyhow.
"Perhaps 1 do a bit In tnat Hne now
ard then" answered Henry, with an
.,.-s,,r,ntion of great mystery, land to
nrove II to YOU, l will tell you that you
came I'D here for no other purpose tnan
IN tell me that you have gone ana got
yourself engaged"
"Now. how in thunder did you know
that?" asked Jimmie, sitting up IN as
You look guilty" answered Henry
with one of his peculiar, almost inau-
dible chuckles.
But never told you that was even
having attention to the girl Wnom l
am to have the honor of marrying
declared Jimmie, protesttngly. fou
could not have had any idea or IL.
NOW. Jimmie, my boy, do give me
credit for using my powers OF ooserVa-
tion occasionally" protested Henry.
SOL" said Jimmie, then maybe you
have used them far enough 10 ten me
the name of the girl
1T undoubtedly can" averred Henry,
soIemnly. "Stunted as my powers or
observation may be, they have been
sufficiently powerful to enable me to
declare that the young lady in question
is none other than Miss Preston"
This prescience was too much for
Jimmie. who simply stared open
mouthed at his chuckling tormentOr.
s"That's the worst of you close
nouthed people," said he presently,
with an air OF oeep disgust lou sit
around and don't say a word and all
the while you are keeping close tab on
everything and everybody. Then when
a fellow comes around to tell you a
piece of important news, you take the
wind all out of his sails with your air
of worldwide knowledge and con-
sciousness of his most intimate
thoughts. / must say that think you
might have pretended ignorance. Now,
I'll just keep quiet about the natter
And Jimmie resolutely shut his mouth
and turned again to his cigar
Now, Jimmie" said Walcot, with
dignity, don't be any more OF a
chump than usual You know you are
so full Of the subject that you have
just got to talk. So fire away"
And Jimmie did fire away presently,
the subject having got the better OF
his resolve.
'But. Henry. all natural preJudice
aside, / Just can't believe my good