The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-10-09

his cheek. made it unnecessarily dirtier.
Answer, sir?"
"'No-yes-waft a minute" Reed tore
the yellow envelope and spread the
telegram 1t read:
do I meet you at your office or at
Martins and what timer"
THE dewitt" Reed commented, and
the boy blinked indifferently. He was
used to stronger. The casual Rex all
Overt Yes, boy, there's an answer .
He scrubbed rapidly. and the two lines
of writing said this:
Waiting for you at office now. f4ur-
ry up. C. Reed"
He fumbled in his pocket and gave
the youngster a coin. '.See that it's
sent instantly-like lightning. Rum
and the sharp little son of New York
was off before the last word was well
out.
Half an hour later, to Reed waiting
at his office in Broadway impatiently,
there strolled in a good-looking and
leisurely young man with black clothes
on his back and peace and goodwill
on his face. Hope I haven't kept you
waiting, Carly" he remarked in friend
" tones. Plenty of time, isn't there? ''
mo, there isn't" his cousin answer
ed and there was a touch of snap in
the accent. Really. Rex, you ought
to grow up and be responsible. It was
distinctly arranged that you should
call here for me at six, and now it's
a quarter before seven"
Couldn't remember the hour or the
place to save my life" the younger
man asserted earnestly. I'm just as
sorry as / can be, Carly. You see
did remember We were to dine at Mar
tins. So much I got all right-and
that was something, wasn't it, Carty?"
he inquired with an air of wistful
pride, and the frown on the face of
the other dissolved in laughter.
REX, there's no making you over
worse luck. Come along. I've got to |
go home to dress after dinner you gee, |
before we make our call. You'll do, |
on the strength of being a theological |
student
The situation was this: Reginald |
Fairfax, in his last year at the Theo- |
logical Seminary, in this month of |
May, and lately ordained. had been
seriously spoken of as assistant to the
Rector of the great church of st. Eric's.
1t was a remarkable position to come
the way of an undergraduate, and his
brilliant record at the seminary was
one of the two things which made it
possible. The other was the friendship
and interest of his cousin, Carter Reed,
head clerk in the law firm of Rush,
Walden, Lee and Lee, whose leading
member, Judge Rush, was also senior
warden at ST. Erics. Reed had called
Judge Rush's attention to his young
cousins career, and, after some inquiry,
the vestryman had asked that the
young man should be brought to see
him, to discuss certain questions bear
ing on the work. 1t was almost equiva-
lent to a call coming from such man,
and Reed was delighted; but here his
troubles began. In vain did he hope
fully fix date after date with the Slip
perry Rex-sornething always interfered.
Twice, to his knowledge, it had been
the chance of seeing a girl from Orange
which had thrown over the chance of
seeing the man of influence and power.
Once the evening had been definitely
arranged with Judge Rush himself.
and Reed was obliged to go alone and
report that the candidate had disap-
peared into a tenement district and no
1
of that was fortunately good-Judge
Rush was rather pleased than other
wise that a young clergyman should
be so taken up with his work as to
forget his interests. But Reed was
most anxious that this evenings APP 7.
pointnaent should go off successfully.
while Rex was as light-hearted as a
bird. Any one would have thought it
was Reeds own future he was laboring
over instead of that of the youngster
who had a gift of making men care
for him and work for him without eff
tort on his own part
The two walked down Broadway to-
ward the elevated road, Rex's dark
eyes gathering amusement here and
there in the crowded way as they
went.
Look at Billy Strong-why there's 7
Billy Strong across the street Come
over and I'll present you. Carly. Just
the chap you want to meet. He's
great athlete-on the water-polo team
If the New York Athletic Club. you
znow-as much of an old sport as you a
lre.'' And Reed found himself swung
lcross and standing before a powerful. q
big figure of a man. almost before he Q
,ould answer. There was another man
With the distinguished Billy, and Reed
lad not regarded the two for more
han one second before he discovered
hat they were both in a distinct state
II intoxfcation- In fact, Strong pro-
lairned the truth at once, false shame
asst to the winds He threw his arm q
bout Rex's neck with a force of affec- >
ion which almost knocked down the
uartette.
..T,-o,.--r, he buhFIad sspOod old s
fren' ev' had-Tm drunk, s.
secky-too bad. We're both drunk
fakes home Rex glanced at his
ousin in disrnay, and Strong repeated
is invitation cordially. Takes home.
becky" he insisted, with the easy air q
( a man who confers an honor. S up q
0 you. Rocky.
Rex looked at his frowning cousin c
o., tf,,IIx r,Ieadingly.