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

traying Billy, so the note was mostly
vague expressions of regret. and Rex
knew her clearheaded directness too
we'll to hope that it would count for
much. No answer had come, and, day
by day, he had grown more detected.
hoping against hope for one.
A knock-the postman's knoek-and
Rtx started and sprang to the door
One letter, but he could hardly believe
his glad eyes when he saw the adj
dress on it, for it was the handwriting
which he had come to know well, had
known we'll seeing it once-her hand
writing. In a moment the jagged
edged envelope, torn in a desperate
hurry to get what it held, lay one side,
and he was reading.
Dear Mr.. Fairfax" the letter ran;
For two weeks I have been very I'M
just to you and / want to beg your
pardon. Billy was here three days ago,
and what I didn't know and what he
didn't know we patched together, and
the consequence is I want to apologize
and to make up to you, if I can, for
being so disagreeable. Billy's recollec-
tons of that night were disjointed, but
he remembered a lot in spots, and /
know now just what a friend you We're
to him and how you saved him. think
he was horrid but I think you were
fine-simply fine. I can't half say it
in writing so will you please come out
for over Sunday-mother says-and I'll
try to show you how splendid I think
you were. Will you? Yours sincerely
and her name.
Would he? Such a radiant smile
shone through the little bare room that
the May breeze. catching it's light at
the window, clapped gay applause
against the tapping curtain. This was
as it should be.
But the breeze and the postman were
not to be the only messengers of hap
piness. Steps sounded down the long,
empty hall, stopped at his door. and
Rex, a new joy of living pulsing
through him, sprang again. almost be-
fore the knock sounded, to meet gladly
what might be coming. His face look
ed out of the wide-open doorway with
so bright a welcome to the world, that
the two men who stood across the
threshold smiled an involuntary an
swer.
"Cartyi I'm awfully glad"-and Rex
stopped to put his hand out graciously,
deferentially. to the gray-haired and
distinguished man who stood with Car
ter Reed.
Judge Rush, this is my cousin, Mr..
Fairfax Reed presented him, and in
a moment Rex's friend, the breeze, was
helping hospitality on with gay little
refreshing dashes at a warm, silvered
head, as Judge Rush sat in the biggest
chair at the big open window. He
beamed upon the young man with in
terested, friendly eyes.
That's all very well about the quad
rangle, Mr.. Reed. It certainly is beau
tiful and like the English Universities,
he broke into a sentence genially. But
1 wish to talk to Mr.. Fairfax. I've
come to bring you the first news, Mr.
Fairfax, of what you will hear official
ly within day or two-that the ves-
try of st. Eric's hope you will consider
a call to be our assistant rector" Rexs
heart almost stopped beating, and his
smile faded as he stared GREATNESS at
this portly and benef1cent Mercury.
Mercury went on: "a vestry meeting
was held last night in which this meet
ing was held last night in which this
was decided upon. Your brilliant rec
ord in this seminary and other quail
fications which have been mentioned to
us by high authorities, We're the rea-
sons for this action which appeared
upon the surface, but I want you to
know the inner workings asked your
cousin to bring me here that ] might
have the pleasure of telling you"
1t was rather warm, and the old gen
t1eman had climbed stairs, and his con-
had been weighty and steady.
He arrested its flow for a moment and
took a long breath. Don't STOP said
Rex earnestly, and the others broke
into sudden laughter.
Il like that" Judge Rush sputtered.
chuckling. You're ready to let me kill
myself if needs be, to get the facts
All right, young mani like impetu-
means energy. I'll go on. The
facts not known to the public. which
wish to tell you, are as follows. After
your failure to keep your appointment
On the evening of the Eth I was about
through with you. I considered yo.A
careless both of your own interests and
ours, and we began to look for another
assistant. A man who fitted the place
as you did seemed hard to find and the
case was in statu quo when, two nights
ago, my son brought home young Will
liam Strong to dinner. Our families
are old friends and Billy's father and
were chums in college, so the boy Is
at home in our house. AS you prob
ably know, he has the gift of telling a
good story, so when he began On the
events of an evening which you win