Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-08-26

E.ETH when ! returned 10 the
XXI Albany as last desper-
Auuwr ate resort. The scene Of
EHRM8AE my disaster was much a :
SHS&E had left it. The bac-
carat counters still strew-
cd the table. with the empty glasses
and the loaded ash trays A window
had been opened TO LET the smoke out
and was letting in the fog instead
'Raf1es himself had merely discarded
his dining jacket for one OF his in
Vulnerable blazers. yet lie arched lis
eyebrows as though had dragged him
from his bed
Forgotten sGmethiug:" said he
when he saw me on his mat
NO" said /. pushing past him with
out ceremony. And I led the way into
his room with an impudencc amazing
10 myself.
Not come back Tor your revenge.
have yOuE Because I'm afraid / cant
give 1t you single handed. ! was sorry
myself that the others
We were face 10 face by his Preside,
and l cut him short
"Raffies," said l. "you may wei bc
surprised at my coming back IN this
way and at this hour hardly know
you. ] was never IN your rooms before
tonight. But / tagged for you at
school. and you said YOU remembered
me. or course that's no excuse. But
will you listen 10 me for two min
utes7"
In my emotion / had at first to
struggle for every word, but his face
reassured me as ] went on. and | was
not mistaken In its expression.
Certainly, my dear man." said he.
''as many minutes as you like. Have a
Sullivan and sit down" And he hand
I'D me his silver cigarette case
NO" said ]. finding a full voice as
/ shook my head; no. / won't smoke.
and / won't SIT down, thank you. Nor
will you ask me to do either when
you've heard what / have 20 say"
Really" said he. lighting his own
cigarette with one clear blue eye upon
me. How do you know"
Because youH probably show me
the door," l cried bitterly, land you'll
be justified in doing it! But it's no
use beating about the bush. You know
dropped over 300 just now"
He nodded.
81 hadn't the money in my pocket"
SCI remember"
"But ] had my check book. and ]
wrote each of you "A check at that
desk"
'Wen?"
, ''Not one of them was worth the pa
per IL was written on, RaftleS ! am
Overdrawn already ut my bank"
Surely only for the momentE"
mo. I have spent everything"
But somebody told me you were 50
well of. I heard you had come in for
money"
$50 l did-three years ago. II has
been my curse Now it's all goue-ev-
cry penny. Yes. I've been a fool
There never was nor will be such
fool as I've been. Isn't this enough
for you; Why don't YOU turn me
OutT' He was walking up and down
with a very long face instead.
Couldn't your people do anythlng?"
be asked at length.
Thank God" l cried, Il have no
people. l was an only child. l came
In for everything there was. My Que
comfort is that they're gone aud will
never know"
1 cast myself into n chair and hid my
face. RatfieS continued To pace the
rich carpet that WAS OF a piece with
everything else in his rooms There
WAS no variation in his soft and even
footballs
? "You used 20 be- a literary little
russ" he said at length. Didn't YOU
edit the mag. before YOU lcftE Any
way / recollcct tagging you To do my
verses, and literature Of all sorts *
the very thing nowadays. Any fool
can make a living at it."
. shook my head. ANY fool couldn't
write of my debts" said l.
Then you have a fat somewhere
be went on.
: Eyes. in Mount street"
"Well, what about the furnijureT'
II laughed aloud in my misery.
There's been bin Of sale on every
Rtick for mOnths,"
And at that Ratfies stood stin with
raised eyebrows and stern eyes that
I could meet the better now that lie
knew the worst Then. with shrug.
he resumed his walk. and for some
minutes neither Of us spoke Bur in
bis handsome, uumoved face l read my
tate and death warrant. and with
every breath cursed my folly and my
cowardicc in coming to him at all. BE
cause he had been kind 10 me al Schua.
when be was captain ~ the eleven ANA
his flag l had dared 20 look for kiUl-
ness from him now. Because / was
ruined and he rich enough To play
cricket all the summer and do nothing
for the rest of the year had fatu-
0usly counted on his mercy, his synpa-