News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1905-10-04
THE IDES
OF MARCH
No. l OF the Series

HCMH IA Fl Albany as a last deSper-
svHYsSssAasvyyTzrA ate resort. The scene of
HS@TWN6Ms my disaster was much as
ES0H@ZaE l had left it, The bac-
carat counters still strew-
ed 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
Raffles himself had merely discarded
his dining jacket for one of his in.
Vulnerable blazers, vet he arched his
eyebrows as though l had dragged him
from his bed
Forgotten something's" said he
when he saw me on his mat.
"No," said l, pushing past him with
out ceremony. And l led the way into
his room with an impudence amazing
to myself.
"Not come back for your revenge,
have you? Because I'm afraid | can't
give it you single handed. l was sorry
myself that the others
We We're face to face by his Preside,
and cut him short.
"Ratles,' said /, you may we'll be
surprised at my coming back in this
way and at this hour. l hardly know
you. | was never in your rooms before
tonight But | tagged for you at
school, and you said you remembered
me. OF course that's no excuse. But
will you listen to me for two min
utes?'
In my emotion l had at first to
struggle for every word, but his face
reassured Inc as | went on, and | was
not mistaken in it's expression.
certainly, my dear man." said he;
''as many minutes as you like. Have
Sullivan and sit down. And he hand
ed me his silver cigarette case.
mo" said l, finding a full voice as
I shook my head; mo, l won't smoke,
and l won't sit down, thank you. Nor
will you ask me to do either when
you've heard what have to say"
'ReallyY said he, lighting his own
cigarette with one clear blue eye upon
me. How do you know?'
Because you'll probably show me
the door," 1 cried bitterly, land you'll
be justified in doing it, But it's no
use beating about the bush. You know
/ dropped over 1900 just now?"
He nodded.
Il hadn't the money in my pocket"
81 remember"
"But | had my check book and l
wrote each of you check at that
desk"
"Well?"
mot one of them was worth the pa
per it was written on, Ratiles. | am
Overdrawn already at my bank"
''Surely only for the moment?"
'No. l have spent everything
but somebody told me you We're so
well off. l heard you had come in for
money"
$50 l did-three years ago. 1t has
been my curse. Now it's all gone-ev-
cry penny. Yes, I've been a fool.
There never was nor will be such a
fool as I've been, Isn't this enough
for you? Why don't you turn me
out?" He was walking up and down
with.a very long face instead.
Couldn't your people do anything?
he asked at length.
"Thank God" | cried, 81 have no
people! | was an only child. | came
in for everything there was. My one
comfort is that they're gone and will
never know"
1 cast myself into a chair and hid my
face. RaffleS continued to pace the
rich carpet that was of piece with
everything else in his rooms. There
was no variation in his soft and even
footballs.
''You used to be a literary little
cuss," he said at length. Didn't you
edit the mag. before you left? Any.
way l recolect tagging you to do my
verses, and literature of all sorts is
the very thing nowadays. Any fool
can make living at it."
L shook my head "Any fool couldn't
write off my debts" said |.
"Then you have a fat somewhere" |
he went on.
eyes, in Mount street."
''Well, what about the furniture"
lduSuCu s4lOuNl III NY lhloCly-
'There's been bill of sale on every
stick for monthsp'
And at that Rallies stood still, with
Faised eyebrows and stern eyes that
U could meet the better now that he
Knew the worst. Then, with a shrug,
he resumed his walk, and for some
minutes neither of us spoke. But in
his handsomC, unmoved face l read my |
nate and death warrant, and with |
every breath l cursed my folly and my
cowardce in coming to him at all. Be-
cause he had been kind to me at school
when he was captain of the eleven and |
4 his flag l had dared to look for kind
ness from him now. Because l was |
ruined and he rich enough to play |
cricket all the summer and do nothing |
for the rest of the year l had fatu-
Ously counted on his mercy, his sympa-