, 1905-10-25

WAS me proper note. 1he result was
gorgeous, but not too gorgeous-it had
depth and distinction.
Elated and eager. he assisted Brew
ster In selecting furniture and hang
ings for each room, but he did not
know that his employer was making
conditional purchases Of everything.
Mr.. Brewster had agreements with all
the dealers to he effect that they were
to buy everything back at a fair price
II he desired to give up his establish
ment within a year. He adhered to this
rule In all cases that called for the
purchase outright of substantial ne
cessities. The bump Of calculativeness
In Monty Brewster's head was growing
to abnormal proportions.
In retaining his rooms at Mrs. Gray's
he gave the fimsy but pathetic excuse
that he wanted a place In which he
might find occasional seasons of peace
and quiet. When Mrs. Gray protested
against this useless bit of extrava-
gance his grief was 80 obviously gen
uine that her heart was touched, and
there was a deep, fervent joy in her
sou She loved this fair faced boy,
and tears Of happiness came to her
eyes when she was given this new
proof of his loyalty and devotion. His
room were kept for him just as If he
had expected to occupy them every day
II every night, Notwithstanding the
luxurious apartments he was to main
tain elsewhere. The oliver Optic
books still lay in the attic, all tattered
aa1 4O.n 1,4 - A. o-,hAIi
ment of prospective riches, promises of
sweet hours to come. She knew Mon
ty we'll enough to feel that he would
not forget the dark little attic Of old
for all the splendors that might come
with the new dispensation.
There was no little surprise when he
sent out invitations for a large dinner.
Ills grandfather had been dead less
thar Il month, and society was some
what scandalized by the plain symp-
toms of disrespect he was showing. Nc
Il had expected him to observe a pro-
longed season of mourning, but that
he should disregard the formalities
completely was rather shocking. Some
of the older people, who had not long
to live and who had heirs apparent,
openly denounced his heartlessnesS 1t
was not very gratifying to think of
what might be in store for them II all
memories were as short as Brewster's.
Old Mrs. Ketchell changed her will,
and two nephews were cut off entire
ly. A very modest and i~mpecunious
grandson of Joseph Clarity also was
to sustain a severe change Of fortune
in the near future Ii the cards spoke
correctly. Judge Van Wort, who was
not expected to live through the night,
got better Immediately after hearing
some one in the slckroom whisper that
Montgomery Brewster was to give a
big dinner. Naturally the heirs-to-be
condemned young Brewster in no I'M
certain terms.
Nevertheless the dinner to be given
by the grandson of old Edwin Peter
Brewster was the talk of the town, and
not one of h sixty Invited guests
could have been persuaded to miss 1t.
Reports as to its magnifcence were
abroad long before the night set for
the dinner. One of them had it that it
was to cost $4,000 a plate. From that
figure the legendary price receded to
a mark as low as $500. Montgomery
would have beer only too glad to pay
5000 or more, but some mysterious
force conveyed to his mind a perfect
portrait of Swearengen Jones in the
act of putting Town u large black mark
against him, and he forbore.
II wish l knew whether l had to
abide Inv tho New York or the Mon
ana standard of extravaganza" Brew
ster said to himself. Il wonder If he
ever sees the New York papers"
Late each night the last Of the grand
old Brewster family went to his bed
room, where, after Diminishing his man,
he settled down at his desk, with a
pencil and a pad Of paper. Lighting
the candles, which were more easily
managed, he found, than lamps and
much more costly, he t~houghtfully and
religiously calculated his expenses for
the day. hopper Harrison and Elon
Gardner had the receipts for all mon
eys spent, and Joe Bragdon was keep
ing an official report, but the chief"
as they called him, could not go to
sleep until he was satisfied in his own
mind that he was keeping up the aver
age. For the first two weeks 1t had
been easy-in fact, he seemed to have
quite Il comfortable lead in the race.
He had spent almost 100000 in the
fortnight, but he realized that the
greater part of it had gone into the
yearly and not the daily expense ac-
count. He kept a profit and loss'