The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-09-08
THE IDES
OF MARCH
No. l of the Series

N.EA
1SEDG@z ! had lift it. The bac-
carat counters still Strew-
ed the table, with the empty glasses
and the loaded ash trays \ window
had been opened TO let the smoke out
and was letting in the fog instead.
Rallies himself had merely discarded
his dining jacket for one Of his in
Vulnerable blazers. yet he arched his
eyebrows as though ! had dragged him
from his bed.
Forgotten something" said he
when he saw me on his mat
No said l. pushing past him with
out ceremony. And | led the way into
his room with an impudence amazing
30 myself.
Not come back for your revenge,
have you3 Because I'm afraid can't
give it you single handed. was sorry
myself that the others
We were face 10 face by his ireSde,
and cut him short.
"Rafies," said i. you may well be
surprised nj my coming back i'm 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. 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
treasured me as l went on, and l 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
ed me his silver cigarette case.
NO said l, finding a full voice as
shook my head; no. ! 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"
Really" 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" cried bitterly, "and 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"
Il remember"
But | had my check book, and l
wrote each of you a check at that
desk"
"Wen?"
Not one of them was worth the pa
per it was written on. Rafiles. am
overdrawn already at my bank"
Surely only for the moment?"
mo. / have spent everything"
But somebody told me you were so
well off. heard you had come in for
money"
80 l did-three years ago 1t has
been my curse. Now it's all gone-ev-
cry penny Yes, I've been 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 very long face instead.
Couldn't your people do anything?"
he asked at length
Thank God" cried Il have no
people, was an only child l came
in for everything there was My one
comfort is that they're gone and will
never know"
l cast myself into a chair and hid my
face. Rallies 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 to be a literary little
cuss." he said at length Didn't you
edit the mag before you left? Any
way recollect tagging you to do my
verses. and literature of all sorts is
the very thing nowadays. ANY fool
can make living at IT,"
shook my head. ANY fool couldn't
write off my debts" said l.
Then you have a fat somewhere?"
be went on.
Yes, in Mount street"
"Well, what about the furniture?"
laughed aloud in my misery.
There's been a bill OF sale on every
stick for MONTHS
And at that Raflles stood still, with
raised eyebrows and stern eyes that
i 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 handsome, unmoved face read my
fate and death warrant, and with
every breath l cursed my folly and my
cowardice in coming to him at all. Be
cause he had been kind to me AT school
when he was captain of the eleven and
Z his flag I had dared to look for kind
ness from him now Because I was
ruined and he rich enough to play
cricket all the summer and do nothing
for the rest Of the year had fatu-
ously counted on his mercy. his sympa-
thy. his help. Yes, had relied on him
In my heart. for all my outward diff
dence and humility, and was rightly
served. There was as little of mercy
as of sympathy in that curling nostril,
that rigid jaw, that cold blue eye
which never glanced my way. caught
up my hat ] blundered TO my feet.
] would have gone without a word.
but Raffies stood between me and the
door.
'Where are you going?" said he.
That's my business" l replied. II
won't trouble you any more"