Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-10-20
CHAPTER VI.

,lftun~ uI.,.-I which Muliy Is 10 d. -pu>e oi we
,..'N-t,r money. Brewster employs his f. cac-
I" help ban 60 rid % he million.
CHAPTER VI.
y FORTNIGHT later Montgomery
IA brewster had new home
In strict obedience to his
u chiefs command, hopper Har-
r.son had leased until the Septem-
lcr following one of the most expen-
SiVe apartments to be found in New
York city. The rental WIS $23.O00,
and the shrewd financial representa-
tive had saved $1,000 for his employer
by paying the sum in advance. But
when he reported this bit of economy
to Mr.. brewster he was surprised that
II brought forth a frOwn. II never saw
n man who had less sense about mon
ey," muttcred hopper to himself
why, he spends It like a Chicago mil
lionaire trying to get into New York
society. II 1t We're not for the rest of
us he'd be a pauper In six months"
Paul Pettingil to bis own intense
surprise and. it must be said, con-
sternation, was engaged q redecorate
certain rooms according to a plan sug-
gested by the tenant. The rising young
artist In a great furry Of excitement
agreed to do the work for $500 and
then blushed like schoolgirl when he
was informed by the practical Brew
ster that the paints and material for
one room alone would cost twice as
much.
Petty, you have no more idea Of
business than a goat" criticised Mont
gomery. And Paul lowered his head In
humble confession. THAT man who
calcimines your studio could figure on
piece Of work with more Intelligence
than you reveal. I'll pay $4,000. It's
only a fair price, and I can't afford
anything cheap in this place."
AT this rate you won't be able to
afford anything" said Pettngill to
himself.
And so it was that Pettingill and n
corps Of decorators soon turned the
rooms into a confusion Of scaffoldings
and paint buckets, out Of which in the
end emerged something very distin-
guished. No one had ever thought
Pettingill deficient in ideas, and this
was bis opportunity. The only draw
back was the time limit which Brew
ster SO remorselessly fixed Without
that he felt that he could have done
something splendid in the way Of dec
orative panels-something that would
make even the glory Of Puvis de Cha
vanneS turn pallid. With It he was
obliged to curb his turbulent ideas,
and he decided that q rich simplicity
was the proper note The result was
gorgeous, but not too gorgeous-it had
depth and distinction.
Elated and eager, he assisted Brew
ster In selecting furniture and hang.
lngs Tor 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 the effect that they were
to buy everything back at fair price
If 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 flimsy 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 SO obviously gen
uine that her heart was touched, and
there was deep, fervent Joy in her
soul. 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
rooms were kept for him Just as II he
had expected to occupy them every day
and every night. Notwithstanding the
luxurious apartments he was to main
tain elsewhere. The Oliver Optic
books still lay in the attic, all tattered
and torn. but to Margaret the embodi-
ment Of prospective riches. promises of
sweet hours to come. She knew Mon
ty well enough to feel that he would
not forget the dark little attic of old
tor .ue splcndors that might come
with the new dispensation.
There was no little surprise when he
sent out invitations for a large dinner.
His grandfather had been dead less
than a month, and society was some
what scandalized by the plain symp-
toms OF disrespect he was showing No
one had expected him to observe q pro-
longed season Of mourning, but that
be should disregard the formalitics
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 If 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 impecunious
grandson Of Joseph Clarity also was
to sustain a severe change Of fortune
In the near future If 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 sickroOm whisper that
Montgomery Brewster was to give a
rig dinner. Naturally the heirs to-be
condemned young Brewster in no IN
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 the sixty invited guests
could have been persuaded to miss it.
Reports as to its magniflcence were
abroad long before the night set for
the dinner. One of them had II that it
was to cost $1,000 plate From that
figure the legendary price receded to
II mark as low as 500. Montgomery
would have been only too glad to pay
$1,000 or more, but some mysterious
force conveyed to his mind IL perfect
portrait Of Swearengen Jones in the
act Of putting down large black mark
against him, and he fOrbore.