, 1905-12-06

furniture and other belongings, and
then there would be something like
$4,000 interest to consider.
But luck had aided him in getting rid
of his money. The bank failure had
cost him $113.468.25, and Hopper Har-
rison had helped him to the extent of
$780, 600. The reckless but determined
effort to give a ball had cost 100000.
What he had lost during his illness had
been pretty well offset by the unlucky
concert tour. The Florida trip, includ-
ing medical attention, the cottage and
living expenses, had entailel the eX-
penditure of $18,500, and his princely
dinners and theatcr parties had footed
up $4,000. Taking all the facts into
consideration, he felt that lie had lone
rather well as far as he had gone, but
the hardest part of the Undertaking
was yet to come. He was still in pos
session of an enormous sum which
must disappear before Sept. %. About
$4,000 had already been expended In
the yachting project.
He determined to begin at once a sys-
tematic campaign of extinction. 1t had
been his intention before sailing to dis
pose of many household articles either
by sale or gift. As he did not expect to
return to New York before the latter
part of August this would minimize the
struggles of the last month. But the
prospective profit to be acquired
from keeping his apartment open was
- Il -... I'LL I'LL -,-:Iu
count upon n generous sum for salaries
and running expenses. Once on the 9th
er side of the Atlantic he hoped that
new opportunities for extravaganza
would present themselves, and he fan
cied he could leave the final settlement
of his affairs for the last month. As
the day for sailing approached the
world again seemed bright to this most
mercenary of spendthrifts.
A farewell consultation with his at
torneys proved encouraging, for to
them his chances to win the eXtraor-
binary contest seemed of the best. He
was in high spirits as he left them,
~eXhilaratcd by the sensation that the
world lay before him. In h eleva-
tor he encountered Colonel Prentiss
Drew. On both sides the meeting was
not without its difficulties. The colonel
had been dazed by the inexplicable
situation between Monty and his
daughter, whose in%volutions he found
hard to understand. Her summary of
the effort she had made to effect Il
reconciliation after hearing the story
of the bank was rather vague. She
had done her utmost, she said, to be
nice to him and make him feel that
she appreciated his generositc, but he
took it in the most disagreeable fash
ion. Colonel Drew knew that things
were somehow wrong, but he was too
strongly an American father to in
terfere in a matter of the affections,
1t distressed him, for he had a liking
for Monty, and Barbara's society
Judgments" as he called them, had nc
weight with him. When he found him
self confronted with Brewster in the
elevator the old warmth revived and
the old hope that the quarrel might
have an end. His greeting was CHEEKY.
You have not forgotten, Brewster"
he said as they shook hands, that
you have a dollar or two with usY
mo- said Monty; moi exactly. And
l shall be calling upon you for some of
it very soon. I'm off on Thursday for
a cruise in the Mediterranean"
"I've heard something of it." They
had reached the main floor, and Colonel
Drew had drawn his companion out
of the crowd into the rotunda. "The
money is at your disposal at any mo-
ment. But aren't you setting a pretty
lively pace, my boy? You know I've
always liked you. and l knew your
grandfather rather well. He was Il
good old chap, Monty, and he would
hate to see you make ducks and
brakes of his fortune"
There was something in the colonels
manner that softened Brewster, much
as he hated to take a reproof from Bar
bara's father. Once again he was
tempted to tell the truth, but he pulled
himself up in time. ITS a funny old
world. colonel" he said, "and some
times ones nearest friend Is a stranger.
l know l seem Il fool; but, after all,
why isn't it good philosophy to make
the most of a holiday and then settle
back to work? ?"
"That is all very well, Monty'-and
Colonel Drew was entirely serious
"but the work is a hundred times hard
er after you have played to the limit.
You'll find that you are way beyond it.
It's no joke getting back into the har-
ness"
perhaps you are right, colonel, but