The Red Cloud chief., 1906-12-28

"A light, ma Il ioOk or comprehension
crossed his eyes.
"What will you have, or, rather.
WIN you have a whisky? I keep moth.
Ing else. Hospitality is one of the lie.
barred iuXuries."
Ohilcotr shook his head. 81 seldom
drink. But don't let that deter you"
Iodcr smiled. II have one drink In
the t~wcnty-four hours-gcncrally ut .
o'clock. when my nights work Is done.
A solitary man has to look where he
is going"
You work till go
"Two or 3"
Ghilcotc's Eyes wandered to the desk.
"You writer" he asked.
The other nodded CURLY.
"Booksr' Chilcote's tone was n
ious.
Lodcr laughed, and the bitter note
showed in his voice.
mo; not books" he said.
Ciilcote leaned back i'm his chair and
passed his hand across his face. The
strong wave Of satisfaction that the
words woke In him was difficult to
conceal.
what is your work."
Iodcr turned aside. you must not
ask that" he said shortly. when a
man has only n capacity. and the
capacity has no outlet. he Is apt to run
to seed in a wrong direction. 1 cult.
vatc weeds, at abominable labor and a
very small reward" He stood with
his back to the fire, facing his visitor.
His attitude was a curious blending of
pride. defiance and dependency.
GhllcOte leaned forward again. "Why
speak Of yourself like that? You are a
man of intelligence and education"
He spoke Qu%estioningly, anxiously.
Intelligence and education!' Loder
laughed shortly. London is cemented
with Intelligence. And education!
What Is education? The court dress
necessary to presentation. the wig and
gown necessary to the barristcr. But
do the wig and gown necessarily mean
briefs or the court dress royal favor?
Education is the accessory. 1t is infiu-
know that"
Niilcote moved restlessly in his seat.
You talk bitterly" he said.
The other looked up. II think bitter
~. which is worse. I am one Of the I'M
lucky beggars who In the expectation
of money have been denied n profess
%si0n-cven q trade, to which to cling In
time of shipwreck-and who when dis
-aster comes drift out to sea. I warned
YOU the other night to steer clear of
me. l com under the head of flot-
SAM"
Ohiicote's face lighted. "You came a
cropperT he asked.
mo. 1t was some one else who came
the cropper. l only dealt In results"
Big results?"
"a drop from a probable $4,000 to
a certain $500"
Ohilcote glanced up. "How did you
take IT." he asked.
ar Oh. I was twenty-five then. I
had a good many hopes and a lot Of
pride: but there Is no place for either
in u working world"
But your peoplew
my last relation died with the for
tune"
"YOur friendsr
Loder laid down his pipe. IL told you
! was Twenty-Five" he said, with the
tinge of humor that sometimes crossed
his manner. Doesn't that explain
thingsp I had never taken favors in
prosperity. A change of fortune was
not likely to alter my ways. AS l have
said. | was twenty-five" He smiled.
when realized my position I sold all
my belongings with the exception OF a
table and a few books-which l stored.
I put Oh a walking suit and let my
beard grow. Then, with my entire cap
ital In my pocket, l left England with
on saying goodby to any one"
"For how longY
"Oh, for six years. / wandered half
over Europe and through a good part
of Asia in the time"
And thenT
Then? Oh, I shaved off the beard
and came back to Londong He look
ed at Chilcote, partly contemptuous,
partly amused at his curiosity.
But Ch'lcote sat staring In silence.
The domination of the others person
iaitty and the futility of his achieve
lments balIied him.
Ioder saw his bewilderment. "You
wonder what the devil I came into the
world for" he said. II sometimes
wonder the same myself"
At his words a change passed over
chilcote. He half rose. then dropped
baek into his seat.