, 1906-01-24

as he drove off to keep his ap-
L pointment with Peggy Gray.
"The million is gone-all gone. I'm as
poor as Jobs turkey. It's up to Jones,
but l don't see how he can decide
against me. He insisted on making a
pauper of me, and he can't have the
heart to throw me down now. But
what if he should take it into his head
to be ugly! | wonder if | could break
the WILL wonder if l could beat him
out in court"
Peggy was waiting for lin. Her
cheeks were flushed as with a fever.
She had caught from him the mad ex-
element of the occasion.
Come, Peggy" he exclaimed eager
ly. This is our last holiday. Let's be
merry. We can forget it tomorrow il
you like when we begin all over again,
but maybe it will be worth remember
ing" He assisted her to the seat and
then leaped up beside her. We're Off"
he cried, his voice quivering.
1T is absolute madness, DEAR" she
said, but her eyes were sparkling with
the joy of recklessness. Away vent
the trap and the two light hearts. Mrs.
Gray turned from a window in the
house with tears in her eyes. To her
troubled mind they were driving off
into utter darkness.
The queerest looking man came to
the house to see you this afternoon,
Monty" said Peggy. "He wore a
beard, and he made me think of Rem
ington's cowboys"
What was his name?"
HE told the maid it did not matter.
| saw him as he walked away, and he
looked very much a man. He said he
would come tomorrow if he did not
find you downtown tonight. Don't you
recognize him from the description"
mot at all. Can't imagine who he
is"
Monty" she said after a moments
painful reflection. "He-he couldn't
have been a.
81 know what you mean, an officer
Sent up to attach my belongings Or
something of the sort. No, dearest; |
give you my word of honor | do not
w a dollar in the world" Then he
recalled his peculiar Indebtedness to
Bragdon and Gardner. Except n or
two very small personal obligations"
he added hastily. Don't worry about
1t, dear; we are out for a good time,
and we must make the most of it.
First we drive through the park, then
we dine at Merry's."
but we must dress for that, dear"
she cried. and the c~haperonY
He turned very red when h spoke
of dressing. I'm ashamed to confess
it, Peggy, but | have no other clothes
than these I'm wearing now. Don't
look so hurt, dear. I'm going to leave
an order for new evening clothes to-
morrow if | have the time. And about
the chaperon, People won't be talking
before tomorrow, and by that time
mo, Monty, Merry's is out of the
question. We can't go there" she said
decisively.
ooh, Peggy! That spoils everything"
he cried in deep disappointment.
at isn't fair to me, Monty. Every
body would know us, and every
tongue would wag. They would say:
There are Monty Brewster and Mar
garet Gray. Spending his last few dol
lars on her. You wouldn't have them
think that?"
He saw the justice in her protest.
"A quiet little dinner in some out of
the way place would be joyous she
added ~persuasively.
sXaI1'po NIGHT Dnopu UnI1'rp olXV1UC
right. You see. I'm so used to spend
ing money by the handful that don't
know how to do it any other way. |
believe I'll let you carry the pocket
book after tomorrow. Let me think.
I know a nice little restaurant down.
town. Wei GO there and then to the
theater. Dan DeMille and his wife are
to be in my box, and we're all going
up to Pettingil's studio afterward.
I'm to give the Little Sons a farewell
supper. If my calculations don't go
wrong that will be the end of the Jaunt
and Wen go home happy"
AT IL o'clock Pettingill's studio open
ed its doors to the Little Sons and
their guests, and the last Dutch
lunch" was o o under way. Brewster
had paid for it early in the evening,
and when he sat down at the head of
the table there was not u penny in his
pockets. A year ago at the same place
and at the same hour he and the Lit
tie Sons Were having a birthday feast.
A million dollars came to him on that
night. Tonight he was poorer by far
than IN the other occasion, but he ex-
pected a little gift on the new ami