Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1906-10-26
b. DAVID GRAHAM PHILLIPS, Hua1ar of "ZHEC0
0lIISlzT ASO5 Ahs BOR7.

warning the rats to leave the sinking
Ship"
What do you mean, Matt?" he de-
manded. as if 1 had accused him.
| looked steadily at him, and imag-
inc my unshaven jaw did, not make
my aspect alluring.
What did Tom say about me-? I
inquired.
"Oh, almost nothing. We we're talk.
ing chiefly of-of club matters he
answered, in fair imitation of his
usual offhand manner.
when does my name come up
there?" | said.
He flushed and shifted. 81 was lust
about to tell you.", ne stammered. But
perhaps you know?"
Know what?"
fhat-Hasn't Tom told you? He
has NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. have TO
get another second-if you think.
that is-unless you'll suppose you'd
have told me, if you'd changed your
mind?"
Since | had become so deeply inter-
ested in Anita, my ambition-ambi-
tlon!-to join the Travellers had all
but dropped out of my mind.
u had forgotten about it." said |.
But, low that you remind me. |
want my name withdrawn. 1t was a
passing fancy. 1t was part and parcel
OF lot of damn foolishness I've been
INDUCING in for the last few months.
But I've come to my senses-and it's
me to the Wild where | belong, Sam
my, from this time on"
He looked tremendously relieved,
and a little puzzled, too. thought |
was reading him like an Illuminated
sign. Hes eager to keep friends
with me-" thought |, until he's abso-
lutely sure there's nothing more in it
for him and his people" And that
guess was a pretty good one. 1t is not
to the discredit of my shrewdness
that / didn't see it was not hope, but
fear, that made him try to placate me.
then what the Langdons hao done But
Sammy was saying, in his friendli.
est tone:
What's the matter, old man?
You're sour tonight"
Never in better humor," I as
sured him, and as l spoke the words
they came true. What had been saw.
ing about the. Travellers and all it rep
resented-all the snobbery, and smirk.
ing, and rotten pretense-my final and.
absolute remuneration of it all-acted
on me as I've seen religion act on
the fellows that used to go up to the
mourners' bench at the REVEALS. |
felt as if had suddenly emerged from
the parlor of a dive and its stencil of
sickening perfumes, into the pure air
Of Gods heaven.
| signed the bill, and we went afoot
up the avenue. Sam, as | saw with a
good deal of amusement, was irving
to devise some subtle, tactful way of
attaching his poor, clumsy little sue,
uon-pump to the we'll of my secret
thoughts.
What is it Sammy said | at last.
What do you want to know that
you're afraid to ask me-"
Nothing" he said hastily. "Pm
only a bit worried about-about Won
and textile. Matt,"-this in the tone
OF deep emotion we reserve for the
attempt to lure friends into confidiHg
that about themselves which will give
us the opportunity to pity them, and,
II necessary, to sheer off from them
Matt, | do hope you haven't been
hard hit?"
Not yet" said easily. Dry your
tears and put away your black clothes
Your friend, Tom Langdon, was a 1T.
tie premature"
I'm afraid I've given you a false
Impression" Sam continued, with an
overeagerness TO convince me that did
not attract my attention at the time
Tom merely said. I hear Blackjack
is loaded up with textile shorts
that was all A careless remark
really didn't think of 1t again until
saw you looking so black and glum.
That seemed natural enough, 50
changed the subject. As we entered
his house, I said:
I'll not 60 up to the drawingroom
Make my excuses to your mother
will you? I'll turn into the llttl,
smoking-room here. Tell your sister
and say I'm going to stop only mo
ment."
Sam had Just left me when the but
Ter came. Mr.. Ball think that wa,
the name. ar-wishes to speak to 70,
on the telephone"
j had given Ellersly's as one of tn,
places at which | might be found
should 1t be necessary to consult me
followed the butler to the telephon
cloeet under the main stairway. A
soon as Bali made sure. It was I, b
began:
"I'll use the code words. I've tus
seen Fearless, as you told me TO-"
Fearless-that was Mitchell, nv So
in the employ of Tavistock. who wa
my principal rival in the business O
confidential brokerage for the hig
financiers. Yes" said |. What doe
he say?"
There has been a great deal q
heavy buying for a month past"