The San Francisco call., 1906-11-04

the rule of the place y-as Puritanical In
thrift as In all things. and the good
housekeepers disputed every record OF
the meters with unhappy gas collect
ors.
There was no better housekeeper in
town than Mrs. Louden, nor a thriftier.
but hers was one of the few houses
in Canaan that evening which
showed bright lights in the front rooms
while the family were at supper. 1t
was proof of the agitation caused by
the arrival of Eugene that she forgot
to turn out the gas in her parlor. and
in the chamber she call library. on
her way to the evening meal
That might not have been thought
cheerful feast for Joe Louden. The fat
ted calf was upon the board. but ii had
not been provided for the prodigal.
who. in this case. was the brother that
stayed at home: the fete rewarded the
good brother, who had been in strange
lands, and the good one had found
much honor in his wanderinss, as he
carelessly let it appear. Mrs. Lsouden
frightened inexpressibly whenever Eu-
gene spoke of himself, and consequently
she glowed most of the time. Her hus-
banda heavy. melancholy. silent man
with a grizzled beard and no mustache
lowered at Joe throughout the meal.
but appeared to take a strange comfort
Eugene wore new evening clothes and
was lustrous to eye and ear.
Joe escaped as soon as he could.
though not before the count of his later
sins had been set before Eugene in de-
tail, in mass, and in all of their depth.
breadth and thickness. His father
spoke but once, after nodding heavily
to confirm all points of Mrs. Louden's
recital.
you better use any influence you've
got with your brother" he said TO Eu-
gene, Ito make him come to time
can't do anything with him. IL he gets
in trouble he needn't come to me- I'll
never help him again I'm tired or II.
Eugene glanced twinklingly at the
outcast. 'I didn't know he was such a
roarer as all THAR he said, lightly. not
taking Joe as of enough consequences
to be treated as a sinner.
This encouraged Mrs. Louden to
pathos upon the subject of her shame
before other women when Joe hap
pened TO be mentioned. and the supper
was finished with the topic. Joe slipped
away through the kitchen, sneakingly,
and climbed the back fence. In the
alley he lit a cheap Cigarette, and
thrusting his hands into his pockets
and shiveripg violently-for he had no
overcoat-walked away singing TO him.
self "A Spanish cavalier stood In his
retreat" his teeth affording an appro-
priate though involuntary castanet ae-
compartment
His movements throughout the ear
lier part of that evening are Of uncer-
tain report. 1t is known that he made
a partial payment of forty-hve cents at
a second hand book store for num-
her of Observation-Disclosures on TOrts
and some others-which he had negoti-
ated on the installment system; II is
also believed that he won % cents play
ing seven-up in the little room behind
Louie Farbach's bar; but these things
are OF little import compared to the
established fact that at IL o'clock he
was one of the ball guests at the Pike
mansion He took no active part in the
festivities. nor was he one of the dan
GERS: his was. on the contrary. the role
of a quiet observer. He lay stretched
at full length upon the floor of the
inclosed porch Zone of tine strips OF
canvas was later found TO have been
loosened). wedged between the outer
railing and row Of palms in green
tubs. The position he occupied was
somewhat too draughty to have been
recommended by a physician. but he
commanded, between the leaves Of the
screening palms. an excellent view OF
the room nearsst the porch. A long
window. open. afforded communication
for dancing. and the dim bower which
had been made of the veranda. whittier
fiirtatious couples made their way be-
tween the dances
1t was not to play eaveSdropper upon
any of these that the unlimited Joe
had come He was not there to listen
and il is possible that, had the cur