Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-06-07

III VI
a certain cricket tour, had l succeeded
III getting a word out of Rallies on the
subject. 1t was not for want of try
ing. He would shake his head and
watch his cigarette smoke thouchtfully,
a subtle look in his eyes. half cynical.
half wistful, as though the decent, hon
est days that We're nc more had had
their merits after all. Rattles would
plan 4 fresh enormity or glory in the
last with b unmitigated enthusiasm
OF the artist. 1t was impossible to
imagine one throb or twitter of COM
junction beneath those frankly ego
tistic and infectious transports. And
yet the ghost of a dead remorse seemed
still to visit him with the memory Of
his first felony, so that l had given the
story up long before the night of our
return from Winchester. Cricket, how
ever, was in the air, and Rat1es'
cricket bag was back where he some
times kept it, in the fender, with the re-
mains Of an orient label still adhering
to the leather. My eyes had been on
this label for some time, and l suppose
his eyes had been on mine, for all ut
once he asked me if l still burned to
hear that yarn.
Its no use" l replied. You won't
spin it. l must imagine it for my
self"
How can you?'
ooh, l begin to know your methods"
You take it l went in with my eyes
open, as l do now, eh?"
Il can't imagine your doing other
wise"
"My dear Bunny, it was the most un-
premeditated thing I ever did in my
life"
His chair wheeled back into the
books as he sprang up with sudden
energy. There was quite an indignant
glitter in his eyes.
Il can't believe that" said l crafti-
ly. 81 can't pay you such a poor COM
pliment."
Then you must be a fool
He broke off, stared hard at me and
in a trice stood smiling in his own
despite.
-"or a better knave than l thought
you, Bunny, and, by Jove, it's the
knave! Well. l suppose I'm fairly
drawn. give you best, as they say
out there. AS a matter of fact, I've
been thinking of the thing myself
Last nights racket reminds me of it
in n or two respects. l tell you what.
though, this is an occasion in any case.
and I'm going to celebrate it by break
ing the n good rule of my life. I'm
going to have a second drink"
The whisky tinkled. the siphon
fixed, the ice plopped home, and seat
ed there in his pajamas. with TIE in
evitable cigarette, Rafties told ne t!e
story that l had given up hoping to
hear. The windows We're vide open.
The sounds of Piccadilly foa:eu in II
first. Long before he finished tie is,
wheels had ratified, the asst l.;, ~.
was removed; we alone broke the Qui i.
of the suInme night.
"No, they do you very We'll. in..c"
You pay for nothing but d...ns. J.,
w ISth 'uL III il.AiN 4i.IL " ~
Of a comprehensive character. Ia.
started in a hole. I ou.llt rel. t
have refused the invitation. THIN W.
ali went to the Melbourne cup. and |
had the certain winner that didn't WIN,
and that's not the only way you can
play the fool in Melbourne. | wasn't
the steady old stager l am now. Bun
ny. My analysis was a confession in
itself. But the others didn't know how
hard up | was, and | sworo they
shouldn't. l tried the Jews, bat t,.e%'re
extra fly out there. Then | tiloJ-,lt Q.
a kinsman Of sorts, a second COUSIN 0:
my fathers whom none Of US knee,
anything about except that he was SIP.
posed to be in one Or other Of tho
colonies. IF he was a rich man. wei.
and good, l would work him: if not
there would be no harm done. I til ID
to get on his tracks. and, as luck woU,'
have it, succeeded tor thought | had
at the very moment when | happene.
to have a few days to myself. was
cut over on the hand. just before the
big Christmas match. and couldn't
have bowled a ball if they had playej
me.
The surgeon who fixed me w hap
pered to ask me If I "a any "rclAt:,l
of Ratfles Of the National bank. ;.t
the pure luck Of it almost took M
breath away. A relation who was ;
high official in IN Of the banks. vel
would finance me on my mere name
could anything be better? | made II!
my mind hat this ItatileS was ~,
man ] wanted and was awful!y 81,
to find XXI morning that he WASH
q high official at all, nor had the 90"
tor so much as met him, but had moe
ly read Of him in connection with
small sensation at the suburban brnIc!
which my nailcsakc managed. \!
armed rODbcr had been rather pluck
lily beaten off, with a bullet in h,n
by this ~ltnlIicS, ANA the sort Of thin,
was 50 common out there that til!
was the first ! heard Of il, \ sui,
urban branch My @tinaucior la,
faded into some excellent fellow wlll