The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-07-11
The Hostess
Guests
BIZ HzArnIcR 8. swrrs


the life line thrown him. But some.
how or another l will swerve, and
then Jim Elson gets another escap-
sde to write out and print. You may
have heard of me; my name is Jen-
kins--Willism b. jenkins.
Elson, Jones and their party were
IN hot pursuit OF me whom I left
Tibet after the episode OF the Bud
dhist temple, and decided that the
best way to eiude pursuit was TO 20
right back to where we all belonged
and where they would never think
Of looking for me. SO came to
Boston.
! walked over to Huntington Ave-
nue., rejecting to myself that man
with my resolution had far better be
well fed than half starved, and
smiled faint hesrtedly as / auto
matically searched the empty
pockets.
l halted hesitatingly before the
Criterion Club and wondered where
| should get that meal. and / idly
watched the we'll dressed men pass
In and out the brightly illuminated
doorway. when suddenly / bethought
myself of plan. My clothes might
look worse. ! wore cutaway---its
style was recent. To be sure, my
collar was little soiled my
cuffs frayed. and had lost the heel
OF shoe, but why not?
assembled the steps briskly and
entered the wide vestibule. My over
coat was taken from me In an In
stant, and passed into what | took
to be writing room. stared
around curiously-trying not TO be-
tray any sign that I was unaccus-
toned to the place, and was there
fore little disquieted when
found man gazing at me fixedly
from a shaded corner. l walked to-
ward him easily, and coolly halted q
few steps from his chair, surveying
the groups around me with appar.
ent tranquility. To my further dis
Quietude. he arose and approached.
Mr.. Robbins-our new men,
ber?" he asked interrogatively. !
nodded--the name gave me an open
ing-but my companion seemed al
most astonished at my affirmative.
He hesitated for q moment. 81 be-
lieve ! met you the other night" he
said slowly.
IL remember now" replied. 81
have met so many these first few
weeks that your face slipped my
mind for an instant"
/ thanked heaven that the doubt
full look disappeared from his face.
Yes" he cried. And ! Ihink
owe you dinner. Remember?
Suppose you claim your bet to-
night?" .'r.l#| |a 1 r ~ &
A"Can't say that / do remember" ]
replied, smiling inwardly, hut IL
you want to pay a debt. I'll accept.
III lose to you another time" and |
followed him to the club dining
room. Luck" l cried 20 myself,
Luck, Billie b." and 1 slowed my
heeliess shoe beneath the table and
kept my cuffs beneath the cloth.
Ny comrade ordered--ordered ex-
tensively, and my breast swelled
With gratitude. He spoke constant
ly. seldom referring to the club or
its members, but talked very intelli-
gently OF the political and legal
world. His name l didn't know, and
the old time method OF asking
How so dffcult a name Is spelled
I avoided. It might be Smith or
Brown!
Tom Hemingway over In the cor.
ner," he said confidently. And
and Dick Waters at the
third table on the other side, and
hello! there's Roger Peters In the
Iobby-one moment while I speak TO
him. I've been looking for that man
FOR a week-order cigars and Coffee"
and he dashed of.
/ leaned back comfortably aud or
dered. Fifteen minutes passed.
twenty. ! turned uneasily. Where
was my host? Thirty minutes; q
waiter asked me II ] wanted any
hing further. shook my head,
Ind looking up found his eye fixed |
IN my frayed cum. / hastily thrust
he offending arm from sight be-
ieath the table cover and watched
he waiter recede from view-then
hastily arose to search for my COM
'anion.
At the door met my waiter with
lis chief and was summarily halted.
Il was dining with" sud
lenly halted. ] neither knew the
mans name nor where be was.
My interrogation smiled. "Ill take
Inn, Pete" he said, and he grasped
ne by the arm and piloted me
cross the corridor too astounded
nd weakened to protest. and in the
Dom on the other side I found my
rstwhile companion.
Here's the other one," said my
ustodian. A little man at desk
miled sarcasticslly. Both had
our dinners, sh? l s'pose should
avs dropped on you before you got
our MI, but l didn't want to take
hs chance of offending q msmber.
ou." he pointed TO my fellow diner.
] know to be crooked. but was
OF sure OF YOU
II was invited!' ] protested.
"He invited me in!" cried my for
Ter host.
The man at the desk grupted con-