The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1908-12-05

N Chicago nearly a day
late. The Gables and the
O Harbins went at once to
the Annex, where David Cable had
taken rooms. They had given up their
north side home some months before,
both he and his wife retiring into the
seclusion that a great hotel can afford
when necessary.
Graydon hurried off to his fathers
office, eager, yet half fearing, to meet
the man who was responsible for the
broken link in his life-this odd year.
he recalled as he drove across town
that a full year had elapsed since he
spent that unforgettable night in Elias
DroOm's uncanny home. Was he never
to forget that night-that night when
his soul seemed even more squalid
than the home Of the recluse?
All of his baggage except a suit case
had been left at the station. He did
not know what had become of his be-
longings in the former home of his ia
Their, nor, for that matter, did he care.
At the u building he ventured q
dlfident greeting to the elevator boy,
whom he remembered. The boy looked
at him quizzically and nodded with
customary aloofness. Graydon found
himself hoping that he would not meet
Bobby Rigby. He also wondered as
the car shot up how his father had
managed to escape from the meshes
that were drawn about him on the eve
of his departure. His chances had
looked black and hopeless enough then,
yet he still maintained the same old
offices in the building. His name was
on the directory board downstairs.
Graydon's heart gave a quick bound
with the thought that his father had
proved the charges false after all.
Elias broom was busy directing the
labors of two ablebodied men and a
charwoman, all Of whom were toiling
as they had never toiled before. The
woman was busting law books, and
the men were packing them away in
boxes. The front room of the suit was
in a state Of devastation. A dozen
boxes stood about the floor; rugs and
furniture were huddled in the most re-
mote corner awaiting the arrival Of the
secondhand man, the floor was lit
tered with paper. broom was direct
ing operations with a broken umbrella.
1t seemed like a lash to the tollers.
"NOw let's get through with this
ROOM" he was saying in his most i'm
polling way. 1.-The men will be here
for the boxes at 4. l don't want EN-
to wait. This back room stuff Wen
put in the trunks. Look out there!
Don't you see that nailT"
Eddie Deever. with his usual indo-
lence, was seated upon the edge of the
writing table in the corner, smoking
his cigarette and commenting with rash
freedom upon the efforts of the per-
spring slaves.
"How long are you going to keep
these things in the w%arehouseP' he
asked of broom.
I'm not going to keep them there at
all. They belong to Mr., Bansemer,
He'll take them out when he has the
time"
Hes getting all the time he wants
now, l guess" commented Eddie.
Say, talking about time, I'll be TWEEN
ty-one next Tuesday"
"0ld enough to marry"
81 don't know about that. I'm get
ting pretty wise, Do you know, I've
just found out how old Rosie Heating
is. She's t%wenty-nine. Gee, it's funny
how a fellow always gets stuck on a
girl older than himself! Still, she's all
right. I'm not saying a word against
her. She wouldn't be twenty-nine if
she could help It,"
81 suppose it's off between you,
then"
81 don't know about that either. We
lunched at Rector's today. That don't
look like it's off. does it? Four sixty
five, including the tip. She don't look
t~wenty-nine, does she2"
'I've never noticed her"
"Neveri Well. holy mackerell You
must be blind then. She says she's seen
you in the elevator a thousand times.
Never noticed her? Geew
Il mean I've never noticed any one
who looked less than twenty-nine. BY
the way, do you ever see Mr.. Rigbyl
l believe she is in his office"
81 don't go to Rigby's any more"
said Eddie, with sudden stiffness. Hes
a cheap skate"
81 heard he threw you out of the Of!
fee one day" with a dry cackle.
"He did mott We couldn't agree in
certain things regarding the Bansemer
affair, that's all. l told him to 90 to the
devil, or words to that effect"
Something loose about your testi-
mony, 1 believe. wasn't thereG"
"Oh, the whole thing doesn't amount
to a whoop. I'm trying to get Rosie
another job. She oughtn't to write in
there with that guy"
well, you're tw~enty-one. Why don't
you open an office Of your own? Your
mothers got plenty OF money. She can
buy you a library and a sign, and that