Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-09

seems to me about the limit"
Brown flushed and frowned and held out his
hand for the sheet of pink perfumed note paper
on which an acceptance of invitation to dance
was written in the third person and slgneu'
yours truly, Gadyce Reardon'
"All the same, she's mighty jolly little girl,
he said restoring the missive to its envelope and
making a critical inspection OF his stock OF neck
ties.
''Well," said Adler, "if you going to dance
7 NAV as well go home | up to rehearse the
little talk l am to give before the Culture CLUB
on James Whitcomb Riley"
whats that got to do with being dentist?
asked Brown, grinnng from between his military
brushes.
my dear fellow" replied Adler with slight
elevation of his chest "some of the best women in
town belong to that club and you know, in the
medical profession everything depends upon get
ting in with the right people l happened to know
that they were studying the American poets, and
just mentioned to Mrs. Willard the President the
fact that had an aunt who lived next door to
Riley when he was little boy. Result, an invita-
ton to address the club. See?"
"All right" said Brown "come tomorrow
night if you want to do any literary stunts I'm
off now
Don't forget that the committee from the Out
door Art Association meets Thursday night"
called Adler. "Some of the most prominent peo-
pie" But Brown was out of hearing
Adler felt worried as he walked back to his room.
This was the second time that Brown had failed
him within a week The two had been almost
inseparable for months past. People OF the town,
according their predictions were for pagan or
Christian illusions, referred to them Damon and
Pythias or David and Jonathan. Adler was aware
that this close friendship in itself, gave sort of
distinction and to be distinguished from the mass
was what he expressly desired Had Peer Gynts
enemy the Button Moulder approached him, he
would have objected not so much to being melted
up in the casting ladle, as to being thrown in
with Dick, Tom and Harry
Though Adler exaggerated the Importance of the
external, he was, perhaps, not so much in love
with appearance as convinced that it necessary
to his success Conscious of those superior mental
and physical traits which had enabled him to rise
above the poverty and degradation of his childhood,
he yet keenly aware that he Browns
inferior in birth and breeding. He was not slow
to perceive that many little things which he had
acquired only after humilating experience, came
naturally to his friend. His struggles had devel-
oped in him sharpness of perception regarding
the means of advancement and he felt that Browns
advice and example were useful to him in many
ways.
Nevertheless, Adler's the dominant nature;
it was he who, at the beginning of their friend
ship, had made the advances and for time he
had been able to prescribe the policy of the pair
OF late, however, Brown had shown signs of being
restive particularly regarding Aders dictum that
since neither of them could afford the attentions
expected by the class of girls to which he aspired
they should, for the present, "cut out the girl bust
altogether" Now it is very doubtful whether
Brown cared at all about getting in with the
right people" or whether he particularly enjoyed
their society when he was in. Gladyce Reardon
probably represented his standard, so far as he
had any. But Gladyce Adler reflected, f1irt
and Brown would probably end by making a fool
of himself 1t was pity that good and un-
suspecting fellow should be added to the list of
her vctims Adler decided that it almost a
duty for him to interfere. The affair really ought
to be broken off at once. But how? 1t seemed a