Evening star., 1909-05-26
THE FIGHTER f
n By ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE. \
3N Copyright. 1909, BY Albert Payson Terhune. /
By ALBERT PAYSON TT
Copyright. 1909. BY Albert Payson Terhune.



contempt.
Say. Caine." he interrupted. "why in
thunder do you make your nails look ike
| a pink skatin' rinkT'
IF you mean. why do I have them
| manicured." answered Caine. coolly, lit
| is absolutely none Of your business"
Nov s'pose that's what you'd call a
snub," ruminated Conover. But 1t don't
answer the question. Pink nails all shined
up like that may look first rate on a GIRL
But for a man thirty years old-with a
| mustache-say. why do you do it?'
why do you wear necktie?" count
cred Caine. Il admit 1t Is g surprisingly
ugly one But why wear one at all? 1t
doesn't keep you warm. 1t has no use."
| "Clo'es don't make a man." stammered
Conover, rather discounted at the riposte
But there's no use creatin' disturbance
by goin' round without 'em. AS for my
necktie, 1t shows / amt day laborer
for one thing"
"Well-groomed hands are just as certain
sign manual Of another Sort" finished
| Caine. -.
"As failure you would have been
success. Conover," interrupted Caine. But
as success you are in some ways lam
| entable failure. To paraphrase your
| own inspired words. II all the things you
don't know about social usage were placed
| end to end"
They'd cover mighty long list Of
measly useless information. what DO l
| care for such rOt?"
| That's what you're called on to ex-
plain this afternoon before the governors
of the Arareek Country Club. nnisheo
,, Caine rising. Are you ready"'
few minutes first I want to tell he her
about my winnin' out against the bia-
carda crowd. She knows Blacarda.'
Does she know finance?"
guess An neither of 'em enough to be
specially interested. But she likes 70
hear about things I'VE done. I'll just drop
round there on my way. Join you later
| at the club"
"Tll walk as far as her door with you
IL you like" suggested Caine. gathering
up his hat and stick. Then I'll go on
and see what can do with the govern
forward to coercing many of them into
| sanity. They bear a pitifully strong re-
semblance to the late lamented Bour-
bons. They. learn nothing. forget moth
"And they go your Bourbon gang one
better" supplemented Conover. "by never
| havin' known anything to start Wltn
Maybe I can give 'em an idea or two.
though before sntson were sand. done, Hn useo
| you'll find this job rather more DIM
cult. I fancy. A garlick-haloed section
hand is a lamb compared to some OF our
hard-shall club governors. Why do you
want to stay in the club, anyhow? 1t
seems to me-
"In the first place. because I won't
| Quit. Providence loves bulldog, but he
hates a gutter. In the second place, !
want to feel I've as much right in that
| crowd as I have In Kerrigan's saloon.
I've made my way. This Steeloid shuttle
ought to put me somewhere In the mil
lion class. An there's more to come
Lots of it. I'm railroad president. too.
| The c. G. and x is a punk little one
horse railroad. but some day I'll make 1t
cover this whole state. The road was on
its last legs when l got hold OF 1t, and
I'm making 1t what l choose to. Now,
as a man with all that cash-and a rail-
road president to boot-why amt en-
titled to line up with the other big bugs
OF Granite? Tell me that: They don't
| want me before I'm done TN then they'll
| take me whether they want me or not.
Amt that sound logfc?"
"As sound as dynamite cartridge"
laughed Caine. You're a paradox! No.
| paradox isn't a fighting word. so don't
scowl. You have the Midas-gift Of max
ing everything you touch turn to solid
cash, and making 81 grow where one
mortgage blank formerly bloomed. You
have the secret OF power. And. with it
ALL you stoop to crawl under the canvas
into the Social Circus. Feet of clay!"
Caleb glanced furtively at his broad
shining boots. then. disdaining the alfu-
| sion as past his discernment. answered:
IT'S my own game and l play 1t as
plan to-inone year from now you'll see
folks askin' me to the same houses where
youve been invited ever since your great
grandfather held the job of first land
owner here, in the revolution See IL
don't"
did you ever chance to read of Long
fellows poem about the rabbi-Ben Levi
who took the Kingdom of Heaven by
violence? queried Caine.
II don't read rhymes. Life's too short
What happened to him."
He didn't have particularly pleasant
time of 1t, as / remember. In fact.
believe the angels Joined in a symphonic
very worthy, governors of the Arareek
o'dH,1f "Hm!' onG sniired connover in high con-
tempt II the .3! rabbi person had M took took
angels past, he might a got front-row
seat in the choir instead of bein' throwed
OUT
$50 that's the line you're going to take
to be there. 1t ought to prove amusing.
But you don't seem to realize that even
II you win you won't be exactly beloved
by them in future"
I'm not expectin' a loving cup with a
round-robin OF their names on it. Not
just at first. anyhow. So don't waste any
worry on me. The clubs only the first
step. anyhow. The real fun's liable to
come when 1 take another"
Festina lente! counseled Caine. "Peo-
nouveau richie as long as he remembers
1t. But they remember it as soon as he
| forgets 1t. Is 1t discreet to ask what Miss
Shevlin thinks of all this? Is she in
sympathy yInp With your social antics-1
| Il don't know. l never asked her.
! never thought to. But If l did, She d
stand for it. You see, not bein' as old
| and as wise as some Of the Granite folks,
she's fallen into the habit Of thinkin'
| l m just about all right. It's kind Of nice
to have some one feel that way about
| you"
You seem to return the compliment.
don't blame you. 1t isn't every man who
| finds himself guardian to an exquisite
| bit OF animated Sevres china. I'm lying
back to watch for the time when some
| scared youth comes to ask your leave to
| marry her"
What's that?" snarled Conover stop
ping and glowering up at the tall. natty
figure at his side.
Don't get excited laughed Caine.
| a girl as Desiree Shevin to live and die
an old maid. II you're so opposed to this
imaginary suitor I've conjured up. why
| not marry her yourself?'
Marry? That kid? Me?" sputtered
Conover. why, I'm past thirty and
and she amt twenty yet. Besides I'm a
daddy to her.. If I hear of You or any
one queerin' that kids fondness for me
by any such fool talk. I'll"
Her father was wise in appointing you
her guardian" Knocked Caine. In the
| regiment Of cavalry. you're an ideal drag
/ on. l remember old Shevlin-a first-rate
contractor and ward politician, but the
! last sort of man to have such daugh-