Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-12-11
CHAPTER ".

BIN FOl.llFAf-
TOR two days the club steward
only nodded when Huard came
In. He had no letters 20 pre-
a sent
Il am thirty-three years old" HH-
lard unused as he sought the reading
room. Downtown / am looked upan
MS man Of affairs. a business man.
with the care OF half dozen fortunes
'n nay hands Now. what's the mat
ter with mes begin 20 tremble when
! look that sober old steward In the
face. II be had handed me a letter
tonight l should have had 10 lean
against the wall for support This
VIII never do OF all. / have not seen
her face: ! do not know her name
For NIL / know she may be this Teddy
Lighthnger. No: that would be impos
sible. Leddy LiGhtfnger would have
made an appointment. What possesses
me 10 dwPif 80 this realm OF fancy.
which Is less tangible than a cloud OF
smoker lie smoked thoughtfully.
"Or am romanticg To create romance
out OF nothing-I used TO do that when
! was boy. But I'm a hoy no longer.
or am boy thirty-three years old?
She does not answer my letter SenSi-
bic woman. Well. we'll" reaching FOR
the London Illustrated News. LET'S see
what the society folks have been do
ing"
He dropped the paper. There was
really nothing new IN the world. n
Giovanni returned TO Italy In the
spring he was or n mind 20 go with
him. He looked up and was glad 10
see Merrihew In the doorway.
Been looking for you. Jack. Want
your company tonight. Kitty KILT
grew is giving a little bite 20 eat after
the performance and has asked me TO
bring you along VIII you Gomez"
with pleasure. Dan Are you din
ing with any one toniChtT' Hulard
was lonesome.
Yes A little bridge till H."
You're hopeless. can see You in
limbo. matching coffin plates with
Charon. I'll hunt you up at IL"
Heard the talk2"
About whay?"
why. some one in the club has been
using the agony column The J.. H's
are being guyed Numerically. and
you'll come 10 for II presently. It's a
case OF wine on the man who did 1T
Hillard felt OF his collar and drew
down his cuffs. Probably some Joke"
be ventured tentatively
IF II isn't the man who would stoop
to such tommyrot and tack the name
OF his club 10 II must be an ass"
mo doubt about that. Odd that this
is the FIRST time l have heard about it."
Bur sileutly Hillard was swearing at
his folly.
Il may depend upon you tonight.
then?" said Merrihew.
II shall be- pleased to meet Miss Kill
ligrew." which was white one Hi
lard would have paid curt 10 Iaun-
dress rather than offended Merrihew.
And promptly at II he went up TO
the card room and dragged Merrihew
away. Merrihew gave up his chair
reluctantly. he was winning. The
amateur gambler never wants TO stop.
on the way TO the Killigrew apart
ment Merrihew's moods varied At
one moment he was on the heights. at
eAF hNAt III iut utpiuN itP SIMPLY
could not live without Kitty. Per
haps II this trip abroad turned out
badly she might change her mind
Seven thousand could be made 10 mus
ter Twice Hillard came very near
making his friend a confidant OF his
OVID affair. but he realized that. while
Merrihew was TO be trusted in all
things. II was not yet time.
He found a pleasing and dIverting
There was Mere Killigrew.
a quaint little old lady who depIored
her daughters occupation. but admit
ted that without her success heaven
only knew how they would have got
along. There was the genial Thomas
O'Maily. low comedian OF genuine
ability. whom Hillard knew casually;
Smith. light comedian. and Worth. a
successful baritone. 10
whom Hillard took one OF those en-
slant and uneccountable dlsiikes.