The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-02-06
except your coat. Wrap

0hNSPI SOuA SooIs W1dp
that In newspaper and carry it. l
don't know that Atkins has any one
on guard at the hotel, but I think it
more than likely he suspects some
connection between our party and
Keatcham's. But first, tell me about
Atkins; what do you know about him?
It's an American name."
America can take all the glory Of
him, fancy" said Tracy. He's been
keatcham's secretary for six years.
He seems awfully mild and useful and
timid. He's not a bit timid. He's full
Of resource; he's sided suggestions
into Keatcham's ear and has been
gradually working to make himself
absolutely necessary. think he aimed
at partnership; but Keatcham
wouldn't stand Tor it. l think it was in
revenge that he sold out some of
Keatcham's secrets. Cary got on to
that and has score of his own to
settle with him. besides. don't know
how he managed. but he showed him
up: and Keatcham gave him the sack
In his own coldblooded way. know
him only casually. But my cousin.
Ralph Schuyler, went to prep. school
with him. so got his character
straight off the bat. His father was
patent-medcine man from Mississippi,
who made fair pile. a couple of hun
dred thousand which looked good to
that section, you know. ! don't know
anything about his people except that
his father made the Celebrated At
kins' Ague Busters:' and that Atkins
was ashamed of his people and shook
his married sisters who came to see
him. in rather a brutal fashion: but
know a thing or two about him: he
was one of those Founders who curry
favor with the faculty and the popular
boys and never break rules apparently.
but go off and have sly little bats by
themselves. He never was popular.
yet, somehow. he got into things; he
knew where to lend money; and he
was simply sickeninEly clever: in
math. he was wonder. Ralph hated
him. For one thing. he caught him in
a dirty lie. Atkins hated him back
and contrived to prevent his being
elected class president. and when he
couldn't prevent Ralph's making his
senior society the happy thought
struck Atkins to get on the initiation
committee. They had CHEEKY little
branding game TO make the fellows
quite sure they belonged. you know.
and he rammed his cigar stump into
Ralph's arm SO that Ralph had blood
poisoning and a narrow squeak for his
life. You see that I'm not prepos,
sessed in the fellows favor. He's got
too vivid an Imagination for mol"
Seems to have" acquiesced the
colonel.
II think. You know"-Tracy made an
effort to be just think Atkins was
rather sonred. Some Of the fellows
made fun IF the Ague Busters he
had notion that the reason it was
such up hill work for him in the school
was his fathers trade. No doubt he
did get nasty ticks Mt first; and he's
revengful. He hasn't got on in society
outside, cither-this he lays to his not
being a university man. You see his
father lost some OF his money and put
him to work instead of in college. lIa
was willing enough at the timc-T
think he wanted to get married--but
afterward. when he was getting good
salary and piling up money on his tips.
he began to think that he had lost
more than he had bnrgained for. Al
h1'c hot
wants is to make a laundering big
strike and to pull out of Wall street.
buy what he calls "A seat on tho
James and set up for southern gen
tleman. He's trying to marry south
ern girl, they say. who Is kin to the
Carriers and the Ryrds and the Lees
and the Carys-why. you know her.
she's Mrs. Winters secretary"
''Docs-does she care for him." The
colonel suddenly felt his mouth
parched; he was savagely conscious Of
his mounting color. What a fendish
trick Of fate! he had never dreamed
of this! Well. whether she cared for
him or not. the man was a brute; he
shouldn't get her. That was one GER
tainty in the coloncl's mind
"Why. Cary vows she doesn't. that
It was only a girlsh bit OF nonsense
up in Virginia, that time he was pros
pecting. you know. But don't feel so
safe. She's too nice for such cur.
But you know what women are: the
incest OF them seem to be awfully
queer about men. There's no betting
on them"
I'm afraid not" remarked the colo
mel, lightly. But he put his fingers in
side his collar and loosened 1t, as if
he felt choked.
Because he had A. dozen questions
quarreling for precedence in his head,
he asked not one. He only inquired
regarding the situation; discovering
that both Mercer and Tracy were
equally in the dark with himself as to
Atkins plans. Atkins store Of infor
nation, Atkins resources. How he
could have waylaid Tracy and the hoy
without knowing whence they came
was puzzling; It. was quite as puzzling,
however, assuming that he did know
their whereabouts. to decide why he