The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-29
)RGE BARR McCUTCHEON.

fairly swanped the girls with their senile attentions. It was lively sCp-
 per perty-ny word! And they wen
 home unanimously declaring that the
 debutantes of the present day dis. counted, at least in dash and go, the
 charmers of fifty years ago." Amidst the confusion of peals of
 merriment which greeted tht. genial
 raconteur, Miss Cable. to whom the ! story did not especially appeal, whis- | pered in awed tones:
 ~Graydon, who on earth is that l queer, spectacular looking man with your father?"
 "Oh, that's Droom-isnt he charac- 1 ter? He's been with the governor ] since was child. In those days his
 looks used to frighten me almost to death. I fancy he's had 8 sad life. 1 don't you know" "There is something positively aw- l ful in his face." returned the girl. as 1 her eyes faltered and dropped to her plate on unexpectedly meeting those 1 of the subject of her remark.
 "Sh-hv' came from Medford. and
 then. Come, Billy-what's the point l or the moral as they say in novelsr'
 "Fernmore Is a rattling good chap 1 at heart" Graydon was saying to
 Jane, ''but I can't stand that Med"- "Yes, yes; go on, MT. Fernmore."
 broke in several voices in eager ex- 1 pectancy.
 'The moraly' Billy's eyes were 1 twinkling. ''The joke. rather. is on me. When Mrs. Fernmore reached
 home I thought 1t wise to say nothing l about the affair, but had completely
 underestimated the persistency of
 these rejuvenated venerables. They were not satisfed-wanted to know more about the girls. and the next day l in deep but joyous simplicity half a
 dozen old men asked their married l daughters and close friends at the 1 clubs what family of Brown certain debutante belonged to. who w4s the ] father of Miss Jones and how long l had the family of Miss Robinson lived I in the city. together with lot of smaz- l ing questions. And failing to derive even the remotest satisfaction from l the social register. the woman Eaem- bers of their families besieged m3 in- ! nocent wife with more or less shocked 1 inquiries as to an entertainment of l mine at which their aged relations
 were present. Well. the game was up! I owned up-confessed to the girls
 being actresses and begged for mercy" And I forgave him." supplemented Mrs. Fernmore smilingly. Boys will be boys.''
 "Whewr' whistled Billy. in conclu-
 sion. Ut was no end of a lark!
 would not have missed it for The
 world; but the old chaps will never.
 never forgive me-"
 AS the gentleman finished. Bansen,e1 was looking at broom with amuse- ment. The old clerk was shaking his head in manner that signified dis-
 approval.
 "Hows that for doings in swageer
 society. eh. broom? If any one but
 Billy Fernmore had done that he would have been ostracized forever. Nothiag
 like millions''-
 I don't believe true aristocrats
 would do that" interrupted Droom half angrily.
 ACSC alC lAC aristocrats; the others have lost the
 name-forgotten. Come let's go over
 yonder. We can talk there.'' Bansemer called for the bill and set tied it; then. slowly rising. ostent4-
 tiously waved his adieus to the alco~e and deserted the scene for Chapin & Cores. broom meekly followed his
 employer.
 For some time neither spoke. In their stall each was busy with his own thoughts and speculations. 'I think I've made mess of it with Mrs. Cable" began Bansemer. 'She"- 'I wouldn't mention names," caution ed broom, with a look at the top of tte
 partition.
 "She's very likely to fight back, aftsi al.''
 What was your demandY' Money" said Bansemer quietly. "Humph!" was Droom's way of sag ing he lied.
 "Harbert has a purpose in comirg here, Elias. We must prepare fer him.
 "We are as well prepared as we can e1pect to be. l guess it means that | we'll have to get out of Chicago" Curse him!' snarled Bansemer. '1 don't care rap about myself, but it will be all up with Graydon if any thing-er-unpleasant should happen to
 me-" said Bansemer, with w.stful
 glance at his glass. Then in subdueSl tones he told of the meeting with Har-
 bert. broom agreed that the situation
 looked unpleasant and all the more So in view of what Eddie Deever had
 mentioned in connection with the mar- shals office. He repeated the story as
 1t had come from the babbling young ster's lips. utterly deceived by the guileless emissary from the office dewr- stairs.
 What do you expect to do?" he ask- ed. studying the tense face of his ena- ployer.
 ''I'm going to stand my ground" said Bansemer, steadily drumming oa the table with his stiff fingers. They can't prove anything, and the man wll0
 makes charge against me will have to substantiate it. I'll not run a step"
 '"Then," said broom coarsely. lyon must let Mrs. Cable alone. She is yorR