Evening star., 1909-06-23

1t was in one of these desolate moods.
after a twelve-hour days ceaseless work,
that it occurred to Conover one evening
to call on Lefty Standish. He had not
for a moment abandoned his idea of max
ing her his wife. But that would come
in due time. and meanwhile he had been
| busy with matters that could not be so
readily postponed. True. he had at last
paid the deferred dinner call But Miss
Standish, the butler had said. was not at
home. Twice he. had repeated the visit,
and both times had been met by the same
message. This did not strike him as at
all peculiar. In summer people were apt
to be out Of doors. Perhaps tonight he
might find her at home. At all events,
the walk would tighten his loneliness.
Painfully donning his highest collar.
gayest tie and new cream-colored crash
suit, the fighter turned his face toward
Pompton avenue. AS he neared the
Standish house the murmur of voices. oc-
casional bursts of low laughter and the
idle twanging of guitar reached his
ears. Several people were grouped on the
piazza. So interested were they In a
story one of their number was telling
that Caleb stood on the topmost step be-
fore his approach was noticed.
Lefty, following eagerly each tone OF
the narrators voice. in search or the
psychological moment for laughing
her. bulking huge against the dying dusk
Her involuntary little cry brought the
story to premature close.
1t was Caine. who. sitting back among
the shadows, rose as usual to the situa-
ton.
Hello. old chap-' he said. cordially
as he came forward You loomed UP
before us like six-by-four ghost
Lefty
Miss Standish had recovered herself
Cl1ffi inio m
with deprecatory effort at cordtality
and to introduce him to three or four
young people of the neighborhood who
dropped in for an informal summer
evenings chat.
Glad to see you again, Miss Standish.'
exclaimed Caleb, heartily. after noddins
| acknowledgment to the somewhat cold
recognition Of the other callers. Eve
been around two or three times. But
you're always out when 1 call. My bad
luck. But I'm soin' to keep on calm
just the same. It's lonesome in town
this summer. Lonesomer, seems TO me-
than it ever was before. So I'm goin
to stroll round here kind of often il
you'll let me-"
He had taken the place on the steps
momentarily vacated by a youth who
had been sitting by Lefty and who had
risen when the girl introduced Conover.
Lefty, while she tried to murmur some
thing gracious in reply to his remark
form in abject terror. Even through the
cleaning his light, alert eyes seemed to
seize and hold her Will The hands she
clasped nervously in her lap grew cold
and damp. Her nose quivered distress
warning that the cruel darkness rendered
of no avail.
Been up to the Arareek lately?" he
went on.
NO. Yes-I-not very lately" she
stammered.
"Neither've T. he answered. ''Too hot
for the walk. When it gets cooler I'm
goin' to try and get there ev'ry week /
ought to go out more. I'm beginning to
see that My s'ciety manners are gettin'
rusty. Fact is. I've had to hustle so
hard all my life I've never took time to
have any fun. But things are shapin'
themselves now like l was goin' to have
a chance to look around me at last.
Then l hope I'll see more of you. Miss
Standisf-a good deal more" he contin-
ued lowering his voice to a rumble that
excluded the rest from the tete-a-tete
IL shall be very glad,'' faltered the
poor. girl.
SOIL t. he agreed. I'm not such a
stOopid. nose-to-the- -grindstone feller as
you may think. Miss standish. I've been
busy that's all. Now that the cash is
runnin' in I'm goin' to enjoy it, an try
to do more in s'ciety than I've been
able to. SO far. A single man don't get
much show to rise in the social back
yard, not without he has tricks An 1
haven't any-thank the Lord! But even
IL / can't get a lot of popularity for my