The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-03-27

ing attentions. Tssoo::s ladies' were put
in my charge by an old friend, and l
don't propose to stand any nonsense
from you, Mr.. Gillespie. You seem
to be at least half sane"
Reginald Gillespie raised himself on
the couch and grinned joyously.
THANK you-thank you for that
word! That's just twice as high as
anybody ever rated me before"
Il was trying to be generous l
said. There's point at which be-
gin to be bored and when that's
reached I'm likely to grow quarrel.
some. Are there any moments of the
day or night when you are less fool
than others?"'
well. Donovan, I've often specu-
lated about that, and my conclusion
is that my mind is at it's best when
I'm asleep and enjoying a nightmare.
Then, have sometimes thought my
intellectual parts are most intelligent.
ly employed"
II may we'll believe you." declared
with asperity. Now I hope I car
pound it into you in some way that
your presence in this neighborhood is
enensive-to ne-personaliy;"
He stared at the ceiling, silent, i'm.
perturbable.
"And Ina going to give you safe con:
duct through the lines-or if necss:
sasy I'll buy your ticket and start you
for New York. And if there's an atom
Of honor in you, you'll go peaceably
and not publish the fact that you
know the whereabouts of these la
dies"
He reflected gravely for a moment
Il think" he said, that on the
whole that's fair proposition. But
you seem to have the impression that
l wish to annoy these ladies'"
you don't for a moment imagine
that you are likely to entertain them,
do you? You haven't got the idea
that you are necessary to their happi-
ness, have you?"
He raised himself on his elbow with
some difficulty: flinched as he tried to
make himself comfortable and began:
"The trouble with Miss Pat is"
There is no trouble with Miss Pat"
l snapped.
"The trouble between Miss Pat and
me is the same old trouble of the
buttons" he remarked. dolorously.
Buttons, you idiot?"
Quite SO. Buttons, just plain,
everyday buttons; buttons for button
ing purposes"
The fellow was undoubtedly mad. I
looked about for. a weapon; but he
went on gravely:
What does the name Gillespie
mean? OF what is 1t the sign and
symbol wherever man hides his
nakedness? Button, button, who'll
buy my buttons? 1t can't be possible
that you never heard of the Gillespie
buttons? Where have you lived, my
dear sir?"
will you please stop talking rot
and explain what you want here?"
demanded, with growing heat.
That, my dear sir, is exactly what
I'm doing. I'm a sutton for the hand
of Miss Patricia's niece. Miss Patricia
scorns me; she says I'm a mere child
of the Philistine rich and declines an
alliance without thanks, If you must
know the truth. And it's all on &C.
count of the fact, shameful enough, 1
admit, that my father died and left me
a large and prosperous button fac
tory"
| why don't you give the Internal
thing away-sell it out to trust
| "Ah! ah!"-and he raised himself
again and pointed bandaged hand at
me. Il see that you are a man Of
penetration! You have keen notion
| of business! You anticipate me!
did sell the Internal thing to q trust,
but there was no shaking it! They
made me president of the combina-
ton, and control more buttons than
any other living man! My dear sir,
dictate the button prices of the world
l can tell you to a nicely how many
buttons are swallowed annually by
the babies of the universe. But L
hope, sir, that I use my power wisely
and without depressing the people,"
| Gillespie lay on his back, wrapped
in my dressing-go his knees raised,
his bandaged arms folded across his
| ShSoSs AA14SC VI WSIuS uIlu 1uLO Gu0
house had studied him carefully and,
I must confess, with increasing mys-
LITIGATION. He was splendidly put up,
the best-muscled man had ever seen
who was not a professional athlete.
His forearms and clean-shaven face
were brown from prolonged tanning
by the sun, but otherwise his skin was
the pink and white Of healthy baby.
His short light hair was combed
smoothly away from a broad fore
head; his blue eyes were perfectly
steady-they even invited and held
scrutiny; when he was not speaking
he closed his lips tightly.
l half believed the fellow to be
amusing himself at my expense; but
he met my eyes calmly. II had not
caught lunatic 1 had certainly cap.
tured an odd specimen of humanity.
He was the picture Of wholesome liv-
ing and sound health; but he talked
Ikea fool. The idea Of a younp woman