The Bottineau courant., 1909-10-22
with no evidence Of surpr1se as ms Wis

WITH no cVlOoQC0 OF surprise as MS VlH
itor entered. 4ns a
Hello, Jimsyw
"Hello!'
Smith might have expected him ant
regarded his presence as an ordinar,
thing for all the tone Of his respons,
to the salutation indicated.
"How have you been all this timer
about as usual. How have yol
been getting on? Take a chair, won
your
He did not see the hand that Brook
extended for the reason that he wa,
rolling up the plans that had beel
stretched before him.
Brooks sat down in the only othel
armchair, on the same side Of the ia
BILE. On entering he had been very
nervous. His customary aplomb re
vived as he found that Smith was ap
parently the same old Jimsy.
'"Oh, fine," he replied. Thought II
just drop in on you and see how thing!
were.'
''Thanks. Have a cigar"
Smith pushed the box toward him
and he helped himself to one and lit it
II feel like I owe an apology TO-
keeping out of the way so long.
suppose you wondered what had be
come of me-"
II have often wondered"
"Well, you see, was sort Of cut W
after the way Emma left me. 1t was
enough to make me feel sore. There
was no excuse for it. Then I've beer
awfully busy. got a job in a banl
as assistant receiving teller at a rea
living salary. A fellow isn't ground
down there, and there's a chance tt
get on. They treat you like gentle
man, not like lascar cabin boy.
ought to have quit the Latin-Americar
line long ago. I suppose old Williams
is still slave driving"
"Williams is still president of thu
company"
swell, he'll get what's coming to hin
from somebody one Of these days."
Smith made no comment.
"say, Jimsy, you don't give one the
impression that the world disagrees
with you. You look immense"
'There's never much the matter
with me, Brooks"
"'Brooksv Why 'BrooksT What's
the matter with JoeT You needn',
be so darned ceremonious. Yo,
haven't got a grudge against me be
cause stayed away so long, have
you?
'No grudge whatever"
"Oh, we'll, let it 60. How's the ole
woman?"
"You mean Mrs. HarrisY'
"Who else would I mean except my
sanity mother-in-law?'
'She was we'll at last reports
There was another pause in the con
versation, and Brooks stared hard a.
the ceiling.
~ guess you're a fixture here. Yor
wouldn't be happy in any other lodg
ings," he went on, looking at Jimsy
who was eying him with his usua
calm expression that was neither cole
nor kind, yet partook, If anything, O.
kindness. "You ought to see thu
cute little quarters I have. They're
in bachelor apartment house.
want you to come around one of these
evenings. You'll come, won't you?''
maybe, one Of these odd evenings
We've got to provide accommodations
for more boats, and I'm busy man
so you mustn't bank on me fol
awhile"
"All right. If that amt a refusa
any evening you can dispose of vii
suit me. Just let me know you're
coming; that's ALL"
For the hundredth time his eye
wandered to portraits Of himself ani
his wife in a silver stand on the table
They had presented photographs an6
stand to Smith soon after their mar
riage.
"You've still got that, see," he said
Indicating it with a nod Of the head.
"Of course"
"How is she, by the bye?"
At last he had brought the conver
sation round to where he wanted it.
Emma? Oh, she was all right whel
I last heard about her."
"Heard about her? She's living will
her mother, isn't sheT'
Certainly. I haven't seen them TO
some time. All the family's out O
town."
Brooks could not conceal his disap
pointment.
"Where are they staying? Is it IA
from the cityT
"Quite some distance"
"Well, where is it? At the seaside