, 1910-06-09


Sank sIeeplIy Back Among the Soft
Divan Pillows.
ideas won't sta in one place. got a
Job as time-keeper. but I didn't keep
1t down a week. I kept the time all
right, but It wasn't the right time"
Again raising the glass to his lips, he
added: They're so beastly particu.
lar"
You keep pretty good time with
that" laughed Underwood. pointing to
the whisky.
Howard grinned in drunken fashion.
IT'S the n thing l do punctually,"
he h~iccoughed. 81 can row.. swim.
play tennis. football. golf and polo as
we'll as anybody, but I'll be damned II
l can do anything quite as well as I
can do this
What do you want 50. 900 for?" de-
manded Underwood.
I've got an opportunity to 60 into
business. / want $4,000 and I want
It deuced quick"
Underwood shrugged his shoulders.
Why don't you go home and ask
your father?" he demanded.
His visitor. seemed offended at the
suggestion.
What" he exclaimed, with comic
surprise, after being turned out like a
dog with a young wife on my hands!
Not much-no. I've injured their
pride. You know father married a
eco time, loaded me down with a
stepmother. She's all right. but she's
SO co%nfoundedly aristocratic. You
know her. Say, didn't you and she
wasn't there some sort of an engage
ment once? Seems to me l."
Underwood rose to his feet and alb
ruptly turned his back.
I'd rather you wouldn't get person
al" be said CURLY. Sitting down at q
desk, he began to rummage with some
papers and, turning impatiently to
Howard, he said:
Say, old man, I'm very busy now.
You'll have to excuse me-"
II Howard had been sober, he would
lave understood that this was a pref
ty strong hint for him to be gone, but
in his besotted condition, he did not
propose to be disposed Of SO easily.
Turning to Underwood, he burst out
with an air of offended dignity:
Underwood. you wouldn't go back
on me now. I'm an %outcast, a pariah.
a derelict on the ocean of life, as one
of my highly respectable uncles wrote
me. His grandfather was an iron pud-
der" With a drunken laugh he went
on: Doesn't 1t make you sick? I'm
no good because l married the girl. II
l had ruined her life I'd still be a
decent member Of society,""
He helped himself to another drink,
his hand shaking SO that he could
hardly hold the decanter. He was
fast approaching the state of complete
intoxication. Underwood made no at.
tempt to interfere. Why should he
care IL the young fool made a sot of
himself? The sooner he drank him
self insensible the quicker he would
get rid of him.
mo. Howard" he said; you'd never
make a decent member of society"
"P'r'aps not" ~hiccoughed Howard.
How does Annie take her social
ostracism?" inquired Underwood.
Like a brick. She's a thorough
bred. all right She's all to the good"
"All the same. I'm sorry l eve in
troduced you to her" replied Under
wood. 81 never thought you'd make
such a fool of yourself as to marry"
Howard shook his head in a maud
lin manner. as he replied:
81 don't know whether l made a
fool of myself or not, but she's all
right. She's got in her the makings
of a great woman-very crude. but
still the makings. The only thing
object to H.. she insists on going back
to work, Just as If I'd permit such a
thing. Do you know what ! said on
u wedding day? Mrs. Howard Jef.
ries, you are entering one of the old
est families in America. Nature has
fitted you for social leadership. You'll
be a petted. pampered member of that
select few called the AGO. and now.
damn 1t all, how can l ask her to go
back to work? But II you'll let me
nave that 81, 900"
By this time Howard was beginning
to get drowsy. Lying back on che
sofa, he proceeded to make himself
comfortable.
Two thousand dollarsl" isaRhed