The San Francisco call., 1910-12-18

n noon, having risen earlier than
was his custom. On the sunny
side Of the slot he met Sammy Jarbo,
who rehearsed some gossip from over
the hill But Arnold had only a distant
interest in Washington street, it ap-
peared. though he asked of everybody.
and particularly # the captain had
heard any news from the army depart
ment headquarters. Being assured that
no word had reached the father, he
lapsed into silence. walking along with
his hand on Sammy's shoulder through
the California morning.
Sammy and he had been as brothers
by reason OF the old days when they
were broke" together: and, besides, it
is something 10 have a friend to walk
with through such weather. They wan
dered as far as the city hall plaza, and
then sammy had 10 depart for his aft
ernoon wagon deliveries. He gave his
friend a last troubled look. Arnold was.
as always, well dressed. Immediately
groomed and polished, but his face held
a pallor that had crept above its
swarthiness, his mobile mouth twitched
more than it was wont in other days.
"Hammy," muttered his friend. why
don't you get through with it? Don't
let a girl break YOU up like this-it's
pretty tough to be turned down cold,
but come out Of it,"
Arnold smiled kindly on him. Be
tween these two there had been that
Fellowship which is the chief virtue Of
men, and Of which women know moth
Ing; and when he chose to close his
heart sammy could find the way. if it
was to- be found. But he only smiled
benignanty now and Stripped sammys
shoulder tighter. Little man. know
you mean it," was his only word.
Women continued Mr. Jarbo;
they've been breaking up things for
5000 years, amt they?" He sighed.
cd Uncertain, coy and hard to please
didn't those knights of old have it
handed to them same as we?"
Arnold's smile deepened. i've want
ed to tell you something. Sammy. that
lame girl loves you"
"Eb?" suffered the poet, what are
you at2"
Mary Melody. She's fine and she's
up against a hard game. Life's a tough
old proposition TO a girl like her. lame.
cut of-not a soul in the world who
cares. And she loves you. I tell you.
that's ali that's worth while-to have
some woman believe you're better than
you are"
And it seems that to you they're
just an adventure"
Don't talk about me. With me the
adventures done. Women have been
fair weather friends with me, but when
the dark days came-they always quit
me then. All except-" he broke off
with his old impersonaI humor. I've
analyzed the matter, Sammy. I've made
q study Of failure, I've been after the
philosophy Of it; I've worked out its
principles. and after while, when the
demonstration is done. If any man
wants TO go to the devil can give him
an exact formula"
You're an awful fool" sighed Sam
my, and I give you up"
That's best" The other gripped the
poets arm But you-you take your
little old case Of heart failure and
swing in hard. You marry Mary and
live. boy. That's one thing I want be-
fore" he broke again and stared
over his friends head. We'll, don't
bother about MEETINGS don't hurt
me. The world can uppercut me pretty
hard. and Tn smile"
The poets eyes were troubled. Il
wish you'd break with all this o,
Hsmmy. II we could all be like we
were once-3ust young and laughing
together over some fool thing. Seems
like up on the hin they're all waiting
for you-seems as if we all believed in
you. Up there you're no crook, like
the papers call you"
He left his friend staring at a f1eck
Of blue above the town where the
trades fog broke. In the afternoon the
winelike sunshine came, and Arnold
idled along streets bulging with traffic
and in cafes agog with pleasure And
al o'clock he was in Abrams pool
room, nervously lingering the bribe
money in his vest pocket. He had had
drink or two and the gamblers
fever was on him. a blind resurgence
ne ItIleIlDelcU Lildl II was the UdN OF
the Narcissus stake and he had beer
given a "hunch" on Bianca-not as
straight as the plot that landed Cor
sair with the big money, but-weu, il
was worth twenty, surely.
The poolroOm was noisome place
with the stink Of unwashed men, bare
of floor, dimlit from grimy windows
Benches We're along two sides Of the
basement On which the wrecks of the
racing dope" loafed, watching the
others who had not yet come to the
street. as they studied the blackboards
on which the horses were posted. a
partition ran along one end of the
room. inclosing the telephones and
paraphernalia Of the poolroom men
and before this space was a higl
counter-so high that a tall man coulC
moi see over the top-and the dop,
gamblers. after they had made THEFT
choice, were compelled to reach theil
money over their heads TO the clerks
who then bawled the bet to the ticke
writers and passed the pasteboard.
back to the customers The room wa
filling now, with a slow interjectior
of new life among the dreary habitues
for it was nearly the time Of the frs
race at Emeryville track The reek o
tobacco and whisky was in the air
AS the minute Of the start ap
Froarhed the sbuf7fner crowd thfclx