Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-11-25

| counted upon for tact, was Kellogg
| Now he strangled surprise by turning
to the fourth member of the party.
| Nat" he said, II want you TO meet
Mr.. Bartlett. Mr.. Bartlett, Mr.. Dun
| can"
A wholesome smile dawned on Dun
cans face as he encountered the blank
/ blue stare of a young man whose very
/ smooth and very bright red face was
/ admirably set off by Semi-evening
! dress. Great Scottv he cried, warm
! Iy pressing the lackadaiSical hand that
! drifted into his. willy Bartlett
after all these years"
! A sudden animation replaced the
| vacuous stare Of the blue eyes. Dun
] cam he ,stammered. u say, this is
| rippin'r'
/ "As bad as that?" Duncan essayed
/ an accent almost English and nodded
/ his appreciation of it, something
| which Bartlett missed completely.
/ He was very young-a very great
/ deal younger, Duncan thought, than
/ when they had been classmates. what
/ time Duncan shared his rooms with
! Kellogg, very much younger and suf-
! fering exQuisitely from oversophiSti-
INcation. His drawl barely escaped be
| ing inimitable. His air did not escape
| it. "Smitten with my old trouble"
Duncan appraised him-"too much
money. Heaven knows 1 hope he new.
er recoverS!'
AS for Willy. he was momentarfly
more nearly human than he had seem
ed from the moment Of his first ap-
| pearance. You know" he blurted.
this is simply extraordinary. 1 say,
you chaps, Duncan and 1 haven't met
for years. not since he graduated. We
belong to the same frat, you know.
and had a jolly time Of 1t, If he was
an upper class man. No side about
him at all, y know. absolutely none
whatever. Whenever I had to go out
on a spree I'd always get Nat to show
me round"
Il was pretty good at that" Duncan
admitted. trifle rUefully.
But Willy ratified on needless. He
knew more pretty gels. y know. I say,
old chap. d'you know as many now%''
Duncan shook his head. The list
has shrunk I'm q changed man, vii
~"
low. I say. you're chawfn." Willy
argued iucredulously. i don't believe
that, y know, hardly. 1 say, you re-
member the night you showed me how
to play faro bank?"
"I'H never forget it." Duncan told
him gravely. and I remember what
plug we thought my roommate was
because he wouldn't come with us"
He nodded significantly toward the
amused kellogg.
Not him. cried Willy, expostulant.
"Not really? Why, it cawn't be"'
Fact" Duncan assured him. "He
was working his way through college,
you see, whereas l was working my
way through my allowance and then
some. That's why you never met
him. Willy. he worked and got the
habit. We loafed with the same re-
suit. That's why he's useful and
you're ornamental and I'm He
broke of in surprise. Hello" he said
as Robbins offered a tray to the three
on which were slim stemmed glasses
filed with a pale yellow effervescent
liquid. why the blond waters of ex-
element. please?'' he inquired, accept
ing glass.
From across the room Larry Miller's
voice sounded Are you ready, gen
tlemen? Wen drink to him first, and
then he can drink to his royal little
self To the boy who's getting on in
the world. To the junior member of
L. ]. Bartlett & Cor
Long applauded loudly, Hear, heart
and even Willy Bartlett chimed in
with an Unconditional, Good work.
Mechanically Duncan downed the
toast Kellogg was the only man not
drinking it, and from that the meaning
was easily to be inferred. With a
stride Duncan caught his hand and
crushed IT in his own.
Harry" he said q little huski1y, at
can't tell you how glad 1 am. It's the
best news I've had in years"
Kellogg's responsive pressure was
answer enough. 'Tt makes It doubly
worth while to win out and have you
all so glad" he said.
80 you've taken him into the firm,
eh?' Duncan inquired Of Bartlett.
The blue eyes widened stonily. 1.-THE
governor has. I'm not in the business.
v know. Never had the slightest turn
for It, what?" Willy set aside his
glass. "I say. I must be moving. No,
I cawn't stop. Kellogg, really. was
dresstn' at the club and Larry told me
about IT, so I Just dropped round to
tell you how Jolly glad 1 am"
Your father hadn't told you. thenT
who. the governor" Willy looked
unutterably bored. why, he gave up
tryin' to talk business with me long
ago. 1 can't get interested in it, pom
my word OF course 1 knew he
thought the deuce and all of you, but
I hadn't an idea they were goin' to
take you into the firm. What?"
Long and Miller interrupted, propos-
ing adieus which Kellogg vainly con-
tended.
'Why, you're only Just here he
tod