The Washington times., 1911-10-18

game unless l wished to be forestalled
sebaste and had spoken in Italian. I
did not know whether or not the nan
y ON Vicnna was supposed to lie an
Italian. IL he were, had no fear Of
discovery. For though / am heart, soul,
and body an American, yet my mother
was Italian and had taught me her own
language tefore / was five years old.
we had spoken. Italian or French
consequence i spoke both with no tor
sign accent and as easily as l did Eng
Despite my doubts as to my ability
for my next encounter with Sebaste.
l had just finished dressing when
B,lly Gregg stormed into my room.
Won dld sea ane ,,t rasss sss go aIerieg
Clean out nothin'" he growled, dra W.
Ing out cigar and unceremoniously
rummaging my dressing-table for a
! measliest gallery of skates / ever bucked
Ip against. I piped the Jockey that
could speak a mouthful or two of sorne-
thing he miscalled English slips him
a good thing. An he pockets the dough
an tells me moneys the coolest thing
he's wise to An find out the races
Is sassiest events an run on the square,
an no way poor feller can find out
what's doin'. I drops a bunch Of these
Ira shin plasters on the wrong skaic
lan'-Holy Saint Tammany. what's that
red g. headlight you gotw t,,, >, ..,,
had brought him to the dresser drawer
into which I had dropped the scarlet
scarab when I changed to evening
clothes.
He fished the scarfpin out of its rest
ing place and held 1t up to the light,
well. OF all the funny-lookin' lamps
ever struck" he commented, turning
y round and round. ''Where'd you pick
HIM! he went on. mot so ugly, IL
It? Dinky an furren lookin', but swell
for ora, all that; tina, Did they have another?'
"Id kinder like 20 get one. It'd look
tasty with, my red satin tie sn, that
stylish, red-spotted vest of mine"
peauteous vision he had conjured up.
Take it If you like l suggested
careessly.
1 had already lost my fret enthusiasm
over the garish baubie. But he drew
mot mer' he decided (thereby. as 1t
happened. unconsciously changing the
whole current, of my future ife).
me bad luck. Never take a pointed or
sharp thing for a present. Breaks the
friendship. And amt cravin to lose
you Just awhile sbd ss.S say tSa %has this
No no! / don't mean what's is made
of, but the thing carved on it?'
ooh! A scarab"
"A which,"
"A scarab. The ancient Egyptian en-
blem Of
"scarab's' a new one on me all, right.
LOOKS more to me like beetle"
l explained to him the symbolism of
the carved beetle placed in the hands OF
dead Egyptian kings; and how, thou
sansd of years afterward, the sacred
49,, h1 60
ions toys. incidentally, mentioned
that a firm in Birmingham. England, is
said to turn out more genuine antique
scarabs'' in a year than were ever dug
Billy was not especially interested in
the historic sketch: but the vivid color
and strange design of the pin had evi-
IDENTIFY captured his fancy. Again I Of
clined. ~
why not wear it with them opeH-
faced clothes Of yours?' he suggested.
eyeing my evening waistcoat. You'd
real hot sport. Well, SO long! 1 'spose
I've got to Chamber INTO my own merry
regalia. What fool ever invented this
crazy idea Of harnessin a INA man into ton
pened to be evening? South Of Four
teenth street, folks think we was
goin' to tn cigarmakers' ball."
l was not paying much heed to his
ing for dinner had been a nightly af-
fair with Billy.
My mind had gone back to the Sc
baste matter. and I was wondering
how best to conduct my inevitable
interview with him.
Say. Billy" called across to him
In the adjoining room. where he was
struggling into his tight evening
clothes. Il want your advice"
l was about to confide the whole
matter to him. But, on second thought
| feared he might not be content to
remain a mere spectator when SO in
teresting a game was afoot And two
unguarded sentences Of Gregg's East
Side diction would bring all my plans
to wreck.
I resolved, for the present, to keen
my own counsel. So I went on:
you said you were in the prize ring
once. What would you do IL you were
matched against cleverer man than
yourself and wanted to make him
think you were cleverer than he?"
rs there a funny comeback to IL?
NO? Wen. I'd lay low an look wise.
an let him do all the leadin', and I'd
Watch my chance am
.Thanks. old man. I broke in
hnour fonHur ADVICE t is good. And I mean to