The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1911-04-07

mate had certainly chosen . good Time
to come and ask him for money. How
ard mistook the cynical gayety for
good humor.
Il said I'd cheer o up" he went
ON. Il don't want to remind 0 OF
that little matter Of two hundred and
fifty bucks which you borrowed from
me two years & \ suppose you've
forgotten 1t, but"
A look of annoyance came over Un-
derwood's face.
We'll, what OF it," he snapped.
Howard ooh another drink before
he continued.
Il wouldn't remind you OF the loan.
old chap; but I'm up against 1T, When
the family kicked me out for marry
ing the finest girl that ever lived, my
father cut me Off with a piking allow
nee which I told him to put In the
church plate. l told him l preferred
independence. Well" he went on
with serio-comic gravity, Il got my In
dependence, but I'm-I'm dead broke.
You might as well understand the stu
alton plainly. can't find any bust.
ness that I'm fitted for, and Annie
threatens to 60 back to work. Now,
you know l can't stand anything like
that. I'm too much Of a man to be
supported by any woman"
He looked toward Underwood in .
stupid kind OF way, as If looking for
some sign of approval, but he was dis
appointed. Underwood's face was .
study OF supreme Indifference. He did
not even appear to be listening. Some
what disconnected, Howard again
raised the glass to his lips. and thus
refreshed. went on:
Then / thought of you, old chap.
You've made a rousing success of It
got a big name as art collector-made
; lost of money and all that"
Underwood in.patientfy interrupted
him.
Its impossible, Jeffries. Things are
a little hard with me, too, just now.
You'll have to wait for that $3.50"
Howard grinned.
""Taint the $3.50, old man, l didn't
want that. want q couple of thou
sand"
Underwood could not help laughing.
"a couple of thousand? Why not
make it a million?"
Towards demand struck him as be-
ing SO humorous that he sat down con.
vulsed with laughter.
Looking at him stupidity. Howard
helped himself to another drink.
ut seems I'm a hit" he said with a
grin.
Underwood by this time had recov.
cred his composure.
$50 you've lone nothing since you
left college?" he said.
NO." answered Howard. Il don't
seem to get down to anything. My
ideas won't stay in ope pace. | got a
job as time-keeper. but l didn't keep
it down a week. l kept the time all
right, but 1t 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.
Its the one thing l do punctually."
he hiccoughed. Il can row. swim,
play tennis, football. golf and polo as
well as anybody, but III be damned II
l al do anything quite as we'll as !
can do this"
"What do you want 1000 for?" de-
manded Underwood.
i've got an opportunity to go into
business. l want $4,000 and | want
1t 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
second time, loaded me down with a
stepmother. She's all right. but she's
so confoundedly aristocratic. You
know her. Say, didn't you and She
wasn't there some sort Of ar 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" he said CURLY. Sitting down at a
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-"
If Howard had been sober. he would
have understood that thic was a nret-
ty strong hint for him to be gone, but
in his besotted condition, he did not
propose to be disposed Of 80 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 reSnactahle uncles wrote