The Detroit times., 1912-10-05
CHAPTER v.

William Hargraye Bachelor was
said to be a cold, hard-headed youth,
who had risen by sheer grit and de-
termination to the place lie now held,
riding rough-shod over his own and
every one else's desires and pleas
ures. A calm. imperturoable young
man, with cruel keen eyeii. the papers
described him. Watching him across
the table, Bartlett decided that his
square Jaw and thin mouth fitted the
! description fairly well, but that the
/ eyes were complete contradiction.
They were neither keen nor cruel,
but soft and mild and sleepy. The
whole face was careless, Indifferent,
and II ii were not for the jaw, Bart
lett would have hardly believed II
possible that, Batcheior was sitting
opposite him, His own Jaw snapped
and he swore to himself that he
would keep him for a week, either
through Billy or otherwise. So strong
Is the power OF suggestion, 1t did not
enter his head to question the youths
Identity.
| They were rising from the table
now. The general, having dined to
his satisfaction, was beaming with
good humor and stories. Excusing
himself moment, Bartlett hurried
to the telegraph station in the office.
He hunted for his code, but could not
find II and had to write the telegram
In English. II would be safe enough
The operator was raw country
youth who wouldn't be able to under
stand II anyway, and II would go di'
rect to his broker, who would be
spending the day at his country place
ON Long Island
Have w. II. b." wrote Bartlett
"Will take him for weeks tour In
the country, with Billy's help. Eat
them up"
Rush it, he ordered sternly, "and
bring me the answer. VIII walt for
it on the porch"
The news soon spread that the
stranger dining with the general anu
his daughter was none other tnan
the suddenly famous young stock
broker. whose grim defiance OF the
street was told in headlines in the
daily papers, and whose life from the
cradle up was thrillingly recounted
IN Iut
he had changed his seat at the table,
there had been suppressed litter OF
amusement for the eccentricities OF
great man, and those who made
study of human nature saw plainly
an indication Of that character which
knew what Il wanted and would get
II and keep it, overriding all OBJ
stacles. A man like that, nothing
could down.
AS they stood on the porch after
dinner, waiting for Bartlett to rejoln
them, the four were soon surrounded
by an ever-growing circle OF friends
and near friends, and to his panied
surprise. the Watermelon was the ad-
mired center of the group. All looked
on him much as the general did. not
SO much as a man but as a character
out of the Sunday supplement. Bored
to exhaustion he shook hands Imply
with score or more whom he did
not know and did not want to know.
II was getting late and he would
have TO return the clothes and be-
come once more merely the Water
melon. He had forgotten the beauty
show and had no heart for 1t now.
When he left Billy nothing more
counted, nothing mattered. Old
clothes, or good, hobo or millionaire,
without Billy, one was as desirable
/ as the other. He would return the
clothes and beat il UP the line that
evening. James and Mike could gi to
grass. Meanwhile, instead of getting
| the most out Of the short space of
time allotted to him and having Billy
h., xtsna ah n F-
ing hands with frowsy bunch OF
highbrows.
"Mr. Bachelor, would you invest in
copper, II you were ~ queried an
elderly maiden whose hand he had
weakly grasped and but just dropped.
| The Watermelon looked around,
desperately, miserably. Billy was
gazing at him from the edge Of the
crowd, awe fighting with admiration
and amusement on her small face.
Henrietta had presented him gaily, TO
this one and that, and the general,
thoroughly in his element, stood by
and showed him of as though he
were a new horse or the latest model
motor-car.
! NO" said the Watermelon. Il
would not invest in copper"
Have you any copper?'' questioned
another with a wink that the great
man was caught.
NO" repeated the Watermelon
with the animation OF a hitching-post
IL have no copper. have never had
any, not even pennies" he added,
thinking how fast the time was going
and he would become a tramp again,
with ragged clothes and empty pock-
cts. while Billy would still be-Billy.
Every one laughed and the general
essayed a joke on his own account.
"Greenbacks are better investment"
said he, "and you have invested in
them pretty WE'LL
How could you tear yourself away
from the street?' asked one impress
sionable young thing.
II don't know" said the Watermel
on. "Wall-st is practically my
home" And he gazed languidly over
their heads into the trees across the
road.
"Oh, Mr.. Bachelor, do you think
the tariff will affect the cost OF liv.
| t.~1ss tna,drad auofhar NJ hta now