The Detroit times., 1912-10-04


have kept them waiting"
II wonder" said the Watermelon.
why n guy always gets so hungry
on Sunday"
Nothing else TO do" suggested
Henrietta, hut eat
The car stopped and she started 10
alight. but the Watermelon was be-
fore. offering his hand with grace
bred OF absolute Inconsistencies OF
self
"AIphonse can take your car to the
garage and fll II with gasoline" said
the general. He always felt that
after he had done his best 10 put q
car out OF order for good, he prac-
tically owned the car and its owner.
.Aw, don't bother" protested the
watermelon.
''Tush, tush, man. IL Is no bother.
and the general turned TO the coldly
respectful Alphonse.
Henrietta had started toward the
steps and the Watermelon turned to
follow her, when he saw Her standing
on the top step. looking straight at
him across IsGrietta's shoulder. His
first impulse was to stand and stare.
his second. turn and run back to
Mike and James and his old clothes,
his third, which he followed blindly.
was to stumble forward, hat In hand,
not from any respect for women IN
the abstract, but just for her, her tiny
feet, her small white teeth. her dim
pie. She would not come up to his
shoulder by at least six inches, she
was very slender, and In her high
wasted, yellow frock. she seemed Q
mere wisp OF girl Her hair and
eyes were brown, her cheeks flushed
like the petals OF an apple blossom.
She had crooked little smile that
brought a single dimple in one soft
cheek. Her hat was a big, tapping
affair. covered with buttercups and
daisies.
The Watermelon, gazing at her
forgot everything. Henrietta, dinner.
the general. He stared and she stared
back. The brown suit with the pale
green stripe and the faint suggestion
OF red lent an undeniable improve
ment to the broad shoulders and long
limbs OF the graceful Watermelon.
The admirable shave and haircut the
village barber had given him in ex-
change for his own quarter, revealed
the square-cut chin and the good-nat-
ured, careless mouth OF the born
ne'er-do-well. Under the brim Of the
soft expensive panama were his wo-
mans eyes. now tragic and unhappy,
for who was he but a tramp, fire.
Quenter of the highways and back
streets, an associate OF James and
Mike?
billy" said Henrietta, I'VE had an
q nfn hnP
guest. Miss Bartlett, Mr.. Bachelor"
Were you part Of the adventure?"
asked Billy, holding out her hand.
Yes" said the watermelon, incap-
able OF further speech.
Henrietta presented him to Mr.
Bartlett, stout, red-faced gentleman
OF middle age. Wealth, success. self
complacency radiated from him like
the rays OF the sun. He grasped the
hard brown hand OF the Watermelon
and looked the young man up and
down, noticing the pin in his tie, the
panama and the silk socks without
seeming fairly 10 notice the man.
William Hargrave Batchelor?" he
murmured questioningly.
The same" answered the general
heartily. feeling that he had done
something praiseworthy In capturing
the young man. He drew OF his
gloves and beamed at the watermel.
on. He is a young one to beat US,
Bartlett. We ought to be Oslerized"
Bartlett's eyes cleaned and he |
shook the Watermelon's hand with |
renewed pleasure "Youtn," said he !
oratorically, is hard TO beat, General,
but We aren't deaduns yet have |
had an occasional try at the Street, /
myself, Mr.. Bachelor You have
heard OF me-"
'oh, yes" said the Watermelon ab.
sent-mindedly, thinking OF the girl
with the single dimple and the turned
up nose.
Father took me. once" said Billy.
IT was terrible. Are you a broker,
Mr. Batchelor2'
Haven't you read yesterdays pa.
pers, Billy" exclaimed Henrietta.
II never read the papers" admitted
Billy. with charming smile. Just |
the front page headlines. sometimes"
He was there" laughed the gen
eral I'm inch-high print. He broke
the cotton ring, my dear" The gen
erals tone was full OF reflected glory |
as the host OF the great man.
"Oh.' cried Billy, that's where !
father lost so much. He told me this
morning. just as we left the house"
Bartlett glanced sharply at the |
Watermelon and interrupted Billy
with a laugh. You get everything
wrong, my dear" said he, tweaking !
her ear. II said good deal OF mon /
ey had been lost
But, papa" protested Billy. "you
said"
Come 10 dinner" everybody. |.
please interrupted Henrietta. in re-
sponse TO an appealing glance from
Bartlett. II am starving whether YOU
others are or not"
We had better said the general
Jocularly ''or this young man will be
come bear instead of a bull" He
laid his hand affectionately on the
Watermelons shoulder and walked
down the hall with II resting there.
CHAPTER "